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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

How to Watch Luhmühlen CCI4* Show Jumping

By on Jun 15, 2014 7:14 am -
The ring is being dragged for CCI4* show jumping! Photo by Jenni Autry. The ring is being dragged for CCI4* show jumping! Photo by Jenni Autry.

It’s almost go time at Luhmühlen CCI4*! The entire field of 31 horses is jumping in reverse order, so it will be a nail-biting finish as we work down toward the top 10, where Boyd Martin is sitting in seventh place with Shamwari 4 and Phillip Dutton sits in fifth with Mighty Nice. Michael Jung holds the lead with fischerRocana FST on 41.5, and the top four are separated by less than a rail. This mare pulled three rails at Boekelo CCI3* last fall, so show jumping is not her stronge phase.

Mighty Nice is a good show jumper, but he gets easily excited in this phase, so Phillip will have to work to keep him quiet and focused in order to leave the poles in the cups. Boyd Martin is still getting to know Shamwari 4 and hasn’t done much show jumping on him at all. But their new partnership has blossomed thus far this weekend, and they’re one final phase away from making a very strong case for the World Equestrian Games team. He’s also in 16th with Otis Barbotiere.

You can watch the exciting finale live on FEI TV, which is already streaming now with highlights from cross country. Unfortunately, my phone refuses to connect to the wifi here on the grounds today, so I won’t be able to live tweet as planned barring a technological miracle. But I’ll be back just as soon as show jumping concludes to bring you the full report, photos and videos. Go Luhmühlen.

Luhmühlen Links: [Website] [Live Scores] [EN’s Luhmühlen Coverage] [@eventingnation] [EN’s Instagram] 

Luhmühlen Final Horse Inspection Photo Gallery

By on Jun 15, 2014 6:57 am -
Michael Jung and fischerRocana FST at Luhmühlen. Photo by Jenni Autry. Michael Jung and fischerRocana FST at Luhmühlen. Photo by Jenni Autry.

We’re just about 30 minutes away from the start of CCI4* show jumping at Luhmühlen. As we already reported earlier this morning, all 31 horses passed the final horse inspection. Enjoy these photos from the jog as we count down to the exciting four-star finale here in Germany.

Benjamin Winter Honored in Commemoration Ceremony at Luhmühlen

By on Jun 15, 2014 5:45 am -
Benjamin Winter's commemoration ceremony. Photo by Thomas Ix. Benjamin Winter's commemoration ceremony. Photo by Thomas Ix.

Luhmühlen held a commemoration ceremony in honor of Benjamin Winter this morning before the start of the CIC3* show jumping. All competitors, coaches, grooms and officials gathered in the main arena, with all the spectators lining the rails. Breido Graf zu Rantzau, president of the German Equestrian Federation, spoke first with a tribute to Benjamin in German, and Chris Bartle, coach of the German eventing team, followed. Chris’ comments in English begin at the 2:30 mark in the video below.

A transcript of Chris Bartle’s comments:

“We have yesterday lost a talented young rider and, above all, a friend and a fun-loving guy who had decided to make horse sport and, in particular eventing, his life. Ben had come on Wednesday fit and ready with two super horses, also fit and ready. His goal was to achieve his ambition to ride the four-star in Luhmühlen in front of his home crowd.

“We had breakfast together; I left him to go prepare. He made one of his usual funny remarks, which made us all laugh. I watched him with pride, as I’m sure did his trainer Rüdiger Schwarz, as he rode a copybook round on his first ride, Wild Thing. He came back from that ride so happy and pleased with what his longstanding partner had achieved.

“Ben returned to the stables to prepare for his next ride. His family, friends and fellow riders close to him in the squad have all told me how happy he was. But Ben was also such a cool customer — a trainer’s dream. He set off on his next ride and again rode superbly, enjoying a great feeling on his championship horse, until his fatal fall took him away from us.

“We are all shocked and in deep sadness at our loss, and our thoughts at this time are very much with Ben’s family and his very close friends. But we can also be strong. We can also hold our heads up high in the knowledge that Ben lost his life doing what he so much wanted to do. The sport of eventing was his life, his passion.

“We as a large sporting family stand here together now this afternoon. We continue the competion, sure in the knowledge that it would be Ben’s wish, as well as that of his family. We dedicate our performance today to the memory of Ben. Please now stand for a minute’s silence.”

All Horses Pass Final Inspection on Somber Morning at Luhmühlen

By on Jun 15, 2014 4:57 am -
Phillip Dutton and Otis Barbotiere. Photo by Jenni Autry. Phillip Dutton and Otis Barbotiere. Photo by Jenni Autry.

A brilliant morning here in Germany is darkened by the death of Benjamin Winter, which weighs heavily on the hearts of all of us in attendance at Luhmühlen today. The flags surrounding the main arena have been lowered to half-mast in memory of Benjamin, and the day started with a moment of silence in his honor before the CIC3* horse inspection began. A commemoration ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. local time before the CIC3* show jumping begins.

Flags at half-mast in honor of Benjamin Winter. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Flags at half-mast in honor of Benjamin Winter. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Officials and riders met last night to discuss whether the competition should continue today. Benjamin’s mother, Sybille Winter, spoke on his behalf, saying he would have wanted the competition to continue: “Benjamin lived for the sport and, he was so looking forward to be competing in the CCI4*.” Based in large part on her support, the competition is continuing today under the amended schedule with the moment of silence and commemoration ceremony.

Phillip Dutton and Mighty Nice. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Phillip Dutton and Mighty Nice. Photo by Jenni Autry.

All 31 horses that presented at the final horse inspection for the CCI4* passed. Just two were held: Anna Hasso’s mount Clover and Peter Flarup’s mount CTS Twin Peaks. Poor Anna looked rather lame, and her groom jogged the horse upon representation. Both Clover and CTS Twin Peaks were ultimately accepted by the ground jury.

Phillip Dutton once again jogged Boyd Martin’s Otis Barbotiere and Shamwari 4, in addition to Mighty Nice. Boyd said his leg is holding up well after taking two horses around the four-star track yesterday, and having Phillip jog is mostly to avoid Boyd looking lame next to a sound horse. As Anna proved in the case of Clover being sent to the holding box, a limping rider is not ideal at a final horse inspection.

Phillip Dutton and Shamwari 4. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Phillip Dutton and Shamwari 4. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Benjamin’s commemoration ceremony is set to start in about 10 minutes. I will be back with a full report after, as well as more photos from the final horse inspection. It’s also notable here that everyone here at Luhmühlen is also devastated about the death of Jordan McDonald at Nunney Horse Trials yesterday. Riders competing all over the world today will be wearing black armbands in memory of both Benjamin and Jordan.

Luhmühlen Links: [Website] [Live Scores] [EN’s Luhmühlen Coverage] [@eventingnation] [EN’s Instagram] 

Jordan McDonald Passes Away After Fall at Nunney Horse Trials

By on Jun 14, 2014 12:36 pm -
Jordan McDonald and Prince Mayo at Bromont last year. Photo by Jenni Autry. Jordan McDonald and Prince Mayo at Bromont last year. Photo by Jenni Autry.

British Eventing has confirmed that Canadian Jordan McDonald passed away today following a fatal accident in the Novice section — which is the equivalent of Preliminary level in the U.S. — at Nunney Horse Trials in Somerset, England. The event officials confirmed earlier today that the accident was a rotational fall. His horse, Only Me, was not injured.

BBC reported that South Western Ambulance Service was called to the scene, where Jordan was unconscious and not breathing. He was taken to Bath’s Royal United Hospital; tragically, he could not be revived. The horse trials were suspended following the accident. No further information has been released at this time.

We are numb with shock and heartbroken for Shandiss and Jordan’s family. Shandiss and Jordan, 30, had been married for one year and were based together in Leicestershire, England.

The news comes just hours after Benjamin Winter passed away from fatal injuries sustained during a rotational fall at Luhmühlen. Our thoughts and prayers are with all who knew and loved Jordan, as well as all our dear friends in Canada who lost one of their own today.

Rest in peace, Jordan.

Update 3:22 p.m. EST: Graeme Thom, chair of Canadian Eventing High Performance Committee, released the following statement: “The entire Canadian Eventing community is devastated by this tragic event. I have known Jordan as a great friend for over a dozen years and also as a member of our national team program. My heart goes out to Shandiss, his lovely wife, and deepest love to his fantastic parents, caring siblings and all relations. I extend my sincerest condolences and equally those of our entire Canadian eventing family.”

Posted earlier on Eventing Nation:

This day will be remembered as the darkest in recent eventing history. A Canadian rider fatality is being reported out of Nunney Horse Trials in Somerset, England, the London Evening Standard reports.

A statement given to the Standard reads: “We regretfully announce a Canadian rider has been killed as a result of a rotational fall during the cross-country section. Due to this serious incident, the remaining sections’ trials have been cancelled for the day.”

Nunney has not yet confirmed the identity of the rider or the status of the horse involved in the accident. Our thoughts and prayers are with our great neighbors to the north during this terrible time.

Capt. Mark Phillips: ‘Where Do We Go From Here?’

By on Jun 14, 2014 12:21 pm -
Benjamin Winter and Wild Thing Z at the first horse inspection. Photo by Jenni Autry. Benjamin Winter and Wild Thing Z at the first horse inspection. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Luhmühlen just held a press conference to address the tragic death of Benjamin Winter after his rotational fall in the CCI4* this afternoon. Much of the press conference was held in German, and the press office is working on an English translation. In the meantime, here are direct quotes from course designer Capt. Mark Phillips, FEI Safety Officer David O’Connor, Gillian Rolton of the ground jury and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Annette Lorey-Tews in the order in which they were made.

Capt. Phillips spoke first: “Personally, I feel sick to my stomach. We had a course that a lot of people thought was easier than last year. We had perfect conditions, great footing, a sunny day — but we had too many falls. Six rider falls, two horse falls — it’s too many.  One of the problems today was that most of (the falls) were at easy fences. Ben Winter’s fence was a straightforward fence that has been there for five years. The oxers at five and six are straightforward fences.When we get these bad accidents at simple, straightforward fences, it’s worrying. Where do we go? What do we do? It’s when riders don’t respect the fences enough that they make a mistake, and nobody wanted a mistake to be made today.”

David O’Connor spoke next: “It is of great importance for us to realize the gravity of this. All the organizations involved in the sport take the job very seriously to minimize the risk aspect from all parameters, from all the fences to the course design to education to qualifications — so much has been worked on in the past years. Moments like these take us back to a time to reflect. As human beings, we choose to do sports, and sometimes we choose a sport with greater risk. Nobody who steps in a stirrup on a day like this expects, plans for or thinks of any type of accident. This is a tragic accident, and there’s no way to take the risk away. It’s impossible. There’s no way to make the sport safer than life itself.”

Capt. Phillips then addressed the history of falls at this fence: “There have been two falls there in the German Championships (in past years) — Andreas Ostholt and Andreas Dibowski. One over jumped and the other was similar to what happened today. … It’s a fence that riders need to take back and give the horse time to jump it. I spoke to Chris Bartle (coach of the German eventing team) earlier today, and he said exactly that to Ben Winter when he walked the course with him. Unfortunately, Ben didn’t do that, and he’s paid an unacceptable price.”

Gillian Rolton, a member of the ground jury, then spoke about Benjamin’s ride on Ispo up until the point of the fall: “We were sitting in control. We watched Ben’s first ride. He went around clear, and he jumped well around the course on his first horse. He’d already jumped that fence once. On the second horse, he was traveling around the course; he was going forward. He looked to be balanced through the fences. We only saw that particular moment when he was on the ground; we didn’t see anything to indicate that that was going to happen before that moment.”

Chief Medical Officer Dr. Annette Lorey-Tews spoke last. English is not her first language, so this is a rough summary of her comments: “It was an unlucky accident. He fell face first, and there was bleeding in his brain. We tried to save him here and give him intubation in the helicopter going to the hospital. We could not save his life.”

The press team is working very hard to translate the rest of the comments made at the press conference into English. It goes without saying that everyone is in shock, and the mood is extremely somber here at Luhmühlen as Germany mourns one of their own. There are just no words to summarize the terrible nature of this tragedy.

Benjamin Winter Killed in Rotational Fall at Luhmühlen

By on Jun 14, 2014 10:32 am -
Ben Winter and Ispo. Photo by Jenni Autry. Ben Winter and Ispo. Photo by Jenni Autry.

It’s with unspeakable sadness that we can confirm that Benjamin Winter was killed in a rotational fall from Ispo at fence 20 on cross country today at Luhmühlen. The event officials have released the following statement:

“It is with the deepest regret and sadness that we announce that Benjamin Winter (GER) suffered a fatal accident while competing at the CCI**** in Luhmühlen.

“On behalf of the whole sport, we would like to extend our deepest sympathy to Benjamin’s family. The horse and rider had a rotational fall at fence number 20. The horse was uninjured.

“At every FEI event, the maximum consideration is given to the safety and welfare of horses and competitors. The causes of this accident will be further investigated by all parties.”

The official cause of death has not yet been released. A press conference is scheduled to be held shortly, at which time we will have more information.

Benjamin was sitting in 12th place with his other ride, Wild Thing Z. An up-and-coming young rider for Germany, Benjamin, just 26 years old, was trying to complete his first CCI4* at Luhmühlen this weekend.

Eventing Nation extends our deepest condolences to Benjamin’s family and friends, as well as the extended German eventing family. Words cannot express how terribly sorry we are on this tragic day. Rest in peace, Benjamin.

Update 5:40 p.m. local time: The Chief Medical Officer has confirmed that Benjamin passed away due to severe head trauma. The medics tried to revive him at the scene and in the helicopter on the way to Borberg, a clinic in Hamburg that specializes in head injuries. He was pronounced dead upon arriving at the hospital.

Michael Jung and fischerRocana FST Take the Luhmühlen Lead

By on Jun 14, 2014 10:18 am -
Michael Jung and fischerRocana FST. Photo by Jenni Autry. Michael Jung and fischerRocana FST. Photo by Jenni Autry.

After cross country, Michael Jung is leading the Luhmühlen CCI4* on fischerRocana FST, a 9-year-old mare contesting her first four-star, not that this should surprise any of us. He set out looking very determined to go double clear as the final pair on course and did just that, coming home inside the time with a lovely trip to stay on their dressage score of 41.5. Overnight leaders Lucinda Fredericks and Flying Finish parted ways just a few rides before at 22a, leaving room for Michael and Rocana to sail into first.

Tim Price and Wesko. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Tim Price and Wesko. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Tim Price and Wesko are sitting in second place on 43.8 after also going clear inside the time — though it took a lot of flip flopping before they were finally confirmed as clear. There was a dispute as to whether he jumped inside the flags at 10, the skinny brushes in the main arena. He was originally assessed as clear and then given 20 penalties before the ground jury ultimately removed the stop. Watch the video below to see their trip through the combination in question.

Bettina Hoy and Designer 10 moved up two spots to third place on 44.5 after jumping clear with 1.2 time penalties, and she gave the horse huge pats and praise after he skipped through the main arena. Oliver Townend and Black Tie moved up to fourth place thanks to jumping one of the 10 double clear rounds to remain on their dressage score of 45.0. Phillip Dutton and Mighty Nice also had a fantastic double clear to round out the top five on 46.0. Click over to this post for a breakdown of all the Team USA rides, as well as an interview with Phillip and Boyd Martin, who is sitting in 7th and 17th with Shamwari 4 and Otis Barbotiere.

Bettina Hoy and Designer 10. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Bettina Hoy and Designer 10. Photo by Jenni Autry.

The day has not been without tragedy, unfortunately. We’ve already reported that Liberal sadly passed away after fence 7 after suffering a presumed aortic rupture; click over to this post for more information and quotes from Tom Crisp and Will Connell. Georgie Spence and WII Limbo took a nasty spill at fence 5, a big open oxer set with frangible pins. Unfortunately, course designer Capt. Mark Phillips confirmed that the post broke instead of the pins, which made the fall a lot worse than it should have been. The horse walked away just fine, but Georgie broke her collarbone and will undergo surgery at the local hospital.

Oliver Townend and Black Tie. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Oliver Townend and Black Tie. Photo by Jenni Autry.

We are still awaiting word on the condition of Benjamin Winter, who was knocked unconscious following a rotational fall with Ispo at fence 20. It looked like he missed his distance, and the horse added a stride, leaving a leg and flipping. The horse was up and OK right away, and Benjamin was taken to the local hospital for further evaluation. Lucinda’s fall was also pretty scary, but she reported on Twitter that she is OK and escaped with just a minor concussion. We will update you on Benjamin’s condition just as soon as we have more information.

Boyd Martin and Shamwari 4. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Boyd Martin and Shamwari 4. Photo by Jenni Autry.

In all, 32 of the 47 riders completed the course. Thirteen riders had at least one refusal, and seven riders retired on course. Eight pairs were eliminated on course due to falls; six were riders falls, with Benjamin and Georgie’s mounts suffering the two horse falls. I have lots of photos and videos uploading now, so keep checking back for much more from Luhmühlen. You can also click over to my live updates thread for a play-by-play of all the action. Go Luhmühlen.

Luhmühlen Links: [Website] [Live Scores] [EN’s Luhmühlen Coverage] [@eventingnation] [EN’s Instagram] 

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Boyd Martin, Phillip Dutton Pilot Rides Into Top 7 at Luhmühlen

By on Jun 14, 2014 8:56 am -
Boyd Martin and Shamwari 4. Photo by Jenni Autry. Boyd Martin and Shamwari 4. Photo by Jenni Autry.

What a day! At the conclusion of cross country at Luhmühlen, Phillip Dutton is sitting in the top five with Mighty Nice, and Boyd Martin is sitting seventh with Shamwari 4 and 17th with Otis Barbotiere thanks to clear rounds on all three. Both Mighty Nice and Shamwari 4 went inside the time, two of the 10 horses to accomplish that feat today. Otis also had a cracking round with 6.8 time penalties in his first major competition back since the 2012 London Olympics.

Boyd and Otis were first out for Team USA and just third out for the day. Kai Ruder and Gryffindor 9, the first pair on course, had a stop at the skinny at 10b in the main arena and retired soon after on course. But Boyd and Otis made quick work of this combination when they came through, as you’ll see in the video below. Due to breaking his leg, Boyd has only ridden Otis at one Intermediate this year, and Phillip took the horse Advanced once, so the clear is definitely nothing to sneeze at.

Boyd did say Otis was tired toward the end of the course, so he eased off the gas then, hence the time penalties. But the clear round moved them away up the leaderboard, as they were sitting in 33rd place after Otis’ naughty antics during Thursday’s dressage test. He’s certainly redeemed himself now, and a good show jumping round tomorrow in what is generally the horse’s best phase would be the cherry on top of what has already been a very sweet weekend.

Phillip Dutton and Mighty Nice. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Phillip Dutton and Mighty Nice. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Shamwari 4 was out next for Team USA, and my oh my — this horse is a rock star. He looked keen and bold and seemed to hit every jump out of stride, making a course that didn’t exactly ride easily today look like a walk in the park. Boyd said after that it was one of the smoothest, nicest cross country rounds he’s ever ridden, and it’s obvious the horse loves his job. He gave a nod to Mr. Myagi, AKA Big Phil, since he did a lot of the leg work this spring to get him ramped up with Boyd sidelined.

Phillip was the third and final ride of the day for Team USA with Mighty Nice, and he had a really lengthy hold on course due to back-to-back falls from Lucinda Fredericks and Benjamin Winter. But Happy handled the hold well and settled right back into a groove. He really rose to the occasion today in what is definitely the biggest course he’s seen to date. While Phillip said he’s still “greenish” to the level, Happy really stepped up on a day when it counted.

And on that note, Boyd and Phillip are just a show jumping round away from being named to the World Equestrian Games team with these horses. The performances today were just too impressive for the selectors to ignore, and Boyd and Phillip did exactly what they needed to do today to keep their WEG hopes alive. Tomorrow is going to be a nail-biter for more reasons than one. Stay tuned for much more from Luhmühlen.

Luhmühlen Links: [Website] [Live Scores]  [EN’s Luhmühlen Coverage] [@eventingnation] [EN’s Instagram] 

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Liberal Dies After Presumed Aortic Rupture at Luhmühlen

By on Jun 14, 2014 8:13 am -
Tom Crisp and Liberal in dressage yesterday. Photo by Jenni Autry. Tom Crisp and Liberal in dressage yesterday. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Luhmühlen officials have confirmed that Liberal, a 15-year-old gelding owned by Clare and David Comey and ridden by Tom Crisp, died following a presumed aortic rupture after fence 7. After the jump, the horse appeared to start staggering to the right and collapsed in front of fence 11. The screens were up within seconds, and the horse was taken away in an ambulance. The vets have now confirmed in a press conference held immediately after cross country that the horse passed away within seconds of collapsing.

Tom, who was not injured when the horse fell, attended the press conference to speak about what happened: “He was in high spirits today and set off well,” Tom said. “The course is fantastic, and the going is good. We had just jumped fence 7, and he didn’t feel right behind. I went to circle him and pull up, and then he collapsed shortly after that. We’re all very said, and it’s going to be a tough day.”

Will Connell, the chef de mission of the British eventing team, also attended the press conference and thanked the organizers for their very prompt response when Liberal went down: “It happened very early in the course before the three-minute marker. It had nothing to do with the fence. It was one of those very sad, regretful instances that happens in life.”

The EN team extends our condolences to Tom, Clare, David and all who knew and loved Liberal. Tom was very shaken up at the press conference, and it was very touching that he attended to speak on behalf of his parter of 10 years who unfortunately was taken from us too soon. Rest in peace, Liberal.

Stay tuned for much more from Luhmühlen.

Luhmühlen CCI4* Live Cross Country Updates

By on Jun 14, 2014 2:30 am -
Boyd Martin, Phillip Dutton and David O'Connor discuss the line to 27bc. Photo by Jenni Autry. Boyd Martin, Phillip Dutton and David O'Connor discuss the line to 27bc. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Guten morgen from Luhmühlen! We’re about 30 minutes out from the start of cross country, and it’s a brisk, chilly morning with a light drizzle falling on and off — perfect conditions for the horses. Kai Ruder and Gryffindor 9 are first on course at 9:02 a.m. local time, 3:02 a.m. EST. Ride times for our American pairs are as follows:

Boyd Martin and Otis Barbotiere: 9:14 a.m./3:14 a.m. EST
Boyd Martin and Shamwari 4: 11:50 a.m./5:50 a.m. EST
Phillip Dutton and Mighty Nice: 12:18 p.m./6:18 a.m. EST

You can follow along with the action on FEI TV, which will stream live the duration of cross country. If you don’t have an FEI TV subscription, follow my live updates on Twitter at @eventingnation. I’ll also be updating this post with info on how our Americans fare, as well as the top riders after dressage.

Lucinda Fredericks and Flying Finish are leading on 38.7, followed by Michael Jung and fischerRocana FST in second place on 41.5, and Ingrid Klimke and Horseware Hale Bob in third on 42.0. Phillip and Happy are in 10th on 46.0, and Boyd is in 12th and 33rd places with Shammie and Otis on scores of 47.8 and 58.5, respectively.

Check out our preview of all the fences on Capt. Mark Phillips’ course here. And be sure to check back later in the day for photos, videos, interviews and the full report on all the action on cross-country day at Luhmühlen. Best wishes to all horses and riders for safe trips. Go Eventing.

Luhmühlen Links: [Website] [Live Scores] [Start Times] [Dressage Results] [Course Preview] [EN’s Luhmühlen Coverage] [@eventingnation] [EN’s Instagram] 

9:27: Boyd Martin and Otis Barbotiere were initially reported as having a runout at 18a, but the announcement was retracted. Clear with 6.8 time penalties. Well done, Boyd!

9:47: Course is riding very well overall. We’ve had one double clear so far from Benjamin Winter and Wild Thing Z.

9:50: Lovely clear round from Elaine Pen and Vira, who were in fourth after dressage. She adds just 4.8 time. This was our Best ERMAHGERD Face winner from the Wednesday jog. EN karma!

10:06: Capt. Mark Phillips said he is pleased with how the course is riding so far, but it’s still very early in the day. Also, this happened:

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10:19: There have been two falls so far: Craig Nicolai from Just Ironic at fence 6 and Lisa Sabbe from GQ at the big corner at 9b in the main arena. Both riders got right up and are OK.

10:34: The big corner at 10b in the main arena is definitely causing most of the problems so far. There have been four refusals and one fall.

10:42: Tim Price and Wesko bring home the second double clear of the day to take the provisional lead.

10:46: Georgie Spence and WII Limbo took a nasty spill at fence 5, a big open oxer. Both rails had pins, but they did not release when the horse hit the jump. The medics are treating Georgie. We have a hold on course and are awaiting word on her condition. No word on the horse’s status yet.

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10:52: Georgie Spence is bring reported as conscious and able to move her legs. The horse is OK. She is being transported to the hospital.

11:12: William Fox-Pitt has withdrawn Cool Mountain before cross country. They were in sixth place after dressage.

11:14: Andreas Ostholt and So Is Et fly across the finish line in just 10:58 to become our third double clear.

11:29: Oliver Townend and Black Tie are the fourth double clear!

11:30: Capt. Phillips confirmed that the post broke instead of the frangible pins at fence 5 when Georgie fell.

11:36: Chris Burton had a comical fall off the back of Tempranillo when she scrambled over the top of the Jeep corner at 19b. He went for a swim and was up right away and laughing.

11:45: Lara de Leidekerke and Quella Langonnaise are our sixth double clear.

11:52: Tom Crisp and Liberal fell after fence 7. The screens went up almost immediately. The vets are attending to the horse now. Tom is up and OK.

11:56: The horse ambulance has been brought to the scene. Boyd and Shamwari were to be next on course and he has dismounted during the hold.

12:16: We’re back underway and Boyd and Shamwari are clear so far.

12:18: Boyd Martin and Shamwari are the seventh double clear! USA! USA! USA!

12:28: Phillip Dutton and Mighty Nice are on course now and clear through the main arena.

12:34: Lucinda Fredericks had a bad fall from Flying Finish at 22a. She is up and OK. Phillip has been held on course.

12:36: Phillip was held again when Benjamin Winter and Ispo had a very scary fall at fence 20. The horse was up and OK right away. We are awaiting word on his condition.

12:48: Double clear for Phillip Dutton and Mighty Nice! Into third place!

12:56: Double clear for Michael Jung and fischerRocana FST to take the overnight lead. Phillip and Mighty Nice are in fourth, Boyd and Shamwari 4 in sixth, and Boyd and Otis in 15th. Stay tuned for the full report!

Five Dressage Finale Thoughts from Luhmühlen

By on Jun 13, 2014 2:52 pm -
Lindsey Taylor and Shamwari 4 at Luhmühlen. Photo by Jenni Autry. Lindsey Taylor and Shamwari 4 at Luhmühlen. Photo by Jenni Autry.

1. The spectators practically rushed the judges’ boxes when Andrew Hoy’s score was mistakenly posted as a 41.0 on the board — much too low considering poor Rutherglen nervously pranced his way through the test. It was ultimately corrected to a 52.7, but the point is that watching dressage in Germany is a whole different ball game. Every tiny bobble is met with hushed whispers and gasps from the very educated crowd. As Phillip Dutton said, “Every spectator knows everything about breeding and the horses and riders.”

2. CCI4* cross country will probably be over by the time you wake up tomorrow, as the last rider sets out on course at 6:34 a.m. EST. But if you are awake, FEI TV will be live streaming all the action starting at 9 a.m. local time, or 3 a.m. EST. Good friend of EN John Kyle will be offering his excellent commentary, and be sure to follow him on Twitter at @johnkylespeaks. He’s set a goal to get more Twitter followers than his better half Pippa Roome, and I assured him the EN community would be happy to help. Sorry, Pippa!

3. Our two Americans, Phillip Dutton and Boyd Martin, made up 25 percent of the helmet wearers in dressage at Luhmühlen. A total of 12 out of 52 riders opted for hard hats, which is 23 percent of the field. I spoke with Bettina Hoy about why she chooses to wear a helmet, and she offered some powerful insight as to the reasoning behind her decision. She also was happy to take a photo with Chinch, and we’re proud to call her a friend of EN.

4. Phillip and Boyd are in a very good position to make a serious bid for the World Equestrian Games team. Sitting in 10th and 12th after dressage with Mighty Nice and Shamwari 4, they’re right in that score range the selectors want to see on 46.0 and 47.8. Tomorrow was always going to be important, but it’s even more crucial now to have fast and clear trips over Capt. Mark Phillips’ cross-country course.

5. Much to my dismay, it’s not possible to say “Go Eventing” in German the same way we say it in English, as Silva Martin sadly informed me during our interview after Boyd’s test. What gives, Germany? First you take all the best medals at the Olympics, and now you have to take away our signature catch phrase too? Not cool, Germany. Not cool.

Luhmühlen Links: [Website] [Live Scores] [EN’s Luhmühlen Coverage] [@eventingnation] [EN’s Instagram]

Why Bettina Hoy Chooses to Wear Her Helmet

By on Jun 13, 2014 1:56 pm -
Chinch thanks Bettina Hoy for wearing her helmet. Photo via EN's Instagram. Chinch thanks Bettina Hoy for wearing her helmet. Photo via EN's Instagram.

Six riders wore helmets in the CCI4* dressage yesterday at Luhmühlen, and an addional six donned their crash hats today: Kate Wood of New Zealand; Wills Goodhew of Great Britain; our own Boyd Martin and Phillip Dutton; and Ingrid Klimke and Bettina Hoy, both of Germany. Bettina spent some time in the press tent at the end of the day — still wearing her helmet — and I asked her to take a photo with Chinch, which struck up a conversation on why she chooses to wear a helmet in dressage.

Ingrid Klimke and Horseware Hale Bob. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Ingrid Klimke and Horseware Hale Bob. Photo by Jenni Autry.

The decision came exactly a year ago when Lanfranco TSF completely lost it in his dressage test at this same event, Bettina said. The horse has a history of rearing in dressage, and after clinging to him during his meltdowns for years, Bettina decided enough was enough. She’s worn a helmet during her dressage tests on all her horses ever since, and she said she was happy to ditch her top hat, as she actually finds her helmet much more comfortable.

Wills Goodhew and Trefilan Quicksilver

Wills Goodhew and Trefilan Quicksilver. Photo by Jenni Autry.

While Bettina agrees the tradition of wearing a top hat is still very much alive in Europe, she did say that it’s more common to see helmets in Germany at the one-, two- and three-star levels, and the younger riders are much more likely to wear helmets. She was thrilled to be able to speak with Silva Martin today for the first time since her accident, and said Silva’s accident is an example of why it’s so important to wear a helmet: falls can happen anytime, anywhere.

Kate Wood and Easy Tiger. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Kate Wood and Easy Tiger. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Many thanks to Bettina for taking time to chat. She had a lovely test with Designer 10 today to sit in fifth place overnight on a score of 43.3. That’s three riders in the top 10 who wore helmets: Bettina, Ingrid and Phillip. In total, 12 out of 52 riders wore helmets at Luhmühlen, giving us a helmet-use rate of 23 percent. It’s a far cry from the 57 percent we saw at Rolex this year, but it’s still progress. Thank you to Kate, Wills, Boyd, Phillip, Ingrid and Bettina for setting the #mindyourmelon example today.

Lucinda Fredericks Leads But Michael Jung Hot on Her Heels at Luhmühlen

By on Jun 13, 2014 12:42 pm -
Michael Jung surveys his kingdom. Photo by Jenni Autry. Michael Jung surveys his kingdom. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Lucinda Fredericks and Flying Finish have posted a score in the 30s in each of the four-stars they’ve contested as a pair, and they continued the trend today with a 38.7 to hold the overnight lead at Luhmühlen. If you can believe it, that’s actually the worst they’ve ever scored at this event, as they had a 36.7 last year and an astonishing 31.8 in 2012. After pulling up at Badminton when Christi suddenly went lame due to a scratch on his stifle, Lucinda will be out for blood tomorrow as she makes a bid for the Australian World Equestrian Games team.

Of course, she’ll have to contend with Michael Jung if she wants to win. With Sam tucked away in bubble wrap for WEG, Michael brought his 9-year-old mare fischerRocana FST this weekend for her first four-star; they scored 41.5 for second place. As you can see in the video, this wasn’t the perfectly polished performance we’re used to seeing from Michael at this level, but considering this little mare is just 9 years old and already this good, it’s clear he has yet another dominant horse in his arsenal. Her weakest phase is show jumping, which we saw last year at Boekelo.

Ingrid Klimke and Horsware Hale Bob round out the top three on 42.0. This was another lovely test in the horse’s four-star debut. He was ninth at Boekelo CCI3* last year and is an exciting horse for the future with Ingrid’s longtime partner FRH Butts Abraxxas now retired. Braxxi’s official retirement ceremony is tomorrow afternoon following CCI4* cross country, and it will be an emotional occasion with so many German eventing fans in attendance. Chinch is already blubbering just thinking about it.

At the conclusion of dressage, Lucinda was the only rider to crack the 30s, with 14 riders scoring in the 40s, including Phillip Dutton and Mighty Nice and Boyd Martin and Shamwari 4. Phillip’s score of 46.0 puts him and Happy in 10th place, followed closely by Boyd and Shammie in 12th on 47.8. Boyd is also sitting in 33rd place with Otis Barbotiere on 58.5. CCI4* cross country starts at 9 a.m. tomorrow. Stay tuned for much more from Luhmühlen.

Luhmühlen Links: [Website] [Live Scores] [EN’s Luhmühlen Coverage]

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Phillip Dutton and Mighty Nice End the Day on a Happy Note with 46.0

By on Jun 13, 2014 11:35 am -
Phillip Dutton and Mighty Nice. Photo by Jenni Autry. Phillip Dutton and Mighty Nice. Photo by Jenni Autry.

With Mr. Medicott out of World Equestrian Games contention, Phillip Dutton needed to make a strong statement to the selectors at Luhmühlen today with Mighty Nice. They had to follow Lucinda Fredericks and Flying Finish, who scored 38.7 to take the lead, and they also had to contend with the atmosphere, as the wind picked up significantly toward the end of the day. Happy looked a little tense entering the stadium, but he settled beautifully for a really lovely test to score 46.0, which puts them in 10th place at the conclusion of dressage.

As Phillip said in his interview after, there are still little things to work on here and there, and they did leave points on the table in a few key areas. Looking at the scoring sheet, the bobbles in the halts and flying changes were costly. But Phillip said he was very happy with the horse overall. Of course, the real test is tomorrow, where Phillip will tackle Capt. Mark Phillips’ cross-country course for the first time in his career, and Happy will look to complete his second CCI4*.

Rolex Husband got the answer to his question — Phillip did opt to wear a helmet today. Evie said yesterday that it’s not the first time he’s worn a helmet in a CCI4* — she couldn’t remember where it was that he did — but it’s certainly the first time in a very long time. The day’s full helmet report is coming shortly, along with videos of the top three: Lucinda Fredericks and Flying Finish, Michael Jung and fischerRocana FST, and Ingrid Klimke and Hale Bob 3. Stay tuned for much more from Luhmühlen.

Luhmühlen Links: [Website] [Live Scores] [EN’s Luhmühlen Coverage]

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Boyd Martin and Shamwari 4 Score 47.8 at Luhmühlen

By on Jun 13, 2014 10:07 am -
Boyd Martin and Shamwari 4. Photo by Jenni Autry. Boyd Martin and Shamwari 4. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Now that’s more like it! Boyd Martin shook off yesterday’s rocky test with Otis Barbotiere to deliver under the pressure of impressing the selectors, scoring 47.8 with Shamwari 4 for seventh place with one group left to go at Luhmühlen. The horse was a bit argumentative in warmup, throwing in some little bucks in the changes a la his stablemate Trading Aces, but Boyd worked him through those sticky moments to rise to the occasion when it counted. As you’ll see in the video, the test was very smooth the whole way through, and Shammie’s lovely gaits just beg for good marks. Remember those elusive 9s from this morning? Gillian Rolton gave them one for the extended trot.

Both Boyd and Silva were all smiles after the test and were kind enough to chat; check out the interview below. This is still a very new ride for Boyd, and the cross country tomorrow will be the biggest test of their partnership to date, but if today is any indicator, this is a very exciting horse for Team USA. I have about a bazillion videos and photos to bring you, including video of our new leader, Ingrid Klimke and Hale Bob 3, who scored 42.0 as the last pair to go before the break to move into first place. The third and final group is starting now, and Phillip Dutton is fourth in with Mighty Nice. Stay tuned for much more from Luhmühlen.

Luhmühlen Links: [Website] [Live Scores] [Friday Dressage Times] [EN’s Luhmühlen Coverage]

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Judges Feeling More Generous Today at Luhmühlen

By on Jun 13, 2014 8:38 am -
Chris Burton and Tempranillo. Photo by Jenni Autry. Chris Burton and Tempranillo. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Gillian Rolton, Ernst Topp and Alain James are already feeling more generous on the second day of dressage at Luhmühlen. The judges didn’t award a single 9 yesterday, and they’ve already posted two today in the first group. Gillian, the judge at C, gave Chris Burton and Tempranillo a 9 for their final halt and salute, and Alain, the judge at E, gave Oliver Townend and Black Tie a 9 for their first halt. Maybe another cup of strong German coffee will encourage Dr. Topp to go for the 9 in the second group.

Chris and Tempranillo scored 44.7 on their test, which puts them in third place behind Elaine Pen and Vira and Tim Price and Wesko, who are still sitting one-two following their very good performances yesterday. Oliver and Black Tie scored 45.0 for fourth place, and we also saw a lovely test from Bill Levett and Improvise for fifth place on 47.7. Boyd Martin and Shamwari 4 go toward the end of the next group, so stay tuned for photos and video. In the meantime, enjoy the video below of Chris and Oliver’s tests, both of which were a pleasure to watch.

For those who are following along with the helmet tally, we saw two helmeted riders in the first group: Kate Wood of New Zealand and Wills Goodhew of Great Britain. It rained quite a bit this morning — which led to me getting my geek on and crunching statistics on the riders and horses in this By the Numbers post — but the weather has dried out nicely since then. Fingers crossed for good conditions for Boyd and Phillip Dutton, who goes in the last group toward the end of the day. Stay tuned for much more from Luhmühlen.

Luhmühlen Links: [Website] [Live Scores] [Friday Dressage Times] [EN’s Luhmühlen Coverage]

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Luhmühlen CCI4* By the Numbers

By on Jun 13, 2014 6:44 am -

Guten tag from the second day of dressage at Luhmühlen. We had beautiful weather yesterday, but our good luck finally ran out when the skies opened up this morning. So Chinch and I hunkered down in the press tent during the downpour to get our geek on and crunch numbers. Which countries are the riders from? What are the ages of the youngest and oldest horses in the CCI4*? How much of the field is comprised of mares? Read on for the answers to all those questions and more. Four-star dressage kicks off in about 20 minutes. Go Team USA!

helmets

 

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xc

How old are the horses?

