An Olympic rider’s new job, an Olympic horse’s new home and other things the horse world is talking about

Olympic rider named Bramham’s new cross-country course-designer

British-based Dutch Olympic event rider Andrew Heffernan will take over from Ian Stark as cross-country course-designer at Defender Bramham Horse Trials. Andrew has ridden at Olympics and World and European Championships for the Netherlands and has competed at Bramham six times. He and his wife Millie are based at Somerford Park Farm in Cheshire. “To take over the reins from someone like Ian Stark is a huge honour. He has helped me enormously over the years with my designing and I’m hoping he will be there for me to lean on for a good few years to come!” said Andrew.

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The sale of Charlotte Dujardin’s top horse Imhotep

Imhotep, the 11-year-old gelding with whom Charlotte Dujardin has won world and European medals, has been sold to Austrian rider Diana Porsche. H&H spoke to Carl Hester about the move and Carl confirmed that the sale of “Pete” had always been on the cards for after the Paris Olympics; conversations with Diana started in May. “The timing could have been more ideal, especially with Kismet being sold, and those things happen. But this was always going to happen and unfortunately Kismet went first, which made this look a bit more weird – but it’s not weird at all,” said Carl.

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Ban for couple who left filly to die

A couple who “dreadfully mistreated” two horses so badly they both died, one weighing just 82kg, have been sentenced at Worthing Magistrates’ Court. Bognor Regis pair Katrina Sullivan, 42, and 36-year-old Jamie Middleton, of Laurel Grove and Felpham Road respectively, pleaded guilty to two animal welfare offences relating to 18-month-old cob Sassy and three-year-old gelding Apollo. Sullivan and Middleton were both banned from keeping animals for 10 years. Sullivan was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for two years, Middleton to 14 weeks’ prison, suspended for two years.

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