US eventer Tamie Smith has paid tribute to Solaguayre California, who has been put down aged 12. The mare picked up an injury across country at Luhmühlen Horse Trials on 17 June. Although initial reports of her condition were initially positive, the issue was more complex than originally thought, and California had to be put down after surgery. “My heart is broken as I write this and say that Solaguayre California was humanely euthanised after a planned surgery to repair a slab fracture to her knee,” Tamie said. “This is devastating to our team, her owners and I cannot quite imagine life without our girl, however her tenacity and grit was the complete example of how we get through times like these.
Mount St John Freestyle made a winning return to competition on 21 June, more than two years after she was last between the white boards. Freestyle and her owner Emma Blundell scored 74.13% in a grand prix at Northallerton EC, Yorkshire, and the test was Emma’s grand prix debut. The 14-year-old Fidermark mare, who won team and individual bronze for Britain at the 2018 World Equestrian Games with Charlotte Dujardin, last competed in May 2021 at the Wellington CDI3* with Charlotte.
Swedish Olympic team gold medallist Peder Fredricson has left hospital following a fall on 18 June. Peder and H&M Que Sera had been competing in the young horse classes at the Longines Global Champions Tour of Stockholm, but had a fall in the warm-up when H&M Que Sera took off too early to a fence. Discussing his injuries, Peder said: “Examinations showed that nothing was broken but that there was bleeding and damage to the blood vessels in the neck.”
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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.
