North Staffordshire, Staffs
IT has long been suspected that great horsemen have a streak of madness in them and the latest Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) Racing to Hunting Challenge final, hosted by the North Staffordshire, proved it. The winner was sporting a broken foot and the runnerup a broken collarbone, but both skipped around the hedges and rails without the slightest hesitation.
The four finalists - two had to pull out at the last moment made a smart picture in their green RoR saddlecloths against the mellow red brick of the farmyard where we met, hosted by senior master Ann Hartley. She, too, was defying injury, not long back in the saddle after breaking her knee in an innocuous but nasty accident at the end of last season.
"I dropped my phone after taking pictures of a trespassing dog walker," she explained. "When I got on a bank to get back on, my horse joined me on the bank and my foot slipped."
Returning to her family farm three decades ago, Ann was invited into the mastership.
"I keep trying to wriggle out of it," she laughed, "but they won't let me!"
With longevity of service increasingly rare, I doubt they ever will.
The rest of the mastership is equally strong. Rick Hampton was described as Ann's guardian angel - "he is always there when I need him" - and Jonathon Jarrett has deep familial connections with the area. His brother, Rob, has hunted the hounds for four years and, despite the potential for brotherly rivalry, it's a successful arrangement, with a kind of shorthand between them.
Rob looks after the breeding of this old English pack and has already found success on the flags, with Pudding 20, a "little rascal", the brood bitch winner at Peterborough, the first North Staffordshire for 70 years.
"I've been trying to get them a bit more athletic," he explained. "They were getting a bit heavy in the shoulder."
This story is from the November 30, 2023 edition of Horse & Hound.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the November 30, 2023 edition of Horse & Hound.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
'Sorry, but I wasn't feeling it'
Fresh from the opening meet, Tessa Waugh hasn't quite yet been bitten by the hunting bug. Without the crisp autumnal air and cheek-pinching cold she hoped for, it's a sluggish start
New pair pull off a win
A former European Championships pony is on form with his new rider, while elsewhere former showjumpers and eventers take ribbons
Lording it over the rest
Horses who have returned from injury, a second generation homebred and a long format specialist score on the final weekend of the British season
Smith hits flying form
A \"her way or no way\" mare helps Zoe Smith to an impressive ribbon haul and a rider beats his own boss to the top spot
Jankorado hits the jackpot
Paul Sims is triumphant despite his interrupted jump-off preparation and a borrowed horse comes up trumps
Peanut
From \"dangerous, scary\" to hedge-hopping brilliance, hunting has been the making of this unstable but very lovable equine character
She's a corker
Communication, says long-standing and highly respected Belvoir master Lady Sarah McCorquodale, is the key to all, as Catherine Austen discovers
Access all areas Cavalier Centre
The Cavalier Centre is a fully accessible, state-of-the-art equestrian centre designed to improve lives through horse-based activities. Ellie May Forrester pays a visit
'Use it or lose it'
Not everyone wants to reach for the pipe and slippers at a certain age. Becky Murray speaks to some veteran horse-and-rider combos for their secrets of human and equine longevity
A new way forward
Worm control in horses is vital, but established methods will not remain effective for much longer. Tim Mair FRCVS explains why and how we need to change
