News

Tue

Apr

Horse Sport Ireland continues Embryo Transfer Scheme for 2020

Harry Charles on ABC Quantum Cruise (ISH), GCT London 2019, photo:.Stefano Grasso

Horse Sport Ireland is happy to announce the continuation of the Embryo Transfer Scheme for 2020, following its success over the previous three years. This scheme, which is being funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), aims to increase genetic improvement by maximising the genetic potential of Ireland’s top-class performance mares.

The scheme is open to mares that are three years or older, are registered/endorsed in a DAFM approved studbook and meet the performance or progeny performance requirements (see application form for details). The embryo transfer must take place at a designated clinic after the 1st March 2020 and an application must be submitted before the 28th August 2020. A payment of €600 per embryo will be payable to the owner upon submission of a veterinary declaration confirming that the recipient has been scanned in foal and a receipt from the clinic. Ponies are also eligible to receive funding under the scheme but must... More

Mon

Apr

Farewell to showjumping legend Liz Edgar

Showjumping legend Liz Edgar and Forever

It is with great sadness that British Showjumping announce the death of former international showjumper and British Showjumping Board Director Liz Edgar following a short battle with cancer.

Liz, the younger sister of David Broome CBE, moved to Leek Wootton in Warwickshire from her family home in Monmouthshire when she married the late international Showjumper Ted Edgar in 1965. The Rio Grande farm at Leek Wootton continued to be their family home, which they enjoyed with daughter Marie who arrived six years after their marriage, and the centre of their equestrian business until their death. Liz was widowed at the end of 2018 when husband Ted passed away but continued with the equestrian business, alongside daughter Marie, and was frequently seen at shows taking a particular interest in the young horse classes as well as following the success of those that she had home bred.

As a rider, Liz was incredibly successful representing Great Britain on numerous... More

Fri

Apr

Flanders Foal Auction continues with or without the Public

Although it is still uncertain when events will be allowed again because of the Corona virus, Flanders Foal Auction decided to continue its auctions. “With or without public, we will auction foals”, say a determined Luk Van Puymbroeck and Gerald Lenaerts. The breeders are invited to offer their best showjumping foals from sport lineages again.

“We did not need a lot of time to discuss the issue, we soon agreed. Flanders Foal Auction will also continue at this time. We do not want an online auction where you can make bids for three days on end. There are plenty of those. We want a live auction, where, just like before, you can place bids online or by telephone. So, with an auctioneer, foals in the ring and Clipmyhorse for the livestreaming.”

In view of the current lockdown rules, the date of the first auction is not yet known. “We hope to auction again somewhere in June, provided that the rules allow for this. Of course, we would prefer to have an auction... More

Fri

Apr

Irish Showing Producer Rory Gilsenan Has Passed Away

Irish Showing Producer Rory Gilsenan Credit: Peter Nixon

"He has left a huge hole in our hearts"
The showing producer Rory Gilsenan died Wednesday (22 April), aged 50.
The much-loved Irishman had been suffering from the effects of a stroke and ongoing brain cancer.
Rory’s wife Vanessa said: “It is with great sadness that I have to inform you all that Rory passed away peacefully at home this morning with myself and the children holding him.
“He has left a huge hole in our hearts and, I’m sure, in many of yours.”

Rory was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour in November 2018 and underwent two operations, as well as radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment. He suffered a stroke earlier this year, which left him paralysed on his right side and virtually unable to speak.

An urgent appeal was launched by fellow rider Ginny Rose in February to help raise funds for physiotherapy treatment for Rory, and an online auction organised by his friend Karoline Thorpe at the beginning of April... More

Thu

Apr

FEI.TV available free of charge while live sport is on hold

FEI.TV the FEI’s online television platform, will be providing all its coverage of past events and special equestrian features free of charge to everyone while live sport is on hold until end of June.

Under normal circumstances, FEI.TV live-streams all major FEI Series and Championships, with an extensive range of replays, special features and historic events coverage available on-demand combining to provide unparalleled coverage of equestrian sport year-round.

But with no live sport, access to FEI.TV will be free and existing subscribers will be compensated for the months of April, May and June. They will get automatically refunded on their account. All content on the platform, including VOD, will be freely available to all users who will need to register, meaning that fans can re-live all the action from past events so there’s no need to miss out on your fix of equestrian sport.

