New Year's Honours List: HHO style?

PucciNPoni

PucciNPoni

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 March 2009
Messages
4,064
Visit site
What do you think? Should we have our OWN New Year's Honours list? I was thinking of people on HHO who have made me laugh, have made an impact to the forum, or perhaps even pro's not on HHO that have somehow made people say "wow!" this year? Or how about a horse?

Okay, the only one I can think of at the minute is: nikkimariet, with her fantastic approach to dressage....on a Shetland! :D

Who's your pick?
 
Off-forum, and fresh in the mind is Kauto Star of course, and all his team. I also think Nick Skelton's Big Star really made his mark this year as a Championship horse, along with Tripple X they will hopefully be the mainstays of the British SJ team in London. The British dressage team, what fabulous things they achieved this year. By the high standards of the eventing team it wasn't a vintage year, but I'm sure their long run of success will continue next year :).

I think hot topics were market conditions, the bottom end of the market fell to pieces, but at elite level Olympic horses have changed hands for huge sums of money and are doing so right up to today's deadline. www.grandprix-replay.com is excellent for keeping up do date on such matters, although I think they get a lot of their info from studforlife.com, so worth following too.
There will be fallout from many sales and changes, spare a thought for Gregory Wathelet who won the World Cup Qualifier at Mechelen this week on his Olympic hopeful Copin v/d Broy, only to be told afterwards his owner was giving (not selling!) the ride to Maruc Ehning. He has the small consolation of Haras de Hus' Banda de hus joining his stable. There were also runours floating around that the french team was to suffer a further blow (after the sale of Kellemoi de Pepita) with the sale of Mylord Carthago, I'm sure we'll know soon if that's the case. Silvana de Hus was also at risk, but Patrice Delaveau's owners generously stepped in to buy the mare and secure her future with Kevin Staut.
 
ooh what a fabulous idea.
in racing, Kauto definitely, what a privilege it is to watch such a horse.
in Eventing, WFP, what a consummate professional he is.
My equine hero of the year has to be Neville Bardos, who nearly died in a barn fire (he was the last horse that Boyd pulled out of the barn, having been ordered not to go back into the smoke and flames. In Boyd's own words (from HJU) "I nearly received an assault charge after getting into a heavy altercation with one of the Chiefs of the fire department just before I bolted into the barn to drag Nev out of the fire at True Prospect Farm on Memorial Day. I caught up with the fireman early the next morning to shake hands and apologize."
The horse suffered burns and severe smoke inhalation, and the prognosis was grim. He made a miraculous recovery (what a toughie) and then got a top 10 placing at Burghley a few months later, WHAT a horse. I'm welling up here just thinking about it.
anyway...
of HHOers, i'm sure i won't be the only one to say Baydale, for being an absolute inspiration this year.
 
Yes Baydale on here. There are so many others, off of the forum, I agree with Kauto, also Sophie Wells, such a super lass. Neville Bardos also had me all emotional watching his xc at Burghley.
Also Mary King, she is an amazing ambassador for eventing and keeps smiling and positive whatever happens.
And Carl, and Charlotte for showing horses ridden with an aim towards true harmony ;)
 
TarrSteps, nooooooo, she might have missed it, she's bound to be off bay-heffalump-wrangling or something, i thought i'd be safe!
I absolutely second the suggestion of Carl, for his own riding, his production of horses, production of fellow rider Charlotte, as an owner... what a wonderful extra dimension he has brought to dressage in the U.K. and worldwide.
 
Ooh love this!

The Brits dressage team has been amazing, what they have achieved in the last two years has been amazing. I've always liked Carl but have to like him more after being such a fab owner in the sport too.

Eventing is harder, so many brilliant riders and horses.

For HHO I don't think anyone would disagree that Baydale is a massive inspiration on both the horsey side but also for me personally as I had a very dear friend go through the same and BD helped me see there was plenty of life after the dreaded C. She should definitely win HHO'er of the year!

I also have to nominate Kirstyhen for bringing on Mally so well.. And Measles for being such a good source of Irish horses!
 
Leg_end, i agree with that, i found out yesterday that another of my friends has bc (she found out the day before) and she was really heartened to hear that (for some people at least) it's possible to soldier on through chemo and still get a lot done etc etc.
 
K, Urgh what a way to end the year :( I hope your friend battles hard and gets rid of it ASAP. FWIW I found it was good to have a wail every now and then together as its so hard keeping up the 'I must be strong and fight everything.. Cancer will not win' as its sometimes just a facade. We also had plenty of giggles too and girly nights. Also, planning something for the end of treatment is also good.. We went to the Ritz for tea :)
 
I'd say Carl, both for his own achievements and for raising the profile of the sport here. I don't agree he's doing anything new or different than a lot of other people but he's doing it from a less supportive situation. I'd also say Dr. B deserves a massive amount of credit since he seems to have played a part, even if indirectly, in the careers of all the emerging lights of British dressage.

KS, for his impressive performance and his team for keeping him on the road. NB for his comeback and again, everyone who made that possible.

SJ, not as many stand outs, it's true, but I think Ben Maher has made the transition from newcomer to established stalwart and that's much harder and less glamorous than having a streak of good results.

