Weekly Wrap Up 19.
In this weekly Sunday edition you'll find anything from a selection of the news that's been published the past week, to personal thoughts and ideas. You can find all posts, and more, just by visiting the site.
Latest
Global News
Four-Year Ban for Drug Use Confirmed in 2024 Doping Report
The recently released 2024 annual report from the Dutch Doping Authority has confirmed that Dutch showjumper Bart Bles is serving a four-year suspension after testing positive for cocaine during the 2022 Dutch Showjumping Championships. At the time, Bles had secured silver aboard El Rocco, but was disqualified shortly after the
The Hoofbeat Chronicles
Why Is the Horse Industry Still Begging for Sponsors?
From 2025, Germany’s prestigious Bundeschampionate will be known as the Al Shira’aa Bundeschampionate, thanks to a new title sponsorship from the UAE-based stables. A respected outfit, sure — but the real story isn’t who stepped in. It’s why someone had to. We’re not talking about an
![[not so] Welcome to the Wild Wild West…](/content/images/size/w600/2025/05/photo-1626876853852-0b4caaf60dfc.jpg)
The Hoofbeat Chronicles
[not so] Welcome to the Wild Wild West…
Every day when I drive out on my daily round I pass my neighbour's horses. Every day when I drive home I also pass my neighbour's horses. The neighbour runs a boarding stable, if one could call it a boarding stable when the horses are actually
The Hoofbeat Chronicles
Stay Focused
Today [actually yesterday] Hoofbeat Online and The Hoofbeat Chronicles were relaunched on its original platform, which would be Substack. The reasons for doing this are many, and the short explanation given in the first chronicle here on the platform earlier on today still tells a good story. But not the
Global News
Sport takes priority again - Escamillo's fresh semen mission ends
Breeding took priority for four years. But now Escamillo, who is stationed at the Schockemöhle stallion station, is set to earn merits in sport again. The eye-catching son of Escolar, who won silver and bronze at the World Championships for Young Dressage Horses under his Spanish trainer Manuel Dominguez Bernal,
Weekly Wrap Up 18.
In this weekly Sunday edition you'll find anything from a selection of the news that's been published the past week, to personal thoughts and ideas. You can find all posts, and more, just by visiting the site.
The Hoofbeat Chronicles
What Kind of Culture are We Actually Reinforcing?
It began like it so often does: a perfectly ordinary class at a local jumping show. The horse jumps clear. It is all smiles, at least till someone check their phone and realise the official time is completely off and says, “That can’t be right.”
Global News
Ethics, Tension, and a Missing Mirror
At the 2025 FEI World Cup Finals in Basel, the independent Equine Quality Control team (EQC) was tasked with monitoring horse welfare on-site. But what was meant to be a collaborative quality check turned into a revealing look at just how far elite sport will go to avoid scrutiny.
The Hoofbeat Chronicles
All Hope is Not Lost!!
On Sunday I finally came out to walk some courses and see some horses in action. We decided to target a national event with 90cm, 100cm and 110cm eventing on the schedule.
The Hoofbeat Chronicles
The problem with the CCI1*-Intro format
Let’s talk about the issues with the CCI1*-Intro eventing format. The main problem is it should never have seen the light of day. At least not in its current format.
Weekly Wrap Up 17.
In this weekly Sunday edition you'll find anything from a selection of the news that's been published the past week, to personal thoughts and ideas. You can find all posts, and more, just by visiting the site.