Abby Powell
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Abby Powell

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About Abby Powell

Abby Powell is a native of Northeastern Massachusetts who splits her time between commuting into Boston for work and caring for and riding her rescue Mustang x Arab mare, Maggie.

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Nicholson Nabs 4* Win, First FEI Victory for Marinovich-Burdick in the 3* at Red Hills

Lauren Nicholson and Landmark’s Monte Carlo. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

After yesterday’s cross country round, Lauren Nicholson had mentioned that Landmark’s Monte Carlo always likes it at Red Hills International Horse Trials in Tallahassee, Florida and tends to do well at this event. She’s right: the pair finished 4th here in the four-star in 2021, second in the CCI3-S in 2020, and 5th in 2019 three-star. Altogether, they’ve made the trip to Red Hills nearly every year in the last decade. This year they came out on top.

Overnight leaders Will Coleman and Off The Record withdrew before show jumping today. Will told EN that the gelding had knocked his stifle at the last water complex on yesterday’s course and while he looked good last night, he came out of the stall stiff today. Will had radiographs taken, which showed no damage, but he opted not to jump the gelding in the final phase.

Subsequently, Lauren and “Patrick”, as he’s known around the barn or “Patty” for short, were left in pole position with a rail in hand over second place. They needed it — knocking a rail at fence 9 on the Chris Barnard-designed course — but it was enough to clinch the victory with a final score of 42.1, earning a fist pump from Lauren.

“Patrick is a barn favorite,” she says. “Everyone is very exited for him. He’s 16 years old now and he’s done a lot. He’s like an old friend at this point.”

Lauren Nicholson and Landmark’s Monte Carlo. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Patrick actually won his first start at the four-star level back in 2015 at Jersey Fresh International. Since then, they’ve contested this level at 21 international events, coming tantalizing close to a win a few times over the years. Lauren and Patrick ended their 2021 season with a fantastic 6th place at the inaugural Maryland Five-Star in October and then after a winter vacation they kicked the 2022 season off with a spin around the Open Intermediate at Rocking Horse Winter II before heading here to Red Hills.

A product of Ms. Jaqueline Mars’ breeding program at Landmark Stables and Stonehall Farm, Patrick is a U.S.-bred Irish Sport Horse sired by Formula One out of a full Thoroughbred mare, Glamour, by Flash Tycoon.

“He was a quirky young horse to put it kindly, but we run a very patient program and he has really blossomed now and he’s one of my best buddies at this point,” Lauren said.

Lauren says she prefers to run Patrick at the Advanced level only a couple times a year, so they’ll fly around and Intermediate again next before aiming for a spring three-day, most likely Kentucky.

Mia Farley and BGS Firecracker. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

It’s a sweet second place for Mia Farley and her own BGS Firecracker, who jumped a stylish double clear round today — they have yet to knock a pole at the four-star level — to keep a finishing score of 43.0. The 21-year-old rider and the Irish Sport horse mare (Capitalist x Emmas Courage, by Courage II) bred by Patty Byrne of BGS Sport Horses stalked the top of the leaderboard all weekend, sitting equal 4th after dressage and moving up to 3rd after their fast round across country yesterday.

“Crack” is back and maybe on the verge of a comeback tour. After Mia and the now 12-year-old Irish Sport horse earned the USEF CCI4*-L Reserve Champion title in 2019, the mare developed a minor injury in early 2020 and Mia has been extra patient in tending to her rehab. She brought her back into full work over the course of nearly two years, stepping back up to the Advanced level last fall.

For the spring season ahead, Mia is aiming for the CCI4-L at the Tryon International May 3-Day event where she hopes to be competitive with Cracker. Looking to the fall season, she has her sights set on either a move-up at the Maryland Five-Star or possibly a trip overseas to contest Blenheim. It all depends on perceived competitiveness and funding, but both are possibilities depending on what’s in the cards.

Joe Meyer and Buccaneer. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

New Zealand’s Joe Meyer steadily climbed the leaderboard over the weekend with 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse Buccaneer, starting off in 17th position after the dressage. Their double clear show jumping round today clinched a 3rd place finish with a score of 45.5, leaping a grand total of fifteen places over the course of the weekend.

“I was so happy with him today. My wife told me I was in fifth yesterday so I said, ‘That’s pretty good going, I better leave the rails up today,'” Joe laughed.

Buccaneer was the fourth fastest horse of the division out on cross country yesterday, but Joe wasn’t always able to harness the gelding’s speed to his benefit.

“You always want a fast horse, but as a young horse I didn’t really have the controls that I needed. Now he’s a bit more experienced and I’m finding him so much easier to ride and he’s super brave. He’s fairly small — he’s only 15.3 hands — which is perfect for me. He’s just an awesome, awesome horse … When I ask him to go he just motors.”

Buccaneer was acquired as a 6-year-old by Joe and his wife Ruthie through the 2016 Gorsebridge Go for Gold sale originally as an investment for a client with the intent to be produced and sold in the States. He was bred by David McCann of Hartwell Stud in Ireland, sired by Grad Prix show jumper Clover Brigade out of a Thoroughbred mare, Tobar Bhride.

Joe ended up keeping the ride on Buccaneer and the gelding is now owned by the Team Johnny Syndicate. The pair’s next stop this year will be Carolina International later this month and then they’ll head to contest the CCI4-S at Kentucky in April and possibly a long format four-star after that.

Phillip Dutton and Azure. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

The future looks bright for Phillip Dutton and Azure, a new mount owned by Anne, Caroline, and Michael Moran. The pair tipped one rail but maintained their fourth place position after cross country to end the weekend on a score of 47.2. We will be interested to see what Phillip has in mind for this mare, a 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse (Omar x Cavalier Roselier, by Cavalier Royale), this season.

Woods Baughman and and C’est La Vie 135. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

The pairs that ended the competiton in the fifth through eighth spots on the leaderboard all vaulted themselves up in the standings thanks to double clear rounds today. 2021 USEF CCI4-L National Champions Woods Baughman and C’est La Vie 135 (Contendro I x Anette, by Aarking xx), owned by the Baughman family, round out the top five having climbed back up the scoresheet from 9th after cross country.

Great Britain’s Lesley Law finished all three of his four-star horses in the top eleven today. 11-year-old Lady Chatterley, a Holsteiner mare (Connor x Jucy, by Mytens) owned by Jackie and Steve Brown, was the highest placed of her stablemates, landing in 6th overall. Climbing from 25th after dressage, Lesley rode Tre Book’s Voltaire De Tre, the splashy Selle Francais gelding (Gentleman IV x Jasmina du Fresne, by Socrate de Chivre) to a 10th place finish and Craig McCallum’s Typically Fernhill, a 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Dondoctro Ryal K x Castlefield Sarah, by Guy Cavalier), rounded out Lesley’s rides in this division with an 11th place finish.

