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Bronze for Britain
It’s day one of the para dressage European Championships in the Netherlands and Britain has already had two podium finishes. Championship debutants Jemima Green and Fantabulous scored 73% in the grade II to win bronze, behind gold medallists Hediemarie Dresing and Poesie 143 for Germany and Katrine Kristensen with Georklintgaards Quater for Denmark. “I wasn’t expecting this at our first championship,” said Jemima. “He’s only seven so it was such a big ask for him, and he really tried for me.” Mari Durward-Akhurst and Athene Lindebjerg also took bronze, in the grade I.
A record 98 horses have flown from Europe to Calgary for the Spruce Meadows Masters this week (3-7 September), at which a record one-time $5m (£2.7m) prize pot is on offer for the Rolex grand prix on Sunday. The class’s substantial prize fund has been bumped up by $2m this year to celebrate the venue’s 50th anniversary. Among the British talent vying for that prize will be Scott Brash, on the 10th anniversary of his winning the class, and the Rolex Grand Slam of Showjumping, Ben Maher, Sameh El Dahan, Matt Sampson, Joe Stockdale and Donald Whitaker. “The impressive passenger list of horses is testament to the level of excitement there is globally, and within the equine sport world, for the 50th anniversary Spruce Meadows Masters,” said Spruce Meadows’ Ian Allison. “The prize money is significant, and record-breaking, creating enormous buzz.”
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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.
