1. Pony found with broken neck after rockets let off
Once again the use of fireworks has ended in tragedy for an animal and their owner – Julie Burnet’s 14-year-old Exmoor mare Knightoncombe Ghost Swift was found dead early on Sunday, 7 November. An empty TNT rocket box and a lighter were found on the site. The day after Swift was found, parliament debated the fifth petition calling for a change to fireworks law since 2016, but the Government said there will be no change. Another petition launched since the debate, calling for the sale of fireworks to be restricted to organisers of public displays, has been signed by almost 34,000 people.
Great news for grassroots eventers looking for the ultimate championship aim at which they can compete in a historic setting alongside their heroes – the national British Eventing BE80(T) championships will run at the Equi-Trek Bramham International Horse Trials (7-12 June) next year. BE and the event organisers have confirmed that the event will run alongside the four-star classes from 2022, with a direct qualification route this year.
In an exclusive interview for Horse & Hound this week, the charismatic racing star talks to Kate Johnson about the love of his life (Enable), winning a pairs class with his daughter (there was outrage), and what he thinks of social media: “I completely hate it, I just learnt how to text a couple of months ago,” he says. He doesn’t even have Instagram on his phone, but passes on photographs to his secretary to upload instead. As he says, “That way if I get abuse, I won’t hear it.” Sound plan.
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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.
