Sometimes it is the most unlikely looking horses who go on to become the biggest stars. That was certainly the case with grand prix dressage rider Steph Croxford’s horse of a lifetime, the charismatic and hugely popular chestnut gelding Mr President. 

Steph and Mr President competed all over Europe at the highest level, including three times at Olympia in 1007, 2009 and 2010. But when she went to look at “Mr P”, who was by a Gelderlander/hackney stallion out of a Dutch warmblood mare, for the first time, dressage could not have been further from her mind.

“I wanted to do hunting, eventing, jumping – I thought why would I want to ponce around in a 20x60m arena,” laughs Steph on episode 50 of The Horse & Hound Podcast, currently supported by Frosti-Tap. 

“I had an ex-hurdler who got kicked in the field and ended up having to be semi-retired. He went to a hacking home and I was so upset to see him go. So I looked in the local paper at the time, the Yorkshire Post, and said I was just going to pick something for sale and go and have a look.

“All the advert said was, ‘Four-year-old chestnut gelding’. But he was £2,500 and I could afford that, so I drove up to Ian Smith’s in north Yorkshire to have a look. When I arrived, Ian showed us this little horse in an old-fashioned Victorian stall. I said, ‘What else have you got?’ 

“He showed us all the ones he had for sale – all driving-bred – but then said, ‘You really do need to see this little chap out’. So out he came, and jumped virtually a five-bar gate from a standstill. I thought he had a funny trot – at the time I didn’t know that was passage!”

A way with the mares

Steph brought the little chestnut gelding home to her livery yard at the time, where he was turned out in a huge herd of mares and geldings. 

“He would separate out all the mares – his girls. It was the time of the Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky affair, and that was how he got his name: Mr President,” she explains.

But dressage was still the last thing on Steph’s mind – that is, until she booked on to a cross-country clinic with Sonia Berry, who was also a dressage trainer.

“I was galloping around all these fences, and Sonia said, ‘I’m not sure why you’re jumping that horse round here; he should be in a dressage arena’,” recalled Steph. “So I went and did a couple of unaffiliated dressage shows. I think I won, at prelim, and thought I’d nailed it, then realised that when you did dressage properly you needed to know what you were doing,”

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From that point Steph and Mr P’s dressage career took off, and they progressed fast through the ranks up to grand prix. Looking back , it wasn’t all that surprising that Mr P became such a star.

“He always liked posing and showing off,” said Steph. “I just didn’t know that what I called his goose step when we went past the pigs was in fact called passage! It was the blind leading the blind, but I always felt he was a reincarnated grand prix horse because if I put my leg in a certain place, he knew it meant sideways, or flying change. I owe him everything and he owed me nothing.”

Mr President was retired from competitive dressage in 2013, and enjoyed almost seven years of happy retirement before being put down in late 2019, at the age of 25.

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In our 50th weekly episode of the first series of The Horse & Hound Podcast, currently supported by Frosti-Tap, grand prix dressage rider Steph Croxford talks to H&H dressage editor Polly Bryan about characterful former top horse Mr President and more. Moving on to the week’s top news stories, Horse & Hound news editor Eleanor Jones, senior news writer Lucy Elder and news writer Becky Murray join Pippa to discuss events cancelling and others putting tickets on sale, plus a horse abuse case that ended up at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. We also welcome back the Royal Veterinary College’s Andy Fiske-Jackson and equine vet Ricky Farr, who give an insight into the role of vet hospitals in research. We hope you will find it useful.

Episode 50 of The Horse & Hound Podcast, our popular audio service available exclusively every Thursday morning for our H&H Plus subscribers, currently supported by Frosti-Tap, is now live.

Each episode is available for all H&H fans to listen to 24hrs after its early release to our H&H Plus members. Search for “The Horse & Hound Podcast” in your preferred podcast app and click subscribe to be notified about each new episode. This will allow more listeners to make The Horse & Hound Podcast an essential part of their week on Friday morning.

• View all episodes of The Horse & Hound Podcast

In episode 50, grand prix dressage rider Steph Croxford talks to H&H dressage editor Polly Bryan about characterful former top horse Mr President and more.

Moving on to the week’s top news stories, Horse & Hound news editor Eleanor Jones, senior news writer Lucy Elder and news writer Becky Murray join Pippa discuss events cancelling and others putting tickets on sale, plus a horse abuse case that ended up at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

In this week’s advice section, the Royal Veterinary College’s Andy Fiske-Jackson and equine vet Rick Farr who give an insight into the role of vet hospitals in research.

