1. Final farewell to outstanding puissance horse
Showjumping fans and connections are mourning the passing of the brilliant puissance specialist Mr Blue Sky UK, who has been put down at the age of 15 after he broke a leg in a freak field accident. His owner Elaine Annis, who bought Blue early this year, told H&H she had had “six months of bliss” with the eye-catching grey superstar, whose successes with Guy Williams included 11 wins over the big wall, including a record four times at the London International Horse Show. “It was an incredible honour to own him, work with him and be with him,” Elaine said. “The best ones are always robbed from us too early.”
2. Trevor Breen is back on board
Irish medal-winning showjumper Trevor Breen is back in the saddle four months after fracturing his lower neck and back in the fall in the grand prix of Hamburg on 11 May. Trevor underwent surgery on the most serious break and said that for the first couple of months after his fall, he knew there was no way he could ride. But he has now been back on board his superstar Highland President and he told H&H it was as if he had never been out of it. “It felt unbelievable – but very normal, like I was never off; I don’t know how to explain it,” he said.
3. “Thank you so much” says Kazuma Tomoto
Olympic team bronze medal-winner Kazuma Tomoto is saying his goodbyes to the British eventing community as he moves back to Japan today (10 September) after nine years based in Britain. Kazuma, 41, finished fifth at the Paris Olympics on Vinci De La Vigne JRA, winning a team bronze medal, having finished fourth individually at the Tokyo Olympics on the same horse. He expressed his thanks to William Fox-Pitt and Alice Fox-Pitt and their team, where he has been based, and to the wider eventing community in Britain: “Everyone is so friendly and kind, so I want to say thanks so much guys,” he said.
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