Oktoberfest, combining two of my great loves, horses and beer. Photo via Anna Kranz on Twitter.
Good morning, EN readers. I’m in a little bit of a post-weekend funk. The sad news is my good friend, and EN writer extraordinaire Abby Gibbon is leaving for London today. She’s leaving me behind for the hallowed halls of Hogwarts Oxford, and I’m going to miss her terribly. As I get older, I feel that it’s harder to make true friends, and she certainly falls under that category. To top it all off, I’m truly having a white breeches crisis. Here’s your Monday news!
Weekend Results:
Feather Creek Horse Trials
GMHA September Horse Trials
Coconino Fall Horse Trials
Dunnabeck Horse Trials
Twin Rivers Fall Horse Trials
Events Opening This Week:
Pine Hill Fall H.T. (TX, A-5) The Virginia CCI * and H.T. (VA, A-2) Rocking Horse Classic 3-day & H.T. (FL, A-3) Galway Downs International Three-Day Event & H.T. (CA, A-6)
Ram Tap will host its final horse trials Nov 16-18. The event, held in Fresno, Calif., is the second-longest running event in the United States. Land has recently been purchased away from the event organizer, Bill Burton, to build California’s new light speed rail. [Chronicle of the Horse]
Seriously, don’t touch police horses. Ex-NFL lineman Ian Beckles was arrested for doing just that in Tampa this past weekend. Apparently he was ‘drunk and disorderly’ and decided to heckle the police, and touch some horses. He was arrested then released on bail. [USA Today]
An equestrian author in England has been formally charged after three of her horses had to be put to sleep following neglect and cruelty. Lesley Skipper and her husband Brian Skipper have been charged with six counts of neglect and cruelty. The RSPCA came to inspect their stables and found the horses in incredible displays of neglect. She writes books on horse behavior, and trust me, I would love to know what’s in them. [Horse and Hound]
The Thoroughbred Times filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on Sunday, and officially ceased all publication and operations. According to the article, the 27 employees were notified of their termination via Fed Ex. I guess that’s better than a text. [The Saratogian]
And that concludes a drug-free Games! After the conclusion of the Paralympic Games, it was announced Saturday that all samples, both human and equine, tested negative for banned substances. [HorseTalk]
Monty, one of the Queen’s Corgis, and co-star of the James Bond skit in the opening ceremonies, died. Monty was 13, and was named after Monty Roberts. Did you know that Monty Roberts is the official corgi correspondent to Buckingham Palace? Well, he is. [Belfast Telegraph]
Top Tweets: Seriously, Paul Tapner might be my favorite twitter-er ever.
@PaulTapner : Who wants to go eventing in Australia? Unique hazards exist!
Video of the Day: When I was 11, my mom bought the computer game Equestriad 2001 for me. I literally spent summers getting pasty so I could play this game. I’ve been trying to figure out a way to get it Mac-compatible for YEARS. I always played as Kerry Milliken and Out and About.