7th place is occupied by another big mover: Clayton Fredericks and his own FE Coldplay, a 10-year-old German Sport Horse gelding (Guy Cavalier x Krone 18, by Kolibri) who sat in 18th place after dressage. Finishing in 8th are Lexi Scovil and her own 12-year old Zangersheide gelding, Chico’s Man VDF (Chico’s Boy x Chardonnay Z, by Caretano). Holly Jacks-Smither and Candy King, the 12-year-old British Sport Horse gelding (Grafenstolz x Eye Candy, by Moothyeb) tipped one rail, but still rose one place from 10th overnight to finish the competition in 9th.

Meaghan Marinovich-Burdick and Riviera Lu. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Meaghan Marinovich-Burdick had no idea that her weekend away at Red Hill would end with leading the victory gallop of the CCI3-S with her mare, Riviera Lu, finishing with a final score of 37.0. Their weekend started off with a nice ‘girls trip’ feel, as a friend from overseas accompanied her to the event and the week with just one horse feels like a nice little vacation from her training business back home.

A little shuffling at the top of the leaderboard in this division also occurred overnight, with Liz Halliday-Sharp withdrawing all of her mounts, including top-placed Cooley Moonshine and 3rd placed Quite Nice 11 with whom Meaghan sat equal with in the standings after cross country. The leaders heading into the afternoon, Arden Wildasin and Sunday Times, collected 8 faults for felled poles to end their weekend in 6th place.

Meaghan and “River” started off their weekend in 16th place after a dressage test that Meaghan says she was a touch disappointed with. A spirited mare (“She’s very spooky and opinionated, to put it in the nicest way,” Meaghan says), River took particular offense to the rain covers that the camera operators had draped over their equipment. 

“I felt like I honestly left a couple points on the table with that test,” Meaghan reflects, “but I looked it up and it was actually her best dressage at an FEI event, so I’ll take it!”

Meaghan purchased the now 14-year-old Brazilian Sport Horse (Rembrandt Jmen x Ravena 3J, by Diapason des Gaves) sight unseen in 2019 and the pair has been building a partnership over the last couple years. Meaghan says that her and River’s trickiest phase is the show jumping but with the help of their coach, Cathy Jones-Forsberg, who travelled down from Illinois to support them this weekend, they were able to push their demons aside and jump double clear.

“Today I was just jumping and having fun with my buddy,” Meaghan said.

The CCI3-S top three is rounded out by Caroline Martin and her own 7-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Galwaybay Blake (Tolan R x Doughiska Lass, by Kannan) in second place followed by Dana Cooke and Kingfisher Park Equestrian’s FE Quattro, an 8-year-old German Warmblood gelding (Quaterstern x Elina, by Coriograf B) who originally led the division after dressage.

Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Looking to the CCI2-S division, our top two remained unchanged wire-to-wire to wire with  Leslie Law and Fupsilon Grande lande, a 7-year-old Selle Francis gelding (Upsilon x L’Irlandaise, by Singasinga) owned by Beatrice Ray-Herme winning the top prize. Sara Kozumplik and Edith Rameika’s 9-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Otta B Quality (Up To Date x Dicarla-H, by Vittorio) maintained second place. Both pairs finished on their dressage scores of 25.3 and 25.8, respectively.

Jennie Brannigan and Twilightslastgleam. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Jennie Brannigan certainly had a weekend to be proud of, winning both the Advanced and Intermediate divisions in addition to other top placings across division, all aboard horses owned by her longtime supporters Tim and Nina Gardner .

She and Advanced division winner Twilightslastgleam lead the division from wire to wire. The US-bred unraced Thoroughbred gelding (National Anthem x Royal Child, by Northern baby) had three rails in hand over second place and used one of them to finish on a score of 47.9. Jennie also took 6th place in this division with FE Lifestyle, the 12-year-old German Sport Horse gelding (Leo Von Faelz x Berina A, by Brandenburger) with whom she represented the U.S. in the FEI Nations Cup leg at Boekelo last fall.

Connory, a 10-year-old Holsteiner (Contrato x Hocaponta, by Laurie’s Crusador), was the Intermediate division winner. The pair took the lead after cross country, lifting them from 7th after dressage, and then jumped double clear today to stay on top. This is the third win in a row for the gelding co-owned by Jennie and Tim and Nina Gardner. They most recently won their first outing of the season at Rocking Horse Winter III in the Open Preliminary division last week and prior to that we last saw this gelding at the Fair Hill International April H.T., where he won the CCI3-S.

Finally, Jennie claimed both the 3rd and 4th places in the CCI2-S aboard Keepsake and Kismet, respectively. Both 7-year-olds were bred in the U.S. by Nina Gardner and both share the same sire, the Thoroughbred National Anthem, who is also the father of Twilightslastgleam.

Thanks again to Shannon Brinkman for her photos and to Amanda Chance and Hilary McMichael for compiling the pedigree information found in this report and heard on the livestream. That’s all from Red Hills for now — thank you for following along on EN this weekend!

Red Hills: [Website] [Final Scores] [EN’s Coverage]

They’re Back, Baby! Snaps from Spectators At Red Hills


Thanks to its unique position on on the calendar, Red Hills International Horse Trials is one of just a few events that didn’t miss a beat over the last few tumultuous years. It’s 2020 edition took place the weekend before the world as we know it changed forever, with the World Health Organization officially declaring COVID-19 a pandemic just days after the event concluded.

The 2021 event, like many events on the calendar that year, ran without spectators. This year they’re back and boy, is everyone happy to be out enjoying a day of sport! Enjoy these snaps from out on course yesterday and catch up on yesterday’s cross country report here.

The CCI2-S show jumping has just finished up and we’re now awaiting the start of the four-star division finale at 12:30 ET, which you can catch via the livestream here. Stay tuned for more from EN!

Red Hills International: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Schedule] [Live Stream] [Volunteer] [Live Scores] [EN’s Coverage]


 

 

 


 

 


 


 

 

 

 

Sunday Links from Fairfax & Favor

Mia Farley and BGS Firecracker. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

While we’re sad not to be onsite at Red Hills watching and photographing the event ourselves this year, how lucky are we to have as talented and skilled a photographer as Shannon Brinkman and her team to illustrate the action for us? Seriously, every time I open a folder of photos sent by Shannon for us to use in our reports I drool a little. Aspiring photographers (myself included) take note.

Women’s History Bit of the Day:

I’m just going to shamelessly continue the Shannon Brinkman love fest in this section too. In her 21 years of professional photography, Shannon has developed an instantly recognizable look to her images and has amassed quite the portfolio of high-level equestrian events including the last four Olympic Games. Here are her top five photos and a bit more about her.

U.S. Weekend Action:

Red Hills International CCI4*-S (Tallahassee, Fl): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Schedule] [Live Stream] [Volunteer] [Live Scores] [EN’s Coverage]

Full Gallop Farm March H.T. (Aiken, Sc.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Volunteer] [Ride Times]

Meadowcreek Park Spring Social Event (Kosse, Tx.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Live Scores]

SAzEA Spring H.T. (Tucson, Az.): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores] [Volunteer]

Southern Pines H.T. (Raeford, Nc.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Volunteer] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Sunday Links:

Horses are more attentive and aroused when “baby talk” is used

How to Help Horses & Equestrians in Ukraine

Two Women Take Center Stage in American Breeding

Nearly 10% of one-day eventers in study may have had a musculoskeletal problem

Meet the USEA Areas: Area III

Post-workout leg care

Best of Blogs: ‘A’ Is For Aspirational: Learning to Roll With Plans B-F

Sunday Video: 🔜 Strzegom!

Fairfax & Favor Find of the Week:

 

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Red Hills Cross Country Recap: Coleman Still Tops 4*, Halliday-Sharp Leads 3*

Will Coleman and Off The Record. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

When competitors arrived on the grounds of Elinor Klapp-Phipps Park in Tallahassee, Florida earlier this week, it was a balmy 87 degrees in the Florida panhandle. Flash forward to cross country day and everyone at Red Hills has experienced the gamut of weather conditions including dropping temperatures, heavy rain, and even tornado warnings. It was around 50 degrees for cross country at Red Hills International Horse Trials today — terribly chilly for the Floridian spectators out enjoying the action, but perfect for the horses running across country.

The weather added some insult to injury to the livestream as well, with a fallen tree branch taking down some important cables just after other technical difficulties had been remedied. We’d like to send a shoutout to the team at Red Hills and R.N.S. Videomedia for working so hard to get the livestream up and running, which they did just a couple horses into the CCI4-S class, so that this event could be enjoyed around the world.

Will Coleman and Off The Record Keep the CCI4-S Lead

It’s notoriously difficult to make the time in the top division at Red Hills, thanks to the winding, albeit beautiful, track designed by Mike Etherington-Smith. Nobody in the CCI4*-S (or Advanced) managed the feat today, but overnight leaders Will Coleman and Off The Record, owned by his namesake syndicate, came the closest to the optimum time of 6 minutes 39 seconds thanks to turning in the fastest round of the day as the only pair to cross the finish flags in under 7 minutes. They clocked in at 6 minutes 56 seconds, to add 6.8 time penalties to their score to keep the lead on a 30.6. Will chalks his fast time up to “Timmy’s” efficiency across the country:

“If I ride neat and smooth he’s usually fairly quick. I was just trying to pick good ground. and he seems to just have a knack for getting close to the time, if not under it. I just kind of rode him like I always do. He’s a very genuine animal and I appreciate that about him.”

While Will may have ridden Timmy, a 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Arkansas x Drumagoland Bay, by Are Ohio) bred by Peter Brady, as he usually does, Red Hills is not an event that Will usually rides at. He’s made a conscious decision this season to mix things up and travel to events that haven’t normally made his spring calendar in the past.

Will Coleman and Off The Record. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

“For myself and for the horses, we don’t get any better doing the same courses over and over. I thought this year would be a good opportunity to take my top horses to some events that have a bit of different feel and suit them differently than they might be used to. I figure if I want well-rounded five-star horses, I have to add some breadth to their experience.

“Red Hills is a unique place because the course comes at you fast and you have to be pretty sharp to come at it and give it a good crack, so I thought it would be a good challenge. I like that fact that we show jump last here, which we don’t do anywhere else on the spring calendar, so I can get a feel for how they’re jumping the day after cross country.”

A sport of highs and lows, Will experienced both within the same division. Sitting in 10th place after dressage with DonDante, the pair was one of the earliest out on course in the CCI4-S and had an unfortunate slip on the flat at the first water complex as they were turning on land to come back around through the water a second time. DonDante is a-ok, and Will will take some time to think about where he’ll route the 12-year-old Irish gelding next as he aims him at another crack at Kentucky next month.

“He’s a good horse with a bit of bad luck today,” says Will. 

Lauren Nicholson and Landmark’s Monte Carlo. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Will and Timmy will have rail and a handful of time in hand ahead of the now second placed Lauren Nicholson and Landmark’s Monte Carlo, the US-bred Irish Sport Horse gelding (Formula One x Glamour, by Flash Tycoon) bred and owned by Ms. Jaqueline Mars. Lauren had the second fastest round of the day and moved up one spot in the standings from third, adding 8.8 time faults to sit on a score of 38.1.

Now 16-years-old, Lauren and “Patty” have developed a lovely partnership, and their round was one of the smoothest to watch.

“I’ve been riding him since he was three years old, so I’m just excited when I get to go out on him. He’s really fun. We just have such a partnership now, so it’s pretty enjoyable out there. I had a great time and he’s always liked Red Hills and he’s always done well here.”

Mia Farley and BGS Firecracker. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Also moving up one spot on the leaderboard are Mia Farley and her own BGS Firecracker who now sit in third position heading into show jumping on a score of 43.0. Mia calls Firecracker, a 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare (Capitalist x Emmas Courage, by Courage II),  a long-format horse: she like to utilize those long gallops to make up time after setting up for combinations. Even so, Mia set out to challenge the time today and she and her mare made pretty easy work of the twisty Red Hills track. As one of first out on course, they spent a good portion of the day sitting as clubhouse leader after a fast round that garnered 12.8 time penalties.

Mia is also sitting 15th in the division aboard an exciting young horse in Phelps, an unraced 2013 Thoroughbred gelding by Tiznow, who is new to the four-star level. Though she wasn’t trying to be fast aboard Phelps, the pair came in just three seconds slower than Mia’s first romp around the track.

“He’s such a quick horse. He has his own style, but it feels great and he’s smart on course,” she says.

Phillip Dutton and Azure. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Moving up from ninth place after dressage and into fourth after the third fastest round of the day are Phillip Dutton and a new-to-him ride, Azure, who sit just 0.2 penalty points behind Mia on a score of 43.2. Azure is a striking gray mare who Phillip recently acquired the ride on thanks to owners Anne, Caroline, and Michael Moran. The 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse (Omar x Cavalier Roselier, by Cavalier Royale) was previously ridden through the CCI4-L level by Elizabeth Power of Ireland, who also is the mare’s breeder.

Joe Meyer and Buccaneer. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Joe Meyer and his own 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Buccaneer (Clover Brigade x Tobar Bhride, by Good Thyne) round out the top five with a score of 45.5, having moved up from 17th after dressage.

Jessica Phoenix and Bogue Sound. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

We have to look to 6th place to come across our first non-Irish Sport Horse on the leaderboard after the second phase. Jessica Phoenix and Amara Hoppner’s Bogue Sound, an off-the-track Thoroughbred gelding (Crafty Shaw x Carolina Blue, by Victory Gallop) earned the biggest-mover award after cross country, jumping 17 places from 23rd after dressage to 6th heading into show jumping with 47.6 penalty points.

Elisa Wallace and 14-year-old Let It Be Lee. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Not far behind on a score of 47.8 are Elisa Wallace and 14-year-old Let It Be Lee, owned by Donna Biggs and Rosemarie Spillane, another off-the-track Thoroughbred gelding (Bernstein x Sugaree, by Broad Brush), who climbed the leaderboard to sit in 7th place.

Dan Kreitl and Carmango. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Another 0.2 penalty points later, 8th place is occupied by Dan Kreitl and one of the youngest horses in the division, Kay Dixon’s 9-year-old Carmango, a German-bred Westphalian gelding (Chirivell x Taramanga, Templer). 

Woods Baughman and C’est la Vie 135. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

A victim of the tricky-to-get optimum time, Woods Baughman and his family’s 14-year-old Hanoverian gelding C’est la Vie 135 (Contender x Anette, by Aarking) dropped from equal 4th after dressage to now sit in 9th place heading into show jumping on a score of 48.6.

Holly Jacks-Smither and Candy King. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Holly Jacks-Smither and Candy King, a 12-year-old gelding (Grafenstolz x Eye Candy, by Moothyeb) bred in Great Britain by show jumping superstar Jay Halim, also find them further down the headboard after cross country, now rounding out the top ten with a score of 48.8 after having sat in second at the start of the day.

Looking to the Advanced division, which ran over the same track as the four-star, Jennie Brannigan and Twilightslastgleam, the patriotically named US-bred unraced Thoroughbred (National Anthem x Royal Child, by Northern baby) owned by Nina Gardner, held onto their lead in that division adding only time faults for a two-phase score of 43.5.

Liz Halliday-Sharp and Cooley Moonshine. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Liz Halliday-Sharp and Cooley Moonshine Move into CCI3-S Top Spot

We saw some shuffling atop the leaderboard of the CCI3-S division and generally throughout the scoresheet as time penalties played a large hand in deciding the leaders of this division as well. Unlike the CCI4-S, which only saw two riders suffer jumping faults throughout the division, a number of the CCI3-S pairs fell prey to jumping errors which also contributed to a very different headboard than we saw in this division after the dressage.

Dressage leaders Dana Cooke and FE Quattro collected 14.0 time penalties to drop them to 5th place after cross country, so Liz Halliday-Sharp and the Monster Partnership’s Cooley Moonshine now lead the division. Liz and the 10-year old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Cobra x Kilpatrick Duchess, by Kings Master) moved up the leaderboard from 4th after dressage thanks to a fast round that garnered only 4.8 time penalties and will head into show jumping tomorrow with a score of 31.9. Liz also sits in equal third place in this division on Quite Nice 11, sharing a score of 37.0 with Meaghan Marinovich-Burdick and Riviera Lu.

Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Speaking of fast rounds, Arden Wildasin and her own 15-year-old Sunday Times put the pedal to the metal and clocked the fastest time of the division, finishing just two seconds over optimum time to add 0.8 penalties to their dressage score. That speedy and clean round rocketed the Irish Sport Horse gelding (Cult Hero x Lackaghbeg Crest, by Sea Crest) from equal 23rd to 2nd on a score of 35.8.

Leslie Law and Fupsilon Grande lande. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Top Two Unchanged in CCI2-S

The time across country was finally catchable as we look to the CCI2-S division. Leslie Law and Fupsilon Grande lande, a 7-year-old Selle Francis gelding (Upsilon x L’Irlandaise, by Singasinga) owned by Beatrice Ray-Herme, remain our leaders on their dressage score of 25.3 while Sara Kozumplik and Edith Rameika’s 9-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding Otta B Quality (Up To Date x Dicarla-H, by Vittorio) continue to be hot on their heels with another double clear round, leaving them on their dressage score of 25.8.

Show jumping kicks off tomorrow at 8:30 AM ET with the Open Preliminary division and then the CCI2-S. The CCI4-S is scheduled to begin after lunch at 12:30 PM followed by the Advanced, CCI3-S, and finally the Intermediate. You can find a full order of go here.

We’ll rejoin you tomorrow for the exciting conclusion of Red Hills 2022 and in the meantime we’d like to thank Shannon Brinkman for her always outstanding photos and also Amanda Chance and Hilary McMichael for compiling the pedigree information found in this report and heard on the livestream.

Red Hills: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Schedule] [Live Stream] [Live Scores] [EN’s Coverage]

Take a Closer Look at the 2022 Red Hills Cross Country Courses

CCI4-S/Advanced fence 18A. Photo by Shems Hamilton via CrossCountry App.

Cross country action at the 2022 edition of the Red Hills International Horse Trials in Tallahassee, Florida is currently underway! Red Hills welcomed back Mike Etherington-Smith for his 8th year as the cross country course designer for the CCI4-S and David O’Connor as assistant designer for the CC4-S and designer for the Advanced, CCI3-S, CCI2-S, Intermediate, and Preliminary divisions.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mike was unable to fly from the UK to Florida for the 2021 event, which ran without spectators, in order to do his usual course design duties. Instead, he FaceTimed David and builders Tyson Rementer and Levi Ryckewaert as they prepared the course and set fences. This year, Mike is happy to be back on site and here’s what he had to say regarding the 2022 track in his design notes:

“The course follows the same route as last year, which worked well, although there are some changes and some new fences. The key fences are in the usual places but the questions are different. The aim of the course remains the same as usual namely to give everyone a ‘fun run’ with a good variety of questions all up to height and appropriate for the level yet planned to give confidence as an early season run and the chance to get back in to the competition groove. The World Equestrian Games will be held in Italy in September this year and even though it seems a long way ahead those who have the ambition and the horse power will already be looking to put a marker down with USA High Performance this spring.

“My ambition as course designer is that horses and riders have a beneficial run, jump well, and come home feeling as though they have benefitted from their cross country. It is all about giving horse and rider the opportunity to show what they can do and are ready for rather than trying to catch them out, it needs to be a positive (not necessarily easy) experience to help set them up for the season ahead. The team from the City Parks have continued their good work on the ground and it seems to get better each year due to their efforts. As always my thanks to everyone involved in putting the courses together: Tyson and Levi plus Corinne and her excellent team of hard working volunteers.”

The CCI4*-S and Advanced divisions will run over the same course, with an optimum time of 6 minutes 39 seconds over 3789 meters. There are 24 numbered obstacles with 37 jumping efforts. The course winds through the beautiful moss-cladded Elinor Klapp-Phipps Park, a recreation and conservation area maintained year-round by the City of Tallahassee, Leon County and the Northwest Florida Water Management District. Take a peek at the course map for the marquee division, complete with audio explanations of each fence from Mike:

CCI4-S cross country kicks off at 11:45 AM ET and Advanced runs upon 4* completion. Red Hills is prepared to offer a livestream on the City of Tallahassee YouTube Channel, but has been experiencing technical difficulties so our fingers are crossed that we’ll get to enjoy some of the action today! The area experienced a substantial rain storm yesterday which took out their power and internet, and they’re working hard to remedy the situation.

Course maps for the other divisions can be found right here: [CCI3-S] [Intermediate]  [CCI2-S] [Preliminary]. Have wonderfully fun and safe rides today, everyone. Go Eventing!

Red Hills: Website, Entry Status, Ride Times, Live Scores, Volunteer, Live Stream

Saturday Links from SmartPak

Photo by Abby Powell.

I don’t know who needs to hear this right now, but I’m coming at you with a hot shedding season tip today. Not only does the SleekEZ Grooming Tool do a great job removing the winter woolies from my pony, but it’s also the absolute best tool that I have ever found to remove that stubborn hair stuck to the underside of saddle pads. Just make sure your saddle pad is up against a solid surface, rake the SleekEZ along it, and voila! Check out all the hair that’s gone from the saddle pad to the floor. You can snag your own SleekEZ Grooming Tool from our friends at SmartPak. You’re welcome.

Women’s History Bit of the Day:

29-year-old Rachel Blackmore is a kind of a badass. Last year, the Irish jockey became the first female to win the Grand National, a 4 mile and 2½ furlongs steeplechase, in the 182-year-old history of the prestigious race. She also became the first woman to win the leading jockey title at the Cheltenham Festival  last year, notching 6 wins. Here’s 9 more facts about Rachel, courtesy of Horse & Hound.

U.S. Weekend Action:

Red Hills International CCI4*-S (Tallahassee, Fl): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Schedule] [Live Stream] [Volunteer] [Live Scores]

Full Gallop Farm March H.T. (Aiken, Sc.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Volunteer] [Ride Times]

Meadowcreek Park Spring Social Event (Kosse, Tx.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Live Scores]

SAzEA Spring H.T. (Tucson, Az.): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores] [Volunteer]

Southern Pines H.T. (Raeford, Nc.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Volunteer] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Saturday Links:

An Elite Sport Plagued by Sex Abuse Is Turning on Itself

The Foundation for the Horse Accepting Gifts for Ukrainian Equine and Veterinary Medical Relief

Three Eventing Professionals Share How they Knew it Was Time to Retire Their Horse

Living Through An Outbreak: One California Barn’s EHV-1 Diary

When Every Option Feels Awful: Struggling With An Impossible Decision for a Dangerous Horse

Helmet Safety Initiative Is On Track for Fall 2022 Completion

Saturday Video: Enjoy some trippy dressage courtesy of Karl Slezak.

 

Ramping back up into full work for the spring? SmartPak has everything you need to make the transition back to show season. Click here for more.

Monday Video: Future Australian Olympian Follows in Father’s Footsteps

 

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Not everyone can say they did their first three-phase event with an Olympian running alongside them, but then again not everyone can say that their dad is Andrew Hoy. This past weekend, Andrew’s daughter Philippa competed in her very first event: a lead line 40cm class at Montelibretti Eventing in Lazio, Italy.  Team Hoy has been camped at Montelibretti as they start their season by contesting the contesting the Prosecco Tour over the course of several weeks.

In perhaps a foreshadowing of the career like her father’s to come, Philippa won this first event and we presume that, like her father, she and her borrowed pony “Black” probably finished on their dressage score.  Take a peek at this proud father moment (complete with a matching team Australia cross country base layer) courtesy of Andrew!

Sunday Links from Fairfax & Favor

 

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It’s true, the condensed showcase events aren’t real eventing — but it can’t be underestimated what they can do for the sport. Just look at the crowds that Grand Prix Eventing at Bruce’s Field attracted yesterday. Surely a few kids were newly bitten by the horse bug — in fact I’m sure of it. If you need proof, just scroll down and watch the video below.

$50,000 Grand-Prix Eventing at Bruce’s Field: [Website] [Final Scores] [Ride for Charity Fan Vote] [Live Stream Replay] [EN’s Coverage]

Women’s History Bit of the Day:

The first female rider to win an Olympic medal in eventing, Torrance Watkins was also the first woman inducted into the USEA Hall of Fame. That first Olympic medal was won aboard a 15.1-hand Paint mare named Poltroon at the 1980 Games in Fontainebleau. She nearly repeated the feat four years later in Los Angeles, finishing fourth individually aboard an OTTB Finvarra but helping the U.S. take home the team gold medal.

U.S. Weekend Action:

Chattahoochee Hills H.T. (Fairburn, Ga.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Rocking Horse Winter III H.T. (Altoona, Fl.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Live Scores]

Sporting Days Farm March H.T. (Aiken, Sc.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Live Scores]

Sunday Links:

A Member of the Family: Meet Nemesis the 2021 USEA 7-Year-Old Intermediate Leaderboard Champion

Unbridled Curiosity: Three Ponies Highlight Recent Discoveries in Equine Science

Cognitive problems can linger a year after concussion, study findings suggest

Kentucky Racing Board Upholds Bob Baffert’s Suspension

British veterinarians rally to send supplies to Ukraine

Sunday Video: Of course, the most excellent ambassadors of the sport are the horses themselves.

 

 

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Fairfax & Favor Find of the Week:

 

Saturday Links


Who is stoked to watch some Grand Prix Eventing cross country today? One of these years I’ll make it down to Aiken to watch this fun event in person, but until then I’ll be enjoying the livestream thanks to H&C+. The first horse leaves the start box at 12:30 PM ET!

$50,000 Grand-Prix Eventing at Bruce’s Field: [Website] [Entry List] [Live Scores] [Ride for Charity Fan Vote] [Live Stream]

Women’s History Bit of the Day:

I’m not much of a cinephile to be honest (unless you count watching Harry Potter marathons whenever they’re on TV, even when I’ve already seen each film about five hundred times) but the above photo of these two fantastic ladies behind some of the H&C cameras at Bruce’s Field got me wondering about women working behind the camera in the film industry. In the nearly 100 year history of the Oscars, only two women have ever been nominated for an Academy Award in cinematography — Rachel Morrison for Mudbound in 2018 and, as of just last month, Ari Wegner in 2022 for The Power of the Dog. Film is another historically male-dominated industry. Why? Why do we see so few female Directors of Photography? This 2018 article is a thought-provoking account.

March 5 is Dissociative Identity Disorder Awareness Day:

You may not realize it, but someone in your barn may contend with this often-invisible disorder each day (in fact, it was an eventer who tipped us about raising awareness today). Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) is characterized by an involuntary escape from reality characterized by a disconnection between thoughts, identity, consciousness and memory. You can learn more about DID here, here and here.

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Chattahoochee Hills H.T. (Fairburn, Ga.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Rocking Horse Winter III H.T. (Altoona, Fl.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Live Scores]

Sporting Days Farm March H.T. (Aiken, Sc.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Live Scores]

Saturday Links:

We Are All Warriors In Our Own Field: A Ukrainian Show Jumper Weighs in On the Fallout of War

Opinion: Olympic Skating Controversy Underscores SafeSport’s Importance

USEF Suspends Competitions in California for 14 Days

Cross Country Behaviour Survey

Jumping Clinic: Too-short Stirrups

Saturday Video: Only eight and half weeks to go until centerline at Badminton!

Friday News & Notes Presented by Zoetis

 

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You can take the eventers off of the cross country course, but you can’t take the insanity in the middle out of them! New life goal: sit as chilly as Clark Montgomery does over this giant airy warmup oxer.

Women’s History Bit of the Day:

Two women, one American and one British, helped destroy the cliche that eventing was too tough a sport for the fairer sex. Revisit the cliff notes version of Sheila Willcox and Lana du Pont Wright‘s stories in this 2014 EN article.

U.S. Weekend Preview:

$50,000 Grand-Prix Eventing at Bruce’s Field: [Website] [Entry List] [Ride Times] [Ride for Charity Fan Vote] [Live Stream]

Chattahoochee Hills H.T. (Fairburn, Ga.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Rocking Horse Winter III H.T. (Altoona, Fl.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Live Scores]

Sporting Days Farm March H.T. (Aiken, Sc.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Live Scores]

News From Around the Globe:

The USEF has suspended all licensed competitions in California for the next 14 days due to the ongoing outbreak of EHV-1 positive cases on the West Coast. USEF’s decision is in line with the California State Veterinarian’s cautionary recommendation that all equine events and non-essential horse movements be postponed for two weeks.

Do you know which vaccinations you need to be able to show proof of at a USEF licensed competition if asked? Now is a great time to revisit the vaccination log requirements as set forth by the USEF General Rules!

A familiar name from the jumper ring was recently spotted in the sandbox. International show jumper Lillie Keenan has been dabbling in dressage as a way to fine tune her aids and get the most out of her jumpers. Last week, she donned tails and made her Prix St. Georges debut at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival.

Watch This on H&C+: Don’t forget to become an H&C+ member to follow along with this week’s Grand-Prix Eventing at the Aiken Horse Park and check our EN’s Ultimate Guide for all the details.

Video Break: I dunno about you, but I’m pretty excited we’ll be getting to watch William Fox-Pitt compete in the Grand-Prix Eventing again! Here he is getting to know his borrowed mount, Sara Kozumplik’s Rock Phantom.

Monday Video: No More Whisker Clipping

As of July 2021, clipping a horse’s sensitive facial whiskers is off limits according to the FEI and can result in disqualification from an FEI competition. (Need a rule refresher? Check out the 2022 FEI Veterinary Regulations here.) So what’s a clipper-happy horse owner or groom to do when they need to tidy up their equine friend’s face?

Don’t worry, there’s still plenty of hair left all over the face that’s still game for removal — including that beard under their jaw and mustache, if they have one. In this video, professional groom Niki Baxter shows us how to wield a pair of clippers to trim up our horses’ faces while avoiding the sensory hairs. Even if you don’t compete at an FEI level, this video is a great primer for neatening up your horses’ face in the midst of the winter woolies!

Niki is a self-taught equine groom from Scotland who travels around the UK clipping and grooming for clients and doing demonstrations. You can find more clipping and braiding tutorials from her on her YouTube channel here.

Sunday Links

How fun is this? In your most recent copy of US Eventing magazine, you can find a collage of the lowest finishing scores of each division in 2021. If you need a little jolt of motivation or some inspiration for a challenging goal ti set your sights on this season, here it is.

Black History Bit of the Day:

Who is Selika Lazevski? Truth be told, we don’t really know — but she could have been the first Black woman to ride classical dressage. All that’s left of Selika Lazevski — which is likely a stage name — are six negatives of black-and-white photographs taken in 1891 that now reside in the collection of the French Ministry of Culture. In a time where most Black women in France were depicted as enslaved or sexualized individuals, if they were depicted in portraiture at all, Selika Lazevski appears in her portraits wearing a respectable riding habit and fierce gaze. The notes accompanying the photograph’s negatives state that Selika was a horsewomen who rode haute école — the most prestigious role for a female performer — at the Nouveau Cirque on the rue Saint Honoré in Paris, which was the circus of choice for French high society up until World War I.

U.S. Weekend (and Wednesday) Action:

Pine Top Advanced H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Three Lakes Winter II at Caudle Ranch [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Full Gallop Farm Mid February H.T. [Website] [Ride Times]

Sunday Links:

Desert International Horse Park Cancels Remainder Of Show Season

Study Shows Hosing Legs An Effective Cool-Down Strategy 

15 Business Insights from Leading Equestrian Professionals

At last, a course that grooms “horse husbands” for their role

Podcast Pick: Sally Philippo and Hyperion Stud, LLC owner Vicky Castegren join The Plaid Horse‘s Piper  Klemm and Michael Tokaruk to talk about breeding sport horses in Canada and the United States.

Sunday Video: Can your vet do that? Dr. Kim Keeton and Keysoe make easy work of the Advanced water at Pine Top yesterday. (Granted, if your vet is Dr. Kevin Keane then your answer will be yes — he was riding in this division too!)

 

Saturday Links

Anna’s skull cap split on the inside and outside. Photo via Anna Loschiavo on Facebook.

Here’s your friendly reminder of how important it is to mind your melon! Anna Loschiavo shared this photo of the helmet that she was wearing when she and her horse, Fernhill That Guy Jack, sustained a fall on cross country at Rocking Horse Winter II Advanced H.T. last weekend. We’re so happy to hear that “Jack” is perfectly fine and that Anna is on the mend, though she sustained a concussion, and fractures to the back of her skull, lower left eye socket, and T6 vertebrae. We’re wishing you speedy healing, Anna! Thank goodness for helmets and protective vests!

Black History Bit of the Day:

Last weekend, we got to know Neku Atawodi-Edun, the first Black woman to play polo professionally. This week let’s meet Shariah Harris, who, fresh off the back playing her first year of Varsity polo at Cornell as a freshman, became the first Black woman to play high-goal polo at one of the most prestigious polo clubs in the U.S.

U.S. Weekend (and next Wednesday) Action:

Pine Top Advanced H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Three Lakes Winter II at Caudle Ranch [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Full Gallop Farm Mid February H.T. [Website] [Ride Times]

Saturday Links:

Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event to Host Inaugural Scavenger Hunt

World Championships Chatter: The Who, When, and Where

A polo champion from West Philadelphia?

What I’ve Learned from Taking Horseback Riding Lessons with Ten-Year-Olds

6 Counties Now Involved, 3 Horses Euthanized In SoCal EHV-1 Outbreak

Saturday Video: Doug Payne and his 2019 Pan Am partner Starr Witness are sitting in second — behind Ariel Grald and Forrest Gump 124 — after the dressage in the Advanced division at Pine Top this weekend. Here’s their test!

Monday Video: Some Equine TV Magic

I’m sure there are many among us who have devoured the All Creatures Great and Small books, which follow the life of young Yorkshire veterinarian Jame Herriot in the late 1930s onward. You might also know a person or two who was inspired to pursue their own path in the veterinary field thanks in part to these books. Thanks to Channel 5 in the U.K. and PBS in the U.S., a new television adaptation of this beloved series is currently airing.

Now don’t worry — I don’t think this qualifies as  a spoiler — but in the Season 2 finale our hero Dr. Herriot attends to a horse having difficulty foaling. Of course, it would be a bit difficult (and inhumane, to be fair) to time the filming of this scene with an actual dystocia, so that’s where TV magic comes into play. In this case, the part of the pregnant mare was played by a very well-trained gelding named Aramis along with a lifelike prosthetic of an equine booty.

Enjoy this peek behind the scenes!

Sunday Links


When you’re a professional rider, you have to take advantage of those few and far between free moments whenever they arise to just take a breather and relax. Just ask Sara Kozumplik Murphy who was just trying to take a little nap, but accidentally ended up photobombing Heather Gillette out on the Advanced course at Rocking Horse. We see you, Sara!

Black History Bit of the Day:

We generally try to keep to equestrian-related bits of history, but with the Winter Olympics wrapping up it feels appropriate to mix things up today! Last week one of Russia’s skaters became the first woman to land a quadruple jump in Olympic competition, but she was far from the first to try the difficult skill on the world stage. Thirty years ago at the 1992 Olympics, French figure skater Surya Bonaly was the first to attempt a Quad in Olympic competition. She landed it — but the judges deemed that that it was under-rotated and therefore only counted it as a Triple. You can read more about Surya, her role as a Black pioneer in the predominantly white sport of of figure skating, and also about the history of the Quad in women’s skating here and here.

U.S. Weekend Action:

Jumping Branch Farm H.T. (Aiken, Sc.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Volunteer] [Live Scores]

Ram Tap Horse Park H.T. (Fresno, Ca.): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores] [Volunteer]

Rocking Horse Winter II Advanced H.T. (Altoona, Fl.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Live Scores]

Stable View Young Event Horse Qualifier & Eventing Academy Schooling Show (Aiken, Sc.): [Website]

Sunday Links:

Alex and Ellie O’Neal: Marriage, Family and Eventing

Safety First: Building Your Own Cross-Country Schooling Course

Ride Like A Rock Star: Trainer Holly Hugo-Vidal shares four exercises that will lead to better distances.

Jockey Club backtracks on thoroughbred stallion breeding limits

What We Learned at the 2022 USEF Horsemastership Training Series

Sunday Video: Three different horses, three different personalities!

Saturday Links

 

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After completing the two North American five-stars at Kentucky and Maryland last year, Emily Hamel and her spring-loaded partner Corvett will be hopping across the pond to contest Badminton this spring and then they plan to stay and train in England through September to contest Burghley as well! It’ll be great fun to watch this talented pair take on these iconic courses, and anyone interesting in supporting their journey can check out Emily’s website here.

Black History Bit of the Day:

Meet Neku Atawodi of Nigeria, the first Black woman to play polo professionally. After working her way into the sport through mucking stalls, Neku began playing professionally at the age of 21 and her career led her to play in tournaments across 16 countries. After retiring from polo professionally, she’s made a splash in the African tech and entrepreneurship scene.

U.S. Weekend Action:

Jumping Branch Farm H.T. (Aiken, Sc.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Volunteer] [Live Scores]

Ram Tap Horse Park H.T. (Fresno, Ca.): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores] [Volunteer]

Rocking Horse Winter II Advanced H.T. (Altoona, Fl.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Live Scores]

Stable View Young Event Horse Qualifier & Eventing Academy Schooling Show (Aiken, Sc.): [Website]

Saturday Links:

Pressure Proof with Daniel Stewart: Who, What, When, Where, Why

New mag gives platform for para-equestrians to share their stories

Managing Equine Foot Pain

Undergraduate Research Study Shows More Turnout Time Means Less Time Off

Promoting Research, Collaboration, and Education in the Field of Equine Assisted Services: An Overview of Horses and Human Research Foundation 

Saturday Video: We love seeing a new partnership develop — Elisa Wallace and one of her new imports, Renkum Corsair, are going to be fun to watch!

Monday Video: Memories from Groton House Farm

The nostalgia for Groton House Farm is STRONG and though the spectacular three-day event of yore is now gone, it will never be forgotten. Good friend of EN, Joan Davis of Flatlandsfoto, was kind enough to share this slideshow which showcases just a minuscule number of the beautiful photographs she has taken there over the years. There are over 100 riders in this slideshow — how many can you spot that you know?

Joan has a long history with the event, first attending and volunteering as a fence judge in 1978 and then later competing there herself between 1979 and 2000. In 2003 she returned as an assistant photographer to Pamela Blades Eckelbarger of HoofPix Sport Horse before establishing Flatlandsfoto, and she has photographed the event nearly every year through its last running in 2019. If you’re in the market for a memory — YES, Joan still has archives of photos for all the years that she photographed and you can get in touch with her if you’d like to fish a photo out of her archives. Make sure you checkout RNS Videomedia as well for videos!

I’m going to miss driving up that oak tree-lined driveway every July, excited to watch and cheer on my friends and to generally bask in the rich eventing heritage of Area 1, but at least we have plenty of memories to carry with us.

Sunday Links

Photo by Abby Powell.

I’m not very good as stopping to “smell the roses” day to day, i.e. appreciate the little things in my life, except when I’m around horses. All of a sudden yesterday I found myself savoring the a very specific sound of hoofbeats on a wet road — it’s more of a clip-plop than a clip-clop, if you know what I mean. Horses really have the incredible ability to make us slow down and appreciate the smallest, most random things sometimes.

Black History Bit of the Day:

Here’s a fact I learned from Deianira Smith, a veterinary student at the University of Arizona, Zoetis Student Representative, and aspiring equine surgeon: the intramedullary pin — a big ‘ol metal rod inserted lengthwise down the middle of a fractured long bone, such as a femur — was invented by a Black veterinarian, Dr. Lloyd B. Mobiley. This repair technique allows the patient to bear more weight on the affected limb and better resist outside forces than some other options. Intramedullary pinning is more commonly used in small animal medicine than large animal medicine, but it has been used in foals with broken legs.

U.S. Weekend Action:

Full Gallop Farm February I H.T. (Aiken, Sc.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]

Ocala Winter I H.T. (Ocala, Fl.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Live Scores]

Pine Top Intermediate H.T. (Thomson, Ga.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Live Scores]

Sunday Links:

Ground-breaking research looks at indoor horse arena conditions

Amateur Showcase: Morgenthaler Lives Her Passion At ‘Beginner Nervous’ And Beyond

Grand National hero Pineau De Re still thriving aged 19

Royal reception for Britain’s Tokyo 2020 equestrian stars

It’s All About Perspective: Lily Rhodes on Living the Life She Didn’t Think She’d Have

Sunday Video: Coast to coast and country to country, ’tis the season for eventers in jumperland!

 

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Saturday Links

 

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At 18.2 hands Colleen Loach’s Advanced horse, Vermont, has got to be one of the tallest event horses competing right now. He’s a cool dude and you can tell he’s a big boy just at a glance when he’s under saddle with Colleen, but this is the side-by-side comparison I’ve been waiting for. That’s Colleen’s 2019 Pan Am partner, 16.1-hand FE Golden Eye, on the right, who looks looks like a pony in comparison to Monty!

