NY – On Sunday evening at approximately 6:40 PM a second-alarm structure fire broke out at Mira Bella Horse Farm which could have resulted in a devastating loss was first reported by Warwick residents D.J who were driving by when they noticed the flames engulfing the barn the two men raced onto the property and began releasing the nine horses inside Thanks to their quick-thinking and selfless actions all of the animals were safely evacuated before the fire spread further The Florida Fire Department arrived promptly battling the flames as the local community anxiously followed updates The cause of the fire remains under investigation but the rescue efforts of Rinaldi and Zanne have been widely praised as heroic and lifesaving News of the fire quickly spread across local Facebook groups where residents expressed their concerns and offered assistance with many users commenting their prayers for first responders and the horses providing reassurance to the concerned community a post inquired about the fire at The Stables at MiraBella asking if any of the horses needed temporary housing or care The overwhelming response highlighted the tight-knit nature of the equestrian and farming community always ready to support one another in times of crisis Florida resident and  OC Legislator commented: “ Without the heroic efforts of these two people so many animals and children’s dreams would have been altered forever The bravery and quick thinking displayed by D.J Rinaldi and Dylan Zanne on Sunday night is a true testament to the strength and character of our community Their selfless actions in rushing to the scene risking their own safety to free the trapped horses it is the courage of everyday citizens that makes all the difference and these two young men have set an incredible example for us all We are deeply grateful for their heroism and for the swift response of the Florida Fire Department whose dedication ensured the fire was contained before further devastation could occur Our thoughts are with the Mira Bella Horse Farm family as they recover from this ordeal we stand ready to support them in any way we can.” As Mira Bella Horse Farm assesses the damage and begins the recovery process other local residents have voiced their willingness to help While the official page for The Stables at MiraBella has not yet provided updates on the incident the strong outpouring of support on social media indicates that the community stands ready to assist in any way possible This event serves as a powerful reminder of the resilience and unity that defines the Warwick and Florida communities The tragedy was narrowly avoided thanks to the heroic actions of two local residents the swift response of Florida firefighters and the overwhelming support of the community For further updates and detailed information on this incident continue following local news sources and official updates from Mira Bella Horse Farm Enter your email address to subscribe to this web site and receive notifications of news posts by email Beautiful, Blue-Eyed Babes! 35 Dog Breeds With Blue Eyes 11 Hairless (and Partially Hairless) Cat Breeds Why Is My Dog Shaking? From Over-Excitement to Medical Issues, Experts Break Down the Reasons Dogs Tremble BirdsAll BirdsCockatooChickenParrotThe 150 Best Bird Names Best Pet Chicken Breeds for Beginners (& Those to Avoid) Home/Pet NewsHeroic Horse Fights Fashion Crisis to Rescue Pal From Woeful WardrobeEveryone needs a friend like this but there’s something extra special about having that one true best friend A pal who consistently boosts our mood when we’re low and extends a hand before we even have to ask With such a steadfast supporter by our side Particularly when dealing with a wardrobe malfunction Check out this delightful video from November 18th, where these horse companions teamed up for a heartwarming and hilarious display of camaraderie We’re unable to load this content right now View directly on Instagram Everyone needs a friend willing to help them out of a fashion crisis. Handsome Teddy (@nalanihorserescue) did his best to remove his jacket but it was no simple task without opposable thumbs it wasn’t enough to undo the latch that kept it in place Spirit even attempted to pull it off from the back and underneath the arm While their attempts may have proved futile it’s always nice to know somebody has your back Horses may need coats or blankets to stay warm especially when temperatures drop significantly Horses whose natural coats have been trimmed for aesthetic reasons lose this insulation and need them to retain body heat Even those with thicker winter coats can benefit from extra insulation might struggle to regulate their body temperature making blankets essential to keep them comfortable They can also protect horses from the chilling effects of rain or snow For our sake and Teddy’s, let’s all hope this winter isn’t too cold or too long. Even if you love the snow, wearing a winter jacket can get old quickly. LLC and respective content providers on this website Other product and company names shown may be trademarks of their respective owners LLC and respective content providers to this website may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website There are heroes throughout the horse racing industry and the Race Track Chaplaincy of America (RTCA) recognizes some of these selfless servants annually through the RTCA White Horse Award the White Horse Awards show appreciation to these individuals for acts of selflessness and dedication.The winner of the 2024 White Horse Award is outrider Bo Butler Bo’s quick actions were instrumental in preventing what could have been a far more severe situation.During a race at Fonner Park on March 3 a series of events set off a chaotic chain reaction that affected several horses but soon turned perilous when horses clipped heels two of the horses began running counterclockwise which only added to the confusion and potential danger outrider Bo Butler demonstrated remarkable skill and presence of mind Butler swiftly pursued one of the wayward horses with several horses still racing at full speed towards him In a display of quick thinking and expert horsemanship Butler guided the horse towards the outside rail avoiding an even more catastrophic collision with the racing pack his horse collided with another horse at full speed The next thing Bo remembers was waking up in the hospital.Bo Butler’s instincts training and heroism highlight the critical role outriders play in maintaining safety on racetracks across the industry.Chris Kotulak said: “The RTCA White Horse Award goes to someone who is considered a hero Bo selflessly realized that he had to go out there and get that loose horse to save the other horses and riders that were bearing down on him I’m sure he didn’t even give it a second thought We’ve got an RTCA White Horse Award recipient here at Fonner Park and that makes me very proud.” Receive daily headlines, breaking news alerts, promotions, and much more! Yelibay Dosunbek (C) interacts with Bailong during an honor bestowal ceremony in the city of Xiantao, central China's Hubei Province, on Feb. 6, 2025. (Photo by Liu Xianshuang/Xinhua) WUHAN, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- An outpouring of grief has followed news of the death of Bailong, a white horse that played a crucial role in the rescue of a drowning man in central China's Hubei Province earlier this month, with locals and people across the country mourning online and offline. Despite medical efforts, Bailong, meaning "white dragon," died on Tuesday due to a sudden severe intestinal obstruction, seven days after the heroic rescue, according to Yelibay Dosunbek, Bailong's owner. On Feb. 4, Yelibay Dosunbek, a 39-year-old Uygur from northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, sprang into action on horseback to help a man who was drowning in the frigid Hanjiang River in the city of Xiantao. Bailong, a 7-year-old mixed breed from Xinjiang, swam nearly 40 meters as Yelibay Dosunbek clung to its back, ultimately dragging the man to shore with the help of local winter swimming enthusiast Liu Hangzhou. "Bailong carried me to the center of the river. Without him, I couldn't have made it," said Yelibay Dosunbek, who co-owns a local equestrian club in Xiantao. Following the rescue, the horse showed symptoms like loss of appetite and diarrhea the next day, prompting immediate vet treatment. On Feb. 6, local authorities granted the title of "righteous and courageous role model group" to Yelibay Dosunbek, Liu, and Su Shaogao -- Yelibay Dosunbek's friend who noticed the emergency and shouted for help. Bailong, whose conditions improved following treatment, was in attendance at the ceremony, donning a red sash. Later on Feb. 6, the horse was found to be in deteriorating health, experiencing high fever and obstipation. Bailong died on Feb. 11 despite medical treatment. "Sudden strangulated intestinal obstruction is not a rare emergency in equine animals. Once the disease occurs, the intestines are twisted together, and the mortality rate is very high," said Xiao Siyu, an associate professor at Huazhong Agricultural University who was part of a treatment team organized by the city's bureau of agriculture and rural affairs. News of Bailong's death has sparked a flood of grief and admiration from locals and netizens nationwide. Xiantao residents have been seen laying flowers by the Hanjiang River in tribute to the heroic animal. City authorities have also announced plans to erect a statue of the horse by the river, and said that the name of an upcoming local river-crossing event would be changed to the "Bailongma Cup," with Bailongma meaning "white-dragon horse." "Thank you, brave Bailong, for fearlessly jumping into the water to save a life. May you rest in peace," a netizen posted on the Weibo social media platform under the username "Iron Mirror Princess_79891." In recognition of Yelibay Dosunbek's heroic rescue, the Xinjiang chamber of commerce in Xiantao has announced that it will donate another white horse to the Uygur man. "When the weather gets warmer in Xinjiang in late March or early April, a white horse from Yelibay Dosunbek's home of Xinjiang will be delivered to him," said Chen Huibing, president of the chamber, adding that the new horse will be a continuation of Bailong's legacy and a testament to ethnic unity. Yelibay Dosunbek said that he does not regret rushing into the river. "Had I got another chance, I'd make the same choice to save a life again." ■ Yelibay Dosunbek (L) and Su Shaogao are pictured at their equestrian club hours after they rescued a man from the Hanjiang River in the city of Xiantao, central China's Hubei Province, on Feb. 4, 2025. (Photo by Liu Xianshuang/Xinhua) hit by one of the worst natural disasters on record But while the tally has yet to be fully counted on how much has been lost stories are emerging of what has been saved but when she saw that he was too skittish to board a horse trailer to evacuate the area she did what needed to be done to ensure that he did not remain stranded there she led and rode Sovereignty to safety down a canyon road beneath smoke-filled skies Sovereignty made it out of danger to reunite with his owner responses to her bravery suggest that Fedorowycz’s actions offer a glimmer of hope where it’s needed most “Saving one horse may seem little in the midst of a catastrophe, but your energy, bravery and capacity of your heart goes out into the universe!” one commenter wrote Footage shows attacker rushing toward the horse’s owner and attempting to stab him Cairo: A heroic horse has sustained serious injuries after having stabbed by an assailant while defending its owner against a knife attack in Kuwait The animal was stabbed several times during the attack that happened at a horse track while the assailant managed to flee the scene The operations command at the Kuwaiti Interior Ministry received a report about an attempted murder and the horse’s stabbing prompting police to examine surveillance cameras in the place Footage from CCTV cameras showed the attacker rushing toward the horse’s owner and attempting to stab him the animal defended the owner and received the stab wounds Ensuing footage showed the horse bleeding on the scene as a result of the attack that triggered outrage particularly from animal rights advocates Police are working to identify the perpetrator and determine the motive for the attack Get the latest news and updates straight to your inbox Saudi poet and cultural pioneer Saad Al Bawardi dies Sharjah fire: Owner and manager face legal action Kim Soo-hyun's agency denies Sulli's Real scene claims Did any of us know anything about gymnastics or the pommel horse yesterday Would we all now die for Steve the nerdy Pommel Horse hero The men’s gymnastics was on at the Olympics yesterday and the whole world is obsessed with pommel horse guy and pommel horse guy alone Steve Nedoroscik is an American gymnast from Worcester He’s a member of the United States men’s national gymnastics team and specialises on the pommel horse Steve said he used