Friday News & Notes from FLAIR Nasal Strips

Tate on his way to Millstreet, traveling with LCC Barnaby across the pond! Photo courtesy of Sinead Halpin.

Tate on his way to Millstreet, traveling with LCC Barnaby across the pond! Photo courtesy of Sinead Halpin.

Horses are taking flight! Some of the Burghley crowd left earlier this week, and then yesterday Sinead Halpin’s Manoir de Carneville and Lillian Heard’s LCC Barnaby set off together for Millstreet CCI3* in Ireland. Both of them were recipients of Fall Travel Grants, as were many of the pairs heading over soon enough for Blenheim and Boekelo. Many of the riders heading over seas this fall have also fundraised for their efforts, which is amazing to see how the public is supporting US riders in their dreams to get to the big competitions. If only England was a teensy bit closer…

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Genesee Valley Riding & Driving Club H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

Waredaca Farm H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Full Gallop Farm August H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

News From Around the Globe:

Did you catch the most recent USEA podcast with Phillip Dutton and David O’Connor discussing the Rio Olympics? In this very special podcast, Phillip Dutton recounts the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he won an individual bronze medal with the HND Group’s Mighty Nice. David O’Connor lets us know what this Olympics means for Team USA. [USEA Podcast]

Virginia Eventing & Dressage Team is kicking butt as their membership grows. With 30 members on VEDT, the three year old program welcomes eventing riders from all the schools at the University of Virginia. They currently have riders who have competed from Beginner Novice through the CCI* level, and compete all up and down the east coast year-round.  Just since the beginning of the calendar year 2016, VEDT has had members finish in the top 3 at USEA recognized horse trials a whopping 14 times, with 5 of those being wins at the Novice through Preliminary levels.  UVA has won the college team challenge at the Fall Virginia Horse Trials for 3 consecutive years and is hoping to continue that streak this fall. [VEDT Takes Control]

Leah Lang-Gluscic was hoping to be on a plain to Burghley by now with her four-star horse AP Prime, but as is the way with horses, sometimes you have to go with Plan B. After a successful Rolex, she had her eyes set firmly on Burghley for the fall, and all her preparations went great, including a trip to Rebecca Farms earlier in the summer. Unfortunately, AP managed to tweak a collateral ligament, and she’s now planning for 2017 as he recovers. [COTH Blog of the Day]

Spursuaders  are now legal for the show jumping phase of eventing competition at the FEI level. While they are still not legal for dressage or cross country, they are working diligently to see that this becomes a reality, as they are spurs that appeal to lots of very sensitive horses. Also, if you have any queries about bridles, bits, spurs, boots or dress, this link will tell you what is and is not allowed for each phase. [FEI FAQ On Use of Tacks, Equipment and Dress]

Just when you thought grooming products couldn’t get more revolutionary, somebody invented Hands On Grooming Gloves. What’s that, you say? Oh, its just a cool rubber glove that acts like an awesome curry comb and shedding blade all in one. Just slip this puppy on and scrub to your hearts desire, and when they get really muddy, you don’t actually get all the mud and hair all over your hands! You might still get it all over the rest of you, but you can’t have your cake and eat it too. [SmartPak Product of the Day]