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Crash Notes from Rolex XC

By on Apr 24, 2010 11:27 pm -
First off, let me say that Rolex volunteers are AWESOME, and the veterinary team is simply spectacular.  Each and every horse was monitored very closely the whole way around the course, and an experienced veterinarian was stationed at every numbered obstacle.  The horse’s well-being was priority #1, and everyone did a great job communicating and attending to any issues.  The medical team was spectacular as well, and delivered Oliver to the  helicopter quickly and safely.  There is a lot of behind-the-scenes effort that spectators don’t see, but it is always there in case something happens.  

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There were six falls on course at Rolex on Saturday, and we know now that all the horses and riders are alright.

Mushroom: Jennifer Wooten-Dafoe and The Good Witch hit fence #3 and fell on the landing side.  The fall was not rotational.  Both walked away.

Duck Pond: Michael Pollard and Wonderful Will fell at #6A, the first element of the first water.  This fall was not a classic rotational, but both horse and rider fell on the water side of the fence.  Both walked away.

Coffin: Dorothy Crowell and Radio Flyer experienced a rotational fall at the first element of the coffin.  Dorothy was lucky she fell far enough down the slope that the horse did not land on her.  Both Dorothy and Red walked away.

The Hollow: Kristi Nunnink and R-Star tumbled down both the banks.  Kristi and R-Star were both up quickly and walked away, but Kristi’s shoulder started to swell.  She was taken to the hospital and released later Saturday afternoon.

Tara Ziegler and Buckingham Place rotated over the first element and fell over the first bank. Both walked away.
Oliver Townend and Ashdale Cruise Master had a rotational fall and Ashdale Cruise Master fell on top of Oliver.  
From the Universal Sports free streaming online video replay, you can see the following incidents:

DOROTHY CROWELL / RADIO FLYER fall at the coffin  1:57:49  (not for the faint of heart)

GEOFF CURRAN / THE JUMP JET breaks the log at the Lake   3:57:15

OLIVER TOWNEND / CRUISE MASTER fall at the Hollow   4:43:51  (one of the scariest falls I’ve ever seen)

5 of the falls happened at vertical hanging logs that employed frangible pins, and the frangible pins did not break in any of the incidences.  Important: It should be noted that frangible pins do not break under any and all circumstances; only when enough loading force is applied in the right way.  Another important thing to remember is that we are dealing with a very small (5) sample size of incidents from Saturday.  Frangible pins have undergone considerable scientific research and study using much larger data sets.
Reproducing the exact circumstance (speed, conditions, direction of force, etc.) are scientifically infeasible and we are left using video and reports from experts to analyze the performance of the pins.  We (Visionaire and I) spoke with several educated and influential sources who witnessed the falls in person and will undoubtedly be part of any official inquiry into the performance of the pins.
The consensus was that in three of the falls (Dorothy, Oliver, and Tara) the frangible pins clearly should have released, reducing the risk of a rotational fall.  Under the circumstances of the other two falls (Mike and Kristi), the experts were unsure whether the forces caused by those falls should have broken the pins. Perhaps it was appropriate that the pins did not release in those instances, as deployment may not have created a safer situation for the horses or riders.
We were more than lucky today that none of these falls resulted in serious injuries.  
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The performance of the frangible pins contrasts significantly with that of the foam log used at #16A, the second drop into water at the Head of the Lake.  The foam log was manufactured by Safer Building Materials, a company operated by eventers Mike Winter and Kyle Carter.

Capt. Geof Curran’s horse The Jump Jet ran into the log with considerable force.  Witnesses said that the log broke cleanly in half, exactly as it was designed to do.  Horse and rider remained safely on the takeoff side–they did not end up too close to the bank edge.  The log was quickly replaced with just a very brief hold on course.  


Video of replacing the log

Despite the “breakable-ness” of the jump, it held up very well to normal xc-jump abuse.  Many horses reportedly rubbed the jump with their stifles as they dropped down (VERY common for drops into water) and little styrofoam chips were knocked loose, but the log held solid.  This jump was deemed quite successful.

I didn’t know anything about these foam logs until Wednesday when I spoke to Kyle up by the first jog.  In what now seems like a prophetic moment, Kyle told me that the three other places on the Rolex course he felt they needed to use the foam logs were the jumps into the first water, into the coffin, and into the hollow.
Thankfully, out of the six falls suffered today, none of the horses and riders were seriously injured.  This sport will always have a high element of risk involved, and we cannot prevent every accident.  On one hand, you want to eliminate rotational falls; on the other, you don’t want xc with showjumps.  It is a difficult challenge to create a “safe” obstacle, one that can withstand normal xc stress AND have a reasonable breaking point that creates a more desirable “rider path to the ground.”  I’m glad there are efforts being made to achieve these goals, but there is still more research, testing, and design that needs to be done.  I am not a mechanical engineer, so I’ll leave the math and blueprint drawings to the experts.  

Oliver Townend Not Seriously Injured

By on Apr 24, 2010 4:00 pm -

I have confirmed from a source close to the situation that Oliver is conscious, walking around, and not seriously injured, and that he might be released from the hospital sometime soon.  Perhaps the best sign is that Oliver was apparently flirting with the nurses.

Oliver Townend is currently at the University of Kentucky medical center, where he was airlifted after a serious fall during Saturday’s Cross-Country at Rolex.  His horse, Ashdale Cruise Master fell on top of Oliver at the Hollow, which is a XC complex with a vertical rail and two bounce banks down.  Oliver was apparently knocked unconscious after the fall.
More information later as we get it.

XC Recap: WFP Maintains Lead at Kentucky

By on Apr 24, 2010 3:39 pm -
Snapshot 2010-04-24 17-24-35.jpegSnapshot 2010-04-24 17-12-28.jpeg
XC Photo Gallery from John Walker and Leslie Mintz of the USEA
(1) William Fox-Pitt and Cool Mountain finished clean and well inside the time to maintain their lead going into Sunday at Rolex.  Cool Mountain was visibly tiring toward the end of the course, but William used his considerable experience and a very steady galloping position to help Cool Mountain home.
(2) Kim had her typical fabulous double-clear Rolex XC ride on Tipperary Liadhnan.  “Paddy” isn’t the fastest horse, but Kim was the most efficient rider on course today and they jumped up from 4th to sit in 2nd.  The really tough work for this pair is tomorrow.
(3) You can say the same for Becky and Comet, who blasted around the course easily within the time and are in 3rd on a 45.2.  Nothing looked hard for Comet around the XC.
(4) The Rolex organizers eliminated the lunch break and accelerated the afternoon starts to beat the weather which was predicted for Saturday afternoon.  The plan worked perfectly and riders competed on excellent footing and under clear skies for most of the day.  The wind and rain is just starting to pick up here at the KHP and the WEG show jumping test event scheduled for tonight has been canceled due to predicted storms.
(5) 8 of the 9 Canadian starters had clean rounds on XC, 4 Canadians had double-clears, and 6 Canadians are in the top 10.  David has been coaching the Canadians for a few years now, and the benefits are really showing.  Leading the way for the Canadians is Steph Rhodes-Bosch (9th) who has had the lowest weekend jumping totals at several big horse trials this spring.
(6) Mandiba lost a shoe at the 4th fence and Karen showed veteran poise and guided Mandiba around the rest of the course.  Losing a shoe that early on the course is significant because the horse loses the traction of the missing studs and the protection of the shoe.  A lost shoe often leads to a lot of work Saturday night making that hoof feel better.
(7) Boyd did what Boyd does.  His 3 horses had 5.3 time penalties among them, and they jumped a total of 45 spots on the leader board on Saturday.
(8) The USET A-list fared decently on Saturday, with Neville and Woodburn jumping around perfectly.  But Leyland withdrew on Saturday morning.  
(9) The B-list had an awful day.  Allison and Arthur had a tough day with a stop at the rail into the coffin, R-Star crashed at The Hollow, The Good Witch crashed at the Mushroom at #3, Phillip retired Waterfront on course, Coal Creek retired on course after two stops, and Kheops withdrew yesterday.  On the upside, Pawlow looked very good, and, as mentioned, Mandiba had a quality performance.
(10) Eventing Nation Karma was in full display today as Lauren Kieffer and Snooze had a textbook first 4* XC, collecting time but looking steady throughout the entire course.  Stewie (Last Monarch) looked more mature than he ever has in the 4 years I have known him.  Stewie listened to Holly perfectly throughout the entire course, and stayed disciplined during a brief hold on course.
(11) It’s so typical that I almost didn’t mention: Phillip has 2 horses in the top 5 going into Sunday.
(12) Of the 51 XC Starters, there were 10 double-clears: Cool Mountain, Tipperary Liadhnan, Comet, Woodburn, Neville, Port Authority, Colombo, Gin & Juice, Rock on Rose, and Madison Park.  
(13) 30 of the 51 starters (58%) had clean rounds.  For comparison, 68% (16 out of 49) starters had clean rides.

