View Classifieds
Jenni Autry
Articles Written 3,397
Article Views 11,272,566

Jenni Autry

Achievements

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

Sally Cousins’ Weekly Training Tip: Training Versus Strengthening

By on Jul 22, 2014 4:30 pm -

We are delighted to introduce Sally Cousins as our newest guest blogger, as she shares her wealth of knowledge with us in the form of weekly training tips. We hope these nuggets of information can be integrated directly into your program at home and can influence the way you ride and train your horses. Be sure to check out both the Sally Cousins Eventing website and keep up with her on Facebook.

Sally Cousins and Tsunami at Rolex. Photo by Mike McNally.

Sally Cousins and Tsunami at Rolex. Photo by Mike McNally.

Sally has been riding and competing at the highest levels for more than 30 years, starting with Badminton and Burghley at the tender age of 20, and has continued to compete at the CCI4* level for the rest of her career. She also integrated a serious job as a stock broker for Merrill Lynch with her career as a rider, before deciding after 16 years to become a true riding professional. Sally is known in the eventing world for riding some of the most difficult horses, and she loves a challenge. It is our pleasure to share her thoughts with you here on EN!

From Sally:

In our sport, we talk a lot about training and fitness and not as much about strengthening the horse. Once we have taught the horse something and it understands the aids, it can still take months for the horse to be strong enough to do the work or exercise properly or for any length of time.

Sometimes when our work starts to deteriorate, it is not that the horse doesn’t understand; it’s actually not strong enough to maintain the work. It’s important for us as riders and trainers not to try to use just stronger aids, but to think of exercises that will help our horse get strong enough to carry the work that we are asking of him. I do a lot of transitions, raised trotting poles and hill work to try to strengthen my horses. 

When you begin asking it to perform more difficult work, it may only be able to hold it for five or six strides before you have to reapply the same aids to keep the same quality of work. As it gets stronger, it will be able to carry the work for longer and longer periods of time. What might have started with just five or six good strides may, over the course of six months, turn into 30 minutes of quality work. 

It’s important for us when we’re training to evaluate wether the horse doesn’t understand the aids, isn’t able to carry the work or is being naughty. I try to always give my horses the benefit of the doubt. Most horses have a pretty good work ethic, and sometimes they are unable to do the work because they are sore somewhere. So if I’m stuck, I will take the horse to the barn and try another day.

Sweden Names World Equestrian Games Squad

By on Jul 22, 2014 2:51 pm -
Ludwig Svennerstal and Alexander at Badminton. Photo by Jenni Autry. Ludwig Svennerstal and Alexander at Badminton. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Sweden named seven combinations to its World Equestrian Games squad after some last-minute shake-ups to the team, Chef d’Equipe Staffan Lidbeck announced in a press release yesterday. The Swedish team is as follows:

Viktoria Carlerbäck on Volt af Källstorp

Dag Albert on Tubber Rebel

Anna Hassö on Clover

Anna Hilton on Matrix W

Johan Lundin on Johnny Cash

Malin Petersen on Sofarsogood

Ludwig Svennerstal on Alexander or King Bob

Staffan said the final squad will be named on Aug. 14, though Ludwig announced via Twitter today that Alexander is expected to be named to the main team, with King Bob serving as his reserve horse.

The Swedish team will be without two of its strongest riders this year, as London Olympic individual silver medalist Sara Algottson Ostholt is pregnant and thus unable to compete in Normandy, and Niklas Lindbäck’s Mister Pooh, who was meant to serve as an anchor horse for the Swedish squad, suffered an injury on cross country at Aachen this past weekend.

Frida Anderséns WEG hopeful Herta, who Staffan said he hoped to have on the team, is also injured and unable to compete. Staffan also noted that the sale of Ludwig Svennerstal’s former ride Shamwari 4 to Boyd Martin leaves the squad without a horse that has represented Sweden in past championships.

[Full Press Release]

Chinch Saves the Day at John Kyle and Pippa Roome’s Wedding

By on Jul 22, 2014 1:30 pm -
Congrats, John and Pippa! Photo via Pippa's Facebook page. Congrats, John and Pippa! Photo via Pippa's Facebook page.

Well that might be a slight exaggeration, but Chinch did play a role in the big day for FEI TV commentator John Kyle and Horse & Hound eventing editor Pippa Roome, who were married this past weekend in Pirbright, England.

Though John was slightly alarmed by Chinch’s stunning good looks when they met at Badminton, they quickly became good friends. So when John and Pippa discovered it wasn’t possible to order the custom M&M’s in the UK they wanted for wedding favors, they quickly turned to their favorite chinchilla, who resides in the U.S.

So the M&M’s — which were stamped with a picture of John and Pippa, pretty cool, right? — were purchased here in the States and delivered to my Chinch’s house. He then transported them across the pond and hand delivered them at Luhmühlen, where John provided commentary for FEI TV.

Chinch inspected each M&M upon arrival.

Chinch inspected each M&M and insists he did not eat any.

There you have it, EN. Without Chinch, John and Pippa’s wedding guests would have been deprived of delicious M&M’s. We were honored to be a part of the big day, and John said he gave Chinch a shout out in his speech at the reception. Chinch is blushing.

The wedding featured plenty of eventing-themed touches: Pippa’s retired event horse was a guest of honor, all the tables were named after major three-day events around the world, and the place cards were customized rosettes with each guest’s name.

Many congrats to John and Pippa on tying the knot! You can see some photos Chinch stole from their Facebook pages in the gallery below. And Chinch wants to know why we don’t wear cool hats like that to weddings in the States. Please advise.

 

Maddie Parisan Sticks the Landing at Young Riders

By on Jul 22, 2014 12:00 pm -
Maddie Parisan and Hope to Star. Photo by Maddie Mosing Maddie Parisan and Hope to Star. Photo by Maddie Mosing

Maddie Parisan and Hope to Star had one of four double clear trips on cross country in the CH-Y** this past weekend at Young Riders. Though they unfortunately had to withdraw before show jumping after “Carson” sustained a minor injury on course, Maddie will always have the memories of her fantastic save at the Head of the Lake, which caused numerous problems for the riders in both the CH-Y** and CH-J*. Nice save, Maddie! Go Eventing.

