Pandora: A Price worth paying for show jumping glory

(Getty)

There is unfettered excitement in the blue-blooded world of equestrianism over developments in one of the leading events on its sporting calendar.

The British Open Show Jumping Championship, equestrianism's blue chip event, has confirmed that Katie Price, (aka glamour model Jordan) and Amy Guy, better known as Siren in TV's Gladiators, will feature in a celebrity polo match when it is held at Birmingham's NEC in April.

The pair will face each other in a three-a side match, which includes two professionals on either side, on the final day of the championships.

Whilst the participation of figures more commonly associated with Heat magazine is likely to startle many among the horsey community, tweedy bible Horse & Hound declares itself delighted with the news.

"She's an accomplished businesswoman who does her best to promote the sport. What more could she do?" says acting editor Jaki Bell. "If she brings more people to come and see how exciting it can be that can only be a good thing."

Yasmin enjoys la bonne vie

Not for Yasmin Le Bon the punitive weight-shedding regimes routinely adopted by many of her catwalk colleagues.

"I haven't trained for two years because I did my back in," she confessed to Pandora at London Fashion Week.

"I am one-and-a-half stone overweight. My face looks plumper but it does wonders for the skin.

"Life is for living, enjoy it while you can. It's miserable watching what you eat all the time," she added.

"Poor Mischa Barton looks so thin and she's only a young girl."

Labour's EU campaign is on a roll

It's panto time over at the Welsh Assembly, where Labour have been nervously preparing for this summer's European elections.

The party recently held a launch for their campaign, which was attended by Wales's First Minister, Rhodri Morgan.

Unfortunately, his presence was merely ornamental since he was nursing a badly-split lip, which had rendered him unable to speak.

Had inter-party rivalry triggered violence? Was it a dispute over a contentious clause in the manifesto? Alas no. Morgan apparently skewered himself whilst munching on a particularly crusty bread roll.

Oscars rob Anthony of a knight with Ben

Sir Anthony Hopkins' appearance at Sunday night's Oscars underlined a worrying decline in Britain's so-called "special relationship" with the United States.

Hopkins joined Sir Ben Kingsley on stage at the end of the evening to present the award for best actor to Sean Penn. But whilst Kingsley was introduced to the audience as a knight of the realm, Hopkins was called plain Anthony Hopkins.

"Since they granted Tony dual citizenship in 2000 the Yanks are quite entitled not to recognise his title," says an expert on such matters. "I suppose this is their way of claiming him as one of their own."

There is fat chance of Kingsley ever letting them get away with such behaviour. His title even cropped up on promotional material for his 2001 movie Lucky Number Slevin.

Polly's Lewes-ing game

Polly Toynbee makes an unlikely cheerleader for non-league football, so surprising to hear that The Guardian's serious-minded journalist was recently spotted at the Dripping Pan, the rickety ground belonging her local outfit Lewes FC.

Toynbee pitched up to watch the East Sussex team in last Saturday's Blue Square Conference Premier match against Cambridge United. Sadly, Pol's support didn't do them much good. The home side lost 2-0.

pandora@independent.co.uk