Camels originated in North America. Click image to watch the video
There were all sorts of camels… Some over 9′ tall. Some as small as rabbits…
The camels left North America on a trek… and settled in hot climates.
But they aren’t ‘from’ hot climates. What if that hump we think stores water, actually stored fat so it could make it through ancient dark winters? And what if those feet we think are perfect for sand, were actually perfect or snow…
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A previous Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) winner and Olympia Best of Breed has passed away aged 18 after a short illness.
The Connemara gelding Sydserff Lord Of The Dance (Dancer) was one of the most successful ridden Connemaras of his time.
Owned by Joan MacCallum, Dancer was partnered by show horse producer Kirstine Douglas and together they won at every major county show in the country. His tally includes four Royal Highland Show wins and three championships and three Great Yorkshire Show wins and three championships. He also won at the Royal Show.
The grey, who was by Cocum Camelot, stood at just under 14hh
“I had ridden ponies for Mrs MacCallum for a while and I first met Dancer when he was two,” said Kirstine. “He came directly from his breeder, Eileen Simpson, but he didn’t start his ridden career until he was five.”
The gelding’s destiny was cemented on his first outing where he won and took champion.
Kirstine added: “If you actually went through everything he had won you would be there for hours, he had amazing success.”
In his first season, the pair qualified for HOYS. They took second at the final on two occasions and ended up winning the class in 2007. He was also Best of Breed at Olympia.
“Judges would say that they just couldn’t take their eyes off him and that he just owned the ring; for such a small pony he didn’t half cover some ground. He was a proper pony.
“He was always such a good boy but I do remember, on the morning of his HOYS victory, he threw me off in the warm up arena before the class; he was piaffing around and as I gave him a small smack on his neck he proceeded to put me right over his head, before going onto win the class — we still laugh about that to this day.
The prize fund at the Royal Windsor Horse Show Rolex grand prix has been increased to €500,000 (£428,500) this year, a hike of £85,700 from 2018.
The culmination of the showjumping action at this year’s event, which runs from 8 to 12 May, is set to be “something special”, former world number one Scott Brash believes, with the record-breaking prize on offer.
“Royal Windsor Horse Show is set to become the UK’s richest show for competitors,” a spokesman for the show said. “Showcasing a star-studded line-up in its spectacular setting, the increased prize fund and new additions to the event reaffirm its prominence in the global equestrian calendar and popularity among fans.”
The prize boost brings the total cash on offer at the show to €875,000 (£749,850), and organisers believe the “heightened status of competition is expected to draw in the world’s best horse and rider combinations in showjumping to date”.
Scott, who will be aiming to beat 2018 grand prix champion Steve Guerdat to the prize this year, said: “Royal Windsor is like no other show; it’s set in one of the most spectacular outdoor settings and attracts an incredibly knowledgeable and informed showjumping crowd.
“Having such a strong line-up of world-class competitors each year really reflects the show’s growth and importance. I believe spectators will be in for something special this year and I really look forward to competing.”
The CSI5* showjumping starts on 10 May, while CDI4* dressage runs on 9 and 10 May. The show also features carriage driving, endurance and more than 120 showing classes.
Fed up with Monday? Let us transport you back to those moments from this year’s Royal Windsor Horse Show that
New to the show this year are the Pony Club dressage championships and the under-25 showjumping competition, on 10 and 12 May respectively, while The Pageant 2019, a 90-minute “musical feat of entertainment” will celebrate the 200th anniversary of Queen Victoria’s birth, on 9, 10 and 11 May.
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.
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The newly crowned national showjumping champion Joe Clayton has gone down on one knee to propose to girlfriend Georgina Stirling and we’re pleased to announce that she said yes… eventually.
“She kept asking me if I was sure,” Joe told Horse & Hound. “I said I might change my mind if she didn’t say yes soon!”
The showjumping couple met three years ago at Michael Whitaker’s Nottinghamshire stables, at which Joe had been based for several years, when Georgina joined as a working pupil.
“So it’s all thanks to Michael,” said 28-year-old Joe, who is part of the extended Whitaker dynasty as his mother June is a cousin of the Whitaker brothers. “It was certainly love at first sight for me — I’m not sure it was for her though.”
Joe had been planning his proposal for a while — “trying to find the best time to do it” — and finally popped the question when out for a walk with Georgina while staying with her parents in Dorset.
According to Joe, they are yet to set the date for the wedding but they could be walking down the aisle in 2019.
“It’s incredibly difficult trying to find the right day as obviously we want everyone to be there, but there’s never a good time,” said Joe.
When wildly distant cousins that you can hardly recall meeting and Godparents that you haven’t heard a squeak from get…
Joe and Georgina are based at the Clayton family home near Huddersfield in West Yorkshire, having set up their own yard in the autumn of last year.