 

Eventer Suzanna Hext Back in the Saddle After Paralyzing Accident

By on Jul 22, 2014 10:31 am -

Here’s your feel-good story of the day courtesy of BBC Spotlight! Suzanna Hext, 25, competed at the two-star level in the UK until a young horse flipped over on her while schooling at home in 2012, paralyzing her in the process. She spent 177 days in the hospital, but never lost sight of her goal to get back in the saddle.

Eight operations and two years later, Suzanna accomplished her goal last week on a sweet gelding named Buster at Lakefield Equestrian Centre. Watching her trotting around like she hasn’t missed a beat definitely gave me goosebumps.

Suzanna has been blogging about her recovery process for Horse & Hound, so you can learn much more about her journey to get back in the saddle by clicking here. Click here to read her emotional blog about finally riding again. Go Suzanna!

[Suzanna Hext’s Blogs for Horse & Hound]

David Ziegler Bursts Into Spotlight as Canada’s Newest Star

By on Jul 22, 2014 9:00 am -
David Ziegler and Critical Decision. Photo by Samantha Clark for PRO. David Ziegler and Critical Decision. Photo by Samantha Clark for PRO.

David Ziegler burst into the spotlight this past weekend at the North American Junior and Young Rider Championships when he medaled in not one but two sports — clinching individual CH-Y** gold in eventing as well as individual silver in dressage.

The individual gold in eventing marks the end of a long quest to get to Young Riders, a goal David set two years ago when he left his home in Alberta, Canada, to become a working student for Missy and Jessica Ransehousen at their Blue Hill Farm in Unionville, Pa.

“I’d had a couple lessons with Missy in Florida a few years ago on my dressage horse, who was eventing at the time,” David said. “It definitely seemed like the program I needed to be in if I wanted to keep eventing him.”

And he did keep eventing that horse, Peninsula Top Man, for about four more months after moving to Pennsylvania in 2012, but he and Missy ultimately decided that “Topper” wasn’t brave enough on cross country to go beyond the junior level.

Though it was a difficult decision to make — especially with David’s goal of Young Riders looming over him — the timing turned out to be ideal, as Missy’s four-star partner Critical Decision was just coming back into work after a hamstring injury at Poplar Place in March 2012 stymied his chances at qualifying for the London Olympics.

“He’d had a list of injuries before that at the higher level as well, so she made the decision at that point that he wasn’t suited for the four-star level,” David said. “He loved cross country so much, so she didn’t want to completely retire him right away. The Intermediate level seemed like a perfect challenge for him since it would keep him happy without causing any further injuries.”

So at 16 years old and after contesting Rolex three times in addition to Burghley and Pau, “BG” became David’s Young Rider mount. David started riding BG in August 2012 while Missy traveled to London to coach the U.S. Paralympic Dressage team, and they clicked right away. The next step became building a partnership.

Games faces on! Coach Missy Ransehousen walks the Young Riders course with David Ziegler. Photo by Samantha Clark for PRO.

Games faces on! Coach Missy Ransehousen walks the Young Riders course with David Ziegler. Photo by Samantha Clark for PRO.

“The biggest challenge has been the dressage because he’s been ridden in a certain way for so long,” David said. “Missy is a lot smaller than I am, so it took a bit of getting used to how much aids to use and where and when to apply them.”

David competed BG for the first time in February at Ocala Horse Properties Winter II Horse Trials. From there, they placed 8th in the CIC2* at Carolina International, 5th in Open Intermediate at Fair Hill in April and 7th in the CIC2* at Jersey Fresh.

When BG, now 18, stepped off the trailer last week in Kentucky, he knew he’d returned to hallowed ground; his best result at Rolex was third in 2008, when BG and Missy jumped double clear on cross country and had one rail down the next day.

“In the dressage, I was really expecting him to go out and have a little more pep in his step,” David said. “He recognizes Kentucky; he lights up. And he rocked around cross country. I thought we might have time faults for going too slow, but he just opened up.”

David and BG led wire-to-wire in the CH-Y**, winning the dressage on a score of 46.3, jumping clear and inside the time on cross country, and knocking three rails in show jumping to still clinch individual gold by five penalty points.

“He’s definitely given me everything I could have asked for,” David said. “Having the ride on him has been a huge learning experience.” With the goal of Young Riders more than accomplished, BG will now officially retire from competing, though he’ll still be kept in a fitness program.

BG’s retirement means David is now focusing on taking Topper to Dressage at Devon this fall, where they’ll compete in Prix St. Georges. He’s also riding two young event prospects for clients at Blue Hill Farm, and his parents have a few young horses back home in Alberta he’s also hoping to bring to the States.

“It’s great having a goal to really strive toward,” David said. “Once you achieve it, you’re a little in limbo trying to see what the next thing is. I’m trying to figure out what I’d like to do next.” At the moment, he has his sights set on representing Canada at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

If that goal plays out anything like his last one, Canadian eventing has a bright future ahead indeed. Congrats to David and Missy on the big win at Young Riders. If you’d like to support the next phase of David’s riding career, he has an SCES account set up here. Go David, and Go Eventing.

PRO’s Samantha Clark spoke to David, Jessica and Missy after dressage in a great interview, which you can watch below. Click over to PRO’s Facebook page here for lots of great photos of David and BG at Young Riders.

Kristen Bond is Having a …

By on Jul 21, 2014 4:03 pm -
Photo by Kirstyn Neunson. Photo by Kirstyn Neunson.

BOY! Kristen and her husband Andrew were originally supposed to find out the big news on Friday, but the announcement ended up being delayed to today. “(Owners) John and Kristie Norton were here this morning when the doctor called,” Kristen said. “I put the call on speaker, and when she said ‘it’s a boy,’ there was a lot of screaming! Can’t wait to start picking out ponies!”

unnamed (5)

Photo by Kirstyn Neunson.

Phillip Dutton will be campaigning her upper-level horses during her pregnancy, which she told us last week when we unveiled the news of her pregnancy. Be sure to click over to this post for much more on Baby Bond, who is due Dec. 21. Many thanks to Kristen for sharing the big news with us.

Frankenhorse Gets Her First Taste of Freedom

By on Jul 21, 2014 3:40 pm -
Freedom!!! Freedom!!!

Happy Monday, EN! In adding the latest progress photos to the gallery below, I can’t help but be shocked at how well Frankenhorse is doing. The wound is shrinking before our eyes faster than any of us ever deemed possible, and I have nothing but good things to report.

In my last update on Day 15, Mia was poised to have her stitches removed and also about to have her first laser treatment courtesy of EN’s sponsor SpectraVET Therapeutic Lasers, who was gracious enough to let me borrow a laser to speed the healing process.

I’m using a  PRO2 control unit with a visible red wound healing probe, as well as a 2000 mW Cluster probe on the muscles around the injury, and it has been nothing short of amazing so far.

It’s super easy to use, and I felt totally confident after reading through the instruction manual. Mia has now had five treatments with the laser. I’ll let the photos of the day after the first (Day 18) and fourth treatment (Day 25) do the talking:

laser

Holy LASER, right? I’ve also been sporadically treating the wound with Equaide. You’ll notice bits of Equaide around the edges of the wound in some of the photos below where it stubbornly refused to come off during cleaning, which is definitely annoying for an OCD wound cleaner like myself.

Since the tissue has been looking healthy, and at my vet Dr. Wade Wisner’s recommendation, I’ve just been using plain ol’ triple antibiotic ointment for the past few days instead of Equaide. I’m absolutely thrilled with how the tissue looks. It’s so cool to look at the photos and see how far we’ve come already.

And Mia is also a happy camper, as she was cleared to leave her stall on Day 20 to hand graze. I’m pleased to report that she has been very polite during her daily hand grazing time — thanks in part to the fact that she’s still on Reserpine — and she looks very sound when she walks to and from her stall, so we’re definitely on the right track.

Nom.

Nom.

As for how we’re keeping her entertained, she rejected the Jolly Ball and slow-feed hay net, but she is now obsessed with three toys: the Amazing Grace Treat Dispenser, Uncle Jimmy’s Hangin’ Balls and the Jolly Stall Snack with Apple Ball.

I tried the Uncle Jimmy’s Hangin’ Ball first, and she proceeded to devour it in about five days. Those things ain’t cheap, and they make her entire face and giant ears super sticky, but I’ll keep using them since she would likely stage a riot otherwise.

The real savior has been the Amazing Grace toy, which fellow Stonewood Farms boarder Amanda Smith let me borrow. Mia figured it out in about two seconds and is now eating all her meals in this toy. We’re also filling it with alfalfa/timothy cubes and treats, and she will play with it all day — and roll it over to you when it’s empty.

She also loves the Jolly Stall Snack toy, which local EN reader Desiree Kile was kind enough to let me borrow. I filled it with an Uncle Jimmy’s Licky Thing, and she’s been having a blast with it too.

As always, see below for a photo of each day since the injury occurred on June 26 through today, Day 26. Thanks again for following along on our journey and for posting so many comments with tips and advice. You rock! #teammia

The Frankenhorse Chronicles:

June 27: How My OTTB Decided to Spend the Summer as Frankenhorse

June 30: The Eventer’s Five Stages of Grief

June 30: Adventures in Catastrophic Wound Care

July 7: Frankenhorse Goes Commando and Other Wound Care Tales

July 10: Christmas Comes Early for Frankenhorse

Balls of Steel Signs On to Sponsor U.S. WEG Team

By on Jul 21, 2014 2:26 pm -
Photo courtesy of Balls of Steel Photo courtesy of Balls of Steel

Balls of Steel — it’s a company that manufactures whiskey and spirit chillers, with a portion of profits benefitting cancer research. And Balls of Steel is also the newest sponsor of the U.S. World Equestrian Games team.

It all started when EN Blogger Contest finalist Wendy Angel suggested in her Round 2 entry that the U.S. WEG team should be sponsored by the company due to the steely nature one’s balls must have to compete at such a high level.

Balls of Steel saw her shout out here on EN and left this comment:

Screen Shot 2014-07-21 at 2.03.50 PM

I pitched the idea of Balls of Steel signing on as a sponsor of the U.S. WEG team, and they LOVED it.

Screen Shot 2014-07-21 at 2.08.18 PM

The six pairs of balls are due to be delivered today. I’ll be bringing the balls to Great Meadows this weekend to hand deliver them to the six members of the squad: Buck Davidson, Phillip Dutton, Sinead Halpin, Boyd Martin, Kim Severson and Lynn Symansky.

So there you have it, EN. Thanks to the power of the Internet, Balls of Steel is the newest sponsor of the U.S. WEG team.

Now it’s your turn to get involved. Go show Balls of Steel some love by checking out their products here and placing an order. It’s a pretty cool company — you can read more about their work to raise testicular cancer awareness here.

Thank you, Wendy, for dreaming up the idea, and thank you, Balls of Steel, for being awesome.

Go Eventing.

Update 10 p.m. EST: In other news, Balls of Steel wins at life. Use coupon code “GO-WEG” at checkout for free U.S. shipping!

Watch Cross-Country Day Thrills and Spills at Aachen

By on Jul 21, 2014 10:30 am -

Trolling YouTube for cross-country videos is a Monday morning EN tradition, and YouTube user Yves Gielen uploaded a great 8-minute video of all the action on Saturday at Aachen. As you’ll see in the video, it was a beautiful day for cross country with lots of spectators out on course. The video starts at the beginning of the course and works around to the end in the main stadium. There are a number of impressive saves, though I especially liked Paul Tapner and Kilronan’s scrappy ride through the angled brushes at about the 7-minute marker. Happy watching, and Go Eventing.

[Aachen Final Scores]

Tamie Smith: NAJYRC Molds the Next Generation

By on Jul 21, 2014 9:00 am -

We’re so grateful to EN guest blogger Tamie Smith for taking us on the journey as a parent with a child competing at NAJYRC. Her daughter, Kaylawna, represented Area VI in the CH-J* and had one rail down in show jumping to finish in 9th individually. Check out Samantha Clark’s photo gallery from show jumping over on the PRO Facebook Page.

Area VI coach Hawley Bennett-Awad with Tamie Smith, center, and Kaylawna, right. Photo by Samantha Clark for PRO.

