Originally from San Diego, Jenni discovered eventing thanks to the Bedford Hunt Pony Club in Virginia. After working in both newspapers and magazines, she joined the EN team in 2012. She travels extensively covering the U.S. Eventing Team and has reported at the Olympic Games, World Equestrian Games, Pan American Games, Badminton, Burghley, Kentucky, Luhmühlen and Pau. As for her favorite event, it’s a toss-up between Aachen and Boekelo. When she isn’t on the road, she’s busy competing her heart horse, Imperial Striker, better known as Derry.
EN has been nominated in various categories every year since the Equestrian Social Media Awards began in 2011, and we took home the grand poobah prize in 2012 when we won Best Blog. We were runner up for Best Blog in the 2013 awards, and now EN is nominated once again for Best Blog, as well as Best Social Network. Here’s where you come in! This year, each category will award two ESMAs — the Judges’ Choice and the People’s Choice. I don’t think I have to tell you that we have the BEST readers on the internet. We BLEED red and white. So let’s show the ESMAs what Red on Right, White On Left, Insanity in the Middle really means! Go vote!
Selector Marcia Kulak, left, braves the cold wind and rain last year at Boekelo. Photo by Jenni Autry.
A championship year means higher stakes, especially for the USEF Eventing Selection Committee. And with one year of experience under their belts, the selectors — Chair Bobby Costello; Marcia Kulak; Derek DiGrazia; Deborah Furnas, who this year replaces Kim Severson; and substitute Phyllis Dawson — are preparing to take on their biggest challenge yet: choosing a team for the World Equestrian Games in Normandy.
The new Selection Committee has been in place since the 2012 USEA Annual Meeting. The USEF High Performance Committee — in conjunction with new coach David O’Connor — considered recommendations from the Eventing Eligible Athletes Committee, and a new group of selectors was formed. With that in mind, it seemed appropriate for Bobby to sit down at the 2013 USEA Annual Meeting to evaluate the committee’s first year on the job.
“The High Performance Committee made a point this year to send as many riders overseas as possible to get experience,” Bobby said. “There was a heck of a lot of selecting going on, so it was a very busy year with a lot of work and studying. A lot of thought when into this year, and it turned out very well, I believe. We were a new committee, so we needed to get our feet wet fast. It was a good year to do that with it not being a championship year but there still being a lot of other big decisions.”
Bobby meant it when he said the new Selection Committee got its feet wet fast, as the selectors picked their first list — the 2013 USEF Spring Training List — just four days after the committee was formed. “We took some time beforehand to talk about our philosophy and our perception of what it meant to be a selector,” Bobby said. “One thing we decided from the very beginning is we wanted to be as consistent as possible in how we put these lists together.”
All Roads Lead to Rolex
The selectors will look to maintain that philosophy of consistency when they begin the process of selecting the team for the World Equestrian Games. And while the committee’s official work won’t begin until Rolex — the first selection trial for the Games — Bobby said it’s still going to be a busy spring. “We’re all in the sport; we’re all competitors, trainers and coaches; and we’re all a highly observant group of people,” Bobby said.
“The riders will be observed all spring long, but no definitive judgments will be made during the winter/spring preparatory events. For a big majority of the riders and horses, it’s really what happens at Rolex that’s going to matter. There’s no getting around that — for U.S.-based athletes, Rolex is the event that will matter for most of these horses and riders. For a few different reasons, some will re-route to Jersey and Bromont, but everyone knows that Rolex is critical. Riders based in Europe will be just as closely observed during the lead up to and then including Badminton and Luhmühlen — those being the two major selection trials over there,” Bobby said.
As for what the selectors will be looking for at Rolex, Bobby said it all comes back to consistency. “For the riders who have showed good form, we want to see consistency with that form. For the riders who maybe didn’t have the last half of the season they wanted or needed, we’ll be hoping they can show us their best at the spring selection trials.”
While only one or two selectors typically go to events, the entire Selection Committee will be at Rolex, as it’s the biggest national competition where the selectors have a chance to see the most riders at one venue. “Sometimes there will be a few of us sitting together, but we don’t sit together necessarily,” Bobby said. “On cross-country say, I like to personally be out on the course near one of the giant screens so I can see as much as possible. I like to see how a horse is galloping and hear how it’s breathing, in addition to other factors.”
Criticism Comes With the Territory
The selectors will name the WEG short list following the final selection trial at Luhmühlen, no later than June 20. And then, keeping in line with a long-held tradition in the eventing community, the criticism will begin — including right here on EN. But Bobby said the committee understands criticism comes with the territory.
“It’s sometimes hard for the general public to know how we come to a decision,” Bobby said. “But with just a few exceptions, I don’t think the riders are really left wondering. With that first list we made, we left a few notable names off the list who in the past might have been on the list just because of who they were. But we decided right from the beginning that we were going to reward results and consistency no matter who you were.”
Bobby hopes avid fans of the sport can see a pattern emerge when they look at the lists the committee has produced; and even if they can’t, he said the criticism hasn’t made being a selector any less enjoyable. “I thought I might be more sensitive to people’s reactions to the lists and the teams,” Bobby said. “But the committee feels it has been impartial and non-political; as a whole, we feel very at ease with the way we’ve gone about the process.
“People also have to remember that we select teams not only on performance but also on soundness,” Bobby said. “Sometimes confusion comes into who is selected and who isn’t, and it’s because soundness played a huge role. And that’s something we can’t talk about. Sometimes you’ll wonder why your favorite rider wasn’t selected, and there are so many things the general public can’t know because of the privacy of the riders and owners.”
Disappointment and Disillusionment
Of course, Bobby understands criticism from the fans and even the riders all too well, as he campaigned at the upper levels for many years. “I was in the rider’s position where I sat around waiting for the lists to come out,” Bobby said. “I totally understand when there is disappointment and disillusionment. It’s just natural. I don’t take offense because I’ve been there and have felt all those emotions.”
And when it comes to facing anger from those who closely follow the sport, Bobby said he can understand that too. “Fans have every right to have their favorite riders and horses they root for, and it’s sometimes just as disappointing for them when they don’t make it. It’s unrealistic to think people aren’t going to get angry or frustrated. It shows excitement, and it shows people are interested in what’s going on.”
The Selection Committee’s job is to make the best decisions for the team and U.S. eventing as a whole, Bobby said. “Taking into consideration everything being a selector entails, it’s a very subjective endeavor,” Bobby said. “Back in the late ’80s and early ’90s, the U.S. tried to go to a highly objective system based only on points, and it was arguably the most unsuccessful brief span of time for eventing in this country. So there has to be an element of subjectiveness.”
