Olympic squad changes, budgie-smuggling at Hickstead, and other things the horse world is talking about

Olympic squad changes

A number of key changes have been made to teams ahead of the Paris Olympics. Following Charlotte Dujardin’s withdrawal, Becky Moody will be stepping up into the British dressage team on Jagerbomb, with Andrew Gould and Indigro named as the new alternate combination heading to Versailles. In the eventing, the reigning Olympic champion Julia Krajewski (Nickel 21) has been promoted to compete for the Germans, after Sandra Auffarth withdrew Viamant Du Matz. The US eventing team has replaced Will Coleman’s ride Off The Record with his direct reserve horse Diabolo. In showjumping news, Irish alternate Bertram Allen has withdrawn Pacino Amiro. They will be replaced by Darragh Kenny with VDL Cartello.

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A roving budgie rescued at Hickstead

If you overheard someone talking about flying feathers at Hickstead, you’d most likely expect them to be referring to coloured traditionals with four legs rather than two wings. So you can imagine the surprise when tiny green budgie flew in and landed on someone’s head at the famous showground.

The small intruder, who turned out to be called Chip, had gone missing in the area a day or two earlier. The friendly soul was quickly captured before being reunited with its small owner. “On hearing their missing bird had in fact flown the nest to visit the showground, the owners flocked straight to Hickstead to collect him,” a spokesperson for the All England Jumping Course said.

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The eventing dressage test in Paris

Looking ahead to when the Olympic eventing gets underway on Saturday (yes, that’s right sports fans, Saturday at 8.30am UK time, so make sure you’re prepared), the riders will be facing a slightly different challenge. The Olympic dressage test for the eventers is shorter than normal at just under 4mins long, and the movements come thick and fast. It also includes movements not often seen in eventing dressage including the canter zig-zag (canter half-pass in one direction, flying change, then canter half pass in the other direction, and a flying change) and walk to counter canter.

Find out more about the challenge facing the event riders

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