With more than 1,000 horses attending over five days, it can be hard to stand out from the crowd at Equifest (8 – 12 August, East of England showground).
But one duo who certainly made a lasting impression — on judges and spectators alike — was Angela Conner and her new mount, the Morgan stallion Optimus Prime.
The magnificent 12-year-old, a multi-garlanded American Morgan horse world champion, and Angela were crowned supreme foreign breeds champion of the show, clinching the sash under the famous Equifest spotlight in the evening performance.
The pair outshone 16 other competitors, including an array of breed representatives such as Andalusians, Friesians, Nordics, Icelandics, Saddlebreds, Arabs and assortment of crossbreeds.
Optimus Prime looked every inch the champion and carefully looked after his rider, 84-year-old Angela, who by her own admission had forgotten her exact age on the day. Her reply: “I’ve lost count, I think it’s somewhere between 80 and 90 years.”
Angela, who is lives and works as an international sculptress in Herefordshire and London, co-founded the British Morgan Horse Society some 40 years ago with her husband John.
Since his arrival in the UK in April, Optimus Prime has been training with Trudy Connolly, head horsewoman at Angela and John’s Monnington stud, Herefordshire.
Monnington Morgans is the breed’s foundation stud and was set up by the couple in 1975.
“I got into Morgans completely by accident,” said Angela. “I acquired a horse from America who was in bad way when she arrived. I wasn’t even sure if she was a Morgan but I was told by a judge she definitely was. That’s how it all began. They are naturally uphill and look impressive, but they are very safe — they are brilliant nanny horses.”
“I had seen Optiums Prime in America and as soon the opportunity came about I bought him. At Equifest he just switched on and did his stuff — I just happened to be sat on top. He is like an Audi car, very smooth to ride.
‘They say everyone has a horse of a lifetime and I think he’s it; he’s absolutely amazing’
Angela will continue to show the stallion and intends to compete him at the Foreign Breeds Society championship show in September.
Doug Wade, editor of the Morgan Horse Society magazine and friend of Angela said: “It seems that the UK Morgan is generating interest once again, making headway and standing their ground against all breeds. This is the future for the Morgan Breed, exhibiting to all within the equestrian world and spreading the Morgan word.”
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.
Alice Oppenheimer has paid tribute to Headmore Stud’s star broodmare Rubinsteena, who has died aged 22.
“Ruby” is mother to a dressage dynasty, with her offspring winning across the levels at regional and national level.
“We didn’t buy her initially to breed from,” Alice told H&H. “She had a couple of foals before we bought her and the intention was to bring her back into work, but thank god it went the way that it did.
“It didn’t matter which stallion we used, she always gave us an amazing foal — we were so lucky. She was so correct in her conformation and her movement, she was very special.
“All [her offspring] have a fantastic work ethic, are very kind horses and love people, they genuinely want to do the work.”
Sarah Oppenheimer bought Ruby from Julie Deverill at Half Moon Stud, who herself had bought the mare as a foal from Christian Heinrich.
Her most successful progeny include Half Moon Frizzante, who won the 2012 elementary open title at the 2012 winter championships and won at small tour level. She is also the dam of Headmore Davina, winner of numerous national and regional titles who qualified for this year’s British Dressage National Championships at small tour.
She had three offspring competing at the 2018 winter championships: Headmore Dirubinio (by Dimaggio), Headmore Davina (by Dimaggio) and Headmore Bella Ruby (by Belissimo M).
Her 2008 foal, Headmore Wimoweh, made his grand prix debut in August at Bury Farm high profile show, finishing third on 67.57% at his first attempt.
Her 2016 foal Headmore Valentina was awarded an elite premium at the British Breeders/British Equestrian Federation Futurity with a score of 9.7, the joint-third highest ever mark.
“She was a fantastic mum, knew exactly what to do,” said Alice, adding it was almost as if she would say “take it away” when the foals reached six months old.
The mare who was ‘kicked out of a riding school’ has completed her first one-star
“She was quite bossy so the foals always had that herd instinct that makes them rideable as they were so used to having someone in charge, they look to the rider for guidance and support.