Oliver Townend Reportedly Conscious and Moving After Fall

By on Apr 24, 2010 3:15 pm -

Oliver Townend is conscious after being airlifted to the University of Kentucky Hospital.  Oliver’s Facebook fan page reports that he was able to move after the fall:

“[Oliver] was taken away by helicopter and was conscious and able to move when he left. He will remain in hospital for the time being. Ashdale Cruise Master will be checked by the vets but initailly looks to be fine.”


William’s site even reports that Oliver is swearing at the hospital:

“The good news is he has regained consciousness and is cursing and swearing so hopefully this means he is ok, much to the relief of us all here. Knowing Ollie he could well be back to ride ODT Master Rose in the show jumping tomorrow as he is lying well up there.“

 

Clearly initial reports suggest that we should be optimistic.  More news later as we get it.

Oliver Townend Airlifted After Fall on Ashdale Cruise Master at Rolex

By on Apr 24, 2010 1:55 pm -
Oliver Towned was airlifted from Rolex Saturday afternoon after falling from Ashdale Cruise Master at the Hollow (#20 and #21AB) on the Rolex Cross-Country course.  
Ashdale Cruise Master caught his legs while jumping the rail at #20 but the horse continued over the fence and rotated onto Oliver.  
Event officials quickly erected the tarp shielding.  Within 10 minutes Oliver was placed on a board and transported by helicopter, reportedly to the UK medical center.
Ashdale Cruise Master was walking after the fall, and I heard that Ashdale Cruise Master is fine but the horse received a trailer ride back to the barns.
Kristi Nunnink and R-Star, and Tara Ziegler and Buckingham Place had falls at that jump, but without the horse landing on the rider.  Both of those combinations appeared to be ok.

Sara Lieser and I were live blogging the Cross-Country as the fall happened, and Eventing Nation will have all the information on Oliver’s status as it develops.  Also check out the Chronicle’s Rolex page for information as the situation develops.
Oliver is in Eventing Nation’s thoughts and prayers.

Rolex XC Morning Notes

By on Apr 24, 2010 7:02 am -

Weather–Some rain has fallen overnight, but the footing is still quite nice and it’s not raining at this moment (7AM).  The longer the bad stuff holds off, the better the footing will be.

(1) Everyone I have talked to about this course says virtually the same thing about it, and it’s the same thing that I said on Wednesday.  This course is big, but it isn’t very technical.

(2) Jumps to keep an eye on:

Fence #2: Riders decide which of two stone tables to jump.  This jump caused a couple of problems last year, and one top coach said on the course walk to be seriously careful and take their time on the approach to this fence.

The Coffin (10 and 11AB): The brush out isn’t at as much of an angle this year, but it’s the Rolex coffin so it needs to be respected.

The Head of the Lake (15 & 16): A drop, three and a half strides to a corner, another drop to a very angled brush.

The Squirrels (18): They might look plump and content, but Lucinda thinks this could be the toughest line on course due to the striding, one could definitely see it.  Lucinda’s thoughts courtesy of Samantha Clark’s Twitter.

The Hollow (20 and 21): The bounce banks down are invisible until the horse is jumping the rail at 20.  I wish that 20 was a foam rail on top.  22 is a skinny chevron but shouldn’t be too much trouble for the pairs that have gotten this far.

Check out Jimmy’s course walk

(3) In the event of any severe weather, the Rolex officials and volunteers are prepared to handle the situation as best as one can protect thousands or people standing in an open field from weather.  Apparently the plan for a tornado is to head to one of the indoor arenas.  It’s a law of nature that if you come prepared for rain, it won’t rain.  If every single person comes perfectly prepared for bad weather then we have nothing to worry about.  
(4) As a quick update, PD said that Kheops was withdrawn due to a “small amount of heat and swelling in one part of his leg” oh his blog.
Holly’s Mom wrote on one of her blog posts last night:

Hi Hollybell, Am watching you at Rolex. Good luck tomorrow in X-country. I remember you saying where he’s not good necessarily at circles, he makes it up in running and jumping. Be careful and have fun. Remember Chuck will be at the finish line. Good luck!! LOL(love)

Go eventing.

Rolex is Anyone’s Game…Or is it?

By on Apr 23, 2010 10:30 pm -
With 18 horses less than 10 points out of the lead and 38 horses within 10 points of 10th place, it seems like Rolex is anyone’s game.  Awesome!  As sports fans we love parity, we love the Cinderella story in March Madness, we love feeling like anyone can win.  Indeed anyone entered can win Rolex, speaking literally, but a look at results from the past three years suggests that being close after dressage is critical.
The past 3 Rolex winners:

2007 Been Along Time: 3rd after dressage, 0.4 points back from the leader after dressage

2008 Connaught: 3rd after dressage, 2.0 points back from the leader
2009 Headley Britannia: 2nd after dressage, 2.5 points back 

At Rolex this year, only five riders are within 2.5 of the lead: William, Karen, Allison, Kim and Becky.  

