Will Coleman and Twizzel at Rolex last year. Photo by by Jennifer Whitfield.
Rolex Kentucky posted the second blog installments from the 2013 Featured Rolex Riders on its website today. As we reported early this week, Sinead Halpin and Manoir De Carneville will no longer compete at Rolex, due to a clinical evaluation from the Team USA vets that raised concern. The others horses featured in the blogs are still on track to tackle Rolex. Most notably, Will Coleman indicated in his most recent blog that Twizzel will likely retire after Rolex. Here’s a sneak peak at the latest blogs:
Jennie Brannigan (Cambalda)
I recently realized that I probably mention something about Kentucky at least five times a day… Just little comments, but it’s clear I’m getting the Rolex fever. It’s a funny feeling getting ready for an event you’ve dreamed about going to for so long. You want to be excited, but with horses you’re so used to the ups and downs. So you try not to get too excited until you’re at the event, where your anxiety about getting there is immediately replaced with the anxiety about doing well! Then if the event goes well, it’s replaced with the anxiety to stay on form at the next big competition. (Continue reading)
Will Coleman (Twizzel)
Before Jim and Sarah Wildasin ever even considered owning top-level event horses like Twizzel, they, and their daugher Arden, fell in love with this sport at its highest level, in part because of their annual pilgrimages to Rolex and Badminton. Year after year, they have carved out time to sit and watch every single horse do the dressage, cross-country, and show-jumping, educating themselves while enjoying all the intricacy and excitement the drama provided. They loved the art of it all, the essence of the sport itself, from the barns to the arena to the course. I’m proud to ride for them, hopefully one more time, because I think they do appreciate all the little things that go into a horse performing well, either in that grand arena or out in those rolling hills on cross-country day, but hopefully both! This will probably be our last ride together. Twizzel will most likely retire after this. I have enjoyed every minute of it all. Thanks to Jim and Sarah. (Continue reading)
Sinead Halpin (Manoir De Carneville)
The support that Tate and I have received over the past year has been incredible. I was really looking forward to competing at Rolex and hopefully allowing some of Tate’s supporters to come out and see him do his thing, but for the moment the timing is not quite right, and, as we have learned in the past year, timing is everything. Some people might ask why I am sharing this information publicly, and, to be honest, I feel like I owe it to all those who have been part of this ongoing journey with us. Tate is completely sound and happy. He is staying in full flatwork — his precious night turnout is not being taken away — and he will still take part in Team USA training sessions. (Continue reading)
Stephen Blauner (Neville Bardos and Trading Aces)
As you have figured out by now, I am a huge fan of the syndicate model of ownership. One of the nice things about being part of several syndicates is the ability to “spread the risk.” Most of Neville’s owners also are part of the Oscar syndicate, so there is absolutely no pressure from the owners on Boyd to “push the envelope.” If Neville isn’t ready to run Rolex, we will still have Oscar. Otis Barbotiere was a star at the 2012 London Olympic Games, but is slowly coming back from an ankle injury. No pressures from the owners to get him ready for Rolex. Odds are that one (or more) of the three will run at Burghley or Blenheim or Boekelo. And there will be syndicate members there to watch. (Continue reading)