 

jogs

Gender breakdown of horses

 

weather

Go Eventing.

Luhmühlen Links: [Website] [Live Scores] [Friday Dressage Times] [EN’s Luhmühlen Coverage]

Five Thursday Thoughts from Luhmühlen

By on Jun 12, 2014 4:15 pm -
Chinch hanging with William Fox-Pitt. at Luhmühlen Photo via EN's Instagram. Chinch hanging with William Fox-Pitt. at Luhmühlen Photo via EN's Instagram.

That’s a wrap on the first day of dressage here at Luhmühlen. There’s a lot that goes unsaid when I’m manically typing reports and snapping photos all day — not to mention shooting the shakiest video since John ran around the Rolex cross-country course with a camera in hand. So in the spirit of Leslie’s interesting tidbit posts from Bromont last weekend, here are five thoughts on what’s gone down so far here in Germany.

1. If you’re not following Chinch’s adventures on Instagram, what are you even doing with your life? The little guy is up to no good, as usual, and he threw himself on William Fox-Pitt in the press tent today like the shameless fan girl he is. He also spent a little time consoling Joanie Morris, whose luggage is currently “somewhere in Europe,” according to an Airline That Must Not Be Named. She wore Bobby Costello’s socks today, and we’re all pretty excited to see what outfit she cobbles together tomorrow.

2. WEG selection is on everyone’s mind, and it’s come right down to the wire to determine who will represent Team USA in Normandy. When I spoke to Coach David O’Connor about how it’s been a less-than-ideal spring with both top horses and riders alike facing soundness issues, he wisely noted that this is no different from past championship years. Inevitably, a top horse is almost always forced to sit out at the Olympics or WEG because of soundness. That’s just the nature of the beast.

3. Just six riders wore helmets on the first day of dressage; that’s 22 percent of the competitors. Compare that to 57 percent of riders who ditched their top hats at Rolex this year. I already addressed the “great helmet debate” earlier today, but it’s worth emphasizing again that helmet awareness still has a long way to go in Europe, and the movement has far more traction in North America. To see photos of which riders wore helmets today, click over to this post.

4. Silva Martin is a rock star. When you talk to her, it’s hard to believe she was bedridden and battling speech difficulties less than three months ago. She’s totally back to her old self now. The fact that she’s here in Germany says a lot about the progress she’s made in the healing process, as many people who face brain injuries are restricted from flying such long distances so soon after their accidents. She’s fiercely determined to get back in the saddle as soon as possible, and I have total faith she will.

5. Boyd Martin didn’t have the day he hoped for with Otis Barbotiere, who stuck his prissy French nose in the air and told Boyd exactly where to shove the dressage test. They scored 58.5 for 13th place with half the field still to go. It’s a disappointing outcome for sure, but Capt. Mark Phillips’ cross-country course favors bold horses, and Otis thrives over tracks like these. I’m taking Otis’ antics in the little white box as a good sign that he’s ready to tackle his first CCI4* course in nearly two years.

Boyd goes on his second ride, Shamwari 4, at 3:18 p.m. tomorrow, followed by Phillip Dutton with Mighty Nice at 4:24 p.m. The heavy hitters will be out in full force on day two, and the last group of the day is packed with horses that can pull out all the stops. Expect Michael Jung and fischerRocana FST to be near the top of the leaderboard in the 9-year-old mare’s four-star debut. William Fox-Pitt will also look to extend his lead in the FEI HSBC Classics Series with Cool Mountain.

Luhmühlen Links: [Website] [Live Scores] [Friday Dressage Times] [EN’s Luhmühlen Coverage]

The Great Helmet Debate Continues at Luhmühlen

By on Jun 12, 2014 3:10 pm -
Alice Naber-Lozeman was one of six riders to wear a helmet today at Luhmühlen. Photo by Jenni Autry. Alice Naber-Lozeman was one of six riders to wear a helmet today at Luhmühlen. Photo by Jenni Autry.

The times they are a-changin’. Five years ago, you’d be hard-pressed to find a single helmet on dressage day at an FEI competition. Now more and more big-name riders are strapping on their crash hats as helmet awareness grows within the sport. But there’s still a sizable disparity between helmet use in the States and here in Europe. Consider this stat from Rolex: 57 percent of riders wore helmets in dressage this year, or 35 out of 61 rides. Here at Luhmühlen, just six riders (22 percent) wore their helmets today on the first day of competition.

Boyd and Otis before their test. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Boyd Martin and Otis Barbotiere. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Boyd Martin was the first of the day to wear a helmet, which is particularly notable because it’s the first time he’s worn one at a CCI4*, and I imagine it meant a lot to Silva that he took #mindyourmelon to heart today. French rider Rodolphe Scherer wore a helmet next, followed by Millie Dumas of Great Britain, Natalie Blundell of Australia, Alice Naber-Lozeman of the Netherlands and Malin Petersen of Sweden. Malin’s decision especially stood out considering her mount, Sofarsogood, a rather feisty Irish Sport Horse mare, melted down toward the end of the test and looked ready to head for the hills as they tried to exit the stadium.

Natalie Blundell and Algebra

Natalie Blundell and Algebra. Photo by Jenni Autry.

That’s six riders out of 27 who chose to forgo a top hat, less than half of the final percentage of riders who opted to protect their noggin at Rolex. Of course, that number could rise tomorrow — and for the sake of the #mindyourmelon movement, I’m curious to see if it does — but the stark disparity between helmet use at North America’s biggest event and a very prominent event in Europe, which also serves as the German Eventing Championships, highlights the simple fact that the tradition of the top hat is much more firmly ingrained across the pond.

Malin Petersen and Sofarsogood. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Malin Petersen and Sofarsogood. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Change happens over time. Indeed, look at how far the helmet awareness movement has come since Allison Springer first ditched her top hat at Rolex back in 2010, the only rider to do so in the entire competition. Four years later, big names like Mary King are following suit at events like Badminton, and Boyd also took the helmet plunge today. The decision to wear a helmet remains a personal choice, and while EN has always remained a strong advocate of the “every ride, every time” philosophy, we won’t lambast riders who choose to carry on the top hat tradition.

Millie Dumas and Action Packed. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Millie Dumas and Action Packed. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Instead, we’ll celebrate those who choose otherwise, especially at a major event like Luhmühlen. To Boyd, Rodolphe, Millie, Natalie, Alice and Malin: Thank you for setting a good example for other riders. Your decision to buck the trend might one day encourage others to do the same. Until then, #mindyourmelon, and Go Eventing.

