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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.

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Rolex Lunch Update: Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen Throw Down

By on Apr 28, 2017 1:01 pm -

Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen didn’t quite catch their four-star personal best on the second day of dressage here at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, scoring 33.6 to easily top the leaderboard at the lunch break. But when your personal best is a 33.3 and you missed that by just 0.3 points, it’s difficult to be disappointed!

It’s old news by now that Clark and Glen, a 14-year-old Irish Sport Horse (Limmerick X Tattymacall Mustard) owned by Jess Montgomery, Kathryn Kraft, and Holly and William Becker, are a formidable combination in this phase. But that doesn’t discount the fact that they delivered an absolutely stellar performance in the Rolex Stadium today to put the pressure on two-time defending winners Michael Jung and fischerRocana FST.

Rocana, a 12-year-old German Sport Horse mare (Ituango xx X Rose II) owned by Joachim and Brigitte Jung, has hit the 34-mark range twice in her four-star career, but she didn’t quite match that today, scoring 37.1 to still sit comfortably in second place and well within striking distance as we look ahead to cross country tomorrow.

Michael Jung and fischerRocana FST survey their kingdom! #rk3de

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Three-time Rolex winner Kim Severson is sitting in familiar territory with Cooley Cross Border, who put in a beautiful performance in his four-star debut for third place on 41.0. His marks were trending right on par with Clark and Glen through much of the test, and while they left points on the table in their flying changes — which Kim has said aren’t quite yet confirmed — this was a very exciting debut for the 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Diamond Roller X Whos Diaz) owned by the Cross Syndicate.

Go Kim and Cross! #rk3de #bestweekendallyear

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It’s been a stellar day of dressage right from the beginning, with Liz Halliday-Sharp and Fernhill By Night, a 14-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by Deborah Halliday, starting us off right, besting their score from last year by nearly two full points to sit in fourth place on 41.3. Jessica Phoenix and Don Good’s Pavarotti, who led overnight following the first day of dressage, now sit in fifth place on 43.1.

Fist pump! First out today and straight into the lead 💃🏻 #RK3DE

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Looking to other notable tests from the morning session, Hannah Sue Burnett piloted Under Suspection to a lovely performance in the mare’s four-star debut, scoring 45.2 to sit in ninth place. The 13-year-old Holsteiner mare owned by Mary Ann Ghadban is one of EN’s picks to play spoiler this weekend, so be sure to keep an eye on her tomorrow.

Phillip Dutton gave us the only other test to crack the top 10 so far today, scoring 44.8 with Tom Tierney and Annie Jones’ Fernhill Fugitive, a 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, to sit in seventh place. He now has two rides in the top 15, with John and Kristine Norton’s I’m Sew Ready in 11th, and the Mr. Medicott Syndicate’s Mr. Medicott still to come this afternoon.

44.8 for Phillip Dutton and Fernhill Fugitive for 5th place #RK3DE

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EN’s data analyst Maggie Deatrick once again crunched the numbers on the morning scoring, and the sessions varied from the expected averages more than yesterday morning’s sessions. Early on, it looked as if the cool weather may have been creating some tighter horses, as scoring in the first morning session trended 2.0 points above expected averages. A couple of stellar tests in the second session, including Loughan Glen coming close to his personal best four-star score, dropped that session’s average to 1.73 points below expected averages.

In the third session, every horse performed better than their expected score, making the final morning session trend 2.99 points below expectations. However, overall the entire morning averaged only 0.95 points below average, on trend with both yesterday morning and afternoon. As of lunch time, there has been no clear advantage in going on a particular day or time.

The judges continue to track closely with one another, with Loughan Glen receiving the largest difference in marks, equaling I’m Sew Ready’s difference from yesterday. Nick Burton particularly liked Glen’s test, rewarding it with an astonishing 80.0%, while David Lee felt it was ‘only’ worth a 75.0%. Of the entire field, 84.4% received scores that varied no more than 3.5% between the three judges.

It’s unlikely we will see anyone catch Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen’s leading score in the final session, but there are still a number of top horses to watch. If you missed Maggie’s analysis on the dressage powerhouses of day two, now is a good time to catch up ahead of the 1:30 p.m. start time. Tim Price and Ringwood Sky Boy have cracked the 30s twice at four-star level, so their test at 2:02 p.m. is one to watch for sure.

If you’re just tuning in to EN today, click here to read through our morning open thread and here to scroll through all of our coverage. If you haven’t been watching the live stream on USEF Network or FEI TV, you are missing out on John Kyle’s excellent commentary, along with Karen O’Connor and top riders who are dropping by throughout the broadcast to provide their insight.

Be sure to check out Abby Powell’s Rolex at a Glance post to get to know the riders better, and then click over here for all the details on EN’s 5th Annual Rolex Tailgate, presented by Amerigo. It’s THE place to be on cross country day at Rolex, with food, drinks, trivia, games, celebrity appearances and, of course, a chance to meet Chinch.

We are closing in on 1,000 downloads for the new EN app, and you MUST have the app downloaded on your phone if you want to snag a W.W.M.J.D bracelet tomorrow at the tailgate. [Download the EN app for iOS] [Download the EN app for Android]

Go Eventing.

#RK3DE Links: Website, Schedule, Ride Times, Live Scores, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Ultimate Guide to Rolex, Live Stream, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

Your Full Rolex Day 1 Report: Jessica Phoenix & Pavarotti Dance to Lead

By on Apr 27, 2017 6:15 pm -

Jessica Phoenix and Pavarotti. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

Jessica Phoenix and Don Good’s Pavarotti made Canada incredibly proud today at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, scoring a personal best of 43.1 to lead at the conclusion of the first day of dressage. It’s familiar territory for the 15-year-old Westphalian (Pavarotti Van De Helle X Fidelia), as it’s his third time scoring 45.0 or better at Rolex.

“Every year we do the migration from Florida back to Canada, and Rolex is literally on our way,” Jessica said. “We’ve taken advantage of coming here often to do a dressage test. We just cannot get into a bigger venue to reproduce the atmosphere of the Rolex stadium. He felt so relaxed coming down the runway, and he felt so confident and happy.”

This is Pavarotti’s fourth appearance at Rolex, though he has never actually completed the event, as Jessica has withdrawn him before cross country each time. We’ll have to wait until Saturday to see if “Rotti” does head out of the startbox, but Jessica said she thinks it’s a course that would suit him, as he has a massive gallop stride.

“The course looks bold and forward with a lot of accuracy questions,” Jessica said. “The terrain is always a big question here at Rolex. It’s open, bold, galloping, not trappy, and I’m really excited to get out there.”

Jessica has two other rides in A Little Romance, who is also looking for her first Rolex completion, and Bentley’s Best, who is making his four-star debut. We’ll be cheering loudly for Jessica and all the other Canadian riders: Selena O’Hanlon, Hawley Bennett-Awad, Rachel McDonough, Lisa Marie Fergusson and Holly Jacks-Smither.

Lauren Kieffer and Vermiculus. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

We had a very exciting conclusion to dressage, as Jessica and Pavarotti were the last pair of the day to enter the Rolex Stadium, just as Lauren Kieffer and Jacqueline Mars’ Vermiculus, a 10-year-old Anglo-Arabian (Serazim X Wake Me Gently), were exiting the ring following a smashing test in the horse’s four-star debut, scoring 43.8 for second place.

Eventing fans will remember Snooze Alarm, the horse that took Lauren to her first CCI4* here at Rolex in 2010. Now Vermiculus, a full brother to Snooze Alarm bred right here in the USA by Lawson Williams, has returned to Rolex to continue the legacy.

“I got him from the breeder when he was 3, brought him home and turned him out in the field with Snooze, and I couldn’t catch him for three months. He didn’t get backed until he was 4 because I couldn’t catch him,” Lauren said.

“It’s special to have his connection (to Snooze). He’s greener and known for being cheeky in the dressage. This year he’s grown up a little, but I didn’t expect him to be quite so good in there. You can’t match the atmosphere with a green horse, so you just don’t know exactly what will happen.”

Lauren had to laugh when she discovered after her test that a plastic bag blew right through the ring. Thankfully, “Bug” didn’t notice and carried on being a little superstar, though Lauren said she thought she’d made a mistake in the test when she heard the crowd gasp!

Maxime Livio and Qalao Des Mers. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

Maxime Livio and Qalao de Mers sit third on 44.6, which is right on par with their other CCI4* scores from last year of 44.9 and 45.3 at Luhmühlen and Pau, respectively. The 13-year-old Selle Francais gelding is making his third career CCI4* start here at Rolex and coming off a win at Pau last fall, where he delivered a clear show jumping round to steal the win from Michael Jung and fischerRocana FST.

With the two-time Rolex winners returning to defend their title, the stage is set for a rematch: Maxime Livio and Qalao de Mers vs. Michael Jung and fischerRocana FST. Unfortunately for Maxime, two mistakes in his test — breaking to canter in both the medium and extended trot — left the door open for Michael and other challengers as we look ahead to day two of dressage, but he said he was thrilled with the horse’s performance.

“He’s an incredible horse and very generous. All the time he wants to do his best, which he did today, but I made two mistakes. It was my own fault,” Maxime said. “The horse was very very focused … and concentrated on what I wanted today. … I just have to ask him to stay quiet and listen to me and don’t do too much. I’m very lucky to have such a horse.”

Katie Ruppel and Houdini. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

Katie Ruppel and her own Houdini, our leaders from the lunch break, now sit fourth on their personal best of 46.0. Eventing’s Mr. Miyagi Phillip Dutton and I’m Sew Ready, owned by John and Kristin Norton, round out the top five on 46.1 in the horse’s four-star debut. Click here to read the morning report for more on Katie and Phillip’s tests.

Jenny Caras and her own Fernhill Fortitude, a 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse (Courage II X Misty Matilda), are leading the way for the Rolex Rookies after day one, scoring 46.3 for sixth place — a performance that had her coach Phillip Dutton giving a “woo hoo!” after her final halt and salute. (Leslie Wylie and I both picked Jenny and “Forty” for Best Rookie in EN’s Team Picks. Cheers, Jenny!)

Groom Dani Dichting Busbee congratulates Jenny Caras and Fernhill Fortitude. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

Another shout out for today has to go to Caroline Martin and Spring Easy, who delivered a very respectable test in their four-star debut to sit 11th on 51.5. Diarm Byrne of EquiRatings has been championing these two on the Horseware Eventing Podcast for some time now, so he sends his hearty congratulations. (If you missed the Rolex Preview Episode, click here.)

Looking to the scoring for the afternoon, marks started off 1.02 points above the expected averages for the first session, but dropped significantly in the second afternoon session to 3.33 points below expected. Both Vermiculus and Fernhill Fortitude, who bested or equaled their personal best scores, competed in the final session, accounting for the sudden drop.

Caroline Martin and Spring Easy. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

Overall, the horses that competed in the afternoon scored 1.15 below their expected averages, which is not far off the 0.58 below the expected averages the morning competitors received. Throughout the day, all competitors ended on average 0.88 points below their expected scores. Many thanks to EN’s data analyst Maggie Deatrick for crunching numbers throughout the day!

Judges David Lee, Christina Klingspor and Nick Burton varied no more than 5.0 percentage points between their scores on all day. Their largest disagreement was on I’m Sew Ready whose received a 72.14 from David Lee and a 67.14 from Nick Burton. Of the 27 competitors who rode today, 82% of them were scored within 3% from all three judges, indicating a strong level of agreement.”

Ya’ll blew up the internet this afternoon with votes for EN’s inaugural Rolex Groom Award, with nearly 4,500 votes ultimately cast to determine the best turned out horse at yesterday’s first inspection. After a heated battle, Tayler Ravenscroft, groom to Rise Against, is the winner of our 2017 Rolex Groom Award, winning a $100 SmartPak gift card and Athletux backpack filled with swag.

Phillip Dutton and I’m Sew Ready. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Because Caroline Ring, groom to Sparrow’s Nio, was less than 20 votes from taking the win, she is going to receive an awesome EN swag bag filled with goodies. To Tayler and Caroline and ALL the grooms who are working so hard here at Rolex, there’s a mimosa or beer with your name on it at EN’s Rolex Tailgate on Saturday — if you can find time to sneak away! (Stay tuned for more on the tailgate, which will be at spots #S240/241 near the announcer’s tower overlooking the infield.)

Chinch is sending his most sincere thanks to the 737 of you fabulous readers who have downloaded the new EN app. We aren’t lying when we say it’s truly the easiest way to read EN. You can leave comments, mark stories as favorites to read later and receive notifications the second we publish a new story. Spoiler alert: If you show the EN app on your phone at the tailgate, you’ll win swag! [Download the EN app for iOS] [Download the EN app for Android]

Day two of dressage starts at 9 a.m. EST tomorrow with Liz Halliday-Sharp and Fernhill By Night as the first pair down centerline. Check EN first thing in the morning for Maggie’s analysis on the dressage powerhouses of day two, and be sure to keep checking this link for all of our #RK3DE coverage, including Samantha Clark’s incredible interviews and Leslie Threlkeld’s day one photo gallery. All of the links for EN’s Contest Week are bookmarked here.

It goes without saying that Rolex is EN’s Super Bowl. We have been overwhelmed by kind comments, emails, tweets and messages from all around the world from eventing fans who are loving our coverage. EN would not be EN without YOU, and we have to send our sincerest thanks for trusting us as your eventing news source.

Last but not least, we leave you with some key Rolex stats from our friends at EquiRatings:

  • Over the past seven years the three toughest four-star venues to complete are Badminton (62.7% completion rate), Burghley (62.8% completion rate) and Rolex (63.2% completion rate).
  • Rolex itself can vary in this regard, hitting a seven-year high last year with 76.1% of the field completing the event. In 2015 just 54.1% of the field completed.
  • The last five runnings of Rolex have all witnessed dressage tests in the 30s. fischerRocana FST is the only horse in the field averaging sub-40 at four-star level in dressage (37.9), and Michael is the only rider averaging sub-40 at the level (37.8). Loughan Glen averages 39.2 from seven runs (all levels) since start of 2016.
  • In 2011, there were no sub-40 dressage scores and the winner (Mary King with King’s Temptress) finished on a 47.7, which is the highest winning score since Clayton Fredericks in 2007, who finished with 54.0.
  • Lucinda Fredericks holds the record winning score of 32.3, which she set in 2009 with Headley Britannia.

Go Eventing.

#RK3DE Links: Website, Schedule, Ride Times, Live Scores, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Ultimate Guide to Rolex, Live Stream, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

Rolex Day 1: Katie Ruppel and Houdini Hold Lunch Break Lead

By on Apr 27, 2017 1:09 pm -

Katie Ruppel and Houdini. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Katie Ruppel and her own Houdini delivered a personal best performance in the sandbox on the first day of dressage this morning at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day event, scoring 46.0 to just edge Rio Olympic bronze medalist Phillip Dutton and I’m Sew Ready for the lead at the lunch break.

Houdini, a 13-year-old Thoroughbred gelding (Hot Rock X Nacy’s Star), scored 48.3 at Rolex last year, and he shaved two more points off that score today on the way to taking the lead. Bred in West Virginia, “Hewie” is one of 15 Thoroughbreds competing here at Rolex, racing five times before Katie pulled him off the track. You can learn much more about the Thoroughbreds competing at Rolex in this preview.

Phillip Dutton and I’m Sew Ready. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Phillip Dutton and I’m Sew Ready, a 13-year-old Dutch gelding (Lupicor X Jarva) owned by John and Kristine Norton, scored 46.1 in the horse’s four-star debut to sit in second place. This is the first of three rides for Phillip — Buck Davidson and Jessie Phoenix also have three horses at Rolex — and he’ll be giving the ride back to Kristen Bond after Rolex, as she’s ready to get back to competing after welcoming her second child, a beautiful daughter named Berkley, with her husband Drew.

Will Coleman was over the moon with OBOS O’Reilly (OBOS Quality X Omard Clover Queen) after scoring a personal best of 48.6, a full four marks better than their test in the horse’s CCI4* debut here at Rolex in 2015, to sit tied for third place. They did incur an error for entering the ring late, but that shouldn’t overshadow the fact that Oboe, a 14-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by the Four Star Eventing Group, overcame his penchant for nervousness in this phase to deliver a beautiful test.

