Guess what time I wrote this post? Photo via dumblittleman.com
Happy Wednesday Eventing Nation!
You’ve made it halfway through your week. Whether or not that’s technically true, depends on the time you read this, and I leave you to do the rest of the math. Yes, I realize figuring out the exact middle of your week is another thing on your To-Do List now. And, if you’re like me this week, you wish it was Monday. (I know right?! Never thought I’d say that.) But, I’m halfway through the week and only about a fourth of the way through my work. Again with that math thing… And in other news, while the number of languages I know is quite vast (I know what Google Translate knows), John said I would write the N&N in Flemish, but translating it would have been the second thing I added to your To-Do List today. And, I’m looking out for you, EN. So, I’ll let your brain relax again and point you in the direction of your news and notes: they are below.
In some good news form England, Madison Park is settled in happily at Mike and Emma Winter’s farm. Kyle told us he is feeling better and doesn’t seem to be in pain. Hopefully Parker will be able to travel home to the US in a couple of weeks and Kyle is already back in the US. Parker sadly slipped a tendon off of his hock at the Blenheim 3* last weekend and his future as an upper level horse is uncertain. [read the Carter Eventing blog]
Galway Downs International 3 Day event is November 3-6. They’ve got horse trial levels, T3D and P3D as well as the CCI2* and CCI3*. They are expecting a larger Mid-Atlantic rider representation than last year. And why not? The courses are beautifully designed by Ian Stark. The footing is awesome and the West Coast knows how to do it right. Their focus is on the long format divisions, however. They realize the importance of these divisions as a learning experience for horses and riders. They had the largest number of participants in the T3D last year of all the T3D in 2010. The P3D division is FEI-sanctioned so it always counts as a CCI*. [full COTH report]
Clarification: As a quick clarification, the last sentence of the paragraph is based on the press release from Galway published on the Chronicle which says:
“…Kellerhouse, noting that this classic-format preliminary three-day event is an FEI-sanctioned competition (CCI1*), meaning that horses that achieve a minimum score will qualify to move up to the two-star level.”
Essentially, the classic-format preliminary three-day at Galway is actually a CCI* FEI long format, which will count as an FEI CCI* qualifier, but most P3D’s in the US are national CCN3* competitions that just count as a preliminary horse trials for qualifications.
There’s a Fund-raiser 3-phase schooling show THIS WEEKEND in *Massachusetts to raise money to help in the rebuilding efforts at GMHA. GMHA is one of Area One’s best events and it was demolished by Hurricane Irene. Apple Tree Farm and Scarlet Hill Farm have combined efforts to host, and you can enter/find more info here.
In more fundraising news, Doug Payne, Mark Leone, and Chris Von Martels are hosting a clinic October 7-9. The proceeds go to the Somerset Hills Handicapped Riding Center. Mark is teaching Friday, Chris on Saturday, and Dug on Sunday. [improve your riding for a good cause]
They even raised funds across the pond. They do it topless over there, though. As you may know, at Blenheim they had their annual high jump contest. JP Sheffield won clearing 1.90m, about 6’3″, setting a new record at Blenheim. The topless part comes in because the riders get a second shot at the fence if they take their shirt off. Laura Collet, one of Coren’s many idols, jumped almost 6′ bareback, joking that she rides better without a saddle. Over £10,000 were raised for the Riding for the Disabled Association. [full report here]
England also has heir Arena Eventing Championships this weekend. It’s similar to Derbycross. They’ve got a VIP lunch available with wine. [more details here]
The Brits have been holding out on some “awesome”. This is a few years old, but it’s new to me, and I am loving it! What do you say USEventing? Can we be cool too?
Go eventing.
