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 record price of €3.2 million (£2.82m) was paid for a yearling at Goffs Orby Sale.
Phoenix Thoroughbreds are the proud new owners of the top lot, a filly by Galileo out of Green Room, who was the highest priced filly ever sold at Goffs.
The yearling, lot 318, was consigned by Ballylinch Stud on behalf of breeders Vimal and Gillian Khosla.
“We are delighted — there’s a little amount of relief as well, but we are delighted,” Ballylinch’s John O’Connor told Goffs TV guest presenter Rishi Perisad after the auction.
“We expected her to sell well and we are delighted to get the job done. It’s a little bit like watching a play unfolding in a certain sense, but it is our job to be professional and not to get too excited.
“We are delighted for [the breeders]— they are lovely owners who really love their horses, they want everything done really well, so they deserve every success they get.”
Amer Abdulaziz of Phoenix Thoroughbreds confirmed the filly will go into training with Karl Burke in Yorkshire, who trained her half-brother Lord Shanakill.
“A filly like that… you won’t get anything like it for the next 10 to 15 years,” he said. “She’s by a top sire who is getting old, out of a broodmare who has produced a lot of winners. She’s an amazing filly, it will be nice to have her racing in Phoenix colours.
“It was definitely love at first sight, I saw her this morning for the first time. I thought ‘let’s see her walk’ and she walks so athletically, like a beautiful lady, and that’s how it should be with these top fillies.”
Phoenix Throughbreds also bought lot 165, a Galileo sister to Alice Springs presented by Glenvale Stud, for €2 million (£1.76m) as well as four others on their successful Irish shopping trip.
The turnover, average and median prices were all up on the 2017 sale.
Goffs chief executive Henry Beeby said the sale reached “unprecedented heights”.
“To set a new record for a yearling filly at an Irish sale at €3.2 million was the highlight of a sale of tremendous highs,” he said.
“We are indebted to our vendors without whom we are nothing and I would especially single out Vimal and Gillian Khosla, the breeders of the top lot.
“[They] placed their faith in the Goffs service and were rewarded with the highest yearling price in the world so far this year for their gorgeous filly, who was so well presented by Ballylinch Stud.
“In addition we would like to extend our thanks to Ciaran Conroy’s Glenvale Stud and the vendors of the ‘other’ Galileo filly whose price of €2 million was also something quite special.”
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Mr Beeby added Goffs took the “conscious decision” to tighten catalogue numbers this year to “really focus on quality”.
“Our vendors sent us a stellar selection and we were delighted to welcome so many major buyers to Kildare Paddocks over the last few days,” he said.
“That HH Sheikh Mohammed made his first visit to Goffs for 13 years was a huge vote of confidence in Irish bloodstock and he joined his brother HH Sheikh Hamdan who has been such a great supporter for so many years.
“Our leading buyers Phoenix Thoroughbreds were a revelation in the sales ring and we hope their bold bidding is rewarded with top level success on the racecourse in future years.
“They have been a pleasure to do business with and their enthusiasm is infectious.”
He added thanks to MV Magnier, Coolmore and “each vendor of every lot” for choosing Goffs.
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I had some sugar snap peas left over from Saturday’s Farmer’s Market. Hubby had purchased them for me. Yum!
So, I did a little research to make sure horses can eat sugar snap peas… and they can. But, I wasn’t sure if my horses would eat them. I figured BG would, since she has a very distinct and interesting palate, but the rest – no idea.
Just to be safe from a “I hate these, give me a good treat!” horsey outrage, I brought out some melon rinds and more of my home grown grapes, too, inside my treat bag.
Oh, I also removed the strings of the sugar snap peas. That only took a minute and I do that for myself, so why not them? I’d hate for them to have a little pea string stuck in their teeth…
PS: I had trouble holding the bag, feeding, and taking pics…
MY PHOTO JOURNAL
My goodie bag…
Norma was the first. She sniffs, like the very smart donkey that she is.
She took it! And wanted more!
Dodger saw Norma take hers, so he took his. He also wanted more!
Dodger starts foaming and his eyes widened. “What is this new flavor?!”
Annie ran up from the large field and flirted with me through the fence. “What do you have, my favorite person?!”
After I had put some treats inside their bucket, both Annie and Mo were thrilled and asking for more. “Will you come back with that little bag?!”
Annie ran over as I was feeding Missy Miss, who was still eating grass bits out of her bin. As you can see, Annie grabbed some melon from Missy Miss.
Then Annie got distracted by me and the ‘bag’ – so Missy Miss got the rest of the melon.
This is Finn. He ate this melon and practically fleeced me for the sugar snap peas!! He loved them!
This is BG. She grabbed the grapes, as you can see. But she was foaming when I gave her the peas. She LOVED them.
BG again.
OMG! Gwen took an entire clump of grapes inside her mouth – and then it was GONE!
I gave Wrigley the rest of the peas and he was very happy. Immediately, he banged on the gate for more.
I gave the last bit to Norma and Dodger. As I turned around, this is what I saw nextdoor. 3 pitiful faces. As an aside, I swear that Annie is still growing. She is HUGE.
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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.