to always be climbing walls and furniture when he was a kid so they decided to take him to a local gymnastics centre He went on to compete on all six apparatuses as a child But when he was in high school he noticed he was only improving on the pommel horse so he decided to just specialise in that and the rest is history Obsessed with this guy on the US men's gymnastics team who's only job is pommel horse, so he just sits there until he's activated like a sleeper agent, whips off his glasses like Clark Kent and does a pommel horse routine that helps deliver the team its first medal in 16 years. pic.twitter.com/0D1ZqJjFa1 — Megan 📚 (@MegWritesBooks) July 29, 2024 me liking every tweet about Steve the pommel horse hero and his glasses pic.twitter.com/kQhyRDMVKV — Jamie Han (@jamiehan) July 29, 2024 my dad "watching tv" any time after 8pm pic.twitter.com/hhcIkBDM84 — Hayley McGoldrick (@GoldieOnSports) July 29, 2024 obsessed with this one guy on the US men's gymnastics team who looks like he's getting his phd in anthropology and his only job is pommel horse — marie ✨ (@hanyuchopin) July 29, 2024 taking off your glasses to then perform a near perfect routine on the pommel horse is so freaking metal — sean yoo (@SeanYoo) July 29, 2024 I know nothing about gymnastics and here I am living and dying with whether this nerdy guy in glasses named Steve can pommel that horse — Ryan Rosenblatt, World Series Champion (@RyanRosenblatt) July 29, 2024 Stephen Nedoroscik on the sideline vs. Stephen Nedoroscik on the pommel horse pic.twitter.com/YUo5t9NBYs — BetMGM 🦁 (@BetMGM) July 29, 2024 You just know that pommel horse is terrified of him  stephen nedoroscik hearing it’s finally time for pommel horsehttps://t.co/Bkzvo8qODH — syd reynolds (@sydreyn2) July 29, 2024 https://twitter.com/eiffeltyler/status/1818021891262841234?s=46&t=v2Hd7iVAW4SMBuostwY8tQ Day Olympics begins: I am more nervous about this guy’s pommel horse routine than I was before my wedding — Kevin McCaffrey (@KevinMcCaff) July 29, 2024 When my kid is watching the future Olympics with me and asks me if I remember where I was when Stephen Nedoroscik got on that pommel horse. pic.twitter.com/Li6bGGVlrG — andy b. (@andybowers_) July 29, 2024  Not the pommel horse fanfics we’re about to get  Did you hear that sound? It’s dozens of romance writers opening a blank word doc after seeing this guy take off his glasses and do his thing on pommel horse. https://t.co/03i5aOmfqS — Chelsea M. Cameron (@chel_c_cam) July 29, 2024 how your email finds me pic.twitter.com/NCFCdQK0Co — alyssa (@alyssalerae) July 29, 2024 I guess I’m obsessed with that little dork from Worcester who just showed up at men’s gymnastics just for the pommel horse and went absolutely psycho on it — Mary Frances K. Nolan (@francieknolan) July 29, 2024 To truly understand Stephen Nedoroscik's nerd credentials, you need to know that he is in Paris for the Olympics and posting to his insta story about solving a rubik's cube in under 10 seconds. pic.twitter.com/2vFygJBifW — John Green (@sportswithjohn) July 29, 2024 Can only imagine what it's like to be Steve having just done the most important routine of your career and clinching a medal for the US to find that you've gone viral for being really good at pommel horse but much more so for looking like an absolute nerd — the arkansas slayzorbacks (@imabewieber) July 29, 2024 Obsessed with Stephen Nedoroscik's partner and her bio being "Ms Pommel Horse" pic.twitter.com/UrOhc4Bery — Matty🎗🏴‍☠️ (@_paradiigm) July 29, 2024 Stephen Nedoroscik said "i can't see shit but y'all are about to see some shit" and then delievered on the pommel horse — 𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚕 ☾ (@rachellm23) July 30, 2024 It’s the most wonderful time of the year x was i sitting at my desk stressed out about an electrical engineer from Penn State’s ability to perform a good routine at 2pm on a Monday — arielle (@arielle2252) July 29, 2024 • Give yourself a medal if you can solve this Olympics optical illusion in less than 52 secs • Fancy yourself as an Olympian? These are the UK unis churning out the most Olympic athletes • Simone Biles net worth: The insane amount she’s worth from her gymnastics success Win £20 to spend at some of the UK's biggest retailers People start work on the seating plan in December? some of them can’t read because where was the tailoring? Trust us – this is one for the calendar The real reason they didn’t take part is much deeper than what we saw on the show The famed list showcases influential young leaders in Europe Here’s all the action from the ceremony Lancaster have made history as the first team to win four years in a row There are so many celeb cameos in this video Sam Morgan Deputy Betting and Gaming EditorPublished: Invalid Date THE career of a 50-1 Grand National hero looks to have come to a sad end - as his trainer admitted: "This isn't what he wants to do." Noble Yeats was as good as a Royal winner of the world's most famous race in 2022 The heroic horse was ridden by amateur jockey and ultra-rich dentist Sam Waley-Cohen The only place to get Templegate's tips first - and at the best prices - is by joining Sun Racing's brilliant Members Enclosure Sign up now for just £1* to be part of racing's best winning team and get.. *For the first month then £3 per month thereafter SIGN UP NOW then £3 per month unless you cancel at least 7 days before your next billing date For more information contact help@thesun.co.uk good mate probably doesn't quite do it justice Depending on who you believe, Sam was rumoured to be the matchmaker who got Kate and William back together and cemented their relationship for good after a brief split early in their romance. And they were among the first to congratulate him when he roared past the Aintree crowd in first three years ago. It was a fairytale win for Sam, who retired straight after. But Noble Yeats kept going and six months after his £500,000 Grand National win he won back-to-back races, including a Grade 2 at his beloved Aintree. In 2023 he was a respectable fourth in the Gold Cup at Cheltenham and in January last year won a thrilling Cleeve Hurdle in a head-bobber with Paisley Park. But the wheels would later fall off and he came 19th of 21 finishers in last year's Grand National. when sent off 22-1 for a hurdles race at Leopardstown in Ireland over Christmas Now trainer Emmet Mullins has revealed not all was right with him that day And it looks like his racing career will soon - if not already - be brought to an end He told the Nick Luck Daily podcast: "Noble Yeats has gone home "He just doesn't seem to be himself and we're just going to press reset and we'll have a discussion later about what we do with him "I would say he's just a bit apprehensive - he refused to go into the parade ring at Leopardstown "He's gone on a break and I'm not sure what the future holds for him to be honest Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris… he's brought us plenty of big races "He never let us down but as people say "And he fairly told us at Leopardstown this isn't what he wanted to do." Should the curtain come down on his career then Noble Yeats will retire having amassed prize money of over £750,000 he was the youngest winner of the Grand National since 1940 and a true titan of the turf Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/ You need an old-fashioned horse for an old-fashioned race like the Peter Marsh Chase and Mr Vango fitted the bill perfectly A horse so big he towers over trainer Sara Bradstock's measuring stick Mr Vango loped down Haydock's long home straight with his ears pricked to ignite dreams of a fairytale Grand National bid the nine-year-old got into a great rhythm in the lead and after a brief skirmish with Iwilldoit turning in bounded clear for a dominant three-length success Favourite Royale Pagaille never seemed happy giving a stone and more to his rivals at his beloved course and was pulled up shortly after a blunder seven fences from home If the ground was expected to suit Royale Pagaille as he searched for a third straight victory in this race then it was also going to be an advantage for Mr Vango He thrived in testing conditions at Sandown in last month's London National and came here after not fully firing in the build-up to the Welsh Grand National over Christmas "He's such a fantastic horse because he can't go any faster than that but he just keeps going and jumps beautifully," said Bradstock "He's a giant and he has to try very hard so you don't want to take him racing if he's not absolutely spot on and he wasn't quite 100 per cent then "He's the biggest racehorse I've ever seen He's needed all the time and now he's coming to full strength." Mr Vango was introduced into the Grand National betting at 50-1 and would be the type of underdog story the great race is famed for The Bradstock stable is down to just six horses even though Sara and her late husband Mark won the Cheltenham Gold Cup only ten years ago "It means a lot because it was very much what Mark wanted to happen," Bradstock said "We're hoping and praying that we get the wettest spring ever and we can run him in the National but I'd only run him on very soft or heavy ground because they're going to go too fast for him Ground conditions will continue to dictate where Bradstock runs Mr Vango who is still so lightly raced after only ten starts "We'll go where there's a slog as he wouldn't lay up with them on good ground," the trainer added "He probably wouldn't come back here for the Grand National Trial because he needs time between his races He'll go to the Midlands National if I don't think the ground is going to be soft for the Grand National." Narrow escape for jockey jogging on course during dramatic race at Market Rasen  'The hype appeared to be correct' - Triumph favourite Lulamba wows Nicky Henderson on British debut at Ascot  Published on 18 January 2025inReports Copyright © 2025 Spotlight Sports Group Limited or its licensors ALEXANDRIA — When iconic Newark coach Ruth Sunkle was lending her wisdom to Kathryn King it was back in the late 1970s and early 80s Along with a little help from their friends the healing Nokota therapy equines King has at her Valhalla Hill Farm near Alexandria starred in the recently-released independent movie "Adeline," about a heroic medicine horse that saved 12 lives during a tornado at Serendipity Stables above Marysville in Union County most of which was shot on King's farm and in Licking County "Adeline" was directed by renowned indie film maker Greg James and written by Sam Lewis has ties to Johnstown and lives in Columbus He used primarily Columbus-area actors and local locations near Glenford in Perry County are also listed in the film's credits which is currently playing on Amazon Prime couldn't have been made without the help of King About 75 percent of it was shot at Valhalla Hill Farm "I did all of the location scouting for the movie," said King I hosted people for the costume department re-wrote some of the script and worked with the editor I don't know what I would have done without Ruth." King also appeared in the film briefly and Sunkle also makes an appearance, as does King's mom "We got credit in the movie as horse wranglers and I was basically her go-for and assistant," said Sunkle basketball and volleyball at Newark before retiring and still officiates volleyball and basketball "We got the horses ready to be on call."  "Adeline" tells the true story of the healing horse and her owner who bought Serendipity Stables near West Mansfield in Union County Adeline provided successful therapy for a local boy with autism and soon people with other disabilities came to be healed.  during a healing session in the early 2000s Adeline herded 12 people up against a retaining wall The veterinarian advised that Adeline be put down but there was a slim chance she could survive with an expensive After a story appeared in the Columbus Dispatch and Adeline lived through three more years of healing which was bought as a companion for Adeline who has worked with horses and people since the 1980s with it eventually evolving into the healing horses "This movie is really about my life," King said "I want to be able to share how serendipitously divine this has been." King hooked up with Licking County Juvenile Court to provide therapy through horses who breeded Nokota therapy horses in North and South Dakota with history dating back to the Battle of Little Big Horn as she purchased Valhalla Hill Farm 12 years ago using wood from the land to help build the house All five of her horses were born in North Dakota was struck by lightning prior to coming to Ohio Tall Wolf is 7 and Finn rounds out the newest additions who were just integrated into the herd a week ago "I didn't buy my first horse until I was 60 and she's a mentor for my horse," Sunkle said I've found out why communicating with horses is so important "There are some bizarre artifacts here," she said there was a battle between the Iroquois and Shawnee What better place to bring people for healing?" A 91-year-old man from Missouri came to Valhalla for five days for healing and artists wanting to teach how to draw horses owing to the spiritual nature of the place But the healing sessions remain the focal point (website www.medicinehorsepreservation.love e-mail vhfequine@gmail.com or call 740-973-4889) "This property does not belong to me," King said SLIDELL - A teenager's quick thinking and bravery helped save her family and their horse after a terrifying crash on a rural road that they're only applying medicine to her horse Whiskey's wounds and not saying goodbye very lucky that God protected him and protected my family and had his hand on us," Mia said the Gilpin family was headed back home from a rodeo competition in Mississippi when a white pickup hit them on I-59 near Slidell causing them to fly off the road and the 12,000-pound trailer that Whiskey was traveling in detached from the truck and nearly missed the canal below.  