“She loved being a broodmare, I genuinely think that was her calling in life.”
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.
The owner of a much-loved mare who died after a Chinook helicopter flew “very low” over her field wants the RAF to explain why the aircraft was there.
Jeff and Linda Brown’s 21-year-old Arab G Elnor (Ellie) became impaled on a broken fence rail after the helicopter appeared without warning in Brookville, Norfolk, last Tuesday (6 November). She died almost instantly.
Mr Brown told H&H that in her panic, Ellie had previously skidded into the fence side-on, breaking the top two rails.
“The helicopter spooked her into a panic,” he said.
“It appeared suddenly over the treeline, so low there was no noise preceding it, and Ellie was just terrified. We’re near an RAF and a US air force base so she’s used to some low-flying jets, but not like this.
“She was tied up for the farriers, when she pulled back and bolted.”
Panicking, Ellie galloped towards the fence, skidding into and breaking it, then towards a neighbouring field where there was another horse.
“She bolted back down the paddock and where she’d broken the rail, there was a shard of 2×4 rail sticking out,” Mr Brown said. “She ran on to it.
“It went into her chest and heart about 15 inches deep. My wife was running towards her but my daughter was closer and she sent my wife away.
“Ellie collapsed off the fence and went straight down; she was dead within 10 to 15 seconds, almost before she hit the floor.”
Mr Brown has reported the incident to the RAF’s low-flying aircraft complaints unit, which is investigating.
“I think they should be held responsible in some way,” he said. “But that won’t bring Ellie back.
“She was everything to my wife; we’d had her 15 years and they’d been Endurance GB members, competing up and down the country including the Golden Horseshoe, and my wife still rode her regularly; they were entered for a 40km ride next week.
“She was such a good mare; we’re by a byway, and everyone who walked up there knew her as she’d come and see them, and they’d feed her carrots.
“She was very friendly and personable, but she was an Arab mare, and full of spirit. If she’d been a cob or a New Forest pony, it might not have happened, but then she wouldn’t have been Ellie.
“She was just one of us, a family member. She was well respected, and much, much loved.”
The horse was one for whom his rider had great hopes — and he was due to go to his…
An RAF spokesman said: “The RAF has been made aware of an incident involving the death of a horse in Norfolk. The Low flying Complaints Unit is carrying out an investigation and therefore, it would be inappropriate to offer comment whilst the investigation is ongoing.”
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.
Lionheart (pictured, far right) during the Freedom of the City parade
A “kind-hearted” police horse who served for more than 14 years has died shortly into his retirement.
Lionheart, known to his friends as Lionel, was put down due to illness following a distinguished career with the Nottinghamshire and City of London Police mounted sections.
“Lionel was a true gentleman,” mounted branch sergeant Jim Green told H&H.
“Kind, gentle, well-mannered and eager to please, he was known throughout the force as a big friendly giant and he always attracted visitors.
“We always aim to retire our horses while they are still fit enough to enjoy it so it’s a great shame that Lionel’s retirement was cut so short by his illness.”
Lionheart, ridden by Commander Gyford, at his final Lord Mayor’s Show
The 17.2hh part-bred Clydesdale was due to be rehomed with volunteer Elaine Freer, who had known the horse for many years.
“Even though he never made it to his new home, Elaine was with him at the very end,” added Sergeant Green.
“On behalf of the City of London Police, thank you for your service Lionel and sleep tight, big fella.”
He took part at the forefront of many mounted police operations and helped train many new riders and horses joining the police.
Lionel served at numerous football matches, sporting fixtures and public disorder situations, as well as the funeral of King Richard III in 2015, and led the Freedom of the City parade for the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment in 2016. He also formed part of the Lord Mayor’s show every year since he joined the City of London Police in 2012.
On his retirement in November, mounted branch stable manager Eloise Mayhead remembered him as “the kindest horse”.
“[He] never likes to do anything wrong or be in your bad books,” she said.
“He does whatever the rider tells him to do as he has total confidence in the rider. Although he’s a big wimp at heart, he’ll go wherever you tell him to go as he is so subservient and very kind.”
