Nick Skelton GBR riding Big Star during the 2nd Qualifier for the individual Competition and the 1st round of the Team Jumping Competition at the Olympic Equestrian Centre in Deodoro near Rio, Brazil on 16th August 2016
In big breeding news, it has been revealed that legendary showjumping stallion Big Star will move from Britain to stand in Europe next season. Stallion AI Services, who have stood the 2016 Olympic champion in Britain since 2013, full-time since 2016, confirmed on 2 December that the 19-year-old gold medallist will be moving to Euro Horse in Belgium for next year.
2. Death of a great mare after well-earned retirement
Georgie Dalton (neé Davies) lost five-star event horse Fachoudette two weeks ago after the mare had enjoyed a long and happy retirement. The horse was 29 and Georgie described the mare’s death as marking the end of an era. “I was with her right to the end,” Georgie told H&H. “She was lovely and fluffy and warm, and I sat and chatted to her after she’d gone. It was a lovely evening and I stayed till it got dark. I thanked her, and gave her the biggest cuddle.”
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Julien Epaillard (FRA) riding Caracole de la Roque in the LONGINES FEI Jumping World Cup during the Day 5 of Equita Lyon Show Jumping World Cup on October 30, 2022 in Lyon, France. (Photo by Scoop Dyga/Icon Sport via Getty Images)
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Sarah has worked at an equestrian journalist and editor since 2004 and has held the position of Horse & Hound Editor-in-Chief since 2014. She has reported for Horse & Hound from major championships including Europeans and World Equestrian Games. She has co-written books on horses and horse sport including The Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia of Horses & Ponies. She has owned and ridden horses since 1993, and worked for and trained with Olympic gold medallist event rider Leslie Law prior to going to university. While studying for a BSc at London School of Economics Sarah also worked for top British dressage rider Louise Spate.