We hope you will enjoy our latest episode and would love to hear your feedback, so please do send your thoughts to pippa.roome@futurenet.com

H&H Plus podcast: episode 50

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The Horse & Hound Podcast 47: Anneli Drummond-Hay | CT scans | News round-up

The Horse & Hound Podcast 46: US Olympic eventer Boyd Martin | Emergency vet referrals | News round-up

The Horse & Hound Podcast 45: Kitty King | Sustainability in equestrianism | News round-up

The inaugural Wellington CDI3* that gets underway this week is set to be one of the most significant dressage events of the year. As the first dressage international to be held on British soil since October – and the first outdoor UK show since 2019 – the country’s top combinations will be out in force. 

While not officially a selection trial, this will be a crucial opportunity for those riders campaigning for a place on the British dressage team at the Tokyo Olympics to prove themselves. For those who have opted not to make a trip across the Channel to compete this year, this show will be especially important. 

A total of 34 combinations are entered for the big tour at Wellington CDI3*, of which 25 pairs are British. There are also riders representing Finland, Ireland, Greece and Poland. We have picked out a selection to keep a particularly close eye on…

Charlotte Dujardin – Mount St John Freestyle (12-year-old mare, Fidermark x Donnerhall) and Gio (10-year-old gelding, Apache x Tango)

All eyes will be on Charlotte and her two rides. Both performed strongly at Hagen CDI4* at the end of last month, with Freestyle winning the grand prix special there (pictured above), and Gio the freestyle. At present, both horses are an option for Charlotte to take to Tokyo, although championship – and flying – experience would make Freestyle a more obvious first choice. Barring disaster, Charlotte is a shoe-in for the Tokyo team, but she will be keen to fine-tune her two superstars as she prepares to peak in Japan.

Fiona Bigwood – Hawtins Delicato (13-year-old gelding, Diamond Hit x Regazzoni) and Fame (11-year-old gelding, Bordeaux x Rhodium)

This will be Olympian Fiona’s international debut with the former championship ride of Carl Hester, Hawtins Delicato. The pair have had a few months to gel and it will be fascinating to see what they can bring to the table here. Fiona also rides her upcoming star Fame on what will be the horse’s international debut. 

Gareth Hughes – Sintano Van Hof Olympia (11-year-old gelding, Sandro Hit x Silvano) and KK Dominant (12-year-old stallion, Diamond Hit x Rubin Royal)

With Gareth’s top horse Classic Briolinca out of contention for this year’s championships, attention has now turned to his upcoming star Sintano, who made a super international debut in Belgium last month. Gareth will be looking to consolidate those good results here on home soil, with half an eye on selection, while also progressing the career of the striking stallion Dominant.

Emile Faurie – Dono Di Maggio (14-year-old gelding, Dimaggio x Santander H)

Having been denied entry to the EU while travelling to compete in Belgium last month, Emile will be keen to make the most of this second opportunity to show off his rekindled partnership with his 2918 World Equestrian Games ride Dono Di Maggio. Emile temporarily took back the ride from Dono’s Greek owner, Theodora Livanos, and they have already impressed behind closed doors this year at a practice grand prix event at Hartpury. 

Steph Croxford – Mr Benn (12-year-old gelding)

Wellington will be an international debut for this quirky horse and his popular rider. Nicknamed “Thug”, this gelding was bred for driving and is by a coloured Irish cob, and out of a Dutch warmblood/hackney, and presents a very striking picture in the ring. While Steph says she is looking forward to “propping up the bottom” in the grand prix here, this is just the beginning of this plucky pair’s international career together.

Kate Dwyer (IRL) – Snowden Faberge (15-year-old gelding, by Foxcourt Fabelhaft)

This adorable chap has Shire in his breeding but it hasn’t stopped him from becoming one of Ireland’s top grand prix performers. This pair haven’t competed internationally since Doha CDI5* in February 2020, where they made Irish history by winning the grand prix special. They were also a part of the Irish team that secured Olympic qualification at the European Championships back in 2019, and will be itching to get on the Tokyo team. 

Theodora Livanos (GRE) – Robinvale (14-year-old gelding, Rubinero 2 x Wittinger)

This pair have their sights set on representing Greece as an individual at this summer’s Olympics, and having being denied the chance to compete in Belgium along with Emile Faurie last month, Wellington is their chance to secure qualification for Tokyo. It’s been a long road to this point for 19-year-old Theo, who underwent surgery and months of recuperation after being diagnosed with osteomyelitis last year.

