Top riders are set to take part in the “must-watch” final of the Cazenove Capital eventing grand prix at the Liverpool International Horse Show (28 to 31 December).

Gemma Tattersall, Emily King, Jeanette Breakwell and Polly Stockton are among the 20 riders set to contest Captain Mark Phillips’ course of showjumps and cross-country fences on the Sunday evening (29 December).

Two qualifiers were held for the event, at the Equerry Bolesworth International Horse Show (12 to 16 June) and the Equitop Bolesworth Young Horse Championship Show (14 to 18 August).

A spokesman for the Liverpool International Horse Show said: “The qualifier in June saw a great win for Gemma Tattersall riding Santiago Bay. Jay Halim and Abrisco finished second, with long-time leader Bill Levett taking third on Athleet V. The remaining three Liverpool places were filled by Emma Hyslop-Webb, Hannah Bate and Jeanette Brakewell.

“The second leg of the series produced a superlative win for Nicky Hill and Kilrodan Sailorette, fast becoming the ones to watch in eventing grand prix style competitions after their win at Hickstead this summer.”

Show president Nina Barbour said: “We were delighted with the success of the eventing grands prix at both shows and can’t wait to witness the fantastic talent of Britain’s leading event riders indoors at Liverpool.

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“I evented for a number of years, it is a fantastic sport and the eventing grand prix brings a new dynamic to the show, helping us to round off the year in superlative style.”

The spokesman added the “high-calibre spectacle” will be against the clock, featuring showjumps at a maximum of 1.25m, with three added seconds for each fence knocked down, and the cross-country fences will be at British Eventing intermediate level.

“There will also be an optional joker fence at a maximum height of 1.35m providing greater thrill and excitement throughout the competition,” said the spokesman.

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Al Shira’aa

The company has been announced as the title sponsor for the 2020 British Young Horse Championships at Bolesworth.

The five-day show will run from 19 to 23 August, feature classes for four- to seven-year-old horses and serve as a qualifier for the World Breeding Jumping Championships.

“We are delighted to be forming a partnership with Al Shira’aa,” said Bolesworth’s managing director,” Nina Barbour.

“They share our values and equestrian vision with respect to the promotion of elite sport horse breeding and the development of both young horses and young riders for the sport, as well as promoting world class showjumping across the globe.”

Bolesworth will also be working with Al Shira’aa to support and promote the Al Shira’aa Horse Show in Abu Dhabi in January, which forms part of the UAE tour.

“On behalf of Al Shira’aa Stables we are extremely proud and excited to become the title sponsors of the 2020 Young Horse Championships,” said Samantha Kettle, Al Shira’aa Stables’UK representative and sponsorship coordinator.

“We loved the concept of the 2019 Championships and by working with the Bolesworth team hope to make an impact and build on that success taking it to the next level for 2020.”

Finest Brands International

The British company, which is home to Champion and Toggi, is continuing its support for the Windrush Equestrian Foundation’s young eventers programme.

Champion is providing riders with its Ti22 body protector as well as hemlets from its new range, which feature MIPS (multi-directional impact protection technology).

Toggi is providing team kit and working with riders on feedback on its range.

Aubiose

Five-star event rider Imogen Murray has signed a new sponsorship deal with La Chanvriere de L’Aube’s bedding brand Aubiose. The Leicestershire-based rider has recently changed all of her 18 stables onto the natural and organic hemp bedding following a positive trial phase.

“The team spend a large proportion of the day mucking out and tending to the stables, so to find a bedding brand that has so many positives for the horses and that also reduces the time taken to muck out is a huge benefit to us,” said Imogen.

“It has proved very economical and the reduce wastage also means a smaller muck heap. The horses all seem very happy with the change as well. It is nice to know we are using something that is a by-product and is 100% organic.”

Auboise’s UK brand manager Juliette Connor added: “The change has allowed her more time to put into training, whilst also giving her horses the best support for their limbs and respiratory health.”

BetVictor

The online gaming company has renewed its sponsorship of the Gold Cup at Cheltenham’s November meeting for a further three years.

The deal will now run until 2021.

The BetVictor Gold Cup, worth £160,000, takes place on day two of the three-day fixture (Saturday, 16 November) and is the meeting’s flagship race.

The November Meeting is very much a mini-Festival these days, with over 70,000 through the gates,” said Ian Renton, the Jockey Club’s regional director for Cheltenham and the south west.

“To work with BetVictor in its sponsorship of the highlight race of the fixture – The BetVictor Gold Cup – is something I know both parties find of huge benefit.”

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Showing producer Lynn Russell has lost her long-term sponsor Baileys Horse Feeds after posting a short video of a young cob wearing an elasticated training aid on her facebook page earlier this week.

The seven-second clip showed the young horse taking a few hesitant walk steps before standing still with an overbent head carriage.

The clip quickly prompted numerous negative comments raising concerns about Lynn’s training methods before she removed it from her facebook page.

Stills taken from the video clip continued to circulate on social media over the following days, with concerned individuals contacting both Lynn, who told H&H she had received death threats, and her sponsors.

Baileys issued the following statement on Friday, confirming they would no longer be supporting the producer and rider, with whom they have worked for some 40 years.

“Further to the release of a video on social media by Baileys-sponsored showing producer, Lynn Russell, we would like to assure our customers, and the wider horse world, that we in no way condone abusive training or handling of any horse or pony,” said the statement.

“Baileys Horse Feeds’ sponsorship of Lynn has been withdrawn, with immediate effect.”

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Lynn told H&H she was very upset by the way the short video clip had been misinterpreted, stating the young horse was not wearing tight side reins in the video as numerous social media commenters had claimed.

Lynn said: “I am distressed and disappointed by the misinterpretation of a seven-second video clip. The horse was equipped with an elastic bungee with considerable give, not side reins, and at no time has he – or any of the many other horses I have produced over 40 years – been subject to mistreatment.

“I am devastated by Baileys Horse Feeds’ statement. Despite vitriolic attacks on social media, I’ve been heartened by many personal messages of support from those in and outside the showing world who actually know me, know the way I work and appreciate that I care about my horses.”

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Kempton Park racecourse is no longer being considered as a location for a large-scale housing development.

In January 2017, the Jockey Club made the shock announcement that the home of the King George VI could be sold for housing.

The organisation submitted the Surrey racecourse, which hosts both jump and all-weather fixtures, to Spelthorne borough council for “redevelopment consideration” following the council’s call for sites on which to build 15,140 homes.

The Jockey Club had earmarked the potential £100 million from Kempton’s sale for boosting facilities at Sandown, Newmarket, prize money and investments in horse and human welfare.

However the latest update on the Spelthorne Local Plan, published this week as part of a consultation that runs from 5 November until 7 January, does not include the racecourse as one of its preferred sites.

The reasoning behind this is because of the harm to the green belt.

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The council’s document states:“Overall the large scale of development [on Kempton Park racecourse would] make a positive contribution to parts of the preferred spatial strategy as it would enable the council to deliver a significant quantum of homes in a reasonably sustainable location.

“A development of this size, through a master plan approach, would enable a holistic schemes to be designed with the opportunity to integrate it with the wider environment.

“Benefits have been identified from the proposed country park and provision of new community infrastructure.”

But it adds that the 94-hectare site plays an “integral role” as green belt land.

“The loss of this site from the green belt would risk the merging of Spelthorne with Greater London and this would also significantly alter the character of the area,” states the document.

“The benefits of the proposed scheme have been weighed up against the negative impacts identified and it has been concluded that the harm to the green belt is not outweighed by the proposed development. Discount from consideration. Do not take forward.”

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