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British teen enjoys London puissance glory, and more things the horse world is talking about

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Lucy Elder Lucy Elder

    • Teen scoops London puissance win

    A British teenager who jumped her first big red wall just two months ago won the London International Horse Show LeMieux Puissance last night (18 December). Rachel Proudley and Easy Boy De Laubry Z (pictured, top) were the sole pair to clear 2.12m in the fourth and final round. “There isn’t a word that can describe the feeling,” said Rachel, who rides the 10-year-old for owner Graham Ward. “I’m just trying to get my head round it – he was [trail] hunting with my dad on Tuesday! He’s such a dude.”

    Discover how the class unfolded

    ‘Mare of all mares’

    Olympian Sandra Sysojeva delves into the remarkable relationship she has with her Paris 2024 campaigner Maxima Bella, in an exclusive interview for H&H subscribers. The precocious mare made her Olympic debut aged eight and waltzed her way to 15th place with a plus-80% freestyle score. “I would take her everywhere with me, walking beside me and cuddling her all the time – and that has made our relationship really special,” says Sandra. “I found that you had to give her attention for two or three hours a day, walking, patting, taking her to the paddock, the forest, and training.” Six years on, Sandra feels she understands this “mare of all mares” well, and vice versa – even if the horse “changes her mood 10 times a day”. “I’ve had to learn so much about her, to have a lot of patience and to be calm,” she adds.

    Read this exclusive interview

    How to define an amateur?

    Showing societies have agreed changes aimed at standardising rules on who is – and isn’t – an amateur for classes at the 2025 Royal International Horse Show (22 to 27 July). The Showing Council facilitated a meeting between the British Piebald & Skewbald Association, the British Show Horse Association, the British Show Pony Society, Sport Horse Breeding of Great Britain, and UK Ponies & Horses on 17 December. “It is hoped by relaxing the amateur rules, with the removal of various restrictions, these classes will be opened up to a wider audience and therefore be of benefit to the societies, the shows and the wider showing community,” said a Showing Council spokesperson.

    Find out what has changed

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    Lucy Elder
    Lucy Elder

    H&H senior news writer
    Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.
    Lucy Elder

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