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A rider plans to make history and raise money for charity by swimming the English Channel.
Heather Clatworthy, British Horse Society (BHS) senior executive of access and rights of way, hopes to raise £20,000 for the society when she takes on the challenge in June 2020. If successful Heather will be the first woman from Northern Ireland to complete the challenge.
Heather told H&H swimming the Channel was always on her bucket list.
“I don’t have a horse at the minute because I have two young children who are my priority,” she said. “I spent many years breaking in youngsters and spent a lot of time on the hunting field so I’m temporarily filling my competitive streak and adrenaline junkie side by swimming.
“The money I raise will go towards the different BHS campaigns and work. Every day I see how the work we do impacts people and it’s really rewarding being in a job where we help equestrians across the UK and Ireland.”
In 2016 Heather became the first person since 1929 to swim across a 13-mile stretch of sea between Inishowen and Portstewart in Ireland.
“At the time I didn’t know if could do it but it gave me confidence that I have it in me to do the Channel swim,” she said.
“I’m having to do an incredible amount of training. I’m a working professional as well as a mum but the way I see it is if you want to achieve something in your life, there’s always a way to do it.”
Heather, who will take on the challenge wearing a swimming costume, cap and goggles as set out in the official Channel Swimming Association rules, said the biggest challenge she faces is the cold water.
“When I started this journey I assumed the main thing I would need to work on to swim to France is fitness – It’s a massive factor, but it’s the ability to withstand the cold for long periods of time that’s the most challenging. I swim in open water all year round and train in rivers because I live quite far from the sea. In the winter it can be gruelling, it’s like stepping into a freezer, but the training makes a huge difference,” she said.
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“On the day there will be a crew on a fishing boat alongside me with an observer officiating the event. They make sure you’re ok and not suffering from exhaustion or becoming hypothermic, and you rely on the pilots of the boat to navigate you across because the English Channel is the busiest shipping lane in the world and you don’t want to run into tankers.”
Heather, who is offering free motivational talks ‘Believe in yourself and achieve anything’ to riding clubs and community groups for donations towards her fundraising, said to make history would be “incredible”.
“I want to be the best role model I can be for my children and I hope to inspire others to get involved in new sports. I’m not an elite athlete, I’m a working mum. I’ve no idea if I will make it or not but if I do I think it will be amazing for someone from Portstewart to achieve,” she said.
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David SIMPSON riding GENTLEMEN VH VELDHOF, winner of the International Showjumping – Leading Showjumper of the Year during the Horse of The Year Show at the NEC in Birmingham in the UK between the 2nd – 6th October 2019
Ireland had even more to celebrate yesterday (7 October) as David Simpson took the illustrious title of leading showjumper of the year at the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS).
While the Irish showjumping team secured Tokyo 2020 qualification by winning the Longines Nations Cup final in Barcelona, David and Gentlemen VH Veldhof fought off competition from 15 top combinations at the NEC in Birmingham in the jump-off to secure the HOYS title on 33.43 seconds. Harry Charles was second on Valkiry De Zance, while Michael Whitaker was third on Strides Hilanasterne.
David described the 13-year-old gelding, who he has had the ride on since June, as “absolutely incredible”.
“Firstly I have to thank the Vitak family for the opportunity to ride such an incredible horse. Without the horse we’re nothing,” he said.
“I got him the Monday before the Hickstead Derby and that was our first show together. A month later he won the Queen’s Cup (27 July), a month after that he was double clear in the Nations Cup in Gijon (30 August) and a month later he wins here.”
David said the gelding is “very consistent”.
“He has so much ability. He’s not naturally a quick horse but he’s a big jumper. I thought if I can go as tight as I possibly can [in the jump off] then hopefully the other guys will try to catch me and make mistakes,” he said.
“HOYS is something I’ve watched since I was a kid. To win this grand prix is an incredible feeling and I’m so happy to be part of what is the Horse of the Year Show.”
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Cian O’Connor and PSG Final riding for Ireland in the FEI Nations Cup Final in Barcelona 2019
Credit: Elli Birch/Bootsandhooves
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Team Ireland; Peter Maloney, Darragh Kenny, Paul O’Shea and Ciaon O’ Connor had finished on one time-fault to win in Barcelona.
“What those guys pulled together and did – we’re one of the best nations in the world right now and we just weren’t nailing it at the championships, not since the 2017 Europeans in Gothenburg – and the guys just did it. Cian, Darragh, Peter and Paul, they just absolutely nailed it,” said David
“Everything we’re doing at the minute is for a very close teammate and friend of ours, Kevin Babbington, who’s fighting a really tough fight at the minute – this is for you Kevin.”
Kevin is recovering from a serious spinal injury sustained in a fall at the Hampton Classic Horse Show in New York on 3 August.
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The Olympic dressage horse Toots has died suddenly aged 19, just six months into his retirement.
The Jazz son, who competed successfully under the Dutch rider Imke Schellekens-Bartels and then Japanese rider Akane Kuroki, had moved to spend his retirement with Kaiko Krahnke in Colorado, US.
“He was spending a second life in the USA with a friend of mine, having a great time there. When he got on a trailer to go out, he suddenly fell down and then died,” said Akane.
