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Earlier this week a reader mentioned team chasing, noting it's similarities to Eventing.  Generally, cross-country officials at events attempt to keep a controlled number of horses on course at evenly spaced intervals to best avoid traffic jams.  Team chasing on the other hand, involves a group of competitors galloping across country practically nose to tail.  Some rules to team chasing are similar to Eventing: a rider fall results in elimination of that rider, three refusals at one fence equals elimination, all riders must wear helmets and safety vests, and an ambulance is always on the scene.

I took a quick trip from Aiken to Kentucky on Friday, and I am driving back to Aiken right now.  Actually, don't worry, I'm not writing and driving...this time.  In fact, I'm sitting in a Steak 'n Shake parking lot, since you asked.  I was going to ask Vis to write tonight's post, but she is busy cheering wearing blue face-paint and screaming at her TV, since the UK game is on right now.  As I don't have time for a full post, and because we are all about cultural diversity at EN, please enjoy my favorite music video.  Go cats.

We've talked a lot about insane sports this week, and I think the Puissance ranks high on that list, second to Eventing of course.  The purpose of Puissance is to successfully clear a wall of collapsible blocks, building it bigger and bigger every round, until either you or the wall come tumbling down.  I wonder if these horses escape from their pastures much.

Anheuser Busch is the highest paying advertiser during the Super Bowl. Thanks to overwhelming support from horse fans on Facebook, the Budweiser Clydesdales are back in the commercial line-up for Super Bowl Sunday. I like to think Eventing Nation voters had much to do with it. Be sure to watch during the fourth quarter to see the newest commercial featuring the Budweiser Clydesdales. Or you could watch it early here.  This week on Video Saturday: four-legged football.

In some of the worst news I have heard in a while, Budweiser announced last week that it would not run a Clydesdale commercial  in the big game with super stupid copyright restrictions on its name Super Bowl.  The Clydesdales have been in Super Bowl ads since 2002, and are one of the most recognizable icons in all of advertising.  After considerable public outcry, Budweiser has decided to let fans vote among three ads for one Super Bowl Spot, with one of the ads including the incredible horses.  The vote is being held on Budweiser's Facebook fan page, which, of course, requires that you become a fan to view the commercials, but you can always un-fan Budweiser after viewing them (click here and look on the left sidebar to un-friend).  The commercial with the Clydesdales, titled 'Fence' shows a steer befriending a Clydesdale and breaking through a fence to be with it's friend.  If you don't have Facebook, it looks like you will be able to see the ad on Sunday, because, looking through 5 pages of comments, %100 of the comments that mention a vote are voting for the Clydesdale ad.

Storm Cat.  Anybody who knows modern Thoroughbreds knows that name.  The $500,000 stud fee, the million-dollar yearlings, the incredible success his offspring enjoyed on the track.  But unless you're involved in the racing industry, you probably don't know as much about his home, Overbrook Farm.  I admit, I didn't.  Founded by the late William T. Young, it grew into a marvelous operation by the '80s and '90s.  Overbrook horses won virtually every major race at least once during that time span-- Derby, Preakness, Belmont, Breeders' Cup (Juvenile, Fillies, and Classic).  They won at Keeneland, Saratoga, and Santa Anita.  Unfortunately, this past year, Mr. Young's son decided that his heart wasn't in the business anymore.  All of Overbrook's stock was sold this fall (& January) at Keeneland in a dispersal sale handled by Eaton Sales.  That's what sparked me to look into the grand legend of Overbrook, and I was stunned by the success and achievement.  Even those who follow racing closely may have forgotten some of the Overbrook superstars-- because there were so many! 

In today's Thoroughbred business (as with many in today's world), it is all-too-common to "buy" into the winner's circle.  IEAH bought Big Brown as a racing three-year-old, Jess Jackson bought Curlin and Rachel Alexandra also after they started.  It is standard practice to buy horses as yearlings, or at two-year-old sales, as racing prospects.  But Overbrook was different.  With a few exceptions, their racehorses were homebreds.  Overbrook purchased mares; bred those mares; and raced the best offspring.  When those racing fillies (Train Robbery, Seaside Attraction, Flanders, etc) retired, they joined the broodmare band and produced another crop of champions (Cat Thief, Cape Town, Surfside, etc).  And so Overbrook created a dynasty spanning several generations, something that has become almost rare in today's breed-and-sell, buy-to-race market.  Their bloodlines were cherished, as evident by the $30M their stock brought at Keeneland this fall (in a poor market, no less).  It was sad to see these grand old mares split up and sold off, but most of them stayed in Lexington and will certainly be well-cared for.