Mia was asleep in the back seat when they crashed but woke up and in a matter of seconds busted the vehicle's windows and saved her parents and while I was on the phone with 911 I found a window and I kicked out the window to get us out "I had to swim through the water to get to him and I had to open the door in the water to get to him Once I got in there I saw that he was stepping through the glass windows and was cut up I was just sitting there trying to talk to him because I know if I tried to rush him out he would get hurt," Mia said still gets choked up thinking about how her young daughter was able to react so quickly "I'm very grateful that she had the strength and wisdom to help us and get us out of that situation," Stacy said She says she can't understand why someone would drive away after that "I'm also disgusted that the person who hit us didn't stop They're driving around again potentially putting someone else in danger," Stacy said Anyone with information about the driver of the white pickup should call Louisiana State Police Devenda Dijkstra's career-starting Grand Prix horse Hero has been sold to Japan Hero is a 13-year old Dutch warmblood gelding by Johnson out of Alanda (by OO-Seven x Ramiro Z) Hero was owned by Dutch horse investor Jan Pieter Dalsem and Devenda's life partner Laurens van Lieren Devenda took the gelding from novice level to Grand Prix with the help of Van Lieren The pair began competing at B-level in Holland six and a half years ago and gradually moved up The paire made its international show debut in the Under 25 rider division in Le Mans in June 2021 and represented The Netherlands at the 2021 European Under 25 Championships in Hagen where she won team silver and placed 14th in the short Grand Prix They won silver at the 2021 Dutch Under 25 Championships At the 2021 European U25 ChampionshipsIn 2022 she moved into the senior ranks with three international shows in Geesteren They were 12th in the consolation finals of the 2022 Dutch Grand Prix Championships Their career highlight was in 2023. After competing in Den Bosch, the Aachen Festival 4 Dressage, Exloo, Falsterbo and Kronenberg they were second reserve for the Dutch team for the 2023 European Championships in Riesenbeck. When Dinja van Liere's Hermes dropped out due to an injury and Adelinde Cornelissen declined the spot with Fleau de Baian Devenda got the opportunity of a life-time to compete for The Netherlands in her first senior Europeans She finished 30th in the Special with 67.584% They were seventh in 2023 Dutch Grand Prix Championships In 2024 the pair went full throttle and showed in no less than 10 international competitions: Basel They were 9th in the 2024 Dutch Grand Prix Championships Hero has now been sold to Japanese Grand Prix rider Akiko Yonemoto At the 2023 European ChampionshipsAkiko has competed on and off in Europe over the last twenty years and trains with Heiner Schiergen "At the start of our adventure I knew that my very best mate would be sold even though I had hoped to keep him until his retirement with me," Dijkstra took to social media I'm inconsolable for now but I hope he'll be very happy with his new owner that he gets pampered and get unlimited attention because that's what he deserves." Stalls for Rent at Durondeau Dressage in Peer, Belgium Exceptionally Well Located Equestrian Facility in Wellington, Florida Well-built Equestrian Estate With Multiple Business Opportunities in Sweden Stable Units for Rent at Lotje Schoots' Equestrian Center in Houten (NED) For Rent: Several Apartments and Stable Wing at High-End Equestrian Facility Stable Wing Available at Reiterhof Wensing on Dutch/German border Real Estate: Well-Appointed Country House with Extensive Equestrian Facility in the U.K. Rémi Blot representing life-saving US Marine horse Sergeant Reckless who served with the US Marine Corps during the Korean War is awarded with the PDSA Dickin Medal beside Sergeant Mark Gostling and Lieutenant Colonel Michael Skaggs in London who survived one of the bloodiest battles in modern military history was awarded the PDSA Dickin Medal – known as the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross – for her bravery and devotion to duty during the Korean war 1950 until 1953 (Frank Augstein/The Associated Press)The Kentucky Horse Park plans to unveil a statue of a horse that became a hero during the Korean War A statement from the park says the 1,000-pound (450-kilogram) statue of Sgt The small mare had a racing background and was purchased by the U.S she carried more than 9,000 pounds (4,000 kilograms) of ammunition on her back and made 51 trips to gun sites She also helped evacuate dead and wounded soldiers The statue in Lexington will be unveiled by four Korean War veterans who served with the horse Marine Corps horse honored for Korean War valorA U.S Marine Corps horse who served during some of the bloodiest fighting of the Korean War has been posthumously decorated for bravery.The dedication comes more than two years after Marine Corps veterans and private citizens began raising money for the statue Mandarin Hero is one of 20 horses expected to enter the Kentucky Derby on May 6 at Churchill Downs Spots for the Kentucky Derby are earned by gaining points through a series of prep races that began in September Post time for the Kentucky Derby is set for 6:57 p.m Mandarin Hero will enter the Kentucky Derby off a second-place finish in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 8 He currently ranks 19th on the Kentucky Derby points leaderboard with 40 Changes in the field: Dale Romans’ Cyclone Mischief moves into field after Practical Move scratches Owner: Hiroaki Arai Trainer: Terunobu Fujita Jockey: Kazushi Kimura Who will win Kentucky Derby? See the horses local and national experts are picking Last race: Second in Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 8 What they’re saying: “I’m so proud of him,” Fujita said after the Santa Anita Derby “I thought he would not handle the early pace I believed he would have a good acceleration in the final stretch as usual He made him accelerate at the final stretch Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @KentuckyDerbyCJ This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Damian Barr celebrates animal bravery in wild tales about battles Beavers are heroes, as any Narnia fan will tell you. Now the news confirms what we have known since meeting Mr and Mrs Beaver in CS Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Industrious rodents havebuilt six dams upstream of the flood-prone Devonshire village of East Budleigh These have been slowing the flow of water during the recent storms reducing pollution and restoring native wildlife Fiction is full of heroic animals, real and imaginary: brave colt Joey in Michael Morpurgo’s War Horse, Harry Potter’s unflusterable pet owl Hedwig and Lyra Belacqua’s quick-witted shapeshifting daemon Pantalaimon in Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy Susan and Edmund are up to their necks in trouble when Mr Beaver offers them shelter from the snow in the cosy dam he shares with Mrs Beaver View image in fullscreenThe 1954 film adaptation of Animal Farm. Photograph: Allstar/Cinetext/Halas/BatchelorBuck in Jack London’s adventure novel The Call of the Wild is Black Beauty’s feistier canine counterpart The stout St Bernard-collie cross is stolen from a comfy fireside in California and forced to pull sleds in Alaska where he endures countless wicked owners before finally being rescued by John Thornton whom he saves in turn A pleasingly grizzled Harrison Ford plays Thornton in the latest film remake of London’s enduring classic One of the most faithful characters in my own novel snuffle-nosed companion to the friendless Willem captures perfectly the impish charm of Marilyn Monroe’s observant Maltese terrier Maf (short for Mafia) in The Life and Opinions of Maf the Dog and of His Friend Marilyn Monroe – a wicked nip at the ankles of the rich and infamous surrounding the doomed star they are saving us – usually from ourselves You Will Be Safe Here by Damian Barr is published by Bloomsbury 2025) — As the devastating Palisades Fire and others continue to ravage communities in Los Angeles In Defense of Animals is taking decisive action to support animal rescuers and provide life-saving aid for animals affected by the crisis Among the heroic responders is In Defense of Animals board member Sammy Zablen who has been working tirelessly to evacuate animals from dangerous areas Zablen responded to a plea from Philozoia animal rescue in Malibu’s Tuna Canyon area to evacuate two ponies from their fire-threatened property What would normally be a 20-minute drive took over three hours due to extreme conditions Navigating a treacherous path that included cutting brush and driving on hiking trails Zablen’s team encountered harrowing obstacles such as a burning power pole the team discovered the ponies’ corral broken and the animals missing Despite an active fire and dangerous rockslides and dousing the roof with water to mitigate further damage.  The two ponies have now been recovered by Philozia but two dogs remain missing and the rescue center burned down entirely a pig and 38 dogs were successfully evacuated Philozoia is seeking urgent foster care for several senior dogs In Defense of Animals is collaborating with multiple local rescuers and organizations Advanced Fire Rescue and Lifesavers Wild Horse Rescue were both vital in coordinating resources and gaining access to this dangerous area In Defense of Animals is offering emergency aid to animal rescuers and caregivers affected by the fires and providing free resources for temporary housing and care for wild and domestic animals “The devastation of these fires is unimaginable and animals are often the most vulnerable victims,” said Marilyn Kroplick M.D. “We are deeply grateful for the bravery of responders like Sammy Zablen and the other incredible organizations we are coordinating with to help on the ground we are making a difference for animals in crisis.” In Defense of Animals urges anyone needing assistance with animal evacuations or free temporary housing for wild or domestic animals to call Sammy Zablen at 310-869-2383 Los Angelenos who can foster a senior dog are encouraged to apply at www.philozoia.org/foster In Defense of Animals is seeking donations which are critical to support these emergency efforts, providing resources such as veterinary supplies, food, water, and temporary shelter: www.idausa.org/lafire Donate www.idausa.org/lafire Photos & video: https://bit.ly/IDAfiremediaLA In Defense of Animals is an international animal protection organization based in California with over 250,000 supporters and a history of fighting for animals, people, and the environment through education and campaigns, as well as hands-on rescue facilities in California, India, South Korea, and rural Mississippi since 1983. www.idausa.org Support Animal Victims of the Los Angeles Fires! © 2025 In defense of animals FIGHTING FOR ANIMALS, PEOPLE AND THE ENVIRONMENT SINCE 1983 England has been officially granted heritage protection by Historic England a governmental body that protects the nation’s important monuments and sites Buried with fanfare in 1942, a famous British warhorse named Blackie was the first equine of its kind to receive its own grave. Now, The Telegraph reports that the animal’s final resting place in Merseyside Blackie’s owner was Lieutenant Leonard Comer Wall a poet and World War I officer from the town of Kirby in Merseyside The two prevailed through some of the war’s bloodiest conflicts including the battles of Arras and the Somme before a 20-year-old Wall died in action at Ypres in 1917 Wall had been riding Blackie at the time of his death but the horse survived shrapnel wounds and stayed on the Western front until the war’s end Wall’s mother transported Blackie back to England where he became famous for being one of few warhorses to return to its native soil Blackie lived a quiet life at a riding school in Liverpool, and spent his final days at a refuge for ex-warhorses Wall had requested that his trusty companion be buried with his war medals and decorations the 37-year-old horse was given a hero’s funeral Historic England granted Blackie’s grave protection as part of a World War I centenary listing project The five-year project—which honors the hundredth anniversary of World War I’s 1914 outbreak—is adding 2500 war memorials total to England’s National Heritage List [h/t The Telegraph] © 2025 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved Blackie lived a quiet life at a riding school in Liverpool, and spent his final days at a refuge for ex-warhorses Historic England granted Blackie’s grave protection as part of a World War I centenary listing project [h/t The Telegraph] On this day in March 1973, Aintree needed such a hero. Property developers were circling the world-famous venue and the public seemed to be losing interest in the unique steeplechase, first run fewer than two years into Queen Victoria’s reign. But Crisp was visibly tiring as he neared the end of the exacting four-and-a-half-mile course and a sole pursuer, carrying 23lb less weight, was pounding ever closer. Crisp tottered the 474 yards from the final fence to the finish jelly-legged, and just two strides from the line was overtaken. “The most pitiful scene ever enacted on that punishing run-in brought the 1973 National to its awful yet glorious end, as Crisp bravely staggered towards the victory he had truly earned but was not to gain,” wrote racing historian Reg Green. But Aintree had its hero and his name was not Crisp. It was the horse who would become synonymous with Liverpool’s great sporting event, who rescued Aintree racecourse – not to mention more than 130 years of tradition – from the bulldozers, who would become more famous than any other, who had pipped Crisp at the post. And his renown would become such that when he died many years later, he was mourned far beyond the racing world.  In the spring of 1964, McEnery sent Mared to mate with a stallion called Quorum, owned by a family friend. Bred to be fast, Quorum had performed with some distinction at distances up to one mile. He stood at Balreask Stud, near Dublin airport, and his services, plus the mare’s board for a fortnight, cost McEnery £251.12s. At 6pm on 3 May 1965, after Mared had been “all smoke and steam” during the birth, a bay colt was foaled. His public life started inauspiciously when, as a yearling, he walked stiffly around the sales ring and McEnery reluctantly let him go for 400 guineas (£420) – half his reserve price. He joined the Leicestershire stable of jump jockey turned trainer Tim Molony, who’d been asked to buy an inexpensive horse to land a gamble at Liverpool the following March. Molony’s client was Maurice Kingsley, who named his purchase on sight: “Ma-Red. Quo-Rum. So, it must be Red Rum.” At his new home, Red Rum ate a lot, behaved boisterously and developed a sense of righteous indignation about road traffic – three traits that would never leave him. He was not imposing in stature but he had charisma. In those days, most Grand National winners spent at least the first four years of life munching grass in a field, strangers to a saddle, as befitted the traditional development of a steeplechaser designed to mature late, and to jump and gallop over distances in excess of four miles. They are not normally capable of winning a five-furlong sprint before their second birthday. Kingsley’s target race was a “seller”, the lowliest form of racing contest requiring the winner to be offered for sale afterwards. Standing in the crowd that day was a tall ginger-haired man, a taxi driver and used-car dealer from nearby Southport. Donald “Ginger” McCain loved Liverpool. He’d got engaged and married on Grand National day, two years apart, celebrating at the races with his fiancée then wife, Beryl, after each occasion. As McCain would repeatedly tell Beryl during hard times, he was on the lookout for “one good horse” and liked what he saw in the juvenile Red Rum. Yet from humble stables behind his car showroom at the poorer end of Birkdale, he had only trained third-hand chasers in his spare time. He walked away before the auction began. It would be more than five years before McCain got close to Red Rum again, by which time the sturdy horse had raced another 58 times, on the flat and over jumps. He had moved to Oxclose, near Ripon, where he passed through the hands of three trainers in quick succession – including Tommy Stack, who would ultimately play a pivotal part in his story. Ignorant of Red Rum’s ailment, McCain had noted him running a promising fifth in the 1972 Scottish National and, although it wasn’t mentioned in the Doncaster sales catalogue, he realised the horse was qualified for the 1973 Grand National. He determined to buy him for his ever-optimistic 84-year-old client, Noel Le Mare. This was an alliance that had begun badly. McCain met the charming millionaire industrialist, who himself started with nothing, via driving him to the Saturday night dinner dance at the elegant Prince of Wales Hotel in Southport.  At the time, after three seasons with a public licence to train and regularly testing Beryl’s fortitude by buying horses they could not afford, McCain had won just a handful of races. Yet Le Mare shared the struggling trainer’s obsession with Aintree and, after many months of pestering, agreed to take ownership of two horses. Both were disastrous. McCain still taxied Le Mare but believed his chance to do more had passed. Then one night he persuaded Le Mare to part with 1,000 guineas for Glenkiln, a horse qualified for the 1972 Grand National. Or he was qualified until, unaccustomed to the requisite paperwork, McCain mistakenly withdrew him. Beryl immediately dispatched her mortified husband to Le Mare’s house to confess. Had his trainer not made that error, Le Mare wouldn’t have been in the market for Red Rum. Le Mare felt so sorry for the rueful McCain that he authorised him to bid up to 7,000 guineas. McCain had never before gone north of Glenkiln’s price tag and yet he feared even this enormous amount would not be enough. Red Rum’s current trainer had set out to retain him and was poised in a bidding duel that had inched up to 5,500 guineas when McCain made his move. He pulled a manoeuvre honed in the second-hand motor trade. Holding up one outspread hand and a thumb, he mouthed the word “six” to the auctioneer. It halted the bidding at a stroke. So, Red Rum crossed the Pennines to Lancashire and McCain’s modest base. It stood just a short walk through the bustling town to the beach where, beyond the dunes of Royal Birkdale Golf Club, it was his new trainer’s serendipitous habit to exercise his horses on a strip of sand prepared by dragging behind his truck two spiked harrows weighed down by railway sleepers. There, McCain proudly trotted his expensive acquisition for the first time. The horse was manifestly lame. “Bugger off with him into the tide then!” McCain yelled at Red Rum’s rider, a sick feeling infusing his body for spending Le Mare’s money on a crock. The elderly owner had already grumbled that the horse’s name, spelling m-u-r-d-e-r backwards, was “no good”. In the 1972-73 jumps season, Red Rum won his first five starts in the space of just seven weeks for McCain – ridden three times by Stack, once by Ron Barry and on the fifth occasion by Brian Fletcher, a quiet man from County Durham whom the trainer judged to be “one of the best Liverpool jockeys”. He’d already ridden Red Alligator to National victory in 1968 and told McCain that Red Rum “is a typical National horse. If you run this horse in the National, I would love to ride him.” Since 1964, when plans to sell Aintree racecourse were announced by its owner, Mirabel Topham, every Grand National had been billed as potentially the last. As the 1973 edition approached, it was known that local property developer Bill Davies, a controversial figure, had struck a £3 million deal with Topham. The clock was ticking on the lifelong ambition shared by McCain and Le Mare. From 1960, Aintree’s most famous race was televised by the BBC. On 31 March 1973, it formed part of a special edition of its popular Saturday afternoon live sports programme, Grandstand. Anchored by David Coleman, it also included a rugby union match between Scotland and a President’s XV from Murrayfield and a preview of that night’s heavyweight boxing bout – the first of three encounters between Muhammad Ali and Ken Norton. The National was called for the BBC by its quintessential commentary team of Peter O’Sullevan, John Hanmer and Julian Wilson – you can still enjoy a grainy recording on YouTube. At 3.18pm, 38 runners set out on the journey of four miles and 856 yards. “I can’t remember a horse so far ahead in the Grand National at this stage,” Wilson exclaimed with admiration, as Crisp and jockey Richard Pitman sailed over the 20th fence. Four fences later, he said: “Crisp jumps the Canal Turn. And he’s over it, clear. He’s still 20 lengths clear from Red Rum in second.” McCain was watching from the top of the grandstand and has since claimed both that he felt “we’d be second and how unlucky we were to meet Crisp” and “I always thought we were going to get him”. Fletcher travelled in hope, however, and asked his mount to quicken. “If I’d ever said ‘I’m going to be second’, if I’d ever dropped my hands or eased off Red Rum for one moment, then I would have been second,” he later reflected. Hanmer noted Fletcher’s move. “As they go across the Melling Road, with two to jump, it’s Crisp with Red Rum in second place making ground…” In his familiar tones, O’Sullevan took up the call: “Dick Pitman coming to the Elbow now in the National. He’s got 250 yards to run. And Crisp just wandering a little off a true line now. He’s beginning to lose concentration. He’s been out there on his own for so long. And Red Rum is making ground on him… “It’s a furlong to run now, 200 yards now for Crisp, and Red Rum still closing on him, and Crisp is getting very tired, and Red Rum is pounding after him. Red Rum is the one who’s finishing the strongest. He’s going to get up! Red Rum is going to win the National! And at the line, Red Rum has just snatched it from Crisp!” With a time of 9 minutes 1.9 seconds, the course record held by Reynoldstown since 1935 was smashed by almost 20 seconds. Red Rum and a scarlet-faced Fletcher were mobbed by the jubilant crowd, requiring a police escort off the track. Beryl, in a blue coat and white Russian-style hat, was weeping on a woman’s shoulder. A dazed Le Mare needed a chair in the covered winner’s enclosure. A grinning McCain, in a big-collared brown sheepskin coat, was aglow. Later, Birkdale’s Upper Aughton Road was blocked by police cars and hundreds of people awaiting their newly famous neighbour. When his horsebox eventually arrived, lights flashing and horn sounding, Red Rum was cheered down the ramp and paraded up the street – a celebration replicated more formally today in the home town of every Grand National winner. When he returned to Aintree 12 months later, he was imperious. So strongly did he travel under the top weight of 12 stone that, jumping Becher’s Brook for the second time, Fletcher was virtually upright in his stirrups to prevent his mount from running away with him. Their only scare came five fences from home when Red Rum uncharacteristically overjumped, his nose grazing the ground, forcing Fletcher to sit right back in the saddle to retain the partnership.  Fletcher identified his mount’s essential talent: “He is not in my opinion a particularly brave jumper. He watches what he’s doing. If there’s any trouble near him, he’ll dodge out of it. He’s a very clever horse. This is a horse that has brains.” Red Rum never fell and improbably negotiated five Nationals without major incident, despite the race in those days involving solid-core fences, with greater drops to the ground and uneven landing zones. All these features were modified by 2013 in response to widespread demands that Aintree improve its safety record. His 1974 victory sealed Red Rum’s place in the nation’s affections. The first horse to win back-to-back Nationals since Reynoldstown in 1936, three weeks later he won the Scottish Grand National – an arduous feat still unmatched in the same season. Cards and mints from well-wishers arrived at McCain’s yard by the sack-load and passers-by would stop at his showroom to catch a glimpse. Yet Red Rum’s bid for an unprecedented treble in 1975 – ultimately foiled by the previous year’s runner-up L’Escargot, who drew away after the final fence to leave his battling rival in second place – attracted the lowest attendance in living memory. Aintree’s new owner had trebled the price of admission.  So, when Ladbrokes launched an appeal to save the race, the bookmaking company enlisted Aintree’s best marketing tool. Where previously there had been some apathy over its future, Red Rum’s heroic exploits reawakened the nation’s attachment to a sporting institution established in 1839. Even Prince Charles campaigned for its survival. If the race was more secure when Red Rum returned for a fourth National in 1976, the team around him had fractured. McCain and Fletcher fell out over a race at Newcastle, when the jockey failed to ride to the trainer’s expectations and even suggested the horse should be retired. McCain, who received letters accusing him of making “one demand too many” of Red Rum, turned back to Stack. The Kerryman had become champion jump jockey for the first time the previous season.  Red Rum himself was increasingly motivated solely by the sight of Aintree, running far below his best at other courses. In the National, he put on a bold show by leading at the final fence, only for Rag Trade – carrying almost a stone less – to surge past and leave Red Rum runner-up again. Some observers – Fletcher included – believed Stack had ridden too conservatively. Stack wondered publicly whether he had missed his chance. A year later, at the age of 12, Red Rum was widely considered too old to run competitively in a National. McCain would later admit the horse was “showing signs of a small, gradual, but steady deterioration brought on by the passing years”. Yet down at the start on 2 April 1977, Stack felt differently. “He gave me the feeling that this is my place, this is my day,” he would recall. In the race, two horses went clear before faltering – Boom Docker until refusing at the 17th and then Andy Pandy until falling at Becher’s Brook on the second circuit, leaving Red Rum in front. “And it’s Red Rum, with two loose horses around him now, just two fences left to jump between he and Grand National history,” said O’Sullevan. “But close in behind him is Churchtown Boy…” Stack glanced at Churchtown Boy, gauging the threat, but that rival jumped the next less cleanly and Red Rum surged away. “They’re willing him home now, the 12-year-old Red Rum being preceded only by loose horses,” O’Sullevan continued. “And he’s coming up to the line to win it like a fresh horse in great style. It’s hats off and a tremendous reception – you’ve never heard one like it in Liverpool.” Three Grand National triumphs remains a feat unmatched in history. Tiger Roll – the first dual winner since Red Rum – won back-to-back editions in 2018 and 2019 but didn’t contest a third. “Anything I could say wouldn’t do the horse justice,” said an overcome Stack on dismounting in 1977. “I think it’s bloody marvellous,” a jubilant McCain told BBC interviewer Frank Bough.  Later that year, McCain and Red Rum would memorably appear as live studio guests in the BBC Sports Review of the Year show on the second floor of the New London Theatre. The horse – whose hearing was exceptionally acute – further endeared himself to the British public when recognising his jockey’s voice via video link. “He’s pricking his lugs up,” Stack noted. “He said: I’ve met that fella before some place.” By now, Red Rum was a household name, travelling the country to open supermarkets, pubs and bookmakers, his image printed on playing cards, fine china and tea towels – hallmarks of celebrity in that era. He even became a limited company, his merchandise sold from a shop opposite McCain’s car showroom. For “personal” appearances, he travelled in a luxurious new horsebox, accompanied by two permanent members of staff. Red Rum always enforced a strict rider about travel arrangements – he must have his back to the driver and occupy the right-hand side, no hay-net obscuring his view from the window. Occasionally, for amusement, he would press the alarm button with his lips. It’s hard to imagine a horse, perhaps particularly a racehorse, being so much a part of the British zeitgeist nowadays. Desert Orchid, a flamboyant grey chaser who won a string of classier races mostly in the late 1980s, came close but it probably says something about the urbanisation of society and racing’s associated slide in the public’s regard that Red Rum’s fame is likely to remain unparalleled.  Prior to the 1978 National, McCain recalled how “it was almost impossible to keep Red Rum out of the news”. Southport beach, gulls screaming overhead, was regularly crowded with media. Then word leaked out that the horse was suffering from a problem McCain couldn’t pin down, so medical bulletins about the “mystery ailment” were published daily. Red Rum lived until he was 30, moving with the McCains in 1990 to Cholmondeley in the Cheshire countryside, where he succumbed to old age on 18 October 1995. Again, he was the lead news item. He was buried, facing towards victory, next to Aintree’s winning post – a spot marked by a headstone where his trainer annually laid flowers, as fans still do today. McCain himself battled debt and a downturn in his training fortunes, but ultimately proved he was not a “one-horse trainer” when saddling Amberleigh House to Grand National victory in 2004. Two years later, his son Donald took over the reins at Bankhouse Stables and himself won Aintree’s famous race in 2011. His father died later that year, two days before his 81st birthday. McCain Jr said in tribute: “Everyone saw the stroppy dad, the mouthing-off dad, the saying-too-much dad, but to me he was a loyal, very straight man.” He did not live to see his granddaughters, Abbie and Ella, become professional jockeys nor Rachael Blackmore become the first woman jockey to win the Grand National in 2021 – a contest that McCain said, when Charlotte Brew became the first to take part in 1977, was “not a race for a woman”. “I came into this sport when it was a man’s game. It’s my sport. I am possessive of it,” McCain, the increasingly performative sexist, said in his autobiography. “They tell me there are lady jockeys, but I insist there is no such thing. There are women that sit on horses.” If the world moved beyond McCain, his horse’s legend has lived on. In 2006, the British public was asked to name a famous horse. Black Beauty, from Anna Sewell’s beloved novel, came second with 33 per cent of the vote. Forty-five per cent said Red Rum. His truth was more fantastic than her fiction and so he endures, an emblem of faithful courage in our collective memory. IMF expects Trump tariffs to hurt the US the most US tariffs pull Chinese retail giants away from social media Nintendo’s Switch 2 versus Trump’s tariffs Fresh offer rejected: rubbish piles up in England’s second city Farmers struggling under weight of Trump’s tariffs may get a bailout Minecraft reads last rites for comic book films Trump’s tariffs U-turn boosts billionaires Prada-Versace deal closes despite market turbulence Nike’s supply chains at risk after Trump tariffs A Universal theme park in the UK will be quite the ride The president is unleashing a world of protectionist copycats Some companies have thrived in Trump’s market mayhem Starmer scrambles after Trump knocks over the chessboard A free newsletter from Tortoise. Take once a day for greater clarity. Google Play Store Follow: Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInKENTUCKY (KFVS) - A 1,000-pound statue of the heroic Korean war horse will be unveiled at a dedication ceremony at the Kentucky Horse Park on Saturday The dedication followed a more than two-year effort by Marine Corps veterans and private citizens who have actively raised money to put the statue in the park Reckless has been recognized with bronze statues at both Camp Pendleton in California and the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Virginia a Marine Corps combat veteran of World War II and former president and chairman of the Keeneland Association Reckless was a small Mongolian-bred mare with a racing background in her native country She became a national hero in 1953 after she was bought by U.S Marines during the Korean War to carry ammunition for the 75mm Recoilless Rifle Platoon You can click here for more information The dedication ceremony will feature a Marine Corps color guard will include an unveiling of the statue by four Korean War veterans who served with Reckless in Korea who saw her in action during her most heroic battle Additional speakers will include Ted Bassett; Robin Hutton Reckless: America's War Horse;" and Jocelyn Russell Interactive displays will be set up on Saturday and Sunday Reckless statue unveiling and dedication will be free for those attending only this event at the part at 1 p.m Copyright 2018 KFVS 2022 at 7:00 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}An open house event in Avon will showcase both the state's horse guard and a heroic animated movie about a dog mascot in World War I CT — The weather is supposed to be beautiful Saturday but it's still perfect conditions to pay the First Co which is the oldest continuously serving cavalry unit in the country at 244 years is hosting an open house at its Avon headquarters at 280 Arch Road The event is free and will take place from 10 a.m The horse guard is a cavalry division of the Connecticut Military Department and its history dates back to providing safe escorts to Connecticut governors when the U.S it's purposes are more ceremonial and the horse guard which is supported by a litany of volunteers is a regular participant of large parades and other ceremonies in the state It's stables and headquarters are located in Avon and tours of those facilities will be available for guests during the open house there will be military vehicles on display as well as live demonstrations from Connecticut's 928th Military Working Dogs unit One of the day's biggest highlights is an 11 a.m Stubby: An American Hero," which is based on a true story about a military canine mascot who made his mark with American troops in World War I Families are asked to bring some blankets and pillows to the showing For more information on the First Co. Governor's Horse Guard, click on this link. For the First Co. Governor's Horse Guard Facebook page, click on this link. Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. News | World An heroic horse risked its life to rescue its family from their burning paddock amid a horror wildfire in California The dramatic rescue happened after the Easy Fire – one of several bush fires burning through the state – broke out early on Wednesday morning in the Simi Valley ripping through 1,300 acres in just a few hours Video showed ranchers fleeing the region and guiding their stallions though think smoke and orange flames After a big black horse was brought to safety to a main road it then turned around and ran back to a wired pen to help an adult horse and a young colt It purposefully squeezed through a gap in the fence to meet its relations before leading them out of danger The smoke was so thick and oppressive that an on-scene reporter could not make out the name of the ranch The brave stallion and its friends were then met by bystanders on the Tierra Rejada Road All the horses at the scene were saved apart from a 28-year-old mare who had to be put down at the scene after breaking her two front legs while running away from the fire The blaze ignited around 6.15am and was fanned by hurricane-force winds of 74mph Ventura County officials have ordered mandatory evacuations in the area The fire is one of several blazes to plague California which have led to tens of thousands of residents and animals being evacuated from the region Prince Louis steals the show at VE Day parade as he keeps dad William looking sharp and mimics brother George Prince Louis steals show with sweet antics at VE parade VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day VE Day 2025 fashion: Princess of Wales to Lady Victoria Starmer Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in major blow for Putin ahead of Victory Day celebrations Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in blow for Putin David Beckham extends olive branch to son Brooklyn amid 'family feud' New visa crackdown as Home Office plans to restrict applications from nationalities most likely to overstay New visa crackdown as Home Office plans to restrict applications Dramatic footage shows the animal galloping towards a burning stable where other horses were trapped in the blaze. After being brought to safety on the highway, the heroic horse circles before darting back to steer the other horses, including a young colt, away from the inferno. The clip emerged yesterday as the Easy Fire in Simi Valley, California ripped through more than 1,000 acres of land in just three hours. In the video, ranchers are seen trying to bring their horses to safety as huge flames and thick smoke fill the air. According to CBS, all the horses on the ranch were saved aside from one called Mayer, 28, who had to be put down after breaking her front legs while galloping. The Easy Fire is named after the road where it broke out just after dawn yesterday - Easy Street. The flames spread rapidly in hurricane -strength winds. Along with the Getty Fire and other blazes raging in Southern California, the Easy Fire has led to the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents including celebrities. Helicopters were seen dumping water and fire retardant on the library to prevent it from being consumed by the fast-approaching flames. Getty Center and Getty Villa in Malibu were all forced to close due to the flames and thick clouds of smoke an animal technician at the