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Leslie Threlkeld

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Pau CCI4* Cross Country Social Media Roundup

What a day it was at Le Etoiles de Pau CCI4*. Experienced pairs came to grief, four-star first timers kicked serious butt and, of course, Michael Jung is winning (with one immobile ankle).

It was a tough day for the North Americans as well, but at the end of the day, we can all be glad everyone came home safe and sound. If you missed it, you can catch up on all the action via our live updates post, and stay tuned for much more from France!

Pau Links: Website, Entry List, Schedule, Live Scores, EN’s Coverage, Live Stream, FEI TV, Facebook@eventingnation, EN’s Instagram









Really tough day today. Unfortunately whitey had a breathing problem on course and I had to pull up. Thankfully he is healthy and happy back at his stall. Thank you to everyone who has supported me. Posted by Lillian Heard on Saturday, October 24, 2015


Thank you everyone for all the support… Ping and I are both ok after our tumble and it means a lot that you all have checked in. Thank you again x

Posted by Jennie Brannigan on Saturday, October 24, 2015





Go Eventing.

Pau CCI4* Cross Country Live Updates: Michael Jung and Halunke FBW Hold the Lead

Michael Jung and Halunke FBW at Pau. Photo by Leslie Wylie. Michael Jung and Halunke FBW at Pau. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

Bonjour! If you happen to see the Les Etoiles de Pau CCI4* organizers, please thank them for not making us get up at 0 dark thirty to watch cross country. I know this doesn’t apply to our West Coast friends, but still I’m grateful.

Course designer Pierre Michelet, who also happens to be hired for next year’s Olympic Games in Rio, envisioned a course at Pau that put the riders on their toes as they began their walks earlier this week. We are all anxious to see how the course will ride, with its faux snow groundlines and all. If you missed it, check out Wylie’s virtual course walk here.

I’ll be updating this post all morning with news and notes from the day. Wylie is on the ground updating Twitter and Instagram and if you’re having a leisurely morning with good broadband, you can watch the live stream here or if you have an FEI TV subscription, click here.

Here’s your team Canamerica/Americanada ride times/results:

Rebecca Howard and Riddle Master: 20 jumping at 24c, 4.8 time penalties

Lillian Heard and Share Option: 20 jumping penalties at 8d, retired at 13

Jennie Brannigan and Cambalda: Rider fall at 15 (they’re both okay)

Katie Ruppel and Houdini: 40 jumping (6c, 16a), 67.6 time penalties

Barb Crabo and Eveready: Rider fall at 24a (they’re both okay)

Pau Links: Website, Entry ListCross Country Start Times, Schedule, Live Scores, EN’s Coverage, Live Stream, FEI TV, Facebook@eventingnation, EN’s Instagram

Screen Shot 2015-10-24 at 11.29.07 AM

11:25 a.m. EST: Quite a dramatic day at Pau today. Thirty-eight horses will move on to the horse inspection tomorrow and only one American pair – Katie Ruppel and Houdini – are eligible to show jump. Michael Jung continues his eventing world domination. He could be looking at his third CCI4* win for 2015.

11:21 a.m. EST: Lilly Corinne takes out the red flag with her chest at the bunch of grapes. Sarah Bullimore was stopped at the final water and charged with elimination. A bummer way to end the day.

11:19 a.m. EST: Karim Florent Laghouag getting the crowd pumped as he jumps through the final combination. He and Entebbe De Hus finish with 2 time penalties and move up to 8th place.

11:16 a.m. EST: Just one second over with Halunke in the horse’s first four-star, Michael Jung maintains the lead by half a penalty point. Of course he’s second with fischerRocana FST, but the pressure will be on tomorrow as there is very little room for error amongst the top rides.

11:12 a.m. EST: The final rider of the day, Sarah Bullimore (GBR), is on course with her third horse, Lilly Corinne.

11:10 a.m. EST: Astier Nicolas riding to huge cheers all the way around this course with Piaf de B’Neville. He had a fall on his first ride but has just finished double-clear, the best French result of the day and lying in at least fourth place for show jumping.

11:07 a.m. EST: The very experienced pair of Andreas Dibowski (GER) and FRH Butts Avedon is double-clear, moving up to seventh for the moment.

11:06 a.m. EST: Fun fact via John Kyle: Halunke means “rascal” in German.

11:04 a.m. EST: Tim Lips (NED) punches the air as he clears the last with Concrex Bayo, moving them into fourth for the moment. Leaders Michael Jung and Halunke FBW are on course.

11:00 a.m. EST: Tim Price and Wesko have the fastest ride of the day, finishing in 11:12, moving into third place.

10:57 a.m. EST: We have just five left to start on course.

10:54 a.m. EST: Caroline Chadelat (FRA) and Kadessia were another pair to jump big over 24a and couldn’t get organized well enough for the bounce question out over the bank and fish. They pick up 20 for a stop at the fish.

10:51 a.m. EST: A difficult day for the U.S. today. Barb comes off Eveready after a big leap over the palisade into the water at 24. Such a shame as they were having a good round up to that point. Thankfully they are both okay.

10:49 a.m. EST: Alice Naber-Lozeman (NED) and Harry Bellafonte are our 11th double-clear of the day. Tim Price and Wesko having a lovely round so far. They were second this year at Rolex and winners at last year’s Luhmuhlen.

10:48 a.m. EST: They haven’t shown Barb and Eveready AT ALL on the video, but they are clear through 21.

10:44 a.m. EST: Masterfall ride from Paul Tapner, a double-clear with Indian Mill moving them into third. Our last American of the day – Barb Crabo and Eveready – are on course and clear through 12.

