‘It’s time for brand spanking new whip guidelines to be launched’

Graham Fletcher shares his ideas on Stockholm Worldwide Horse Present, whip guidelines and ongoing Brexit points

After a lifetime of going to exhibits world wide, it now takes one thing out of the strange to impress me. Nonetheless, final month’s Stockholm Worldwide Horse Present did simply that. Our son Olli was invited as one of many 18 riders to compete there, and what an expertise it was.

The venue, the Nationwide Area of Sweden, often known as the Strawberry Area, is a unbelievable fashionable stadium they usually’d obtained the bottom pretty much as good as any I’ve come throughout. It’s a giant stadium to fill. However it was full of enthusiastic spectators who understood the game and actually confirmed their appreciation, particularly of their nation’s superstars Henrik von Eckermann, Rolf-Göran Bengtsson, Peder Fredricson and the darling of the group, Malin Baryard-Johnsson.

The truth is, such was the ovation Peder acquired for his traditional jump-off spherical within the grand prix, a soccer crowd couldn’t have made extra noise!

The present handled the riders rather well. And I used to be happy with Olli’s outcomes as he greater than held his personal. It’s undoubtedly on the highest of his want record to be invited once more in 2025.

New whip strategy

On the riders’ assembly earlier than the lessons began in Stockholm, the ambassador for the present, Malin Baryard-Johnsson, warned that Sweden’s nationwide guidelines on the whip have been extra proscriptive than the FEI ones.

Their rule stipulates which you can’t take your arms off the rein to make use of the whip. Malin additionally emphasised that the Swedish public is so delicate that any rider utilizing the stick in a forceful method could be requested to go residence.

So, do I feel the Swedes have gotten this one proper? Sure, I undoubtedly do. William Funnell (opinion, 28 November) was spot on when he mentioned we shouldn’t need to apologise for the game we love. However any overuse of the stick, and we’re on the again foot already.

I caught up with former Nationwide Hunt champion jockey John Francome about it just lately. A few years in the past, he advocated {that a} stick ought to be stored within the arms to maintain a horse straight, however by no means used behind the saddle. He stays adamant about it.

John was probably the greatest jockeys of all time. Certainly, he was forward of his time in each his using place and pondering within the saddle – simply as he was together with his philosophy about utilizing the stick.

John believes that if a “arms on the reins” whip rule was introduced in now, one of the best horses and jockeys would win extra. In the meantime, he stays very vital of the folks working racing who allow horses to be hit seven occasions in a leap race and 6 occasions on the Flat.

There’s at the moment a survey below solution to gauge opinion, one thing for which John has the identical quantity of respect as I do. If Winston Churchill had achieved the identical, we’d all be talking German now.

If whip guidelines have been modified, says John, folks would shortly overlook that the stick was ever used to try to bully half a tonne of horse. I feel he’s proper – and so are the Swedes.

We’re all cattle class now

I make no apology for bemoaning once more the equine welfare points – in addition to growing prices – of taking horses throughout the Channel since Brexit. Sadly, horses are nonetheless being pressured to attend round on lorries for border checks, even when the paperwork is all appropriate and paid for.

It’s additionally a giant downside for folks flying. It took us a great hour-and-a-half to get by passport management for a British Airways flight to Stockholm, as a substitute of what was 20 minutes. It was the identical going to Brussels just lately.

There’s no one extra impatient than me in a queue. The truth is, the one factor that stored me sane was the considered these MPs who campaigned for Brexit, after which misplaced their seats, having to journey cattle class and look ahead to hours like the remainder of us. Now they understand how the horses really feel…

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