Animal Services Department She said: "We are going to keep this place open if we need The stalls are here for these horses that are being evacuated." Becky was part of the home remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympic Games and the European Showjumping Championships and has reported from Morris Equestrian, the Royal Highland Show and Blair Castle International Horse Trials. She also regularly contributes to the weekly H&H podcast. A showing producer saved a drowning horse who had unseated his rider and swam out to sea, in a dramatic beach rescue earlier this week. Will Chatley of Standinghat Stud & Show Team was at Hayling Island beach in Hampshire on Monday evening when he spotted a loose horse in the sea. “It was low tide and I was at the beach with three horses from my yard. I went for a walk on the sandbank with my dog and I saw a horse in the distance swimming out,” Will told H&H. “I phoned one of the parents, Sam Groves, who was with my three horses. They came to me so I left the dog with them and I went to help the horse. I could see it was panicking and going further and further out. I managed to wade out up to my armpits, but it swam further out and I decided to keep going.” Will said the horse, a 16hh gelding, had swam almost a mile out to sea. “The horse was still panicking and I tried to get his attention. It went under the water at least eight times that I saw. The tide was coming in fast and the water was getting deeper and stronger – that was the worst part, the cross-currents. He came up again and had exhausted himself. I managed to clip my dog lead on to his bridle and turn him round,” he said. “He went to panic again and I realised he had the reins caught round his leg. I undid the reins from the bridle and managed to bring him back to shore.” Will, who was in the water for around an hour, said he believes the horse was at risk of drowning. “I’m not the strongest swimmer and I don’t particularly like the sea, but on the other hand I wouldn’t be able to watch a rat drown so I did it – I hadn’t intended going in so deep,” he said. “If it had been 15 minutes later I don’t think I would have gone in. I did because there were people on the beach who saw what I was doing and could get help. At times the people on the beach couldn’t see me and I couldn’t see them.” The young rider, who had been unseated before the horse swam out to sea, was uninjured and the horse was checked by a vet at the scene. “The vet said the horse was ok to travel home and for him to be monitored in case of colic, but he was incredibly lucky. The poor rider gave me a big hug and thanked me and I’m going to meet up with the family and visit the horse. I’ve had an update to say he is fine and oblivious to what happened,” said Will. “The coastguard arrived and when I got out of the water they gave me a blanket. I know how dangerous the water can be, horses will just keep going they don’t know to turn round and think ‘I came from that direction’ – it’s the risk we take with horses at the beach.” Will said he is surprised by the recognition he has received. “I’m absolutely fine, but I could feel it in my legs yesterday. It didn’t really sink in until last night I thought ‘oh my god I did that!’. At the time I did it because it needed doing. It it feels odd to have this much recognition, I didn’t do it for that – I saw a horse who was going to be dead in a minute and had to try to stop it from happening,” he said. A spokesman for HM Coastguard told H&H: “The Hayling coastguard rescue team and RNLI lifeboat were sent to the scene. When the coastguard team arrived at the scene, no horses or people were ashore. They were all safe and the teams were stood down after providing safety advice. “The coastguard would like to encourage everyone to enjoy our British coastline safely. Make sure that you check weather and tides before you set out and wear appropriate clothing and footwear. If you are in difficulty or you see anyone in distress at the coast, call 999 and ask for the coastguard. Do not attempt to rescue an animal which is being swept out to sea. This is because you are likely to get in to difficulty. “If your handset is out of coverage from your network provider you can still try making a 999 or 112 emergency call as, although not guaranteed, it might get picked up by another network provider. Tell the coastguard what the problem is and where you are. You may need to stay on the line to direct them to the scene.” For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday. Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. Just 62,000 equine recruits returned from battlefields of France and Flanders out of 1m enlisted I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A new memorial is being unveiled near Ascot Racecourse today paying tribute to the animals that served so bravely during the First World War The bronze sculpture of a horse - emaciated a tangle of barbed wire lying at its hooves - was designed by sculptor Susan Leyland and will appear on the Heatherwood roundabout close to the famous racetrack The statue was cast at a foundry in Scotland at a cost of £300,000 weighs one-and-a-half tonnes and stands eight foot six inches high atop a nine foot plinth of Portland stone It has been christened "Poppy" after the name proved the winning entry in a competition organised by Britain's Brownies and Guides Purple poppy rosettes will be sold in memory of military animals in time for 23 August with the funds raised going to the Household Cavalry Foundation and Mane Chance Sanctuary donkeys and pack mules who served in the bloody conflict a century ago only 62,000 of whom returned from the battlefields of France and Flanders to drag heavy artillery into position and carry supplies ammunition and even the corpses of dead soldiers the animals suffered terrifying conditions as a result of loud shellfire and rattling machine guns The memorial is intended to ensure their vital contribution to the war effort is never forgotten. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies The honorary PDSA Dickin medal is being presented posthumously to war horse Warrior dubbed "the horse the Germans could not kill" at a special ceremony on Tuesday presented in the centenary year of the first world war is the first honorary PDSA Dickin medal ever presented in the veterinary charity's 97-year history as a recognition of the gallantry showed by all the animals that served on the frontline during the conflict The medal will be accepted by author and broadcaster Brough Scott grandson of Warrior's owner and rider General Jack Seely at a special ceremony compered by Kate Adie at the Imperial War Museum (IWM) London After arriving on the western front on 11 August 1914 with Seely surviving machine-gun attacks and falling shells at the battle of the Somme He was dug out of the mud of Passchendaele and was twice trapped under the burning beams of his stables surviving many charges at the enemy and proving an inspiration to the soldiers he was fighting alongside Warrior survived and returned home to the Isle of Wight in 1918 where he lived with the Seely family until his death aged 33 Scott accepted the medal with "great pride and gratitude" on behalf of Warrior and "all the remarkable animals" in the first world war He said: "Warrior's story – which I grew up hearing at my mother's knee – was lost in time to the wider world "My family and I are more than honoured that Warrior has been given this award on behalf of all animals that also served I only wish Jack Seely were here today to witness Warrior receiving the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross." instituted by the charity's founder Maria Dickin in 1943 is recognised as the highest award an animal can achieve while serving in military conflict Warrior's award as the first ever first world war recipient of a medal has been recognised by supporters including Steven Spielberg director of the Oscar-nominated film War Horse Spielberg said: "Warrior is an extraordinary example of the resilience and profound contribution that horses made to the war Recognising him with an honorary PDSA Dickin medal is a fitting and poignant tribute not only to this remarkable animal added: "Warrior's gallantry and devotion to duty throughout world war one reflects the bravery shown by the millions of horses pigeons and other animals engaged in the war "That is why he is a worthy recipient of this very special honorary PDSA Dickin medal – the first and only of its kind "And in this anniversary year of remembrance there can surely be no more fitting way to honour the bravery and sacrifice that millions of noble animals displayed during the war." head of national and international programmes and projects at IWM said: "Over 16 million animals served in the first world war Our love for animals is something that will never change and many members of the first world war centenary partnership are reflecting this in their programming "By honouring Warrior in the centenary year PDSA have brought to the forefront the story of all animals." 65 Dickin medals have been awarded – to 29 dogs three horses (not including Warrior) and one cat The last recipient was military working dog Sasha and was given the award posthumously in May 2014 With the news that a one-eyed horse called Patch has been entered into the Kentucky Derby this Saturday (6 May 2017) Horse & Hound celebrates some other competition horses that adapted well and kept on winning after after losing an eye Trevor Breen’s showjumper (pictured above) was a popular winner of the 2014 Hickstead Derby, after finishing as runner up in 2013 The “one-eyed wonder horse” graced the cover of Horse & Hound after Hickstead, as well as being featured in mainstream media after winning by just 0.02s in the jump off — ahead of the 2013 winners Phillip Miller and Caritiar Z. The gelding had his right eye removed in 2013 due to a long-term infection “He does everything I ask him to whether he can or not Izzy Taylor rode the one-eyed eventer around Blenheim She took over the ride on Briarlands Blackberry two years after he lost his eye and says it made no difference to the way she competed you wouldn’t know he only had one eye,” she says “The only time I suspected it affected him was at Bramham when he had a run-out at a coffin with a slanting rail on his blind side.” The Suzy Smith-trained mare (jockey in yellow) won five times despite losing an eye after an accident on the gallops before her career even began “Daisy” was training when she had to avoid a jogger coming in the opposite direction She then developed a fungal infection in her eye and had to have it removed Her final race was as a 10-year-old in the 2008 World Hurdle at Cheltenham before becoming a broodmare Swedish showjumper Malin Baryard-Johnsson’s stallion had been battling with an issue in his right eye for eight years before he injured it further He originally had about 30% vision in the eye but in 2013 he damaged it while breeding and it couldn’t be saved The Dutch Warmblood wasn’t set back though — competing at CSI5* level until his retirement from top class competition in January 2016 The dressage stallion by Sandro Hit lost his left eye after scratching it in his stable in 2009 Treatment couldn’t save it so the eye was removed However, it didn’t stop him competing at the top level. He took part in the 2012 London Olympics with Minna Telde of Sweden. The team finished fifth. In May 2014, the pair won the grand prix and special at Hamburg CDI4*. PUNTERS have been left devastated following the death of superstar chaser Cyrname. The Paul Nicholls-trained winning machine was a Grade 1 champion at his peak and was famed for ending Altior's world-record 19-race winning streak. In a titanic duel at Ascot in November 2019, the Johnny de la Hey-owned gelding saw off Nicky Henderson's stable star by two lengths to end a run that dominated racing. A tweet from At The Races confirmed Cyrname, who was last seen being pulled up at Wetherby in October 2021, had died this morning. One punter said: "Wow that is so heartbreaking. Sincere condelences to all." Another wrote: "Will never forget him beating the mighty Altior’s streak. Thoughts are with his connections." While a fellow fan left a message saying: "Tragic news. Thoughts are with connections." Cyrname won eight of his 23 races and amassed earnings of more than £350,000. During a golden spell in the winter of 2019 he won the bet365 Handicap Chase at Ascot by 21 lengths at 4-1 under Harry Cobden in January. He then waltzed to a 17-length win in the Grade 1 Betfair Ascot Chase the following month. It wasn't to be upped to three miles when he finished a distant second to Clan Des Obeaux in the King George that year And he fell when beaten defending his Betfair Chase crown in February 2020 A further 259 days off the track saw him return to win the Charlie Hall on Halloween of that year but he raced only twice more Aldanti's 1981 win with jockey Bob Champion the legacy of race legend Red Rum and more But it's also now been a century since a former farm horse outran the