EVENTING NATION

Jolie Wentworth's Good Knight at Luhmühlen. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

Happy Father's Day, EN! As is tradition, we'll be posting a heartfelt tribute to Eventings Dads later in the day. First, we'll be bringing you a play-by-play of all the action in the finale at Luhmühlen. After a tough day of cross country, two American pairs will represent the U.S. in the show jumping today. Marilyn Little and RF Demeter are in 10th place, while Jolie Wentworth and Good Knight are in 32nd. Andrew Nicholson leads with Mr Cruise Control. Stay tuned for much more from Luhmühlen. Go eventing.

Luhmühlen Links:

[Live Scores] [Cross-Country Replay] [Official Site] [@luhmuehlen2013] [Live Stream]

Events This Weekend:

Aspen Farms [Website] [Entry Status/Times] [Live Scores]

Golden Spike HT [Website] [Entry Status/Times] [Live Scores]

Silverwood Farm Spring HT [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Seneca Valley Pony Club [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Valinor Farm [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Full Gallop [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Bucks County [Website] [Entry Status] [Results]

Larkin Hill [Website] [Ride Times]

Round Top HT [Omnibus]

Your Sunday News:

Andrew Nicholson Leads Luhmühlen on Mr Cruise Control

Bunnie Sexton Conquers Her First Three-Star at 51

Lauren Shannon: When To Move Horses Up the Levels

Nicholson Focuses on Defending Barbury Crown

Tipperary Promotes International Helmet Awareness Day

Tipperary Products Support Breast Cancer Research

Happy Father's Day from SmartPak

Sunday Video: Wondering what exactly happened on course yesterday at Luhmühlen? Check out EN's open thread and follow along on John Kyle's virtual course walk of Capt. Mark Phillips' course:

ERS-Eventing.com provides riders with an interactive online portal that showcases product information, demonstrations, tutorials and reviews from fellow competitors and top international riders.

 

Jennie Brannigan and Cambalda at The Fork. Photo by Jenni Autry.

ist es das Wochenende: Translation-"It's the weekend" and lots happening in Germany at the Luhmühlen CCI4*! Good luck Jennie Brannigan and Cambalda who currently stand in 16th after dressage! Good luck to Marilyn Little and RF Demeter, Jolie Wentworth and Good Knight, and Julian Stiller and Enjoy Me!

Luhmühlen Links:

[Live Scores] [Course Preview] [Official Site] [@luhmuehlen2013] [Live Stream] [Provisional Schedule]

Events This Weekend:

Aspen Farms [Website] [Entry Status/Times] [Live Scores]

Golden Spike HT [Website] [Entry Status/Times] [Live Scores]

Silverwood Farm Spring HT [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Seneca Valley Pony Club [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Valinor Farm [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Full Gallop [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Bucks County [Website] [Entry Status] [Results]

Larkin Hill [Website] [Ride Times]

Round Top HT [Omnibus]

Lost Hounds Horse Trials (June 15-16) is cancelled. For more info, go here.

The Genesee Valley Hunt Horse Trials (July 6-7) is still accepting entries. For more info, go here.

Your Saturday News:

Competing in Sports Makes For Better Study Habits

Tickets Now On Sale For World Equestrian Games 2014

Nicola Wilson, Opposition Buzz Ready for Luhmühlen

Andrew Nicholson Means Business at Luhmühlen

Jennie Brannigan and Cambalda at Luhmühlen. Photo courtesy of Sherry Stewart.

Today's the big day for our four American pairs at Luhmühlen. Jennie Brannigan and Cambalda, Marilyn Little and RF Demeter, Jolie Wentworth and Good Knight, and Julian Stiller and Enjoy Me will all take on the very competitive field in their dressage tests in the CCI4*. Thanks to the time change, the CCI4* dressage will be well underway by the time you read this, and we'll update you throughout the day on how our Americans fare in their tests. I have to give a shout out to our guest bloggers Kate Miller and Jackie Imholte, awesome photographers Sherry Stewart and Thomas Ix, and press guru Heather Reimer for keeping us updated here in the states. Go Team USA!

Luhmühlen Links:

[Live Scores] [Course Preview] [Official Site] [@luhmuehlen2013] [Live Stream] [Provisional Schedule]

Events This Weekend:

Aspen Farms [Website] [Entry Status/Times] [Live Scores]

Golden Spike HT [Website] [Entry Status/Times] [Live Scores]

Silverwood Farm Spring HT [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Seneca Valley Pony Club [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Valinor Farm [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Full Gallop [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Bucks County [Website] [Entry Status] [Results]

Larkin Hill [Website] [Ride Times]

Round Top HT [Omnibus]

Your Friday News:

The FEI will hold a forum to address welfare concerns in endurance. The Swiss Equestrian Federation is leading the charge, reporting that numerous doping incidents and equine fractures are occurring in Middle Eastern nations. [Horsetalk]

Ticket sales are now officially open for the 2014 World Equestrian Games. Only packages including passes, hotel and transportation are available at this time. [WEG]

Order a copy of Modern Eventing through the Bit of Britain website by June 30 to have it signed by Phillip Dutton on July 1 during a virtual book signing. [Bit of Britain]

Ocala Horse Properties will be hosting Horse Shows in the Park in the Oaks at Longwood this weekend. [Horse Shows in the Park]

How do you cool out your horse in the summer? SmartPak's Ask the Groom blog has some tips and tricks to incorporate into your daily routine. [SmartPak]

SmartPak Product of the Day: I need a new white polo shirt for schooling shows and clinics, and the SmartPak Cool Tech Polo Shirt is the perfect candidate. [SmartPak]

Olympic gold medallists Laura Tomlinson and Charlotte Dujardin star in a pas de deux at the Longines Global Champions Tour in London:

Happy Thursday, Eventing Nation! Luhmühlen is well under way over in Germany, and the CIC3* dressage will be clipping along by the time you read this today. Marilyn Little and RF Black Pearl are the only U.S. pair contesting the CIC3*, and we have four Americans competing in the CCI4*, which has dressage scheduled for tomorrow. The official Luhmühlen Facebook page posted some fabulous photos of the jog — including shots of Jennie Brannigan and Cambalda and Jolie Wentworth and Good Knight — which you can view here. EN reader Maggie Miller also discovered that CCI4* cross country and show jumping will stream live on Saturday and Sunday at this link. It's going to be an exciting weekend, EN!

Luhmühlen Links:

[Course Preview] [Official Site] [@luhmuehlen2013] [Live Stream] [Provisional Schedule]

Events This Weekend:

Aspen Farms [Website] [Entry Status/Times]

Golden Spike HT [Website] [Entry Status/Times]

Silverwood Farm Spring HT [Website]

Round Top HT [Omnibus]

Seneca Valley Pony Club [Website] [Entry Status]

Valinor Farm [Website] [Entry Status]

Full Gallop [Website] [Entry Status]

Larkin Hill [Website]

Bucks County [Website] [Entry Status]

Your Thursday News:

Several eventing barns have evacuated due to the wildfires in Colorado, which have burned 8,000 acres to date. Nicole Ackerman with Inside Track Training, Heather Dubois, Jane Worrall, and Jon and Kari Clay have all been forced to leave their facilities. [The Gazette]

Andrew Nicholson will look to maintain his lead in the HSBC FEI Classic Standings at Luhmühlen this weekend. He has a good shot riding three horses: Qwanza, Mr. Cruise Control and Rathmoyle King. [Otago Daily Times]

Buck Davidson just launched a new website that includes a detailed bio, individual pages for all his horses, a video library, calendar and information on his sponsors. [BuckDavidsonEventing.com]

Canadian Olympian Jamie Smart passed away last week at 62. He brought home silver and gold team medals at the 1987 and 1991 Pan Amerian Games, and was named the Leading Foreign Rider three times at Rolex. [Horsetalk]

Five EHV-1 cases have been confirmed at Woodbine Racetrack in Ontario. One horse was euthanized Monday, and another horse in the same barn has shown neurological signs. The track is currently under quarantine. [Horsetalk]

Lost Hounds Horse Trials has been canceled due to inclement weather and resulting grounds conditions. Refunds will be issued within the month per the omnibus listing — all association fees, plus 50 percent of entry fees and 50 percent of stabling. [Lost Hounds Horse Trials]

SmartPak Product of the Day: Has anyone ordered a pair of the Piper breeches yet? I'm dying to try them, but I really don't need one more pair of breeches. Someone leave a comment and tell me I can't live without them. [SmartPak]

Kelsey Wilkins and Cava in Open Prelim at Waredaca 

Buck Davidson and Santa's Keeper battle the elements at Bromont.