One major factor creating parity, or at least the illusion of parity, is the weather.  As of the time I am writing this post, rain is predicted to start falling at 3AM Saturday and turn into thunderstorms as Saturday goes on.  There is a special weather warning for Saturday afternoon, including possible wind damage, tornadoes, hail, heavy rain, and lightning.  
The footing on the course is perfect right now, but if enough rain falls the footing will start to get deeper and eventually soggy.  If enough rain falls tomorrow to make the footing deep, it will have an impact on the cross-country results.
Generally speaking, smaller and lighter horses have an easier time in deep footing because they can skim along the surface and make efficient turns.  
Of the top 5 horses, Mandiba is the smallest and lightest, and the other 4 (Cool Mountain, Arthur, Paddy, and Comet) are all tall horses and Cool Mountain and Paddy are larger boned.
Neville is THE horse is watch if the footing deteriorates because he jumped from 16th to 1st at the soggy Fair Hill CCI3* last year and looked great running in that deep footing.  The Foreman is another experienced horse who is small and light on his feet.  
The first horses on course will also benefit from less rain in the ground and fewer horses in front of them to tear up the ground.  Neville is the 1st out, Leyland is the 3rd, and Comet is the 9th.
Update: The latest weather report I have heard suggests that the worst of the weather might wait until after the XC, which is all we can hope for.
SO, to answer the post’s title question: Rolex without bad weather will probably be won by one of the top 5 dressage horses.  However, WITH severe weather, look for some big movement in the placings and the lighter horses to excel.  Go eventing.

The Second (and Third) Worst Rolex Video Ever

By on Apr 23, 2010 9:47 pm -

The end of this video is more like radio.

Thanks for all the supportive comments to Thursday’s video: they are the only reason today’s videos exists.  As a little self criticism, I need to stop saying ‘anyhow’ and ‘here we are.’  Please comment on how I can make future videos better and what you might like to see next.
The same video, but with a soundtrack added by Visionaire

William Fox-Pitt and Cool Mountain Lead Rolex After the Dressage

By on Apr 23, 2010 3:43 pm -
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The Rolex leader board is tightly packed going into the weekend; 18 horses are within 10 points of the lead, and 38 horses are within 10 points of 10th place.  We saw some good dressage tests, but nobody was brilliant.  This reminds me much more of Rolex 2007 and 2008 dressage, where the leaders scored a 47.0 and a 39 respectively, than last year when Bettina (28.8) and Lucinda (32.3) ran away from the pack.
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(1) William and Cool mountain scored a 42.8 on Friday afternoon to take the Rolex lead from Karen and Allison.  William displayed his tremendous skill throughout the dressage ride, and especially in the canter work.  Cool Mountain’s frame is pretty open, and his natural carriage is not as uphill as any of the other top 10 horses, but William rode a very precise test and emphasized the trot work, Cool Mountain’s best gait.  At nearly six and a half feet tall, William always sits so elegantly, and Cool Mountain presented a much better picture to the judges today with such an elegant rider on board.
(2) Also riding Friday afternoon, Kim continued her brilliant track record at Kentucky, and she moved into 4th place with Tipperary Liadhnan on a 44.8.  In 2008, Kim and Paddy finished Rolex in 5th place after sitting in 16th after the dressage on a 54.6.  Always a force to be reckoned with at Kentucky, Kim is in a great position going into the weekend.
(3) Oliver Townend is looking solid after a 46.2 on Ashdale Cruise Master puts them into 6th going into the weekend.  Oliver and OTD Master Rose are in 9th with a 49.8.
(4) Phillip has withdrawn Kheops Du Quesnay from Rolex.  I haven’t had a chance to talk with anyone about that because I just realized it during the live blog this afternoon.  Phillip and Kheops would have been tied for 27th place.
(5) Kelly Prather took Ballinakill Glory into the main arena right after the last ride to give the horse a good school after their extremely tough dressage ride this morning.
—-
Notes from Friday morning:

(1) Allison and Arthur had a lovely test to tie Karen and Mandiba with a 43.7 atop the Rolex leader-board.  A few 5’s in the walk work held the score back somewhat but it was 7’s and 8’s for most of the test.  Arthur was a little spooky before entering the dressage arena, but he pulled himself together and showed off his lovely gaits.  Allison showed her growing experience by being patient and letting Arthur take his time with each stride, which allowed him to move in his best rhythm and reach.

