Oboe arrives on grounds at Badminton. Photo via Will Coleman Equestrian FB page.
Just one week after jog day at Kentucky and it’s jog day at Badminton! This time of the year is a bit like the winter holidays … we have Christmas first and then a week later New Year’s. Sometimes it’s just so much excitement to handle! One of these days I’m going to trek over to actually watch Badminton and Burghley both, but this year I’ll have to be satisfied stalking scores from across the pond.
National Holiday: Brothers and Sisters Day
Major Events:
Badminton: Website, Entries, Results, Schedule, How to Watch Live, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Form Guide, EN’s Instagram, EN’s Twitter
U.S. Weekend Preview:
MCTA H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]
Heart of the Carolinas 3DE & H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]
Poplar Place Farm H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]
The Event at Skyline H.T. [Website]
Your Wednesday News & Notes:
More Badminton first timers are dominating the news over at Horse & Hound. Kate Honey is trying to get to Badminton for the first time with the third horse she’s qualified, Fernhill Now or Never. Meanwhile New Zealander Virginia Thompson sold her entire yard in the southern hemisphere save her Badminton horse, Star Nouveau, and is having to pincher herself to remember everything is real. [Kate Honey and Her Self Produced Star] [Kiwi Virginia Thompson Sold Everything]
H&H focuses on riders who have never been to Badminton, rather than those who have never been four-star. Georgie Strang knew the minute she sat on Cooley Earl that he was perfect, even if he wasn’t her normal type. Warren Lamperd has been trying to compete at Badminton since 2000 when his entry scratched due to injury, and is finally here on the 17-year old mare Sylvia. [Georgie Strange Fell In Love] [Warren Lamperd Fell Off Every Day for a Year]
Seriously, there’s a bunch of them, and all their stories are unique. Ashley Edmond wanted to sell Triple Chance II when he was young, as he was so difficult, but couldn’t manage to sell him…because he was so difficult. Padraig McCarthy’s mount Mr. Chunky was originally his wife Lucy’s ride, but they’ve been together now to European Championships and Rio for Ireland. [Ashley Edmond Wanter to Sell Him] [He’s Called Mr. Chunky For a Reason]
Of course the two we are waiting for, from North America, haven’t been published yet but stay tuned. Alicia Hawker is as local as it gets, based only eight miles from Badminton with Charles RR. Will Furlong almost lost the ride on Collien 2 earlier this year when he had a deadline to form a syndicate so his mother could pay a capital gains tax but made it through and is the second youngest rider in the field behind our own Madeline Backus. . [Ashley Hawker’s Ride is Quirky] [Will Furlong Could Have Lost His Top Horse]
Attwood Footing of the Week – Eurotex
There is a common misconception in the equestrian community that sand is sand is sand. That there is no difference from one batch to another so all you have to do is combine it with an additive and you have “footing.” Nothing could be further from the truth.
At Attwood, we carefully select the sand most suited to your environment, whether it’s hot and dry, or cool and wet, or anything in between. We then create a custom mixture of the sand, felt, fiber, water and air.
Yes, water and air. And no it is not magical unicorn fairy water and air.
The amount of water and air that we mix into the footing along with the precise amount of fiber and felt creates the balance and grip of the footing giving you a truly safe surface every ride.
This custom blend perfected for your riding conditions ensures a completely balanced product every time with a cushioning component that prevents over compaction of the surface.
EuroTex is easy to install and very popular across all the disciplines.
You can find Attwood products in many of the top equestrian venues in the United States, the United Arab Empire and Europe.
- Stable View
- Morven Park
- Great Meadow
- Embassy International Riding School
- Windurra USA
- Carolina Horse Park