It's been a cold, wet weekend here at Bromont, which made for less-than-ideal conditions on the cross country yesterday. The volunteers worked tirelessly to stomp divots and lay gravel around the fences, but there's ultimately only so much you can do when the weather simply refuses to cooperate. Overall, the going was very safe on Derek Di Grazia's course, with all riders coming home safely or incurring no major injuries after parting ways with their horses. Will Coleman and Obos O'Reilly lead the CCI3*, Erin Sylvester and Mettraise lead the CCI2*, Phillip Dutton and Ben lead the CIC3*, and Waylon Roberts and Yarrow lead the CCI*. The trot up starts at 8 a.m. tomorrow morning with the CCI* horses jogging first. Go Bromont.

Bromont Links:

[Website] [Schedule] [Live Scores]

Events This Weekend:

Derbyshire Farms H.T.: [Website/Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Plantation Field H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Live Scores]

Copper Meadows H.T.: [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Arrowhead H.T.: [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Queeny Park H.T.: [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Difficult Run Pony Club Spring H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Live Scores]

Texas Rose Horse Park Summer H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Live Scores]

Your Sunday Links:

William Fox-Pitt and Chilli Morning Lead Bramham

Great Britain Announces Team for Aachen

Dressage Awards Will Honor U.S.-Bred Horses

Burghley Horse Trials Wins Environmental Award

Best of the Blogs: Germany, Here We Come

Concern Voiced Over Mustang Contraceptive Plan

SmartPak Talks How to Handle Headshaking

Cross-country footage from Bramham 

Kate Chadderton sent us this photo of her horse Cole smelling the roses, er, geraniums at Bromont.

I can't believe that this weekend is the Game of Thrones season finale Bromont. Did you hear about the Red Wedding yesterday's dressage? Carnage! Some really nice tests. What's going to happen next? Winter is coming, I mean, that cross-country course sure looks tough. Guess we'll have to stay tuned to HBO EN to find out.

Bromont Links:

[Website] [Schedule] [Live Scores] [CCI3* Preview]

Events This Weekend:

Genesee Valley Riding Club Spring H.T.: [Website] [Ride Times]

Aspen Farms H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status]

Derbyshire Farms H.T.: [Website/Ride Times]

Plantation Field H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status]

Copper Meadows H.T.: [Website] [Ride Times]

Arrowhead H.T.: [Website] [Ride Times]

Queeny Park H.T.: [Website] [Ride Times]

Difficult Run Pony Club Spring H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status]

Texas Rose Horse Park Summer H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status]

News:

The USEA recaps two recent events in the SmartPak Equine USEA Classic Series: the Indiana Eventing Association Horse Trials, which offered long-format novice and training divisions, and the Colorado Horse Park CCI* and Horse Trials, which also offered a training three-day division. Last weekend also saw three Future Event Horse and Young Event Horse competitions, held in Maryland, Vermont and California. [USEA]

The competition is stiff this weekend at Bramham, where Maxime Livio, Zara Phillips and William Fox-Pitt aboard Doug Payne's former ride Running Order are holding down the top spots in the CCI3* after Thursday's dressage. [Wetherby News]

British eventing lost a supporter on Wednesday in David Rea, a beloved cross-country fence judge who volunteered at both the Sydney and London Olympics, the World Equestrian Games, Blenheim, Burghley and countless other events both in the UK and abroad. [Horse Talk NZ]

After falling at the final fence in Saumur last week when on course for a top finish, Kitty King immediately bounced back to winning ways at Tattersalls CCI** in Ireland this weekend. [Swindon Advertiser]

Best of the Blogs: I love Emily King's blog, "The Olympian's Daughter." She uses so many exclamation marks!!! Check out her latest entry. [Eventing Worldwide]

Hot on Horse Nation: Check out Will Baxter's behind-the-scenes video from the Badminton vet box. [HN]

Found on Facebook: You can get your copy here.

