As the proud caregiver of a mare who ‘assumes the position’ (begs for scratches while curling herself up like a question mark) every time I lift my hand to take a photo, I related hard to Laura Collett and London 52‘s Insta vs Reality. Come on, Dan, give us a smile!
National Holiday: It’s National Brother’s Day. Tell yours he looks like a monkey and he smells like one too, but do it with love.
US Weekend Results:
Chattahoochee Hills H.T. (Fairburn, Ga.): [Website] [Results]
Flora Lea Farm H.T. (Medford, Nj.): [Website] [Results]
MCTA H.T. at Shawan Downs (Hunt Valley, Md.): [Website] [Results]
Otter Creek Spring H.T. (Wheeler, Wi.): [Website] [Results]
Spring Gulch H.T. (Highlands Ranch, Co.): [Website] [Results]
UK Weekend Results:
Little Downham International: [Results]
Somerford Park (1): [Results]
Tweseldown International (2): [Results]
Warwick Hall (1): [Results]
Global Eventing Round-Up:
The continental European eventing circuit has been on fire over the weekend, with internationals on the go at Belgium’s stunning Arville, the base of Kai-Steffen Meier and Lara de Liedekerke-Meier; Italy’s Montelibretti; and Russia’s Dubrava.
Arville, which is a much-loved four-star venue, hosted its ‘introductory international’, with friendly, encouraging classes and courses at CCI1*-Intro, CCI2*-S, and CCI2*-L. Germany took top honours in the CCI2*-L, won by Christina Schöniger and Schoensgreen Continus. They climbed from second after each of the first two phases to the eventual win after two-phase leaders Eva Terpeluk and Uni’s Black Pearl, also from Germany, dropped a rail. That also allowed yet another German pair – Gesa Staas and St Stacy — to move into second.
Meanwhile, another German took the win in the CCI2*-S. Young Rider team gold and individual bronze medallist Ann-Catrin Bierlein and Qula M finished on their dressage score of 30.1, allowing them to take the win after sitting in second throughout the competition. Belgium’s Tine Magnus and Champagne Pia Z climbed from tenth to second, while dressage leaders Lara de Liedekerke-Meier and her 2020 Le Lion d’Angers mount Origi finished in third after adding 0.4 time in the showjumping and 0.8 across the country. Finally, the CCI1*-Intro went the way of Belgium’s Jarno Verwimp and Hilton, who climbed from sixth to first place despite a remarkable offensive by Germany’s Julia Krajewski, who finished with three horses in the top five.
You can view full results from Arville here.
Italy was teeming with eventing action, with Montelibretti hosting long- and short-format classes at every level from CCI1*-Intro through CCI4*-L, including a special CCI2*-L for ponies.
The feature CCI4*-L class was duly taken by Italian rider Pietro Sandei and his five-star campaigner Rubis de Prere, who led the dressage on a score of 30.8 but dropped down to second after cross-country when they picked up 11.6 time penalties. But the course and the time would both prove tough, and of the nine cross-country finishers, they were still the second fastest – and so, in jumping the only clear showjumping round of the final day, they were able to regain their lost ground and take the victory. Second place went to fellow countryman Emiliano Portale and Aracne dell’Esercito Italiano, who produced the fastest cross-country round of Saturday’s competition, while third went to Susanna Bordone and Walvis Bay.
The CCI4*-S, too, stayed in the hands of the home country, with Susanna Bordone moving up from second after the first phase to take — and hold — the lead aboard Imperial Van De Holtakkers. Switzerland’s Felix Vogg and Cartania finished in second place, stepping up from fourth after producing one of the fastest cross-country rounds of the day, while dressage leaders Geoffroy de Jamblinne and Consequent Pia Z of Belgium finished in third place.
Check out the full results here.
Finally, Russia’s Dubrava hosted CCI1*-Intro, CCI2*-L and CCI3*-S classes as well as the Sverdlovsk aya Oblast’ regional championships and a three-day seminar and practical workshop for aspiring stewards and technical delegates. But that’s all we know, folks – results for the event are harder to find than unicorn poo.
Your Monday Reading List:
Following her own extraordinary success in the Magnolia Cup, young amateur jockey and Ebony Horse Club rider Khadijah Mellah has joined forces with Oil Bell and Naomi Lawson to launch the Riding A Dream Academy, named for the documentary that followed her journey from Brixton to the finish line. The Academy will provide two extraordinary opportunities to young riders from underrepresented communities: a scholarship programme that will give riders a chance to spend a week in Newmarket and a year under the auspices of a mentor, and a residential week that will encourage new riders to take up the reins. [New academy gives children from under-represented communities chance to pursue racing dream]
If there’s anything that’s more universally baffling to riders than self-carriage, I haven’t found it yet. This interesting and informative primer looks at the concept from a number of different angles and should help the idea sink in. Maybe. [Principles of Horsemanship: Part Seven — Self Carriage]
A new ban on travel from the UK to Germany could spell bad news for Luhmühlen entrants. Those affected? 41 British riders in the CCI5*, plus the last two winners of the event and a number of other British-based Kiwis and Aussies – plus a slew of CCI4*-S entrants. [Germany’s ban on UK travellers casts doubts over whether Brits can ride at Luhmühlen]
I refuse to believe there’s a single EN reader who hasn’t accidentally punched themselves in the face while doing up a girth. There are some embarrassing experiences that are just universal, frankly. [Embarrassing Mistakes All Riders Have Made]
Have you heard? We just launched an epic giveaway in partnership with SmartPak to get you all kitted out in rain/mud gear. For your chance to win over $400 worth of rain-ready gear, you’ll definitely want to check out this fun contest here.
The FutureTrack Follow:
Bravo to the carrot-toting social media manager behind the Longines Global Champions Tour account. Ahh, to be a travelling carrot escaping the plague island that is the UK…
Morning Viewing:
Take a trip to Aston le Walls CCI4*-S with Ashley Harrison and Zebedee:
