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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

10 Things That Will Happen Before the Long Format Comes Back

By on Oct 2, 2014 4:00 pm -
It's time to say goodbye to the long format, ya'll. It's time to say goodbye to the long format, ya'll.

We love the long format. Adore it, in fact. And it’s nostalgic that so many of you want to see it make a comeback at the upper levels, per your comments in our ongoing discussion about how to advance safety and welfare in the sport.

We love that the U.S. stills runs long-format events from Beginner Novice through Preliminary levels, and we’re thankful every day for the hardworking volunteers who keep that long format legacy alive. (And those events need our support.)

But it’s been 14 years since the long format was used at the Olympic level and nine years since it was used at major events like Rolex, Badminton and Burghley. That ship has sailed, my friends. She left us far too soon, like a candle in the wind.

To help drive home the point that it’s time to move on, we’ve compiled a list of 10 things that will happen before the long format comes back at the upper levels:

1. Lainey Ashker will stop talking selfies.

2. Chinch will be elected FEI president.

3. Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro will start eventing.

4. Mark Todd will retire from competing.

5. Michael Jung will stop winning gold medals.

6. Chattahoochee Hills will host the world’s first CCI5*.

7. The FEI will officially recognize gay sport horses.

8. Boyd Martin will stop breaking bones.

9. Dressage will be axed by popular demand.

10. We’ll all stop splurging on Tack of the Day.

And if you’ve ever seen Lainey’s Instagram, you know homegirl is never going to stop taking selfies. In the same way, it’s unlikely the long format will ever return to the upper levels. It’s something we all have to accept as we look for answers to those tough questions about the sport.

So let’s hold hands and bid her adieu. Goodbye forever, long format. Your candle burned out long before your legend ever did.

Kurt Martin Withdraws Anna Bella from Boekelo

By on Oct 2, 2014 2:30 pm -
Kurt Martin and Anna Bella at The Fork CIC3*. Photo by Jenni Autry. Kurt Martin and Anna Bella at The Fork CIC3*. Photo by Jenni Autry.

And then there were four. Kurt Martin just announced on his Facebook page that he is withdrawing Anna Bella from Boekelo CCIO3* next weekend and re-routing to the Dutta Corp Fair Hill International CCI3* due to a minor injury:

“I am disappointed to report that I have withdrawn Anna Bella from Boekelo. After a fantastic run at Plantation Field two weeks ago, Anna Bella sustained a minor injury on the trailer ride home,” Kurt said. “Because her welfare is my top priority, I decided not to push her to make it on Sunday’s flight. Instead, we will regroup and re-route for Fair Hill. Best of luck to the competitors at Boekelo.”

We will always applaud riders who put their horse’s welfare first, and while it’s disappointing that Anna Bella can’t take on her first overseas event at Boekelo, we’re excited that she’ll still be able to compete at Fair Hill.

Anna Bella is coming off a 14th-place finish in a big division at Plantation Field CIC3* and should be very much in the mix at Fair Hill, which we’ve just learned via Sandy Uhler has 58 horses entered in the CCI3* and an astounding 122 entered in the CCI2*, which sets a record for the most horses ever entered in the two-star.

Mackenna Shea announced earlier this week she was also withdrawing from Boekelo to re-route to Fair Hill. Four U.S. riders are now left to form a team for the Nations Cup: Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen, Liz Halliday-Sharp and Fernhill By Night, Tiana Coudray and Kinnordy Rivaldo, and Sharon White and Under Suspection. Click here to view Boekelo entries.

[Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen Anchor U.S. Contingent at Boekelo]

Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen Anchor U.S. Team at Boekelo

By on Oct 2, 2014 9:00 am -
Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen. Photo by Jenni Autry. Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen. Photo by Jenni Autry.

The entry list for next week’s Boekelo CCIO3* in the Netherlands went live this morning, with four U.S. pairs and one Canadian combination entered to compete in the 102-horse field.

The following combinations will represent the U.S.:

Tiana Coudray and Kinnordy Rivaldo
Liz Halliday-Sharp and Fernhill By Night
Kurt Martin and Anna Bella
Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen
Sharon White and Under Suspection

Clark and Sharon are traveling to the Netherlands thanks to Land Rover Competition Grants, while Kurt received a Jacqueline B. Mars Competition and Training Grant. Clark’s grant with Loughan Glen was originally given to compete at Pau CCI4* later in the month, but he ultimately decided to aim for Boekelo instead — we like the move.

Loughan Glen has unfinished business at Boekelo, having competed at the event in 2012 but picking up a runout on cross country to finish 55th. While Glen has yet to complete an event at the four-star level, he’s had considerable success at the CCI3* level, with a win at the Bromont CCI3* and two top-five finishes at Blenheim CCI3*.

Clark and Glen seemed poised for greatness earlier this season at Badminton, winning the dressage on 33.3 only to fall victim to Giuseppe della Chiesa’s grueling cross-country track. They’ve struggled a bit to get their mojo back since, coming into cross country at Aachen in fifth place only to be eliminated on refusals.

But we’re certainly not counting them out. When they’re on, they can compete with the very best in the world, as Clark and Glen have shown time after time in dressage and show jumping. Expect them to lead or be close to it after dressage, and if they can work out the kinks across Sue Benson’s cross-country course, they could easily be poised for a top-10 finish.

Liz and Fernhill By Night are another pair with unfinished business at Boekelo, as they picked up a runout last year while competing on the U.S. Nations Cup team. Another very strong dressage horse, expect “Blackie” to be sitting in a very competitive position after this phase.

They’ve historically struggled in CCI3* events and have yet to post a clear round across a track at this level. That said, they’re coming off a second-place finish over a challenging CIC3* track at Ballindenisk last month, which will give them good momentum as they look ahead to the task at hand.