Allison rode in a helmet rather than a top hat for dressage, showing her support for riders wearing helmets at all times.  This gesture bucked convention but set a great example for the many [people] watching her ride today.  I tip my cap helmet to Allison. 
Update: According to Samantha Clark’s Twitter, “Allison Springer wore her helmet today to honour her brother who died as a result of serious head injury & her best friend who survived one.”
(2) Phillip jumped into 5th place aboard Woodburn with a 47.7.  Woodburn displayed good movement, but the walk work and flying changes hurt their score.  Just 4 points behind Karen and Allison, Woodburn puts a lot of pressure on those two for Saturday.
(3) Oliver Townend and ODT Master Rose let a few small technical mistakes mar what was an otherwise nice test and they are sitting 6th on a 49.8 after 3/4 of the dressage here at Rolex.
(4) Several of the horses were really affected by KHP main arena atmosphere.  Friday’s crowd is about twice the size of Thursday’s.  Kelly Prather and Ballinakill Glory had a disastrous test as “Pippa” spooked, stopped, jumped, ran sideways, and threw her head around nearly 20 times throughout her test.  The crowd willed Kelly on, and Kelly did a super job of holding things together.  At the end of the test, the crowd gave the loudest and longest cheer of of the afternoon to recognize Kelly’s effort, and Kelly left the ring with a smile.  Some days just go that way, and it’s time to move on to thinking XC for that pair.  Hollywood and Estrella also seemed very tense, and High Patriot’s score was lower than I expected from what looked like tension in the canter work.
(5) The KHP is currently under a “brown-out” which means that most of the electrical power is either out or under reduced strength.  The scoreboard and apparently the live online feed cut out toward the end of the dressage rides.  The KHP personnel are scrambling to get things back under full power, but I haven’t heard any sort of a timeframe.
Thank you everyone for joining our llive blog this morning.  We will have more live blogging this afternoon.  If I don’t get around to responding to some of your comments, it’s because I didn’t see them between watching the ride and my typing.

UK Basketball Coach John Calipari to Appear at Rolex

By on Apr 23, 2010 8:00 am -
Rolex horse enthusiasts better beware on Saturday morning at 9am.  The Horse Park is likely to be invaded by the Big Blue Nation as rock-star University of Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari will be on the grounds signing (empty) Maker’s Mark limited edition bottles to benefit charity.  The empty blue bottles will be sold for $35 to benefit the Calipari Family Foundation for Children.  Fans may begin lining up at 7am, and line tickets will be given.  Coach Cal will be signing the bottles at the Three-Day Event Shop, and proceeds go to support the UK Children’s Hospital and Equestrian Events Inc.

 
 
Those from out of state, unfamiliar with the UK basketball program, may not quite understand this bottle-signing business.  Each year, Maker’s Mark releases a special edition bourbon bottle commemorating the UK athletics program; this year happens to feature John Calipari.  The bottles initially went on sale on April 4th, and all 24,000 were sold out within two hours (folks were actually camping out at liqour stores at noon April 3!).  Coach Cal hosted a signing at Keeneland April 9th, in which more lining up chaos ensued.  The Big Blue Nation is passionate, and these bottles are a Big Deal…so don’t be surprised if there is a sudden mad rush to the Three-Day Event Shop early Saturday morning.  Cal is pretty much King here, and wherest he goes, the followers will followeth.  Hopefully they’ll stay to enjoy a great day of xc!

More info at CoachCal.com. 

Courtesy of Visionaire

Rolex Friday Dressage Preview

By on Apr 23, 2010 7:46 am -

–Friday’s weather forecast includes a bit of everything, with thunderstorms, highs in the 60’s, and sun mid-day.  A ‘possibly severe weather’ warning is in place for Saturday.

–7 combinations to keep an eye on:

Woodburn and Phillip – 9:30 AM

Arthur and Allison – 11:04

Fleceworks Mystere Du Val and Leslie – 11:12

High Patriot and Mara Dean – 11:20

Cool Mountain and William – 2:10 PM

Tipperary Liadhnan and Kim – 2:26

Ashdale Cruise Master and Oliver – 3:20

Full Ride Times


–Rolex officials scheduled Oliver with rides two today to give him time to recover from his travels and give his owners time to arrive.  