odds to win at Aintree the Grand National was "the world’s most sporting race." On March 28 eleven-year-old thoroughbred Master Robert - a former plough-pulling workhorse - became the unlikely winner of horse racing's most prestigious steeplechase READ MORE: Grand National's greatest ever horse celebrated 50 years on from landmark win READ MORE: The ultimate guide to the Grand National 2024 on sale now For over a decade, Francis X Murray has thoroughly researched the life and career of Master Robert the Donegal-bred horse who overcame rejection and injury to win the Grand National 100 years ago said he began his research while on a trip to Ireland to learn more about his heritage Fran, 57, told the ECHO: "I was on a trip in 2013 and I had very little information about my Murray family's heritage in Ireland but through a very serendipitous series of events I was able to find a third cousin of mine His father and my great-grandfather were brothers so that was an extraordinary connection for me but after spending a few days together the last thing he said to me as we were parting ways was "you know the story about Master Robert right?" An old cigarette card of 1924 Grand National winner Master Robert(Image: From the collection of Francis X please visit www.masterrobert.horse)"I thought he was referring to a person He said well there was a horse that your great-grand uncle once owned and he won the Grand National I just thought that was a really cool story." It was here Fran learned his ancestor Patrick Murray owned the horse for a time before the win and that he kept the horse at the local pub he owned which still exists Fran found Master Robert was bred for racing by Robert McKinlay in Castlefinn Donegal and subsequently spent time in Strabane Magherafelt and Moy before being sent to England Master Robert had battled lameness in the weeks leading up to The Grand National Add to this the fact he was going up against three past winners of the event - Sergeant Murphy from 1923 Music Hall from 1922 and Shaun Spadah from 1921 and the fact his regular jockey was refusing to ride him because of his lameness Bob Trudgill was a journeyman jockey unattached to a stable who agreed to he weighed in before being stretchered to hospital." The co-owners of Master Robert on his Grand National victory were Scottish Peer Lord Airlie and Major Sidney Green Fran said: "In the game at that time he had a very successful 1923 season "In the beginning he was in the hands of the most well-known National Hunt trainer of the day he went lame and Hastings did not give up on him and put him on a path of a rehabilitation effort which looked like it was going to fail "The same weekend as the first Gold Cup it appeared he wasn't going to be in shape to to run at Aintree but he persevered his own trainer didn't give up on him he gained a second place finish at Wolverhampton a few days before the Grand National and obviously got around the Aintree course - not at 100% - which shows it's sheer determination to win that race Fran said: "This took place at a time when the Grand National was the biggest single day supporting event in the world - there were 250,000 people at this race and that gives you an idea of its popularity in England so it really was a race with worldwide interest you can imagine this was during a very challenging time and history for Ireland and a very colourful history in England after the First World War and before the depression so a very Gatsby-esque period and it was at the height of the British Empire so Britain was influencing everything around the world at that time and so the Grand National was so popular right up there with the best horse stories I'm aware of and I think anybody who enjoys a horse story of overcoming a perseverance of determination To find out more about Fran's research and upcoming book on Master Robert, click here. Receive newsletters with the latest news, sport and what's on updates from the Liverpool ECHO by signing up here Leon Gray guides the tired horses to higher ground Link copiedShareShare articleWhen fast-rising floodwater surrounded Ann Biasol's home one of her first thoughts was for the safety of her horses She lives in a rural area south of Crescent Head on the NSW Mid North Coast and vast areas were inundated Ms Biasol says State Emergency Service crews told her they couldn't reach her "When my house started to be impacted with absolutely all land around me under water who quickly hit social media to ask for help The horses were caught in rapidly rising floodwater "It was clear that no-one was going to Anny's rescue and we had lost all contact with her — with water levels rising and rain continuing," Ms Hancock said "I said to myself: 'Anny and her horses are not dying on our watch' Water surrounded Ann Biasol's home along Maria River Road near Crescent Head "I put out a desperate plea requesting someone with local knowledge a boat and experience with animals to help save Anny and her horses." Boats were used to guide the animals and also drop feed to higher ground Help first came in the form of local resident Phillip Aitkin who launched a boat and set out to rescue Ms Biasol and her horses Download the ABC News app for all the latest "The horses had to be swum and walked out three kilometres from my place to the highest mound," Ms Biasol said "We got our first horse Barney out and we had to rest him on the way Ann Bisaol says it was a long walk and swim for the horses reassured Ms Biasol they could get through "It's not often you get to put the boat in on the main road." shipping containers — all sorts of stuff floating down the river Leon Gray saved many animals caught in the flood which caught many property owners by surprise "The water came up really fast and caught a lot of people out We saved and rescued a lot of animals," Mr Gray said "Mainly it was just leading [Barney] and coaxing him along He was pretty exhausted but we just had to get him to higher ground," he said Browse for your location and find more local ABC News and information "It's rewarding to see the relief on Anny's face.  "She really loves her horses. She was so happy. "I seem to have a bit of a way [with horses]  and that time it worked, anyway. Ms Biasol says after their ordeal the rescued horses were rested on higher ground and kept warm. (Supplied: Ann Biasol) The following day, Ms Biasol's other two horses were rescued, Mr Gray again leading them to safety. "The other horses just refused to move," Mr Gray said. "So I got in and just rode one of them out and the other one followed and we rode them about three kilometres out of the floodwater, along with another horse who just followed along with us." Ms Biasol is happy to have her horses home and nursing them back to health. (Supplied: Ann Biasol) The horses were cared for by a young family on the higher ground. Ms Biasol said she was extremely grateful to the many people who helped. "I just gave the horses big hugs … thanked everyone for the prayers. So many people were so behind the animals," she said. "I just got off that boat so quickly and went up [to the horses] and said, 'You boys are so loved by so many … oh, my beautiful boys, you are safe. Ms Biasol with one of her heroes, Phill Aitkin.   (Supplied: Ann Biasol) A little more than a week later, the horses have returned  to the property where Ms Biasol is temporarily staying and are recovering from cuts and skin issues from prolonged exposure to the floodwater, which contained dead animals, sewerage and other contaminants. Ms Biasol said they were in good spirits and eating well. Mr Aitkin continues to help support the horses, now back at their home near Crescent Head. (Supplied: Ann Biasol) "There' s still a lot of sloughing on the skin and there's a lot of raw skin still to come off from their tummies right down to their hooves. "It's everyday care and every day scrubbing for probably three hours a day ... they are eating and drinking. "At several points we've had the army drop medication off at the gate," she said. Hannah Grilli says they just grabbed the horses and hoped for the best. (ABC Mid North Coast: Wiriya Sati) While the rescue was underway at Crescent Head, further south on the Mid North Coast young women who agist their horses on a Wauchope property saved their much-loved animals and about a dozen more. They were looking after the property for the owner who was away and worked during the night and heavy rainfall. "We didn't think the floodwaters would come up that high. "We pretty much grabbed horses. Horses that hadn't been ridden for a while, we just jumped on and hoped for the best ... and just went along the road with some cars behind and in front of us and took them to the stables." Kiarra Cutter also worked through the night and heavy rain to save horses on a Wauchope property. (ABC Mid North Coast: Wiriya Sati) Ms Grilli said the support of the community had been amazing. "We have a great team now ... we have had volunteers and even kids help," she said. Topic:Food and Beverage Processing Industry AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) Grand National winner Nick Rockett pictured with jockey Patrick Mullins, Willie Mullins trainer, groom Katie Walton and owner Stewart Andrew during a hero’s welcome at his homecoming in Leighlinbridge. Photo: michaelorourkephotography.ie In glorious sunshine, hundreds lined the streets as the first three horses home in one of the world’s most famous horse races, the Randox Grand National National, were given the reception they so richly deserved. Randox Grand National, Patrick Mullins on winning horse Nick Rockett with groom Katie Walton and owner Stewart Andrew Photo: ©INPHO/Laszlo GeczoWinner Nick Rockett, second placed I Am Maximus and third placed Grangeclare West were treated like Hollywood stars as locals, young and old, queued to get a glimpse of the Willie Mullins trained trio. It was a day of days for Mullins, who was so overcome with emotion after watching his son Patrick ride the winner to victory. Patrick was on hand to ride Nick Rockett through the streets where he grew up. Injury prevented Paul Townend from attending but Danny Mullins filled in on last year’s winner I Am Maximus while Brian Hayes was on Grangeclare West. All three happily posed for photos and signed anything that was thrust in their direction by the adoring public. Well over an hour after arriving Willie was still happily chatting away to well wishers who had travelled from far and wide just to be part of such a historic occasion. Patrick Mullins on Randox Grand National winner Nick Rockett with groom Katie Walton, owner Stewart Andrew, trainer Willie Mullins and staff from the Lord Bagenal Inn Photo: michaelorourkephotography.ieNick Rockett’s owner Stewart Andrew travelled over from England to join in the celebrations and had with him the beautiful Grand National trophy, while groom Katie Walton helped keep the horse calm amidst all the excitement. The celebrations in the Lord Bagenal Inn continued long into the night and even for an area that has seen many of these kind of scenes, this was something special.  A HERO horse trainer rescued a multi-millionaire owner from their helicopter wreckage before an ex-Forces passerby gave vital CPR Welsh Grand National-winning trainer Sam Thomas, 38, was one of five people involved in a horrific chopper crash on Tuesday evening Dai Walters who is thought to be worth around £264million remains in hospital with serious injuries after the devastating crash in north Wales But details have emerged indicating the key roles former jockey Thomas and a passerby gave in rushing quickly to his aid Walters, Thomas and three others came down just minutes after taking off amid high winds and rain after being on a pheasant shoot. The chopper was pictured lying on its side in dense woodland in Llanelidan, Denbighshire. One horrified witness said the sight of the helicopter hurtling through the air was 'like a movie'. The Daily Mail report Thomas, who won the 2008 Cheltenham Gold Cup as a jockey, frantically helped pull Walters from the wreckage. Sophie Vaughan-Evans, 29, told the Mail: "My husband was out jogging when the chopper crashed "One of the gamekeepers flagged him down and asked if he knew first aid "Luckily my husband was ex-Forces so he knew what to do "The elderly man was unconscious and my husband did CPR and brought him round "He was then talking so seemed to be all right Everyone was in shock and did not know what to do." who made his vast fortune through his Walters Group plant machinery is said to be conscious and talking to family in Glan Clwyd hospital near Rhyl the Carmarthenshire racecourse Walters ploughed £25m into to make a success said: "Dai is conscious and has been speaking to his family "He's undergoing some further tests in hospital on his injuries." Thomas sustained minor injuries and was allowed to return to his Cardiff base after being discharged from hospital Witness Huw Howatson said: "It was horrible I watched it happen and I was filming the helicopter "I could see it was in trouble and it hit some trees and I had to get out the way We had to scarper because there was lots of debris it was just flying everywhere - it was like a movie." The Air Accidents Investigation Branch confirmed a probe into the incident had been launched A Welsh Ambulance Service spokesperson said: "We were called shortly before 5.30pm last night to reports of a helicopter crash in woodland near Llanelidan "We sent a paramedic in a rapid response car and three emergency ambulances to the scene where crews were also supported by Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service colleagues and a duty operations manager "Two patients were taken to Glan Clwyd Hospital." Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time It’s a story that already holds near mythic status in the town of Tallangatta a horse called Sandy gained national fame by being the only Australian horse out of over 130,000 horses who left our shores to make it home from serving in World War I Fundraiser Ross Smith with Tallangatta’s new Sandy the War Horse statue.Credit: Jason Robins the legend was set in bronze with the unveiling of a handsome statue of Sandy in Triangle Park right in the centre of his hometown Tallangatta from young children to 90-somethings – and over 200 horses and their riders – came out on a cold and rainy day to pay tribute to their equine hero who led a committee that raised over $160,000 to fund the statue said he was “overwhelmed and excited” to see his dream come true “Have we ever witnessed anything like this before in Tallangatta I don’t think so,” Smith said in his speech at the event Some of the 200 horses and riders who came to Tallangatta for the unveiling of the Sandy statue.Credit: Jason Robins Smith also launched the new book Minus His Head and Hooves by Elaine Brogan a founding member of the Melbourne group Friends of Sandy The title comes from Sandy’s head and hooves being removed for mementoes and museum exhibits before he was buried in Maribyrnong who often told of how her uncle Frank “Bonner” O’Donnell (who was married to her aunt Anna) and his brother Jack donated Sandy to the Army in 1914 While the O’Donnell brothers followed the Catholic Church’s advice not to enlist in the army they were anxious to contribute to the war effort – so decided to donate their strong bay gelding when Smith heard that Towong Shire had received a hefty federal government grant for infrastructure Smith helped push for a statue in Sandy’s honour Sandy was selected as one of three horses for the personal use of Major General Sir William Bridges Bridges was shot at Gallipoli in Turkey and died days later Carmen Bairstow travelled from Western Australia to attend the unveiling of statue of Sandy the War Horse.Credit: Jason Robins Australian War Memorial historian Rachel Caines said the story goes that it was Bridges’ dying wish that Sandy be sent back to Australia to be buried alongside him Sandy was attached to an army veterinary unit in northern France That was until then-defence minister George Pearce helped ensure perhaps for “good news” propaganda purposes But instead of being buried at Duntroon military academy in Canberra next to Bridges Sandy lived in an army paddock in Maribyrnong in Melbourne’s inner west Ross Smith said over $80,000 of the $160,000 raised to fund the life-sized statue — sculpted by Brett “Mon” Garling — came from a federal grant a relative of the O’Donnell brothers who donated Sandy to the army Smith said it will be a second claim to fame for Tallangatta – now to be known as “the home of Sandy” and not just “the town that moved” Sandy lived in Old Tallangatta (8km away from modern Tallangatta) whose population along with more than 100 buildings were relocated in 1956 so that the town could be deliberately flooded due to the expansion of the Hume Weir Watching the unveiling of the statue was Joe Campbell who knew Bonner O’Donnell as a “quiet fellow” and whose aunt Anna was married to Bonner Thousands of people of all ages turned out to pay tribute to Sandy.Credit: Jason Robins Campbell said Bonner would have been “rapt” with the statue The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here It\\u2019s a story that already holds near mythic status in the town of Tallangatta near Wodonga in Victoria\\u2019s far north from young children to 90-somethings \\u2013 and over 200 horses and their riders \\u2013 came out on a cold and rainy day to pay tribute to their equine hero said he was \\u201Coverwhelmed and excited\\u201D to see his dream come true \\u201CHave we ever witnessed anything like this before in Tallangatta I don\\u2019t think so,\\u201D Smith said in his speech at the event The title comes from Sandy\\u2019s head and hooves being removed for mementoes and museum exhibits before he was buried in Maribyrnong who often told of how her uncle Frank \\u201CBonner\\u201D O\\u2019Donnell (who was married to her aunt Anna) and his brother Jack donated Sandy to the Army in 1914 While the O\\u2019Donnell brothers followed the Catholic Church\\u2019s advice not to enlist in the army they were anxious to contribute to the war effort \\u2013 so decided to donate their strong bay gelding Smith helped push for a statue in Sandy\\u2019s honour Sandy was selected as one of three horses Australian War Memorial historian Rachel Caines said the story goes that it was Bridges\\u2019 dying wish that Sandy be sent back to Australia to be buried alongside him For several years after Bridges\\u2019 death perhaps for \\u201Cgood news\\u201D propaganda purposes Sandy lived in an army paddock in Maribyrnong in Melbourne\\u2019s inner west Ross Smith said over $80,000 of the $160,000 raised to fund the life-sized statue \\u2014 sculpted by Brett \\u201CMon\\u201D Garling \\u2014 came from a federal grant Smith said: \\u201CI\\u2019m passionate about horses Smith said it will be a second claim to fame for Tallangatta \\u2013 now to be known as \\u201Cthe home of Sandy\\u201D and not just \\u201Cthe town that moved\\u201D who knew Bonner O\\u2019Donnell as a \\u201Cquiet fellow\\u201D and whose aunt Anna was married to Bonner Campbell said Bonner would have been \\u201Crapt\\u201D with the statue \\u201CIt\\u2019s a big thing for us,\\u201D he said The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories Dressage Anywhere last month announced plans for two unusual activities that would help raise funds for the NHS at the same time as encouraging the equestrian community to come together and have a little fun where Valegro II was used to raise the initial funds to help support the NHS alongside competition entry fees collected for the impressive yet dramatic Hobby Horse competition that was soon to follow Valegro II looks just like his big brother, as seen pictured here with dressage gold medalists Charlotte Dujardin and Carl Hester to help launch the initiative However similar the horses’ heads seem the difference between the two came in the form of body with Valegro II boasting a slimmer physique with only one (wooden) leg Dressage Anywhere has now announced Valegro II has found a new home after being sold to the highest bidder during the online auction trotted off with the one-legged brother to Valegro after her final bid of £2,000 His new owner, a keen dressage fan, started riding in her late thirties and has since enjoyed watching Charlotte Dujardin and the hobby horse’s brother Valegro on TV Valegro II will be joining his new owner’s other horse who is currently working towards medium level at home I have a spare stable and lots of grass so I felt this might be my chance to compete in tails before I hit 50 this year” Dressage Anywhere closed their online competition series earlier in April due to the government’s restrictions which in turn helped minimise the potential for injuries to riders when competing or training at home Nereide Goodman, and business partner Ruth Chappell, were keen to lift spirits and have a little fun, so came up with the idea of a hobby horse competition. As the equestrian community paused for a moment to understand the task that lay ahead, it slowly sunk in that Nereide and Ruth planned to judge a riders ability to train and compete a one-legged horse made of wood and stuffing At first I thought Nereide had lost the plot but thinking about it further we thought the idea might have legs or in this case a leg’ We start giggling about all the things we could do the tests we could run and the judges we could enlist and that sets the tone of the competition We had a platform in place to run it all online, so Ride a Hobby Horse for the NHS was launched. We are absolutely thrilled and grateful that so many from the equestrian world entered into the spirit of the event as well as contributing another £2,000 to charity Classes ranged from Grand Prix to Pony Club tests with an RDA section judged by Natasha Baker Judges were on hand to help with the complicated task of critiquing movements such as pirouettes and half pass Despite the one-legged hobby horse replacing a horse with four legs judging was tough and guidelines strictly adhered to Judge Stephen Clark marked 51 tests before running out of energy Comments were consistent with a poor choice in chocolate before starting Comments such as ‘wooden movement’ and ‘grounded paces’ were added to score sheets despite many high marks being awarded during the competition Isobel Wessels – winner Holly riding Penelope Pitstop  Holly set it all up as though she was riding a proper Grand Prix the transitions precise and balanced and the paces light footed Even the background music was perfect and actually I felt a little mean taking 8.01 marks away” Jennie Loriston-Clarke – winner Alice Oppenheimer Jennie Loriston-Clarke spoke of the fun she had watching So much effort had been put into the outfits and into the music some marks were lost in the lack of accuracy and in the choreography were only shown one way and some of those were on the wrong leg with no bend” Sarah-Jane Lanning – winner Aderyn Walker Despite winner Aderyn Walker being thrilled with her victory so many people in a huge range of ages got involved Lots of energy and work went into the tests It was just as much fun to judge as well as take part” Alice Oppenheimer and Becky Moody – winners Hale Happy Hackers The homeschooling box was ticked for some entries during the Pony Club competition as dressage letters were expertly handcrafted team Hale Happy Hackers consisted of five-year-old twins Beatrice and Edmund An emotional musical was delivered by the children to pay thanks to the NHS for looking after their father leaving judge Natasha Baker MBE with some tough decisions Naomi Sutton’s horse had a magnificent head and they produced the best pirouette of the day in a wheelchair receiving comments such as – ‘very tight and keeping the balance’ Following the government guidelines published on the 13/05/2020 Dressage Anywhere has announced their monthly competitions are to resume Tests ranging from Intro to Advanced will continue as the usual format with the team hopeful for more detailed feedback from judges as their less stringent rota persists due to lockdown rules Suzanne: BA (Hons) in Marketing Management An entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in marketing riding since the age of 5 and owning horses for over 35 years a truly magical being straight out of a fairytale Your mind probably automatically created a centaur; a being with the head That’s probably because you’ve seen one before — not in real life Most people understand the concept; but now imagine you didn’t imagine you’d never heard of a centaur before and re-read that description Maybe you’d come up with something like this These are the images an AI came up with in an attempt to create a centaur for TikTok user Emily Anne who was conducting “centaur research.” I’m going to be honest I think I actually quite like some of these designs Why settle for the weak body arms and head type centaurs when you can have the Chad head centaur things only proceed to get worse as the TikTok goes on This gave me a good laugh what is happeninf Oddly enough the AI seems to have a grasp of other fantasy creatures as the first image it creates is a pegasus which Emily points is “definitely not a centaur” — and she would know It does beg the question of how an AI can understand perfectly one example of a Greek mythological beast yet fail so miserably at understanding another Surely a half-man half-horse is easier to grasp than a half-horse half-bird with a unicorn horn a kangaroo jumping up at the centaur abomination Like how do you even make that logical leap Where does the kangaroo fit in this equation which has clearly lost it’s mind at this point gives Emily a horse with the torso of a man with a dove coming out the stomach and the head on top of the torso is a horse’s head — oh You know, it’s somewhat a relief to still see things like this, it’s a reminder that AI can’t do everything yet when we’re all slaves to the robot overlord we’ll always be able to look back and smile about the good old days when AI thought that the word “centaur” meant a horse-man-horse fighting a kangaroo.