 

From Claire Gordon: "Grayson Wall and Stryker placed third in the CCI1* at Colorado last weekend. Grayson is 15 and was the top young rider! They are from Dallas, Texas, and train with Kadi Eykamp. The pair finished on their dressage score to qualify for Young Riders!"

The first horse inspection for Bromont is tomorrow afternoon, and we're gearing up to start our live coverage. Samantha Clark will be on the grounds facilitating her brilliant interviews with the riders, and I'll be bringing you a play-by-play of all the action during the weekend. In addition to asking the usual questions to the riders about their trips, we're asking you to send in your burning questions for the riders. Want to know how the riders spend their down time? What they wanted to be when they were kids? What sports they love to watch? Their most embarrassing moment at a show? Post your questions for the riders in the comments below. Go Bromont, and go eventing.

Events Opening Today: Fitch's Corner (A-1, NY), Olney Farm (A-2, MD), Cobblestone Farms H.T. (A-8, MI), Aspen Ridge H.T. (A-9, CO), Coconino Classic 3-Day Event & H.T. (A-10, AZ)

Events Closing Today: Great Vista Horse Trials (A-1, NY), Surefire Horse Trials (A-2, VA), Fox River Valley Pony Club H.T. CIC1* and CCI1* (A-4, IL), Shepherd Ranch SYVPC H.T. I (A-6, CA), Midsouth Pony Club H.T. (A-8, KY), Encore H.T. (A-8, MI), Abbe Ranch H.T. (A-9, CO)

Your Tuesday News:

Sara Algottson-Ostholt and Reality 39 won the Strzegom CCI3* in Poland last weekend. While Strzegom is one of the events on the Nations Cup calendar, heavy rains forced the cancellation of the team competition. Only 19 combinations completed the CCI3* out of 35 starters. The next Nations Cup competition is in Aachen June 28-29; four Americans will be competing. [Horsetalk]

The USEA Nominating Committee is seeking nominees for the USEA Board of Governors to fill open positions for 2014. Members will serve three-year terms, play a significant role in advancing the sport, help enhance the value of the USEA to the eventing community and address challenges facing the sport. [USEA]

Entries for the third annual EN Blogger Contest are due tomorrow at 8 p.m. EST. This is your chance to join the eclectic team of EN writers to write about your favorite sport. Wylie, who won the inaugural Blogger Contest, offered some great tips for hopeful bloggers in this post. [Blogger Contest]

Encore Horse Trials in Ann Arbor, Mich., is accepting late entries for the June 22-23 event. Beginner novice through preliminary levels are offered, as well as combined tests from starter through preliminary. Encore is also part of the TIP, so this is a great chance to bring out your OTTBs to try out the new water complex. [Omnibus]

Create a personalized Cavalor feeding program for a chance to win a six-week supply of all the suggested products. Go to www.mycavalor.com, fill in your horse's details, click on "Design Feeding Program" and click the "Share" button. Cavalor will chose one winner every Tuesday from June 11-July 19. [MyCavalor.com]

SmartPak Product of the Day: My whole barn uses the Himalayan Salt Licks from SmartPak. The salt licks' rose pink color comes from the high mineral content of iron, potassium and magnesium, which are all vital for a horse's health. Plus, they come with a handy rope to tie in your horse's stall. [SmartPak]

Tweet of the Day:

Niklas Lindbäck and Cendrillon were 2nd in the Strzegom CCI3* 

Kate Chadderton and Civil Liberty in their final jump school before Bromont. Photo via Kate's Facebook page.

It's officially Bromont Week! There are 25 entries in the CCI3* — including Kyle Carter and Madison Park! — nine in the CIC3*, 29 in the CCI2* and 45 in the CCI1*, which means it will be a busy and exciting weekend of competition. I'm pumped that the Dream Team (AKA Samantha and I) will be reunited for the first time since Jersey Fresh, and we'll be bringing you all the action from Bromont starting Wednesday at the first horse inspection. This will be my first trip to Bromont, and I'm really looking forward to it. Be sure to come up and say hi if you're there this weekend. Go eventing.

