1. Ben Maher makes history
Ben Maher was crowned champion of champions in the Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT) for a record-breaking third time at the LGCT Final in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday (22 October), becoming the first rider to do so without winning a single grand prix along the way. In a thrilling finale to the 2022 season, the Olympic champion collected just four faults with Oakingham Stud’s consistent Faltic HB, but when his nearest challenger in the title race, Christian Ahlmann (Dominator 2000 Z), also completed on four faults, leader Ben was assured the overall championship. He has become the first rider to have won the title three times, added to the championships he secured in 2018 and 2019.
Find out what Ben said about the achievement
2. A riding school horse heading to Badminton
Congratulations to riding school horse Owl House Reminisce and his rider Pippa Marsh, who have qualified for the 2023 Voltaire Design Grassroots Championships at Badminton next spring. Owner Rachel Wright, of Owl House Stables near Dover in Kent, told H&H she bred “Wizz” for herself and he is a genuine riding school horse, who “probably doesn’t have too many complete beginners” but does lessons every week.
Read how Pippa and Wizz came to be a partnership
3. A silver and gold dressage supercob
Catherine Chalkly and Bradwell Dun Deal caught the eye when securing second place in the elementary dressage to music class at the British Riding Clubs championships at Bury Farm on 30 September. This stunning “supercob” who’s both silver and gold, changes colour throughout the year. Catherine’s mother Hannah told H&H: “We clip him all year round and he’s golden, but goes grey in winter. He didn’t have many dapples when we bought him; they’re more a recent thing! He changes shade throughout the year.”
Find out more about this special horse
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‘Hopefully we’ll be here for a long time’: riding school celebrates milestone 50th birthday
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