Just as it’s impossible for the selection process to be totally objective, Bobby said it’s also never going to be a black-and-white process. “There are so many factors that go into deciding who makes these lists — so much research and looking at results and really studying the arc of someone’s season or past two seasons in every phase,” Bobby said. “I want people to know that whether they agree with the final decision or not, the work that’s going into making the training lists or team selections has been painstakingly thorough.”
One year into the job, the selectors can look back and say they’re proud of what they accomplished. Bobby said receiving positive feedback on the consistency people see across the training lists and team selections makes the job that much more rewarding. “The biggest compliment someone could pay is they get where we’re coming from,” Bobby said. “We do our part of the job to get it right, and then it’s up to the riders to go perform.”
EN loves photos shot between the ears! If you happen to be out for a hack, are riding in some obscure place or just take some cool photos aboard your mount, send them to [email protected] with a quick blurb about the photo’s story. This week’s View comes to us from Jen Carter in Florida.
Jen Carter: “With all the sad news in the event world over the past little bit, it made me so thankful to be lucky enough to get to gallop our Madison Park today. Kyle usually rides him, but he is away teaching so I’m the lucky one! He’s such a treat to gallop and the weather was beautiful today. We view every ride on him as a gift and treasure all the moments we have with him!
From Horse Nation: It’s said that a good story makes you think. If that’s the case, this video is a work of genius. From the carefree pants toss to the naked belly flop into the baler to the…(wait, where did the tractor go?), there are more baffling and delightfully poor decisions in these 55 seconds than most people make in a month. Maybe ever. Thank you, Internet. And mystery cackling lady.
EN readers voted Hawley Bennett-Awad, left, the 2013 Rider of the Year and Donner, right, the 2013 Horse of the Year. Both photos by Jenni Autry.
The votes have been tallied, and we’re ready to name the 2013 EN Horse and Rider of the Year! The polls were incredibly close, with just seven votes deciding Rider of the Year and 28 votes deciding Horse of the Year. Many thanks to all 3,500 EN readers who voted in the polls this week. First, I have to congratulate all our nominees for Rider of the Year — Hawley Bennett-Awad, Jan Byyny, Buck Davidson, Meghan O’Donoghue and Lynn Symansky — and our nominees for Horse of the Year — Balleynoe Castle RM, RF Demeter, Donner, Gin & Juice and R-Star.
So without further ado, EN readers voted Hawley Bennett-Awad as the 2013 EN Rider of the Year and Donner as the 2013 EN Horse of the Year! Both Hawley and Donner will receive the coveted Golden Chinchilla award in honor of their hard work and incredible performances during the 2013 season. And, of course, we have to give a special shout out to their partners who made it all possible, and who were also nominated in their respective categories. Congrats to Lynn Symansky and Gin & Juice on a fantastic season!
Lynn accepts Donner’s Golden Chinchilla award on his behalf. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Hawley accepts the Golden Chinchilla award for 2013 EN Rider of the Year! Photo by Kate Samuels.
And good news, Ginny! Your mom won the Golden Chinchilla, so it’s coming home to the Golden State!
Congrats again to Hawley and Donner. See below for a summary of what they accomplished during the 2013 season, as well as photo galleries from last year. Go eventing!
HAWLEY BENNETT-AWAD: 2013 EN Rider of the Year
Hawley Bennett-Awad started the 2013 season in truly dominant form, winning three events in a row with her superstar mare Gin & Juice: Twin Rivers Advanced, Copper Meadows Advanced and the Galway Downs CIC3*. She and Ginny then went to Rolex, where they finished in seventh place. Hawley ended her season at the Pau CCI4*, where she and Ginny finished in 16th place with what was perhaps their personal best dressage test together. Much loved by her students and fans, Hawley is a huge advocate for eventing on the West Coast and remains a backbone of the Canadian national eventing team.
Gin & Juice at the AECs.
Hawley Bennett-Awad and Gin & Juice in France.
Hawley Bennett-Awad and Gin & Juice at Pau. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Hawley Bennett-Awad and Gin & Juice. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Hawley Bennett-Awad and Gin & Juice at Pau. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Hawley and Gin & Juice. Photo by Kasey Mueller.
Hawley Bennett-Awad and Gin & Juice at Rolex. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Hawley Bennett-Awad and Gin & Juice at Pau. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Hawley and Gin & Juice. Photo by Kasey Mueller.
Hawley and Gin & Juice. Photo by Kasey Mueller.
Hawley and Ginny at Copper Meadows. Photo by Bill Olsen.
Hawley Bennett-Awad and Gin & Juice winning the CIC 3* at Galway Downs. Photo by Bill Olsen.
Hawley and Gin & Juice. Photo by Kasey Mueller.
Hawley & Ginny at Rolex. Photo by Samatha Clark.
Hawley Bennett-Awad and Gin & Juice
Hawley and Ginny during dressage on Thursday. Photo courtesy of Liz Hall.
Hawley Bennett and Gin & Juice. Photo courtesy of Liz Hall.
Hawley Bennett-Awad and Graeme Thom at Rolex last year. Photo by Samantha Clark
DONNER: 2013 EN Horse of the Year
Donner amassed a huge fan club this year as he dominated cross country in his trademark Thoroughbred style. Affectionally nicknamed Donner the Deer, he started 2013 by winning the very competitive CIC3* division at The Fork with rider Lynn Symansky. Just a few weeks later, he finished fifth on his dressage score in his first CCI4* at Rolex. While not the fanciest mover, he makes up for it on cross country, where he didn’t pick up a single jumping penalty all season. He finished off a stellar 2013 by placing 13th at the Pau CCI4*, where he had the fastest cross-country trip. He finished the year in fourth place on the USEA SmartPak Advanced Horse of the Year leaderboard.
Lynn Symansky & Donner at Pau. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Lynn Symansky and Donner. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Lynn Symansky and Donner at Pau. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Lynn Symansky and Donner. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Lynn Symansky and Donner at Richland, is one of many OTTBs now competing at the upper levels. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Lynn Symansky and Donner. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Lynn Symansky and Donner at Rolex. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Lynn Symansky and Donner at Rolex. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Lynn Symansky and Donner. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Lynn Symansky and Donner at The Fork. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Lynn Symansky and Donner. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Lynn Symansky and Donner at The Fork. Photo by Samantha Clark.
Lynn Symansky and Donner. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Lynn Symansky and Donner. Photo by Samantha Clark.
Lynn Symansky and Donner.
Lynn Symansky and Donner.
