His dam pulled a dray and he was wanted by the circus, but Lorna Clarke’s Popadom found his place in the eventing history books, claiming Burghley in 1967
Popadom
OF all the Burghley winners, Lorna Clarke’s skewbald cob with the hogged mane was surely the most unlikely. His mother pulled a dray.
“When it came to buying him as a youngster, his new owner, Jennifer Harrison, had to haggle with Chipperfield’s Circus, which was desperate to have him,” says Lorna.
In the end, Jennifer purchased Popadomfor £40 and the gelding soon found his niche eventing.
At the time of his Burghley win in 1967, he was certainly not Lorna’s first string. But he was quickly promoted when he jumped one of only half a dozen penalty-free cross-country rounds over a tough course that wiped out more than half the field.
Merely-A-Monarch scored emphatic wins at both Burghley and Badminton under Anneli Drummond-Hay
Merely-A- Monarch
THE first of the 12 horses who have won both Burghley and Badminton was Merely-A Monarch, who took the inaugural Burghley in 1961, aged six. On this occasion and winning Badminton the next spring, he was more than 40 points clear of the field.
Anneli Drummond-Hay then took Merely-A-Monarch showjumping, where he had a spectacular second career.
“He was gorgeous-looking with incredible scope; stunningly brave and careful. He was a class horse in a league of his own,” remembers Lucinda Green.
Merely-A-Monarch’s grandmother was a Fell pony.
“That pony blood made him so intelligent,” Anneli remembers. “He was a freak.”
The rider once took Merely-A-Monarch for a pipe-opener at a leading trainer’s gallops.
This story is from the September 03, 2020 edition of Horse & Hound.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September 03, 2020 edition of Horse & Hound.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Super subs
Can a huntsman take on a different pack of hounds for a day and produce good sport? It can indeed happen,as Andrew Sallis explains
Welsh star is on the dot
A delightful Welsh section A leadrein contender is the best of a super-strong novice supreme on his winter championships debut
Edwards' remarkable home-soil hat-trick
The Welsh wonder Mark Edwards dazzles on home soil and a syndicate horse does his owners proud
The King retains his crown
Global superstar King Edward joins the ranks of such legends as Milton and Shutterfly as a back-to-back World Cup winner
Kittel takes thriller
Patrik Kittel becomes the second Swedish rider to win a World Cup Final, while the British favourite is eliminated
The start of something special
Royal Windsor is often a show horse's first experience of an electric atmosphere. Alex Robinson learns how the pros use the prestigious fixture to see if an animal has what it takes for the big league
Sore jaws
True pathology of the temporomandibular joint is an uncommon cause of a number of relatively common signs. Robyn Graham MRCVS explains how the problem is identified and treated
Safari guide
Natalie McComb owns Nile Horseback Safaris, leading expeditions through the Ugandan wilderness
Access all areas Tim and Jonelle Price
New Zealand's premier eventing couple are in their second season based at the impressive Chedington Estate. Pippa Roome finds out how they work together and their plans for this Olympic year
Running at a loss, even if you win
Jodie Hall McAteer weighs up the pros and cons of jumping abroad