Showjumping gold medallist to be sold
Top showjumper Rolf-Göran Bengtsson has confirmed that his gold medal-winning ride Zuccero HV will be for sale. The pair were part of the victorious Swedish team at the 2023 European Championships, and also competed at the Paris Olympics. After winning a five-star class in Abu Dhabi last week (13 February), Rolf said that this could be their last show together. “This makes the win even more special, as this could be the last show. I don’t have a back-up horse at the moment, and it takes time to make a new horse again,” he said.
Inspirational grey honoured
A horse who helped teach soldiers and children to ride and “never lost sight of his day job as a riding school horse”, has been honoured with a prestigious posthumous award. Monarch, of Tower Farm Riding Stables in Scotland, is the recipient of the British Horse Society’s (BHS) Tarragon Trophy. The gelding died last year, aged 27, and the award was collected by his brother, Duke, on his behalf. “Monarch helped inspire The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, bringing calm and patience while teaching them to ride. Alongside this, he helped to bring back ceremonial horses to Scotland,” said BHS national manager for Scotland Helene Mauchlen, adding that he also inspired “many children to take their first steps in equestrianism”. “He relished carrying both children and adults and had a natural instinct for looking after his precious cargo, including his youngest riders at eight years old, right up to his oldest rider; a 96-year-old lady who was resident in a local care home, who had been a rider all her life and wanted to have one last ride. Monarch carried her with careful confidence, and made this special wish come true.”
Fireworks
Thousands of people have told the Government about the devastating impact of fireworks. Justin Madders, parliamentary under-secretary at the Government’s department for business and trade, met members of the Fireworks Working Group – a coalition of both people and animal welfare charities – on 4 February. Equine charity Redwings presented the results of its recent survey to Mr Madders. The survey was completed by more than 5,000 people, more than 90% of whom said that increased use of low-noise fireworks and firework alternatives would benefit horses. Almost all respondents, 94.8%, said fireworks should be more tightly regulated. “While all self-selecting surveys can experience some respondent bias, it is nevertheless clear that there are very strong feelings on this issue among the horse-owning public,” said Redwings campaigns and policy manager Helen Whitelegg.
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