Tiana Coudray has had Kinnordy Rivaldo, a 12-year-old bay Hanoverian gelding she bought from Chris Burton, for nearly two years, though we haven’t seen much of him because a bone injury cropped up in an MRI last year, requiring surgery and a lengthy period of time off.

“Ken” returned to competing in July, most recently finishing 12th in the CIC3* at Ballindenisk. He won Hartpury CIC3* in 2012 with Chris in the irons but has yet to contest a CCI3*. It will be exciting to see Tiana and Ken tackle their biggest challenge yet as a still relatively new combination.

We have a bit of a soft spot for Anna Bella, having featured her on EN’s Got Talent last year. Kurt adores the mare and really believes in her, and she has continued to rise to the occasion under his tutelage, placing 6th in her first CCI3* at Jersey Fresh earlier this year.

Anna Bella is coming off a 14th-place finish in a strong CIC3* at Plantation Field as her final prep run for Boekelo. While her dressage is still a work in progress, she’s an excellent show jumper and a bold cross-country course, and Boekelo should prove to be an excellent education for her.

Update: Kurt Martin announced Thursday afternoon he is withdrawing Anna Bella from Boekelo due to a minor injury and re-routing to the Dutta Corp Fair Hill International CCI3*.

Sharon White brings her exciting mare Under Suspection to Boekelo after having a nearly flawless preparation in the lead-up to the event. They finished 6th in the big Advanced class at Millbrook and placed 2nd in the CIC3* at Richland only to have their first runout of the year at Plantation Field CIC3* in their final prep run.

Considering how consistent “Pippy” generally is across the country, we’re hoping it’s just a poorly timed blip. The mare finished 4th in her first CCI3* at Jersey Fresh earlier this year and definitely shows a lot of promise. While she’s still green to the level, which will likely show a bit in dressage, she’s game and ready for the challenge.

Lindsay Traisnel and Candar van het Neerveld are the sole combination representing Canada. Boekelo is always a truly international competition, with 17 different countries in total represented at the event. A 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion, Candar van het Neerveld placed 17th in the Jardy CIC3* earlier this year and will contest his first CCI3* at Boekelo.

[Boekelo Entry List]

Wednesday Video from KPP: Eventers vs. Mechanical Bull

By on Oct 1, 2014 3:00 pm -

The Friday night bull riding party is always a highlight of Plantation Field’s fall horse trials, and it didn’t disappoint once again this year, with Jennie Brannigan, Nate Chambers, Ryan Wood and Tik Maynard battling it out against teams of foxhunters and jockeys. The eventers took home the coveted $1,000 prize this year. Be sure to listen for Clayton Fredericks and Ed Holloway’s colorful commentary. Go Bull Riding!

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Time to Start Asking the Tough Questions

By on Oct 1, 2014 1:30 pm -
Ben Winter and Ispo. Photo by Jenni Autry. Ben Winter and Ispo. Photo by Jenni Autry.

It’s been a grisly five months for eventing, starting with an unprecedented Badminton and culminating with Blenheim last month, which resulted in three more gruesome horse falls and numerous calls much too close for comfort.

Andreas Dibowski, named a reserve rider on Germany’s World Equestrian Games squad, planned to contest Burghley with FRH Butts Avedon when the horse was not needed on his country’s team in Normandy. But he ultimately withdrew, posting an update on his website explaining why.

“The video of the Burghley cross-country walk left a more than stale taste in my mouth in terms of reasonableness for the horses,” he wrote, saying that in addition, “the images from WEG in France simply left me shocked. I did not want to expose my horse to a similar strain and burden.

“I was thrilled about the accomplishments of the German team. However, I am just as sure that our sport has reached a point (yet again), at which we need to start thinking about the whole purpose of it in terms of animal welfare, performance limit and reasonableness. In fact, as the currently strongest nation in this sport, we have the responsibility to do so.”

Where do we go from here? The question hung in the air after Ben Winter’s death at Luhmühlen, and after subsequent heavy tolls on cross-country days at WEG, Burghley and Blenheim, we’re still left searching for an answer.

Consider the number of horse falls and horse fatalities — and tragically, a rider fatality — from some of this year’s major events:

Badminton: 7 horse falls
Luhmühlen: 2 horse falls, 1 rider fatality, 1 horse fatality (Liberal, presumed aortic rupture)
World Equestrian Games: 3 horse falls, 1 horse fatality (Wild Lone, cause of death not yet released)
Burghley: 5 horse falls, 1 horse fatality (Orto, euthanized due to injuries sustained on course)
Blenheim: 3 horse falls

It’s quite frankly a miracle that Badminton scraped by with no horse or rider fatalities. Here’s a look at how frangible pins prevented more than a few bad crashes. And while we should all be thanking our lucky stars every day for frangible pins, it’s clear they alone can’t prevent deaths.

And let’s not forget the fatalities that hit close to home at other events this year. The Canadian eventing family continues to mourn the death of Jordan McDonald, killed at Nunney Horse Trials on the same dark day as Ben Winter. And Will Coleman’s haunting tribute to Conair will stay with us for a long time.

It’s important to make the distinction that not all horse fatalities are created equal. Some occur due to injuries sustained in crashes, while others happen due to cardiac episodes. We applaud the USEA for pioneering the Equine Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Research Study and hope those findings will one day help prevent deaths due to cardiac episodes on course.

When we publish videos and photos of horse falls on Eventing Nation, readers leave comments saying they wish we would post a warning so they could know to look away or skip over that post. And while we respect that, the rest of the world isn’t looking away.

PETA certainly isn’t looking away. It’s been more than a year since the animal rights activists publicly called for an end to eventing following the deaths of King Artus at Wiesbaden and Cavalor Telstar at Houghton Hall last spring. How many times can we weather such public animosity and come out on the other side unscathed?

And we’d be naive to think the International Olympic Committee is looking away. With FRH Princess Haya’s tenure as FEI president coming to an end and a new leader preparing to step into the role, it’s an uncertain time for a sport that is struggling to paint a picture of preserving horse and human welfare.

A certain amount of risk will always exist in eventing. There are always going to be falls; it’s something you accept every time you leave the start box. But we’re still left wondering: How many horse falls are too many? How many horse and human deaths are too many? Is this just the grim nature of the game, or is it time to start asking the tough questions?

We’ll get the ball rolling: Should further safety measures like collapsible tables be used on course? Should there be stricter qualifications to compete at the upper levels? Should course design be overhauled to make it more “reasonable,” as Andreas put it? Is it possible to make an inherently dangerous sport safe for both humans and horses alike? Weigh in with your thoughts in the comments below.

The USEA formed a Cross Country Safety Task Force following Ben and Jordan’s deaths, with a goal of “preventing complacency within the sport when looking at the changes made in recent years.” The task force is looking for feedback as the members explore potential safety options. We’ll compile the ideas you leave in the comments and submit them to the USEA.

Go Eventing.

How Does Buck Davidson Compete So Many Horses?

By on Sep 30, 2014 1:30 pm -

“Many people have asked how Buck competes so many horses. We are responding with a behind the scenes look at how we do, what we do!” That’s what Buck Davidson’s team posted on his Facebook page today, and the fun video already has nearly 4,000 views. Everyone in the eventing world wants to know how the buck he does it. After watching the video, it seems like the answer is pretty clear — with a large, dedicated, hardworking team. Go Team BDJ.

[How the Buck Does He Do It?]

Morven Park’s Expansion on the Radar for 2024 Olympic Bid

By on Sep 30, 2014 10:30 am -
Concept image of Morven Park's expansion. Concept image of Morven Park's expansion.

Morven Park broke ground earlier this month for a $15 million expansion that has caught the eye of Washington 2024, the committee organizing Washington D.C.’s bid to host the 2024 Olympic Games.

But no matter who wins the Olympic bid for a decade from now, the expansion is first and foremost designed to benefit riders in Virginia and beyond from all backgrounds, Suzanne Musgrave, Morven Park’s director of development and communications — and an eventer! — said.

“When the plans for the renovation started with our board of directors about five years ago, it was before D.C. ever thought about applying for the Olympic bid,” Suzanne said. “So regardless of whether or not D.C. gets the Olympics, we’re excited to continue serving all levels and all disciplines.”

Morven Park currently hosts more than 30 horse shows per year, and the expansion will give the venue the opportunity to expand into hosting shows in other disciplines like western and carriage driving, both of which have seen a rise in interest in recent years.

“As land disappears, we think it’s so important that Morven Park stays open as a resource for all horsemen,” Suzanne said. And, of course, the park has long served eventers, with the annual fall horse trials running this weekend with nearly 400 entries. The expansion will only bolster all the facility has to offer competitors in eventing.

Four new rings are slated for construction — totaling eight acres of arenas — with a spectator pavilion situated in the middle and a nearby berm offering a bird’s eye view of the action. “We’ve designed it with spectators in mind. You can sit on the berm and watch dressage in one ring and then show jumping in the next ring over, and then turn around and look at the start box for cross country.”

The cross-country course will also be getting a facelift, though Suzanne said Morven Park hasn’t yet tapped a designer and builder. “We’ve had Tremaine Cooper for many years, and he’s always done a fabulous job,” she said. “We started out with an idea of what we wanted, but we’ve had people come out to the property in the last year to look at the plans, and now they’ve changed.”

Top riders and trainers from multiple disciplines have weighed in on the plans, from David O’Connor, Boyd Martin and Jimmy Wofford on behalf of eventers to Joe Fargis for show jumping and Heather Briggs and Rachael Blanchard for driving.

“Our tagline has been ‘for riders, by riders’ because all of the plans have been developed by people who ride,” Suzanne said. “The input we’ve gotten is to keep it uniquely Morven Park and Virginia.”

And that philosophy fits in perfectly with Washington 2024’s plan for the Olympic bid. Bob Sweeney, president of the organizing committee, visited Morven Park in April to vet the site’s suitability for the bid, according to the Washington Business Journal.

Washington 2024 likes the fact that Morven Park is 20 miles from Dulles International Airport, 13 miles from the nearest Maryland Area Regional Commuter train station, and has parking spots for 10,000 vehicles. After enduring #ArmageddeonWEG, we like that, too.

In addition to D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco and Boston have also submitted bids to host the 2024 Olympics. The U.S. Olympic Committee will choose a bid city this fall to submit to the International Olympic Committee, which will choose the official 2024 host city next year.

In the meantime, Morven Park is shoring up donations to fund the expansion. “The board has allocated almost $1 million to get the project going, and Jacqueline Mars has also been instrumental in helping the expansion,” Suzanne said. Donations to fund the footing for the new arenas can be made at just $2.50 per square foot.

Morven Park is waiting for one final permit to be approved through Loudon County. As soon as that goes through, “we’ll get the bulldozers moving,” Suzanne said. Morven Park hopes to have the first phase of the expansion completed by next summer.

Right now, Morven Park has received enough in donations to fund the construction of the four new arenas. If you’re interested in donating to the expansion, please click here to contribute to the cause. Thank you to Morven Park for preserving and improving land for our great sport. Go Eventing.