Donner at Pau. Photo via Katie Thornton’s Facebook.
EN reader Makenna Rold sent in this cute video of her brother Sky and his pony Rugged: “Learning lots during this cold Minnesota winter! This is my brother Sky and his pony Rugged doing their first bending line together! Sky is 8 years old and Rugged is a 16-year-old Appendix. Sky says his dream is to be just like Boyd.” Kick on, Sky!
Longtime EN reader Katharine Knauz rode her 15.3-hand Connemara/Trakehner gelding Poppyfields Tristan in a clinic with Boyd Martin last weekend at Eric Dierks’ Renovatio Farm in Tryon, N.C. She was kind enough to send in an excellent clinic report, as well as full video of her group’s lesson courtesy of Erik Olsen. In addition to the photos below taken by Katharine’s boyfriend Nathan Stancliff, photographer Linda Valerio also has a full gallery of photos on her website.
Boyd Martin teaches at Eric Dierks’ Renovatio Farm in Tryon, N.C. Photo by Nathan.
From Katharine:
After being born and raised in the chilly suburbs of Chicago, I was excited to move to Greenville, S.C., and put Tristan and myself smack dab in the center of all the equestrian events and training in the southeast! It also helps to befriend local trainers, and I have made (hopefully!) lifelong friends out of my trainer, Eric Dierks, and his equally talented wife, Trayce. In addition to having access to their beautiful farm in Tryon, N.C., Renovatio Farm, they’re also the type of horse people that know everybody. I mean everybody!
Last week, I got wind on Facebook that Trayce was putting together an impromptu clinic with the one and only Boyd Martin! I think I texted her hoping for a riding spot within about 10 seconds of hearing about it. Never, ever pass up an opportunity to ride with a well-respected trainer, especially if he/she is an Olympian!
I know lots of eventers go gaga over Mr. Martin, due to his dashing good looks, Australian accent, and sincere love of his horses, but I’m selfish. No matter how many accolades a rider has, they’re of little use to me if they can’t teach me and my horse a way to become better, safer competitors. I am happy to report that Boyd is probably an even better clinician than pretty face for magazine covers!
We started out by discussing stirrup length. Boyd said there should be three distinct lengths: one for dressage, one for jumping, and one for riding (flatwork in a jump saddle). The flatwork length is going to be somewhere in between your dressage length and jump length, and should fall just above your ankle bone. After our stirrups were up to snuff, we did a light walk/trot/canter to warm up, with the focus being on the horse responding to the leg.
While working at the trot, we sectioned the arena into three areas with square turns in each corner, allowing the horse to focus on straightness and impulsion instead of putting a huge effort into creating a bend. At the canter, we put all the horses into a light hand gallop before attempting to try any collection, thus allowing them to stretch out their backs before compression. This started all our mounts out with a great, forward-thinking mindsets before we started jumping.
Then back to the stirrups. We took a moment to adjust to our jumping lengths, and Boyd introduced a new concept regarding stirrup position. While the traditional position of the stirrup bar is across the ball of the foot, Boyd had us scoot our feet out a bit further so just our tip-toes were on the pads. He said this was easiest to do with wide-tread, plastic stirrups that have cheese grater pads. The goal of this positioning was to create a deeper heel angle and fuller contact between the rider’s lower leg and the horse. This tactic was especially useful on jumps requiring extra support to the base of the fence, like banks on cross country or spooky stadium jumps.
Then to warm up for jumping, we set up two raised cavaletti in a figure-eight pattern. We started with a large, looping figure eight for the first four to five jumps, then cut the turns in half to a tight, turning figure. This got the horses to start thinking on their feet before we started over larger jumps. From the figure-eight cavaletti, we turned down a long gymnastic line of a bounce two-stride bounce two-stride bounce, which was progressively raised from small cross rails to larger Xs.
Now on to the bigger stuff. To go back to practicing the deep heel and secure lower leg, we worked over a vertical fence with a turn back to an oxer with a V-chute. I liked the feeling of the deep heel coming into the base of the fence. I have a tendency to take my leg off entirely a couple strides before the jump, but having my heels pushed down helped make me more conscious of my leg contact into the base.
We then put some small courses together, and Boyd focused on everyone’s individual issues. My biggest problem is something I’ve been working on for almost a year. Sometimes, when I start encountering problems on a course (missing distances, lacking power, too much power, etc.) instead of reacting and adapting to the situation, I will instead sit there and go, “Oh dear God, I hope this works out! Tristan take the wheel!” Well … not quite that bad, but my body goes into a neutral state instead of fixing the situation.
We were working on a one-stride to a five-stride bending line to a Swedish oxer. I came through the line three times, and each time, ended up with six strides. Boyd stopped me and said simply, “You’re doing it wrong. You need to take the inside turn and make it five strides.” So we came around again, I gritted my teeth and put my strong lower leg in effect.
Tristan powered through the one-stride, we landed, I set the inside turn, and we made the distance in not five, but four strides! The “Little Horse” stepped up his game! This was, of course, not the ideal reaction, but Boyd was happy that we had made the change to a more powerful, direct route, rather than losing energy while adding strides.
When you ride with different trainers, you always gain a little more perspective. Sometimes you find out that they have very similar ideas to what you’ve already had yelled at you for hours on end; other times you pick up entirely new concepts. From this clinic, I know I need to refocus on “riding the horse underneath you,” as Boyd put it. He told me it’s very important to react to what the horse is telling you, since issues early on in a course could spell refusals later on, or worse.
Also, I’m going to practice scooting my feet further out of the stirrups and allowing my heel to sink further down and create a fuller connection with my lower leg. This show season, I don’t want to continue making the same mistakes, but let every past failure breed future success.
Katharine and Tristan. Photo by Nathan Stancliff.
Boyd Martin teaches at Eric Dierks’ Renovatio Farm. Photo by Photo by Nathan Stancliff.
Renovatio Farm is nothing if not incredibly picturesque, and that’s just the house!
Katharine and Tristan. Photo by Nathan Stancliff.
Eric Dierks and Puff. Photo by Nathan Stancliff.
Making that inside turn happen! Photo by Nathan Stancliff.
Andrew Nicholson and Avebury. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Horse & Hound reported this morning that Andrew Nicholson and Wiggy Channer tied the knot last weekend. Together for more than a decade — since Wiggy left former husband William Fox-Pitt, which sparked eventing’s fiercest rivalry — they have two children together, Lily and Zach, who also ride. Congrats to Andrew and Wiggy!
Andrew Nicholson and his long-term partner Wiggy Channer got married in the UK last weekend.
