Beep Beep takes on local gymkhana. Photo by Kate Samuels.

Other eventers might be getting real fancy in Germany this weekend, but the highlight of my week was attending an afternoon gymkhana five minutes down the road with my teeny tiny firecracker, Beep. Well, one lady generously assessed him as 15.3, but she was also mounted on a very small pony, so. But the ponies! They all had pony paint on them and different designs and artistry. For a little horse seeking the race-track, Beep was shockingly at home in this mish-mash of an equestrian event. We did not partake in the egg-and-spoon but we did partake in the warmup arena with 15 small children, so who was actually brave here?

Oh, right, Luhmuhlen!! Keep up with all the five-star action right here on Eventing Nation through the weekend.

You can follow along with the live stream on H&C+ with a subscription or a one-time viewing pass. If you choose to purchase an annual H&C+ subscription, you can save 15% if you use the code EVENTINGNATION15. And if you just can’t wait ‘til Saturday to see the cross country course, you can check out the route and fences here. We’ll be bringing you live updates of all three 5* phases, so keep it locked onto EN to read about all the action as it happens.

EN will have boots on the Luhmuhlen ground, where Tilly will be bringing us ALL the news from the event. Keep up with the EN coverage and follow @goeventing for all the 5* – and 4* – content you can handle.

Longines Luhmühlen CCI5*: [Website] [Entries] [Timing & Scoring] [How to Watch] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage] [EN’s Form Guide]

U.S. Weekend Preview

Aspen Farm H.T (Yelm, WA) [Website] [Volunteer] [Entries / Ride Times / Scoring]

Full Gallop Farm June H.T (Aiken, SC) [Website] [Volunteer]

Honey Run H.T. (Ann Arbor, MI) [Website] [Volunteer]

Horse Park of New Jersey H.T. I (Allentown, NJ) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]

Seneca Valley Pony Club H.T. (Poolesville, MD) [Website] [Entries] [Scoring]

Shepherd Ranch Pony Club H.T. I (Santa Ynez, CA) [Website] [Entries / Ride Times / Scoring]

Silverwood Farm Spring H.T. (Trevor, WI) [Website] [Ride Times] [Scoring]

News From Around the Globe:

World Number One and Number Two, aka Power Couple Tim and Jonelle, are not only giving their first master class this year, but they are having an Eventing Summer Camp with Chris Burton as well! This three-day intensive clinic will feature multiple lessons, rider fitness classes, use of a spa and hot tub, luxury accommodations, barn management courses, and more. [Best Summer Camp Ever]

All thoroughbred racing will end in Singapore in October of 2024, which leaves many people and horses wondering what to do with their lives after almost two centuries of horse racing history. The country has over 700 racehorses which will need to be exported following the ban, and representatives from the Asian Racing Federation are concerned about horse welfare. [ARF Reacts to Singapore Banning Racing]

Hot on Horse Nation: Strength Training for Riders & Why Slow is Best

Look, if you’re anything like me (book nerd), you’ve read Laura Hillenbrand’s exceptional book Seabiscuit several times and for sure seen the movie and gotten a little teary-eyed even though a lot of the horse scenes are super dumb. But, it’s still fun to read another article on how that little crooked-legged brown horse captured the heart of a nation. [Seabiscuit: Rags to Riches]

One ambitious mom decided to take her toddler and her backyard pony to Devon for the famous leadline class. She thought, hey, we live right down the road, how hard could it be? Oh wait Cupcake needs to be braided and clipped and I need a fancy hat and my three-year-old has to be taught to sit still…the list goes on in a hilarious blog from Jamie Sindell. [From My Backyard to Devon Leadline]

Uphill much? Photo courtesy of American Dream Trakehner Stallion FB.

Every spring and early summer, I know I can look forward to lots of baby spam for those of my friends mad enough to take on that adventure. And no, I’m not talking about the particularly insane decision to have human babies, but the somewhat equally bonkers choice to take on breeding a horse. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely share the dream of all equestrians of having a tiny foal to bring along from day one, but I also fully understand how risky and scary and expensive and stressful it can be. Maybe one day when I’m a wealthy housewife I can have a field of mares and foals.

MARS Bromont CCI (Lac Brome, Quebec, Canada) [Website] [Schedule] [Entries] [Volunteer][Live Scoring] [EN’s Coverage]

EN will have boots on the ground for Bramham International Horse Trials in the UK too, where Tilly will be bringing us all the ins and outs of the show. You can follow along with the live stream on H&C+ (subscription required).

Bramham International Horse Trials (Wetherby, West Yorkshire, UK) [Website] [Schedule][Volunteer] [Ride Times / Live Scoring] [EN’s Coverage] [Live Stream]

Keep it locked onto EN and follow @goeventing for all the news from Bromont and Bramham.

U.S. Weekend Preview

Apple Knoll Farm H.T. (Millis, MA) [Website] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Cobblestone Farms H.T. I (Chelsea, MI) [Website] [Entries / Ride Times / Scoring]

Golden Spike H.T. (Ogden, UT) [Website] [Volunteer] [Entries / Ride Times / Scoring]

Middleburg H.T. (The Plains, VA) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Plantation Field H.T. (Coatesville, PA) [Website] [Entries] [Volunteer]

Queeny Park H.T. (Saint Louis, MI) [Website] [Volunteer] [Entries / Ride Times / Scoring]

River Glen June H.T. (New Market, TN) [Website] [Entries / Ride Times / Scoring]

News From Around the Globe:

We’re buzzing for Bromont this week — and to help you get up to speed with the competition to come, US Eventing has compiled some fast facts about the jewel in Canada’s crown. Check them out!

Gemma Steven’s (neé Tattersall) has spent the last few years splitting her time between eventing and showjumping. Now, she’s been given the chance to take part in one of the latter discipline’s most prestigious classes: the Hickstead Derby. Find out more about how it came together, plus meet her catch-ride, in this piece.

When young dressage rider Juliette Cain lost her father, she gained something crucial: clarity. This beautifully penned piece is a thoughtful, poignant reminder of how the people closest to us help define our worldview within our sport, too.

Whoopsie. Photo courtesy of Michael Willham.

I’m just going to steal this bit of wisdom from Michael Willham, who posted this on his Facebook page yesterday, because it is honestly so apt. Every day when I go to the barn, I’m reminded of this truth as I pick stalls and pull manes and spend just five more minutes massaging that poll.

If you ever want to find true enjoyment and satisfaction in horses, read this:

You have to enjoy the journey.
Enjoy the grind.
Enjoy the teeny tiny little baby steps.
Enjoy the challenge.
Enjoy the process.
Enjoy the setbacks and the steps forward.

Because 99.999% of horses is always going to be about the journey. The destination is *maybe* 0.001% of the time. Winning that competition, or maybe getting competent at a certain level. Sometimes the destination never comes. Riding can be a frustrating sport. Because even when we are on top of our game, we still need another living creature to also be on top of their game. Sometimes those stars align, and sometimes they don’t. So you have to enjoy and value the journey, because you never know if, or when, you’re ever going to get to the destination.

U.S. Weekend Preview

Carriage House Farm Combined Test (Hugo, MN) [Website] [Entries]

Essex H.T. (Medford, NJ) [Website] [Entries / Ride Times / Scoring] [Volunteer]

Genesee Valley Riding & Driving Club Spring H.T. (Geneseo, NY) [Website] [Entries / Ride Times / Scoring] [Volunteer]

GMHA June H.T. (South Woodstock, VT) [Website] [Entries] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

IEA Horse Trials (Edinburgh, IA) [Website] [Entries / Ride Times / Scoring] [Volunteer]

MCTA H.T. at Shawan Downs (Cockeysville, MD) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]

Ocala Summer H.T. I (Ocala, FL) [Website] [Entries] [Volunteer]

Poplar Place June H.T. (Hamilton, GA) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

The Spring Event at Archer (Cheyenne, WY) [Website] [Entries / Ride Times / Scoring] [Volunteer]

News From Around the Globe:

The equestrian world can seem, and is, very white, so what is the industry doing to become more accessible and inclusive? After Khadijah Mellah made history in 2019 by becoming the first British Muslim woman to win a UK horse race, brothers Oli Bell, Phil Bell and Naomi Lawson (all of whom had worked on the documentary, Riding A Dream that had followed her story) wanted to create a lasting legacy for the sport. They decided to set up the Riding A Dream Academy, which would help other young people from diverse communities get involved in racing, thereby helping to make it more diverse and inclusive. Thanks to the Racing Foundation, the academy now runs four programs that are all aimed at young people aged 14-18. [Riding A Dream Promotes Diversity]

In the fall of 2014, a sway-backed gelding sitting in an auction in Washington sold for his price-per-pound at $500. 2,400 miles away in Anchorage, Alaska,  Amy Brassard made the necessary arrangements to get her new dun Quarter Horse from the lower 48. With shipping and quarantine and vaccine, the process took about a week, and when the hauler called Amy, it was not with good news. She reported that she wouldn’t be surprised if he dropped dead upon arrival due to his starving state of being. He didn’t, and of course with a name from Frozen, Sven went on to be Amy’s horse of a lifetime. [From Rescue to Ribbons]

Best of Blogs: Crunchier But Wiser

If you’re like me, you love the thoroughbreds, but also acknowledge that they’re not for everybody. Horse Nation blogger and trainer Aubrey Graham explains it in her most recent article. “Thoroughbreds can be tough. Hell, all horses can be — of course they can. But I have found that this breed, perhaps more than others, will encourage folks to mosey into one of two camps: “horse people” or “people with horses.” And if you see a fit, happy, good-footed Thoroughbred, sure, some of it might be luck. But somewhere in its lineup of caretakers and humans, that horse probably has a “horse person” in its corner.” [Making Better Horse People]

Between the ears in Alabama! Photo courtesy of Cindy Beresh-Bryant.

I’m very sad that I won’t be competing at my favorite show of the year this weekend, Virginia Horse Trials, but I shall be in attendance for coaching and cheering all my friends! This spring was a lesson in how I wish I had worn my helmet more as a teenager, as I accumulated a few too many concussions from being a human lawn dart in my youth, and didn’t get my horse fit for competition. I used to pride myself on my ability and willingness to “get on anything”, but that was before I wised up and realized I should really be doing more groundwork with most of these horses to help them be slightly less terrifying under saddle. Anyway, turns out if you bang your head one too many times, you can get concussion symptoms later in life from just getting jostled. Cue me puking every day for two months straight and not being able to really ride my horse consistently. Friends, wear your helmet, and replace it when you fall off. Also, learn good groundwork, your head and your horse will thank you.

U.S. Weekend Preview

Equestrians’ Institute H.T. (Kenmore, WA) [Website] [Entries / Ride Times / Scoring] [Volunteer]

Flora Lea Spring H.T. (Medford, NJ) [Website] [Volunteer]

May-Daze at the Park H.T. (Lexington, KY) [Website] [Entries / Ride Times / Scoring] [Volunteer]

Mill Creek Pony Club Horse Trial (Kansas City, MO) [Website] [Entries / Ride Times / Scoring][Volunteer]

Spring Coconino H.T. (Flagstaff, AZ) [Website] [Entries / Ride Times / Scoring] [Volunteer]

Tryon International Spring H.T. (including the USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championship) (Mill Spring, NC) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

USEA MDHT YEH Qualifier (Adamstown, MD) [Website] [Volunteer]

Virginia Horse Center Eventing (Lexington, VA) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer][Scoring]

Willow Draw Charity Show (Weatherford, TX) [Website] [Entries / Ride Times / Scoring][Volunteer]

Woodside Spring H.T. (Woodside, CA) [Website] [Entries / Ride Times / Scoring] [Volunteer]

News From Around the Globe:

What’s it take to win a five-star with a seventeen-year-old horse? A whole lot, for many years, and an entire team of people behind you. It takes years and a full team effort to develop a horse to the top level of equestrian sport— with riders, owners, grooms, coaches, and many more focusing on giving a horse the best chance at success. This process was true for Mai Baum, known as Lexus, on his road to winning the 2023 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event with Tamie Smith in the irons. Smith remembered seeing Lexus, a 2006 German Sport Horse gelding owned by Alex Ahearn and her parents Ellen Ahearn and Eric Markell, for the first time when Alex rode him at Tamie’s farm. She was immediately impressed by the horse’s talent, but she didn’t know what was in store for the two of them. [The Lexus Journey]

The competition at CHIO Aachen this year will feature a retirement ceremony for Ingrid Klimke’s Hale Bob. What can we say about Bobby, other than he’s a legend of the sport? World Championships, European Championships, Olympic Games, five star wins he’s done it all. With 70 international events on his resume, and at nineteen years old, we will all get to watch him do one last lap of glory in Aachen. [Hale Bob Retires]

British Eventing has announced a “full stakeholder review” of abandonment insurance, as the fixtures calendar continues to be hindered by cancellations. BE said in light of the “unprecedented abandonments due to the prolonged adverse weather” it is undertaking a “full stakeholder review of the existing arrangements in relation to abandonment insurance”. This follows the cancellation of Rockingham International (18–21 May), as the ground had not dried “sufficiently to allow the event to proceed in a safe manner”. Chatsworth International (12–14 May) cancelled some classes, including the CCI2*-S, after heavy rain. Chepstow at Howick (16–17 May) also abandoned because of the weather. [BE Fears Calendar Collapse]

If you want to shave some points off your dressage score, who better to ask than Carl Hester? “We want the horse in self carriage, and that means the rider has to be in self carriage and without a strong core, that is very difficult to do. Then you won’t need your arms or legs to hold you in the saddle – they must be soft and independent of your body.” [Carl on Self Carriage for Horse & Rider]

 

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You know what, this video above made my whole week. Pippa Funnel, Tim Price, and Gemma Stevens taking their horses into the lake at Badminton, after the prize giving ceremony, and letting them splash off the mud. Tim’s horse is a menace and I love it, and his splashes make everyone giggle and realize in our hearts that this is the moment when you remember the reason for this entire horse obsession. All the long hours, the money, the hard work, the tears, the blood, the money you should have spent on a therapist, the ramen noodles, the sweat, the poop, all of it; this is what it’s about. Love. And if it’s not for the love of the horse, and with happiness at the forefront of your mission as a rider, then this is not the sport for you.

U.S. Weekend Preview

Tryon International Three Day Event (Mill Spring, NC) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer][Scoring]

Galway Downs Spring H.T. (Temecula, CA) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Hitching Post Farm H.T. (South Royalton, VT) [Website] [Entries / Ride Times / Scoring][Volunteer]

Majestic Oaks Ocala H.T. (Reddick, FL) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Plantation Field H.T. (Coatesville, PA) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Spokane Sport Horse Spring H.T. (Spokane, WA) [Website] [Entries / Ride Times / Scoring][Volunteer]

Winona Horse Trials (Hanoverton, OH) [Website] [Entries / Ride Times / Scoring] [Volunteer]

News From Around the Globe:

High level competition horses are older than ever, with more than a handful peaking at 15 or older. With that, comes a new challenge, of managing a horse of that age, at that level. Obviously this starts with management at home, and consistency throughout their lives in as many aspects as possible. This fascinatingly science based article details just how to keep your horse performing at his best for as long as possible, and feeling great. [Keeping the Older Horse Performance-Ready]

In April 2023, the USEF announced that beginning in September, foreign participants will no longer be permitted to participate in USEF national competitions unless they join USEF as Competing Members. As well, individuals 18 and older must take SafeSport Training to be eligible to participate in national USEF shows. This news was understandably met with a barrage of questions from riders across the globe, so Horse Sport got some answers for you. [Clarifications on New USEF Rule]

Tamie Smith is a name that is known in the eventing world, especially after her recent win with Mai Baum at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™ CCI5*-L. Following in her mother’s footsteps and making a name for herself is Kaylawna Smith-Cook. This talented mother-daughter duo is taking eventing’s international stage by storm and helping one another along the way. The pair are competing against one another in the CCI4*-L at Tryon this weekend, but I guarantee they’re each others biggest cheerleader. [Mother Daughter Power Duo]

The MARS Bromont Rising U25 scholarship program has announced the first recipients of this year’s grant funding for riders aiming to compete in the MARS Bromont CCI. Each will receive $2,500 toward their travel and competition costs and participate in an extensive educational program during the event. The brainchild of Bromont organizer Sue Ockendon and the late Steve Blauner, the scholarship program was first offered in 2019 for riders competing at Bromont and at the time Ocala, and was expanded to include Galway Downs in 2022. Highlighting this year’s program is the return of three-time German Olympic team member Bettina Hoy as a guest coach for 2023. Hoy will be coaching athletes on dressage days as well as providing course walks for cross-country and show jumping. [Bromont Rising Scholarship Recipients]

Game face much? Photo courtesy of Jennie Saville.

Spring might mean many things to different people but to me, it means one thing. Okay, maybe two. Mowing and weed-whacking. I spend more hours mowing in the spring than doing pretty much anything else (except riding of course!) and I finally got myself a battery powered weed-whacker (highly recommend) which is super lightweight and means I’m not dying of shoulder soreness after taking care of the fence lines. I am, however, still vibrating from mowing my top fields for several hours.

U.S. Weekend Preview

Tryon International Three Day Event (Mill Spring, NC) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer][Scoring]

Galway Downs Spring H.T. (Temecula, CA) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Hitching Post Farm H.T. (South Royalton, VT) [Website] [Entries / Ride Times / Scoring][Volunteer]

Majestic Oaks Ocala H.T. (Reddick, FL) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Plantation Field H.T. (Coatesville, PA) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Spokane Sport Horse Spring H.T. (Spokane, WA) [Website] [Entries / Ride Times / Scoring][Volunteer]

Winona Horse Trials (Hanoverton, OH) [Website] [Entries / Ride Times / Scoring] [Volunteer]

News From Around the Globe:

Thoughts on the action at Badminton….Mark Phillips has some. Namely, he thinks that horsemanship and standards of riding are declining in his opinion. In the case of certain individuals, I definitely agree. However, I saw some excellent horsemanship as well last weekend. [Mark Phillips Dissatisfied With Equestrians of Today]

The Tryon International Spring Three-Day Event is next up on the busy spring calendar. Held at the Tryon International Equestrian Center in Mill Spring, North Carolina, this year’s top division, the CCI4*-L, features a group of 20 pairs, many who are coming from their final prep run in the Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S (Lexington, Kentucky) two weeks ago. The event also features a CCI1*-S, CCI2*-L, CCI2*-S, CCI3*-L, CCI3*-S, CCI4*-S, and an Advanced division for a total of 169 entries. Get to know all your fast facts before the action begins today! [Tryon International Fast Facts]

Kelly Prather has had a wild journey in her riding career. From leadline ponies in California, to obtaining her British Horse Society Qualifications in England, to helping Carol Gee establish the now well-known Fernhill Sport Horses, to competing at the World Cup Eventing Finals in Poland, to working for William Fox-Pitt, all the way to sourcing and producing incredible upper-level horses in Florida. I mean….I even left out some of the cool stops on the way and that already sounds like a hell of a career! [Kelly Prather’s Eventing Journey Around the World]

New scientific research is challenging what many think is absolute truth about the right age to begin working a horse. The most common area where tw0-year-olds have a job is the racing industry, and racing 2-year-olds is sometimes viewed as rushing young horses that aren’t yet physically mature. Some people, both in racing and in other disciplines, believe horses shouldn’t compete until they’re older. Scientific research, however, is telling us exactly the opposite. Horses generally develop stronger and stay sounder if they begin training and racing at 2, provided trainers tailor schedules appropriately for each individual. [Developing Young Racehorses]

Turkey says he’s ready for the trot-ups. Photo by Kate Samuels.

Every year during this week, I’m shocked at how fast Badminton follows Kentucky, even though that’s an entirely predictable situation that repeats itself annually…I’m still surprised. I didn’t even go to Kentucky, and I’m still emotionally exhausted, never mind being one of those insane riders who actually compete at both! This year’s Badminton looks a little different, with everything delayed one day due to King Charles III’s coronation. Badminton will be celebrating both, with a break in the competition and the royal shenanigans shown on big screens at the event.

Before anything…you’ve checked out both our Badminton Ultimate Guide and EN’s Form Guide, right??

The competition begins in earnest on Friday this year, with the first day of dressage beginning at 9am BST / 4am EDT / 1am PDT. For those of you Stateside who tune in live – respect! All hail the eventing superfans. It’s a full day of dancing on Friday before it all starts again on Saturday at 8am BST / 3am EDT / Midnight PDT.

That’s right – Saturday is NOT cross country day. I repeat – Saturday is NOT cross country day!

We start off Saturday with the second day of dressage, then there will be a break in the proceedings at 10:15am BST / 5:15am EDT / 2:15am PDT for the Coronation. The pony action gets back underway at 12:45pm BST / 7:45am EDT / 4:45am PDT.

If you can’t be there in person, the next best thing is watching all of the action on Badminton TV. This is a paid-for service and, as well as the live event and the option to watch on playback, you get a year’s access to all of the other brilliant Badminton content on the platform. Sign up here.

And whether you’re on site, at home, even at work (if you insert a sneaky earphone), keep up with all things Badminton on the event’s dedicated radio station. Headsets at the ready. Tune in here.

If you just can’t wait ’til Sunday (I repeat, SUNDAY) to get all up in cross country business, get up close and personal with all the fences on Eric Winter’s course here and read about Tilly’s course walk with the man himself here.

And once you’re up on all the stats and facts and form, use it to your advantage when picking your Eventing Manager team. The team at EquiRatings is giving you $10,000,000 to splash on 5* horses and the chance to top the leaderboard in your own right. Find out how to get your hands on the cash (virtually, anyway) here.

What will Chinch think of the British weather? Will he wangle an invitation with the King? Keep it locked onto EN for all of our Badminton coverage and follow @goeventing for all the news, frolics and stories from the event.