-An unnamed but very reliable source told me that one of Oliver’s horses spent 30 seconds standing on his hind legs after a botched flying change during Oliver’s ride Thursday afternoon.  Pre dressage meltdown moments are typical of some horses especially as they get super fit.  Also consider that the horses flew over to the US last week and have’t had time to loosen up turned out in pasture for a few days now.  Everything I have seen of Oliver’s rides this week suggest that he is more than able to win the dressage.

The Worst Rolex Video Ever

By on Apr 22, 2010 11:35 pm -

If horses have taught me anything, it’s that you can’t learn how to ride standing on the ground.  One of my goals for Eventing Nation is for us to aggressively use video to connect with our readers.  Today I took the first baby step towards that goal by filming a short walk I took through the Horse Park on Thursday night during the WEG dressage test event musical freestyle, which, incidentally, Tina Konyot ended up winning.  

Filming: 45 minutes 
Figuring out how to upload and edit the video: 3 hours
The final product: anything but priceless
Please leave your suggestions in the comment section, but, off the top of my head, it needs a soundtrack, the camera shakes like I’m on crystal meth, I need to pronounce “Kentucky Horse Park” using more than one syllable, and it has a considerably less developed “plot” than Hot Tub Time Machine.
At least it didn’t look like this, right?

Rolex Thursday Video and Pictures

By on Apr 22, 2010 6:42 pm -

Rolex is such a big event that someone could spend all night reading and watching coverage. We always link to the best eventing content here on Eventing Nation, but during Rolex we will make a special effort by dedicating one post every night to the best Rolex coverage elsewhere online.  

We will update this post as more coverage of Thursday is published throughout the evening.

Quotes: The Chronicle has great quotes from Karen, Backy, and Phillip speaking at the press conference

Course Walk: The Rolex website has a virtual XC course tour, complete with commentary from course designer Mike ES (scroll down for Mike’s commentary)
Video: Three Days Three Ways is doing a nice job interviewing riders this weekend

If you like the video of Allison, there are more than 9 more up at threedaysthreewaysblog.com
This is and example of what is illegal.  Someone grabbed Lauren’s ride from the Universal Sports online feed. 

Photos from Rolex Thursday

By on Apr 22, 2010 6:03 pm -
Please enjoy a few photos I took between live blog sessions. 

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David, Mark, and US eventing team’s dressage coach Oded Shimoni watch Karen and Mandiba warming up before they took the lead with a 43.7
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Sorry you can’t be here this year in person Bruce, we miss you, and we’ll see you at Rolex next year
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An abandoned horse balloon floats high above the Horse Park–that or Phillip is jump schooling Woodburn
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Keeping the XC course perfectly hydrated: the great KHP staff uses essentially big sprinklers connected by a hose.  They drag the sprinklers to the proper place on course using ATVs.
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NBC’s Sunday Night Football semis are at Rolex over the weekend handling video for NBC and Universal Sports

