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Jenni Autry
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Jenni Autry

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About Jenni Autry

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.

Latest Articles Written

Danielle Dichting and The Graduate Crack Top Five at Fair Hill

By on Oct 17, 2013 4:08 pm -

Danielle Ditching and The Graduate

Just five riders rode in the final group in the first day of dressage in Fair Hill CCI2*, and Danielle Dichting and The Graduate made their performance a test to remember, scoring 47.2 to hold fourth place overnight. Danielle also had a very good performance in the dressage at Fair Hill last year with Tops, who she’s since sold. Now she’s working to form a partnership with The Graduate, a lovely Germany gelding who has a lot of talent in this phase. They both have a lot of experience at this level, and I expect to see them sitting in a good position come Saturday.

Halfway through the CCI2* division, Boyd Martin and Pancho Villa hold first place on a 41.4, with Sharon White and Under Suspection in second on a 43.9, and Leslie Law and Billy Wiz in third place on a 44.2. Nine riders cracked the 40s today, and I expect we’ll see many more good scores tomorrow. Unfortunately, I’ll be focusing on the CCI3* dressage tomorrow, so I apologize in advance to the two-star riders who won’t enjoy the same coverage as today’s riders. It’s still a beautiful day at Fair Hill, and the 4-year-olds are still performing their dressage tests for the USEA Young Event Horse East Coast Championships.

The top three riders in the CCI2* joined us for a press conference following the conclusion of dressage, so stay tuned for my report from that. The top riders in the YEH Championships will also be joining us at 5 p.m., so stay tuned for more on that too. I have to send a big shout out to the officials and volunteers who helped the first day here at Fair Hill run so smoothly; we’re off to a great start to the weekend. CCI3* dressage starts bright and early at 9 a.m. tomorrow morning and runs through 4:20 p.m., so it will be another full day of coverage. Go Fair Hill.

Fair Hill Links: [Website] [Dressage Times] [Live Scores]

Sharon White and Under Suspection Answer Back at Fair Hill

By on Oct 17, 2013 2:37 pm -

Leslie Law and Billy Wiz

Sharon White has to be thrilled with her new ride Under Suspection, who scored 43.9 to move into second place in the CCI2* at Fair Hill. As Brian O’Connor put it, Sharon “rocked the orange” this afternoon, and this performance is a very good indicator of how her partnership is forming with this horse. Pippy joined Sharon’s program this spring after coming over from Dirk Schrade’s barn in Germany. Leslie Law and Billy Wiz also put some pressure on Boyd Martin and Pancho Villa — who still hold the lead after the third group of riders — with a lovely test for a score of 44.2, which moves them into third place. This horse has been very competitive at this level since moving up in the spring, and he most recently finished in fourth place at the Plantation Field CIC2*. This is a really cute horse, and I’m looking forward to seeing more of Billy this weekend.

Amanda Wilson and Shame on the Moon

I’m familiar with Amanda Wilson’s lovely grey Cool Decision, who she’ll be riding in the CCI3* this weekend, but this is the first time I’ve seen her equally stunning grey Shame on the Moon. This mare is super cool and a fantastic mover, and she handled the hustle and bustle of the main arena at Fair Hill — where the Young Event Horse Championships are going on in the neighboring ring — with poise. They scored 49.7 to sit in equal sixth place with Ryan Wood and Fernhill Classic and Colleen Loach and Freespirit. We also saw a lovely test from Allie Knowles and Sound Prospect, who scored 50 to move into ninth place. This horse is a familiar face over on the West Coast, where Tessa Beckett previously had the ride, and this is the first time I’ve seen the horse in person. They had a super, consistent test, and I imagine Allie is pleased with that score considering she’s only had the horse since July.

Allie Knowles and Sound Prospect

I have to give a shout out to Jenny Caras, who handled Fernhill Fortitude’s naughty antics with a very patient attitude. He’s a really lovely horse, and putting in consistent dressage tests will just be a matter of getting Forty to focus on the task at hand; they scored 56.9. Kudos to Jenny for having a good attitude about it! We’re now about to head into the fourth and final group of the day, with Lizzie Snow and Ringfort Tinkaturk kicking things off at 3 p.m. The weather is still fantastic here at Fair Hill, with temperatures in the low 70s and overcast skies keeping things comfortable. This is either a sign of a very good weekend yet to come, or it’s giving us a false sense of hope. Fair Hill is notorious for having terrible weather, after all. Stay tuned for the final report from the first half of CCI2* dressage at Fair Hill.

Fair Hill Links: [Website] [Dressage Times] [Live Scores]

 

Colleen Loach and Freespirit Shine at Fair Hill

By on Oct 17, 2013 12:17 pm -

Colleen Loach and Freespirit

We’ve had one more pair crack the 40s so far in the CCI2* at Fair Hill, as Colleen Loach and Freespirit scored 49.7 to tie for fourth place with Ryan Wood and Fernhill Classic. Coach Clayton Fredericks and the rest of the Canadian contingent seemed thrilled with the test, and this puts Colleen in a very good position for the weekend, as this horse is very good across the country; they were most recently 12th in the CIC2* at Plantation Field. Hallie Coon and Namaste are sitting just behind them in sixth place on a 50.5. The horse was quite tense circling the arena before the test, but Hallie rode through the tension beautifully, and Namaste relaxed well before the test began. This pair has been competing at the Advanced level for most of the year, and they definitely have the experience they need to get around the CCI2* cross country this weekend.

