Lauren Kieffer and Meadowbrook's Scarlett. Photo by Jenni Autry.
We’ve been waiting on pins and needles here at EN headquarters for the Boekelo CCIO3* entry list to go live, and here it is! Ninety-seven horses and riders from 13 countries are entered to compete in the final leg of 2016 FEI Nations Cup Eventing series, including five U.S. combinations.
Lauren Kieffer and Meadowbrook’s Scarlett: Lauren Kieffer is no stranger to Boekelo, having competed at the event in both 2013 and 2015. Now she returns with Pan American Games team gold medalist Meadowbrook’s Scarlett, a 9-year-old Thoroughbred/Holsteiner mare owned by Marie le Menestrel, who will be making her overseas debut and fourth career CCI3* start.
Kylie Lyman and Lup the Loop: Kylie has been competing in Europe through the summer and fall season and most recently finished 19th in the CIC3* 8/9-year-old division at Blenheim with Lup the Loop. This will by the second career CCI3* start for “Loopy,” an 8-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by Joan Nichols; he finished second in his CCI3* debut at Bromont in June.
Ellie MacPhail O’Neal and RF Eloquence: Ellie is making her overseas debut with “Bob,” an 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by Sally Crane. This will be their second career CCI3* start, having finished 11th at the Dutta Corp Fair Hill International in 2014. They also completed the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event this spring.
Tamie Smith and Dempsey: Tamie has also been competing in Europe through the fall season and most recently finished 23rd in the CIC3* 8/9-year-old division at Blenheim with Dempsey, an 8-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by the West Coast Dempsey Syndicate. This will be his second career CCI3* start, as he finished 16th at Jersey Fresh in May.
Tamie Smith and Twizted Syster: Tamie re-routed to Boekelo with Twizted Syster, a 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare owned by the Twizted Systers, after retiring on cross country in the CCI3* at Blenheim, so she’ll be hunting for redemption in the Netherlands. “Chloe” will make her third career CCI3* start at Boekelo.
Looking to the rest of the entry list, top riders like Sam Griffiths, Paul Tapner, Maxime Livio, Izzy Taylor, Sarah Bullimore, Oliver Townend, Flora Harris, Laura Collett, Ben Hobday, Andreas Dibowski, Dirk Schrade, Jonelle Price, Mark Todd, Ludwig Svennerstal and many more big names will duke it out for the win. Click here to check out the full entry list.
Leslie Wylie traveling to the Netherlands as we speak and will be your boots on the ground at the event, starting with tomorrow’s first horse inspection at 1:30 p.m. local time/7 a.m. EST. Dressage kicks off on Thursday, and the competition will be live streamed at this link. Go Boekelo!
Boekelo Links: Website, Schedule, Entries, Live Stream