Spencer Wilton was also due to compete for Britain with the 18-year-old De Niro son Super Nova II, in what would have been the duo’s first international appearance since March 2020, but has withdrawn from the competition.

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What’s on at Wellington and how to watch

The grand prix will take place on Wednesday 12 May, with the grand prix special and freestyle both scheduled for Thursday 13 May.

Wellington will also host small tour classes at prix st georges and inter I level, which will take place on 11 and 12 May, while a full complement of youth classes, from under-25 level to ponies, will be held across the week and over the weekend.

While the event is being held behind closed doors due to current coronavirus restrictions, it will be available to watch via Horse & Country TV’s live stream.

H&H will also have a reporter on site, so don’t miss the 20 May issue of the magazine for full coverage.

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

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Steph Croxford’s former grand prix star Mr President, 25, was put down on 20 November, following a happy retirement after his stellar career.

‘Rim Rim’, who stood at 16.1hh and was by a Gelderlander-hackney stallion out of a Dutch warmblood mare, was deemed an unlikely dressage legend.

The driving-bred Rim Rim cost just £2,500 as a newly backed youngster and was named after former US president Bill Clinton for the way he would round up and court the mares in his field.

He detested pigs and allegedly learned to passage by “goose-stepping” past the them while hacking.

Ever the crowd-pleaser, he would frequently receive standing ovations and winning the Saumur CDI grand prix freestyle in 2007 stands out as one of his greatest achievements. He retired from competition at the BD national championships in 2013.

Here we round up just some of the highlights from Mr President’s incredible career…

2007: Hickstead

2004: Hickstead

2006: National Dressage Championships

Steph Croxford at home with Mr President

2009: National Dressage Championships

2013: National Dressage Championships

2013: National Dressage Championships

Flying at the Summer National Championships

2010: National Dressage Championships

2011: Steph Croxford and Mr President at home

2010: Hickstead

2009: National Dressage Championships

Showing off flying-changes at Addington

Showing off at Olympia

Showing off his expression and character

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British rider Steph Croxford has said goodbye to her charismatic grand prix dressage star Mr President.

The driving-bred gelding, bought for £2,500 as a newly-backed youngster from an advert in a local newspaper, went on to achieve top-level glory across Britain and Europe.

His journey from fun horse to dressage star with elite amateur Steph, an environmental geologist, captured the public’s hearts.

Mr President was put down aged 25 on 20 November following a happy retirement after his stellar career.

“He was responsible for sending us on this lifelong journey of over 20 years, so far,” said Steph.

“It is because of him that we moved to this small Derbyshire village and set up house here, producing a wonderful life for our children and ourselves.

“We owe him so much, as our decisions over the past 20 plus years have been mainly aimed around him and his life.

“It’s because of him, I am where I am today. I know that horse would have died for me. If ever there was a horse that I would want to ride into battle with, it would be him. I knew he would have willingly given his life for me.

“When riding him, it was just like putting on a glove. I didn’t know where I finished and he began. We were of one mind. Simon always joked that he was my second husband.”

The eye-catching chestnut was named after US President, Bill Clinton, for the way he would round-up and court the mares in his field, and spent his first years with Steph enjoying cross-country, showjumping and local one-day events.

The pair’s remarkable journey to top-flight dressage started with a remark by a trainer at a cross-country schooling session, that the horse belonged in the dressage arena.

Mr President was by a Gelderlander x Hackney stallion, out of a KWPN mare, and he oozed natural ability and presence.

The gelding reached prix st georges by the aged of seven and started his grand prix career as a nine-year-old, with Steph training many of the movements out hacking.

“Many people know our history together, but had I not seen that small advert in The Yorkshire Post advertising a 16.1hh chestnut four-year-old gelding, things would have been so different,” added Steph.

“Because of that advert, we had 22 years of pleasure together. We travelled all over Europe competing, we were on target for the Beijing Olympics, before an injury halted play for a while. He came back fighting and enabled us to be part of several Nations Cup teams and competed in numerous World Cup qualifiers. He even gave Richard Davison a few months of entertainment, whilst I was pregnant with Annabelle.”

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We take a look back at the crowd-pleasing dressage star Mr President’s career in pictures

His grand prix career spanned 10 years and included wins in the freestyle at Saumur CDIO in 2007 as well as the grand prix specials at Biarritz later that year and at Hartpury in 2009. They bagged top-10 finishes at all three of their Olympia appearances and Mr President was retired to a standing ovation following his final test at the 2013 National Championships at Stoneleigh.