Hallie Coon and Namaste

Caitlin Romeo and Spirit of the Outback had a rocky warmup, when Nilson Moreira da Silva and Muggle came too close in despite her warning. Jake was not happy about that at all, and he had a little meltdown. Caitlin didn’t let that faze her though, and she pushed through the little blip to get some really lovely work out of the horse. This is their first CCI2* since they competed at the NAJYRC back in 2008, so I’ll definitely be cheering them on this weekend. Caitlin is also one of the many riders wearing purple and teal ribbons this weekend in honor of Amy Barrington. Go Amy! We also saw Will Faudree and DHI Colour Candy in this group, and they’re in ninth place on a 52.2. Will contested the CCI3* here last year with this horse, but they parted ways on cross country and the horse put a stud through Will’s arm, leading to a a very impressive injury. Fingers crossed for no stud-related injuries this year!

Caitlin Romeo and Spirit of the Outback

Susie Beale and Isabella II were on track for a very good score until they got to the walk work, when the mare was very tense and not happy at all to be walking. This mare is a really lovely mover and super expressive with her front end in the canter — definitely a fun pair to watch. They scored 54.4 to sit in 11th place provisionally. We’re now on the lunch break here at Fair Hill. It’s still overcast and surprisingly very humid. We’ve been having an indian summer in this part of the country, and I’m certainly not going to complain. Allie Knowles and Sound Prospect kick off the next group of dressage rides in the CCI2* at 1 p.m. EST. For those of you wondering about the rest of the schedule this weekend, the CCI3* dressage doesn’t start until tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. EST, and the remainder of the CCI2* dressage will also run tomorrow. Go Fair Hill!

Fair Hill Links: [Website] [Dressage Times] [Live Scores]

Boyd Martin and Pancho Villa Take Early Lead in Fair Hill CCI2*

By on Oct 17, 2013 10:41 am -

Boyd Martin and Pancho Villa

Good morning from Fair Hill! It’s an overcast but pleasant day here in Elkton, Md., and after spending the past weekend in miserable weather at Boekelo in the Netherlands, I’m loving the forecast for this weekend. Boyd Martin is also loving the warmer temperatures, I’m sure, and he hopped right off a plane from Europe and straight onto his horses to prepare for the CCI2* this weekend. He was second to ride this morning in the two-star, and he currently leads the way with Pancho Villa. Boyd and Pancho led the dressage by a mile in the Plantation Field CIC2*, which they went on to win, and they’re also enjoying a healthy lead so far here at Fair Hill on a score of 41.4. This horse is very impressive in the dressage, and he has incredibly balanced paces; he looked relaxed and engaged throughout the test, and Boyd seemed happy with the result.

Kristen Bond and Seams Ready

Kristen Bond and Seams Ready are holding second place after the first group on a 48.3. This pair is a fresh off a win at the Area II Intermediate Championships, and they worked well together today for a solid score. This is a new ride for Kristen, and I’ve never seen him before, so I’m looking forward to watching them more this weekend. Kurt Martin and Anna Bella, who I featured on EN’s Got Talent earlier this year, are close behind in third place on 49.4, and this is definitely a pair you’ll want to watch this weekend. Kurt and Anna Bella are coming off very strong second-place finishes in the Virginia CIC2* and Plantation Field CIC2*, and she looked very good in her test today. This is Anna Bella’s first CCI2*, and she’s definitely starting the weekend off well. She’s a lovely mover and an even better jumper, and she absolutely has the talent to shine here at Fair Hill this weekend.

Kurt Martin and Anna Bella

Ryan Wood and Fernhill Classic are our other score in the 40s so far, and they kicked things off this morning as the first ride of the day to score 49.7 for fourth place provisionally. This is the first of three horses for Ryan in this division, and the horse is competing in his first CCI2* this weekend. They’re coming off a 15th place finish at Plantation Field, and I thought this was a good, workmanlike test from this pair. There’s one more group to go before the lunch break, with Will Faudree and DHI Colour Candy kicking things off next. I’m thrilled to be here at Fair Hill this weekend, as it’s the first event I ever covered for EN exactly one year ago, so it will always be a special event for me. As always, the grounds look fantastic, the press tent is lovely, and the best of the best have come to Elkton to compete this weekend. Stay tuned for much more from Fair Hill.

Fair Hill Links: [Website] [Dressage Times] [Live Scores]

Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: Showering Canada Style

By on Oct 16, 2013 3:00 pm -

What happens at the water truck stays at the water truck — or at least that’s what Canadians Callie Evans and Holly Jacks were hoping when Jon Holling caught them washing their hair yesterday at Fair Hill. My favorite quote from the video has to be when Jon wisely observes: “The Americans all hate each other and you guys help each other shower. It’s impressive.” Impressive indeed. Go Canada.

Taren Atkinson: Amy Barrington Fundraiser a Success

By on Oct 16, 2013 1:30 pm -

Taren Atkinson sent in a great report about the clinic held last week at Galway Downs to raise support for Amy Barrington. Robert Kellerhouse allowed the clinic to be held on the grounds totally free of charge, and 92 participants rode in the clinic, which ultimately raised more than $15,000 for Amy and her family. Visit Amy’s Facebook page to learn more about how you can help with her recovery.

Rebecca Braitling sports the Amy Barrington colors of teal and purple. Photo courtesy of Taren Atkinson.

From Taren:

Amy Barrington’s West Coast tribe banded together last weekend for a very special fundraising clinic hosted at Galway Downs in Temecula, Calif. Amy has touched so many West Coast eventers from her time living, training and riding in Phoenix, so when word spread of her accident, there was a huge interest in organizing a benefit for her and her family. Niki Clarke, an old friend and student of Amy’s, contacted my mother, Carolyn Hoffos, another old friend and student of Amy’s, and they began to think about setting up a fundraiser.