More on Morven Park’s Expansion:

[Swim, ride and row: Loudoun, Washington 2024 eye three county venues for possible Olympic sites]

[Donate to Morven Park’s Capital Campaign]

[Morven Park Master Plan PDF]

Mackenna Shea Withdraws from Boekelo, Re-Routing to Fair Hill

By on Sep 30, 2014 9:00 am -
Mackenna Shea and Landioso at Plantation Field. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Mackenna Shea and Landioso at Plantation Field. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Land Rover grant recipient Mackenna Shea is withdrawing Landioso from Boekelo CCIO3* in the Netherlands after their final prep run at Plantation Field didn’t go quite as planned, she announced on her blog last night. Mackenna and “Landi” had a lovely dressage test and a double clear show jumping round before picking up a runout on the Advanced cross-country course.

“About halfway through the course, I made a big error that resulted in a runout and a new plan for my fall season. Landi and I will be rerouting to the Fair Hill International CCI3* and withdrawing from Boekelo. Although the change in plans was disappointing, and it was hard not to feel as though I had let my horse down by making a silly mistake, I am already focused on the road ahead.

“Fair Hill is a top class event, and not to mention one of the toughest CCI3* tracks in the U.S. I am thoroughly looking forward to competing there! All of the support and encouragement that Landioso and I have received means the world to me. I feel so lucky to be surrounded by wonderful people on this journey, wherever it may take me. At the end of the day, my horse is in good form, and I have learned yet another lesson that I will take with me for the rest of my career.”

Those two paragraphs should tell you everything you need to know about Mackenna. She’s one of the most exciting up-and-coming riders we have right now in the U.S., and we’ll be cheering her on as she looks for redemption at Fair Hill. Click here to read the rest of Mackenna’s blog post announcing her new fall plans.

Team USA at Boekelo will now be Kurt Martin and Anna Bella — a mare we talent spotted on EN last year — Sharon White and Under Suspection, and Liz Halliday-Sharp and Fernhill By Night, who had a runout on cross country at this event last year and are poised for a good CCI3* finish to wrap up their season.

EN in an Instagram: Your Favorite AEC Photos and Videos

By on Sep 29, 2014 4:30 pm -
#chinchattack at the winners' press conference! #laineyea #holybuck #supersocks #chinchattack at the winners' press conference! #laineyea #holybuck #supersocks

If you’re not following EN on Instagram at @goeventing, you’re missing out on fun photos and videos from events all around the world. We got our #filter on at the Nutrena American Eventing Championships this past weekend, and here’s a look at some of your favorite grams from the event:

Chinch has a new crush! USEA CEO Jo Whitehouse #swoon #loveatfirstsight #useaaec

Chinch has a new crush! USEA CEO Jo Whitehouse #swoon #loveatfirstsight #useaaec

Chinch is ready for his close up at #useaaec

Chinch is ready for his close up at #useaaec

Hang on, Babs! #babseventing #golfcartpassenger #insanity

Hang on, Babs! #babseventing #golfcartpassenger #insanity

Chinch loves em so much, he got one of each. #shoptilyoudrop #useaaec #exceptionalequestrian

Chinch loves em so much, he got one of each. #shoptilyoudrop #useaaec #exceptionalequestrian

Johnny's Private Collection is lovin' the AECs. #useaaec #goirishorgohome #texascowboy

Johnny’s Private Collection is lovin’ the AECs. #useaaec #goirishorgohome #texascowboy

Buck Davidson and Petite Flower #useaaec #holybuck

Buck Davidson and Petite Flower #useaaec #holybuck

Connect with EN: [EN’s Facebook] [EN’s Instagram] [EN’s Twitter] #goeventing

Monday Video from Tredstep Ireland: Stable View Prelim Helmet Cam

By on Sep 29, 2014 3:00 pm -

Stable View Farm, home of last winter’s USEF High Performance Training Sessions in Aiken, S.C., held its inaugural horse trials this past weekend, with more than 100 entries competing from Beginner Novice through Preliminary level.

Brendan Quinn, who rides his horse Smoke on the University of South Carolina-Aiken eventing team, sent in his helmet cam from the Prelim division, reporting that Capt. Mark Phillips’ course was beautifully designed, with great footing and fences built by Eric Bull.

The southeast eventing community continues to grow, with the low cost of living and mild weather attracting upper-level eventers like Doug Payne, and having a new event at a beautiful venue like Stable View is just one more perk to draw riders south.

[Stable View Horse Trials Final Scores]

Eventer Literally Can’t Even Right Now After Her Dressage Test

By on Sep 29, 2014 1:30 pm -

Have you ever been in a situation where you literally can’t even right now after a dressage test?

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EN reader Blair Dunleavy found herself experiencing this phenomenon after finishing a dressage test with “Tedi” at Morven Park.

Tedi looks enthralled!

Tedi looks positively enthralled!

And let’s get a close up on Blair’s face. Yup, as we suspected, it appears she literally can’t even right now:

Screen Shot 2014-09-29 at 1.48.55 PM

But the fun stuff can make up for even the most “literally can’t even right now” dressage test, as Tedi demonstrated when it came time for show jumping:

"Jumps! Ermahgerd!"

“Jumps! Ermahgerd!”

Have you had your own literally can’t even right now moment at an event? Send photo evidence to [email protected]. Because we’re all in this together.

Go Eventing.

Phillip Dutton and Icabad Crane Gear Up for Thoroughbred Makeover

By on Sep 29, 2014 12:00 pm -
Phillip Dutton and Icabad Crane in his Training level debut. Photo by Maggie Kimmitt. Phillip Dutton and Icabad Crane in his Training level debut. Photo by Maggie Kimmitt.

It’s that time of year, EN! The Retired Racehorse Project’s ever popular Thoroughbred Makeover — this year branded America’s Most Wanted Thoroughbred Contest — will take place this weekend at Pimlico Racecourse, with 10 off-track Thoroughbreds showing what they’ve learned in their new careers with their respective trainers.

We’ve been following along with Phillip Dutton and Icabad Crane all year long as the much-loved Preakness Stakes runner and winner of nearly $600,000 on the track has made the transition from racehorse to Training level eventer, and Phillip said he’s excited to show what the horse has learned at Pimlico.

“He’s going to run in Training level at Morven Park before going to the Thoroughbred Makeover, so he’ll have a busy weekend,” Phillip said. “He’s still green at the level, but he’s taken to the sport well. To me, he exemplifies a classic American Thoroughbred. He’s intelligent and athletic, but he’s also sensible.”

Since starting his eventing career in March at Full Gallop Farm — where he won Beginner Novice on a score of of 32.1 — Icabad Crane successfully cruised through Novice and made the move up to Training Level at Fair Hill in August, placing 5th on his dressage score of 29.6.

His owners Graham and Anita Motion have become familiar faces in the eventing scene as they’ve followed along with Icabad’s new career, and though Phillip said he’s not entirely sure what Icabad’s future will hold after the Thoroughbred Makeover concludes, it’s a safe assumption that eventing will always be a part of his life now.

“Somewhere along the line, he’ll be eventing,” Phillip said. “This is his new career, and he won’t be sold.” The winner of the Thoroughbred Makeover receives $10,000, and if Icabad wins, the money would be put right back into furthering his training and new career as an eventer, Phillip said.

Graham and Anita Motion with Phillip Dutton and Icabad Crane. Photo courtesy of Icabad Crane Facebook page.

Graham and Anita Motion with Phillip and Icabad. Photo via Icabad Crane’s Facebook page.

“Graham and Anita are great and have been extremely supportive of the horse through his career, both in racing and now eventing,” Phillip said. “It’s been neat to become good friends with them through this process, and Icabad keeps playing a big part in the story.”

Phillip said Icabad has become a favorite at his True Prospect Farm, as Kaitlin Spurlock and Waylon Roberts, who both ride for Phillip, kept the horse going during his month-long trip in Europe for the World Equestrian Games and Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials. And Phillip’s 12-year-old daughter Olivia has also fallen in love with Icabad.

“Olivia rides him really well, and he quiets down with her and takes care of her,” Phillip said. “When she’s on board, you can tell he takes it down a notch.” Phillip shared this really cute video on his Facebook page of Olivia asking people to vote for Icabad in the Thoroughbred Makeover:

Now here’s where you come in, EN! Voting for America’s Most Wanted Thoroughbred runs through 11:59 p.m. EST Saturday, Oct. 4. A second round of voting will open during the actual competition at Pimlico Racecourse on Sunday, Oct. 5. Icabad is currently holding a narrow lead, so he needs our help to win. Click HERE to vote, and be sure to “like” his Facebook page for updates. And here’s Phillip himself asking for your votes:

Icabad Crane on EN:

[Watch Phillip Dutton Cross-Country School Icabad Crane]

[Phillip Dutton and Icabad Crane Chosen for Thoroughbred Makeover]

[Icabad Crane Wins First Event with Phillip Dutton]

[Icabad Crane Becomes Phillip Dutton’s Newest Prospect]

Ride the AEC Advanced Course with Laine Ashker and Anthony Patch

By on Sep 29, 2014 10:30 am -

Laine Ashker and Anthony Patch had the fastest time across Capt. Mark Phillips’ Adequan USEA Gold Cup Final cross-country course on Saturday, picking up just 3.2 time penalties to take the overnight lead.

Though Lainey and Al ultimately pulled one rail to finish second to her coach Buck Davidson and Petite Flower, it was still a very impressive performance from the 2013 champions in this division.

Lainey uploaded her cross-country helmet cam last night for our viewing pleasure, so take a ride around the course courtesy of Al. Go AECs, and Go Eventing.

#USEAAEC: Website, Final Scores, EN’s Coverage, USEA’s Coverage, @eventingnation, EN’s Instagram

Watch AEC Cross Country Action Across All Levels

By on Sep 27, 2014 8:53 am -

RNS Video has been cranking out excellent videos at the Nutrena American Eventing Championships, and they’ve now posted footage of the leaders after cross country from the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Final through Training level. Thanks, RNS Video! You’ve made the chinchillas very happy indeed.

And the Novice and Beginner Novice divisions did their dressage yesterday and are set to tackle cross country today. Here’s a look at the dressage leaders after those divisions, also courtesy of RNS:

Stay tuned for much more from the AECs today as the winners are crowned in the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Final down through the Training divisions. Can Laine Ashker and Anthony Patch win the Advanced title for a second year in a row?

#USEAAEC: Website, Live Scores, Ride Times, Schedule, EN’s Coverage, USEA’s Coverage, @eventingnation, EN’s Instagram, USEA Radio

PRO Faces of Eventing Presented by World Equestrian Brands: Caitlin Silliman

By on Sep 26, 2014 4:00 pm -

Caitlin Siliman is the latest rider to be profiled in PRO Faces of Eventing presented by World Equestrian Brands. After getting six riding lessons for her sixth birthday, Caitlin started riding with Susie Beale, who she trained with all the way through tackling her first two-star. She started working for Boyd and Silva Martin six years ago, though she actually started working for Silva first as a dressage working student. There are lots of fun facts about Caitlin in the video, so click to watch!