The newly engaged Joe earned the title of national showjumping champion when riding Carolus K, owned by Jane Heerbeck, to victory at Stoneleigh a couple of weeks ago, also picking up a wild card ticket to compete in the international classes at Horse of the Year Show in October.
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.
Ever wondered what Carl Hester looks for when he’s hunting for his next grand prix star? In his masterclass with Van Olst Horses at the Equerry Bolesworth International Horse Show, Carl reveals six things to have on your list when you’re buying a horse for dressage — whatever the level.
1. Good natural balance and self-carriage
“There’s no point having a horse with a lovely trot and canter if they’re not in good balance,” says Carl, who uses young British grand prix rider Charlotte Fry and the five-year-old Inclusive (pictured above) as an excellent example of natural balance. “The importance of self-carriage applies across the levels — at any given moment you should be able to give and retake the reins and the horse stay on the bridle.”
2. A big walk — but not too big
“When buying a horse for dressage, or eventing, it has to have correct paces. Always buy a horse with a good walk, and avoid horses who ‘pace’ — when the left hindleg and the left front leg both move forward together,” says Carl. “The walk should be the easiest part of a test — it’s the bit you want for free! Look for an overtrack – that’s a good sign — but remember that too huge a walk often means it’s not easy to collect the horse in a good rhythm.”
3. Rhythm — the first scale of training
“You need a good basic working trot; the first thing in the scales of training is rhythm,” Carl points out. “Every step should be the same.”
4. The ‘look at me factor
“Not every horse has presence — that ‘look at me’ factor. Some horses are born with it, some learn to develop it, and some don’t,” says Carl, noting that Charlotte’s next demo ride, the grand prix breeding stallion Everdale, has presence in abundance.
Find out what daily life is like on the yard of dressage supremos Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin.
5. The pace that can rake in the marks
“I’m most interested in a horse’s walk and canter if I’m looking to buy. You want to see a definite moment of suspension,” reveals Carl, who also advises watching how a horse uses his shoulders, and how much he naturally comes off the floor in the canter. “There are so many points to be earned from canter in a grand prix test.”
6. A desire to go forward
“Being forward-thinking is so important and a horse must always have the desire to go forward,” says Carl. “If he doesn’t, it may be that he is not naturally forward-thinking, or that he has been trained using aids that are too strong. You should be able to ride a horse forward with looseness and lightness.”
Don’t miss our full report from Bolesworth in next week’s Horse & Hound, on sale on 21 June.
The director of Newmarket Elite Horseboxes has been described by a judge as a “crook” with “no moral fibre” after he and his wife defrauded buyers out of tens of thousands of pounds.
Daniel Trevelyan, 36, and 41-year-old Newmarket Elite Horseboxes salesman Sarah Trevelyan, both of Moat Lane, Audley, both pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation, at Liverpool Crown Court.
Daniel also pleaded guilty to being concerned with the formation, management and running of a company as an undischarged bankrupt.
Sarah was, on paper, the director of the company, but the court was told the business was used as a front to allow Daniel to carry on trading despite the fact he was bankrupt.
He had been made bankrupt while trading as HSD Horseboxes.
The fraudsters claimed the horseboxes they sold had a specific weight capacity, but the load they could carry was well below that advertised.
Both the victims involved in this case ordered horseboxes having responded to advertisements and dealt with Daniel, who was described as the “manager” of the company.
The first spent £28,950 on a Renault Master stated as being specifically modified to carry three ponies. The victim was told the lorry’s payload was 1,200kg, although it was only 650kg and was supplied with two stalls rather than the three specified.
The second spent £39,600 on a Renault Master, promised to be brand-new and with a 1,180kg payload. The vehicle that arrived was second-hand, with a 490kg payload.
Both victims were told the vehicles had been inspected and approved by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, which was a lie.
The court heard, in the victims’ statements, that they had felt “a cocktail of emotions and anxiety, periods of sleeplessness and loss of appetite”, and that one had “turned to drink to combat the stress that had taken over my life”; stress that forced the victim to give up work.
His Honour Judge Clement Goldstone QC, the recorder of Liverpool, told Daniel: “You are, or were and time remains to be told whether you continue to be, what might be termed in old fashion parlance, a crook.
“Your early refusal to cooperate in bankruptcy proceedings, your inability to accept what you did was wrong or criminal until you pleaded guilty and even then you have little remorse, indicates you are a man without moral fibre and you have no place in the running of a business.
“You didn’t think twice about flouting your statutory obligation or putting your wife up as a front for running the business. You didn’t think anything of the stress caused by your behaviour and your bullying tactics, but I shouldn’t be surprised because you have a record as a fraudster.”
The fraudster, who swindled his own girlfriend and an 85-year-old man, has been attacked several times in prison
To Sarah, the recorder added: “You are in denial… You seek to blame everybody but yourself for being in the position you are. I have two words to say to you ‘get real’.”