The couple live together near Marlborough in Wiltshire and have two young children, Lily and Zach, who both enjoy riding.
Andrew, 52, enjoyed a phenomenal 18 months of competition from September 2012 until the end of last season, winning four CCI4*s on four different horses (Burghley 2012 on Avebury, Pau 2012 on Nereo, Kentucky 2013 on Quimbo, Luhmühlen 2013 on Mr Cruise Control).
If Jock Paget is stripped of his Burghley title after the upcoming FEI tribunal into a failed dope test, Andrew is also in line to collect this first prize. Should this happen, the Barlows’ Avebury would become the first horse to win the autumn 4-star twice in a row.
During the EN redesign, one of the first decisions made was to once again incorporate the famous Rolex crowd shot into the header on the site. The photo captures EN’s nation spirit, and the team agreed it needed to be prominently displayed, just like it always has. Have you ever wondered where the photo came from? Holly Covey, who snapped the photo at Rolex in 2009, tells the tale.
The original EN picture. Photo by Holly Covey.
From Holly:
While I was living in Southern California in the early 1980s, we who were under the wing of eventing evangelist Brian Sabo were busy helping with the Olympic Games run-up. This included a lot of pre-event things, from helping Neil Ayer at the cross-country course/golf course site down in Rancho Sante Fe, to writing pre-Olympic event coverage for Horse & Hound and even Bilt, a German magazine. I described, based on interviews with Mr. Ayer, all of the cross-country obstacles, wrote it up, and it was used by the official Olympic program printers.
Finally, the Games began in the summer of 1984, a hot Los Angeles summer, and I volunteered for 10 days of the entire equestrian competition at Santa Anita. I saw the famous Dr. Klimke victory pass from the back gate. I met His Royal Highness Prince Phillip, who at the time was head of the FEI and responsible for the final scoring, and as I was tasked as a gofer for the publicity department, had to climb the stands to his box above the competition arena to obtain official score sheets. I was down in the warmup finding riders for interviews and brought medalists up to the PR offices for media conferences. (The British eventing team ladies used my makeup to try and get sweat off their faces for photographers.) I was in the stable area. I was next to famous coaches, riders and trainers. I met horsemen from all over the world.
After the Games, we were all very excited to continue these great friendships, and one of these was with Mrs. Diane Marra, a strong USET eventing squad supporter who owned the great Better & Better, ridden by Mike Plumb, as well as Southern Comfort, ridden by Torrance Watkins. She invited me to visit her on the East Coast the following year, and I was lucky enough to be her guest for Radnor Three-Day Event. While there, I ended up writing reports for a couple of equestrian magazines, one of which asked me to cover the Kentucky Three-Day Event the following spring.
By this time, 1986, I had returned to my parent’s home in the Pacific Northwest to train my own event horses and finish another college degree, but found the money to make the trip to Lexington in April. It was a delightful trip. This was when the stabling was portables on the blacktop, the stadium was on grass, and I don’t remember the cross-country very much. I do recall the Sunday jog had the exact same focus and intense feel that today’s jog does, though! I took a lot of photos, wrote several articles, had a great time and met even more eventing friends. But as life often does, I never got back to Rolex.
Fast forward 23 years. For some reason, I decided I’d go back in 2009, this time just as a spectator and not working press, but take photos and enjoy the competition. I’d been a member of the Chronicle of the Horse forums for a while and had picked up new eventing friends, and it sounded like a great adventure. And it truly was for me; nearly every footstep I took on the grounds brought back old memories. Many things had completely changed; I couldn’t tell you where the old stadium field was; Mrs. Marra had passed away; the riders I knew back then were also retired or out of the upper levels. But I found new friends.
The most astonishing change for me was the absolutely HUGE amount of people out on the cross-country course. It was crammed with people from every stringed-off lane to stringed-off lane. Let me tell you, 23 years ago, you did not have to hurry to see anything, and there wasn’t more than two or three people deep at any viewing spot! Wow, things had changed. For one, I learned to wear comfortable shoes on cross-country day, because if you want to see a lot of jumps negotiated, you have to hike a bit.
I tried to have a plan, but the crowds being so large, much of my planned photo route had to be changed. I found myself still in the front half of the course about halfway through the day, so started to hike back through the middle of the course to jumps I had missed. I stopped, though, stood back behind the Hollow, looking south, and could barely fit the long string of spectators in the frame of the camera — it was simply amazing to me that so many people could love my sport of eventing.
I took the famous picture just as one of the German riders that year successfully negotiated the coffin, and the light seemed just right at about that time of day to get really good photos of the beautiful rolling hills of central Kentucky. I saved that photo on the memory card because it just seemed so perfect — people, a great jump, an international competitor, beautiful obstacles, great course and competition, famous hills; it had it all. It promised the sport of eventing to me. I like to take pictures that tell stories. This one did that, I think.
When John asked some friends who were enthusiastic about the early online production of Eventing Nation for a photo to help with graphics of the site, I sent him the magic photo and was both pleased and a bit proud to see it in the header a few weeks later. It has stayed there ever since, a perfect symbol of my sport to the world. I enjoy looking at it because it helps me to keep my confidence up. I’ve been through a lot personally since that moment on course in 2009, but that photo stays with me to remind me eventing is still my sport, and it’s still waiting for me to return to it; and I’m coming — I’ll be back soon, eventing. I promise.
The original EN picture. Photo by Holly Covey.
Bruce Davidson and Cruise Lion in the vet box. Photo by Holly Covey.
The crowd for Jimmy Wofford’s course walk at Rolex 2009. Photo by Holly Covey.
Bruce Davidson and Cruise Lion at Rolex in 2009. Photo by Holly Covey.
Rolex 2009. Photo by Holly Covey.
Jan Byyny and Inmidair at the Wednesday jog at Fair Hill 2013. “It is a picture that ‘tells a story,’ I think, and I love how they seem to glow — sort of a prophetic picture, as they ended up winning!”
Holly also sent in more photos from Rolex in 2009 and one photo from Fair Hill last year.
The off-track Thoroughbreds from last year’s Retired Racehorse Training Project Thoroughbred Makeover showed off their new skills at the Maryland Horse World Expo last weekend. Sara Sopher rode her horse Thane, with trainer Nuno Santos assisting; Alissa Ogburn rode her horse Governor Jack; and Amber Longreen rode her horse Same As Always. Jimmy Wofford judged the group on the training progress they have made since the Makeover concluded last fall.
