‘Twelve of the most stressful days of my life’: Graham Fletcher on top horses stuck in the Middle East while missiles flew overhead

Former international showjumper Graham Fletcher on horses stuck in the Middle East and British Showjumping’s new tack rules

I should have been in the Middle East this week where son Olli was due to compete at the final five-star show of the Doha tour.

Everything about it had been top-class with perfect ground, excellent course-designers and unbelievable prize money. The friendly Qatari people, and their attention to every detail, made it very special.

But it all came to a dramatic end on 27 February.

Olli and I had flown home for a few days, intending to return for that last five-star show. There was no indication that in two days’ time war would break out in the region.

With five of Olli’s horses still there, the next 12 days were some of the most stressful and worrying I have ever had.

Guillaume Simon, who had been helping Olli with the horses in Doha, did a fantastic job of looking after them – as did all the stranded staff with their respective charges.

Olli would ring Guillaume four or five times a day to find out what was happening. He’d learn first-hand how many drones and missiles were being intercepted every night – one being just over the indoor school, which was incredibly frightening.

Abject anxiety as arrangements changed

The planes to take the horses home were arranged, then rearranged, to a point of abject anxiety.

Harry Charles also had horses in Doha, and his father Peter and I discussed ways of getting them out. Peter reckoned the only alternative to flying directly was to drive the horses 600 miles through the desert to Saudi Arabia, which meant a 20-hour road-trip before they even boarded a plane.

The thought of a horse getting colic, or travel sick, with no vets available was horrifying. So we agreed that route would be a last resort.

Fortunately, we got the horses on to the second plane to leave Doha with most of the others bound for Europe on 9 March – to our eternal relief and that of their owners. But as I write, some competition horses are still there as a third plane has not yet been able to take off.

Let’s hope, for everybody’s sake, that this dreadful war is soon resolved. It’s sad to think I was so recently made welcome in a country that, through no fault of its own, now has missiles and drones being fired at its people daily.

I’ve felt uncomfortable hearing American defence secretary Pete Hegseth announcing at his daily press conferences what they’d blown up and who they’d assassinated as though it was a gunfight in the Wild West.

I respect Americans’ patriotism and there’s no doubt that militarily, they’re the world’s best. But Iran is a tough target and the Americans have their work cut out if they’re not going to finish second in this war.

Align the rules

In times past, when things were more transparent, Liz Edgar was on our governing body’s rules committee for many years. Liz was a top-class rider who was admired and respected all over the world. I loved watching her ride.

When there was an impending rule change, riders could discuss it with Liz, who always considered it from a horsemanship point of view – and everyone concurred that she was right.

It’s a great shame that British Showjumping (BS) doesn’t have anybody like her now because the recent rule changes on bits and bridles are absolutely absurd.

Firstly, they don’t comply with FEI rules. Why not? Surely one set of rules is better for competitors and stewards alike?

I could understand if it was about horse welfare, but it’s the exact opposite! Take, for example, a running gag used with joiners. That makes it a lot less severe and is something the FEI rightly allows – yet BS has banned it.

BS owes its members an explanation of the new rules as so many are unhappy about them. And doesn’t BS realise that, despite the excessive cost, more British riders are opting to compete abroad?

So my advice to BS would be to align yourselves with the FEI – or find another Liz Edgar.

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