Changes to World Championship teams, are bigger fences safer and other things the horse world is talking about

World Championship changes

With just over a week to go before the World Eventing Championships kick off in Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy, the final list of definite entries has been confirmed. This includes a change to the Irish team; Joseph Murphy has withdrawn from the squad for next week’s event (15-18 September) as his ride Calmaro has had “a setback in training”. Felicity Ward and Regal Bounty will take their place. The French team has also been confirmed, including a British-based rider making his championship debut.
Keep up to date with all the World Eventing Championships news

Is bigger safer?

Former Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials course-designer Mark Phillips reflects on this year’s event, in his H&H column this week. Mark considers the cross-country course, standout British performances – and the size of the fences. “Some will say there were too many horse falls,” he says, adding that “three of the seven were at an intermediate-sized brush corner in the Trout Hatchery. Many in the FEI and in high places want to ake cross-country easier in the name of risk management. This was a classic example of easier does not make it safer – if that had been a big fence in the water, would the riders have had more respect and taken more time to jump it? I believe the answer is definitely yes.”
Read the rest of Mark’s thoughts

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