Having attended the RRTP sessions at the Maryland Horse World Expo before, I can vouch for the fact that the arena they hold these sessions in is really cramped and spooky, with a low ceiling and hundreds of people piled around the outside. It says a lot that these horses always handle the atmosphere so well. Go OTTBs!
Within a week, American eventing lost two of its most promising equine athletes, Lionheart and Santa’s Keeper. Over on Horse Nation, Jennifer Ferrell contemplated why, despite the fact that she knew neither horse personally, it made her feel so sad. RIP Lion and Simon.
Left: William Fox-Pitt and Lionheart. Photo by Samantha Clark. Right: Buck Davidson and Simon’s Keeper. Photo by Jenni Autry.
It was while I was waiting in the drive-thru line at Burger King (don’t tell my New Year’s resolutions) that I read on Facebook that Allison Springer’s Lionheart had succumbed to colic.
I know I gasped and, for a second, became teary eyed when I read about heroic efforts the veterinarians had made to try to save him. Before I realized it, I had my finger on the button to add a comment to the growing string of well-wishers to let Allison know just how sorry I was that she had lost such a wonderful partner.
Then I remembered that I don’t really know Allison. I know of her through my daily study of Eventing Nation, through her Facebook page and from watching her ride at Rolex and other events. I don’t know Buck Davidson personally either but his loss earlier this week of Santa’s Keeper also left me down in the dumps. I began to wonder why. Why does news like this always affect me this same way?
A few months ago, when Hollywood hunk Paul Walker was killed in a car crash, I remember feeling briefly stunned and thinking that his was another life cut too short but that was it. I also remember seeing all the people gathered at his crash scene for candlelight vigils and that I may have even scoffed at some of the devastated remarks from some of his fans on social media. And yet, here I was twice this week sniffling over two horses I had never met and feeling sorry for two people I don’t know personally.
Maybe it was because both of these riders specifically pointed out just how special their horses were. They weren’t just talented partners who had a nice extended trot and had never had a fault on cross country. When Allison Springer said this about Lionheart in an earlier update from his hospital visit, “He loved me scratching him and the twinkle was definitely back in his eyes. He is one of the sweetest horses I have ever been around and truly does have the heart of a Lion!” I remember thinking he sounded like a regular guy.
And Buck Davidson was quoted as saying that Santa’s Keeper was, “He was the kindest horse in the world” and that he was, “a horse we all loved,” it reminded me that this was a living creature with a personality. Not a high-dollar, syndicate owned jumping machine.
And it’s not that I value the life of a horse I don’t know more than the life of an actor I didn’t know. I think the feeling is empathy which is, “the feeling that you understand and share another person’s experiences and emotions; the ability to share someone else’s feelings.”
As much as I wish I could say that every morning I send a blonde, blue-eyed actor off to film big budget action movies it’s not the case. But I do scratch the ears of a bay thoroughbred gelding and laugh when he squeals before his dinner. It’s that empathy that makes me sad when I think of the two now empty stalls and all the broken hearts of the people who lost their horses/friends this week.
Because sometimes you just need to watch a video of a chinchilla taking a dust bath, especially in slow motion. Lynda Clary-Burke saw this video on MSN and shared it on our Facebook page. Thanks, Lynda! This video is also appropriate considering the occasion. In addition to today being Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we also opened the voting for the 2013 EN Horse and Rider of the Year. The winners take home a shiny Golden Chinchilla award and eternal glory. Go eventing.
Which horse and rider will win the Golden Chinchilla? That's up to you, EN!
With 2013 behind us, it’s awards season around the world, and we’re naming the 2013 EN Rider and Horse of the Year! The EN team combed through results from last season to ultimately choose five horses and riders who excelled in the U.S. and abroad during the 2013 competition season. Now it’s up to you to vote for the winners. Read through the nominations below and vote in each poll, which will close Thursday at 10 p.m. EST. Then we’ll announce the winners Friday morning. Which horse and rider will win the elusive Golden Chinchilla? That’s up to you, EN. Go vote!
2013 EN RIDER OF THE YEAR NOMINATIONS
Hawley Bennett-Awad and Gin & Juice at Pau. Photo by Jenni Autry.
HAWLEY BENNETT-AWAD: Hawley Bennett-Awad started the 2013 season in truly dominant form, winning three events in a row with her superstar mare Gin & Juice: Twin Rivers Advanced, Copper Meadows Advanced and the Galway Downs CIC3*. She and Ginny then went to Rolex, where they finished in seventh place. Hawley ended her season at the Pau CCI4*, where she and Ginny finished in 16th place with what was perhaps their personal best dressage test together. Much loved by her students and fans, Hawley is a huge advocate for eventing on the West Coast and remains a backbone of the Canadian national eventing team.
Jan Byyny at Rolex. Photo by Samantha Clark.
JAN BYYNY: Without a doubt, no rider has shown more drive and determination this year than Jan Byyny. After overcoming the odds to return to the CCI4* level following the devastating accident she suffered in 2010, she had to withdraw Inmidair at Rolex due to an airway infection, and Syd Kent ended the weekend with a disappointing show jumping round. But she never gave up. When she clinched a very emotional win at the Fair Hill CCI3* with Inmidair, holding off a late run from longtime friend Buck Davidson, it became official: Jan is back on top. The USEA honored Jan with the Ironmaster Award at the 2013 annual convention, highlighting the incredible courage she showed last year.
Buck Davidson and Park Trader. Photo by Jenni Autry.
BUCK DAVIDSON: No one rides more horses at events than Buck Davidson, and — as he often jokes — no one falls off more, but he always gets back on and keeps kicking; and he does it all with a smile on his face. The top-placed U.S. rider at Rolex this year with his beloved Balleynoe Castle RM in third place, Buck also finished in ninth place with Mar De Amor. Buck garnered numerous other top placings in 2013: second in the Jersey Fresh CCI3* with D.A. Adirmo, second in the Bromont CCI2* with the late Santa’s Keeper, second in the Fair Hill CCI3* with Park Trader and first in the Galway Downs CCI3* with Petite Flower. It’s no surprise he ended the season in first place on the USEA Rider Leaderboard.
Meghan O’Donoghue and Pirate at Rolex. Photo by Kasey Mueller.
MEGHAN O’DONOGHUE: Meghan O’Donoghue burst onto the international eventing scene in 2013 with her off-track-Thoroughbred gelding Pirate, a horse she campaigned from the very beginning of his career. Meghan and Pirate jumped clear around their first CCI4* at Rolex to finish 12th, which earned them a Jaqueline B. Mars Competition and Training Grant to contest their first overseas competition at the Blenheim CCI3*. Despite enormous pressure, Meghan and Pirate jumped clear around cross country to finish in 11th place out of 84 starters as the second-highest-placed American pair. Meghan showed a tremendous amount of grit and drive in 2013, garnering a huge fan following along the way.