Eventing, I'd say any Badminton or Burghley first timer. That must be an experience!

I know it doesn't count in context but I'd also give Eric kudos, just for getting on with it.

As a general note, anyone struggling with/back from illness or injury deserves a hand. I find horse people tend to be somewhat unsympathetic and tend to think anything other than being miraculously back in the saddle simply means the person hasn't tried hard enough. Fair enough, since no one wants to think their life might change in an instant.

And, since I'm being soppy anyway, to anyone who is trying to their best for their horses and trying to understand their point of view. It's our idea to do all this and the least we can do is try to make them willing participants. That doesn't mean being soft - life is tough, after ail - but there is nothing wrong with trying to be honest and fair.

Happy New Year, everyone. Have a good one.
 
Johanna Vardon from the National Foaling Bank for all the help and advise she gives freely to mare and foal owners.

Another vote for Baydale

Hovis and Sids Mum. The lady who wrote Hovis Dairy for always giving me a Friday smile.
 
A medal for all the HHOers who continue to post in here even though they only get 2 replies from 5,749 views :D ;).

Seriously though - all those who are battling to overcome serious illness or accidents and their families and the medics/therapists etc etc who are helping them.
 
I still can't understand how Baydale manages to achieve what many people can't, despite everything that she's been through, and still have a sense of humour afterwards :eek:

Eventingwise, I think Zoe Brenan needs a bit of a well done - to get a JR gold medal at her first Jr euros, on a 7yr old horse that she's produced from a youngster to have a completely clean XC record - including several wins at intermediate - takes a lot of talent. Yet all the hype was about Emily King at the juniors this year (fair enough, she's a very talented rider) that it made Zoe's achievements seem somewhat overlooked.
 
I agree with the injury point TS. there are lots of people on here who just get up and get going, against the odds, and are inspiring to others.
Also to all those on the forum who try to help, really help, with sound advice, confidently and politely given.
 
kerilli said:
TarrSteps, nooooooo, she might have missed it, she's bound to be off bay-heffalump-wrangling or something, i thought i'd be safe!
Click to expand...

She's been shouting at me all morning :rolleyes:

I do agree with this nomination actually. Not because of her battling through her illness (old news....blah, blah, blah.... ;):p) but for being a good mate to me, kicking mine and my horses asses on a regular basis, and for dragging me through some rather low times when I've been feeling particularly demoralized.

And most importantly for being a decent pink wine drinking chum :)
 
I was alerted to this earlier by TS but I have indeed been wrestling with bay ponies, kerilli, or riders of bay ponies, m_m, all day. I think you're all mad btw,:p mad and misinformed as all I've been doing is getting up, doing some stuff, going to bed and doing it all over again, just like everyone else does. :rolleyes: Thanks for the sentiment though, soppy beggars the lot of you.:o As the Wise Canadian (aka TarrSteps) says, anyone who's been ill, injured or whatever, has gone through a lot of slog and hard graft to get back in the saddle, they're the people that get my vote for HHO Honours.

As for those who inspire me: Mary King, Mark Todd and William Fox-Pitt for being sickeningly good for what seems like forever; Team Hester ;), a force to be reckoned with, definitely; Tim Stockdale and Tina Fletcher for bouncing back from knocks and making sure that Ben Maher and Guy Williams will be looking nervously over their shoulders; and Neville Bardos, that was enough to tug at anyone's heartstrings who saw him at Burghley.

One last vote for friends, whether in real life or cyberspace, and the power they have through support, advice, shoulders to cry on or butt-kicking. I know HHO isn't always a rosy and sunny place to be but I've met some fantastic people through it, so thanks to H&H for providing us with a platform for our pony-filled musings. :D
 
I think everyone that has plugged away with their horses/life whether a professional/amateur and got results that they are proud of without banging on about how difficult it was/how much they've had to overcome deserve as much recognition as everyone else. Everyone works incredibly hard :)

Also, huge kudos for the British dressage team and everyone involved for all their hard work *finally* paying off!
 
The literally kicked in the face and still bouncing back award would have to go to Charlimouse who seems to have spent more time in hospital than on her horses. I enjoy her reports and hope she keeps reporting all the ups and downs that we all go through with horses.
 
Baydale? Shmaydale - bit of a part-timer that one these days ;) I remember when she could down a mojito and wash it down with three industrial gins followed by a whole bottle of chardonnay (PINK wine???) and now look at her :( :p I'd nominate Gamebird ahead of BD any day :D

Or.... are we talking about dedicated Cheeky Boy production, patient teaching, complicated hunter-management, even more complicated Belvoir Joint Master management and still having time to put a few hats on straight on HHO with a bit of wry humour, all in the face of a particularly nasty disease and a succession of almost as nasty treatments?? I thlught we were talking about drinking - of course, that's imbibing (or in some cases inhaling) not inspiring :p In that case, of course, Baydale all the way!! :) :) :) :)

Off forum, hard to say for me but I think definitely Kauto, also the Frankel/Cecil duo - that one would make a good film, wouldn't it?! Mary K always inspires me, can't really think of any others this time round.

Happy New Year one and all - I really hope it's a good one for us all :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top