Black History Bit of the Day:

In the early 1970’s, Cheryl White became the first African American female jockey to win a Thoroughbred race in the U.S. In 2008, Sylvia Harris became the second — and she did it as a rookie at the age of 40. Sylvia has an incredible story of overcoming obstacles on the way to becoming a jockey, including but not limited to managing bipolar disorder, a stint of homelessness, and never having ridden a horse until age 35. You can learn more about her story in the New York Times article, this NPR segment, and her autobiogrpahy: Long Shot: My Bipolar Life and the Horses Who Saved Me.

U.S. Weekend Action

Full Gallop Farm February I H.T. (Aiken, Sc.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]

Ocala Winter I H.T. (Ocala, Fl.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Live Scores]

Pine Top Intermediate H.T. (Thomson, Ga.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Live Scores]

Saturday Links:

Pratoni, Here We Come!

Medina Spirit Necropsy Finds No Definite Cause of Death

Kirsten Green Named Executive Director of the Retired Racehorse Project

Announcing the New Format for the 2022 USEA FEH 3-year-old Championships

Three-Legged Quarter Horse Stallion Thriving With New Prosthesis

Saturday Video: One of our favorite girl power duos is out and about enjoying some pre-season training in Spain!

 

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Monday Video: Charity Ride Makes a Splash

 

Pure madness up at the Stephen Lawlor memorial hunt in Kildare today 🐎🐎🐎

Posted by Aidan Dolan on Sunday, February 6, 2022

I’m just going to come out and say it — and don’t get me wrong, I’m saying it with all due respect — but all of you fox hunters are are a little nuts. Take this video of a river crossing from yesterday’s annual Stephen Lawlor Memorial Charity Ride in Kildare, Ireland for example. I mean, there’s a perfectly good bridge right there in the background! But you do you, fox hunters. You made your choices, now you get to live with the soggy breeches.

Editorial correction: Readers have corrected us that this is a charity ride and not fox hunting. 

Sunday Links

Photo via NEER North Tack Store on Facebook.

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and while I already know what my plans are (drinking a bottle of wine of the couch while watching Olympics — very romantic, I know) I have yet to determine how best to spoil my horse, who is obviously my one true love. These adorable little treat buckets made by my local pony club to benefit a local equine rescue sure look perfect though. I think I’ll grab one for my own horse and a couple for barn friends as well — what a cute idea!

Black History Bit if the Day:

Widely recognized as one of the most diverse colleges of veterinary medicine in the United States, Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine (TUCVM) is the only veterinary medical professional program located on the campus of a historically black college in the U.S. and has educated more than 70 percent of the nation’s Black veterinarians. TUCVM was founded in 1944 by Dr. Frederick Douglass Patterson, who also founded the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), which today is one of the U.S.’s largest minority education organizations.

U.S. Weekend Action:

Galway Downs Kickoff H.T. (Temecula, Ca.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Live Scores]

Sporting Days Farm February H.T. (Aiken, Sc.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Volunteer] [Live Scores]

Three Lakes Winter I H.T. at Caudle Ranch (Groveland, Fla.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Live Scores]

Sunday Links:

Eventing’s Risk Management Seminar available to view

British Eventing 2022 calendar: New fixtures, a returning favourite, and a cancellation

‘Goody’ is More Than Good Enough to Take Home SmartPak USEA Stallion of the Year Award for 2021

How a Neglected, Broke Quarter Horse Turned Into a Young, Green OTTB Jumper

Study To Help Identify Horses At Risk For Catastrophic Injury Moves Into Third Phase

Sunday Video: Consider this your reminder to practice your halts! I, too, am prone to forgetting this.

 

Saturday Links

 

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Cool news! There’s going to be some extra equestrian excitement to watch at the Kentucky Three-Day Event this year in the form of Para Dressage and Para Show Jumping demonstrations. You may not have know that Para Show Jumping was even a thing — it has yet to be recognized discipline in North America but with some increased recognition and visibility gained through demonstrations like this — maybe we could see it at the Paralympics in the future. Let’s hope!

Black History Bit of the Day:

During the 1860s, the African American population of Lexington, Kentucky increased by 133 percent as many newly freed African Americans began to occupy the East End, which was also home to also home to the Kentucky Association racetrack. The racetrack offered steady employment to men, leaving women at home to manage the family’s finance and properties. Though it was technically illegal, a couple Black women opened bank accounts and purchased homes. The names of four Black women — Margaret Allen, Lucy Brown, Bettie Colston, and Clara Perry — appear in the City of Lexington’s deed books during this time period.

U.S. Weekend Action:

Galway Downs Kickoff H.T. (Temecula, Ca.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Live Scores]

Sporting Days Farm February H.T. (Aiken, Sc.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Volunteer] [Live Scores]

Three Lakes Winter I H.T. at Caudle Ranch (Groveland, Fla.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Live Scores]

Saturday Links:

1 person killed in horse barn fire near Bennington; 9 horses also die

Eventing Olympic gold medallist, Julia Krajewski, on equality, setbacks and her special story

Meet Laura Collett’s H&H cover star Moonlight Charmer: ‘He’s flourished from going hunting’

Feeling stiff in the saddle? These two tips could help

Rule Refresher: How Can I Be Disqualified?

Saturday Video: Meet Wren Blae Zimmerman, a legally blind show jumper with dreams of competing Grand Prix:

Monday Video: Meet Australia’s Littlest Biggest Eventing Fan

 

Wow what a great start to the 2022 Hallmark Farm XC Derby Day Championship Series.

185 horses out the start box!!
And we ran bang on time.
Huge thank you to our starters
Karen Rose @dougle rose
Finishers Bob Shaeffer @lyndle clark

All my amazing jump judges
Peter Cheryl
Jan
Karyna
Nisha Crust
Fran Pagay Doerflinger
Lisa Stuart

@Hayley Douglas
My chief scorer
Janeth Flowers and super groom Kelly Breuls for both riding and stewarding the warm up and keeping the riders to the starters to keep us on time !! Huge job thank you.

Mitchell for manning the gate.

@eventmedical for your support.

@ little cafe for feeding the masses

And of course James for the running commentary all day long!

And we couldn’t do any of this without the support of my super generous and wonderful sponsors.

Your support is nothing short of exceptional.

And to everyone who enters and has a great day.

See you all Feb 20th!!

For now just enjoy sit back and enjoy Clancy😍

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Posted by Megan Jones on Sunday, January 30, 2022

While those of us up here in the Northern Hemisphere are trudging through the doldrums of winter, event season in Australia is just getting started. Yesterday, Olympian Megan Jones hosted a cross country derby open to all ages and levels at her and husband James Deacon’s Hallmark Farm in South Australia.

The competition attracted one particularly eager and excited young eventer: Clancy and his pony, Oscar. Enjoy this post-ride interview with Clancy, a few pictures, and a quick clip of their round.

May we all greet the week with the energy and excitement that young Clancy brings to his endeavors.