The two friends worked with Robert Kellerhouse and Galway Downs to schedule a weekend of dressage lessons with Niki, cross-country schooling with Area VI trainers and show jumping rounds on the brand new grass field at Galway. Carolyn and Niki began spreading the word through phone calls, emails and Facebook, ending up with 12 Area VI trainers donating their time to teach and 92 riders participating.

The clinic raised $15,890 in three days. What is even more impressive than the actual amount raised is that all of it is going to the Barrington/Schlappi home. When the clinic was originally planned, organizers Carolyn and Niki worked together with Robert and agreed to a $235 entry fee per rider, with $200 going to Amy’s family and $35 going to Galway Downs to cover grounds fees, preparation for the clinic and clean up from the clinic. As Carolyn and I sat in her living room Sunday evening totaling up the proceeds, Robert sent a text saying, “Send all the money to Amy and Greg. Thank you for organizing this event.” Galway’s donation totaled $2,095.

There have been so many stories related to Amy about how eventers band together in times of need to support their own; this is another one of those stories. Reading the many articles on Eventing Nation and Amy’s Facebook page about eventers fundraising and helping Amy makes me proud. I am proud to know Amy and proud that she was once my trainer; I think that anyone can see how loved, respected and admired she is by reading about the great lengths her friends — and even those who don’t know her — are going to in order to support her.

This clinic has made me extremely proud: I’m proud of my mom and Niki for having this great idea and putting it into action — that took time, patience and good humor dealing with multiple schedules over multiple days. I’m proud of the trainers who donated their time to teach over the weekend — that took time away from home, lessons missed, gas money spent getting to Temecula and overall compassion. I’m proud of the riders who donated their money to the clinic for a person that many do not know.

One of my students gave up her entry fee to a fall event in order to participate in this clinic because she felt that supporting a fellow eventer was a priority for her. I’m proud of Galway Downs and Robert Kellerhouse, who chose to donate the facility for the clinic; as someone who runs an eventing facility, I can tell you that it isn’t free to host clinics like this. The donation of Galway is a huge sacrifice. I’m proud of the parents and families who came to support their kids, friends, spouses and family during the clinic; we know that eventers can’t do this sport alone, and a support system is crucial. Go Amy.

Frances Stead Speaks Out in Radio Interview

By on Oct 16, 2013 10:30 am -

Jock Paget and Clifton Promise at Badminton. Photo by Jenni Autry.

The eventing community continues to reel after yesterday’s news that this year’s Badminton and Burghley winner Clifton Promise tested positive for Reserpine, a heavy tranquilizer on the FEI Prohibited Substance List. Jock Paget now faces a two-month suspension from all national and international competitions while we await the results of the B sample. All reports coming from Jock’s team indicate they’re absolutely shocked by the news, and Frances Stead, who owns Clifton Promise, took to the air waves today to reiterate her total support for Jock in a radio interview:

“To be honest, if you think about the scenario, you have a horse that went around probably the toughest cross-country course in the world and went around very fast. The last thing you would do to try to enhance its performance is give it a sedative before it came out tired the next day to try to clear all the show jumps. The scenario just doesn’t make sense. I don’t understand it. Jock doesn’t understand it. We’re all shocked by it.

 “With Jock, I don’t think you could find a more ethical or honest person who always operates with absolute integrity. There is absolutely no way Jock did anything knowingly in this process.”

Click below to listen to the full interview, which begins with Andrew Nicholson weighing in on the controversy.

Click to listen to the interview

Lizzie Brown and Henton Attorney General Win Boekelo

By on Oct 13, 2013 10:24 am -

Lizzie Brown and Henton Attorney General

The top of the leaderboard saw quite a shuffle this afternoon in the conclusion of show jumping at Boekelo, as numerous top horses went bowling for poles. While Lizzie Brown and Henton Attorney General’s trip started out a bit rocky, she kicked on to pull of a great clear round to clinch the win on 39.8, the only score in the 30s. I thought I’d see pigs fly before I saw Michael Jung drop more than one rail in a major competition, but the lovely little mare fischerRocana FST pulled three, which dropped them all the way down from second to finish in eighth place. Ingrid Klimke and Hale Bob 3 also ran into trouble, pulling three rails to drop them from third to ninth place. Boyd Martin and Liz Halliday-Sharp jumped earlier in the day, each pulling rails; click here and here to see those reports.

Mark Todd and Leonidas II

The show jumping definitely proved to be very influential, and I imagine the riders who enjoyed spots in the top five overnight are currently scratching their heads wondering exactly what went wrong. In contrast, pairs that delivered clear rounds were rewarded with huge jumps up the leader board. Peter Thomsen and Horseware’s Barny came into the show jumping in seventh place and ultimately finished in second place thanks to their clear round, which I caught on video. Mark Todd and Leonidas II also jumped clear, which moved them up from eighth to third place. Kenki Sato and Chippieh jumped a brilliant clear and finished in fourth place, moving up from ninth place. And Kitty King and Persimmon dropped one rail but still moved up one spot, ultimately finishing in fifth place.

Kenki Sato and Chippieh

Despite Michael and Ingrid’s less-than-stellar show jumping rounds, Germany still handily won the Nations Cup title for the sixth consecutive year on a score of 148.6. Great Britain finished in second place on a score of 171, and Ireland moved up one spot to ultimately finish in third place after their team rose to the occasion today. Even with just three riders, the U.S. finished in seventh place out of 13 teams, which I know doesn’t scream success, but I guess I’m searching for silver linings after a rough week here in Boekelo. It’s a slight consolation that so many of the top pairs also struggled in the show jumping — Ze Terminator himself pulled more rails than our two riders combined — but that doesn’t justify those rails. We just have to get better. Go Team USA.

