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CHIVOLA IS CHAMPION - 19 July 2010
Chivola proved that there really is a life after racing when he won the Retraining of Racehorses/Tattersalls Thoroughbred Showhorse Championship at Hickstead on 27th June and followed up with a win at the prestigious Great Yorkshire Show last week. This five year old gelding by Invincible Spirit was bought at the Doncaster Breeze Up Sales and won a race at Musselburgh but did not appear to have a great future as a topclass racehorse. He has really found a second career as a show horse however and despite still living in the yard where he was trained he now lies down and goes to sleep in the morning when other horses are earning their keep galloping. Instead Chivola has learnt how to use his body in a different way and as a show hack his canter now has to be slow and collected enough that a gentleman could walk beside him as his lady rides along on his back. Manners and obedience are crucial in a show horse so speed and impulsiveness are out and good behaviour is the name of the game now. Chivola, who is ridden and schooled by Vicky Smart is now heading for the final of the SEIB/ROR final at the Horse of the Year Show in October which is the highlight of anyone's year and will be the culmination of a great deal of work and training by the pair.
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