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Rachael Livermore: What It’s Like to Work for Team Orange

By on Sep 25, 2014 3:00 pm -

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to work for Team Orange? Sharon White’s groom Rachael Livermore gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what her duties look like at Last Frontier Farm in this latest Athletux blog. From riding and grooming to paying the bills and posting to Facebook, she’s done a bit of everything.

Rachael Livermore and Rafferty's Rules at Rolex. Photo courtesy of Sharon White.

Rachael Livermore and Rafferty’s Rules at Rolex. Photo courtesy of Sharon White.

From Rachael:

I came to Sharon’s in May of 2012, just after graduating from college. Sharon and I had the same first trainer, Deana Vaughn, who was riding for Sharon at the time. I told Deana I wanted to explore working at an upper-level barn, and she thought I would be a great fit for Last Frontier Farm.

I had always heard great things about Sharon and actually had never heard anything negative! I went for an interview earlier in the spring, and Sharon asked if I would consider being her groom. It wasn’t something I had really thought about before, but I wanted to travel and see what the bigger shows were like, so it sounded like the perfect opportunity.

I was there for about a year before I really took on the groom role full-force and was really lucky to have great people there to work with who have helped me and taught me (and continue to!) along the way. This spring, as Sharon’s string of upper-level horses grew, she enlisted Max Corcoran to come help us at the shows and teach me her ways.

That has been one of the most amazing opportunities. Max has an endless supply of knowledge and experience in so many aspects of our sport. She is also very patient with my many questions and is always happy to teach.

I think I was most surprised by how much more to grooming and upper-level competition there was than what I was used to (well, that, and how much I would come to love the color orange). I had never properly galloped or iced horses before, and now that is part of my daily routine.

Two months after I started working for Sharon, I got hurt in a freak accident, so Sharon asked if I would be interested in helping her in the office since I would be out for the rest of the year. I have learned so much about how to run a horse business, and think I have been able to contribute to Sharon’s program in that way as well with my own experience and communications degree.

I helped with sponsor relations, social media, billing, scheduling, entries and everything else that goes into making the barn run. As I healed and started doing more care of the horses, Sharon and I decided that I couldn’t do both things full time, so we lessened my responsibilities in the office so I could spend more time focusing on keeping the horses fit, healthy and happy. It’s always a struggle to find the balance, but I think we have a good thing going.

One of the most amazing things about working at Last Frontier Farm are the people you meet. We have the best owners, supporters, friends and not to mention horses. We are spoiled with home-cooked meals, full coolers and sandwich trays at events, and a whole lot of cheering and orange spirit.

Sharon is one of the hardest working people I have ever met, and she is always behind me 100 percent, which is an incredible feeling. She has been really great with making sure I still have opportunities to ride, which I really appreciate, and I get to ride some lovely horses that have taught me a lot.

I ended up leasing my own horse out this year, and it was definitely hard and an adjustment, but I think it’s all worked out well. I hope to get back to competing myself in the future, but I think everything I’m learning now and all the experience I’m getting is so essential, and I’m excited to keep going on new adventures with Team Orange.

What’s Next for Manoir de Carneville?

By on Sep 24, 2014 3:00 pm -
Manoir de Carneville on the first full day of his vacation at The Fork. Photo courtesy of Meg Kep. Manoir de Carneville on the first full day of his vacation at The Fork. Photo courtesy of Meg Kep.

Ballynoe Castle RM started his vacation on Monday, and fellow U.S. World Equestrian Games team horse Manoir de Carneville started his yesterday, as super groom Meg Kep drove him down to The Fork Farm and Stables in Norwood, N.C., where Sinead Halpin’s mom, Bernadette Cogdell, will be attending to his every need.

“We’ve been gradually getting him used to being on vacation,” Sinead said. “He’ll get his shoes pulled off and go out with two big Irish Draughts in a field for two or three months off.” It’s well-deserved downtime after tackling Pierre Michelet’s cross-country course, which “Tate” completed with one runout early on.

Sinead said she was pleased with the way he came through the grueling day. He trotted up well the next morning and pulled two rails in show jumping to complete the world championships. “He came through it better than he’s come through any four-star,” Sinead said. “I probably didn’t even need to ice him. He looked great the whole weekend.”

So what’s next for Tate? Sinead said she’ll be talking to the syndicate owners soon to hash out a game plan for the 2015 season. “He’ll be 15 next year, so it’s a matter of looking at the Olympics and working backwards from there. Do we go to Rolex and not put him on another plane, or do we want to go check out Badminton? I’m lucky to have a horse I know could handle that course.”

Tate is currently ranked 42nd in the world and has now completed five CCI4* events, most notably winning finishing 2nd at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials in 2012. He also has two CIC3* wins on his record, finishing first at Plantation Field last year and The Fork this year.

Meg reports that Tate is settling in well today on his first full day of vacation. We’re excited to see what’s next for the French Princess as Sinead looks ahead to the 2015 season and ultimately the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Go Tate.

Wednesday Video from KPP: Plantation Field CIC3* Water Complex

By on Sep 24, 2014 1:30 pm -

We featured video of the Plantation Field CIC* water complex on Monday, and now RNS has published footage of all the CIC3* riders tackling the Dubarry Water, which came two fences before the finish flags. It rode very smoothly all day after being totally overhauled by new CIC3* course designer Mike Etherington-Smith. Click to watch CIC3* winners Maya Black and Doesn’t Play Fair, as well as U.S. World Equestrian Games team horses Trading Aces and Ballynoe Castle RM, who are out on course toward the end of the video.

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Who Jumped It Best? Plantation Field CIC2* Edition

By on Sep 24, 2014 12:00 pm -
Jennie Brannigan and Henry. Photo by Jenni Autry. Jennie Brannigan and Henry. Photo by Jenni Autry.

The corner combination at fence 18 caused quite a bit of trouble on Tremaine Cooper’s CIC2* course at Plantation Field International Horse Trials. Horses and riders had to navigate a table at 18a with a downhill approach to a sizable corner at 18b, followed by a skinny log at 18c. The trouble came at 18b, with numerous horses glancing off the corner to the right. Here’s a look at eight horses and riders who mastered the corner. Who jumped it best, EN? Cast your vote in the poll below.

Plantation Field Links: [Website] [Final Scores] [EN’s Coverage] [PRO TV]

Phillip Dutton and Atlas. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Phillip Dutton and Atlas. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Will Faudree and Caeleste. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Will Faudree and Caeleste. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Lauren Kieffer and Vermiculus. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Lauren Kieffer and Vermiculus. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Marilyn Little and RF West Indie. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Marilyn Little and RF West Indie. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Caroline Martin and Pebbly Maximus. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Caroline Martin and Pebbly Maximus. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Sara Kozumplik Murphy and Catchascatchcan. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Sara Kozumplik Murphy and Catchascatchcan. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Sharon White and Severn Sky. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Sharon White and Severn Sky. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Being Legally Blind Won’t Stop Ashley Russell at AECs

By on Sep 24, 2014 10:30 am -

Ashley Russell and Philharmonic at Senecca Valley. Photo courtesy of Terri Ehrenfeld.

Can you imagine being legally blind and riding cross country? That’s a reality for Ashley Russell, who lost her central vision at age 20 due to a rare genetic disorder called Stargardt disease. But she hasn’t let it stop her from eventing, and she’ll be competing in Beginner Novice at this year’s Nutrena American Eventing Championships with a horse that has a comeback story of his own.

“I grew up riding in the hunters, and then I found eventing in Pony Club in my teenage years,” Ashley said. “When I lost my vision, I had to stop riding and learn to live again.” After getting married and having two kids, Ashley, now 38, decided to try riding again despite her legal blindness, ultimately teaming up with Golly Tabatabaie to form the BABS Eventing Team.

That’s when she found Philharmonic, then an 8-year-old chestnut Dutch Warmblood gelding that had suffered severe injuries in a lunging accident with a previous owner. “They had him on a lunge line with side reins, and he flipped over backwards, breaking his pelvis, whither and tail,” Ashley said. “He should not have survived the accident.”

But “Nic” beat the odds, though he faced physical and emotional challenges when he came back into work. “I got him when he was healed physically and could be ridden again,” Ashley said. “I spent the first year re-teaching him how to use his body. He couldn’t even walk down a small hill. He didn’t understand that he could rock back on his pelvis without feeling pain anymore. It was a very slow progression.”

Nic ultimately got to the point where Ashley felt he was ready to compete, and she took him out at the Beginner Novice level last year. “His confidence suffered a lot in the accident too, so we had some nasty stops for awhile,” Ashley said. “But now he’s come into his own, and his ears are pricked the whole way around cross country; he loves it.”

Ashley moved Nic, now 11 years old, up to Novice this year, and though their season started out a little rocky in the spring, he hit his stride in July and has thrived at the level ever since, culminating in a win at Seneca Valley Pony Club Horse Trials on their dressage score of 31 earlier this month.

Boyd Martin congratulates Ashley Russell on the win at Seneca Valley. Photo courtesy of Terri Ehrenfeld.

Boyd Martin congratulates Ashley Russell on the win at Seneca Valley. Photo courtesy of Terri Ehrenfeld.

“I’m just so proud of him and our journey together,” Ashley said. “He’s one of those special horses. It takes a certain kind of trust in each other to get around a course. I have to rely on him, and he has to rely on me. That’s what it’s about — a partnership.”

Indeed, it takes a lot of trust for Ashley and Nic to go cross country together, with his lingering confidence issues from the accident and her legal blindness. Ashley spends a lot of time at each event walking her jumping courses with her trainer, Susu Dale, to map out a game plan.

“At first it was challenging to figure out the extra steps I needed to take in order to be able to event again,” Ashley said. “But I realized that I don’t need to see, the horse needs to see. I ride primarily by feel.”

Ashley and Susu will walk her courses multiple times, first with Susu walking in front of Ashley. When they come to a fence, they look around for landmarks — like a break in the tree line or a big table or corner nearby — that Ashley can see with her peripheral vision.

Then Susu will walk the course behind Ashley, making sure all her approaches are lined up correctly as she approaches each jump. They walk the course as many times as necessary until each approach is correct and Ashley can identify all her landmarks.

“It’s our job as riders to get our horses to the fence balanced, in a rhythm and straight, and then it’s their job to get over it,” Ashley said. “I don’t micromanage him, and he knows his job.”

After qualifying for the AECs at Beginner Novice last year, Ashley said she really wanted to make the haul from her base at TRU Liberty Stables in Lovettsville, Va., out to Tyler, Texas. Her team of her trainer, Susu, and one of her boarders, Jen Valentine, all made the drive together and are there helping her this weekend.

“I’m so proud of how far he has come, between me being visually impaired and him recovering physically and emotionally from his injuries,” Ashley said. “When we qualified, I thought, ‘Why not? We can get out there with the best of them and be competitive.’ It’s all about having fun. If not, it’s not worth doing.”

We love Ashley’s attitude and wish her all the best as she tackles the AECs with Nic. If you see her on course — she wears royal blue on cross country, and Nic is a big chestnut — be sure to cheer her on.

Go Ashley. Go Nic. Go Eventing.

Click here to learn more about Ashley’s TRU Liberty Stables and the BABS Eventing Team.