Daniel Trevelyan was given a 16-month jail term, suspended for two years, and 300 hours of community service. Sarah was ordered to complete 300 hours of community service.
Oliver Fletcher on Temple Rebus, pictures by Tony Sell/photo4events.co.uk
The teenage sons of showjumpers Tina and Graham Fletcher are certainly making waves on the competition circuit and at the Royal County of Berkshire show at the weekend (15-16 September) the brothers claimed a victory apiece in the two major classes.
Will took Saturday’s area trial on Emmerton II, while Olli won the international stairway the following day on Temple Rebus.
“I think you’d have to go back to the days of John and Michael Whitaker to find a similar result for brothers at a county show,” said proud dad Graham.
Will, 19, set the ball rolling with a superb round to take the victory on the nine-year-old gelding.
Will Fletcher and Emmerton II
“I’ve had an incredible season,” said Will, who this year has bagged his first stairway success, represented his country at his first European Championships and won his first gold medal, and he will jump on his first senior team in next month’s four-star Nations Cup in Morocco.
Emmerton is a former eventer, who only competed in his first 1.20m class in May.
“He’s such a cool horse and has as much scope as anything I’ve sat on,” said Will. “He’s definitely one to watch.”
On Sunday, it was 15-year-old Olli’s turn to shine as he secured an impressive 1.5sec victory on the 11-year-old gelding. In doing so, Olli broke the record previously held by his brother for the youngest ever winner of a Stairway class.
Showjumper Tina Fletcher tells H&H about her pony-shaking Hickstead Derby winner
“He’s only beaten me by four years!” said Will.
“I’m so chuffed,” said Olli. “We knew he was a good horse when we bought him, but he wasn’t quite right and we gave him a year off in the field. It’s taken a while, but he was worth waiting for.”
Don’t miss the full report from the Royal County Of Berkshire show in this week’s Horse & Hound, out Thursday 20 September.
A horse owner is using a photograph of two barely-visible riders to urge others to wear high-visibility gear when riding on the roads.
The two riders were wearing dark clothing and on dark horses with no high-vis gear in Oxfordshire at 5.45pm on Monday (15 October).
Katie Drummond, who keeps her horse in the area, told H&H: “It was my husband and son who witnessed it and my son took the photograph. They were driving and saw the car in front brake hard and then realised there were horses there. You simply couldn’t see them.
“The riders were coming out of a 30mph road heading on to a 60mph. It’s a really fast bit of road and is really windy after the bend on the photograph – you would be on top of them before you see them.
“The light yesterday didn’t change much from the morning to the afternoon so it wouldn’t have mattered if it was lunchtime – they still wouldn’t have been seen.”
As Katie’s son passed the riders he told them they could not be seen easily, and that they should be wearing high-vis but he said they were dismissive of his concerns.
“My son gave me the photograph to share so people can see that as a motorist, you cannot see horses or riders without high-vis on,” Katie said. “It’s such an important message to get out there that riders need to be seen. High-vis is so cheap and you have options of bibs, rugs, bandages. Your horse is so precious, I don’t understand why you would risk putting them in danger.”
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Katie said she no longer hacks on the roads as she has lost losing confidence following a friend’s accident.
“Around us for the past three days there has been accident after accident just involving cars – it’s even worse on smaller roads if people aren’t visible. You are not doing your due-diligence or looking after your horse by being invisible,” she said.
“Horse riders have to have the same courtesy as drivers and be seen to be safe. The message needs to go countrywide for people to realise they need to be seen at all times.”
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.
A pony had a lucky escape after she was found “by total chance” stuck neck-deep in a muddy ditch.
The 11hh grey mare was spotted by a member of the public in a field off Marshfoot Road, Grays in Essex, on 19 January.
The RSPCA and Essex Fire & Rescue Service launched a rescue mission to free the pony, who was covered from head to toe in mud.
RSPCA Inspector Caroline Richardson said it is “amazing” that she was found.
“You could just see her ears, which were the only part of her still grey,” she said.
“It’s total chance that she was found and she was very lucky to have been spotted.
“She was freezing cold, shivering and clearly exhausted. We believe she may have been stuck in the ditch for days and, with the weather having turned so cold and wet, I don’t think she’d have survived much longer. She’s a very lucky little pony!”
After she was winched out of the ditch, the pony was taken to a local vet for a check-up and — importantly — a bath.
The mare, who has been named Puddles by staff at the charity, is not microchipped and the RSCPA is trying to trace her owner.
Lucas was found still feeding from his emaciated mother who was in foal again
“I’d like to say a big thank you to the fire crew who did a great job retrieving her from the mud and, although she was a little stiff and terrified, incredibly she came out unharmed,” Inspector Richardson added.
“She’s now having a well deserved-rest at the vets and will be cared for until we can trace her owners.
“We would love to find Puddles’ owner as she has clearly been on the run for quite some time. However, if no one comes forward to claim her then we’ll find her a loving new home.”
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday
