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Mark your calendars! It’s nearly time for the 2022 Diversifying The HERD Virtual Summit, a global gathering of equine facilitated practitioners launched in 2021 by The HERD Institute and hosted and led by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) within the field. The Summit, happening on Saturday, September 10, features live discussions and an exciting keynote, “Decolonizing Your Equine Program”, presented by Abriana Johnson and Brittney Chambers.
You can register for the Diversifying The HERD Virtual Summit here, and be sure to follow @TheHerdInstitute on social media for the latest updates and content previews.
U.S. Weekend Preview
The Event at Archer and Area IX Championships (Cheyenne, WY): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]
Caber Farm H.T. (Onalaska, WA): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]
Genesee Valley Riding & Driving Club H.T. (Geneseo, NY): [Website] [Entry Status] [Scoring] [Volunteer]
Huntington Farm H.T. (South Strafford, VT): [Website] [Entry Status] [Scoring] [Volunteer]
Ocala Summer H.T. II (Ocala, FL): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Scoring] [Volunteer]
Waredaca Farm H.T. (Gaithersburg, MD): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Scoring] [Volunteer]
Major International Events
FEI Eventing Nations Cup CCIO4*-S + International H.T. (Bromont, Canada): [Website] [Entry Status] [Scoring]
Wednesday News & Reading
A robust field of competitors will compete for the next FEI Eventing Nations Cup win, hosted this weekend at Bromont in Québec, Canada. The U.S., Canada, and Australia make up the small-but-mighty field of Nations Cup competition, mixed in with a 25-strong 4*-S division. Alongside the 4*-S will be 3*-S and 2*-S with a U-25 division for each, as well as Preliminary and Training level offerings. Bromont is a supremely popular venue that’s recently come under new ownership made up of a group of investors with big visions to grow the park’s footprint within equestrian sport. [Read more about the Bromont field]
The rein-back is one of those tricky movements that often eludes even the most well-schooled riders. I thought Mary Ann Grant’s insight on how a properly trained rein-back should feel to be quite interesting: “Think of the rein-back as a forward movement in which the engaged hind legs take the front legs backward instead of the shoulders taking the hind legs back. Likewise, when we walk forward, it is the engaged hind legs that take the front legs forward rather than the front legs pulling the hind legs forward.” [Read the article]
Summer Ever So Sweet Scholarship recipient Nora Huynh-Watkins has been enjoying her time training and all around being a sponge at Sara Kozumplik’s Overlook Farm in Virginia. She’s written a blog update to bring us up to speed on all she’s learned, and you won’t want to miss it. [Read the blog]
Planning ahead for next year’s AEC? Double check your qualifications, as they’re going to be a bit stronger for the 2023 Championship. A development made during the USEA Board of Governor’s meeting last week, the update removes eligibility for third place in national and FEI competition as qualifiers. First and second place only will count toward AEC qualification. The USEA says 89% of previous AEC competitors would still have been qualified to compete under these updated criteria. [Read the full story]
If you’re on the hunt for a new podcast to add to your rotation, might I suggest In Stride with Sinead Halpin? This podcast, put on by Ride iQ, features conversations on the longer side with riders and professionals as they sit down with 5* rider Sinead Halpin Maynard. The latest episode features Team USA member Will Coleman, who sat down for a chat just after returning from competing in Europe earlier this year. Will is one of the best riders to interview on account of his thoughtfulness and studious approach to the sport. I really enjoyed his interview and think you will too. [Listen to it here]
Tack Facts from Sterling Essentials
“I love moldy tack!”….said no rider, ever. Whether or not you find tack cleaning to be zen, the fact remains that your significant investment requires proper care to stay, well, worth all that money. Sterling Essentials’ all-natural cleaning and conditioning products have a markedly different effect when compared to other products. Spoiler alert: We have a full review of this great stuff coming later today, so stay tuned. In the meantime, check out some facts in the Instagram post below (can’t see it? click here to view it):
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Sponsor Shoutout: Haygain
One of my favorite takeaways watching FEI World Championships (pt. 1) at Herning, Denmark was the inclusion of grooms within the programming. Groom names and photos were listed for each horse and rider combination, and there was much more visibility placed on their handiwork than seen at past championships. I was the world’s worst groom, but I did walk away with a healthy respect for how much is required of a groom and how much responsibility they bear. Props to the International Grooms Association for their diligence in promoting grooms and helping them gain proper FEI representation, and props to Haygain for being big supporters of grooms themselves!
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Wednesday Video Break
What a grand feeling it must be to become a double World Champion. That feat was accomplished to wrap up an exciting FEI World Championships for Para Dressage in Herning last weekend. Here’s the recap of Michèle George and Best of B’s ride of a lifetime:
