Tuesday News from Pennfield

Moving away from the Movable Type saga, let’s get back to the task at hand: the morning news. 

Did you know 2012 marks the 100 year anniversary of Eventing as an Olympic sport? I didn’t realize that until the British Eventing website kindly pointed it out yesterday. We’ve come along way since that first Olympics in Stockholm, because if we could take a time capsule back to that Stockholm Games, we’d find a sport that only bears a very slight resemblance to the one we compete in today. The Eventing competition at the Stockholm Games was contested over five days with the first being a cross country test, the last being the dressage competition, and the three days in between filled with a rest day, steeplechase, and a show jumping test. So the London Olympics, besides everything else they stand for and represent, will be a pretty special part of history for our sport. [British Eventing]

Tina Cook and Miner’s Frolic were successful in their quest for Olympic Qualification at Ballindenisk in Ireland this past weekend. When I wrote about Miner’s Frolic and his series of complicated injuries and illnesses last year, I honestly thought it was the last I’d be writing of him. He came very close to death last summer after suffering an adverse reaction to an antibiotic, in the process losing every inch of muscle tone and condition he’d had as a top level event horse, becoming so weak that he could barely walk. It really is a miracle that he’s made such a complete recovery in a relatively short period of time since the antibiotic reaction. He’s an amazing horse paired with a top class rider, I wish them the best of luck in their Olympic pursuit this Spring. [Horse and Hound]

I want to extend a belated congrats to EN friend Andy Bowles for being appointed event organizer for Colorado horse park.  Thanks to Franke Thieriot for the tip and congratulations Andy! 

Have you been following the Retired Racehorse Training Challenge? It concluded over the weekend at the PA Horse Expo, where Eric Dierks and Brazilian Wedding emerged victorious.  According to the reports, Tiffany Catledge and Kerry Blackmer did a nice job with their horses as well, but as with everything, there can only be one winner. Congratulations to everyone involved in the Racehorse Challenge, especially Stuart Pittman for organizing the series, riders, horses, and everyone else involved in the challenge. [COTH]

As the Olympics draw nearer by the day, everyone is scrambling to get their qualifiers in. The cutoff date in March 1st. According to an article from Horsetalk, “Ireland is almost certain to have two show jumping riders and two eventing riders qualified {For the Olympics}” While not a whole team, sending individuals is better than sending no one, and it looks like Ireland will be doing just that. [Horsetalk]

One more Olympic note before moving on to more real world news: Bill Steinkraus has been nominated to the United States Olympic Committee Hall of Fame! We need to rally together and vote him into the Hall of Fame, as this man has had more of an influence on show jumping and anyone in the last 75 years. He is an Idol to many, including myself, and deserves to be in that Hall of Fame. So please vote, spread the word to vote, get your mom to vote, and do whatever we can to elect Mr. Steinkraus into the USOC Hall of Fame. [HN]

Nina Ligon is enjoying a short, well earned vacation in Bangkok before returning home to continue her Olympic pursuit. [Nina Ligon]

Part II of Doug’s Rolex Blog is hot off the press. Check it out here.  [James Alliston’s blog #2, Jan Byyny #2]

Kyle is still living the dream, right now in South America. [Kyle’s Blog]

HN: Sometimes what we need most is to take a deep breath

That’s all for now! Have a great day and be sure to check back later today for the supposed unveiling of the new and improved Eventing Nation!