Worthy Horse & Hound award winners, Operation X, and other things the horse world is talking about

1. The Horse & Hound Awards

Last night (22 November) 14 winners were crowned at the eighth annual Horse & Hound Awards, in partnership with NAF. Some 300 of the horse world’s great and good gathered at Dallas Burston Polo Club for the glittering ceremony to celebrate those who have made a difference this year. “Each of our shortlisted horses and humans was highly deserving in their own right, and I hope all know what phenomenal support they had from the Horse & Hound audience whether or not they picked up a trophy last night,” said H&H editor-in-chief Sarah Jenkins.

Find out who the winners were

2. Operation X

Andreas Helgstrand and Jovian at the 2023 European Dressage Championships.

The equestrian world has been rocked following the broadcast of the first part of Danish television production company TV2’s Operation X documentary yesterday. The programme is based on footage filmed undercover by a reporter posing as a groom at Helgstrand Dressage. The documentary includes interviews with former staff members and riders, and shows footage of horses with injuries understood to have been injured with spurs and whips while being exercised.
H&H has been reporting on this case, and will be releasing a full report on the documentary later today (23 November).

Read what Helgstrand Dressage had to say ahead of the broadcast

3. An eye-catching ride switches from one legend to another

Andrew Hoy’s ride Hasenacher Balou Couleur has moved to Germany’s Michael Jung, as the Australian rider ramps up his preparations to target his ninth Olympic Games. The 11-year-old gelding, by Balou Du Rouet, was bred in Australia by Melissa Froesch and is owned by Barbara Keller. He started his competition as an event horse with Andrew before switching to showjumping. Andrew said he had “loved their trips” around the European showjumping tours, but added that “the 2024 season is upon us and with it being an Olympic year I would like to direct all my focus and all my time on to my eventing horses, so it was time to work on a next chapter for Balou.”

Read what else Andrew had to say

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Becky Murray

H&H senior news writer

Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.