The Horse & Hound outstanding mare award for 2019 has been won by Sarah Oppenheimer’s prolific broodmare, Rubinsteena (Rubinstein x Donnerhall).
The fantastic foundation mare of the Oppenheimers’ Headmore Stud, in Hampshire, died last year at the age of 22, leaving behind an extensive dressage dynasty who are winning at national and regional level.
The award was presented to Sarah by Horse & Hound’s dressage and sport horse breeding editor Polly Bryan, at the annual British Breeders Dinner and Awards Ceremony, organised by the British Horse Foundation.
Sarah Oppenheimer bought Ruby (pictured below) from Julie Deverill at Half Moon Stud, who herself had bought the mare as a foal from Christian Heinrich.
“Ruby has produced so many lovely horses for us; every single one of them has been a superstar, and we still have some of her offspring that haven’t been seen out yet,” Sarah told H&H.“She was just amazing — it didn’t matter which stallion you used on her, you got a star. She will leave a total legacy for us — we’re starting to have her grandchildren now. Ruby really was part of the family, and we owe her everything.”
Among Ruby’s most successful offspring currently on the circuit are Headmore Wimoweh, an 11-year-old by Wiowode who recently made a successful grand prix debut, Headmore Dirubinio (by Dimaggio), who was reserve winter advanced medium music champion in 2018, just behind his full sister Headmore Davina, an inter I winner at Hickstead CDI in 2018 and third at the nationals, and Headmore Bella Ruby, who was fourth in the national six-year-old final in 2018.
“Without Ruby we would have only one horse on our yard— everything else I ride is one of hers,” said Alice.
“All of them have a temperament and rideability that you can’t train — they have to be born with it. They all have this desire to work and please their rider; you get them between the white boards and they just seem to know their job.
Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine from just £20.99 – that’s a saving of 45%
“We used to laugh about Ruby and call her cantankerous, but in a good way,” she added. “She was a very strong mare, who really liked people but wasn’t such a big fan of other horses. If she had a foal at foot she wouldn’t let any other horse near her — she was a really good mum.”
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.
Oliver Townend riding BLACK TIE II 1st in CIC *** Section B at Burnham Market Horse Trials in Norfolk on 18th April 2014
A “small but mighty” event horse who represented Britain at the World Equestrian Games (WEG) is to enjoy a happy hacking retirement, having ended his career with a win.
Black Tie, who finished fourth with Oliver at Luhmühlen CCI4* (now CCI5*-L) and won Burnham Market CIC3* (now CCI4*-S) in 2014, the same year the combination represented Britain at WEG, is to live with friends of owner Karyn Shuter.
Karyn, who rode 18-year-old thoroughbred “Tonti” herself up to novice level, told H&Hit was fantastic to see him go on to the top level with Oliver.
“He was a classic-looking thoroughbred with a lovely head and front and good technique but not a massive stride, so I always thought if he didn’t make it as an eventer he could be a working hunter,” she said.
“As much as I enjoyed riding him, he came at a time that my other horse, who was aiming for Burghley, got injured, then I got injured. That’s where Oliver is very generous with his time to help friends and offered to tick them over until I came back.
“I had a reassessment in my life and thought I didn’t want to start at the bottom again with one horse. He was always too careful for his size and scope, thus needed someone accurate – and hands up, I will never be as accurate as Oliver.
“It’s funny how things happen and the timing of things; as good as Tonti has been, it was lucky he ended up with Oliver to give him the best opportunity to go on to do what he did.”
Karyn described Tonti as a “funny little character, cheeky but very genuine”, who apparently used to “get rid of jockeys”.
“He was quite amusing because now and then in the jumping he would grip the bit, roar off down to the fence and then, at the last second go: ‘Actually, I’ll leave it to you’, and we’d laugh about it afterwards.
“I used to struggle watching him because obviously if you have ridden them, your last experience is how you remember them, so when walking the four-stars I used to think ‘He can’t do this; he’s too little and still a novice.”