Thursday Dressage Recap from Rolex: Karen and Mandiba Shine

By on Apr 22, 2010 3:43 pm -
Rolex scores at the end of Thursday:
1. Mandiba and Karen (43.7)
2. Courageous Comet and Becky (45.2) 
3. The Foreman and Phillip (47.2)
4. Manny and Diana (51.3)
5. The Good Witch and Jennifer (51.5)
(1) Karen and Mandiba put together a lovely test that featured great movement and technical precision and scored a 43.7 to take the overnight lead at Rolex.  Mandiba showed his experience and was very focused throughout the entire test.  After finishing and leaving the arena, Karen paused to let one of the pony clubbers who was opening and closing the dressage arenas for the riders pat Mandiba on the head (above).  All of the volunteers have done a wonderful job today, and Karen recognized them all with that great gesture.  You should have seen the smile on that little girls face.  
(2) Phillip and The Foreman had a great dressage ride to move into third on a 47.2.  “Chip” looked occasionally a little unsteady in his frame which might have held back their score a touch.  But, no matter what happens tomorrow, Chip will be in great position going into the weekend with his great XC and show jumping skills.
(3) The Canadian squad had an excellent Thursday, with 3 pairs in the top 8.  Manny and Diana Burnett lead the Canadians and are 4th after a great test, especially since Manny looked like he has event more movement to give Diana.  Steph Rhodes-Bosch, also of Canada, leads our field of Rolex rookies and has got to be happy sitting in 7th on a 52.0.  The veteran Canadian pair of Selena O’Hanlon and Colombo are in 8th.
(4) USET Update: Mandiba (sitting 1st) The Good Witch (5th), both on the B-list, got the better of their A-listed counterparts Neville (6th) and Leyland (10th).  Pawlow (9th) and Kheops du Quesnay (14th), also B-listed, had solid days.  Also B-listed, Arthur, Waterfront, Coal Creek, and R-Star are all set to compete tomorrow.
(6) With the lowest score from today set at 43, the door is definitely open for the likes of Oliver, William, Kim, Leslie, Allison, Mara, and Phillip to take the lead when they ride tomorrow.  The top 5 placings are going to look a lot different by 3:30 Friday.
(7) Check back later this evening for more from Rolex, including a post that links to the all the best Thursday Rolex coverage everywhere else online. 
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From Thursday morning’s dressage action:
(1) Becky and Courageous Comet had what for them is a disappointing test, scoring a 45.2.  Comet looked tense and distracted and the trot scores reall suffered.  Becky pulled it together for some 8’s in the canter work behind 4 very nice flying changes.  Granted, they are in the lead by 6 points, but a good test for Comet would have been 10 points lower.  This leaves the door open for the likes of Oli, William, Mara, and Phillip.  Also, Becky’s score has an influence on Eventing Nation’s $100 Bit of Britain Rolex Challenge, as many people figured Comet was a lock to break 45.0 and picked him for the dressage portion of the challenge.  As one rider texted me “I wish my bad days were that good.“
(2) Madison Park and Kyle Carter had what looked to me to be a very solid test, but the judges gave them a 59.  Parker was relaxed and moving well, but the judges picked apart all four changes and a bobble in the walk work to leave them with some work to do over the weekend.
(3) Phillip and Kheops suffered from being the first ride and the judges were conservative with their scoring.
(4) Napalm and Ian had a great test, showing the hard work they put into the dressage over the weekend.
(5) Boyd and Neville are sitting in good position with their 51.8.  This will be a little ways out of the lead by the end of dressage on Friday, but close enough for Boyd to catch back up on Saturday.

Becky Wins Rolex, Lauren and Peter Win Dubarrys

By on Apr 21, 2010 10:14 pm -

Of course, the Rolex we are talking about is the one given out in a drawing to one rider every year at the Wednesday night Rolex cocktail party, which is where I spent my evening.  Equestrian Events Inc put on a great party, and, while I’m not the best at small talk, I got to catch up with old friends and meet a few new ones.  As always, I heard some great stories that can’t be repeated here and I told a couple of those myself.

Lauren Kieffer won the best dressed female award and Peter Atkins the best dressed male, and both took home a pair of Dubarrys for their fashion.  We had trouble recognizing HJ Hampton from the front; all we usually see of him is his ears.  I vote for Peter wearing a helmet cam at Sunday’s jog. 
Three Days Three Ways is has a review of the best turned out pairs in the jog.  Maybe we will do the opposite for Sunday, and Ian Roberts is the early Vegas favorite.  Ian either already has Dubarrys or didn’t want any.  That said, the grey Napalm was impeccably turned out.

Jog Update: All Clear

By on Apr 21, 2010 4:32 pm -

Everyone passed todays jog.  Merloch, Napalm, and Rock on Rose were all held but passed on further inspection.  In general, I felt the ground jury was pretty generous this afternoon.  As a quick word to the kids at home, please practice jogging your horses before three-days.  Several of the riders either didn’t practice or did an awful job of practicing and their horses were trotting sideways and awkwardly bent half the time.  More later.

Ride Times and An Early Look At The Cross-Country Course

By on Apr 21, 2010 1:38 pm -
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This is the magical bracelet that gets me back in the barns.  This is my 10th consecutive Rolex, and, as always, my goals are to have fun, learn a lot, and hang out with my friends.  This year will be a little different because I get to bring a few thousand members of Eventing Nation along for the ride.

I took a quick walk around the XC course with my friend Lauren Kieffer this afternoon.  My main goal was to keep Lauren relaxed and to make the jumps look shorter by standing next to them.  I’m 6′ 3″, and there’s a reason nobody walks Rolex the first time with a midget little person.  But, I did get a chance to see the course along the way.
(1) There’s a water jump without any jumps.  Seriously.  The water between the trakehner and the coffin doesn’t have any jumps in it, but the roped off track make the horses gallop through it.
(2) The Head of the Lake has two drops into water.  There’s a brush drop in going towards the main arena, 4 strides to a left corner.  Then, it’s out of the water, a short right handed loop and another drop over a rail into water followed by a very tricky uphill angled vertical out of the water.
(3) In general, the course is big but not overly technical.  All of the combinations give the horses time to see and analyze the out elements.
(4) The distances that don’t walk perfect tend to walk a little long, but I will have more about the distances when I go on a couple of course walks with coaches.
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–A lot of the horses were ridden or hacked this morning at least once and will be ridden again this evening after the jog.  The main arena opens at 4:30 and most riders will take advantage of the chance to school or at least hack the horses in the main arena to give them a look at the environment and grandstands.
-Ashdale Cruise Master is better on the flat than I anticipated.  I briefly watched a few of the riders on the flat, and Cruise Master stood out as having quality gaits and good focus.  Oliver can definitely be in the top 5 after dressage.