OK, enough with the sappy talk.  Let's celebrate the amazing performances of Overbrook's extraordinary athletes.  You may not recognize all these names, but I found many of them familiar.  Enjoy the heart and courage displayed by these horses-- it's what horse racing should be. :) 

Note: this is a 4-part series, about 25 minutes long. If you're pressed for time, watch the first 5 minutes of Part 1, and skip Part 2. Part 3 is my favorite-- I have a soft spot for Flanders and Surfside (both were SO CLASSY when I met them at Keeneland, real queens and they knew it). Part 4 is also great, one super stakes winner after another, culminating in Cat Thief's Breeder's Cup.

Three Eventers set out on course with cameras strapped to their helmets.  From this angle, you find yourself riding the course with the competitors and their horses: checking the watch, counting strides, catching a tree branch with your face. Somehow I'm not sure Helmet Cam: Dressage would be as appealing.

Cross-Country Cam: Competitors must not only navigate the numbered fences on this course, but also hundreds of trees.

In the wake of a difficult week in equine news, I thought we'd have a good laugh at folks out there in the world who are...ahem...less than horse savvy. 

Leslie Threlkeld

Slow motion video makes everything look more fascinating, more majestic, more... fascinating, especially with grandiose music in the background.  Then again, sometimes my horse moves so slow he's practically going backwards...and sometimes he actually is going backwards.  Don't worry, that's at the top of the "things to fix" list.

Slow Motion Gallop

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcD1_jvhc_g

A slow motion gallop kinda makes you appreciate good quality boots.

Slow Motion Harness Race

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tvqrdx3HT-8&feature=related

I always thought I'd take up driving when I'm too injured...I mean old...to event anymore.

Slow Motion Jumping

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMCjqcCP3pA&feature=related

Watching horses jump in slow motion really highlights the complexity of the actions executed by horse and rider in a short time frame.

Badminton in your Backyard

Can't decide what to do for fun this afternoon? Well, these fellas thought it would be a great idea to jump a couple of horses over a car...while standing.

Call for "Time Warp" Horse Episode

While doing my research for this post, I kept thinking, "Forget that Jockey show, when is Discovery Channel's 'Time Warp' going to dedicate an episode to horses in high definition slow motion?" I was so concerned, I zipped over to the "Show Suggestions" forum, and plenty of people had beat me to it! Lots of horse fans (and several Eventers) are calling for 4* slow motion videography. Many of you, I'm sure will agree. Trot on over to the suggestion forum and make your desires known!

At last, the moment you've all been waiting for.  The remaining 3 videos are revealed! 

The Top 10 Best Videos: HORSES IN SPORT

 

3.  2008 WEG Dressage Freestyle: Blu Hors Matine.  I know EVERYONE has seen this video (it's been viewed a combined 10 million times), but it is worth watching again.  And again.  I still get goosebumps when I see it, for the 100th time.  The mare literally dances to the music; her suspension and flexibility is extraordinary.  I don't care if you hate dressage more than picking frozen poop from the pasture, or if you can't tell a half-pass from a piaffe, watching this video makes you appreciate dressage and WISH you could do ride a horse like that.  Simply magical.

 

2.  My Favorite Eventing Video. Forward horses, forward riding, this is what xc is all about!  It's awesome, it's guts, it's just hanging on with a smile.  Horses doing extraordinary things, understanding their job and having fun.  Horses and riders in sync, in rhythm, doing what they do best.  I love it!!!

 

1.  1973 Belmont Stakes.  Wait, you mean that great eventing video isn't #1?!  Yeah, 'cuz this one's better.  How something so simple as a running horse can create such an emotional impact, I cannot explain.  If this video doesn't give you chills and fill you with inspiration, there's no hope for you.  Secretariat was perhaps the single greatest equine athlete to ever walk the earth.  He had no competition... he was racing history.  And I don't know if anyone will ever catch up.  Bookmark this one, and watch it again... it never loses it's magic. 

The countdown continues...

The Top 10 Best Videos: HORSES IN SPORT

 

6.  Horse Agility?  Why not?  

Video Saturday: Dashing Through the Snow