[EN’s Luhmühlen Coverage]

Wanted: Sales Manager with Penchant for Chinchillas

By on Jun 12, 2014 1:30 pm -
If this looks like your idea of a good time, please read on. If this looks like your idea of a good time, please read on.

You’ve heard about the Fourth Annual EN Blogger Contest, but did you know Nation Media is also hiring a full-time sales guru? It’s true! See all the ads on the site? Someone has to sell them, and since the chinchillas don’t have thumbs, it’s pretty hard for them to work the phones.

So what are we looking for? We’re in search of a full-time sales manager to join Nation Media. You’ll be in charge of selling ads for Eventing Nation, Horse Nation and — drumroll! — a brand new website we’re unveiling very soon.

What kind of experience should you have? We’d prefer someone with past sales experience, but we’d also love to hear from ambitious, energetic self-starters who think they’re chemically unbalanced enough to join our team.

What’s the job like? At Nation Media, we sleep with our cell phones under our pillows. We’re looking for someone who isn’t afraid to answer Saturday emails and field Sunday phone calls to nail a sale. And John has no concept of what day it is, so really those phone calls could come at all hours of the night.

What’s the pay like? We want to reward people for making sales — and lots of them. With that in mind, we’d like the salary to be heavily based on commission. But we’re open to ideas, so don’t be afraid to pitch a new one our way.

Do I need a horse background? A horse background is definitely preferred, but not necessary. If you’re a go-getter with sales experience but don’t know a poll from a dock, that’s OK. Send us your resume anyways.

How do I apply? Please send a brief email introducing yourself — including any sales experience — along with your resume to [email protected]. Good luck!

Elaine Pen and Vira Lead Luhmühlen CCI4* on 43.2

By on Jun 12, 2014 12:10 pm -
Elaine Pen awaits her score after finishing her test with Vira. She wasn't disappointed — 43.2 for the lead. Photo by Jenni Autry. Elaine Pen awaits her score after finishing her test with Vira. She wasn't disappointed — 43.2 for the lead. Photo by Jenni Autry.

I said in my report from earlier today that the judges were in for a real treat with Elaine Pen and Vira, and this pair did not disappoint, scoring 43.2 to ultimately hold the overnight lead after the first day of dressage at Luhmühlen CCI4*. Vira, a 12-year-old Dutch mare by Jazz, is super elastic in her gaits and has incredible suspension, as you’ll see in the video of their test below. This is the mare’s second four-star attempt, the first being the 2012 London Olympics, where she and Elaine unfortunately parted ways on cross country. They also competed on the Dutch team at the European Championships last year, but withdrew after cross country. Also, Vira is EN’s Best Ermahgerd Face winner from yesterday’s unofficial jog awards. EN karma for the win!

Tim Price and Wesko. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Tim Price and Wesko. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Tim Price and Wesko also had a very nice test and would have passed Elaine and Vira had the horse not felt like dancing in the final salute. That unfortunately meant 4s from the ground jury, but the New Zealand contingent was very happy with the final score of 43.8 for second place overnight. Wesko, a 12-year-old Dutch gelding by Karandasj, attempted his first four-star at Badminton last month, where his weekend ended early when Tim executed a lovely swan dive into the first water complex. Great Britain has three riders in the top 10 at the end of the first day, led by Willa Newton and Neelix, a 14-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding by Malstriker, on a score of 48.0 for third place.

Natalie Blundell and Algebra

That’s it for scores in the 40s, and the judges — Gillian Rolton, Ernst Topp and Alain James — were definitely out for blood today in their marking. Luhmühlen is the ground jury’s unofficial warmup for the World Equestrian Games, where they will all be officiating together again. Andreas Ostholt and So Is Et and Alice Naber-Lozeman and ACSI Peter Parker round out the top five on scores of 50.5 and 50.7, respectively. Alice was the only rider in the top five to wear a helmet. In total, six of today’s 27 riders wore helmets, which is about 22 percent: Boyd Martin, Rodolphe Scherer, Millie Dumas, Natalie Blundell, Alice and Malin Peterson. Stay tuned for much more from Luhmühlen.

[Boyd Martin and Otis Barbotiere Score 58.5 at Luhmühlen]

Luhmühlen Links: [Website] [Live Scores] [Friday Dressage Times]

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Boyd Martin and Otis Barbotiere Score 58.5 at Luhmühlen

By on Jun 12, 2014 8:49 am -
Boyd and Otis before their test. Photo by Jenni Autry. Boyd and Otis before their test. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Boyd Martin and Otis Barbotiere were fourth out this afternoon at the start of the first day of dressage here at Luhmühlen, scoring 58.5. That’s fairly marked, as you’ll see in the video of the test. Otis just didn’t want to play in the little white box today, and he waffled between being behind Boyd’s leg and a bit too sensitive to the aids. The judges didn’t get the best starting impression when Otis cantered out of the first halt instead of trotting. Otis also had a drama queen moment during the half-pirouette at the walk when he thought about rearing; Boyd definitely had to ride him conservatively to keep the lid on.

Of course, Luhmühlen isn’t going to be a dressage show. Capt. Mark Phillips’ course is doable, but it’s still a proper four-star, and Otis is a fantastic cross country horse. They’ll likely be sitting pretty far down the leaderboard by the time the dust settles tomorrow, but with Otis’ prowess in both jumping phases, they’re still poised for a competitive performance. Unfortunately, the elephant in the room is World Equestrian Games selection, and that’s not the score Boyd wanted. But it’s still anybody’s game, and he has one more ride yet to come with Shamwari 4 tomorrow afternoon.

We just wrapped up the first group, and Benjamin Winter and Wild Thing Z are currently leading for the home team on a score of 51.2. The ground jury of Gillian Rolton, Ernst Topp and Alain James are definitely waiting to be wowed, and that’s very likely going to happen at the start of the next group, when Elaine Pen and Vira take the ring. I watched her schooling this morning, and she has suspension to burn. A quick peek at her bloodlines shows why: She’s by Jazz out of Option G, by Whinny Jackson. Dressage breeding much?

Boyd wore a helmet during his test today, which is the first time he’s ever ditched his top hat in a CCI4* competition. With wife Silva here this weekend, it’s a smart decision on Boyd’s part and one we hope will encourage more riders to adopt this growing trend. With the ongoing top hat debate in mind, I’ll be keeping a running tally of top hats versus helmets in the four-star. So far, just two riders wore helmets in the first group: Boyd and Rodolphe Scherer of France; that’s roughly 22 percent of the riders. Stay tuned for much more from Luhmühlen.

Luhmühlen Links: [Website] [Live Scores] [Thursday Dressage Times]

Scoreboard