“I ’m a Yorkshireman, I speak my mind, I don’t do politics, I tell it as I see it. Some people agree with me, some people don’t – that’s their choice. My choice is to say what I think.”
Who else would make a statement like that other than one of Showjumping’s great legends – Harvey Smith? In December, he will be 85, yet he is still very active both physically and mentally and is still as passionate as ever about horses and equestrian sports.
“I never retired, I just switched sports,” says Harvey. “We still have a couple of showjumping horses that we keep for fun – my grandson rides them, but mostly we are in jump racing. I still take an interest in showjumping of course, but at the top level I don’t really like what I see.
“I switched from showjumping mostly because there were places and shows that I simply couldn’t get to – it seemed like there was some sort of writing on the wall and that the sport was going in a direction I neither understood nor wanted.
“It used to be that there were plenty of shows to which professionals like myself could go and compete. You went, you paid a small entrance fee and if you had some success, you went home with a bit of extra money and a more experienced horse. All that was starting to change and as we can see, it is nothing like that now.”
HARVEY speaks from long experience and growing up in the sport. He bought his first horse when he was a 15-year-old, whom few had heard of.
Denne historien er fra December 29, 2023-utgaven av Horse & Hound.
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Denne historien er fra December 29, 2023-utgaven av Horse & Hound.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
'Sorry, but I wasn't feeling it'
Fresh from the opening meet, Tessa Waugh hasn't quite yet been bitten by the hunting bug. Without the crisp autumnal air and cheek-pinching cold she hoped for, it's a sluggish start
New pair pull off a win
A former European Championships pony is on form with his new rider, while elsewhere former showjumpers and eventers take ribbons
Lording it over the rest
Horses who have returned from injury, a second generation homebred and a long format specialist score on the final weekend of the British season
Smith hits flying form
A \"her way or no way\" mare helps Zoe Smith to an impressive ribbon haul and a rider beats his own boss to the top spot
Jankorado hits the jackpot
Paul Sims is triumphant despite his interrupted jump-off preparation and a borrowed horse comes up trumps
Peanut
From \"dangerous, scary\" to hedge-hopping brilliance, hunting has been the making of this unstable but very lovable equine character
She's a corker
Communication, says long-standing and highly respected Belvoir master Lady Sarah McCorquodale, is the key to all, as Catherine Austen discovers
Access all areas Cavalier Centre
The Cavalier Centre is a fully accessible, state-of-the-art equestrian centre designed to improve lives through horse-based activities. Ellie May Forrester pays a visit
'Use it or lose it'
Not everyone wants to reach for the pipe and slippers at a certain age. Becky Murray speaks to some veteran horse-and-rider combos for their secrets of human and equine longevity
A new way forward
Worm control in horses is vital, but established methods will not remain effective for much longer. Tim Mair FRCVS explains why and how we need to change