Lynn Symansky and Donner at Rolex. Photo by Jenni Autry.
LYNN SYMANSKY: Lynn Symansky had a breakout year in 2013 with Donner, an off-track Thoroughbred gelding she produced herself through the levels. The second-highest-placed American at Rolex, she and Donner finished in fifth on their dressage score. Lynn received a Jaqueline B. Mars Competition and Training Grants on the merits of that performance, which helped her get to the Pau CCI4*, where she and Donner finished 13th with the fastest cross-country trip of the competition. This photo of Lynn checking her watch over the final cross-country jump at Pau says it all. Lynn is truly a fierce competitor who is committed to bettering herself as a rider and making future teams.
2013 EN HORSE OF THE YEAR NOMINATIONS
Buck Davidson and Balleynoe Castle RM at Rolex. Photo by Kasey Mueller.
BALLEYNOE CASTLE RM: One of Buck Davidson’s most recognizable mounts — and also one of his favorites — Balleynoe Castle RM started 2013 with a bang, finishing third at both the Red Hills CIC3* and The Fork CIC3*. Reggie then went to Rolex, where he finished as the highest-placed U.S. horse in third, which earned him a spot on the U.S. team at Aachen. Unfortunately, a bone bruise kept him from making the trip overseas and prematurely ended his season, but he still earned enough points during the first half of the year to finish in fifth place on the USEA SmartPak Advanced Horse of the Year leaderboard.
Marilyn Little and RF Demeter at Pau. Photo by Jenni Autry.
RF DEMETER: RF Demeter garnered numerous top placings with Marilyn Little in the irons in both the U.S. and Europe last year, finishing fourth at both The Fork CIC3* and Jersey Fresh CIC3* before crossing the pond. Demi went double clear on cross country at the Luhmuhlen CCI4* to finish in seventh place, and she had top-five placings at Blair Castle, Breda and Schenefeld — all competitive CIC3* events. She capped her season with an 18th-place finish at the Pau CCI4*, and she was honored as the winner of both the USEA SmartPak Advanced Horse of the Year and the USEA Mare of the Year leaderboards.
Lynn Symansky and Donner at Pau. Photo by Jenni Autry.
DONNER: Donner amassed a huge fan club this year as he dominated cross country in his trademark Thoroughbred style. Affectionally nicknamed Donner the Deer, he started 2013 by winning the very competitive CIC3* division at The Fork with rider Lynn Symansky. Just a few weeks later, he finished fifth on his dressage score in his first CCI4* at Rolex. While not the fanciest mover, he makes up for it on cross country, where he didn’t pick up a single jumping penalty all season. He finished off a stellar 2013 by placing 13th at the Pau CCI4*, where he had the fastest cross-country trip. He finished the year in fourth place on the USEA SmartPak Advanced Horse of the Year leaderboard.
Hawley Bennett-Awad and Gin & Juice at Pau. Photo by Jenni Autry.
GIN & JUICE: A perpetual favorite with fans, spunky Gin & Juice continued her stellar Advanced career in 2013, starting the season with an incredible three wins in a row at Twin Rivers Advanced, Copper Meadows Advanced and the Galway Downs CIC3*. She and Hawley Bennett-Awad then finished eighth at Rolex, adding just .4 jumping penalties to their dressage score. Always a feisty mare, Ginny relaxed to put in one of the best dressage tests of her career at the Pau CCI4*, where she ultimately finished in 16th place. Ginny ended the season in third place on both the USEA SmartPak Advanced Horse of the Year and the USEA Mare of the Year leaderboards.
Kristi Nunnik and R-Star. Photo by Samantha Clark.
R-STAR: An absolute force to be reckoned with, R-Star’s powerhouse jumping style and lovely movement on the flat has made her a perennial favorite with fans. The stunning mare started her season by finishing third in the spring CIC3* at Galway Downs with Kristi Nunnink before heading to Rolex to finish eighth. Rosie also won the CIC3* at Rebecca Farm and was the Reserve Champion in the Advanced division at the American Eventing Championships. She finished in second place on both the USEA SmartPak Advanced Horse of the Year and the USEA Mare of the Year leaderboards.
Liz Halliday-Sharp and Fernhill By Night at Boekelo 2013. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Samantha Clark is back with another fantastic profile on our American riders based in England. This time, she interviews Liz Halliday-Sharp, whose name was relatively unknown last year until she rode in the WEG Test Event at Haras Du Pin. That put her on the map, and thanks to a successful 2013 season, she now has two horses on the High Performance Winter/Spring Training Lists. Liz is seriously one of the nicest people, and now that you know her name, you’ll have to cheer her on this season. Many thanks to Samantha for writing and to PRO for allowing us to share these excellent blog posts here on EN. Go Liz!
The East Sussex countryside where US eventer Liz Halliday-Sharp has been based for the last three years could hardly be more British – winding lanes and hedgerows dividing the rolling hills into patchwork fields. Despite having lived in England for fourteen years though, and being happily married to an Englishman, Liz still has a certain California vibe about her; maybe it’s the long, blonde hair, maybe it’s her enviable figure, or perhaps it’s her hard-to-place accent or a combination of all three but there’s definitely something rather ‘sunny’ about her!
It’s a welcome contrast to the grey, gloomy dampness and seemingly ceaseless rain that is the norm here in the UK at this time of year, and although it seems like every year might be worse than the year before, 2014 may indeed be wetter than normal; Liz’s horses have barely had any decent turn-out time since November last year. The upgrading and upkeep of Chailey Studsince they bought it three years ago has been a labour of love for Liz and her husband Allan – new footing in the massive indoor thanks to Andrew Bowen, mirrors and panelling, an equally impressive outdoor and a brand new house, fittingly in a Cape Cod meets South of England style, just a few steps from the yard.
Although Liz wishes she had more land than her existing 15 acres currently, there is a bit of everything dotted around the paddocks to cross country school over – a bank complex, skinnies and plain fences, and there may be an opportunity to expand in the future. The yard is split into two so that the ten or so hand-picked liveries have their own tack room on their side of the American-style barn, and Liz’s operation is almost entirely separate. The barn also boasts a wash stall and solarium, rubber footing and very nice accommodations for the liveries and grooms during the day.
Click here to read the full story on the PRO blog.