Area VI coach Hawley Bennett-Awad with Tamie Smith, center, and Kaylawna, right. Photo by Samantha Clark for PRO.

From Tamie:

Kaylawna made me more proud than I could ever have dreamt. She conquered and succeeded this weekend! Not only this weekend but the crazy goal of going from water polo the last four years to qualifying and competing at North American Young Rider Championships without riding before the middle of March!

Her show jumping round was absolutely beautiful. Metro was a bit fatigued after that eight-minute course and had the front rail of the last combination, and Kaylawna really couldn’t have ridden any better. She finished as the only Area VI one-star kid, and her teammates dressed up in their show jumping clothes and walked the course with us. They supported her until the end, and that is truly a wonderful thing.

The grooms worked so hard all weekend, and they equally were amazing. It made the entire experience fantastic, and Lauren, Hawley, and Kim made this all a great experience.

But let’s face it — as a parent, this entire Young Rider experience is complete torture! Why would anyone ever want to put themselves through this much torture voluntarily — because the entire Young Rider experience is like having a child!

You’re excited when you find out they want to go to NAJYRC, then you have the lead up to the competition, which is the duration of your pregnancy, and then you arrive to NAJYRC, and the torture begins! This would be the labor pains … without pain medication! But just when you think “why would anyone ever want to go to NAJYRC?” you finish show jumping and watch what a wonderful growing experience it has been for both yourself as a parent and your child, and you can’t wait to do it again.

That part is in the same category as giving birth. You feel like you’re getting ripped in half, and all of a sudden this little miracle comes out, and you completely forget about any pain you ever had. Now, I do speak from personal experience because I did have Kaylawna by natural child birth, and it feels almost the same — not by choice for the record!

But on a more serious note, if any of the trainers or parents in this country want their kids to learn what real life is about, Young Riders is a good stepping stone. Whether you plan to ride as a professional some day or just want to ride for fun, if your child can qualify and be “ready” to compete with the top riders in our sport, then “we” should do all we can to get them there.

What other weekend can you learn about teamwork, hard work, to be selfless, caring, emotionally and psychically tough, how to dance, meet people from all over North America, and in every shape, size and personality? It’s truly a life-changing experience, and no matter what the outcome, you come away from the week with a new outlook on life.

As Kaylawna’s mom and not her coach — because I honestly think coaching your kid is way too stressful, and thank you Hawley for all your help this weekend — it truly was such a wonderful week!

So the whirlwind continues — as for most of us riders and trainers. I gave my kid a hug a kiss and Metro one too, hugged Team Area VI and ran like crazy to the car where Dave drove very fast to get me to the airport on time. I can’t wait to see my ponies in Kalispell this evening. I miss them all so much. I’m looking forward to a wonderful week competing at one of the best competitions in the country.

Tamie Smith: Show Jumping Day Jitters at Young Riders

By on Jul 20, 2014 7:31 am -

Tamie Smith, mom of Area VI CH-J* rider Kaylawna Smith, has been bringing us updates all week from NAJYRC, and she’s back with a great recap of the competition up to this point. Eventing concludes today with jogs this morning and show jumping starting at 12:30 p.m. Take it away, Tamie! [NAJYRC Results]

Area VI coach Hawley Bennett-Awad walking Kaylawna Smith to the start box. Photo courtesy of Tamie Smith.

Area VI coach Hawley Bennett-Awad walking Kaylawna Smith to the start box. Photo courtesy of Tamie Smith.

From Tamie:

Dressage was perfect! I was so nervous, I could barely handle myself. I’m sure by the end of today, I will have an ulcer and need to squirt a tube of Ulcergard down my throat. As soon as I could talk to Kaylawna and coach her before her test, it was much better. As we were walking into the stadium, I went to say one last thing to Kaylawna and Emily (our vet) looked at me and said, “She’s fine. She’s got this,” and she was right.

Kaylawna went in the ring and rode like a professional. She was accurate and precise and asked her horse just enough to get a brilliant score and lead the dressage with a 45.6. It was so gratifying watching her hard work pay off. During her test, I was so nervous and honestly the most nervous I’ve ever been — I think mostly because of being the mom. It’s incredible how that changes the dynamic!

Eventing had the day off of competition on Friday, and so they were able to go study David O’Connor’s cross-country course, which I’m happy to report looked like a true championship course. I’ve coached at the last five or six Young Riders, and this year and last year really has changed in terms of turning into a more difficult course. As a coach and rider, I think it’s exactly what our sport needs to prepare these kids for the future.

Getting ready for cross country, I felt much more relaxed, but my emotions have had a much different feeling this weekend. Kaylawna is a very good competitor and knows how to handle pressure, but knowing if it will all align is so nerve-racking. Let’s face it, our sport is unpredictable, and you have a lot of factors you’re coping with to assure you have crossed your t’s and dotted your i’s. So the nerves started in full force yesterday morning.

The course immediately started riding tough. I knew if Kaylawna rode well things would go well, but I also knew that having the one-star be an eight-minute course, it would be difficult for Metro to make the time. He’s a big horse, and although he has a big stride, he and the kid don’t have an established relationship quite yet.

Metro in the vet box. Photo courtesy of Tamie Smith.

Metro in the vet box. Photo courtesy of Tamie Smith.

Watching Hawley warm her up was surreal, almost like an out of body experience. I had every emotion run through my body in a matter of 30 minutes. That is a difficult thing to deal with but so eye-opening. Yes, we all know parents are usually crazy, and I have turned into one of those. But wow! It was such an unreal experience. Once again, I went to say something to Kaylawna to give her one last minute advice, and Hawley put her hand on my shoulder and said, “She’s got this,” and she did!

It wasn’t that I had any doubt, I just wanted so badly for it all to happen. As she left the box, I cried, thought of everything from when she got on her first pony to struggling with her as a single mom. I stood in the field and watched as she rode the course with conviction and took care of her horse!

I was very proud, very excited and honestly had the best time watching her navigate a green horse around a tough course. She rode smart and in a steady rhythm. They jumped around clean with time, and I couldn’t have asked for a better result. She truly has shown what a champion she is, and how can you ask for anything more?

Area VI didn’t have the result we were hoping for, but every girl went out of the start box and fought. They supported each other, they handled their disappointed with class, and I really feel like each of these girls have formed a bond they will have forever. The grooms all worked so hard cooling off all of the horses, and watching them all work together was very rewarding.

We spent the night dancing the night away at the competitor party and truly had such a wonderful time with everyone. I haven’t had that much fun in so long! I’m sure pictures and video of crazy outfits and dancing will surface any moment. So today is the final day. Metro jogged up sound and happy yesterday evening. Jogs are first thing this morning, and show jumping starts at 12:30 p.m., so I’m looking forward to watching the results tomorrow.

I can’t thank the entire Area VI team enough for such a good experience for Kaylawna. Watching them all support each other and develop new friendships has been such a wonderful experience.

I don’t envy these coaches/chefs coping and dealing with all of the dynamics of a full Young Rider team. It truly takes a group of individuals who are willing to leave it up with the powers at be to let the everything fall into place, and that is a hard place to be in when things go badly. You’re either a hero or a zero! Area VI Young Riders were all heroes in my opinion. Everyone involved has been super, and that’s what makes the entire experience be amazing no matter the result.

Celebrating a clear cross-country round! Photo courtesy of Tamie Smith.

Celebrating a clear cross-country round! Photo courtesy of Tamie Smith.

3 a.m. update:

It’s the 3 a.m. psycho bug that has entered my brain. The mom nerves have officially kicked in. Show jumping has arrived, and this is where it all happens at Young Riders. Kaylawna will be the only 1* kid jogging for Area VI. Yesterday was one of those unlucky days for Area VI.

The water at the Head of the Lake caused a large part of the trouble, as well as the coffin for the entire division. Numerous falls at the infamous Head of the Lake shattered many dreams for these kids. The kids were jumping in, and the horses looked as though they were stumbling on landing. Some recovered well, and most fell victim to the monster grabbing fetlocks as they landed.

All of the girls who had trouble handled themselves fantastically. They all have been such a great team, and it truly has made the team experience one to remember. Having a good group of kids always keeps the fire alive.

Jogs start at 9 a.m. here in Kentucky. Show jumping will start at approximately 12:30 p.m., and Kaylawna will be 21st in the ring.
Metro or Kaylawna have never galloped a CCI before, let alone on terrain or for eight minutes, so today will be interesting for many.

Going to try and get a little more shut eye and then head to the barns. Sure wish crystal balls were real!

NAJYRC CH-Y** Cross-Country Course Sneak Peek

By on Jul 18, 2014 3:00 pm -
Photo courtesy of Kim Parisan Photo courtesy of Kim Parisan

There’s a pause in the eventing action today at the North American Junior and Young Rider Championships after yesterday’s dressage conclusion, and riders are busy preparing to tackle David O’Connor’s cross-country course. Kim Parisan, mom of Area II CH-Y** team member Maddie Parisan, was kind enough to send in some photos from Area II coach Sinead Halpin’s course walk with the team.

David Ziegler and Critical Decision are leading the CH-Y** on a score of 46.3, with Kaylawna Smith and London Calling OHF leading the CH-J* on 45.6. Ontario is leading the CH-Y** team standings, with Area IV holding the lead in the CH-J*. CH-J* cross country starts at 8 a.m. EST tomorrow, followed by CH-Y** cross country at 11:30 a.m.  EST.

NAJYRC Links: [Website] [Schedule] [CH-Y** Ride Times] [CH-J* Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Sandra Auffarth Holds Aachen Lead, Clark Montgomery in 5th

By on Jul 18, 2014 1:30 pm -
Sandra Auffarth and Opgun Louvo at Aachen in 2013. Photo by Jenni Autry. Sandra Auffarth and Opgun Louvo at Aachen in 2013. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Sandra Auffarth and Opgun Louvo held their morning lead from dressage thanks to a double clear show jumping effort this afternoon in the CICO3* at CHIO Aachen. Time penalties proved to be very influential, with just nine riders jumping clear and inside the time allowed of 84 seconds. Tim Price and Wesko, who are coming off a win at Luhmühlen CCI4* last month, moved up from eighth to second place after jumping one of those clear rounds, staying on their dressage score of 39.8.

Ingrid Klimke and FRH Escada JS moved up from 10th to equal third place after also jumping double clear to stay on 40.2, tied with Thomas Carlile and Quiro Hoy, who jumped clear with one time penalty to move from seventh to fourth place. Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen pulled one rail at fence 6 to drop from third to fifth place on 40.8.

Joseph Murphy and Electric Cruise, Paul Tapner and Kilronan, Peter Thomsen and Horseware’s Cayenne, Andrew Hoy and Rutherglen, Elaine Pen and Undercover, and Harry Meade and Wild Lone — who are hoping to impress selectors this weekend to land a spot on Great Britain’s World Equestrian Games team — also jumped clear and inside the time.

Michael Jung and La Biosthetique Sam FBW pulled an uncharacteristic rail at the second fence and picked up one time penalty to drop from second to sixth place behind Clark and Glen on 41.2. But the German team of Sandra and Opgun Louvo, Michael and Sam, Peter Thomsen and Horseware’s Barny, and Dirk Schrade and Hop and Skip are still handily leading the Nations Cup standings on 124.2. Great Britain and France are neck and neck in second and third places on scores of 136.4 and 137.4, respectively.

Cross country starts at 4 a.m. EST tomorrow morning. It doesn’t look like the live stream will be available according to the broadcast schedule, but if you happen to be awake, it’s worth checking in at this link. In the meantime, click here to take a virtual tour of Rüdiger Schwarz’s cross-country course. Go Aachen.

Aachen Links: [Website] [Schedule] [Live Scores] [Live Stream] [Course Preview]

Screen Shot 2014-07-18 at 1.27.45 PM

Laine Ashker: Looking Ahead to the AECs

By on Jul 18, 2014 12:00 pm -

Laine Ashker is looking ahead after withdrawing Anthony Patch from the holding box at Rolex due to an abscess. She’s decided to return to the American Eventing Championships in Tyler, Texas, to defend her Adequan USEA Gold Cup title. In her newest guest blog, Laine tells us the rationale behind her decision to target the AECs again this year.

Laine Ashker and Anthony Patch at the Fork. Photo by Mike McNally.

Laine Ashker and Anthony Patch at the Fork. Photo by Mike McNally.

From Laine:

It seems like it’s been ages since I galloped across the Red Hills CIC3* finish line after an exhilarating round across the country aboard Anthony Patch. After the let down of Rolex when Al came up with an abscess the week of the event, I began to channel my energy into my younger up-and-coming mounts and let Al have the time he needed to get back on track.

With the pressure off from the World Equestrian Games selection, I am able to freely pick and choose his summer/fall schedule and thoroughly enjoy my horse and our partnership without the stress of constant vet exams, constant training sessions or rigorous fitness schedules. Don’t get me wrong — if I had the chance to represent my country in France this summer, I’d be the first one to don the cashmere beret and pack Al’s Louis Vuitton luggage set, but since that is not written in the stars for us, I’d like to think heading back to Texas at the end of September comes in at a close second.

With the American Eventing Championships being my newfound goal for this year, I plan on doing everything within my power to ready the little bay for a consecutive win at our national championships. His first competition back will be this weekend at Maryland Horse Trials in the Preliminary division followed by the Advanced at Millbrook Horse Trials in beautiful upstate New York in the beginning of August. If all goes as planned, I would love to have one more Advanced run at the Carolina Horse Park in the beginning of September, which will keep both Al and myself fresh and on point for the championships in Tyler.

As much as I would love to win again in Texas, I do realize that horses have a funny way of teaching us as their handlers a great deal of patience, perseverance and humility. As I have grown older in this sport, I have learned that in the long run, it’s not the results that matter but the memories that are made throughout these times that shape us as people and as competitors.

One thing is for sure — I will never forget the smile that decorated my grandfather’s face as I exited the ring after being named the national champion. That my friends, is worth all the blood, sweat and tears it took to achieve such an honor. Until next time folks, sit back, kick on and keep your eyes on the prize! See you in the galloping lane!

Sandra Auffarth Leads After Dressage at Aachen, Clark Montgomery in 3rd

By on Jul 18, 2014 9:00 am -
Sandra Auffarth and Opgun Louvo. Photo by Jenni Autry. Sandra Auffarth and Opgun Louvo. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Dressage just wrapped up for the CICO3* at CHIO Aachen in Germany, and Sandra Auffarth and Opgun Louvo are enjoying familiar territory in first place on a score of 33.8. They also led after dressage last year — and kept the hot streak going through show jumping — to ultimately finish in second place to winners Chris Burton and Holstein Park Leilani.

The 33.8 doesn’t quite best Sandra and Opgun Louvo’s impressive score of 31.8 from last year, but it shows the London Olympic individual bronze medalists are on point at the final event before the German selectors name their team for this summer’s World Equestrian Games.

Sandra’s presumed Normandy teammate Michael Jung and La Biosthetique Sam FBW are hot on her heels with a 36.2 in second place, which just bested their score of 36.4 from last year. Michael also appears on the German long list with fischerRocana FST, who earned a reprieve from running at Aachen after finishing in second place at Luhmühlen CCI4* last month.

Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen, the sole North American combination contesting the event, are in a very comfortable position in third place on 36.8. Clark is familiar with this event after competing last year with Universe on the first U.S. Nations Cup team to ever go to Aachen, and he can put a lot of pressure on Sandra and Michael during this afternoon’s show jumping, as less than a rail separates the top three.

Aachen was far from a dressage show last year when torrential rains soaked the cross-country course, making time penalties an influential factor. Just Burto managed to make the optimum time last year, with ultimate gave him the win. But the forecast currently shows sunny skies for tomorrow, so it should be a very different scenario than last year. It’s going to be a very exciting 24 hours as we cheer on Clark and Glen.

Show jumping starts at 11:45 a.m. EST, so be sure to check back later this afternoon to see how the next phase shakes up the leaderboard. You can follow along with the live stream here courtesy of Clip My Horse TV. Click here to see the live scores, and be sure to check out the course preview here.

Aachen Links: [Website] [Schedule] [Live Scores] [Live Stream] [Course Preview]

All Horses Pass First Inspection at NAJYRC

By on Jul 16, 2014 5:20 pm -
Briggs Surratt and Hat Trick at the jog. Photo by Theresa Bender. Briggs Surratt and Hat Trick at the jog. Photo by Theresa Bender.

All 62 horses passed the first horse inspection this afternoon at the North American Junior and Young Rider Championships in Lexington, Ky.

Just three horses were held. In the CH-Y**, Nicole Doolittle with Tops, last year’s CH-J* individual gold medallists, were sent to the holding box. They passed on re-inspection.

In the CH-J*, Woods Baughman and Truckee Bash of Area VIII and Madeline Backus with P.S. Arianna of Area IX were both held but passed upon re-inspection.

CH-J* dressage starts bright and early tomorrow morning at 7 p.m. EST, followed by CH-Y** dressage at 1 p.m. EST. Stay tuned to EN for much more from NAJYRC.

NAJYRC Links: [Website] [Schedule] [NAJYRC Entry List] [Live Scores]

Golf Carts Gone Wild at NAJYRC

By on Jul 16, 2014 10:30 am -
Area VI is rocking a peace sign design. Photo by Kim Parisan. Area VI is rocking a peace sign design. Photo by Kim Parisan.

Decorating the golf carts is a huge part of the festivities at the North American Junior and Young Rider Championships, and every year the designs seem to get more and more elaborate. Kim Parisan, whose daughter Maddie is competing on the Area II CH-Y** team with Hope to Star, sent in this gallery of photos from last night’s golf cart parade. The competition kicks off today with the first horse inspection for the CH-J* and CH-Y**. Stay tuned throughout the week for much more from NAJYRC.

NAJYRC Links: [Website] [Schedule] [NAJYRC Entry List]

Kristen Bond and Husband Andrew Expecting Their First Child

By on Jul 16, 2014 9:00 am -
Kristen Bond and Seams Ready at Jersey Fresh. Photo by Sally Spickard. Kristen Bond and Seams Ready at Jersey Fresh. Photo by Sally Spickard.

We’re very excited to announce that Kristen Bond and her husband, Andrew Csik, are expecting their first child on Dec. 21. As Kristen so aptly put it, there is a life outside of horses, and after getting married last December, Kristen and Andrew decided to take the plunge into parenthood.

“We’re so excited and lucky it happened so easily,” Kristen said. “I have always loved kids and wanted to have them. It took a long time to find the right person to share that experience with. It’s easy to get caught up in our lives with horses, but it only takes less than a year, and then you’re right back at it.”

Kristen found out she was expecting after returning home to her New Jersey base from Aiken in mid-April, and at that point, she approached Phillip Dutton about campaigning her three upper-level horses during her pregnancy.

“My parents, Ray and Liz, and owners, John and Kristine Norton, have been so supportive,” Kristen said. “I never could have had this opportunity without them. It’s really amazing that they are so keen to see the horses improve and stay competitive with Phillip.”

Kristen stuck with her plan to compete all three horses through Jersey Fresh — though she had to withdraw before cross country due to a nasty bout of the flu that landed her in the hospital — and Phillip had the horses out for the first time this past weekend at Stuart Horse Trials.

Seams Ready, a 2002 Oldenburg gelding owned by the Nortons, finished second in Open Intermediate on 44.7, followed by Get Ready, a 2006 Dutch gelding owned by Ray Bond and the Nortons, in equal third place on 46.1.

Kristen and Andrew will find out the gender on Friday. Photo courtesy of Kristen Bond.

Kristen and Andrew will find out the gender on Friday! Photo by Kirstyn Neunson.

Phillip and I’m Sew Ready, a 10-year-old Dutch gelding owned by the Nortons, were leading the Open Intermediate after dressage on a score of 28.5, but retired on cross country after a “little blip,” as Phillip wrote in his blog. All the horses will be out again at Millbrook at the end of the month, where Kristen will watch them go with Phillip for the first time.

“I’ve never been an owner before,” Kristen said. “It’s so great to enjoy the process and know that at the end of it, I’ll have way better horses. He’s doing me a huge service and making them better every day. It’s a total win-win.”

The plan is for Phillip to ride both I’m Sew Ready and Seams Ready in the CCI3* at the Dutta Corp Fair Hill International this fall, with Get Ready aiming for the CCI2*. Kristen noted she’ll be the “big pregnant lady waddling after her horses” at the event, which will be about two months before her due date.

All three horses will stay in Phillip’s program in Aiken for the winter while Kristen settles into motherhood and works on getting back into shape with her two youngsters, Enough Already, a 2008 Dutch gelding currently going Preliminary, and Born Ready, a 2009 Thoroughbred gelding she bought sight unseen from California through Valerie Ashker.

“It’s strange to go from being fit and competitive, then all of a sudden you’re eating ice cream like it’s the best thing you’ve ever tasted,” Kristen said. “My husband is a conditioning trainer for professional athletes, which works out great because he can get me back into shape.”

The next big milestone in Kristen’s pregnancy happens on Friday when she finds out of she’s expecting a boy or a girl. She’s graciously offered to share the news with EN readers, so be sure to check back on Friday to find out if she’s having a little William Fox-Pitt or Mary King. Congrats, Kristen and Andrew!

Pearl Macgregor Finds a 4 1/2 at Virginia CCI*

By on Jul 15, 2014 3:00 pm -
Go Freddy go! Photos by Brant Gamma Photography. Go Freddy go! Photos by Brant Gamma Photography.

As Pearl Macgregor put it — “Apparently there was more than one save at the Virginia CCI* this spring!” Pearl sent in this priceless photo of her Oh Crap Moment during show jumping with Feruzi. “Freddy” started the round a little backed off, adding a stride between the first two fences, she explained.

“I then should have deviated from my plan of riding fence two to fence three in a forward four strides and sat quiet for the five instead,” Pearl said. “I put my heart and soul into that four-stride line. Too bad we made it down there in 4.5! My horse rarely stops and didn’t consider that an option for a second. In true Freddy form, he kept on truckin’ as though nothing was going wrong at all — just look at those ears!”

What an honest horse! Pearl said she and Freddy pulled themselves together after that jump and finished their round with one rail down, which moved them up from 32nd to finish 15th in the horse’s first CCI*. Many thanks to Brant Gamma Photography for capturing this great moment.

And if you missed last week’s save — which was our most-viewed post of the week! — click here to see Kelsey Wilkins defying gravity at the Virginia CCI*. Have an impressive save to share with us? Send the photo or video to [email protected]. Go Eventing.

Tamie Smith: I’m the Proud Mom of an Area VI NAJYRC Young Rider

By on Jul 15, 2014 1:30 pm -

There is no better way to experience our North American Junior and Young Rider Championships than through the eyes of an eager competitor, or in this case, an eager mom! Tamie Smith’s daughter Kaylawna is competing for the Area VI one-star team, and she’ll be blogging about the experience as a cheerleader from the sidelines. If you’ve been to NAJYRC, you know how special it is, and if you haven’t, we’re hoping to show you through this series of blogs. Kaylawna is also writing for the Area VI blog.

Kaylawna Smith riding in a Buck Davidson clinic last week for her final prep. Photo courtesy of Tamie Smith.

Kaylawna Smith riding in a Buck Davidson clinic last week for her final prep before NAJYRC. Photo courtesy of Tamie Smith.

From Tamie:

I’m the proud mom of a North American Young Rider!

Putting my mom/cheerleader hat on, well, it’s easy to do when you’re involved in a sport that you know nothing about. Going to water polo games and cheering for Kaylawna was easy. Because when she made a goal, I cheered; when she missed a goal, I cheered. I never knew the technique or whether it was her mistake or some girl trying to drown her.

Now I have to balance the coaching and training role, with the mom role, which is difficult. I actually find it very conflicting to coach my kid because we have such an emotional tie. How do you not choke her when she rolls her eyes at you or talks back when she’s frustrated? The very things one of my students would never do to me, however, I am sure they do to their parents sometimes. Although I am lucky to have a very good kid who does respect her elders, it can still be a bit challenging!

When Kaylawna came to me the middle of March and said, “Mom, I want to try and go to Young Riders this year,” I honestly thought she was a little unrealistic. Of course, I never said that; however when she put her mind to get qualified and compete at the North American Young Rider Championships, she did it!

She was determined and had to work harder than most due to her not riding the last four years. She has been competing a young green horse and needed to develop a partnership with this gentle giant in order to get where she wanted to go and that was NAJYRC, and I am happy to say, they have arrived!

Waking up at 5:30 a.m. every morning and going to work for my dressage trainer Niki Clarke and show jumping instructor Allen Clarke, she rode a lot of horses, groomed and did usual barn chores. Then she came to my barn and rode a few horses including Metro and helped do afternoon chores. It was challenging, and she had a difficult time some days working long hours, but it proves that with hard work, you can achieve a difficult task. With determination, you can honestly get to places you never imagined!

I can’t even describe to you how proud I am of her, and as this week becomes one of the most memorable weeks of her riding career, I really hope that the stars align and her hard work pays off. Some might say, and I’ve actually heard them say, she doesn’t deserve to be at championships because she just was handed a horse and got to go. But I am someone who truly believes you can’t appreciate what you haven’t earned — Kaylawna has earned her place in Kentucky!

What happens will happen, but I believe in her true grit, and that’s a hard thing to acquire! Lucky for her, she has it, and no matter the result, I’m just going to cheer and keep that mom/cheerleader hat on and coach her for the few minutes she needs before she goes into the ring!

Only one more day until we arrive in Kentucky! Let’s go Area VI Young Riders!

Hayley Smith: In Loving Memory of Joey Darby

By on Jul 15, 2014 12:00 pm -

We’re very sad to report that Joey Darby died yesterday morning after battling lung cancer. A much-loved personality in the hunter and eventing communities, he helped riders like Phillip Dutton, Will Faudree, Charlie Plumb and Mike Plumb in the show jumping ring. Joey was a familiar face at Charlie’s farm in Southern Pines, N.C., and his barn manager Hayley Smith sent in this touching tribute. Rest in peace, Joey.

Photo via "In Honor of Joey Darby" Facebook page

Photo via “In Honor of Joey Darby” Facebook page

From Hayley:

Beloved trainer, rider and judge Joey Darby passed away from cancer yesterday morning surrounded by his closest friends and family. Joey was a true legend in the horse world in many areas, whether it be judging the pony finals at Devon, coaching someone at Fair Hill or piloting a beautiful round to win in a hunter derby. It is hard to say what he has done for our farm and the people here, but I will try my best to touch on a few things.

I met Joey through Charlie Plumb, whom I started working for in 2006. “Joe” had always been Charlie’s go to person for jumping, and his lessons were truly something out of this world. The knowledge he would share with us through just a few sessions was incredible, and through this, we became good friends. We would always look forward to “Joey Days,” where he would come and spend the morning with us and teach.

He helped us with so many tough horses and transformed them. He was tough in how he taught, but never unfair and always honest. I’ll never forget, in my first lesson, he called me over and said quite frankly, “Hayley, why in the hell are you riding that horse like you would drive a wheelbarrow? Pick your hands up and sit down.” He lived for setting up what seemed like impossible exercises for us to maneuver and making us uncomfortable. The bigger our eyes got, the more cheerful he became. After a Joey lesson, you felt like you should have made the team that year.

It has become so apparent to me how loved and how special Joey was to so many. Hunter legends from across the country came to visit, along with so many respected riders of Southern Pines. There are little reminders of Joe all over our farm. From the little tomato plant he grew beside our wash stall, to the half bottle of hair gel he would use to tame my horse’s “swordfish manes,” to the little bamboo poles he made to put over the fences to tighten the legs of a sloppy jumper, he is still here.

He will be forever missed but never forgotten. He was a dear friend to us, and the heartache is all over the States today. Bye for now, to our mentor, friend and team member. From now on, we ride for Joey.

[In Honor of Joey Darby Facebook Page]

USEF Cracks Down on ‘Negative’ Facebook Comments

By on Jul 15, 2014 9:00 am -
Screenshot via USEF's website Screenshot via USEF's website

The United States Equestrian Federation looks to be taking a page from British Eventing’s book in its list of administrative penalties for June, which issued fines to two USEF judges for comments made last year on Facebook.

The penalty text reads:

JIMMY TORANO of Southwest Ranches, FL violated Chapter 7, GR702.1d of this Federation, in connection with the 2013 USHJA Pre-Green Incentive Championship held on August 14 – 15, 2013, where he was engaged to judge, in that following the first day of the championship, he added negative comments to a thread on Facebook regarding the format of the inaugural pre-green incentive championship, developed by USHJA. For this violation, it was determined that JIMMY TORANO be censured pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1a and fined $500 pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.1j.

The Chronicle of the Horse published an excellent summary of the whole debacle. Torano, a USEF R judge, was actually responding to a Facebook comment made by Don Stewart, who only judged the first day of the pre-green championship, according to COTH.

When “no one would listen” to Stewart’s concerns about the format — which required horses to jump two classes on the first day, leading to the judges tracking scores for more than 200 rounds — and lines he thought were set with poor distances, he took to Facebook to air his grievances.

Here’s the text of  the USEF rule cited in the penalty (Chapter 7, GR702.1d): “A violation is any act prejudicial to the best interests of the Federation, including but not limited to the following: Acting or inciting or permitting any other to act in a manner contrary to the rules of the Federation, or in a manner deemed improper, unethical, dishonest, unsportsmanlike or intemperate, or prejudicial to the best interests of the sport and the Federation.”

Stewart has hired an attorney and plans to fight the administrative penalty, according to COTH, while Torano has accepted the censure and fine, though he’s still speaking out about the implications these sanctions have for free speech:

“I think it worries everybody,” Torano told COTH. “Whatever happened to freedom of speech? There’s no freedom of speech if you can’t say how you feel. We’re trying to do what we can to make the sport better. We’re not judging these events for the money. I do it to give back to the sport. We’re giving back, but then we’re being punished. It’s a little bit of a slap in the face.”

Be sure to read the full story over on COTH for more quotes from both Torano and Stewart. It goes without saying that this is a particularly disconcerting move from the USEF in light of British Eventing’s recent adoption of a social media policy that virtually silences its members.

Will this administrative penalty prompt other USEF officials to zip their lips instead of speak out about issues that impact both horse and human welfare in competitions? Weigh in with a comment below.

[USEF Censures And Fines Torano Over Facebook Post]