“‘Rim Rim’ was and will always be number one in our hearts,” said Steph, thanking Agnew Equine vets and Redferns for their care and understanding at this difficult time.

“In Arnie Agnew’s words, as he slowly drifted from this world; ‘Some horses, you could write a book about, but with him….he could write an entire trilogy’. He simply was ‘a one in a billion’ horse that shall never be forgotten in our hearts. We love you Rim Rim and I know we will be together again, dancing around those fluffy clouds. Sleep tight our precious boy.”

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Ever wondered whether you’re the only one feeling crippling nervousness about an upcoming show? Fear not, for you are not alone.

Steph Croxford’s final centre line aboard Mr Hyde at Keysoe’s High Profile show last weekend — the last major national dressage fixture of the year — was what clinched her the win, according to judge Harry Payne.

Steph looks full of self-assurance when she rides into the ring on her eye-catching driving-bred gelding with four white stockings, Mr Hyde.

But going down the centre line is what fills Steph with dread.

“I get very, very nervous,” Steph tells H&H. “It’s the thought of going down that centre line and all the pressure to get it right first time. You can’t say ‘Oh hang on, I messed that bit up so let me just come back and do that half-pass again.

“I get so nervous I feel sick and think, ‘Why am I doing this?’”

With 673 test results to her name on the British Dressage database, Steph has come down at least 1346 centre lines, which you’d think would make her a seasoned pro, immune from show anxieties.

Conversely to most people, Steph’s nerves are far worse when she competes in the UK compared when she rides at big international shows abroad.

“There’s so much pressure on me when I’m riding here,” she explains. “I hear the commentator — at the nationals for example — saying, ‘And next in is crowd favourite Steph Croxford’, and I just think, ‘Crowd favourite? Me? Really? Please no! It’s too much pressure.

“When I go abroad, I know I’m not going to win, and that totally takes the pressure off. I know they’re thinking, ‘Oh look, there’s that carthorse again, bless’, but that’s fine because it makes me relax.”

So instead of being fiercely competitive, Steph aligns her international show schedule with the things things her family want to do while “on holiday” — and they take Mr Hyde with them.

“I’d like to do Compieigne, because that’s close to Disney and we want to take the children there,” she says. “And we fancy the Apls, so we’d like to go to Fritzens.”

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Unfortunately Steph’s husband Simon can’t help with exercising Mr Hyde because the horse is so particular about how he is mounted.

But combining competing with family holidays seems like the ideal way to combat nerves.

For the full report from Keysoe’s High Profile show (10-11 December), pick up a copy of this week’s H&H magazine, out today (15 December)

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Steph Croxford’s charismatic gelding Mr President was retired from major competition at the National Dressage Championships last week.

After leaving the arena for their grand prix, Steph dismounted from the 19-year-old hackney-gelderlander, ran her stirrups up and burst into tears.

The pair received a standing ovation from spectators.

Mr President has been a much-loved competitor over the years, with wins including the Saumur CDI grand prix freestyle in 2007.

Read 5 things you didn’t know about Mr President

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Amateur star Steph Croxford reveals the secrets of a most unlikely dressage legend.

Fact file

Stable name: Mr P or Rimmer

Age: 18

Height: 16.1hh

Breed: By a Gelderlander-hackney stallion out of a Dutch warmblood mare

Sire: unknown

Owners: Steph and Simon Croxford

Rider: Steph Croxford

Best ever result: winner Saumur CDI grand prix freestyle in 2007

Five things you didn’t know…

1 The driving-bred Mr P cost just £2,500 as a newly backed youngster and has since amassed 674 BD points.

2 He was named after former US president Bill Clinton for the way he would round up and court the mares in his field.

3 Mr P is genuinely petrified of clippers and squeals like a pig off to slaughter unless sedated.

4 He detests pigs, too, and learned to passage by “goose-stepping” past the hated creatures while hacking.

5 Ever the crowd-pleaser, Mr P has received standing ovations at Olympia and loves strutting his stuff to his Blues Brothers freestyle routine.

To read the full interview with Steph Croxford about Mr President see the 15 March issue of H&H

Do you want to read all the latest dressage news?

Looking for your own Mr President? Browse the latest dressage horses for sale

Just three weeks after giving birth to her second child, Stephanie Croxford won the grand prix special at Hartpury international, Gloucestershire (16-18 July).

She rode crowd favourite, her own part-Gelderlander Mr President.

