Todd now going for Express delivery

FOLLOWING his historic win at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, Mark Todd has announced he will be competing in the opening qualifier for the Express Eventing Series, which will be held at Bolesworth Castle on June 11.

Todd, who became Badminton’s oldest champion at 55, will be giving some younger riders a run for their money, including Huddersfield’s Oliver Townend, who won the inaugural Express Eventing competition and also won at Badminton in 2009.

Also competing at Bolesworth Castle will be Gary Parsonage, from Beverley, who is a former Olympic rider and three-time winner of the Hickstead Eventing Grand Prix. They will be hoping to qualify for a place in the final at October’s Horse of the Year Show.

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Stephen Renouard, equestrian director of Express Eventing, said: “The field of entrants further endorses the new format which worked so well in 2010 and shows that the riders trust and believe in this great sport. It will certainly make for some great competition.”

The first Express Eventing competition, held in the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, drew criticism after Mary King’s top horse, Call Again Cavalier, had to be put down after a fall in the testing cross-country section.

The arena-based competition, which has been reorganised, involves dressage to music, cross-country jumps and showjumping.

Qualifiers are being held at the Bolesworth Castle Showjumping Classic, Lincolnshire Show on June 22, the CLA Game Fair at Blenheim Palace on July 24 and at the Festival of British Eventing, Gatcombe Park on August 6 and 7.

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DO you own an ex-racehorse that you think is particularly special? Retraining of Racehorses (RoR), British Horseracing’s official charity for the welfare of horses that have retired from racing, is hoping to attract entries from the many owners of ex-racehorses in Yorkshire for its first ROR Heart Awards.

The awards, supported by Baileys Horse Feeds, are open to owners of registered RoR ex-racehorses.

There are four categories which include the ‘Biggest Heart’ award for the horse that has proved itself to have an all-round good temperament; the ‘Heart Throb’ award which will be judged on the horse’s general grooming, condition and looks; the ‘Heart Stopper’ award for the horse that has overcome great adversity in rising to the challenges of starting a new career and the ‘Healthy Heart’ which will go to the horse which has shown itself fit enough in body and spirit to adapt to a new life across many disciplines.

Di Arbuthnot, the charity’s director of operations, said: “The awards are a fun way to recognise the special bond, passion and great achievements of some of the thousands of ex-racehorses that are lovingly re-homed and retrained each year.

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“We hear some great success stories from riders and we hope that by running our campaign through Facebook and our website, we will get people talking passionately about the rewards of owning an ex-racehorse.”

Entries can be made at [email protected] and the closing date is June 1.

MEMBERS of the newly-formed equestrian team at Sheffield High School have been celebrating following success in their first competition. The school entered one dressage squad for the inter-school qualifier held at Reaseheath College, Cheshire and were placed second to earn a place in the national finals.

The team members were Georgia Tracey and Alex Chester doing Preliminary and Rosie Sear and Katie Midgley doing Novice. Alex and Katie were both second in their classes and Alex was fifth overall in the seniors’ section.

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THE South Durham point-to-point takes place on Saturday at Howe Hills, Mordon.

The locally-based Dawson family have entered the majority of their horses in the Hunt race but may struggle for jockeys. Three members of the family are all out injured. Chris is recovering from a damaged pelvis, John has an injured knee and Anna has a dislocated shoulder.

Racing begins at 2pm and admission to the course is free.

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