Boyd Martin and Crackerjack, a 14-year-old New Zealand Sport Horse/Thoroughbred (Aberjack X Santa’s Slave), scored 48.6 to tie Will Coleman and OBOS O’Reilly for third place, just off the pace of their personal best of 47.7 from Pau last fall. Courtney Cooper and her homebred Who’s A Star, a 14-year-old Irish/New Zealand Thoroughbred (Aberjack X I’m A Star), scored 50.0 to round out the top five, just edging their score of 50.9 from their four-star debut at Rolex last year.

In tracking scoring for the dressage phase, the ground jury of Christina Klingspor (SWE), Nick Burton (GBR) and David Lee (IRL) have been nearly bang on our expected averages for these combinations so far today, marking just 0.58 lower overall than expected for the first two sessions.

It’s definitely been an emotional day so far here at Rolex, with Balleynoe Castle RM and his longtime groom Kathleen Blauth Murray performing the test ride ahead of his official retirement ceremony on Sunday. Click here to watch Samantha Clark’s interview with Kathleen after her ride. Rolex Rookie Madeline Backus and P.S. Arianna definitely had the loudest and proudest cheering section so far — Go Rookies!

Kathleen just rode the test of her life, & #ballynoecastlerm’s last test in the #rk3de arena #allthefeels

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We still have much more action to come here on the first day of Rolex, and Selena O’Hanlon and Foxwood High will be the next to go after the lunch break at 1:30 p.m. EST. If you haven’t read Maggie Deatrick’s analysis on the dressage powerhouses of day one, now is a good time to get caught up. We’ll be watching 2016 Pau winners Maxime Livio and Qalao des Mers (2:02), Lauren Kieffer and Vermiculus (3:20) and Jessie Phoenix and Pavarotti (3:28).

You can watch live in the U.S. on USEF Network and on FEI TV outside the U.S. If you can’t watch live, be sure to follow along with EN’s open threads presented by SmartPak — click here for our morning open thread — and on Twitter @eventingnation. Be sure to also check our Instagram, where Samantha Clark is posting interviews with the riders as they leave the ring.

If you’re just checking in to EN, click here to catch up on our coverage. Voting for EN’s inaugural Rolex Groom Award is open until 3 p.m. EST, and we also posted our cross country course preview this morning here. Check out a full dressage photo gallery from Leslie Threlkeld — and don’t forget to download the EN app!

#RK3DE Links: Website, Schedule, Ride Times, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Ultimate Guide to Rolex, Live Stream, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram, Live Scores

 

2017 Rolex Kentucky Cross Country Course Preview

By on Apr 27, 2017 8:23 am -

Hello from the first day of dressage at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event! We have two full days of sand dancing ahead of us, but of course we are already looking ahead to Saturday when horses and riders will tackle Derek di Grazia’s cross country course. The total distance of the course is 6,430 meters, with an optimum time of 11 minutes, 17 seconds.

While the course starts and finishes in the same location as last year, Derek has re-arranged the path of much of the rest of the course, shifting the galloping lanes just enough to find even more terrain on the rolling hills of the Kentucky Horse Park. Riders will need a very fit horse to successfully tackle this track, especially if rain saturates the ground on Saturday.

Fence 4 – Mighty Moguls. Photo by Jenni Autry.

The first three fences on course are bold, straightforward jumping questions to help the riders and horses settle into a rhythm, then they reach the first question on course at fence 4, the Mighty Moguls. Horses will jump over the rails at 4A, then navigate a related distance down the hill over the brush at B before continuing down the hill to a right-handed brush corner at C. It’s a beefy technical question early on the course.

Next we have two more bold, galloping fences before the first water at the Frog Pond at fence 7. There is quite a big drop in over the brush at A, and the log on the way out at B is set at a sharp angle. Accuracy will make all the difference here.

Fence 10A – Rolex Head of the Lake. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Two more galloping fences, including the imposing Ditch and Brush at fence 9, will then take horses and riders on to the famous Rolex Head of the Lake at fences 10 and 11. Horses will be galloping right into the crowds as the jump a large table at 10A before a quick three strides takes them to a massive drop in at B. Then it’s a quick re-organization before the fish in the water at C.

Riders won’t have anytime to take a breather here at all, as they will have to quickly navigate a left-hand turn to the double brushes at 11AB. With the first brush set in the water and the second brush set on the way out and up a slope, these fences will require forward, positive riding to guarantee success. The Rolex Head of the Lake is sure to provide many thrills from spectators, so this is definitely going to be an awesome place to watch once again.

The Hollow. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Then it’s on to a maximum-width table (6-foot-3 top spread) at fence 12 before the Teton Rails at fence 13, a new combination on course this year. The A element is a very vertical set of rails, then on to a big open corner that leaves no room for error. The Open Oxer at fence 14 doesn’t provide much of a let up as riders make their way on a long uphill pull to The Hollow, which has received a facelift.

The cabin at the top of the mound at The Hollow will demand a forward ride, then it’s down a very steep slope to a brush at B, then a lefthand turn to a wide cabin set at C at the top of the mound. There is just a half-stride of flat ground before takeoff over the cabin, so accuracy and scope are paramount to succeed at The Hollow. There is an option here that will prove costly on the clock.

Fence 18 – Land Rover Landing. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Two more bold, galloping fences take us to the Land Rover Landing at fence 18, a chevron brush with an incredibly narrow face set on the land and then another chevron brush with a slightly wider face set in the water. The chevron brush is very similar to the question we saw at the Head of the Lake two years ago, when horses and riders navigated the narrow front on a slight angle to provide a wider face to jump.

The Footbridge at fence 19 then takes us on another long uphill pull to the Normandy Bank at fence 20. Horses and riders will jump up the bank at A, then one stride on to a log drop off the bank at B before making a right-handed turn to a skinny log at C. At this point in the course horses should be settled into a good rhythm and locking onto the flags, but there is an option here for pairs that encounter trouble.

Fence 22 – Fox Den. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Another open oxer at fence 21 then leads to the Fox Den, which always tends to be a tricky combination that should not be underestimated. The A element is a big brush table set right on the tree line, and riders will follow the sweeping right turn along the trees to a large corner at B. Horses that are tiring by this point can take a longer option that once again will prove costly on the clock.

One of the most difficult combinations on the course then comes at fence 23, the Park Question, which has also received a redesign this year. The jump in at A will take horses and riders to an angled brush at B, followed by another angled brush at C separated by just one stride. Riders that drift off their line by even a small margin will face the possibility of a runout to the left here.

Fence 23BCD – Park Question. Photo by Jenni Autry.

The Stick Pile at fence 24 takes us on to the Water Park at fence 25, the final water complex on course. This is a straightforward question, with a jump in over the first boat at B and then a right bending line to the second boat at B, but it will still require respect and a forward ride, especially as horses tire with the end of the course in sight.

The iconic Wattle and Daub Cottage at fence 26 then leads on to the final combination on course, the Offset Barns at fence 27. While the fastest route will save valuable seconds as riders are hunting for the optimum time, jumping these angled tables on a straight line means tired horses are navigating a very wide and imposing question this late in the course. Finally the Lucky Horseshoe at fence 28 will welcome horses and riders to the finish.

Fence 27AB – Horse Park Barns. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Looking to the footing, many parts feel perfect, especially the spots that have been aggravated by course builder Mick Costello and his awesome team. There is some rain in the forecast, but if we don’t get much rain ahead of  Saturday, Mick said he will likely aggravate the entire course to give the horses “five inches of fluff” to gallop across.

The EN team must tip our hats to Derek, Mick, and Sheila Worth and her decorating team for their hard work on what is truly a beautiful course. If you have a chance to walk the track before Saturday, take some time to admire the handy work at fence 8, the Market Table. All of the vegetables and fruits are real and and arranged so beautifully!

Go Eventing.

#RK3DE Links: Website, Schedule, Ride Times, Live Scores, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Ultimate Guide to Rolex, Live Stream, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

Rolex Jog Report: 59 Pairs Accepted, Covert Rights Withdrawn

By on Apr 26, 2017 5:20 pm -

Can Michael Jung and fischerRocana FST win for a third consecutive year? Photo by Jenni Autry.

Fifty-nine pairs will move on to dressage at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event following the first horse inspection on a warm, sunny afternoon at the Kentucky Horse Park. Throngs of spectators trickled in during the jog to enjoy the festivities, giving the horses quite a colorful crowd to examine as they made their way down the strip.

The ground jury of Christina Klingspor (SWE), Nick Burton (GBR) and David Lee (IRL) sent two horses to the holding box: Colleen Rutledge’s mount Covert Rights and Jordan Linstedt’s mount RevitaVet Capato. Colleen withdrew Covert Rights from the holding box, and RevitaVet Capato was accepted after a tense wait at the very end of the horse inspection.

The horses behaved for the most part, though of course several of the athletes insisted on showing just how fighting fit they are for this first CCI4* of the season. All spectators were waiting for Parker to show his penchant for running James Alliston off the jog strip and into the decorative flowers, but this year James kept him well in hand — thanks in part to some extra tack on his head!

Bentley’s Best showed off a few airs above the ground in his inaugural trip down the Rolex jog strip with Jessica Phoenix, who is one of three riders competing three horses in the competition. Fernhill By Night played a bit on the way back down the jog strip with Liz Halliday-Sharp, showing he’s feeling ready to tackle Derek di Grazia’s cross country course.

Super Socks BCF definitely looked like he was ready to leave the start box, but Matt Brown managed to keep the lid on thanks to the crowd keeping their applause and cheers to a minumum. RevitaVet Capato also played a bit while re-presenting from the holding box, as if to convince the ground jury, “I’m ready to go!”

If you didn’t watch the jog live on USEF Network, you can relive all the action in EN’s open thread. There are also more photos over on our Instagram, and Leslie Threlkeld, our photographer extraordinaire for the week, has posted a photo gallery of every horse and rider.

Stay tuned as we wait to see which riders will receive the Dubarry Best Dressed honors at tonight’s competitor and sponsor party at Fasig-Tipton. Instead of voting for EN’s Best Dressed this year, we will be voting for Best Turned Out and honoring the grooms who work tirelessly to take such impeccable care of these amazing equine athletes.

Check back soon for the poll to vote for EN’s Best Turned Out. The groom of the winning horse will receive an Athletux backpack filled with lots of goodies and a $100 SmartPak gift card. Go Grooms!

If you’re just checking in to EN today, click here to catch up on all of our coverage so far. Click here to read EN’s team picks for the ones to watch this week, and stay tuned for our cross country course preview.

Dressage starts tomorrow at 10:10 a.m. EST with James Alliston and Parker as the first down centerline. Click here for ride times. Be sure to check EN first thing in the morning for Maggie Deatrick’s analysis on the dressage powerhouses we’ll see on day 1.

Have you downloaded the new EN app yet? Thank you to the 346 of you who have downloaded it so far! If you haven’t, you’re missing out on the newest and easiest way to read EN.

Download the EN app for iOS

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Go Eventing.

#RK3DE Links: Website, Schedule, Ride Times, EN’s Coverage, Live Stream, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

It’s Go Time! EN’s Team Picks for Rolex 2017

By on Apr 26, 2017 1:26 pm -

Here we go again! Photo by Julia Rau.

Jog day at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event is upon us! With the first horse inspection at 3 p.m. this afternoon and dressage kicking off tomorrow, the EN team is ready to make our picks for horses and riders we think will stand out in seven categories: Big Winner, Top American, Top Canadian, Best Rookie, Spoiler Alert, Top Thoroughbred and Best Mare.

#RK3DE Links: Website, Schedule, Entries, EN’s Coverage, Live Stream, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

BIG WINNER

Jenni Autry: Yes, Michael Jung is probably going to win again. But I’m also cheering for Tim Price and Ringwood Sky Boy. They’ve hit the 30s twice in dressage at the CCI4* level and did some pure show jumping in Spain over the winter. Primed and ready for a big performance? I think yes.

Samantha Clark: Michael Jung, duh!

Maggie Deatrick: Michael Jung and fischerRocana FST

Abby Powell: I mean, how can I not say Michael Jung and Fischerrocana FST?

Kate Samuels: Maxime Livio and Qalao des Mers, because I fell a little in love with Maxime at Pau a few years ago, and they already proved that they can best The Terminator.

Sally Spickard: Hard to bet against Michael Jung, as usual. As much as I’d like to buck the trend, I have to go with the Queen herself.

Leslie Threlkeld: Do I dare say Michael Jung and Fischerrocana FST AGAIN? Yes. Yes, I do.

Leslie Wylie: I had 600 “W.W.MJ.D.” wristbands made to give out at the EN cross country tailgate party on Saturday, so I’ll leave it at that.

TOP AMERICAN

Jenni Autry: Phillip Dutton has three chances to take his fifth USEF CCI4* National Championship Title.

Samantha Clark: Clark Montgomery

Maggie Deatrick: Hannah Sue Burnett and Under Suspection

Abby Powell: This is a tough one, but if I have to pick I’ll go with Buck Davidson on Copper Beach. This horse can get good marks in dressage and showed that he can skip around a four-star course last year. Buck is gonna to be going for it.

Kate Samuels: This question always makes me nervous, but I’m choosing Kim Severson and Cooley Cross Border. This horse is doing his first four-star, but he’s completely ridiculous and Kim is on fiyah lately!

Sally Spickard: I’m going to go with Doug Payne and Vandiver on this one. These two have really made their mark on the sport, and I just have a feeling that this could very easily be their weekend.

Leslie Threlkeld: I abstain from answering this question. I don’t want to jinx my pick!

Leslie Wylie: Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen! We know this partnership can hang tough with the very best in the world, and I can’t wait to see them bring it on the bluegrass this week.

TOP CANADIAN

Jenni Autry: Foxwood High has looked fantastic this spring and Selena O’Hanlon knows how to throw down when it really counts. Also keep an eye on Bentley’s Best with Jessica Phoenix. He’s a four-star first-timer but a very exciting horse.

Samantha Clark: Jessica Phoenix

Maggie Deatrick: Selena O’Hanlon and Foxwood High

Abby Powell: Selena O’Hanlon and Foxwood High. This pair has put their nose to the grindstone over the winter and have been rewarded with excellent placings this spring. I think they’ll be peaking at just the right time!

Kate Samuels: Selena O’Hanlon and Foxwood High. I feel like they can fly a little under the radar, but produce really solid results.

Sally Spickard: Well, duh. Coach Hawley Bennett-Awad and Jollybo! Enough said.

Leslie Threlkeld: Jessica Phoenix. Three good horses, three good chances.

Leslie Wylie: Selena O’Hanlon and Foxwood High have one of the most rock-solid relationships in the business, and they’ve come out guns blazing this spring.

BEST ROOKIE

Jenni Autry: Jenny Caras and Fernhill Fortitude delivered a personal best performance last year in the Under 25 CCI3* at Bramham. They’ve proven they can rise to the occasion under pressure, and I’m expecting them to do that once again in their four-star debut.

Samantha Clark: Caroline Martin

Maggie Deatrick: Holly Jacks-Smither and More Inspiration

Abby Powell: Caroline Martin — it’s hard to believe she’s still a Rookie.

Kate Samuels: Caroline Martin, easy.

Sally Spickard: I have followed Madeline Backus and P.S. Arianna since they were competing Training level at AECs in 2013, my first event as an EN journalist. To see them climb the ranks together is true proof of hard work paying off, and I’d love nothing more than to see them make a statement this weekend.

Leslie Threlkeld: Madeline Backus and P.S. Arianna. There’s not much more endearing than a young rider bringing a family friend’s homebred through the levels and hosting a good old fashioned bake sale to help fund her trip to the big leagues.

Leslie Wylie: I’ve been taking notes from Jenny Caras since she was about 13 years old. Poised both in and out of the saddle, I can’t wait to watch her and Fernhill Fortitude tackle their first four-star.

SPOILER ALERT

Jenni Autry: Hannah Sue Burnett and Under Suspection. They delivered top-three finishes at both Rebecca Farm CCI3* and Fair Hill CCI3* last year. The mare is strong in all three phases and more than ready to step up to her first CCI4*.

Samantha Clark: Kim Severson and Cooley Cross Border

Maggie Deatrick: Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen

Abby Powell: Maxime Livio with Qalao des Mers have already given Michael Jung a run for their money overseas — he’ll be looking to do the same on this side of the pond.

Kate Samuels: Ringwood Sky Boy and Tim Price. They didn’t have a great time at the Olympics due to an unlucky slip, but this horse has been in the top 13 of all of his other four-stars, including a second and a fourth at Burghley. Don’t bet against them.

Sally Spickard: I am a big Copper Beach fan, and also a big Buck Davidson fan, so I’m going to pick these two as my dark horse pair, even though there should be no discounting them. They’ve already had a solid season; this could just be the icing on the cake of a fabulous spring.