Karyn said Tonti used to like to jump “too well”, such as clearing rather than going through brush, which was “ridiculous” at the top level, and meant he “took too much out of himself”, hence his need for top of the ground conditions and a rider who was always accurate.
“I adored him as a person, he always neighs when he sees people he knows, gallops up to the gate when you call him and loves every treat under the sun,” she added.
“He refuses to let any new work experience people put the headcollar on, but had a fantastic trainable brain and was just another reason why I love thoroughbreds.”
Karyn said owing to Tonti’s worth ethic and eagerness to please, they knew he would “try right to the end”, so they wanted him to finish his career on a high.
Take advantage of our sale on Horse & Hound magazine subscriptions today
“We never wanted to break him physically or his heart, as that’s what made him, him – his belief in himself,” she said.
“The plan was Osborne, which was a fantastic run, perfect ground for him, nice weather and the icing on the cake was him winning. Then we thought this year, he’s 18, still trying to buck everyone off but let’s leave it at that, on a high, the way you would always choose to end if you can.”
Oliver announced the retirement with “mixed emotions”.
“Tonti truly embodies being small but mighty, and his huge character has put a smile on all our faces from day one!” he said.
“We always agreed we wanted him to finish his competition career fit and healthy so he could enjoy a long and happy retirement, so it is lovely to end on a high with him winning his last event at Osborne last season.
“Tonti, thanks for all the wonderful times and happy retirement champ!”
Funds raised in memory of a much-loved pony who had to be put down as a result of a road accident will be split between the East Anglian Air Ambulance and an equestrian charity.
The pair were hacking out in Beccles last Thursday (26 September) when they were involved in a collision with a car. Beth, 14, escaped serious injury, although she was knocked unconscious and airlifted to hospital, but Nissy had to be put down at the scene.
“Nissy saved Beth’s life,” Fern told H&H.“She took the impact, and Beth came away without even a broken bone; it’s a miracle.”
When Beth first owned Nissy, two years ago, the idea was to compete in dressage but she had also showjumped, including clearing 1.25m in a gate-jumping challenge.
“Beth called her ‘the little horse who can’, and she refers to her as ‘my hero’,” Fern said. “She told me the other day she had a lifetime of memories from those two years.”
Fern said she set up the fundraising page in Nissy’s memory.
“Often when things happen, the horse isn’t remembered but she was so special, I wanted to try to keep her memory alive,” she said.
“When I first set it up, within 20 minutes, it had had £75 and I thought that would be good – but now it’s raised over £1,100. I can’t believe it, and Beth’s family has found it a comfort.”
The money will be split equally between the air ambulance and an equestrian charity of Beth’s choosing.
PC Wendy Townley and her horse, Steele, were hit by a car while out on the roads
<a href="https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/horse-hound-subscription-offer-651358" rel="bookmark" name="*HOYS special offer* Half price Horse & Hound subscriptions”>*HOYS special offer* Half price Horse & Hound subscriptions
Take advantage of our sale on Horse & Hound magazine subscriptions today
“Beth also really wants to raise awareness of horse safety on the roads,” Fern said. “That’s why I put ‘pass wide and slow’ on the fundraising page, in hope it would stick in people’s heads.
“Beth and Nissy were such a team and after everything they’d done together, this happened out hacking. Losing a horse can be like losing a family member, it’s absolutely horrendous.”
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.
Charlotte Dujardin and Mount St John Freestyle took another decisive leap towards World Equestrian Games team selection with an international grand prix personal best at Bolesworth International Horse Show.
Charlotte and Emma Blundell’s nine-year-old Fidermark mare scored just a fraction under 80%, claiming victory on 79.65% ahead of Carl Hester and Hawtins Delicato.
Just a missed one-time change marred an otherwise delightful test from Freestyle, who produced her most confident grand prix performance to date.
“I can’t believe I missed the 80% by just 0.5%,” exclaimed Charlotte afterwards. “As I was riding the ones I was thinking that they felt great and so off the floor, then straight away had the mistake. But there’s so many more marks in there; she’s such a trier. Whatever arena I take her into I know she’ll perform.”