Boekelo Links: [Homepage] [Results] [Boekelo TV] [Live Stream]

One Down for Boyd Martin and Trading Aces at Boekelo

By on Oct 13, 2013 8:37 am -

Boyd Martin and Trading Aces

Boyd Martin and Trading Aces had a bummer of a rail in the show jumping at Boekelo, taking down the final rail of the triple. If you turn your volume up when you watch the video of his round, you’ll hear the entire U.S. contingent groan loudly as the pole falls. Oscar still jumped very well, and he finishes the weekend on a score of 72.5. There have been seven clear rounds so far, and I’m sure we’ll see more as we make our way into the top 25. I’m also pleased to report that sunshine has mercifully joined us for the remainder of show jumping here at Boekelo. I’m running back out now to bring you photos and videos from the exciting conclusion of the competition. Don’t forget to follow along on the live stream!

Boekelo Links: [Homepage] [Show Jumping Order] [Results] [Boekelo TV] [Live Stream]

Show Jumping Underway at Boekelo

By on Oct 13, 2013 6:07 am -

Liz Halliday-Sharp and Fernhill By Night

Show jumping is underway here at Boekelo, and Liz Halliday-Sharp and Fernhill By Night just jumped for Team USA, pulling one rail at 4A, a square oxer, early in the course. The main arena resembles a swamp after all the rain from the previous days, and Blackie jumped well through the messy slop. We’ve seen just two clear rounds so far, and we have a long break before Boyd Martin and Trading Aces jump, as the second group doesn’t start until 2 p.m. local time, which is about two hours from now. Until then, be sure to follow along with the live stream, and don’t miss the video of Liz and Blackie’s show jumping round below.

Boekelo Links: [Homepage] [Show Jumping Order] [Results] [Boekelo TV] [Live Stream]

Both American Horses Pass Final Inspection at Boekelo

By on Oct 13, 2013 5:12 am -

Boyd Martin and Trading Aces

Both Trading Aces and Fernhill By Night sailed through the final horse inspection here at Boekelo, so we’ll have two Americans in the show jumping, which is starting in about half an hour. There were two withdrawals before the trot up — Mark Todd and Up n Go and Nicolas Wettstein and Onzieme Framoni — and all other horses that presented passed, so we have 65 total pairs heading into the show jumping. Liz Halliday-Sharp and Blackie will jump in the first group, while Boyd and Oscar will be in the second group, which doesn’t start until 2 p.m. local time, or 8 a.m. EST. Remember that you can follow along with all the show jumping action thanks to the live stream.

If you’re antsy waiting for my reports, check out Julia Krajewski’s helmet cam from yesterday, plus full video playback of all eight hours of cross-country action. Lizzie Brown and Henton Attorney General held the overnight lead here at Boekelo, and Michael Jung and fischerRocana FST are close behind in second place. Ingrid Klimke and Hale Bob 3 hold third place; with two Germans in the top three going into show jumping, Germany has all but sealed the deal in the Grolsch Nations Cup competition. I’ll be back after Liz and Blackie jump with photos and a full report, so stay tuned for much more from Boekelo.

Happy birthday, Silva! I have to send a special birthday shoutout to Silva Martin, who’s been here supporting Boyd — and drilling him on his dressage, of course — all week. While I’m sure super groom Lindsey Taylor being released from the hospital yesterday was just about the best present Silva could imagine, I’m sure she wouldn’t mind if Oscar delivers a clear show jumping round today to make her birthday even better.

Boekelo Links: [Homepage] [Show Jumping Order] [Results] [Boekelo TV] [Live Stream]

Sunday Videos: Boekelo CCIO3* Helmet Cam + Live Stream Playback

By on Oct 13, 2013 3:54 am -

Paul Tapner and Wickstead Didgeridoo

If you missed the live stream and have been antsy to see footage of the muddy cross-country course from Boekelo, you’re in luck. Thanks to Boekelo TV and RTVOost, we have this great helmet cam of Julia Krajewski and Lost Prophecy and FULL live stream playback of all the action. Julia and Lost Prophecy were actually one of the first pairs to go out on course, so the mud was still under control at this point, but you’ll get a bird’s eye view of just how bad the going got by watching the live stream playback. Note that Julia had a runout at 10D and expressed her frustration in a rather colorful way — gotta love helmet cams!

I spoke to Liz Halliday-Sharp yesterday about the course, which was once again designed by Sue Benson. It’s the sixth time Liz has ridden around Boekelo, and she said she liked the flow of the course this year, as she thought riders didn’t need to sit up and pull to make their lines as much as they needed to for Sue’s courses in the past. Liz thought it rode very well, and I agree it allowed horses to get into a nice rhythm. Pay special attention to the bank complex at fence 21, as that’s where Liz had her runout — at the C element — and Lauren Kieffer had her fall — at the A element.

The final horse inspection is underway now, and all countries are jogging in the same order as Wednesday, so Team USA won’t trot up until later in the morning. All reports coming from the barn are that Trading Aces and Fernhill By Night were sound and happy after their cross-country trips, so it should be smooth sailing through the jog. Of course, it’s raining here at Boekelo, not that this should surprise anyone at this point. Show jumping starts at 11 a.m. local time, or 5 a.m. EST.

Boekelo Links: [Homepage] [Jog Order] [Results] [Boekelo TV] [Live Stream]

Mud Holds the Overnight Lead at Boekelo

By on Oct 12, 2013 12:56 pm -

Michael Jung and fischerRocana FST

Mud, mud and more mud — that about sums up how the day went at Boekelo. Rain fell all night, and I knew when I walked by the main stadium and spotted standing water that it wasn’t going to be pretty. Course designer Sue Benson said in the press conference that she thought the footing was quite good considering how much rain we’ve had since Thursday, and I’m not sure if she was trying to be funny or optimistic. To put it simply, it was muddy in some spots and soup in others, and the terrible footing absolutely decimated the field. Thirty-three pairs either retired on course or were eliminated; that’s one-third of the 100 total starters.

Lizzie Brown and Henton Attorney General

Just four pairs made the time: Michael Jung and fischerRocana FST; Ingrid Klimke and Hale Bob 3; Elmo Jankari and Duchess Desiree; and Izzy Taylor and KBIS Starlet, who moved all the way from 70th to 19th place on the merits of that performance. Overnight leaders Niklas Lindbäck and Cendrillon had one of the scariest falls of the day when the mare left both legs at 16b, falling and pinning Niklas’s leg. That’s just one example of the carnage we saw today. There were six total horse falls and an additional six rider falls, and nine riders retired on course. Looking at the cross-country fence analysis, there really wasn’t any one tricky spot on course, and the problems were spread throughout.

Ingrid Klimke and Hale Bob 3

Lizzie Brown and Henton Attorney General jumped clear and came home with just 2.4 time penalties to lead overnight. Michael Jung and the lovely fischerRocana FST moved up from sixth to second place thanks to their double clear trip, and fellow teammate Ingrid Klimke and Hale Bob 3 moved up from ninth to third with their double clear. Elmo Jankari and Duchess Desiree jumped from 12th to fourth place with one of the other double clear rounds, and Mathieu Lemoine and Quickness had just 0.4 time penalties to move from 13th to fifth place. Alice Naber-Lozeman and Peter Parker also deserve a shout out for their very fast trip, and she’s on track to clinch her third Dutch champion title tomorrow.

The mud. Photo courtesy of Boekelo's Facebook page.

Looking at the Grolsch Nations Cup standings, Germany still holds the lead by a mile, as they added only 1.2 penalties to their team score today. Let me say that again: The Germans added ONLY 1.2 penalties today, which is just maddening. They’re now on a team score of 124.6. Great Britain still holds second place, but they’ve dropped way back on a score of 155, meaning the Germans have all but clinched their zillionth consecutive Nations Cup title. France moved up one spot in the standings to sit in third place on a team score of 210.8, but Ireland is close behind in fourth place on a score of 213.

Did I mention it was muddy? Photo courtesy of Boekelo's Facebook page.

If you didn’t follow along with my posts earlier today about how Team USA fared — click here for Liz, here for Lauren and here for Boyd — here’s a quick recap: Liz Halliday and Fernhill By Night were first out for Team USA, and they looked fantastic until fence 21c when Blackie bailed out at the last minute; they picked up 20 penalties there. Lauren Kieffer and Veronica also looked brilliant until that same combination, when Veronica glanced off 21a and Lauren fell. Thankfully, she’s OK. Boyd Martin and Trading Aces slipped and slid through the course as the second to last out, delivering a clear round but with lots of time.

Lindsey is out of the hospital! Photo courtesy of Katie Walker.

If successful team trips to Europe grew on trees, David O’Connor would be quite the gardener by now. But the fact of the matter is that there’s no magic formula to guarantee success across the pond. We just have to keep fighting. And on a happier note, I’m thrilled to report that super groom Lindsey Taylor was discharged from the hospital earlier today. She made it to Boekelo in time to watch Boyd and Oscar romp around the course, and she was in good spirits when I chatted with her this afternoon. We’re wishing her all the best for a full and speedy recovery. Go Boekelo.

Boekelo Links: [Homepage] [XC Start Times] [Results] [Boekelo TV] [Live Stream]

Boyd Martin Delivers Clear Round at Boekelo

By on Oct 12, 2013 11:15 am -

Boyd Martin and Trading Aces

Boyd Martin and Trading Aces slogged through the mud as the second to last pair on course, delivering a clear cross-country round to cap a tough day for Team USA here at Boekelo. The time doesn’t come easy to Oscar, and Boyd has struggled with him this year, retiring just a few fences from home at Rolex and trying to figure out exactly how to dial it in with the horse. Today, Boyd said he backed off a little when Oscar felt tired, as opposed to kicking on like he did at Rolex, and he thought it did help. Of course, the going didn’t exactly help matters, as the footing had deteriorated to soup in many parts of the course by the time Boyd and Oscar set out. They came home with 18 time penalties to sit in 35th place overnight.

If Oscar jumps well tomorrow — and Boyd said he doesn’t think that will be an issue — he’ll be qualified to compete at the World Equestrian Games next year. Boyd is no stranger to getting a heavier horse fit, as he did it very successfully with Remington XXV, and I have total faith he can do it again with Oscar. The horse has all the pieces; it’s just a matter of putting together the puzzle. When I asked Boyd to give some perspective on a tough day for Team USA, he put it very simply: We can’t give up. These trips to Europe are tough, especially when it’s a team competition and the day doesn’t go our way. There are still many bright spots to point to for the weekend, and we’ll send two Americans into the show jumping tomorrow looking for clear rounds. Kick on, Team USA.

Boekelo Links: [Homepage] [XC Start Times] [Results] [Boekelo TV] [Live Stream]

Lauren Kieffer OK After Fall at Boekelo

By on Oct 12, 2013 9:05 am -

Lauren Kieffer and Veronica

In a very similar scenario to Liz Halliday and Fernhill By Night’s cross-country trip this morning, Lauren Kieffer and Veronica had a foot-perfect round here at Boekelo … until fence 21. It seemed like Veronica locked on well to 21a but changed her mind at the last minute, slamming on the brakes and ducking out to the left. Unfortunately, that caught Lauren off guard, and she fell over Veronica’s right shoulder, landing hard on her back. She was down for quite a long time, and I’m guessing she just had the wind knocked out of her, as she got up after a few minutes and started walking back to stabling with Veronica. Thankfully, both Lauren and Veronica are OK.

It goes without saying that I’m absolutely gutted for Lauren. She had a brilliant day yesterday, scoring 47.4 in dressage to sit in a very good position going into cross country for her first competition overseas. They cruised around the course very confidently and were keeping a good pace through the messy footing, with Veronica looking very keen the whole way around. I can’t really call fence 21 a bogey combination at this point, as I’ve seen numerous lovely trips through there, although a lot of riders have also been taking the alternate route rather than face the questionable footing there. It seemed like Veronica just didn’t feel comfortable enough to take off in the slop.

We have about 20 riders left to go out on cross country. Overnight leader Niklas Lindbäck and Cendrillon had a very scary fall at fence 16b, and Lizzie Brown and Henton Attorney General delivered a clear round with just 2.4 time to take the lead. No one has a chance to catch them, so they will lead going into show jumping tomorrow, where they can’t afford a rail, as Michael Jung and fischerRocana FST are sitting close behind. Boyd Martin and Trading Aces will be the final pair out for Team USA at 3:54 p.m. local time, or 9:54 a.m. EST. Don’t forget to follow along with the live feed here, and I’ll be back after Boyd’s trip with a full report. Stay tuned for much more from Boekelo.

Boekelo Links: [Homepage] [XC Start Times] [Results] [Boekelo TV] [Live Stream]

Cross-Country Day Underway Here at Boekelo

By on Oct 12, 2013 6:52 am -

Liz Halliday and Fernhill By Night

We’ve just had our first member of Team USA come home on cross-country day here at Boekelo, and Liz Halliday and Fernhill By Night came oh so close to bringing home a clear round for America. This is Blackie’s first CCI3* event, and he just moved up to the Advanced level this year, so I was thrilled to see him looking so confident around Sue Benson’s course when I watched their trip on the big screen in the main arena. They made it all the way around to fence 21 taking all the direct routes and unfortunately had a runout at fence 21c, a skinny coming down a hill, just three fences from home. The going is very sloppy about a third of the way through the field, and the footing has already deteriorated badly in certain spots on course, especially at the skinny where Liz and Blackie picked up their runout.

I was feeling very good about their ability to bring home a clear round until Felix Vogg and Onfire, who were sitting in 10th place overnight and went out on course just before Liz and Blackie, had a runout at the same fence just minutes before she came through. Onfire slipped a bit on take off and bailed out, and it looked like Blackie also slipped and just wasn’t feeling secure enough to take off. He actually locked on beautifully, and I thought he was going to go, but he just changed his mind at the last minute. Liz is understandably very bummed, and she told me after her ride that she likely would have taken the alternate route at fence 21 had she not been in a team scenario, but she promised she would go for it, and she did. It really was a brilliant trip up until that point, with Blackie looking very confident and locked on to his lines.

Today was a big ask for Blackie, and despite the runout, I still think he rose to the occasion; he definitely grew up out there on course, and we’re surely looking at a horse for the future. Lauren Kieffer and Veronica are next out for Team USA at about 2:10 p.m. local time, or 8:10 a.m. EST, and Boyd Martin and Trading Aces will be third to last to go out at about 3:54 p.m. local time, or 9:54 a.m. local time. You can follow along on the live stream by clicking here. Michael Jung and fischer Rocana FST are currently leading thanks to delivering one of only two double clear cross-country trips so far. The time was already tricky to make, but all the rain we’ve had over the past 24 hours has made it even more difficult. Izzy Taylor and KBIS Starlet are the only other pair to make the time so far.

Boekelo Links: [Homepage] [XC Start Times] [Results] [Boekelo TV] [Live Stream]

Lindsey Taylor Hospitalized But Still Smiling

By on Oct 11, 2013 7:07 pm -

Lindsey Taylor snapped this pic from her hospital bed of all her visitors from yesterday. From left, Joanie Morris, Silva Martin, Katie Walker and David O’Connor.

In a bit of somber news from Boekelo, Boyd Martin’s super groom Lindsey Taylor has been in and out of the hospital since Wednesday here in the Netherlands. She was originally discharged Wednesday evening, but she’s been back in the hospital since Thursday morning. The good news is Lindsey told me this afternoon she’s feeling much better and hopes to be discharged for good tomorrow.

Of course, she’s gutted to have missed her grooming duties for Trading Aces, but Team USA has banded together to make sure Oscar looked fabulous for his dressage test today. Joanie Morris, our USEF Managing Director of Eventing, stepped in to personally braid Oscar, and she’s also handling feeding duties. Katie O’Neil and Gemma Jalinska have also helped tremendously, and Oscar’s in good hands.

Lindsey told me she misses everyone terribly, and the feeling is very much mutual; it’s just not the same without her here. Of course, Lindsey, who works harder than just about anyone I’ve ever met, is bored out of her mind while stuck in bed, and she’s taken to documenting the inner workings of Dutch hospitals in her spare time — like the fact that all the doctors ride through the halls on small pink bicycles. When in Holland?

Lindsey was originally scheduled to fly home with Oscar on Tuesday, but now it looks like she might be coming home with us on Monday. To all her friends, you can rest assured that she’ll receive the very best of care, and I’m sure she’ll be spoiled rotten. Please join me in sending get-well-soon wishes to Lindsey!

The View from Massachusetts Presented by World Equestrian Brands

By on Oct 11, 2013 6:30 pm -

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 Any Goodnow in Massachusetts. 


 

From Amy:

Though it’s sad to see another event season end in Area I, there is one bonus to the cooler months — riding on the beach! Ted, the owner of the ears, and I enjoyed a peaceful ride at Crane Beach in Ipswich this morning.

Katie Walker: Plenty to See and Do at Boekelo

By on Oct 11, 2013 1:54 pm -

Katie Walker is back with another installment in her guest blog for Boekelo. Katie is one of the owners in the Trading Aces Syndicate, and she’s traveled to the Netherlands this weekend to support Boyd Martin and the rest of Team USA. She’s also sits on the board for Plantation Field Equestrian Events and secures the sponsorships that keep the CIC event growing bigger and better every year. Many thanks to Katie for writing!

Katie, Boyd and Mike Laver

From Katie:

Hello again from Boekelo! I need to catch you up on the past two days, which started with shopping yesterday while the show grounds were still quiet — and before the rains came today! There were many things I would never find at home, so I bought them up, including red wellies and a Keepers tweed coat.

I took a look around the infrastructure of this event to see how the vendor fair is set up, and the attention to detail on everything is amazing — from the hospitality tents to the music during dressage tests to the floral decorations and landscape to the stabling bar and cappuccino shop. Even the porta potties are nice! I also had a visit with Ed Holloway up in the announcer’s booth, which is situated high in a tower with great view of the whole place. It was educational to see how it all fits together and works for all involved.

All was quiet at stabling, and Boyd did a course walk with David and the other Team USA riders late in the afternoon. He then got on Oscar for a few minutes to brush up on a few dressage moves with Silva coaching him. They both looked great. Mike Laver, the only other member of the Trading Aces Syndicate attending this event, arrived yesterday, so we hung out together and caught up.

The parties each night are completely insane, and they all take place at the venue in different areas every night. Thursday night was for sponsors, and each table had a Nations Cup team assigned to a corporate sponsor. Boekelo also announced awards for Best Groom and Best Turned Out Horse. The idea is to allow sponsors to meet up with best riders in the world. There are 21 nations represented at this event, so it’s a wonderful, diverse group, and sponsors seem to appreciate the one-on-one attention from riders.

The party was in a space that, once inside, you would never guess was a tent. The atmosphere was like being in Studio 54 — loud music from a live band; all kinds of colored disco lights all over the ceiling and room; free beer and wine being handed out on silver platters all night; and then, of course, brushing shoulders with the likes of Mark Todd and William-Fox Pitt — icing on the cake.

And then there was today; very raw would be the perfect description of today’s weather. Lauren Kieffer did her test this morning, and Boyd Martin and Trading Aces went today as well. I was happy to see that Nicklas Lindback from Sweden score an amazing 33 on his test to lead going into cross country tomorrow. I got to know him last month when he stayed with us in Unionville, Pa., and rode our horse Brewster in the CIC* at Plantation Field. Nicklas says he definitely plans to come back next year to the States and stay longer.

Boyd went third to last in the entire order of go, and by then the rain had taken its toll in the grass arena. He scored a 46 though, which is great considering the conditions. As we all dry out back at the hotel, we are looking forward to cross country tomorrow. They say this ground can really handle the rain, but I find that difficult to believe, and we are expecting much more overnight!

Editor’s Note: Katie is an avid — even notorious — fan of Corona, and I’m pleased to report that she’s branched out and embraced Grolsch, the local beer of choice and the main sponsor of the Nations Cup event here at Boekelo. Well done, Katie!

Boyd Martin and Trading Aces Cap Great Day for Team USA

By on Oct 11, 2013 12:30 pm -

Boyd Martin and Trading Aces

I wish I could say the weather here at Boekelo had improved by the time Boyd Martin and Trading Aces started their test, but they faced the same rainy, chilly weather we’ve seen all day. Oscar had a great warmup with David O’Connor and Silva Martin, and I thought his changes — which they schooled quite a bit — looked very good. Boyd and the rest of the team seemed very pleased with the warm up, and he and Oscar had what I thought was a very good test to score 46, which puts them in 28th place overnight. I expected the test to hit the low 40s, and there was some disparity across the judges’ marks, but there are still a lot of positives to take away from the test. Silva told me earlier in the week that Oscar has struggled to stay settled in big atmospheres like this, and I thought he handled it like a seasoned pro.

At the end of dressage, our little team of three Americans is holding its own in the Grolsch Nations Cup standings in sixth place on a total score of 145.2, just four penalty points behind Australia. The rest of the team standings remain unchanged from this morning’s report; Germany leads with a score of 123.4, Great Britain holds second place on 128.6 and Sweden is in third place on 131.4. Considering how much rain the cross-country course has soaked up today — and with more rain predicted in the forecast overnight — cross-country day is going to be a slippery mess. Boyd said he expects the course to be quite sloppy by the time he and Oscar go out at the very end of the day, and after seeing how muddy the grounds just outside the galloping lanes looked this afternoon, I imagine he’s right.

The live stream went in and out today, so I’m not sure how many of you were able to follow along at home. As is EN tradition, I’m currently battling some internet issues, so the videos of Boyd’s test and my interview with him after his ride will be coming to you just as soon as they’re uploaded. In the meantime, be sure to visit my YouTube channel to see some of the dressage tests from the past two days, including four of the riders currently in the top 10 and all the tests for Team USA. With just three riders on our American team, we don’t have a drop score, so clear rounds are going to be critical tomorrow. Now is the time to kick on! Thanks so much for following along with my Boekelo coverage, and stay tuned for much more.

Boekelo Links: [Homepage] [Results] [Boekelo TV] [Live Stream]

Lauren Kieffer and Veronica Shine at Boekelo

By on Oct 11, 2013 6:45 am -

Lauren Kieffer and Veronica

Lauren Kieffer has certainly received the full initiation to eventing in Europe during her first competition across the pond. As is Boekelo tradition — but isn’t it tradition at every major European event? — the skies opened up today, and we’ve had heavy rain falling for most of the morning. The chilly temperatures, which are currently hovering in the low 40s, aren’t doing anything to help conditions, but Team USA swarmed the warm-up area to watch Lauren and Veronica persevere through the rain in preparation for their test. I joked with Lauren after the trot up that all the Americans wore such strict game faces, and today was no different, with Lauren looking very steeled to the task at hand as she entered the arena for her test.

In the same form we’ve seen from this pair all season, Lauren and Veronica performed a lovely, consistent test to score 47.4, which puts them in 29th place out of the 80 riders who have performed their tests thus far. The U.S. contingent seemed thrilled with the score, and Karen O’Connor gave Lauren a big hug before she headed back to stabling with Veronica. I promised Lauren I wouldn’t officially interview her until after cross country, as she doesn’t want to invoke the EN jinx — can’t blame her there! — but she was kind enough to text me some comments for all her fans back home: “I’m happy with her. I think we lost several points when she jigged in the walk, and that affected her halt and rein back, but her canter work was quite good too.” Go Team USA!

Boekelo Links: [Homepage] [Results] [Boekelo TV] [Live Stream]

Niklas Lindbäck Brings the House Down at Boekelo

By on Oct 11, 2013 5:25 am -

Niklas Lindbäck and Cendrillon

What a morning at Boekelo! The rainy, chilly weather can’t dampen the excitement in the main arena right now, as Niklas Lindbäck and Centrillon just brought the house down with a dazzling test to take a commanding lead on a score of 33. This 10-year-old dark bay Swedish mare positively floats across the ground — especially in the trot work — and every part of the test built on the prior movement, culminating in two flawless flying changes and a perfect square halt. The Swedish contingent erupted in applause after the final salute, and Niklas knew the score would be very good. He now enjoys a nearly four-point margin over Kitty King and Persimmon, and now we wait to see if anyone can match that score. Of course, it’s very early in the day, and we still have a long way to go.

Kitty King and Persimmon

We’ve already seen numerous other excellent tests this morning, most notably from Kitty King and Persimmon, an 8-year-old Bay Dutch gelding, who tried their very hardest to catch Niklas and Cendrillon. They came close with a lovely, accurate test, scoring 36.8 to move into second place; that’s also a counting score for the British team in the Grolsch Nations Cup. German team stalwart Dirk Schrade also put in an excellent performance with Lord Lauries, a 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding previously campaigned by London Olympic bronze medallist Sandra Auffarth. This horse has beautiful, rhythmic gaits and worked wonderfully with Dirk for a very good score of 38.6, which puts them in fourth place behind Kenki Sato and Chippieh, the overnight leaders from day 1 of dressage.

Dirk Schrade and Lord Lauries

After the first two groups have performed their tests, Germany continues to lead the Grolsch Nations Cup team standings with a score of 125.6. Great Britain holds second place on a distant 138.6, while Sweden has moved into the top three thanks to that stellar test from Niklas — which you can watch below — with a total team score of 143.4. We still have a lot of exciting rides to see on the second day of dressage here at Boekelo. Lauren Kieffer and Veronica will be our second pair out for Team USA in the next group of riders; their ride time is 11:55 a.m. local time, or 5:55 a.m. EST for anyone back home who happens to be awake. You can catch Lauren’s test of the excellent live stream by clicking here. And Boyd Martin and Trading Aces will be third to last to go at 4:18 p.m. local time, or 10:18 a.m. EST. Stay tuned for much more from Boekelo. Go Team USA!

Boekelo Links: [Homepage] [Results] [Boekelo TV] [Live Stream]

Kenki Sato and Chippieh Hold Day 1 Boekelo Lead

By on Oct 10, 2013 11:57 am -

Kenki Sato and Chippieh

If you remember Kenki Sato and Chippieh’s dressage test from the London Olympics last year, you won’t be surprised that they’re leading at Boekelo at the conclusion of day 1 of dressage. This 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding has a lovely partnership with Kenki, who I’ve never before had the pleasure of seeing ride in person. Kenki just returned to Europe from Japan, where he’s been competing on the jumping circuit there. In addition to being competitive at the highest levels of show jumping, Kenki really is an incredibly talented dressage rider, and it could have something to do with the fact that he’s trained extensively with Michael Jung in recent years. His test was good enough today to just edge Ze Terminator on a score of 38.2, and he became the third rider to crack the 30s.

Andreas Dibowski and It's Me xx

It’s worth noting that two of Michael’s students — Kenki and Felix Vogg — join him in the top four of the dressage standings here at Boekelo. Considering this year’s Badminton and Burghley winner Jock Paget — who’s notably absent from the competition here at Boekelo this weekend — also trained with Michael last winter, I have to imagine Ze Terminator has a waiting list of riders eager to learn from the best in the world. Michael led his team to the early lead in the Grolsch Nations Cup after the first day of dressage, and the Germans currently hold first place in the team standings on a score of 82.6. France follows in second place with a score of 96.2, with Australia holding third on a 95.6.

Ellen Svennerstal and Southway

We’ve dodged the rainy weather forecast for the past two days at Boekelo, but the skies opened up when poor Albert Hermoso Farr was preparing to start his test on Yasmina V as the last ride of the day. Of course, that’s not preventing the party from continuing on, and I can hear a heavy base line thumping next door to the press tent. The Dutch know how to watch an event — with a beer (Grolsch, of course!) in hand and good music. Also, I’ve just discovered that there’s an excellent live stream of the event available on the Boekelo website. I tested it today, and it seems to be working beautifully, so be sure to tune in tomorrow for day 2 of dressage. That wraps up my coverage for today. Go Boekelo!

Boekelo Links: [Homepage] [Order Of Go] [Results] [Boekelo TV] [Live Stream]