Olympic rider named Bramham’s new cross-country course-designer
British-based Dutch Olympic event rider Andrew Heffernan will take over from Ian Stark as cross-country course-designer at Defender Bramham Horse Trials. Andrew has ridden at Olympics and World and European Championships for the Netherlands and has competed at Bramham six times. He and his wife Millie are based at Somerford Park Farm in Cheshire. “To take over the reins from someone like Ian Stark is a huge honour. He has helped me enormously over the years with my designing and I’m hoping he will be there for me to lean on for a good few years to come!” said Andrew.
The sale of Charlotte Dujardin’s top horse Imhotep
Imhotep, the 11-year-old gelding with whom Charlotte Dujardin has won world and European medals, has been sold to Austrian rider Diana Porsche. H&H spoke to Carl Hester about the move and Carl confirmed that the sale of “Pete” had always been on the cards for after the Paris Olympics; conversations with Diana started in May. “The timing could have been more ideal, especially with Kismet being sold, and those things happen. But this was always going to happen and unfortunately Kismet went first, which made this look a bit more weird – but it’s not weird at all,” said Carl.
A couple who “dreadfully mistreated” two horses so badly they both died, one weighing just 82kg, have been sentenced at Worthing Magistrates’ Court. Bognor Regis pair Katrina Sullivan, 42, and 36-year-old Jamie Middleton, of Laurel Grove and Felpham Road respectively, pleaded guilty to two animal welfare offences relating to 18-month-old cob Sassy and three-year-old gelding Apollo. Sullivan and Middleton were both banned from keeping animals for 10 years. Sullivan was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for two years, Middleton to 14 weeks’ prison, suspended for two years.
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Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.
