'A True Horseman' - Article by Central Horse News
''On a sunny day just after Easter I called to see Alex at his yard in Shrewley. I had been impressed by Alex's partnership with Sue Hughes talented chestnut gelding Jumper II (a son of Nimmerdor) when they performed the Pas de Deux at the Horse and Hound Winter Championships and wanted to find out more about his horses and his methods.
The yard consisted of 24 boxes and was immaculate. The beds were British Novice Height and all the feed and water buckets were all colour co-ordinated! Alex was especially proud of his hoofpicks, which were displayed with military precision, hanging from chrome knobs and with all their shiny hooks angled in the same direction!
I followed Alex across to the "green barn" where I met Fuego. This classically handsome Dutch Warmblood stallion, now sixteen and retired from competition, gave his owner Claire Newton and Alex one of those unforgettable moments which our horses rarely bestow on us. He won his final Grand Prix dressage competition at Tatton with a score of 66% beating many well-known partnerships.
Alex speaks warmly and with admiration of Ferdi Eilberg, who he rates as the best trainer he has ever known. He also spent time at Anky van Grunsven's yard and thinks she is "just brilliant".
Although Alex has enjoyed considerable success competitively and through teaching, (one of his pupils has just returned from competing on the Sunshine Tour) his first love is training. Quirky, challenging horses arrive on his doorstep and Alex speaks with great enthusiasm about how he works with them and gets to know their personalities. There is no set routine and horses are all allowed time out in the field, and are not worked every day. Alex obviously loves what he does, and while he is mildly and very entertainingly eccentric, it is obvious that once in his charge, equine visitors will be cared for by a true horseman.''
The yard consisted of 24 boxes and was immaculate. The beds were British Novice Height and all the feed and water buckets were all colour co-ordinated! Alex was especially proud of his hoofpicks, which were displayed with military precision, hanging from chrome knobs and with all their shiny hooks angled in the same direction!
I followed Alex across to the "green barn" where I met Fuego. This classically handsome Dutch Warmblood stallion, now sixteen and retired from competition, gave his owner Claire Newton and Alex one of those unforgettable moments which our horses rarely bestow on us. He won his final Grand Prix dressage competition at Tatton with a score of 66% beating many well-known partnerships.
Alex speaks warmly and with admiration of Ferdi Eilberg, who he rates as the best trainer he has ever known. He also spent time at Anky van Grunsven's yard and thinks she is "just brilliant".
Although Alex has enjoyed considerable success competitively and through teaching, (one of his pupils has just returned from competing on the Sunshine Tour) his first love is training. Quirky, challenging horses arrive on his doorstep and Alex speaks with great enthusiasm about how he works with them and gets to know their personalities. There is no set routine and horses are all allowed time out in the field, and are not worked every day. Alex obviously loves what he does, and while he is mildly and very entertainingly eccentric, it is obvious that once in his charge, equine visitors will be cared for by a true horseman.''