“Premium content... More

Wed

Apr

Four-time Dressage Olympian Margit Otto-Crépin has passed away

Four-time Olympian Margit Otto-Crépin, an iconic figure in the world of Dressage, has passed away at her home in Hamburg (GER) after a short illness. She was 75.

Born on 9 February 1945 in Saarbrücken (GER), Margit Otto-Crépin studied in Michigan (USA) and then at the Sorbonne University in Paris (FRA), but a life with horses always beckoned. She changed nationality following her marriage to Frenchman Daniel Crépin and started competing under the French flag in 1971. During her illustrious career, she trained with some of the sport’s best-known coaches, including Fritz Tempelmann and Dr Uwe Schulten-Baumer.

In a life filled with competitive highlights, her greatest successes came with Corlandus , the horse that took her to individual silver at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul (KOR) and victory in the FEI World Cup™ Dressage Final in Gothenburg (SWE) the following year. She is still the only French Dressage... More

Wed

Apr

Oz de Brève retires from Showjumping

At the age of 18, Oz de Brève (Dollar du Murier x Grand Veneur x Beau Fixe xx) should have been back on the competition grounds this Spring, as he’s in such great shape... but considering the current situation, and in agreement with his family and his coach, Henrik von Eckermann, Evelina Tovek has decided to grant the Selle Français gelding, who she has been riding for six years, his retirement from sport.

Oz made his international debut under the saddle of Laura Renwick, with whom the gelding performed at the highest level, winning the St. Gallen Nations Cup, the Birmingham and Hardelot Grands Prix, and placing second at Lons-le-Saunier before joining the young Swedish rider, whom he helped to make her mark at the highest level.

Born at Marine Payan and Xavier Remy’s, the chestnut comes from the Auzay line, which has produced many international performers such as Kysra, Via and Nouma d'Auzay, as well... More

Wed

Apr

Dublin Horse Show 2020 Cancelled

RDS announces cancellation of the 2020 Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Dublin Horse Show
It is with great regret that the Royal Dublin Society has decided that the 2020 Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup Dublin Horse Show scheduled for the 15-19 July will be cancelled due to ongoing concerns regarding the continuing impact of the coronavirus.

Since the emergence of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in January, the Society has constantly monitored the situation and followed guidance from the Irish Government and the Health Service Executive.

The health and safety of all of those who come together for the Horse Show has been a priority for the RDS in making this decision. This includes visitors from Ireland and from around the world, competitors, volunteers, trade exhibitors, RDS Members, staff, partners, contractors and suppliers. The RDS responsibility to contribute to the national effort in controlling the virus in Ireland was an important... More

Wed

Apr

Viconte Joins Blue Hors Stallion Roster for 2020, to Stand in Germany

Blue Hors Viconte by Vivaldi out of Poetin VI

Blue Hors Stud has added the newly licensed 3-year old colt Viconte to its stallion roster for the 2020 breeding season.

Viconte is by Vivaldi out of Poetin VI (by Sandro Hit x Brentano II ) and is bred by Klaus Tuchen in Germany.

He has been approved by the Oldenburg breed society last week.

Blue Hors Viconte is by the top producer and highly popular KWPN stallion Vivaldi (by Krack C x Jazz) and out of a full sister of the World Young Horse Champion and Bundeschampion Poetin , who sold for 2.5 million euro at the 2003 PSI Auction.

Viconte's grand dam... More

Wed

Apr

German racing legend Hein Bollow dies at the age of 99

Legendary German jockey/trainer Hein Bollow

German racing is mourning the death of legendary jockey and trainer Heinz Bollow, who died on Monday after suffering a stroke. He was 99.

Bollow won 1,033 races during a riding career that lasted from 1936 to 1963. He was champion jockey 13 times and won the German Derby four times on Allasch (1953), Caliber (1954), Kilometer (1956) and Herero (1962).

After retiring from the saddle, Bollow turned to training and sent out 1,661 winners - the first man to reach four figures as a jockey and a trainer in German racing history.

His most notable success came with Mardek in the German Derby in 1974 and he was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit the following year.

Bollow had been living in a retirement home near Cologne-Weidenpesch and had given a television interview just three weeks ago, though the coronavirus meant he was no longer able to make his daily trips to Peter Schiergen's stable.

British trainer Milton Harris paid tribute to Bollow... More