Need to Know Wednesday: Rolex Starts Today!

By on Apr 21, 2010 9:48 am -

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courtesy of HC

Stephen Bradley and Brandenburg’s Joshua are the latest pair removed from the Rolex entry list.  Stephen and Joshua were bringing an incredible XC and show jumping record to the competition, and I would have predicted them to finish in the top 5.  There are currently only 53 Rolex entrants remaining from the over 70 that were entered just a few weeks ago.

If you included Joshua in your entry for EN’s $100 Bit of Britain Rolex Challenge, you may submit a new entry up until the start of the first horse inspection, which is when the contest closes.  Write “(Joshua)” at the top of the new entry so we can tell why you entered twice, and make your new entry identical to your first except with Joshua replaced by another horse.  We have also decided that because we already have over 100 entries, if we have two winners with identical final score tiebreakers, we will use the lowest dressage score, and then the closest to optimum on XC to break any further ties.

If you have not entered our Rolex Challenge, make sure you do before the jog starts today.  Bragging rights and a $100 gift certificate from Bit of Britain are on the line.

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As we have mentioned several times, the dressage and show jumping WEG test events are also being run at the KHP during Rolex.  The 2010 Radio Show has a great preview of all three test events.  The Chronicle is covering the dressage and show jumping test events extensively, including a recap of dressage day 1.
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Rolex is going to be a great weekend, but I already miss not having Bruce competing this year.  Rolex without Bruce is like Christmas without Santa.  In his latest blog entry, Bruce explains that his recovery is going very well and that he is preparing Cruise Lion for Buck to take to the Bromont CCI3*, which would qualify Cruise for the WEGs as another potential ride for Buck.  Cruise is one of my favorite horses because he has a great blend physical talent and mental strength.
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Lastly, today we select EN’s Official Group Pick for Rolex 2010.  We started a few days ago with 50+ Rolex entrants and, through our voting, we are left with 6 contenders for the prestigious honor.  Rumor has it that when asked if he would rather win the Grand Slam or be EN’s Rolex Pick, Oliver said “probably the Grand Slam, but I’m glad I have a shot at both.”  Check out Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7 of EN’s Rolex competitor previews for info on all the riders.  Only one vote this time:

Rolex Official Schedule of Events

By on Apr 21, 2010 8:14 am -

2010 ROLEX KENTUCKY THREE-DAY EVENT
ALLTECH FEI WORLD EQUESTRIAN GAMES TEST EVENT
Kentucky Cup Eventing

Cross-Country Course Open

Wednesday, April 21, 1:00 p.m.
(Course open to the public as of this date
and time; must stay off track of course)

First Horse Inspection
Wednesday, April 21, 3:00 p.m.

Competitor Familiarization in Main Arena
Wednesday, April 21, 4:30 p.m.


Dressage Test
Thursday, April 22, 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Friday, April 23, 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Cross-Country Test
Saturday, April 24, 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Non-Denominational Worship Service
Sunday, April 25, 7:30 a.m.

Second Horse Inspection
Sunday, April 25, 8:00 a.m.
Jumping Course Open for Competitor Inspection

Sunday, April 25, 11:00 a.m.



Presentation of the Teams of the 2010 USPC Prince Philip Cup
Sunday, April 25, 11:30 a.m.

Jumping Test
Sunday, April 25, 12:00- 2:30 p.m.

Awards Ceremony
Sunday, April 25, 2:30 p.m.
Courtesy of Boyd’s Blog

Congrats to the Pollard Family: Twins!

By on Apr 20, 2010 9:26 pm -

A special Eventing Nation congratulations to Rolex entrant Michael Pollard and his family.  His wonderful wife and former (and hopefully future) Rolex rider Nathalie gave birth to twins on Sunday.  Of course, Nathalie’s dad, Carl Bouckaert has competed at Rolex and represented Belgium internationally multiple times.  With that pedigree, it seems like we have two great new USET members lined up for 2032.
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Stephen Bradley and Brandenburg’s Joshua, Sarah Kozumplik and Somerset, and Karl Slezak and Charley Farley are the latest three pairs off the Rolex entries.