One of my favourite moments of the London International Horse Show — so far, anyway — has to be the return of the fancy dress showjumping relay, which took place last night and was just as delightfully chaotic as I remember it being in the ’90s (though devoid of Geoff Billington in drag, which is a shame or a relief, depending on how you look at it). It was particularly ace to see some of our eventing brethren come forward for this class, including Gemma Stevens and Laura Collett, whose spandex superhero garb made me feel fairly confident that our great city would be will protected from baddies, should those baddies happen to land in the week before Christmas.
National Holiday: It’s my high holy day today, folks: it’s National Emo Day. I feel well-qualified to preside over this special day, bearing, as I do, the lingering scar of the lip ring I had when I was fifteen; the La Dispute lyrics tattooed across the backs of my thighs; and the financial scars I earned while travelling all the way to Las freakin’ Vegas to attend When We Were Young festival this year. Stick on some 2004 bangers and ride like you’re sad about it today. Here’s a throwback to get you started.
Your Monday Reading List:
So much emphasis is put on purpose-bred, high-ticket horses in the competitive English disciplines. But what about the horses who come from less illustrious backgrounds? There’s plenty of room for them, too — and the story of Larisa Quirk and her rescue-turned-dressage-horse is a heartening one for all of us with unconventional horses in our stables. [You’re more than where you come from]
Speaking of rescues, here’s another one who’s found a second life in the dressage arena. Fair warning: the story of overo paint Charlie might make you feel a bit teary early on, but it’s worth seeing it through to the happy ending. [The kisses took me out, tbh]
More than 200 veterinarians have put their names behind a push to stop horse slaughter in the US. It feels like this conversation and this fight have been going on for my entire life, and that’s because it’s such a thorny and complex issue — but there’s an admittedly strong argument behind the push to ban it altogether. [Here’s what’s being discussed]
Are you one of the millions of people who found themselves becoming accidental football fans thanks to Ted Lasso? Then you might have taken some of the show’s more poignant messages to heart as an athlete, too. In this op-ed, Jessica Shannon argues that we all need to learn to be our own Ted in this funny old game. [No balls needed]
The FutureTrack Follow:
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Team NZ’s own Jacky Green is well worth a follow for her exploits with Tim and Jonelle Price, her sharp wit, and, of course, her boxer Kihikihi, who I would like to actually smother with kisses, please and thanks.
Morning Viewing:
Every time the new BE and FEI calendars come out, I always take a moment to think about some of the now-defunct events that I’ve loved in years prior. Among them? Belton, which came to an end in 2019 – but had a long history of excellence before that. Here’s a look back at 1999, with some familiar faces on the line-up:
