Comet’s Friday News from FLAIR

Becky and Comet rock my socks

Good morning Eventing Nation!

Stateside it’s all about the AECs and Courageous Comet!  You know it’s just another day at the office for Comet when he’s leading the dressage by over 5 points. NBD. Danielle Dichting and The Graduate lead the Intermediate Championship division. That’s another horse I wouldn’t mind having in my fantasy football league barn. It is football season, can’t help it.

Preliminary Horse, Preliminary J/YR, Training Amateur and Training Horse all have their dressage leaders on scores of 2s and 7s. I thought it was all about ps and qs. Doug Payne really likes his score of 22.7 because he’s leading both the Preliminary and Training Horse divisions on that score with Royal Tribute and Lysander, respectively. Not a bad score to get twice.. So far, the Training to Advanced levels all had dressage winners in the 20s. Can our Novice and Beginner Novice riders break into the teens?! No pressure. But, 230987132847 EN karma points for those that do. Not like you’d need it with that kind of score. 

AEC’s: [Website] [Live Scores] [Ride Times]

This Weekend’s US Events:

Maryland HT: [Website] [Entry Status]

Aspen Farms HT: [Website] [Status/Times/Live Scores]

Copper Meadows HT: [Website] [Status/Times/Live Scores]

King Oak Farm HT: [Website] [Entry Status]

Five Points HT: [Website] [Status/Times]

Bucks County Horse Park HT: [Website] [Status/Times/Live Scores]

Across the pond, it’s about Blenheim. Andrew Nicholson and Quimbo are leading the first day of CIC3* dressage on a 35.1 followed closely by Piggy French on a 36.3 with West Side. Wonder if there’s a story there.  Tim Boland leads with GV Billy Elliot. I guess I’m naming my next horse after a Broadway musical and changing my citizenship. Emily Beshear and Here’s To You are first up today in the Friday session of CCI3* dressage. MLM and RF Smoke on the Water are fourth to last today. We wish our American counterparts the best of luck! Blenheim: [Website] [Live Scores] [Entries]

Let’s get back to the AEC’s! USEventing has their Day 1 Dressage Recap. Hear from Becky while she holds COmet right after her dressage test. Their partnership is just amazing, and you can really hear how special he is to her in her voice. Doug says of his two first place dressage winners, ““They are kind of big but very light on their feet and do not act their size. They are like big puppy dogs. I am very lucky to have these guys.” Everyone keeps talking about how Hugh Lochore has changed the xc course for the better and it looks challenging, but fun. And, of course, no matter how it all goes tomorrow, the competitor’s party starts at 6:30 pm. [USEventing]

How about a photo op? Here are some lovely shots of the winning Training and Preliminary Dressage rides courtesy of the USEA. [Looking snazzy]

And the Intermediate dressage riders. [USEA Intermediate]

And the Advanced competitors. [USEA-Advanced]

Want to get 30 minutes closer to the end of your Friday workday? Check out this xc preview video from the USEA. As challenging as the xc course is, it’s not all maxed out according to Hugh. Interviews with Hannah Burnett at the water complex and Holly Payne at the bank complex also included! [USEA XC Video]

Sinead blogs about Burghley, and it’s a fabulous, albeit, short read. You can actually get a sense of her emotions, concentration, perseverance and sportsmanship in the few short paragraphs. From entering the start box to preparing to competing, Sinead Halpin is tough as nails, a class act, and a wonderful horseman. Is there anything she can’t do?! [Flawless]

Now, I have a degree in mathematics, so I don’t know English very well. Can’t communicate with words effectively. Hence all the strikeouts.. I digress. Even my math symbols can’t help me now. We have “≠” for “does not equal”, but no sign for “unequal.” And Jim Wofford is unequaled. His latest Practical Horseman article should be read by all.  Again, in math we can only say “for all”: . The first part is about too tight nosebands and doing things the way we do because that’s the fad or how it’s been not because it’s best for that horse. The second section is on correct galloping position. Educate yourselves under Jimmy’s guidance. [Jimmy is a God]

 The British Horse Society has decided to act on equine squatting or fly grazing. Basically, letting your horses graze on property that you don’t own or rent. It has been outlawed starting September 1. If a landowner complains to the police about horses fly grazing, and the complaint is founded, offenders will face six months in jail or a £5000 fine or both. [Seems legit]

There are no words for this kind of animal cruelty. Northstar, a wonderful 6 year old horse in Crawford County, PA, was intentionally set on fire. There’s a website set up to help him recover and an award for any information leading to an arrest and conviction. [Help Northstar] Thanks to Anna for the tip.

In more sad news, a barn fire in New Hampshire has left 14 horses dead. They were able to save 8 horses and a pig. Firefighters from almost a dozen towns came to help extinguish the flames on the 10,000 square foot barn. They contained the fire in under an hour. A cause is still being investigated. [Union Leader]

Found on Facebook: Liz Lund has been video blogging her way from Minnesota to the AECs. They debate what makes a good competitor’s party, how to use a turn signal, arriving at Chatt Hills, after a quick stop off at Pollard Eventing….  Here’s Natalie Johnson, Pollard Eventing’s newest Minnesota employee in the flesh! [Hi Natalie]

More FB videos: A throwback to Bounder and Jessica Pye at Richland in their first CIC3*. Enjoy! [Bounder’s xc]

Also found on Facebook: this is where Denny Emerson will be this weekend if you need him.

Top of the Tweets: Royal Tribute, Doug Payne’s ride at the AECs, taking a little nighty. [@DPEquestrian]

Best of the Blogs: Kate Chadderton of Victory Sport Horses has had a personal best day from Day 1 at the AECs.  With her horses scoring in the 30s, she’s in good position going in to xc tomorrow. [Go Kate!]

 

Our friends at FLAIR will are out and about at the AECs so be sure to stop by and visit with them.  Go eventing.

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