A top horse changes riders and other things the horse world is talking about

Charlotte Dujardin (GBR) riding Mount St John Freestyle during the FEI Grand Prix de Dressage at the FEI Longines European Championships Jumping, Dressage & Para-Dressage Rotterdam 2019 held in Kralingse Bos in Rotterdam in the Netherlands on 19-25th August 2019

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Changing reins

Mount St John Freestyle, the mare who Charlotte Dujardin partnered to two world medals and countless international wins, has joined top Danish rider Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour as a Paris 2024 prospect. A half-share in the 14-year-old has been bought by the joint company Cathrine has with her long-term supporters the Zinglersen family. Cathrine, who led the Danish team to world gold in 2022, said the first minute she sat on the mare, “we clicked”.

Top US showjumper and coach Rich Fellers has been jailed for sexually abusing an underage girl who was his student. The 63-year-old, who represented the States at the 2012 Olympics, was sentenced on 12 October, to 50 months in a federal prison, and five years’ supervised release. In a statement, the District of Oregon US Attorney’s office said: “According to court documents, from late 2019 until the summer of 2020, Fellers maintained an intimate sexual relationship with a minor female equestrian student who he had been coaching since the student was 14 years old.”

The wonderful National Hunt mare Snow Leopardess has been retired from racing. The 11-year-old grey, who was trained by Charlie Longsdon throughout her career, clocking almost £250,000 in the process, will go to stud. “She’s retired now, she’s back home and she just didn’t owe us anything,” Charlie said to Racing TV. “She had a few soundness issues at the end but she’s just been the most amazing servant.” Snow Leopardess is owned by the Fox-Pitt family and is a fifth-generation home-bred, having been bred by William Fox-Pitt’s mother, Marietta Fox-Pitt.

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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.

A top horse changes riders and other things the horse world is talking about

Changing reins

Fellers jailed

Top horse bows out

You might also be interested in:

Charlotte Dujardin’s ‘one in a billion’ ride moves to new partner ahead of Paris 2024

Olympic showjumper jailed for sexual abuse of young female student

Fox-Pitts’ much-loved National Hunt mare retired from racing

Changing reins

Fellers jailed

Top horse bows out

You might also be interested in:

Charlotte Dujardin’s ‘one in a billion’ ride moves to new partner ahead of Paris 2024

Olympic showjumper jailed for sexual abuse of young female student

Fox-Pitts’ much-loved National Hunt mare retired from racing

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