Lottie Fry’s fantastic form, Bramham entries and other things the horse world is talking about

1. Lottie Fry continues to impress

Britain’s Lottie Fry continued her incredible run of form with the Van Olsts’ hugely exciting 11-year-old stallion Glamourdale, as they landed a double win at Compiègne CDIO5*, France over the weekend. The partnership were ranked 21st in the world this month and now look set to climb higher, after seeing off strong opposition to win both the grand prix – with a personal best score –and the grand prix special at the Lord Leatherdale x Negro son’s first five-star show. Lottie also collected a third and fourth with Dark Legend in the CDI3* grand prix and special, and finished third in the freestyle with Inclusive, her up-and-coming grand prix horse.

Read more from Compiegne, including how the Brits fared in the Nations Cup

2. Red hot entries for Bramham

Bramham Horse Trials is always a top-class event in its own right and this year looks to be no exception. Among the 70 entries in the flagship CCI4*-L are Zara Phillips and Class Affair, who arrive hot off the back of their recent win in the advanced class at Chatsworth Horse Trials. Other favourites will include Emilie Chandler with Maria Doel’s Gortfadda Diamond, who were sixth at Luhmühlen Horse Trials five-star in 2021, and Piggy March riding Brookfield Quality, who were fifth at the same level at Blenheim Horse Trials last year. Piggy will also deputise for the injured Nicola Wilson on the Lamberts’ Coolparks Sarco, last year’s Blenheim eight- and-nine-year-old winner.

Piggy French will be piloting Coolparks Sarco, who is normally ridden by Nicola Wilson, at Bramham.

Find out who else will be heading to West Yorkshire

3. A ‘do-all draft horse’

The latest in our ongoing online series of articles looking at various breeds of horse focused on the versatile Percheron, and it proved to be one of our most popular stories on Facebook over the weekend. Many readers had fond memories of times spent with this heavy horse that has its origins in northern France, with one saying their horse had “excelled as a hunter, eventer and everything asked of him. A true gentleman and greatly missed”, while another said: “They are the best, intelligent kind and funny with bags of sass and personality”.

Learn more about the powerful Percheron

You might also be interested in:

A ‘wild’ mare, two Olympic eventers and a prolific British-bred: who won showjumping ribbons this week?

Lessons with top riders up for grabs in Ukraine auction, as work to help horses and riders continues

‘He’s my life’: 62-year-old amateur rider on winning Nations Cup team with horse who survived splintered knee and severe colic

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Carol Phillips

H&H website editor

Carol is an experienced journalist and editor, who is also a passionate amateur rider and dedicated horse owner, having ridden since childhood. She has a particular interest in the emotional well-being and ethical training of horses, alongside veterinary matters, having garnered extensive first-hand experience of numerous equine health conditions through more than 30 years of horse ownership.