There’s seeing a lengthy stride, and then there are flyers like this, which are not seen so often. Young showjumper Nicole Lockhead Anderson and the super mare Chilli earned a ticket to the Voltaire Design Under 25 British Championship at the London International Horse Show in December with a sensational victory in Saturday’s qualifier at Aintree International Equestrian Centre. They won by less than half a second, and this breathtaking leap helped secure the title.
An Irish draught gelding has been hailed a “special hero” after he helped save the life of a critically ill pony who urgently needed a blood transfusion. Coral, a 9.2hh mare who was taken in by Redwings as part of a welfare case, was losing weight. Staff noticed redworm larvae in her faeces, and her condition deteriorated rapidly. But fellow Redwings resident Rourke, a healthy 17hh gelding, stepped forward as the “perfect” plasma donor for Coral. “She wouldn’t have survived without the intensive care she was given, and the plasma from Rourke was vital in getting her to turn the corner,” said Redwings vet Dawn Trayhorn.
It was 27 years yesterday since three-time Grand National hero Red Rum died at the age of 30. H&H maps the story of a horse whose name is synonymous with that of the Aintree showpiece, from a run-of-the-mill sprinter bred for the Flat to a household name who completed 10 circuits over Aintree’s daunting fences while barely touching a twig.
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