Steph told H&H: “I was so happy to get him back out competing again – never in a million years did I expect to come here and win. He does it all, I just have to sit here and let him know what’s coming up next.”

Steph is now looking forward to the nationals, which she qualified for while five months pregnant.

In the small tour, Michael Eilberg took the honours riding his former showjumper Torino. As a reminder, he let the horse jump the dressage boards on his way out of the prize-giving.

“He’s really found his niche at this level,” said Michael. “In his past five tests he’s been scoring over 70%, he finds it easy.”

Michael had to withdraw his grand prix special ride, Marakov, as he didn’t have time between the intermediate music and Premier League prix st george.

Don’t miss Horse & Hound 29 July for all the news, views and gossip from Hartpury festival of dressage.

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International dressage rider Steph Croxford has given birth to a baby boy

Benjamin Lewis was born last Friday, 25 June, at 10.35pm.

He weighed 7lbs 5oz and both mother and baby are doing well.

“We’re all fine,” Steph told H&H.

“We’re now just adjusting to having Annabel (Steph and Simon’s three-year-old daughter), the horses and now a new baby and juggling everything. Plus we’re having to get used to sleepless nights again. It’s amazing how much little sleep you can actually survive on!”

Steph is hoping to be back in action at Hartpury (14-18 July) and Hickstead (26 July-1 August) and is getting back in the saddle for the first time since Ben was born tomorrow (Saturday 3 July).

“I’m hoping to get riding as soon as possible,” said Steph. “Mr President has been ready to compete for the last few months and can’t understand why we’re not out there. Simon has been riding the horses in the morning before work to keep them going, he’s a great stable jockey!

“I rode right up until the last minute, I was schooling a youngster and I had some funny pains and realised I was going into labour. When he’s affiliated I’m going to call him The Inducer!”

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Isabell Werth and Warum Nicht won the opening Western European League qualifier in the FEI World Cup series at Odense, Denmark (22-25 November).

The current World Cup champion scored 79.50% to finish ahead of Sweden’s Jan Brink with Björsells Briar. Warum Nicht (Hannes) was more relaxed in the kür than he had been in the previous day’s grand prix, much to his rider’s relief.

“I think everyone could see that yesterday it was a ride between highlights and big mistakes,” she explained. “Hannes was a bit spooky because of the atmosphere and it was very difficult to get him at ease in the arena. I am happy we managed so well today.”

As well as vital points towards the World Cup series standings, Isabell Werth took home a Kia car and a fur coat. Jan Brink also won a car for second place. This was the first time that the show had hosted an FEI World Cup Qualifier and these special prizes helped attract the big names to the venue.

“If you want to gain the interest of the best riders, then you need the best prizes,” said show organizer, Bo Kristoffersen of JBK Horseshows.

Results

1. Warum Nicht (Isabell Werth) (GER) 79.50%

2. Björsells Briar (Jan Brink) (SWE) 78.80%

3. Gredstedgaards Casmir (Andreas Helgstrand)(DEN) 77.15%

4. Digby (Nathalie Zu Sayn Wittgenstein) (DEN) 76.10%

5. Vincent (Bernadette Pujals) (MEX) 75.10%

6. Hexagon’s Ollright (Laurens Van Lieren) 74,45%

7. Guinness (Louise Nathhorst) (SWE) 73,15%

8. Afrikka (Anders Dahl) (DEN) 72.75%

9. Mikado Engvang (Joachin Thomsen) (DEN) 72.45%

10. Paganini (Jeroen Devroe) (BEL) 69.15%

11. Mr President (Stephanie Croxford) (GBR) 69.10%

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Britain’s top amateur dressage rider Stephanie Croxford beat the professionals at Saumur CDI, France (20-23 September) by winning the grand prix kr.

Stephanie, a geochemist, was riding her driving-bred Gelderlander Mr President.

The pair were second to Julia Chevanne of France in the grand prix on 68.58% and improved for a 74.7% to take the kr from Denmarks Anders Dahl on Afrikka.

I couldnt believe my result, said Stephanie. I never expected to do that well. My horse was on fire though. He went into the arena on a mission.

Stephanie had a break from competing Mr President when she had her first child, Annabelle, in June. But she feels confident.

Weve had a few competitions with little mistakes where weve misunderstood each other but in Saumur we had our old partnership back, she said.

British national champion Spencer Wilton was fifth in the grand prix and second in the grand prix special on 70.88%.

Read Horse & Hound’s full report from Saumur in next week’s magazine, on sale 4 October, ’07)

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