Events This Weekend:

IEA Horse Trials, Classic Training & Novice 3-Day Event  [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times] [Live Scores]

The Colorado Horse Park T3D, CCI* & Horse Trials   [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

GMHA June Horse Trials  [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Poplar Place Farm June HT  [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Waredaca HT  [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Genesee Valley Riding & Driving Club HT  [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Carriage House Farm CT  [Website] [Ride Times]

Your Sunday Links:

Pippa Funnel Holds Tattersalls CCI3* Lead

Daniel Stewart Talks Moving Up a Level

New Trophy in Memory of Little Tiger

Olympic Commission Rules on Paul Hart

USEF Townhall Meeting to be held Monday

$1 Million in Marijuana Found in Horse Trailer

SmartPak Talks Spring Barn Cleaning

Karin Donckers: Dressage Test and Interview at Strzegom 

ERS-Eventing.com provides riders with an interactive online portal that showcases product information, demonstrations, tutorials and reviews from fellow competitors and top international riders.

From EN reader Maureen Hall: "Thought I would share a pic of our home away from home at events. Our two sons event, and we have it down to a science when we arrive at events, complete with our lunch table. This was taken at Glen Oro on May 26 in Ontario."

It's officially humid and gross here in Pennsylvania, which means I'll now be getting up at the crack of dawn to ride before the heat index reaches a deadly combination. There's something peaceful about riding when the sun is still coming up and the day is just starting. I have fond memories from my childhood of crawling out of bed to ride my pony when the sky was just beginning to brighten during summer breaks from school. Whenever you have time to ride this summer, remember that this is supposed to be fun when you have sweat oozing from every pore in your body. Go summer.

Events This Weekend:

IEA Horse Trials, Classic Training & Novice 3-Day Event  [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

The Colorado Horse Park T3D, CCI* & Horse Trials   [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

GMHA June Horse Trials  [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

Poplar Place Farm June HT  [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Waredaca HT  [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

Genesee Valley Riding & Driving Club HT  [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

Carriage House Farm CT  [Website]

Your Friday News:

RF Amber Eyes, Karen O'Connor's former two-star mount, is showing this Sunday at Devon in the $25,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby with Kelly Farmer in the irons. Kelly saw a video of the mare, now named Commentary, through Marilyn Little and thought she would be a great fit for the derby ring. The mare most recently placed eighth in the CIC2* at Jersey Fresh with Hannah Sue Burnett. [COTH]

The SmartPak Equine USEA Classic Series is in full swing this weekend at IEA Horse Trials in Edinburgh, Ind., and the Colorado Horse Park Horse Trials in Parker, Colo. This series offers divisions in the traditional three-day format at the beginner novice through preliminary levels. [USEA]

Ian Stark adopted several feral ponies during a World Horse Welfare roundup on a remote farm in Moray, Scotland, 18 months ago. Today, the ponies are thriving as lesson ponies working with troubled children, and Ian thinks some of them have the talent to be FEI eventing ponies. [Horsetalk]

U.S. jockey Diane King, 67, became the oldest woman in North America to win a Thoroughbred horse race when she crossed the wire first in the eighth race at ThistleDown in Ohio on Wednesday. King, who won on her own horse, Ledgehill, has won more than $1.6 million in stakes purses throughout her 50-year career. [Horsetalk]

Lost Hounds Horse Trials will be excepting post entries through Sunday, June 9. The fastest and easiest way to enter is through Xentry with a credit card payment. Riders can also send entries with a cashier's check or money order to the secretary no later than Monday, June 10. Don't forget to include the $25 late fee with your entry. [Erie Hunt and Saddle Club]

Difficult Run Pony Club is accepting post entries for its horse trials until Friday, June 7. This is DRPC's biggest fundraiser of the year, so it's a great opportunity to support Pony Club while competing in a lovely event. All information on late entries is available in the USEA omnibus. [Difficult Run Horse Trials]

SmartPak Product of the Day: Fly season is in full swing here in Pennsylvania, and my new OTTB Mia is in desperate need of a fly sheet. While I love the SmartPak Deluxe Fly Sheet with Insect Shield, I wanted a sheet without an attached neck rug, so I opted for the SmartPak Classic Fly Sheet, which protects against 95 percent of harmful UV rays. [SmartPak]

Kevin Case and Mullacash Paddy in the Junior BN at Loch Moy