Badminton Horse Trials (Glos. UK)
[Website] [Entries] [Schedule] [Live Stream] [Badminton Radio] [EN’s Coverage] [EN’s Ultimate Guide]

U.S. Weekend Preview

Catalpa Corner May Madness Horse Trials (Iowa City, IA) [Website] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Riga Meadow at Coole Park Combined Test (Millbrook, NY) [Website] [Scoring]

Stable View Local Charities H.T. (Aiken, SC) [Website] [Entries] [Volunteer]

The Event at Skyline (Mt. Pleasant, UT) [Website] [Entries / Ride Times / Scoring] [Volunteer]

Texas Rose Horse Park H.T. (Tyler, TX) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Waredaca H.T. (Laytonsville, MD) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

WindRidge Farm Spring H.T. (Mooresboro, NC) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]

News From Around the Globe:

Stella Artois is doing much better after her injury on cross country last Saturday. Jennie has posted videos and photos of Toddie looking well as she left Hagyard Equine Medical Institute yesterday and headed for her temporary recovery home with Liz Halliday-Sharp. Toddie suffered a severe tendon injury to her right front leg late in the course at Kentucky, and was not weight bearing at the time of her transfer to the hospital. The mare had spent a significant amount of time rehabbing for a tendon injury to her left front leg last year. [Toddie on the Mend]

There’s a whole bunch of Badminton videos available to watch for free on the website. From the 2019 highlights program and winner’s interviews, to a virtual ride round the cross country and a short history of the event, there’s everything you need to get your Badminton fix while you’re waiting for this year’s action to kick off. [A Ride Round the Archives]

Zara Tindall blessed us with her attendance to Kentucky last week, and finished 15th, because she has rather important events to attend during Badminton. You know, the coronation of her uncle, or whatever. She did a surprisingly decent interview with People (not surprising that she was decent, surprising that a non-horse publication didn’t massacre all the details of our sport) about her time in Kentucky, and how she always grew up with horses as a common denominator in the family. The Royal Family. [Zara Talks Horses]

There will be access to on-site mental health and wellbeing support for all riders and grooms at Badminton this year. Provided by Riders Minds – a charity dedicated to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of equestrians – there will be a wellbeing hub and on-site counselor for the duration of the event. [Let’s Talk Mental Health]

For the first time in known history, a female horse has been born from a cloned male donor.  The filly, which lacks a Y chromosome and has normal female external genitals, is otherwise a healthy, exact DNA clone of a confirmed XY male, said researchers in Argentina. She is also a twin sister to an XY clone from the same donor, born at approximately the same time from a different surrogate mare. The phenomenon appears to have occurred due to the spontaneous loss of the entire Y chromosome, the researchers revealed in their PLOS ONE publication. Therefore, the animal is not a standard “XX” female but, rather, an “X0” female. [Cloning Gone Weird With Argentinian Foals]

Looking cool and collected before the jog. Photo by Boyd Martin.

It’s here folks! We’re in Kentucky for the most wonderful week of the year! No matter what, this week in April is always incredibly exciting and special, and Kentucky is in full bloom to make everything look spectacular. The jogs went swimmingly yesterday, and today we’ve got the first group of dressage, including more than a few pairs to keep your eyes on. Hot favorite Mai Baum goes today at 3:12 in the afternoon, and Aachen winner Off The Record is last to go at 4:33 PM. We will be bringing you all the updates on the 4* and the 5* every day, in exhaustive detail and including so many pictures your brain might melt. Strap in!

If you’re lucky enough to be in Lexington, make sure you’ve downloaded the Scavenger Hunt appto be in with a chance of winning a 2024 4-Star Trailers two-horse trailer. That’s right, a brand spanking new trailer is up for grabs, which must motivate some serious scavenging. Happy hunting!

And if you just can’t wait ‘til Saturday to get a glimpse of the – now totally famous – corgi, join EN and Ride iQ for a FREE cross country preview on Friday at 4:30pm. Register here.

Oh, also, if you’re at the event this week, and you want to win a chance to hang out with Thomas and Contessa (and the rest of Boyd’s crew), you can enter the raffle at the LubriSyn Booth in the vendor village before noon on Friday!

If you’re not able to make it to the Bluegrass State, you don’t have to miss out – you can watch all of the action from the comfort of your sofa. Find out how, here.

Will this be the event when I finally beat my non-horsey husband at Eventing Manager? The stats suggest it’s unlikely, but I’ll be ponying up nonetheless. Download the app, pick your team, spend $10,000,000 – simple. And if you want some insider info to help you make your selections, we’ve got your back. Check out the EN Form Guide here.

And whilst your head’s in predictions mode, it’s time to enter EN’s LRK3DE Pick ‘Em and Win competition. Entries close tomorrow (Thursday at 12:45pm EST / 9:45am PDT) so don’t delay. There’s just one question – Who’s going to win the 5*? There’s a cool prize from Achieve Equine for the US-based winner. Put your prediction in here.

Keep up with EVERYTHING by following @goeventing and checking out EN’s coverage of the #BestWeekendAllYear.

U.S. Weekend Preview

LRK3DE: [Website] [5* Dressage Times] [4* Dressage Times] [Schedule] [Live Stream] [Tickets] [EN’s Form Guide] [EN’s Coverage] [EN’s Ultimate Guide]

Horse Park of New Jersey Spring H.T. (Allentown, NJ) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times][Volunteer]

Loudoun Hunt Pony Club Spring H.T. (Leesburg, VA) [Website] [Entries] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

University of New Hampshire Spring H.T. (Durham, NH) [Website] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

News From Around the Globe:

Want more LRK3DE info each day during competition? Sign up for the free LRK3DE Daily Digest email, which will be sent each day beginning Tuesday, April 25 through Monday, May 1. Find all of EN’s latest coverage, sponsor promotions and discounts, chances to win daily giveaways, and much more! Click here to sign up.