Leslie Threlkeld: Sharon White and Cooley On Show. I don’t think anyone’s expecting it, but I do think it could happen. They won’t have the top dressage score, but they’ve never had a cross country jump penalty as a pair, they can run for time when they need to and their show jumping has only improved in the last year.

Leslie Wylie: Never underestimate the French dudes. Maxime Livio and Qalao des Mers aren’t going to let Michael Jung take that Rolex home without a fight.

TOP THOROUGHBRED

Jenni Autry: Petite Flower. The fact that she’s a Bruce Davidson homebred surely has to bring her good luck at this venue!

Samantha Clark: Tight Lines

Maggie Deatrick: Steady Eddie

Abby Powell: Never OutFoxed

Kate Samuels: Steady Eddie. He’s a cross country machine.

Sally Spickard: Petite Flower. Flower power, baby.

Leslie Threlkeld: Truly Wiley

Leslie Wylie: Confession — I’ve seen the band Phish, like, several dozen times in concert. For many years I had a Phish patch glued to my cross country vest. Every day I am tortured by the fantasy of quitting my job to follow them around on tour. As such, my money is on Will Coleman and Tight Lines AKA “Phish.”

BEST MARE

Jenni Autry: fischerRocana FST. If she wins she will join the great Winsome Adante as the only horse to win Rolex three times.

Samantha Clark: fischerRocana FST

Maggie Deatrick: fischerRocana FST

Abby Powell: All hail Fischerrocana FST!

Kate Samuels: OK, Michael, I’ll give this one to you. Fischerroccana FST.

Sally Spickard: All hail Queen Roxy.

Leslie Threlkeld: Fischerrocana FST of course.

Leslie Wylie: fischerRocana aside, my favorite double-girlpower combination might be Jessica Phoenix and A Little Romance. Go “Blue Eyes”!

6th Annual Rolex Top Dog Contest, Presented by World Equestrian Brands

By on Apr 26, 2017 11:00 am -

Dorsey, one of last year’s Rolex Top Dog contestants. Photo submitted by Robin Corr.

Keep your children on a leash and your dogs in focus! Sniffing, wagging, splashing, napping – and hopefully not chasing Buck Davidson – the pooches will be on parade at Rolex this year, even in the forecasted monsoon! Capture one with your camera in EN’s always popular 6th Annual Rolex Top Dog Contest, presented by World Equestrian Brands!

Here are a couple faves from past years to help you hone in on the hounds:

2015 Top Dog Lincoln in his Land Rover (Land Rover not included in prize).

Claire Ryner’s Macy.

Stephanie Sills’ Aiken

Kaylen Moon’s Tucker

Caitlin O’Shea’s Sophie

The winner will receive:

Contest Details:

Send your puppy pic to [email protected] with the subject line “Rolex Top Dog.” One entry per person.

Deadline: Sunday, April 30, 5 p.m. EST

Enter the Tredstep Pay It Forward Challenge & Win Medici Boots

By on Apr 26, 2017 9:00 am -

Enter to win a pair of Medici Tall Boots for you AND a friend from Tredstep Ireland!

Eventers are constantly inspiring each other and giving their fellow riders a helping hand. Whether it’s offering a leg up, cheering as a friend leaves the start box, or giving a word of encouragement after a bad day, we all have each others’ shoulders to lean on in this sport.

We love recognizing the special people who lend a helping hand in eventing, so in honor of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event we’re pleased to announce the return of the Tredstep Pay It Forward Challenge!

How to enter: Nominate someone who has inspired or helped you by posting a picture of the person on Instagram using the hashtag #TredstepPayItForward. Be it your trainer, coach, parent, best friend or anyone else who’s given you a leg up along the way, nominate them! Be sure to tell us why you’re nominating the person when you post the photo.

Deadline: Entries will close on Friday, April 28, and we’ll select the finalists to put into a reader poll to determine the winner.

Prize: Both the winner AND the nominee will take home a pair of Medici Tall Boots. Designed with artful flair and superb attention to detail, the Medici Tall Boots boast meticulous craftsmanship and are quite simply gorgeous boots.

We are loving these details!

Made with super soft hand-sourced calfskin leather, the Medici Tall Boots utilize a specialized curve pattern to enhance the natural shape of the leg, creating a close contact fit and a beautiful silhouette. Finished with full-grain leather lining, a high-performing thermo-moulded insole and full-length rear zip, the boots also feature European styling and a zip guard to complete the look.

When Tredstep first introduced the concept of a tall boot that flexes with the rider’s leg, the idea that tall boots could be both comfortable and look stylish become an industry standard. The boots break in quickly and are comfortable enough to wear around the barn while also looking super in the show ring. Click here to read EN’s experience of testing the Medici boots.

Let’s #TredstepPayItForward this Rolex season! We can’t wait to see your nominations.

Tuesday Video from SpectraVET: Can Michael & Rocana Win Again?

By on Apr 25, 2017 5:25 pm -

Michael Jung and fischerRocana FST return to the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event seeking a third consecutive win, an achievement that would give these two yet another stamp in the history books. Our friends at EquiRatings noted that if Rocana wins, she would join the the great Winsome Adante, who won Rolex three times with Kim Severson in 2002, 2004 and 2005.

Winning three times at the same venue is no small feat, but it’s hard to bet against the dynamic duo of this double Olympic gold medalist and the Rolex Queen herself. You can relive their cross country round from a rainy day at last year’s Rolex thanks to this video — and let’s all hope for drier weather come Saturday!

#RK3DE Links: Website, Schedule, Entries, EN’s Coverage, Live Stream, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

Why SpectraVET?

Reliable. Effective. Affordable.

SpectraVET is committed to providing only the highest-quality products and services to our customers, and to educating the world in the science and art of laser therapy.

We design and manufacture the broadest range of clinically-proven veterinary therapeutic laser products, which are represented and supported worldwide by our network of specialist distributors and authorized service centers.

EN’s Annual Rolex Pick ‘Em Contest, Presented by Omega Alpha

By on Apr 25, 2017 2:00 pm -
Take your best guess! Take your best guess!

It’s Rolex time, and you know what that means! It’s EN’s Contest Week! And it wouldn’t be EN’s Contest Week without our annual Pick ‘Em Contest brought to you by Omega Alpha. So we challenge you, dear readers, to pick the winner of Rolex.

Get your calculators, Excel spreadsheets, FEI rider rankings, your Magic-8 Ball, your lucky T-shirt, maybe say some “Hail Mary Kings” and attempt to predict who will walk away with that coveted Rolex watch come Sunday.

Here’s how you play: Give us the name of the horse/rider combination you think will win and their overall score. As a tiebreaker, include your guess for who will finish 2nd (score not required).

The contest entry with the correct horse/rider, closest score (and correct runner-up, if necessary) will win a prize package from Omega Alpha! The prize package includes:

  • 1 gallon of Sinew-X Plus HA (joint, muscle & ligament formula with hyaluronic acid and no MSM)
  • 1 500 ml bottle of RegenerEQ (appetite stimulant and G.I. regenerator)
  • 6 tubes of Chill Ultra (calming with focus for the mind while relaxing the muscles)

Please email your entries to [email protected] with “Pick ‘Em” in the title. Contest closes Thursday at 8 a.m. EST before the first dressage test. Entries are only open to readers in the U.S. and Canada.

Here’s the entry list. Go Eventing.

EN Has An App!

By on Apr 25, 2017 11:20 am -

What are you waiting for? Go download the app!

That’s right, EN readers! After all these years, EN is finally becoming just a bit more technologically savvy by launching our very own app. Just in time for Rolex, we’re hoping the app will offer you one more way to read and interact with your favorite eventing website.

Here’s a handy FAQ about the new app:

1. How do I download the app? Just search “Eventing Nation” in the iOS App Store or Google Play Store on your phone or tablet. It’s free!

Download the EN app for iOS

Download the EN app for Android

2. Why should I use the app? There are some super cool features, like being able to save stories as favorites so you can read them later, even offline! You can also activate push notifications so you know the minute we publish a new story.

3. Is the app working perfectly? I’m glad you asked. The answer is no! Please bear with us as the chinchillas work out the final bugs.

4. What if I think the app is the coolest thing ever? The chinchillas give their sincere thanks. If you could give us a 5-star rating in the App Store, you will earn eternal EN karma.