Opposition Buzz Officially Retires in Emotional Sendoff at Allerton Park

By on Sep 24, 2014 9:00 am -
Nicola Wilson and Opposition Buzz at Badminton 2013. Photo by Jenni Autry. Nicola Wilson and Opposition Buzz at Badminton 2013. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Nicola Wilson announced earlier this year that she and Opposition Buzz’s owner and breeder Rosemary Search had decided to retire the 17-year-old British eventing legend from four-stars, and “Dodi” competed in the last event of his career this past weekend at Allerton Park.

Reports on social media painted an emotional picture of the horse’s last cross-country run, with the crowd cheering Nicola and Dodi the entire way around the course. He finished 2nd in the final Advanced run of his career.

Dodi’s record is one for the history books. He completed 11 CCI4* events during his career, including trips to the World Equestrian Games and Olympic Games. He finished 16th in his first four-star at Badminton in 2007 and went on to complete the event four more times, with his best finish of 7th coming in 2008.

He also completed Burghley three times, finishing 5th in 2008. American fans will remember his trip to Rolex in 2009, where he finished in 11th place. Dodi also returned to U.S. soil in 2010, where he represented Great Britain in the 2010 World Equestrian Games. He also competed on the silver medal British team at the 2012 London Olympics.

We wish Dodi the very best of retirements and have to send a special thank you to Rosemary for sharing him with us for all these years, as well as to Nicola for understanding the horse’s quirks and showing us what it truly means to build a partnership with a horse.

You are one in a million, Dodi. Happy retirement.

Tuesday Video from SpectraVet: Gatcombe Novice Cross Country

By on Sep 23, 2014 4:30 pm -

While we were busy keeping up with Plantation Field in the U.S., Gatcombe Park International Horse Trials were underway across the pond. Friend of EN Harveywetdog produced a great 20-minute video of the Novice cross country, which is the equivalent of our Preliminary level in the States. Keep your eyes peeled for William Fox-Pitt and Andrew Nicholson! Gatcombe Park is beautiful with a very natural feel to its courses — really makes you want to go jump around it, doesn’t it?

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Super Pony Forrest Nymph Marks Another Milestone with Sinead Halpin

By on Sep 23, 2014 1:30 pm -
Sinead Halpin and Forrest Nymph at Plantation Field. Photo by Jenni Autry. Sinead Halpin and Forrest Nymph at Plantation Field. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Super pony Forrest Nymph has come a long way since we featured her in EN’s Got Talent in January 2013. Since then, her owner Beth Davidson placed an ad on Sport Horse Nation looking for an upper-level rider to take on “Farrah” to see just how far she could go, and Sinead Halpin ultimately ended up taking over the ride this past October.

Farrah did her first Intermediate at MCTA in May, and she achieved another milestone this past weekend, completing her first CIC2* at Plantation Field International Horse Trials, finishing 18th on a score of 57.8 in a big 80-horse division. The little 14.2-hand New Forest Pony mare’s fan club continues to grow — she even has her own Facebook page now!

“She’s pretty amazing, and I have no idea how she does what she does, but I’m not going to argue with her,” Sinead said. “She’s a phenomenal jumper, and I personally have gotten more comfortable jumping her. The first time I rode her, I kept thinking about Karen (O’Connor) jumping around Rolex with Teddy. You are looking up at the fences at that height.”

Sinead said it took awhile for her to get really comfortable jumping her in part because Farrah had a redheaded pony attitude toward the fences. “When you get a new horse and you’re moving up a level, you just don’t know how it will go, but she’s gotten more rideable now, maybe because she trusts me more,” she said.

“She used to bolt to and away from the fences, but she’s backed off more now. She’s very brave and incredibly sensible when it comes to her self preservation, so you’re as comfortable on her as you would be on any of the bigger horses,” Sinead said.

The dressage has also presented its own challenges, in part because it took Sinead awhile to figure out exactly what Farrah needed to succeed in this phase. “She’s a red pony mare, so you have to subtly pick your battles. She had been ridden in stronger bits in the past, and I ended up going back to a broken happy mouth; she softened a lot, and it made a big difference.”

Getting her fit enough to hold the movements required at the Intermediate and two-star level has also been a big piece of the puzzle. “Teddy was quite thick, and she’s really narrow and very little. It takes a couple years to really develop a top line, and I have to be careful not to do too much with her in the meantime.”

At Plantation Field, Sinead warmed up before dressage for five minutes, ran through her dressage test, and then got back off for 15 minutes. She got on again right before the test, went into the ring and scored 49.0, which put them in a three-way tie for 14th place.

“She’s also very opinionated, and you can very quickly cross that line where she gets irritated and aggravated on the flat,” Sinead said. “It’s all about keeping her comfortable and keeping her working on your side.”

With Farrah becoming more rideable in both dressage and over fences, the future is suddenly looking very bright indeed after her very competitive performance at Plantation Field. Now Sinead and Farrah look ahead to the Dutta Corp Fair Hill International for the mare’s first CCI2*.

Farrah proved she can go fast this past weekend, jumping clear over Tremaine Cooper’s CCI2* course with just 4.8 time penalties, and Sinead said she will continue working on the fitness with Fair Hill in mind.

“She’d never competed outside of Florida before this season, so I’m going to gallop her on a good hill before Fair Hill so she feels good at 9 minutes,” Sinead said. “She’s so scopey, but she’s a little horse, so you don’t want her to get tired.”

We’ll be cheering Sinead and Farrah on at Fair Hill. And for those of you wanting to go along for the ride, syndicate shares are still available. You can contact Sinead at [email protected] for more information. And check out video of their cross-country trip below courtesy of EN’s good friend Thehorsepesterer: