British Olympic champion moving to Belgium, event horse’s death, plus other things the horse world is talking about

1. British Olympic superstar going to Europe

In big breeding news, it has been revealed that legendary showjumping stallion Big Star will move from Britain to stand in Europe next season. Stallion AI Services, who have stood the 2016 Olympic champion in Britain since 2013, full-time since 2016, confirmed on 2 December that the 19-year-old gold medallist will be moving to Euro Horse in Belgium for next year.

Read the full story

2. Death of a great mare after well-earned retirement

Georgie Dalton (neé Davies) lost five-star event horse Fachoudette two weeks ago after the mare had enjoyed a long and happy retirement. The horse was 29 and Georgie described the mare’s death as marking the end of an era. “I was with her right to the end,” Georgie told H&H. “She was lovely and fluffy and warm, and I sat and chatted to her after she’d gone. It was a lovely evening and I stayed till it got dark. I thanked her, and gave her the biggest cuddle.”

Georgie’s tribute to this wonderful horse

3. The rider who has had 75 wins already this year

French showjumper Julien Epaillard, 45, is in the form of his life, making headlines almost weekly. He’s risen to number three in the world rankings, and made his championship debut in the worlds at Herning, Denmark, this year, leading individually through the early stages of the competition with his brilliant but quirky mare Caracole De La Roque.

In October, Julien racked up an incredible sequence of seven straight international wins, topping every class he entered at both the CSI4* at St Lo and CSI5* Lyon shows, where his victories included the World Cup-grand prix double.

We feel inadequate…

Find out more about this rider’s incredible run

You might also be interested in:

10 reasons Big Star captured our hearts in Rio

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Big Star: the ‘runaway train’ who neighs at jumps

Get to know the 13-year-old stallion who carried Nick Skelton to individual glory in Rio

‘Her heart made her’: rider pays tribute to four-star mare

The eventer has said goodbye to her European Championships partner, who would ‘never give up’

Meet the championship debutant (aged 45) and the slightly-out-of-control mare leading the World Showjumping Championships

One of the world’s greatest sportsmen wins 2022 Horse & Hound Lifetime Achievement award

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Sarah Jenkins

H&H editor-in-chief

Sarah has more than 20 years experience as an equestrian journalist and editor. She has reported from major championships including the Europeans and the World Equestrian Games. She has co-written books on equestrianism including The Complete Illustrated Encyclopedia of Horses & Ponies. Sarah has ridden since childhood, owned horses and ponies for over 25 years, and worked for and trained with Olympic gold medallist event rider Leslie Law prior to going to university.