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Email [email protected]. We’ll be rolling out some new features and fixes to better the user experience in the next update. For now, enjoy the app!

Go Eventing.

How to Watch Rolex Kentucky 2017 Online

By on Apr 25, 2017 7:58 am -

Will Michael Jung and fischerRocana FST win for a third consecutive year? Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

If you can’t be in Kentucky this week to watch Rolex in person, don’t despair! If you live in North America, you can watch the entire event for free thanks to the live stream on USEF Network. If you live outside North America, FEI TV is also live streaming the event.

This year’s USEF Network broadcast will offer more coverage than ever before, as both horse inspections will be streamed live, as well as the new Champions Live! panel — hosted by Jimmy Wofford and featuring Phillip Dutton, Silva Martin and Melanie Smith Taylor — on Sunday morning.

USEF Network Live Broadcast Schedule (all times EST)

• Wednesday, April 26: First horse inspection at 3 p.m.
• Thursday, April 27: Dressage from 8 a.m.-noon and 1:30-3:40 p.m.
• Friday, April 28: Dressage from 8:30 a.m.-noon and 1:30-4:30 p.m.
• Saturday, April 29: Cross country from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m.
• Sunday, April 30: Second horse inspection at 8 a.m.
Champions Live! with Jimmy Wofford from 9:30-11 a.m.
Show jumping from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. EST
Awards ceremony at 3 p.m. EST

FEI TV: For those who live outside North America, FEI TV will air each day of the competition Thursday to Sunday. Check the FEI TV schedule to see broadcast times in your area. FEI TV requires a subscription.

NBC: The NBC broadcast of Rolex highlights is scheduled for Sunday, May 7 at 1:30 p.m. EST. Go set your DVR!

If you can’t watch live, following along with EN’s open threads, presented by SmartPak, is the next best thing. Be sure to check EN each morning of the competition for a link to follow our live commentary. We’ll also be tweeting live all week long @eventingnation. Keep checking back this week for all our coverage of Rolex.

USEA Announces National Safety Partnership with EquiRatings

By on Apr 24, 2017 12:18 pm -
Photo by Jenni Autry Photo by Jenni Autry

The USEA has officially partnered with EquiRatings to implement the EquiRatings Quality Index (ERQI) at the national level in the U.S. The announcement comes after months of collaboration between the USEA and EquiRatings, which began following the USEA Annual Meeting and Convention in Fort Lauderdale last December.

The ERQI measures cross country risk by creating profiles for horses and tracking their individual performances. Based on collected data, the horse is assigned a numeric value between 0-1 for each level of competition that indicates the likelihood of that horse completing cross country without faults. The ERQI Rating can then be used by riders and federations to objectively evaluate the degree of risk.

“Within a few years, we expect the ERQI to be a globally recognized rating within our sport. This year we expect to process about 200,000 eventing results, creating about 30 million individual data points,” EquiRatings director Diarm Byrne said.

“The partnership with USEA is one we have been working towards for some time — the U.S. is the home of sports data and people here use and understand data in sport better than anywhere else in the world. I am delighted that at last U.S. equestrians will now have access to the same levels of data and data analysis that other mainstream U.S. sports have.”

EquiRatings and the FEI partnered in a four-year deal earlier this month to implement ERQI starting first at CCI4* level, with FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez calling ERQI “a powerful tool for understanding and predicting risk in eventing.”

“The USEA is committed to safety and this partnership with EquiRatings will allow for another piece of the safety puzzle to be put in place,” USEA Chief Executive Officer, Rob Burk, said.

“We are excited to be bringing this service to our members and think it will add valuable information for riders and horse owners in making responsible decisions related to their preparedness to compete. Thank you to Diarmuid, Sam Watson and the entire EquiRatings team for working to develop this relationship with the USEA.”

The USEA will release more details about the partnership over the coming weeks and months. The first steps involve EquiRatings developing individually tailored U.S. ERQIs based on the past performance of horses at national and international level. Beginning in late summer, ERQIs will be integrated with all USEA horse profiles on the USEA Online Services site.

EN has written extensively about ERQI and we recommend reading this piece to learn more.

[USEA to Partner with Equestrian Sports Data Company, EquiRatings]

Enter the Fleeceworks Rolex Scavenger Hunt & Win a Tamie Smith Clinic!

By on Apr 24, 2017 11:06 am -

Tamie Smith and Fleeceworks Royal. Photo by Libby Law Photography.

Are you headed to Rolex? Is your shopping route planned? Is this a friends’ getaway, a once-in-a-lifetime trip to see the world’s top eventers, or maybe even an aspirational look at your future riding career?

No matter what brings you to RK3DE, Judy McSwain and Fleeceworks (Booth 117), along with Eventing Nation, are ready to make your Rolex experience even better. Get a team together for the second annual Fleeceworks Rolex Scavenger Hunt!

The grand prize is a clinic at your facility with professional eventer Tamie Smith of Next Level Eventing. Each day of Rolex, you’ll have trivia questions to answer and a to-do list that can only happen at Rolex.

How do I enter? 

Get your team together! Teams can be made up of two, three, or four people. Name your team. Be creative! Email the names of your team members and their email addresses to Elizabeth Howell at [email protected] starting RIGHT NOW and no later than Thursday, April 28 at 5 p.m. EST. You can also send a Facebook message to Fleeceworks with the info. Elizabeth will email you a complete list of rules and requirements.

What do I do when I get to Rolex?

There will be two types of tasks — daily trivia questions and a Scavenger Hunt To-Do List. Come to the Fleeceworks booth (#117) to collect your daily trivia questions and tasks from Judy. Then turn your written answers in to Judy or Elizabeth at the booth. This MUST be completed each day of the competition at Rolex.

Be prepared for trivia questions that cover:

  • Historic moments of Rolex
  • Career achievements of Rolex horses and riders
  • Questions about Fleeceworks saddle pads, natural fabrics and Tamie Smith’s top mount Fleeceworks Royal aka “Rory”

For example, some of last year’s questions included:

  • Who was the first horse to win the Rolex Kentucky CCI4* and how much did he cost?
  • How many mares have won the Rolex Kentucky CCI4*?
  • What was the only fence from the 1968 World Championships that was left on the course for the inaugural Rolex Kentucky CCI4*?

And then you’ll have a few tasks to complete.

The Scavenger Hunt Task List

Come to the Fleeceworks booth (#117) to receive the task list that must be completed to successfully complete the scavenger hunt. Complete each item on the checklist and then post your results on Instagram or Facebook with the hashtag #RK3DEHUNT17.

Some of these things will be easy, such as “Follow Fleeceworks on Facebook and Instagram.”

Some may be a little more challenging. Possibilities may include “Take a photo of a Rolex rider” or “Get a selfie in the Land Rover Extreme Stable Experience booth” or “Film a mannequin challenge video of your team.”

How do I earn extra entries?

You can earn additional points by completing additional tasks that will be assigned each day. Possibilities include things like: “Take a selfie with any Rolex horse” and receive an extra entry. “Take a selfie with a Fleeceworks rider at the Fleeceworks autograph signing Saturday after cross country in the Fleeceworks booth,” earn one extra entry. You’ll receive a complete list of extra entry possibilities when you check in with Judy.

How will the winning team be chosen?

All teams who turn in completed checklists by the end of competition on Sunday morning and have had their entries verified by Fleeceworks will be entered into the drawing to determine the winning team. Bonus entries will be added. The winning team will be announced the week after Rolex by Fleeceworks and Eventing Nation.

Do I have to be at Rolex to participate?

Yes. But, Fleeceworks will be running online promotions and specials during the week of Rolex, so be sure to check their Facebook and Instagram pages for details.

Requirements for clinic host facility: The winning team must have a facility that can host a two-day clinic with up to 15 riders. The facility must have safe and accessible areas for a dressage and show jumping clinic. A cross country area is a bonus, but is not necessary. An indoor arena is preferable in the case of inclement weather. Canadians are eligible to enter as long as the facility is in the U.S.

Should the winning team be unable to host the clinic, the prize will be given to another randomly drawn team that has completed the scavenger hunt requirements. We will discuss details with the winners when they are chosen.

The clinic with Tamie Smith will be hosted by Fleeceworks. All members from the winning team will have clinic costs waived for one horse. Please no substitutions of riders at the clinic. Up to 10 additional participants are welcome to ride in the clinic at a cost of $200 per horse and rider combination. All proceeds from the clinic will be donated to one of the charities in the Fleeceworks Pads With Purpose program. Please note that facility, stabling and other fees may apply.

