Horse International

In memory: Tim Stockdale

British Hong Kong 2008 Olympic Games team rider Tim Stockdale passed away at the age of 54 after a short battle against cancer. Both as an athlete and a trainer, Stockdale was passionate about the sport and represented British teams at the 2002 FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Jerez (ESP), the 2009 FEI European Championships on home soil in Windsor and in over 50 FEI Nations Cup™ competitions. The grit and determination which so marked his character helped him fight his way back to the highest international stage after breaking his neck in a fall in October 2011, returning to the international arena in Rotterdam (NED) just nine months later. His last competition was the Belgian CSI2* in Moorsele at the end of September. Giving back to the sport that he loved, Stockdale also served as Jumping Rider Representative on the Organising Committee for the London Olympia Horse Show for over 25 years and was a former Board Director of British Showjumping, as well as a long standing member of the International and Performance Committees. “Equestrian sport has lost a great ambassador and friend with the passing of Tim Stockdale,” FEI Jumping Director John Roche said. “The news of his death has come as a great shock to us all. Tim was a true horseman and a great competitor. He never lost his passion for competition and was jumping internationally until recently. His friendliness, smile, sense of humour, as well as his positive approach to life will be greatly missed by all those who were fortunate enough to have known him.”

Blue Hors Hotline back in Denmark

Blue Hors Hotline is back at his home stables at the Blue Hors Stud in Denmark. The stallion stood at stud at the German state stud Warendorf for the past year. Under Danish rider Daniel Bachmann Andersen, the son of Hofrat competed successfully at Grand Prix level, scoring around the 70% mark consistently. The pair competed among others at the 2016 CHIO Aachen, after which the stallion sustained an unfortunate injury and the decision was made to focus on stud duty. That same year, Blue Hors Hotline was crowned the Danish Warmblood Stallion of the Year. He has several successful offspring and approved sons, including the late KWPN stallion Davino VOD (ds. Michelangelo). Initially, the now 15-year-old stallion was leased to Landgestüt Warendorf for a maximum of three breeding seasons.

Charlotte Fry wins Young Rider of the Year Award

22-year-old Charlotte Fry has been awarded the Saracen Horse Feeds Young Rider of the Year Award. The British dressage rider won bronze with the British team at the U25 European championships last summer, as well as individual silver and gold riding Dark Legend (by Zucchero). The Van Olst Stables rider was very successful at this year’s FEI/WBFSH World Breeding Dressage Championships for Young Horses at Ermelo as well, taking the seven-year-old title with Glamourdale (by Lord Leatherdale). In May of this year, Fry celebrated her international Grand Prix debut aboard Dark Legend, taking third at the CDI3* Bolesworth Grand Prix Freestyle behind Carl Hester and Richard Davison. Fry states her goal is for the year 2019 to be as good as 2018; “I hope to compete younger horses in the Grand Prix U25, and produce them up to senior level. I also hope to qualify for the FEI/WBFSH World Breeding Dressage Championships for Young Horses again.” Mark Phillips took the Lifetime Achievement Award, the former Badminton, Burghley and Olympic medal winner is regarded as one of the most influential course designers in the world of eventing.

Fosun title sponsor of FEI Best Athlete Award 2018

One of China's largest privately-held multinational companies, Fosun, has agreed to become title sponsor of the Best Athlete Award 2018. Alongside the Longines Rising Star, Best Groom, Against All Odds and FEI Solidarity awards, the Fosun Best Athlete Award was presented at the FEI Awards 2018 Gala presented by Longines in Manama (BRN). The sponsorship follows Fosun’s collaboration with the Longines China Tour Beijing event in 2017. Mr Xiaodong Wen, Global Partner of Fosun, said: “Following our successful launch of the CEID (China Equestrian International Development) Europe League in the Netherlands and Belgium, and the Longines China Tour of Beijing Great Wall, we were keen to extend our cooperation with the international equestrian community. The Fosun Best Athlete Award will showcase the best of the sport and we are honoured to be associated with this level of excellence.” China has the second largest horse population in the world and is a key equestrian destination with 400,000 active equestrians, one in 1,000 fans riding regularly and 300,000 people directly employed in horse sport. International competitions are also growing fast in the country, with a record 1,600% increase in the number of international events, going from just one in 2009 to 17 in 2017.