Michael Pollard on Mensa, breeding & Chatt Hills

By Samantha L Clark on , Filed Under Eventing Competition Coverage, Eventing Nation, High Performance, Samantha L Clark, SamanthaLClark.com

We've probably become somewhat accustomed to Michael Pollard being near the top of the leaderboard after the first phase and it's certainly not down to luck - as he explained to me after yet another lovely test on Mensa he works hard on improving every single aspect of the test that he can. We also talked about breeding, and he was very good natured about me going on the offensive as far as OTTBs are as concerned and said he welcomes a good debate, so we may take it even further, but I have to concede he brings up some good points, and he admitted he's ridden some lovely OTTBs and they do exist, so we'll call it a truce!  As for Chatt Hills next weekend, who could argue that it's anything but a boon for the US eventing calendar and I can't wait to get down there and cover it for Eventing Nation and the Eventing Radio Show.

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Thank you so much to Michael for his time; it's always great to see him and his gorgeous wife Natalie, and I look forward to seeing him compete the stallion Halimey next weekend, but in the meantime, best of luck here at Jersey Fresh. Go Pollard Eventing!

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Kate Samuels and Nyls Du Terroir

By Samantha L Clark on , Filed Under Eventing Competition Coverage, Eventing Nation, High Performance, Samantha L Clark, SamanthaLClark.com

Nyls Du Terroir basking in the sunshine and Kate's adoration at Southern Pines

Anyone who reads Eventing Nation regularly or follows Kate on facebook may have an inkling of how besotted she is with her big, beautiful bay horse Nyls Du Terroir, and if you follow her on twitter it's a dead giveaway! With Jenni running a tight ship as far as the updates were going, and with Kate having a free day today having done a nice dressage yesterday, it seemed like a no-brainer to stop and chat!

Nyls and Kate giving it loads at Red Hills earlier this spring!

Best of luck Kate and Nyls, and thanks for talking to Eventing Nation!

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Some more from Southern Pines II

By Samantha L Clark on , Filed Under Eventing Competition Coverage, Eventing Nation, Samantha L Clark, SamanthaLClark.com

Yesterday I covered the top 10 in the Adequan USEA Gold Cup and PRO Tour Series Advanced Division at Southern Pines, and now that I'm home in snowy Kentucky I have a bit more time to get to the remaining ten. Congratulations to Jimmie Schramm, above, who achieved exactly what she told me she set out to do at her first Advanced with Bellamy - get around and have a good experience. She was excited and a little nervous about such a milestone in her riding career, but she handled it beautifully and I'm looking forward to watching them both go on to bigger and better.  With a couple of rails down on Sunday they completed in 17th place; once again you can find all the final results here.

Lizzie Snow was our first clear round of the day in the Advanced division, albeit with five time penalties, and rode out of the ring to loud applause. She rode Coal Creek beautifully to finish 15th.

Kate Chadderton was, as usual, busy all weekend with a bunch of horses in all the divisions and finished just inside the top 20 in the Advanced on Collection Pass.

Caitlin Silliman had a stop at the wall on Catch A Star and several rails after that and I talked to her afterwards to find out what went wrong. She told me that Hoku seems to have developed a phobia about the Puissance Wall, that she stopped at it at Southern Pines last year, and in the 3* at Plantation last autumn, "I felt bad for her. Show-jumping is definitely her weaker phase, she wants to be really careful, she's definitely not the type of mare that you can make have a rail in the warm-up to make her more careful, and I always get a bit nervous, so I think with a combination of it being on the grass, and the weather, and then the schedule got moved forward so we were suddenly a bit rushed. I showed her the wall when we cantered in, but she's really scared of it, and after her stop there , and then she had the planks down (the jump following the wall) she was really flustered, and I was just pleased and proud of her for getting round." Caitlin told me that they go home to Pennsylvania from Southern Pines and she'll spend some time doing smaller jumps and get her confidence back, and that she's already rung Katie Walker to see if they can borrow the Plantation Field wall to school over gently.  Historically, Hoku's show-jumping has always been something of an issue which was why Caitlin was able to buy her in the first place, and it has improved beyond recognition, so hopefully this will just be a minor blip.  Next stop for Hoku is The Fork and then fingers crossed for Rolex. Having won the open  intermediate class fairly handily on Remington, I asked what the plans were for him, and Caitlin explained that the FEI rules mean that she will indeed have to go back and do a CCI**, "At first I was pretty disappointed because how many times in your life do you get handed a fit, sound four star horse, especially as Remi is a bit older, he's 17 now and I don't know how much longer he might go on for if he has to go back and do a two star and a three star? But Ron and Densey Juvonens, the owners of Remington and I talked about it, and they very nicely said that as long as he's enjoying it and as long as Seema Sonnad  can continue to help paying his expenses they're happy for him to stay with me.  Remington really doesn't owe anyone anything. We're really starting to click and to get to know each other so I'd like to aim him at the Jersey Fresh 2* and then perhaps a 3* in the Fall."

