1. The return of a Christmas classic
The London Horse Show’s pairs fancy dress relay was the stuff of legend in the 1990s, and there was great excitement when we heard it was making its return to the show. But a little part of us wondered if it could possibly live up to our rose-tinted memories… wonderfully, the answer was most certainly yes. As well as hot competition and brilliant costumes, there was a plenty of banter and some panto thrown in when the riders converged on the course in a scramble to put the jumps up before the final pair of riders came in. Judicial officials managed to set the course to rights just as Marcus Ehning as Captain Jack Sparrow and John Whitaker, complete with huge bosom, as Elizabeth Swann galloped into the ring as Pirates of the Caribbean. But did they win?
Find out which pair came out on top and who won the ‘best dressed’ award
2. Frankie Dettori’s farewell tour
Frankie Dettori riding Stradivarius on their way to winning the Gold Cup on at Royal Ascot in June 2020.
The legendary jockey announced on ITV Racing on Saturday (17 December) that the 2023 Flat season would be his last before he hangs up his boots for good. Frankie, 52, said he had been “thinking about it for a while”, and intends to ride in countries across the world between now and the start of the competitive Flat season in the UK next spring. He said wanted the public to know his plan in advance as he wants a “celebration” and to “really give it one more go” while he believes he is still able to compete with the best.
Find out where Frankie’s farewell tour will take him
3. The horse who could ‘jump a bus’
Joseph Trunkfield and Cruze win the six-bar at the 2022 London International Horse Show.
Showjumping fans have a new flying grey to follow in the form of Joseph Trunkfield’s borrowed ride Cruze. The attractive 11-year-old, owned by James Ingham, followed up on his joint victory in the puissance earlier this week by clearing 1.90m to win the Lemieux six-bar outright at the London Horse Show on the final day of the show (Monday 19 December). Asked why he thought the horse would suit these classes, Joseph said: “He has masses of jump, masses of scope and he’s careful enough with it – you don’t just need a big slow one for this now as the materials are very light. He has all the jump in the world, he could jump a bus.”
Find out how Joseph came to have this ride
You might also be interested in:
‘I always knew he had this in him’: Connemara wins BSPS M&M supreme by 9 marks on London debut
‘I’m not a convert yet but we’ll see!’ how puissance winner came back barefoot to reclaim his crown
Position, polework and partnership – 13 insights from Pippa Funnell’s demo at London
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