EN loves photos shot between the ears! If you happen to be out for a hack, are riding in some obscure place or just take some cool photos aboard your mount, send them to [email protected] with a quick blurb about the photo’s story. This week’s View comes to us from Josie Hoffman in Virginia.
From Christina Kearse: “My winter break from college in South Carolina was spent at The Hideout Ranch in Shell, Wyo. I took a break from dressage and jumping and enjoyed riding in a western saddle and cowboy boots for the week. A Mustang, named Castro, took me through the snow-covered, breathtaking landscapes of the wild west. If you look closely at his neck, you can see the white hairs of his brand. “
Screenshot from Centro Equestre Federale's website.
Some of eventing’s biggest names are adding their signatures to a petition in an attempt to save the Centro Equestre Federale Pratoni del Vivaro in Italy, a major venue Italians say would cripple the sport in their country were it to close, Horse & Country reports.
Built to host the equestrian portion of the 1960 Olympic Games, the venue, which is located just outside of Rome, has since hosted the 1998 World Equestrian Games, the European Championships in 1995 and 2007, and numerous other international competitions.
Italian eventer Margaret Carafa Jacobini has started up a petition calling for riders and fans of the sport to sign up, in a bid to save the venue.
According to Margaret, without Patroni eventing has “no future” in Italy, as the riders at international level are “falling behind with the preparation of their horses” and many are forced to move to the UK and Germany.
The petition has so far received more than 1,000 signatures, from all around the globe, including the likes of Laura Collett, Bettina Hoy and Sir Mark Todd.
“Have great memories of competing there, particularly for the World Champs in 98,” said Mark. “A fantastic venue, would be a huge shame for the sport of eventing worldwide to loose it.”
From reading translated Italian news pieces, it appears there’s a lack of public funding for the venue, which is why it’s on the chopping block. More than 200 local riders staged a protest at the venue on Saturday, according to Cavallo Magazine.
Buck Davidson and Santa’s Keeper at Bromont. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Buck Davidson just informed us that Santa’s Keeper has been euthanized following heroic efforts to save him after he sustained a leg injury at the Ocala Horse Properties January Horse Trials Saturday. Dr. Nathan Mitts, who has been treating Simon, issued the following statement: “We regret to inform that Santa’s Keeper was euthanized today as his condition deteriorated. An exam is ongoing, and we hope that the findings will advance our early recognition and care in the future. Simon was brave and stoic to the end, and he will be missed.”
As we reported yesterday, Simon show jumped well Saturday in the Open Intermediate division at Ocala, but looked stiff in his right hind back at the trailer. The leg then swelled badly, so much so that Buck had to postpone teaching lessons at his farm in order to keep the barn as quiet as possible to encourage Simon to lay down and rest the leg. Buck and his veterinary team did everything they could to save the horse.
All horses are special, but Simon was particularly special to Buck. A Thoroughbred gelding purchased off the Keeneland racetrack as a 3-year-old, Buck brought Simon all the way through the levels, with a second-place finish in the Bromont CCI2* last year standing out as a bright spot in their partnership together. Buck owned Simon with his longtime supporters Carl and Cassie Segal; he gave them a partnership in the horse as a Christmas present three years ago. Simon was a favorite in the barn, “a horse we all loved,” Buck told me today. “He was the kindest horse in the world.”
Rest in peace, Simon.
Update 6:30 p.m. EST: Dr. Nathan Mitts has released the following statement on his findings during the postmortem exam:
“Santa’s Keeper sustained a rupture of his right quadriceps muscle and right transverse abdominal muscle, presumably during his round of show jumping on Saturday, January 11. The severity of these muscle injuries, the corresponding internal hemorrhage, and the onset of support limb laminitis proved too much for us to overcome.”
Icabad Crane schools cross country with Phillip Dutton. Photo by Maggie Kimmitt.
It’s no secret we’re suckers for a good OTTB story here on EN, and we especially love the latest news out of Phillip Dutton’s camp. Kentucky Derby-winning trainer Graham Motion and his wife, Anita, have sent 2008 Preakness Stakes runner Icabad Crane into training with Phillip to become an eventer. In addition to placing third in the Preakness, the now 9-year-old gelding [Jump Start X Adorahy, by Rahy], won or hit the board in numerous other stakes races, finishing his career last year with 33 starts and $585,980 in winnings.
Joe Clancy has the full story today over on his blog This Is Horse Racing, which chronicles Icabad’s success on the track, as well as the decision to ultimately retire him last year when he came back sound from an injury but no longer had his old spark left. The story says Graham knew Icabad “wasn’t a gelding who just wanted to go out in a paddock,” so he and Anita approached Phillip about a new career for the horse.
Phillip told This Is Horse Racing that Icabad is “naturally a very balanced horse who has a great attitude to being ridden and to learning.” Icabad is traveling to Aiken this week to spend the rest of the winter at Phillip’s Red Oak Farm, and he indicated the plan is to get the horse out to a few local shows this spring before entering him in his first event later this summer.
“I’d rather not compete him until he’s really ready,” Phillip told This Is Horse Racing. “I want to get him to understand that he’s not going to get in a starting gate anymore. He’s got to remember the stuff I teach him at home when we go places with a lot of other horses and loudspeakers and things.”
Icabad Crane has his own Facebook page where you can follow along with his progress in his new career as an eventer. And, of course, we’ll be sure to follow along with the story here as Icabad learns the ropes and starts competing. Kudos to the Motions for giving a war horse a second chance at a new career.
Just a guess, but I think Icabad is enjoying this whole eventing thing:
The 2014 season officially kicked off last weekend in Ocala, but most of us are still patiently waiting for winter to end so we can get back to competing. To whet your appetite, here’s Tegan Lush’s helmet cam from the Brookleigh CIC3* in the Swan River Valley of Western Australia, where she rode her longtime upper-level partner Tempus Fugit. Go eventing.
Buck Davidson and Santa's Keeper at Bromont. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Buck Davidson just notified us that Santa’s Keeper suffered a leg injury following the show jumping at Ocala Horse Properties January Horse Trials on Saturday. “Simon pulled up perfectly after show jumping but then seemed a little stiff in his right hind back at the trailer,” Buck said. “We don’t really know what’s happened. There are no fractures. It seemed like he might have pulled a muscle, but the swelling is unbelievable. I’ve never seen anything like it.“
Due to the severity of the swelling, Dr. Nathan Mitts has advised Buck to keep the barn very quiet in order to encourage Simon to lay down and rest the leg. “We have determined that it is in his best interest to remain in his own stall and in a quiet environment while he receives veterinary care,” Dr. Mitts said. “We thank everyone for their understanding in our decision to limit the training activity in and around Simon’s barn until he is more stable.”
Buck said he is currently not teaching lessons at his farm in order to comply with Dr. Mitts’ orders. “It’s not that my barn is closed; we’re just trying to keep it quiet,” Buck said. The EN team sends our best wishes to Simon for a speedy recovery. We’ll continue to keep you updated on the horse’s status. Go Simon.
Allison Springer and Copycat Chloe at Bromont. Photo by Jenni Autry.
After serving two terms as president of the Professional Riders Organization, Phillip Dutton is stepping down, and Allison Springer is taking the reins, the organization announced this afternoon via press release; Buck Davidson will serve as vice president. Since its founding in 2009, PRO has sought to create a support system for riders of all levels, grooms, owners and event organizers to ultimately advance the sport of eventing. Phillip will stay on as a director of the executive board, and Doug Payne, Marcia Kulak and Tamie Smith have also been elected to the board.
From PRO:
Allison Springer has been elected to serve as the new President of the Professional Riders Organization. She took over January 1 from Phillip Dutton, who stepped down after serving two terms as president. “I’m very proud of what we’ve been able to do as a rider driven organization,” said Dutton. “I think it’s good to have a new person come in who has some fresh ideas. It keeps us from getting stale, and I feel Allison will be a great president for us.” Dutton, an original founder of PRO, will continue on the executive board as a director of the organization.
Allison Springer, also an original founding member of PRO was elected at the PRO Annual Meeting in December. “Being one of the founding members is one of my proudest achievements in the sport of eventing. I want to acknowledge how much we have grown as an organization under Phillip’s leadership,” said Springer. “I personally want to continue Phillip’s work and build on his accomplishments to help the sport grow.”
Since its inception, PRO has sought to promote eventing by bringing together the vast community of the sport while providing a sustainable support system for riders, owners and organizers. PRO works actively with the UK based Event Riders Association (ERA) and all NGBs to represent the voice of the riders.
Doug Payne, (Apex, NC) – Competitor, ICP Certified Trainer, USEF Judge and Technical Delegate; Marcia Kulak, (Scotia, NY) – Competitor, ICP Certified Trainer and USEF Eventing Team Selector; Tamra Smith, (Murrieta, CA) – Competitor and ICP Certified Trainer have also been elected to the executive board to serve a two-year term.
David Frechette, AKA The Horse Pesterer, has made a tradition of recording the very first dressage test of the year, so, of course, he was on hand last weekend at the Ocala Horse Properties January Horse Trials to carry on the ritual. Buck Davidson and Santa’s Keeper had the honors of leading off the Open Intermediate dressage at 7:30 a.m. on Jan. 11; they scored 33.3. Many thanks to David for his fantastic videography work and dedication to the sport! Be sure to check out The Horse Pesterer’s full Ocala I HT playlist to see all 109 videos he shot over the weekend.
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A great debate has ensued since the USEA alluded at last month’s Annual Convention that the Texas Rose Horse Park could become the permanent home of the American Eventing Championships. Area II member Lynne Kay Subler wrote the following as a letter to Jo Whitehouse, USEA CEO, and Rob Burk, USEA Senior Director of Programs, and she has been kind enough to allow us to publish it here on EN to foster further discussion on the fate of the AECs. Be sure to weigh in with your thoughts in the comments.
Kristi Nunnink and R-Star at the 2013 AECs in Texas. Photo by Liz Hall.
From Lynne:
I understand from conversations with Mark Hart and Steve Symansky that one of the USEA’s priorities is growing its membership and that offering attractive programs for lower level eventers is an important part of your growth effort. In 2014, you moved The Chronicle of the Horse/USEA Adult Team Challenge (ATC) to Texas, and you are holding it concurrently with the Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships (AECs). I understand that you are considering making Texas the permanent home of the (AECs). By extension, I’m assuming Texas would also become the permanent home of the ATC.
Based on a quick study of AEC competitors and personal experience, moving the AECs and ATC around the country is much more likely to accomplish your growth objectives than making Texas (or any other location) the permanent home of the AECs and ATC. Please continue to move the AECs around the country and either return to holding the ATCs regionally or hold them concurrently with the AECs as the AECs move around the country.
By way of introduction, my husband, Leo Subler and I are Adult Amateur USEA members. My mare Serendipity was the 2013 Area II Novice Champion and the 2012 Area II Beginner Novice Champion. I would very much like to enter her in the AECs, but Texas is too far away, so she won’t be entered.
My “day job” includes doing consumer research, so I did a quick study to see who is competing at the AECs. It turns out that Leo and I are probably not your only members with travel restrictions. The AECs primarily draw Beginner Novice, Novice and Training level competitors from the USEA Area hosting the competition and from other nearby USEA Areas. Relatively few lower level competitors travel across the country.
These three pie charts show how important the location of the AECs is at a glance. Whether the AECs were located in Illinois, Georgia or Texas, the largest group of Beginner Novice, Novice and Training level competitors came from the USEA Area hosting the competition. A relatively limited number of competitors came from across the country or even halfway across the country.
Percentage of Lower Level AEC Competitors from Each USEA Area
(The following Areas do not appear on the pie charts because they contributed less than 1% of competitors:
AECs in Illinois (2009): Areas VI, VII and X
AECs in Georgia (2012): Areas VI, VII and X
AECs in Texas (2013): Area VII.)
I’m willing to bet that in 2014, the majority of competitors in The Chronicle of the Horse/USEA Adult Team Challenge come from Area V and its nearby Areas just as the majority of AEC competitors did in 2013. It can be a struggle to keep one horse sound and get the horse and its adult rider prepared for a local competition. Successfully getting a team of horses and adult riders to a competition hours away is exponentially harder. The time commitment and long odds of success will convince many members from the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and West Coast that it isn’t realistic to enter the ATC while it is in Texas.
In summary, I understand that growing USEA membership is an important goal, and that one way you are working to retain existing members and attract new ones is by offering programs like the AECs and ATC. The geographic location of the AECs and ATC very much matters to your lower level members. The majority of them don’t travel across the country or even halfway across the country to compete. My husband and I are great examples. We would like to enter Serendipity in the AECs, but we won’t because Texas is too far away.
Since you have members located throughout the U.S., the best way to make the AECs and ATC attractive to the majority of your lower level members is to rotate the competitions to venues on both coasts as well as in the center of the country and to include locations in the north, south, and the mid-section. While I know this is more work for the USEA than selecting a single location and causes headaches for some organizers, it makes competing in the AECs and ATC attractive to the largest number of your lower level riders and owners.
