Appeal after Olympic medals stolen, a sad farewell, and other things the horse world is talking about

Stolen Olympic medals

Police are appealing for information after two Olympic gold medals won by the late Richard Meade were stolen. The team and individual eventing medals, won at the 1972 Olympics, were taken when the Meade property in Marshfield, South Gloucestershire was broken into between 29 October and 1 November. “Richard died in 2015 and these medals are very special to our whole family,” said Angela, Richard’s widow. Avon and Somerset Police has asked anyone who sees the medals – or the jewellery, antiques and trophies that were also taken – or saw anyone acting suspiciously in the area, to contact 101, quoting reference number 5224288325.

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A sad farewell to a one-eyed stallion

H&M Tornesch 1042, the one-eyed international showjumping stallion, has died aged 24. Tornesch and Sweden’s Malin Baryard-Johnsson were one of the world’s most successful partnerships, with placings in World Cup and grand prix competitions across the globe. They jumped on Nations Cup teams and made two championship appearances, at the 2011 and 2015 Europeans. Tornesch’s right eye was removed in 2013 following continued problems, but he continued to compete at the highest level with Malin, retiring from the top level after Olympia in 2015. “H&M Tornesch was a fantastic horse, with an amazing personality, and we really got close during our years together,” said Malin.

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Poor working conditions linked to anxiety and depression in grooms

New British Grooms Association research has revealed the human impact of working conditions for grooms in the industry. Results from a survey, completed by 551 respondents, revealed that poor employment practices, unsafe conditions, lack of contracts and excessive hours are linked to high levels of anxiety, depression and burnout. The survey found 91% of respondents believed poor employment can greatly affect mental health and wellbeing, and 58% described feeling miserable. “Ignoring the employment and mental health issues highlighted by this survey not only harms individual grooms but also risks wider consequences for the equestrian industry as a whole,” the report stated.

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Becky Murray

H&H senior news writer

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.