Ain’t got time to do all your research on the competitors this weekend? Don’t worry, just check out these Kentucky Fast Facts, and find out all the salient details, fun tidbits, and more. [Kentucky Fast Facts]

Thoroughbred fanatics are sure to be out in force this weekend, and the Retired Racehorse Project is there to make your TB dreams come true. They’re offering a plethora of activities this weekend for fans of the breed, including a course walk with Elisa Wallace, a jumping clinic with Buck Davidson and several RRP graduates, a guide on picking the right prospect with Rosie Napravnik Sharp, and a masterclass with Sara Kozumplik. [Thoroughbreds Rule Kentucky]

Packing for Kentucky as a spectator is daunting enough (are all the clothes in my closet enough??), but packing as a groom for a competitor? Yikes! There is nobody better equipped to explain the process in thoughtful detail than Emma Ford, who has quite possibly mastered the art of grooming at the 5* level. She’s grooming for Sydney Solomon and Early Review C as they tackle their first attempt at this level, and after reading this I want her to organize my life. [Packing for Kentucky with Emma Ford]

Liz Halliday-Sharp has an exciting five-star first-timer in Miks Master C, who was originally sent to her to sell. After sitting on him one time though, she was in awe and everyone on her team agreed that she needed to find a way to keep him in her barn. She says that he is the best horse she’s ever ridden, and considering the quality of horse she’s usually mounted on, that’s quite a statement. Get to know Mikki more here. [Meet Miks Master C]

Best of Blogs: Thoroughbred Logic — The Kick Ride Debacle 

I’m sure the competitor’s party at Kentucky is taking notes….

 

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The week before Kentucky seems as good a time as any to think about the great Headley Brittania, winner of Kentucky in 2009, as well as winning Burghley in 2006 and Badminton in 2007. Ten years to the day of her untimely death, five of her grandchildren competed and did her proud under the guidance of Lucinda Fredericks’ daughter, Ellie. Upsi Britannia and Upper Class Brit (embryo transfer twins by Upsilon and Little Britannia), Britannia’s Bijou and Pure Britannia went double-clear at Larkhill, with both mares finishing on their dressage scores to win their sections. Another one of her grandchildren competed in the BE100, ridden by Greta Mason. What an incredible legacy, especially with two of them carrying Upsilon’s bloodlines as well.

U.S. Weekend Preview

Fair Hill International April H.T. & CCI-S (Elkton, MD) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer][Scoring]

Meadowcreek Park – The Spring Social Event (Kosse, Texas) [Website] [Entries] [Volunteer][Scoring]

Ocala International Festival of Eventing (Ocala, Florida) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times][Volunteer] [Scoring]

River Glen Spring H.T. (New Market, TN) [Website] [Entries / Ride Times / Scoring]

Sporting Days Farm April H.T. III (Aiken, SC) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

News From Around the Globe:

Want more LRK3DE info each day during competition? Sign up for the free LRK3DE Daily Digest email, which will be sent each day beginning Tuesday, April 25 through Monday, May 1. Find all of EN’s latest coverage, sponsor promotions and discounts, chances to win daily giveaways, and much more! Click here to sign up.

Cooley Lands, who finished third at Badminton Horse Trials in 2019, will retire from eventing. Owner Kate Walls decided it was time to call it a day on the 15-year-old’s career after he sustained an injury in March. By Cavalier Land out of a Clover Hill mare, “Cyril” competed both with Kate and with Australia’s Chris Burton. With Chris, he won the eight- and nine-year-old class at Blenheim Horse Trials in 2017 and was a member of the Australian team at the 2018 World Equestrian Games (WEG), while he and Kate enjoyed seven top-20 placings in international competitions together up to four-star level. [Cooley Lands Retires]

You might not be heading to Kentucky, but your first USEA event sure feels like it. If you’re gearing up to join the ranks of the insane, you’ll need this handy guide to know what to prepare for. What kind of registrations are required? What should you expect? What to pack?? All these and more will be answered toute suite. [3…2…1…Have a Great Ride!]

The USEF Board of Directors met earlier this week and approved proposed extraordinary rule changes which apply to the sport of eventing. These rule changes will go into effect on May 1st, 2023, at which point the official USEF Rules for Eventing will also be updated. In order to best help competitors prepare for these new updates, we have provided outlines below, specifically to the most highly-discussed rule change proposal surrounding falls on cross-country outlined in rule EV122. [Rule Changes]

Badminton is getting ready to debut some cross country changes for a whole new look. Both riders and spectators at Badminton Horse Trials, presented by Mars Equestrian, will be treading new ground on the cross-country course, which was unveiled this week. Eric Winter, the course-designer, has utilised an undulating new area of the Park where the topography will refresh the track and offer enhanced viewing. [Badminton Unveils New Look]

Get you some dressage warmup tips from Lauren Nicholson:

 

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One of my favorite fields in summer. Photo by Kate Samuels.

I love that riding horses is one of the few ways to really explore anymore, unless you’re some kind of lunatic who hikes all the time. And even then, hikers don’t always get the same access that riders do through neighborhood equestrian throughway permission. I’m unbelievably lucky to have grown up with my horses in an area of Virginia where there are lots of equestrians, and lots of fox hunting. While I don’t hunt anymore, it does have the advantage of an enormous trail system covering several properties that connect right to mine. My neighbor has about 2,000 acres, all in conservation easement and all horse friendly,

U.S. Weekend Preview

FENCE H.T. (Tryon, NC) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring]

Longleaf Pine H.T. (Raeford, NC) [Website] [Entries] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Plantation Field Horse Trials (Coatesville, PA) [Website] [Entries] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Poplar Place April H.T. (Hamilton, GA) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]

Spring Bay H.T. (Lexington, KY) [Website] [Entries / Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Twin Rivers Spring International (Paso Robles, CA) [Website] [Entries / Ride Times] [Volunteer][Scoring]

News From Around the Globe:

The Badminton entry list – which doesn’t have a waitlist for the first time in memory — has been slightly diminished. One high-profile withdrawal comes from young superstar Bubby Upton, whose Cannavaro (one of two on her roster for the event) sadly sustained an injury after his eleventh place finish at Thoresby. The other comes from longtime five-star competitor Louise Harwood, whose entry was invalidated by the FEI’s tightening of qualifications in November. You can read more here. 

It’s bad news for bad men this week: showjumper Rich Fellers, whose name already sets the sport up for far too many jokes from the mainstream media, is potentially looking at a federal prison sentence after sexually assaulting an underage student. Sucks to be him. 

Regulating education standards in the industry is a complex and ongoing issue, but the introduction of instructor certification programs is a huge help. George Williams makes a compelling argument for why we should all be using them more — and why fear of failure isn’t a good enough reason not to. Dive in.

Kentucky’s coming up quick! Want LRK3DE info each day during competition? Sign up for the free LRK3DE Daily Digest email, which will be sent each day beginning Tuesday, April 25 through Monday, May 1. Find all of EN’s latest coverage, sponsor promotions and discounts, chances to win daily giveaways, and much more! Click here to sign up.

 

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Congratulations to Roxie and everyone at Michael Jung’s farm, as they welcomed her second foal this week! I doubt that many foals can say their momma won quite as much as Roxie, nor can many brag that their Uncle Sam was quite something in his day as well. No pressure little guy, but we expect big things! Also, how good does Roxie look in retirement? We really love seeing our favorite competitors enjoying life after their careers are wrapped up, and Roxie looks like she has taken to motherhood well.

U.S. Weekend Preview

Stable View Spring 2/3/4* and H.T. (Aiken, SC) [Website] [Entries] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

CDCTA Spring H.T. (Ruckersville, VA) [Website] [Volunteer][Scoring]

Pine Hill Spring H.T (Belleville, TX) [Website] [Entries / Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Rocking Horse Spring H.T (Altoona, FL) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]

News From Around the Globe:

Are you attending Stable View’s FEI & H.T. this weekend? If you’re around Friday afternoon, be sure to join us along with FEI course designer Capt. Mark Phillips and Boyd Martin for an exclusive behind the scenes cross country preview of the CCI4*-S. We’ll meet on the cross country side of the Hunt Boxes on site at 4:30 p.m. on Friday afternoon. See you there!

Have you ever wanted to attend adult summer camp with horses? Yeah, that’s basically a rhetorical question. One blogger was lucky enough to attend the Florida Horse Trials Association annual CAMP, a 2-day clinic in Ocala jam-packed with riding and unmounted learning sessions from a slew of talented eventing professionals, and wrote about her experiences. Spoiler: she had way too much fun. [Takeaways From Eventing Camp]

Andrew Hoy has some advice for event riders training their horses at any level. “I really believe that horses are very generous and they are on our side. They can also become frightened, so it is important that we don’t ask them anything beyond their capabilities. You can keep them on your side by being quiet with them. They have to be believers in you, and understand what you are asking. I think that we as riders can get too aggressive when something doesn’t happen the way we want. You have to remember that the experiences the horses have, especially if they are bad, aren’t forgotten easily. It takes a long time to work through those bad experiences.” [Eventing Safety with Andrew Hoy]

The GMHA Festival of Eventing will return to Woodstock, Vermont August 11th – 13th for horse trials and FEI CCI2*S and CCI3*S level competition with $10,000 in prize money. Rich in history, the GMHA Horse Trials began in 1957 and was one of the first to be held in the US since the US Cavalry Team competed in the 1948 Olympics. Today, it is the only remaining FEI competition for northern New England equestrians and this year promises several well-thought-out improvements for all division competitors. Featuring a multi-day horse trials format for a better competitor experience, GMHA hopes to see you this fall! [GMHA Brings FEI to New England]

The GOAT. (No chihuahuas were harmed in the making of this photo) Photo by Kate Samuels.

I know there are 4* events happening this weekend or whatever, but I’ve got really big news you guys. They FINALLY added a donkey emoji. Do you know how many years I’ve been waiting for this? How many emoji captions I’ve missed? Well, thank goodness, it’s here to stay and Pepé is delighted for one. My resident mostly-free-range miniature donkey slash sneaky criminal is always a highlight at the farm, and delightfully smart and naughty while also being adorable and well-behaved. He deserves the recognition.

U.S. Weekend Preview

Chattahoochee Hills H.T. (Fairburn, GA) [Website] [Entries] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Galway Downs International H.T (Temecula, CA) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer][Scoring]

Jumping Branch Farm H.T (Aiken, SC) [Website] [Entries] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Morven Park Spring H.T. (Leesburg, VA) [Website] [Entries] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

The Event at TerraNova (Myakka City, FL) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

News From Around the Globe:

Speaking of four-star events, we’ve got a few this weekend to keep your eye on. If you’re looking at the entries at Kentucky, you’ll see a lot of them contesting their final event this weekend, whether at Terranova or Galway Downs. With 56 entries in the CCI4*-S at Terranova, they’re boasting representation from five countries, and a star studded field. Get the low down on this East Coast throw down today! But, don’t forget about the strong contingent from the West Coast! Galway Downs CCI4*-S might only have 12 entries, there are plenty of Kentucky-bound pairs, as well as some exciting debutantes. Get up to speed with Galway Downs here.

The opportunities for developing young horses in the US has never been more exciting. With the YEH Championships for both East and West Coast seeing more and more entries, and incentives for US breeders expand, we are experiencing more interest and success in the World Breeding Championships at Mondial du Lion. In addition, at the 2022 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention, the USEA Board of Governors voted to approve the inagural U.S. based 6- and 7-year-old young event horse championships to take place in 2023. So how do you get more involved with your young horse? I’ve got your answers here. [Setting Goals for Young Event Horses]

I have nowhere else to put this so…..here are 10 Hilarious Horse Jokes you’re welcome.

Running a boarding barn is not for the faint of heart. It can be fun sometimes, and satisfying to provide good care for your charges, but I think most of us would agree that only the slightly unhinged decide to jump in this pool. Good news for you, we’re all unhinged! And we’ve got tips on how to run the best darnedest boarding barn that won’t drive you crazy, your clients won’t kill you for, and maybe you’ll make some money?? [Best Boarding Barn Practices]

The Virginia Horse Center is back on it’s feet for the future of equestrian sport, thanks to some drastic changes. The Virginia Horse Center had brought thousands of visitors, and their money, to the Lexington region for almost 40 years. But when it fell on hard times, its backers feared it would have to be put out to pasture. A top-to-bottom overhaul got it back on track, with changes to management at all levels, investments in updating the facilities, and new board members committed to saving VHC for the future. [Virginia Horse Center on the Upswing]

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Equiratings has come out with their early predictions for who shall win Badminton 2023! Will we see a repeat with Laura Collett and London 52? After their incredible year last year, it’s hard to imagine anyone topping them, but with the unpredictable nature of our sport, anything goes. And honestly, that list of ten horses is astonishingly stacked, and I wouldn’t bet against a single one of them.

U.S. Weekend Preview

Full Gallop Farm March II H.T. (Aiken, SC) [Website] [Volunteer]

March Horse Trials at Majestic Oaks (Ocala, FL) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer][Scoring]

Texas Rose Horse Park H.T (Tyler, TX) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

News From Around the Globe:

Caroline Martin had a very successful year abroad in 2022. She took two of her top horses, HSH Blake and HSH Connor to the Young Horse Championships at Le Lion, finishing 10th in the CCI3* and 2nd in the CCI2*. Caroline spent much of her year in England training with Pippa Funnell, which allowed her to pick up strong placings at the Preliminary and two-star levels with “Connor.” As a result, the Irish Sport Horse gelding (Connor 48 x Galwaybay Merstona), who’s owned by Martin, Sherrie Martin and Luann McElduff, was named the 2022 USEA Preliminary 6-Year-Old of the Year. [HSH Connor Wins USEA 6-Year-Old Award]

Super-groom Courtney Carson is stepping into a new role as US Coordinator for the International Groom’s Association. Having stepped back from working as a full time groom, Courtney has been able to devote some time to helping strengthen the IGA presence in the US. Read her blog to learn more about her background and plans for the future! [Courtney Carson Joins IGA]

Over the last month, U.S. Eventing hosted its annual series of training sessions in Ocala, beginning with the Emerging Training Session and ending with the Development Training Session and Elite and Pre-Elite Training Sessions. The programs are part of the U.S. Eventing Pathway, which is focused on developing combinations to deliver sustainable success in team competition at the championship level. In total, 24 athletes were named to the Emerging and Development programs–all part of the Eventing Pathway Programs–ahead of the training sessions. Take a look at the goals from each session and a rewind of each group’s experiences. [Rewinding USEA Training Sessions]

I think we’ve all dreamt of having a custom Breyer of our favorite horse in the barn. Well, Buck Davidson can now check that off his list. Ballynoe Castle RM, or “Reggie,” the Irish Sport Horse who became the U.S. Eventing Association’s highest point-scoring horse of all time in 2014. Reggie was made into Breyer model in 2019, though his release planned at Breyerfest in 2020 was canceled due to COVID-19. But now he’s here!! [Reggie is an Actual Breyer Model Now]

Photo via Christine Smith Lo

If you’re into fun Between the Ears photos like me, I highly recommend the Facebook group of the same name. You’ll get to see photos like this one, which I’m pretty sure is the most perfect photo I’ve ever seen, and photos from riders all around the world. I love seeing the different places that riders can explore on horseback, and it’s maybe the last true way to see some of these places. Riding out of the ring has always been a soothing meditation for me, and I’m lucky that my neighbor has 2,000 acres in conservation easement, so I’m a big fan of photos between the ears.

U.S. Weekend Preview

Setters’ Run Farm Carolina International: [Website] [Entries] [Schedule] [Ride Times] [Dressage Order of Go] [Live Scoring] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage] [EN’s Form Guide] [Volunteer]

Ocala Winter II (Ocala, FL) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Pine Top Spring H.T (Thomson, GA) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Ram Tap National H.T. (Fresno, CA) [Website] [Volunteer] [Entries / Ride Times / Scoring]

News From Around the Globe:

Things that only seem normal for horse people: a court case over a dead stallion’s semen. Paul Schockemöhle won his case against Totilas’ previous owner, Kees Visser, to hold exclusive breeding rights with any frozen semen from the stallion. The case hinged on whether buying Totilas in 2010 for €9.5m – in a verbal agreement – included exclusive breeding rights. It also focused on whether a box of 301 semen straws with a value of “at least several hundred thousand euros” delivered to the new owner were a gift or something else. I’m sorry, I’m still stuck on the VERBAL agreement part with that much money!! [Totilas Legal Dispute]

Stretching! I love it! For my horses, that is. I have several horses that truly need them, appreciate them, and feel better when I do them before and after a ride. However, it’s not as simple as yanking their legs out front once after you tighten the girth. Making sure that the muscles are not strained by your methods, and knowing the difference between static and active stretching is important. Learn more here and make your horse happy! [Stretch Your Horse]

If you need more proof that stretching your horse is a good idea…have a look at Off The Record’s daily stretching routine. Timmy even has a specially made stretching block that he is eager to utilize! [Stretching Time with Timmy]