Toots competed successfully under Imke Schellekens-Bartels until 2015, winning at the Addington CDI3* in 2012 with nearly 80%. The KWPN gelding was sold to Akane Kuroki at the end of 2015 and the pair went on to represent Japan at the Rio Olympics in 2016. They also won team gold at the Asian Games in Jakarta in 2018, the horse’s final competition.
“I have lots of memories and experiences with him. He took me to the new world – the Olympic Games in Rio, Asian Games in Jakarta, Olympia in England and so on,” said Akane. “I have learned a lot of things from him and he brought me happiness.
“You are always in my heart and I’ll never forget having precious time with you, Toots. I can’t believe it. I can’t stop crying.”
Imke described the tall gelding as “our big friendly giant”.
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“For 10 years he was the greatest friend of mine, my mother and everyone here at the stable, the sweetest horse you can imagine,” she added.
“I’ve been allowed to experience wonderful years with him and made a lot of good memories. He was an incredible teacher and friend for Akane Kuroki and he spent his ‘old days’ with Akane’s friend Keiko Krahnke. Unfortunately she has only been allowed to enjoy him for six months.”
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International grand prix dressage rider Lara Butler (nee Griffiths) has welcomed her first child with her husband Billy Butler.
Lara, 30, gave birth to a son, Jack Mark Butler, on Friday, 12 April.
“We are absolutely delighted to welcome Jack into the world. He arrived on his due date so is already proving far more punctual than his mother,” Gloucestershire-based Lara told H&H.
Lara is the reigning British national champion with her long-time top ride Rubin Al Asad (Rufus), having taken the title at last September’s National Dressage Championships at Stoneleigh. The pair have also been British team reserves for the Rio Olympics in 2016, the European
Championships in Gothenburg in 2017 and the World Equestrian Games in Tryon in 2018.
Lara announced her pregnancy in December last year, and continued to ride and compete until the latter stages, finishing sixth in the World Cup qualifier at Olympia with Rufus.
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She is hoping to return to the saddle in time of the summer season, with both the 17-year-old Rubin Royal son Rufus and her upcoming grand prix ride Kristjan. Lara and Kristjan, who is by Polarion, made their international grand prix debut in November last year at the Oldenburg CDI4*, finishing third in the freestyle.
“I’d like to aim towards doing a show at the end of May or beginning of June, all being well,” Lara said. “My boys are super fit and ready to go so I just have to get myself fit again.”
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday. In this week’s edition (18 April) don’t miss our summer vet special, including features on colic, tendon injuries, an essential guide to bandaging, arthritis and much more, and our horses for sale special on how to find the right horse for you, plus ensuring a successful sale and more.
A rider who suffered a broken hand when an out-of-control dog came “hurtling” towards her horse believes laws on dangerous dogs need to be strengthened.
Amanda Adams was riding her six-year-old gelding Casper with a friend on Camber Sands beach, East Sussex, on 4 April when she spotted the dog, some distance away.
“We’d only been on the beach for about five minutes,” Amanda told H&H. “We walked towards the sea, which was miles out, and I could see this big black dog coming towards us.
“I thought ‘It’s not slowing down’; it was hurtling towards us.”
Amanda said Casper is used to dogs, and usually not bothered by them.
“I just faced him towards it but the dog didn’t falter,” she said. “It was a lurcher type and it didn’t make a noise, just came galloping silently at us, which I think freaked Casper out.
“He obviously thought ‘I’m not risking this’ and spun round – but as he did, he caught my hand.
“I can only think it was with his neck, but I heard a crack, and it felt like my hand had been snapped in half.
“I was in shock, and when I looked, I couldn’t see the dog, or its owner.”
Amanda, who kept Casper at home, has now had to put him in livery, at considerable cost, as she cannot ride or look after him for at least eight weeks.
“I looked for the owner but although she must have seen there was a problem, she’d just gone,” she said. “My feeling is that if you can’t keep control of your dog, keep it on a lead or don’t let it get away from you.
“You think, how many other horses is it going to chase?”
Amanda pointed out that the beach should be for all users to enjoy, whether they are on foot, on horses, or taking part in other activities.
“If my horse was pawing at a family having a picnic, or rearing up above them, they wouldn’t say ‘oh well, that’s just what a horse does’,” she said. “I wouldn’t take my horse on the beach if it was out of control, but this woman was happy to do that with her dog.
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“It just seems there aren’t any rules. What if I’d come off and Casper had galloped into someone, or gone on to the road?
“If someone’s on a sand board, you know there could be an issue so you keep out of the way, but dogs are just so random.”
It is illegal to let a dog be dangerously out of control. But although this applies if a dog injures a person, or makes someone “worried it may injure them”, it does not automatically apply if the dog attacks another animal, or if “the owner of an animal thinks they could be injured if they tried to stop your dog attacking their animal”.
Amanda said she would like to find out how many incidents involving dogs and horses take place on UK beaches – and that the law needs to be strengthened.
“It seems to be a free-for-all at the moment, especially on the beach,” she said. “You’re taking your life in your hands.”
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.