It proved a day of personal bests, with Carl and the ever-improving Diamond Hit son Delicato also banking an international personal best of 77.22% for second. In third was Gareth Hughes, who produced a classy test on the 12-year-old Trento B mare Classic Briolinca. He completed a trio of British personal bests, with 74.44%.
Charlotte continued her tally of wins with the inter I freestyle victory, scoring a whopping 80.28% to finish well ahead of the chasing pack on her own and Paul and Wendy Dockley’s dainty eight-year-old grey mare Florentina (Flora, Vivaldi x Rubels).
Michael Eilberg claimed second, with 73.48% on Daltrey, while Jacqueline Wing Ying Siu slotted into third for Hong Kong with Jockey Club Fuerst On Tour.
It was Charlotte and Flora’s second small tour victory in five days, having arrived at Bolesworth fresh from their prix st georges (PSG) win at Wellington Premier League on Saturday night, and also topping the Bolesworth PSG on Tuesday.
“I’ve lacked ring experience with her – we’ve done lots of training at home and very little competing, so I’ve wanted to get her out and work on the ringcraft with her,” said Charlotte, who also won the six-and seven-year-old classes earlier in the day with Hawtins San Floriana and River Rise Nisa respectively.
Don’t miss our full report from Bolesworth in the next week’s issue of Horse & Hound, out on 21 June.
The Suffolk horse is rarer than the giant panda with the number of breeding mares left in the UK estimated…
Her sire is the stately Shotleyfield Dazzling Duke, who has been a dominant force in the stallion showing classes recently.
The Phillips have decided to keep June and hopefully breed from her in future to help safeguard Suffolk horse numbers.
According to the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) last year there were just 15 filly foals registered and only 10 colts.
The rare Suffolk horse is registered as critical with the RBST with only 80 registered breeding mares.
Beth Fernley, RBST press officer described June’s arrival “as brilliant news.”
“We at the Rare Breeds Survival Trust are over the moon to hear of the arrival of Kelsale June. Last year on our Danger List of rare breed farm animals and equines we recorded that only 15 Suffolk filly foals were registered. We wish her and her owners Jackey and Trevor every good wish,” she said.
In this week’s Horse & Hound magazine, out on Thursday 28 June 2018, don’t miss our full report from the Hickstead Derby meeting, including all the showjumping and showing action, plus don’t miss our six-page report from Royal Ascot.
We also have a feature on the much discussed whip rules across the disciplines and in this week’s ‘Vet clinic’ we find out how to spot the signs of sand colic.
“I’m pretty sure the only reason I wasn’t killed was because I was wearing my helmet,” said Megan Richman (not pictured). “I’m lucky that I was wearing it because the train pretty much cracked it into eight different pieces.”
There are some decisions you look back on and wonder what would have happened had you chosen a different option. For 26-year-old Megan, she’s gone through all the “what ifs” and “should haves” repeatedly the past two months. But things remain the same — she’s still alive.
On the evening of 10 June, Megan had just finished her small animal emergency rotation at the University of California at Davis’s School of Veterinary Medicine when she decided to go for a ride on her 19-year-old Arabian, Red. She also took her young Irish Setter, Sunny, with her, as always, to help get some energy out of her.
“I was debating on whether I should ride or not because I had clinics the next morning, but I pretty much decided I would go for a short ride,” said Megan. “So, I tacked up and hit the trail.”
Shortly before that day, her father, himself a small animal vet based in Highland Heights, Ohio, had given Megan a lecture about wearing her helmet.
“My dad had just lectured me a month before about how much my brain was worth and how much they’re paying for education and how I needed to wear my helmet, even if I was going for a short ride,” she recalled. “He reminded me how expensive everything is, and I was like, ‘Okay, that’s kind-of true.’”
She made the decision to put on her Troxel helmet before she got onto Red to begin their ride.
