Showjumper Ben Maher thanked medical and veterinary teams at Royal Windsor Horse Show after he and Point Break had a fall in the Rolex grand prix. Ben and Pamela Wright and Charlotte Rossiter’s stallion fell in the jump-off on 18 May but neither was injured. “A tough moment at Windsor yesterday, but grateful to say both Point Break and I are totally fine,” Ben said. “Thank you for all the kind messages and a huge shout out to the medical team and vets for checking us both over so quickly. Onwards and upwards!”
MCS Maverick, the former five-star ride of Pippa Funnell, has been sold to be ridden by Piggy March. The 12-year-old, with whom Pippa came ninth at Badminton last year, has been sold by Nick, Olivia and Sarah Ross to the Maidwell Mavericks syndicate. He and Piggy have had two good open intermediate runs this season and are entered for the CCI4*-S at Bramham. “It was always the situation that he wouldn’t be a keeper and I’m delighted that Piggy has found a syndicate to buy the horse,” Pippa told H&H. “Piggy has followed the horse and there is no better person to have Maverick.” Pippa, who has not evented so far this season, also spoke to H&H about her plans for the rest of this year.
The European Parliament has been discussing sport-horse welfare again. A cross-party meeting on 8 May, of the Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation of Animals, was held to “understand how the welfare of sport horses is assessed and safeguarded, and to explore what improvements might be needed”. It was chaired by Danish MEP Niels Fuglsang, the chair of the intergroup, who has called for the extension of an EU directive for farm animals’ protection to cover horses. He has also previously called for double bridles to be banned across the EU.
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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.