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Caitlin Calder, who is now working with Jan Byyny, had an expensive show-jumping round to drop to 16th place on Jolliyat

Allie Knowles was our first clear round within the time on Last Call, and it was beautifully judged and ridden. I was also impressed by this pair on the cross country on Saturday; hopefully it will make the trip from Kentucky worthwhile.

Kate Samuels and Nyl Du Terroir - another nice clear, and one of the few to choose the option to turn left-handed after the planks and take the liverpool, above.

Colleen Rutledge and Shiraz getting some perfect British weather match practice in for Badminton! Two down though left them in 18th place.

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Boyd jumped a lovely clear on Trading Aces, belying what actually I think is quite a painful ankle, not from the fall off Crackerjack but from his moped the night before; hopefully he'll get back to Pennsylvania and Silva will nurse him back to health, or knock some sense into him, or both!

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Sharon White just had the last fence down and one time penalty on Wundermaske to finish 14th.

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Many thanks again and as always to all the volunteers, the organisers, the grooms, connections, horses and riders. Many thanks to my friend who looked after Leo for me while I was away, and I'm sorry that he was so smelly, apparently, that he needed to be taken to the groomers! Not sure how I should feel - embarrassed, grateful, flattered, affronted? I have already made up my mind that Leo will stay somewhere else next time, well, he'll actually come with me, see you at The Fork Leo fans,  but truth be told, it seems it may not even be up to me, she certainly didn't jump at the chance when I vaguely mentioned something about 'if or when I went away again' - harrumph, the cheek!  But I digress! Thank you to Southern Pines for a fabulous weekend of competition despite the elements, congratulations to Will Faudree again, make sure to like his facebook page here, and GO Eventing!

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Let’s Get to Know Jacob and The Prof

By Samantha L Clark on , Filed Under Eventing Competition Coverage, Eventing Nation, Rider Profiles, Samantha L Clark, SamanthaLClark.com

Elizabeth, The Prof and Jacob after placing 12th in the dressage phase of the CIC*** at Red Hills

Jacob Fletcher is a young rider who combines college at Arkansas with competing at the top level of eventing. Trained by Mike Huber, he recently spent some time at the 25 and Under Training Camps with new USEF Coach David O'Connor, and seems to be putting everything he's learned to good use, jumping clear xc around his first Advanced a couple of weeks ago in the mud at Pine Top, and now poised handily in the CIC*** here at Red Hills in 12th after a very respectable dressage and just a rail down show-jumping in a competitive division, "Red Hills is my favourite event ever, we always call it mini-Rolex! It's great because there are so many spectators and you have the fenced-off galloping lanes, and you really have to ride cross-country, really get down and grit your teeth and ride here to make the time, although with the new course I think there's more galloping so it should be easier this year.  In the past it's always been something of a cross country event and as the dressage has not always been my best phase so it's been good for me in that regard."  The Prof is a horse that Jacob found in England, and he told me when they first saw him he looked pretty different to the sleek, top level eventer he is today - rather chubbier and slightly hairy, Jacob and Mike saw something about him and decided to trust both their guts and producer, former international GB rider Charlotte Bathe. The clincher may have been that his sire, Aughabeg Patch, who Charlotte is particularly fond of, is a paint horse and of course Jacob made his name in Young Riders and enjoyed his first real success on the lovely paint horse Falcon Splash who is coming back slowly from injury and stem cell treatment.

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As to the CIC*** cross country, Jacob is looking forward to it, "Well, I don't really know much about how three star courses should look. It looks like a challenging course but I wasn't overly depressed after I walked it, I feel like it's do-able if I ride well" We chatted a little bit more after his dressage:

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Later, when teased once more about his and Lauren's "marriage" when they showed up together at the press conference she remarked with a smile, "He's gone a lot, it's a long-distance thing," and Jacob added deadbeat, "It has it's ups and downs but we always know where home is!"

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Wishing Jacob the very best of luck at Red Hills today,  a happy marriage, and we look forward to watching him for a long time in the future. Go Eventing!

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The Ocala Horse Properties International Three Day Event

By Samantha L Clark on , Filed Under Eventing Nation, SamanthaLClark.com
The dock at the main water jump at the Florida Horse Park
A fascinating discussion with Jon Holling  about footing, and then a chance meeting with Peter Gray at Poplar Place has me thinking I might need to amend my travel plans so that they include the upcoming Ocala Horse Properties International 3 Day Event, organised by Peter and Jon under the Equiventures banner. I also strongly advise anyone within striking distance with an eligible horse to do likewise, and with divisions running from BN all the way through the grades up to CCI**, a special Combined Training test for the Rolex horses, and new this year, a YEH/FEH class, surely there's something for everyone.
Reasons to go to the Ocala Horse Properties International 3 Day Event

1. The Footing

As Jon Holling explains, "The main priority is going to be the footing, we've received some funding to help with that and I expect that this year the CCI** will be the best there's ever been at the Florida Horse Park. Historically the footing in the Florida Horse Park is pretty good, we don't run there as often as some other places so we're fortunate in that respect. Certainly the thing you worry about in Florida at this time of year is it could get a bit dry, and then in front of fences it starts to break down and can get a little deep, but I think we have that sorted out and that was evident at our February event - we had pretty good footing there."
 Peter Gray agrees, "We've been concentrating on the courses for the last two years but this year we're really addressing the footing. We've been aerating and watering so I think you'll notice a significant difference in that area this year.  We can't recondition the whole park, but certainly we've staked off the galloping lanes and we've made sure that those areas are as perfect as we can make them.  The footing is so important."
2. The Course

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A new trakehner at the Florida Horse Park
Course Designer Jay Hambly is hitting his groove in this his third year at the event. Peter again, "Every year we've added three or four new jumps to the course, but we've got at least half a dozen this year including a new complex at the water and a new bank, and a new start and finish area so it's quite a bit different. Jay does a really good job with a blend between a galloping course with a good flow but also including the technical questions that are the norm now in this sport, I'm really excited about it."
There is also a brand new course of show-jumps for the event this year, yep, that's right - Entire Course. Brand. New. Marc Donovan is the show-jumping course designer, and at this event both the dressage and the stadium will be in the polytrack arena.
3. The Prize Money and the classes

The Rebecca Broussard CCI** will be awarding $10,000 in prize money, the Maui Jim CCI* is worth a total of $5,000, and prize money, a trophy and ribbons to 8th place are the norm for all the remaining divisions. BN, N, T, P, and Intermediate divisions will run alongside the CCI* and CCI**, and then there's the Merydith South FEH and YEH classes sponsored by Mrs Jacqueline Mars, and a special combined test for the Rolex horses. 'O' judge Ann Gribbon will be judging the Kentucky bound combinations, and offering feedback afterwards.
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The Cavalor jump gets a face-lift
4. The Timing in the Calendar

As if anyone lucky enough to winter down south needed an excuse to stay longer, now you have a perfectly legitimate one. Eventually Peter and Jon hope that as the event becomes more of a fixture on the calendar, people will adjust their plans to move north accordingly and it will become tradition.  As Peter explained, "It fits in very well with the schedule and the end of the Spring season, before horses maybe move North or get a bit of a let down."
5. Organised by riders for riders
Peter Gray boasts vast international experience eventing and now sits on many committees, as well as teaching and training.  Jon Holling is not only one of the US's finest event riders currently competing but also active behind the scenes of the sport to effect change and improvement.  With a pair like this at the helm no wonder it's a rider-friendly event, "One of our goals when we took over these competitions was to make them rider friendly. We hope that the organising committee and the officials that we hire are all rider friendly. We hopefully hire judges that the riders like and that they'll do a fair job. If there's an issue or a conflict, we want officiaIs who understand the sport and will sympathise with the competitors. I think over the years we've developed a really good group of people" Peter told me, while Jon agreed and said he's looking forward to competing there again this year, "We're really trying hard to make it be the best event that it can be, I'm obviously a little partial to it, but I wouldn't miss it."
Entries close on April 3rd, and you can enter electronically via evententries.com. Go the Ocala Horse Properties International 3 Day Event, and Go Eventing!
The Ocala Horse Properties Pond
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Hawley and her team move east – temporarily

By Samantha L Clark on , Filed Under Eventing Nation, SamanthaLClark.com

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Hawley Bennett-Awad and Ginny put a massive commute behind them to perform a solid test in the Advanced at Poplar Place.

While Hawley was busy competing, in the rain and snow at Three Day Ranch in California, her two girls Natalia Gurmankin and Tessa Beckett, along with Tessa's mum, had already begun the three day event drive from their West Coast base to Poplar Place here in Georgia. 
Natalia and Tessa each rode in the Advanced, and all three were ridiculously upbeat, fun and good natured considering the circumstances - that bloomin' California groove! I caught up with Hawley and Natalia in between one of Hawley's dressage tests.