Friday Video from World Equestrian Brands: Lauren Kieffer Talks Rolex (and Gomarus!)

By on Apr 21, 2017 4:40 pm -

We are loving this video that gives us a behind-the-scenes look at Lauren Kieffer’s preparation for the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by Land Rover. She will be riding Vermiculus, a full brother to her first four-star partner Snooze Alarm, in his Rolex debut.

While the video shows highlights from her cross country round last year aboard Landmark’s Monte Carlo, in which she won the Land Rover Ride of the Day for being closest to the optimum time, there’s another horse in the video that caught our eye!

The cute black horse she is riding in the video is Gomarus, a 6-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Ultimo X Zomara) imported by Jacqueline Mars from the Netherlands in December. Known as “Gomar” in the barn, he’s been turning heads down in Florida this winter thanks to racking up wins at his first events in the States.

He won his first four horse trials at Beginner Novice and Novice and most recently finished second in his Novice division at the Ocala International Three-Day Festival of Eventing with a dressage score of 19.8. His personal best so far is a 17 on the flat at Rocking Horse, and we have a video of that test thanks to Thehorsepesterer:

Lauren said that Gomar is a big pet. “He definitely has a second career as Black Beauty in the next movie if eventing doesn’t pan out,” she said. Luckily for Gomar, it looks like eventing suits him beautifully! Here’s a cute video of him going cross country with ears pricked:

Best of luck to Lauren and Gomar in the future, and of course we’ll be cheering loudly for Vermiculus next week as he makes his first four-star start at Rolex. Go Eventing.

Online Auction to Support Lee Lee Jones’ Recovery

By on Apr 21, 2017 3:04 pm -
Lee Lee in her happy place. Photo by Cindy Lawler. Lee Lee in her happy place. Photo by Cindy Lawler.

Lee Lee Jones continues to make great strides in her recovery following her fall that resulted in a traumatic brain injury in December, and she is on our minds constantly as she makes daily progress at Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital.

Emma Ford and Cat Hill of World Class Grooming are hosting a clinic in Cochranville, PA on May 7 with all proceeds going toward Lee Lee’s medical costs, rehabilitation and care, and an online auction launching tomorrow and running through May 8 will also benefit her recovery.

Top riders, grooms, vets and artists have teamed up with companies like Horseware, FLAIR, Shapley’s, Dubarry, Antares and SmartPak to donate 128 items and services to support Lee Lee. Now it’s YOUR turn to browse the items and bid starting tomorrow.

See the boots on Mighty Nice’s legs? You can bid to win them (signed by Phillip Dutton!) in the auction. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Here’s a look at just a few of the items up for grabs:

  • The EquiFit show jumping boots worn by Mighty Nice when he and Phillip Dutton won the individual bronze medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. Signed by Phillip!
  • Braiding for your horse at a competition by world-renowned groom Max Corcoran.
  • #TeamLeeLee bumper stickers and C4 belts.
  • A day of foxhunting with Mr. Stewart’s Cheshire Foxhounds.
  • Lessons with Phillip Dutton, Richard Picken, Kim Severson, Becky Holder, Will Coleman, Jennie Brannigan, Hawley Bennett-Awad, Ryan Wood, Scott Keach and many more top names.

Trust me when I say you simply must browse what is available in the auction. There is something for everyone and at a variety of starting bid price points. You can also add items to your watch list for easy tracking and bidding.

Click here to browse and bid on items. The auction goes live tomorrow morning at 7 a.m. EST.

You can also donate directly to support Lee Lee’s medical and rehabilitation costs here.

[Lee Lee Jones Online Benefit Auction]

Allison Springer’s Top Mount Arthur Retires Due to Heart Condition

By on Apr 21, 2017 1:42 pm -
Allison Springer and Arthur. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld. Allison Springer and Arthur. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

The great Arthur is retiring from eventing ahead of what was meant to be his eighth start at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event next week. Allison Springer confirmed that the 18-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Brandenburg’s Windstar X Kelly) has been diagnosed with an aortic regurgitation.

“Arthur is my one of my oldest friends. He and I have travelled the world together, and we have had many moments of triumph and some moments of heartbreak, but in every moment, he has been my partner and I have always been incredibly proud to get to ride him,” Allison said.

“Arthur is so much more than just a horse to me, and risking his well-being is something I would never be willing to do. While I am of course sad to see his retirement from eventing come a bit prematurely, I will forever cherish our memories together and the incredible partnership we share.”

Due to the aortic regurgitation, the veterinary team of Dr. Susan Johns, Dr. Kent Allen and cardiovascular specialist Dr. Virginia Reef determined along with Allison and the members of the Arthur Syndicate that retiring Arthur was in the horse’s best interest.

“Arthur recently developed leakage from the aortic valve, a common degenerative problem in older horses,” Dr. Reef, Chief of Diagnostic Imaging at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine’s New Bolton Center, said.

Dr. Reef performed an ultrasound examination of the heart, which revealed the severity of the aortic regurgitation. “Premature beats originating from the ventricle can occur during exercise in horses with aortic valve leaks that are not detectable during a resting examination,” she said.

Dr. Reef also performed an exercising electrocardiogram with Dr. Jessica Morgan, which revealed that Arthur had ventricular premature beats during exercise, several of which occurred early and in short bursts. Although occasional premature beats are seen in horses during competition, the severity of Arthur’s premature beats during more intense work prompted his retirement.

Dr. Johns, Arthur’s longtime veterinarian, said, “It has been a privilege to be part of Arthur’s support team for the past 12 years. It is a rarity for an upper level three-day event horse to have such longevity in the sport, and I am so grateful to have cared for this amazing partnership. Although we are heartbroken that we will not be able to cheer this pair on at future events, we are thankful for our many adventures together.”

The USEA cardiopulmonary research group is currently studying heart rhythms in event horses during competition, which Dr. Reef said is “very important in furthering our understanding of heart rhythms during rigorous exercise. Additional research is needed to understand the significance of heart disease and abnormal heart rhythms during exercise in sport horses.”

Allison and Arthur completed 38 of 44 FEI events they entered, with highlights including a USEF National Championship and an overall second place finish at the Rolex Kentucky CCI4* in 2012. Later that year, the duo was named to the United States Olympic Team Short list before going on to finish sixth at the Burghley CCI4*.

Allison has requested that the ground jury still allow Arthur to complete his dressage test at Rolex next week before withdrawing from the competition to begin his retirement. An official retirement ceremony will be announced soon.

Arthur has meant an incredible amount to many people over the years, and the EN team members will always carry forward our many fond memories of this prolific athlete. Go Arthur!

[Arthur Retires from Three-Day Eventing]

Last Chance to Win a Majyk Equipe VIP Trip to Rolex 2017! Entries Due by 3 p.m. Today

By on Apr 14, 2017 9:00 am -
Enter to win a Majyk Equipe VIP Trip to Rolex! Enter to win a Majyk Equipe VIP Trip to Rolex!

Take a look at the field for this year’s Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event and one thing is clear. Majyk Equipe, the innovative equine protection company, is the choice of many top competitors when it comes to protecting their horse’s legs during these challenging three-days.

In all, Majyk will have 11 riders out on course with 18 horses between them. The company will also have a strong presence throughout the competition with special deals and promotions on their line of over 80 items available at multiple tack stores throughout the show grounds.

Majyk has decided to really make a splash by offering a special competition for EN readers! One lucky reader will win a VIP trip to Rolex, including:

  • A travel gift card worth $500
  • Tickets onto the grounds for all three disciplines, including stadium seating
  • A chance to meet Team Majyk riders and have a photo taken together (riders and times subject to availability)
  • A special Majyk Equipe goodie bag to commemorate your time at Rolex

If you aren’t already following Majyk Equipe on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, now is the time to do so! Here’s how to enter:

  1. Follow Majyk Equipe on at least one of its social media sites.
  2. Send an email to [email protected] and name at least three Team Majyk riders who will be competing at Rolex this year.
  3. Name one of the available colors in the Majyk Equipe XC Elite range of horse boots in your email.

Entry emails are due 3 p.m. EST on Friday, April 14. Any entry submitted after the deadline will not be considered. Entries that do not meet the three criteria above will be considered incomplete and ineligible to win. EN will randomly choose a winner and notify the winner by email.

All entrants must be U.S. residents who are 18 years or older and must be available to travel to Rolex. The winning entrant will be expected to organize their own travel using the gift card included in the prize package.

There is no purchase necessary to enter this competition.

What are you waiting for? Go enter!

Michael Jung Withdraws fischerTakinou from Rolex

By on Apr 11, 2017 6:27 am -

Michael Jung and fischerTakinou. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Michael Jung has withdrawn reigning European champion fischerTakinou from Rolex after the horse’s final vet check before boarding the plane to Kentucky revealed a minor injury.

He posted an announcement on his Facebook page this morning, saying he felt withdrawing was the best course of action so the injury could heal quickly and “does not get any worse.”

Michael competed “Taki,” a 10-year-old Anglo-Arabian gelding owned by Klaus and Sabine Fischer and the Jung family, at Kreuth this past weekend in what was meant to be the horse’s final prep run. They withdrew after dressage.

Michael will still compete two-time defending winner fischerRocana FST at Rolex in his quest to repeat the victory for a third consecutive year.

fischerTakinou’s withdrawal takes the Rolex field down to 67 total combinations. If you missed the draw order, which went live yesterday, click here.

Win a Majyk Equipe VIP Trip to Rolex 2017!

By on Apr 10, 2017 9:00 am -
Enter to win a Majyk Equipe VIP Trip to Rolex! Enter to win a Majyk Equipe VIP Trip to Rolex!

Take a look at the field for this year’s Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event and one thing is clear. Majyk Equipe, the innovative equine protection company, is the choice of many top competitors when it comes to protecting their horse’s legs during these challenging three-days.

In all, Majyk will have 11 riders out on course with 18 horses between them. The company will also have a strong presence throughout the competition with special deals and promotions on their line of over 80 items available at multiple tack stores throughout the show grounds.

Majyk has decided to really make a splash by offering a special competition for EN readers! One lucky reader will win a VIP trip to Rolex, including:

  • A travel gift card worth $500
  • Tickets onto the grounds for all three disciplines, including stadium seating
  • A chance to meet Team Majyk riders and have a photo taken together (riders and times subject to availability)
  • A special Majyk Equipe goodie bag to commemorate your time at Rolex

If you aren’t already following Majyk Equipe on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, now is the time to do so! Here’s how to enter:

  1. Follow Majyk Equipe on at least one of its social media sites.
  2. Send an email to [email protected] and name at least three Team Majyk riders who will be competing at Rolex this year.
  3. Name one of the available colors in the Majyk Equipe XC Elite range of horse boots in your email.

Entry emails are due 3 p.m. EST on Friday, April 14. Any entry submitted after the deadline will not be considered. Entries that do not meet the three criteria above will be considered incomplete and ineligible to win. EN will randomly choose a winner and notify the winner by email.

All entrants must be U.S. residents who are 18 years or older and must be available to travel to Rolex. The winning entrant will be expected to organize their own travel using the gift card included in the prize package.

There is no purchase necessary to enter this competition.

What are you waiting for? Go enter!

Monday News & Notes from Fleeceworks

By on Apr 10, 2017 12:01 am -

Vivian Montgomery is definitely winning the Cutest Photo of the Day Award in this snapshot of her first helmet courtesy of EN’s awesome sponsor Charles Owen. Just thinking about Vivian and the next generation of equestrian superstars — like Nox Martin and Aubrey Davidson — has us excited for Team USA’s future. Go Tiny Eventers! 🙌

U.S. Weekend Action:

The Fork CIC & H.T. [Final Scores]

CDCTA Spring H.T. [Final Scores]

Chattahoochee Hills H.T. [Final Scores]

Pine Hill Spring H.T. [Final Scores]

Spring Bay H.T. [Final Scores]

Your Monday News:

Looking to the big events in the U.S. this weekend, Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous took the CIC3* win in the inaugural running of The Fork at Tryon, home to next year’s World Equestrian Games, while Buck Davidson and Copper Beach won the CIC3* at Chattahoochee Hills. Leslie Threlkeld teamed up with Samantha and Lily Clark to bring you wall-to-wall coverage of The Fork, while Liz Crawley brought us beautiful photos from Chatt Hills. [The Fork CIC3* Final Report] [Chatt Hills CIC3* Final Report]

Michael Jung had a very specific plan for his final prep run at Kreuth ahead of Rolex and Badminton with the reigning champions of both four-stars. He retired at fence 19 on cross country with both fischerRocana FST and La Biosthetique Sam FBW, settling for a letter rather than a number with the bigger picture in mind. Ingrid Klimke and Horseware Hale Bob, another horse we have our eye on for the Badminton win, finished first in the hotly contested CIC2*. [Kreuth Results] [Buschreiter.de Coverage]

Zara Tindall and High Kingdom won the Advanced section at Weston Park Horse Trials in their final prep run before shipping to Kentucky for Rolex. They added just 6.0 cross country time penalties to their dressage score of 29.9 to win on 35.9, a career best final score for these two at a National Advanced horse trials. A sign of good things to come at Rolex? We think so.  [Weston Park Results]

The EN team is wishing our good friend Spencer Sturmey all the best for a full and speedy recovery after he took a nasty tumble in the Intermediate section at Weston Park yesterday. He’s sporting a bad concussion, broken and dislocated nose, broken cheek, dislocated thumb and battered face — though we still think he looks fabulous. Please join us in wishing he gets well soon! [@SpencerSturmey on Twitter]

You know Amy Dragoo as one of the top equestrian photographers in the country, but her current adventure in Morocco has us equally captivated. Follow her on Instagram for a behind-the-lens view of her latest #travelswithamy. [dragoophoto on Instagram]

Your Monday Video:

If you’re not paying attention to Doug Payne and Vandiver, you should be. These two are one of the most exciting combinations in the country right now, gradually polishing their performance in each phase with every event. After finishing second in The Fork CIC3* this weekend, watch for them to bring home a top performance at Rolex.

Thursday Video from Standlee Hay: Tribute to Nick Skelton & Big Star

By on Apr 6, 2017 4:20 pm -

Tributes have been pouring in on social media following yesterday’s announcement that Rio Olympic show jumping gold medalists Nick Skelton and Big Star will retire. We love this touching video featuring Mark Beever, Nick’s longtime groom, talking about what Big Star and Nick mean to him.

“I’ve been with Nick for nearly 30 years now,” Mark says. “I won’t be so much sad when Big Star retires, because he’s done everything. I will be sad when Nick retires, because there will never be another Nick Skelton.”

A special retirement ceremony in their honor will be held May 14 at the Royal Windsor Horse Show. We wish Nick and Big Star all the best for a very happy and well-deserved retirement.

US Equestrian Announces Spring Land Rover/USEF Competition Grants

By on Apr 6, 2017 10:45 am -
Lauren Kieffer and Meadowbrook's Scarlett. Photo by Jenni Autry. Lauren Kieffer and Meadowbrook's Scarlett. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Hot off the presses! US Equestrian has just announced four total Land Rover/USEF eventing competition grant recipients that will be heading to Badminton, Tattersalls and Luhmühlen.

Two combinations received grants for the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials CCI4* on May 3-7 in Gloucestershire, England:

Hannah Sue Burnett (The Plains, Va.) with Jacqueline Mars’ Harbour Pilot, a 2003 Irish Sport Horse gelding

Lynn Symansky (Middleburg, Va.) with The Donner Syndicate’s Donner, a 2003 Thoroughbred gelding

One combination received a grant for the Tattersalls International Horse Trials CCI3* on May 31-June 4 in Ratoath, Co. Meath, Ireland:

Phillip Dutton (West Grove, Pa.) with Tom Tierney, Simon Roosevelt, Suzanne Lacy, Annie Jones and Caroline Moran’s Z, a 2008 Zangersheide gelding

One combination received a grant for the Luhmühlen CCI4* presented by DHL on June 15-18 in Salzhausen, Germany:

Lauren Kieffer (Middleburg, Va.) with Marie Le Menestrel’s Meadowbrook’s Scarlett, a 2007 Holsteiner/Thoroughbred mare

The USEF International High Performance Programs are supported by the USET Foundation, USOC, and USEF sponsors and members.

[US Equestrian Announces Spring 2017 Land Rover/USEF Eventing Competition Grant Recipients]