There are a few different trails (hacking routes) that leave from the livery yard Megan keeps her horse at in Davis, California, so she chose the one that headed towards a sunflower field… and a set of railway tracks. It was 7pm on a Sunday, so Megan figured the trains had finished running for the day. She had ridden this route before, and knew how you had to climb up the trail to get onto a road near the tracks. She also knew the trains were used to horses and riders alongside, so she felt comfortable with this route.
She made the decision to ride along the railway tracks for a prettier view.
All was normal until Sunny, the young dog, took off after something Megan hadn’t seen. Sunny started running up the road and onto the tracks. Knowing that her horse had osteoarthritis, she knew he couldn’t handle the rough terrain of the road at a pace faster than a trot, so she decided to tie him to a gate at the top of the road and took off on foot for Sunny.
The road starts off straight in one direction, then turns perpendicular towards the pair of railway tracks. On one set, coming in her direction, was a passenger train. In the distance, she could hear another train coming from the opposite direction. As she struggled to catch up with Sunny, she started waving down the driver of the passenger train. Sunny continued onto a short bridge, and Megan continued after her, determined not to let her dog get hit.
“My dog was not listening. I’m not sure if she was chasing something or what was going on, but she just kept running,” said Megan. The passenger train driver continued to blow his horn at Megan, though she’s not sure if he ever saw Sunny.
Sprinting as far to the side of the bridge from the track as possible, Megan had almost grabbed the lead rope she had clipped to Sunny’s collar when the train clipped her.
“I didn’t grab my dog in time,” she said. “I was two steps away from her…”
When the train hit Megan’s left arm, she fell face forward, into the gravel that supported the train tracks. “My left eye was literally right next to the railroad tracks as the train was passing,” she recalled. “It was pretty horrifying. I thought I was going to die.”
Still alert, Megan rolled to her right side to get away from the track. “I didn’t hear the train hit my dog. I didn’t hear anything.”
Luckily, Sunny had jumped off to the right before the train made impact, at about the same moment the train hit Megan.
“I’m pretty sure people on the train saw me get hit because it was still daylight,” she said. “I tried to stand up, but temporarily blacked out and fell back down.”
Megan’s cracked helmet
Once Megan came to, she saw that her left arm and leg were soaked in blood. Her left olecranon (the tip of the elbow) was poking out from her skin, but she couldn’t tell what else was broken, except that her legs were fine.
Through all of this, her horse stayed where he was tied and waited for her to slowly limp back to him. Megan tried to get back on Red to ride for help — she hadn’t taken her mobile phone because she wanted to “avoid the world” during her ride. Attempting to pull herself up with her left arm on the horn of her Western saddle, Megan gasped in extreme pain and fell back down. She sat under Red and screamed for help for 15 minutes until a fisherman heard her pleas and called 911.
Upon examination at the trauma centre in Sacramento, Megan was found to have fractured her left wrist, have five separate fractures in her radius and ulna, a compound fracture of her olecranon, part of her triceps muscle torn off and a scapulae fracture, all on the left side of her body. She had a few lacerations to her left abdomen and hip area and the left side of her face was black and blue from hitting the gravel.
But the main thing that wasn’t severely injured from the accident? Her skull.
“I’m pretty sure the only reason I wasn’t killed was because I was wearing my helmet,” said Megan. “I’m lucky that I was wearing it because the train cracked it into eight different pieces. They didn’t find anything abnormal on my head CT scan.”
A record number of retailers are expected to take part in this year’s International Helmet Awareness Day
Because Megan chose to wear her helmet, she continues to choose her path in life.
Now, just two months after the accident, Megan is already back to finish her last year of vet school. Her left arm is in a sling and she’s balancing physical therapy with university work and clinical rotations. She’s permanently banished Sunny from the yard, and while she still can’t ride for another month, she’s already ordered a new helmet.
“I’m incredibly lucky, I don’t know how it turned out this way that everything is okay, but I’m still alive. I’m here.”
Hundreds of tack shops in 25 countries are offering special two-day only discounts on helmets on 18-19 August for Riders4Helmets’ International Helmet Awareness Day. Visit this link to locate a participating retailer near you.
This article has been shared exclusively with Riders4Helmets by the American Quarter Horse Journal.
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.