Natalia imported Hail from New Zealand in 2008, "I adore him, love love love him" where he'd evented up to intermediate level with his previous owner. Before that he raced for seven years, starting some 50 times and earning almost $2million NZ.  Hawley wanted to make sure I stress how amazing both these girls are, and how she couldn't function without them, and they really are - not just because one after another each horse appeared from the mucky, flooded stables looking immaculate and shiny, but especially because they are so positive and such fun to be around. The thought of the drive still boggles my mind, so I asked Tessa for some more details.
Tessa's horse Sound Prospect also raced but for not nearly as long or as successfully as Hail, but definitely seems to have found his calling now, as both girls were sitting in 4th and 5th places overnight after dressage.  Although they didn't like to talk about it, the only time they really got quiet (!) they'll hopefully both compete at Jersey Fresh before heading back home to California. Wishing them a very happy and successful Spring campaign, and looking forward to spending more time with them at events in the meantime.  Thank you to Hawley, Natalia and Tessa for their time, and injection of good humour, and thank you for reading. Go Eventing! 

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Poplar Advanced show-jumping photos

By Samantha L Clark on , Filed Under Eventing Nation, SamanthaLClark.com

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Hawley Bennett-Awad, who was the eventual winner of Advanced Section B on Gin'n'Juice, was first into the arena Sunday Morning on the full brother to her fabulous mare, 5 O'Clock Somewhere, fondly known as Chunky. They had a rail down to finish a respectable 10th. 
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Alex Green pulled two rails with Fernhill Cubalawn but still ended up 4th place
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Michelle Mueller and Amistad had the overnight lead, but let Leslie Law moved into the winner's spot when they had one down, to finish second. 
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Bill Hoos was still chatting away today whilst he was riding; I'm not sure if he was talking to the judges or himself, but if that's what he needs to do to get his blood up it must be working - they knocked down just one unlucky rail, added a time fault and finished 8th.
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Darren Chiacchia had one of the rare clear rounds on Amendment 15
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Diana Burnett on Diamond Cut III rode one of the prettiest rounds all day, for just one down and 7th place.

[Click below for many more photos from Poplar]

(more...)

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Alexa Kim Perkiel takes the CIC** on Apres Ski

By Samantha L Clark on , Filed Under Eventing Nation, SamanthaLClark.com

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Alexa Kim Perkiel built on a consistent season including a great result at Red Hills a couple of weeks ago to win the CIC** here at Poplar by a convincing margin. Caroline Martin stayed in the 2nd and 3rd places she'd occupied the night before but switched horses after two rails on Quanturm Solace moved her behind her stable mater Petite Flower, the ex Bruce Davidson ride who jumped a lovely clear, the only one in this division, to take the runner up spot.

[Poplar Results]

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Jon Holling did not present Quigase du Lac this morning and I was sorry to miss him go, but going to try and see some of the intermediates show-jump now before we hit the road. More soon, Go Eventing! 
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Advanced Divisions wrap up at Poplar

By Samantha L Clark on , Filed Under Eventing Nation, SamanthaLClark.com

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The two horses topping the leaderboard at the end of the Advanced Divisions could hardly be more different. Gin'n'Juice, Hawley's ride has jumped round the WEG for a silver medal, and completed Badminton and Burghley last year - a bouncy bundle of feistiness, she pulled Hawley around both the XC yesterday and the stadium today oozing confidence, looking and obviously feeling a million dollars.

[Poplar Scores]

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Leslie Law's Zenith ISF, in his only third outing at this level has yet to put a foot wrong, and in Leslie's capable hands he just keeps getting better and better.  
The show-jumping course caused plenty of problems for the advanced this morning, I"ll have a full report and more pictures later, but of less than a dozen clears, Leslie jumped two of them. Heather Gillette jumped a measured round to go clear but picked up five time. Lots of riders had good rounds for an unlucky rail - Hannah Sue Burnett had the last down on Harbour Pilot but they looked fantastic. Jessie Phoenix had a blonde moment on lovely Exponential and didn't jump the first fence, jumped the next three beautifully before she was pulled up. Whitney Weston moved up to fourth with a double clear - despite rattling quite a few Whitney kept her head and Lusty tried her heart out, I really like the way this partnership is developing.  Lots more photos to come, thanks for visiting Eventing Nation and go eventing!
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Poplar Place/Southern Pines Weekend Quiz Question

By Samantha L Clark on , Filed Under Eventing Nation, SamanthaLClark.com

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Which Four Star Phenomenon is this? 
Answers as usual in the comments section please, likewise if you want to submit a caption on Saturday's Poplar Place XC Preview. No prizes for guessing this horse but an extra helping of EN karma and bragging rights never did anyone any harm! Go Eventing!
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