Bertram is Star of the Month for March

MANY congratulations to Wexford international Bertram Allen, voted the winner by the public of the Gain Equine Nutrition/The Irish Field Star of the Month Award for March. Allen had a glittering season competing in Wellington and Ocala where he won three major Grands Prix in the space of a few weeks. Well done, Bertram!

Sad loss of British equestrian rider

THE British Horseball Association announced this week that Victoria Percy (20) passed away on April 13th as a result of injuries sustained while competing in a league competition on Sunday, April 10th at Onley Equestrian Centre in Warwickshire.

A press release stated that Victoria was riding in a match when her horse tripped, and she fell off. She was attended to immediately by the on-site medical team until the arrival of the county ambulance when she was transferred to University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire.

“Once in hospital, her condition did stabilise but then deteriorated rapidly and the difficult decision was made by her family to let her go,” said the press statement.

The British Horseball Association said: “On behalf of the sport of horseball, we would like to extend our deepest sympathies to Victoria’s family at this sad time. The thoughts and prayers of our community are with them.”

In 2018, Percy, from Southampton, was a member of Britain’s horseball squad that competed at the FEI European Championships for Ponies.

Finn Breen is Easter league winner

EASTER results from Killossery Lodge Stud published recently contained an unfortunate error on the 70cm Easter League winner which we are happy to put right this week. The correct result was Finn Breen (11), 70cm league winner (see also Picture Desk page 98). Well done, Finn!

Land Rover Kentucky horse trials update

CALIFORNIA’s Tamra Smith and Judith McSwain’s grey mare Fleeceworks Royal (HOLST) are the early leaders in the CCI5*-L competition at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event with a score of 32.9%. They are less than a point in front of second-placed Colleen Rutledge and Covert Rights (33.8%) while Doug Payne on his 2020 Tokyo Olympic mount Vandiver stands third (34.9%).

Elizabeth Halliday-Sharp got off to a great start on Thursday taking the top two slots in the CCI4*-S with Cooley Quicksilver (ISH) (25.7%) and Cooley Moonshine (ISH) (26.8%), both owned by Monster Partnership. Yesterday (Friday) Elizabeth was also competing Cooley Be Cool. Saturday’s cross-country courses have been designed by Derek Di Grazia.