10:40 a.m. EST: Clare Abbot and Euro Prince add just 1.6 time penalties to move into 9th place at the moment. Australia’s Paul Tapner is having a lovely round with Indian Mill.

10:37 a.m. EST: Thomas Rowland and Hennessy Cormac finish clear with 10.4 time.

10:31 a.m. EST: Euro Prince very fast through the water at 8. Trips after the arrowhead and manages to regain his balance. He and Clare Abbott (IRL) are clear now through the Wishing Wells at 10.

10:29 a.m. EST: Katie Ruppel and Houdini pick up their second refusal on course at the bullfinch 16a.

10:27 a.m. EST: Clear round with 23.2 time for Kirsty Johnston and Opposition Detective, half-brother to Nicola Wilson’s famous Opposition Buzz. An elated Mark Todd cross the finish clear and inside the time with NZB Campino. They move into fourth place.

10:24 a.m. EST: A refusal at 6c, an angled house after a bank, for Katie Ruppel and Houdini.

10:20 a.m. EST: Jock Paget (NZL) and Clifton Signature are clear with 3.6 time penalties for a 50.5 taking forward to show jumping. USA’s Katie Ruppel and Houdini are next out of the box.

10:17 a.m. EST: Nicky Roncoroni (GBR) and Watts Burn are clear with 14.8 time. The Master – Sir Mark Todd – and NZB Campino are on course.

10:10 a.m. EST: They’ve just shown on the video, Jennie was working very hard on the approach to the racecourse hedge at 15 and Ping skimmed over the top of this very big fence and couldn’t get the landing gear down. Very unfortunate but we are relieved they are okay!

10:06 a.m. EST: Oh my. Lucy Weigersma and Mr Chunky go out of bounds over the barrier after a huge jump into the final water. They part ways and have to swim out of deep water, but they are fine. And very sadly Jennie and Ping have parted ways around fence 15. Ping’s bridle was off, but we didn’t see what happened. They are okay and walking off course. Such a huge bummer.

10:05 a.m. EST: We haven’t seen any more of them on the live stream, but Jennie and Ping are clear through 14.

10:04 a.m. EST: An absolute class round from four-star first timer Emily King and Brookleigh. Double-clear and six seconds under the time. They will enter show jumping tomorrow in no worse than third place.

10:02 a.m. EST: Jennie Brannigan very nearly pops out of the tack at the bank complex at 6. Heartstopping moment for us but she stayed in the saddle and Ping carried on!

10:00 a.m. EST: Lucy Jackson (NZL) and Bosun give us the seventh double-clear, and Jennie Brannigan and Cambalda are on course!

9:52 a.m. EST: Emily King and Brookleigh are on course in this 19-year-old’s first CCI4*. They are third after dressage.

9:48 a.m. EST: Reve du Rouet stands way off the bank at the final water, makes it up over the fish, but he and Sarah Bullimore come to grief at the final combination, glancing off the final element, forcing them to cross their tracks to the option. It’s not the second double-clear Sarah would have been hoping for.

9:47 a.m. EST: Pennlands Douglas really fighting for his head as Emma Hyslop-Webb (GBR) – decked out in pink – tries to settle into the course early on.

9:46 a.m. EST: Claas Hermann Romeike (GER) and Cato 60 are clear with just over 3 time penalties. Ireland’s Austin O’Connor picked up a stop at the first Wishing Well with Morning Venture.

9:45 a.m. EST: John Kyle tells us that riders have reported you can make up time in the last four minutes of the course if you are down on the clock. It’s fairly flat and you are galloping on a training track, after all.

Michael Jung and fischerRocana FST. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

Michael Jung and fischerRocana FST. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

9:38 a.m. EST: William Levitt (AUS) moves into second place after a double-clear round with Shannondale Titan.

9:36 a.m. EST: Sarah Bullimore is on course again, this time with Reve du Rouet. She was our trailblazer this morning with Valentino and started us off with a double-clear round. This is an experienced pair but it’s their first trip to Pau.

9:31 a.m. EST: Joseph Murphy (IRL) takes the long route at the final combination and finishes two seconds under the optimum time for the fifth double-clear round of the day.

9:28 a.m. EST: Helene Vattier (FRA) and Quito de Baliere finish with 20 jumping and 3.6 time. Joseph Murphy of Ireland and DHI Topstory are having a cracking round with just a few left to jump.

9:24 a.m. EST: Camille Lejeune (FRA) raises his hand over the final fence celebrating a clear round in he and his horse’s first four-star.

9:20 a.m. EST: Elmar Lesch (GER) and Lanzelot 113 clear with 14 time. R’Du Temps Bliniere seems to have settled down some but they are down on the clock now.

9:16 a.m. EST: Camille Lejeune’s R’Du Temps Bliniere very enthusiastic through the early part of the course. The 10-year-old Selle Français mare is definitely not put off by the size of the jumps in her first CCI4*!

9:14 a.m. EST: Laurence Hunt and Wie Donn’a Niieuwmoed cross their tracks to pick up 20 penalties at the final combination. They definitely took their time around the rest of the course, picking up 56 time penalties.

9:07 a.m. EST: Anna-Maria Rieke (GER) and Petite Dame are clear with 11.2 time.

9:00 a.m. EST: Despite taking the long route at the final combination, Blyth Tait and Bear Necessity are double-clear 13 seconds under the time.

8:59 a.m. EST: Wow. Bear Necessity V hits the first element of the water at 24 quite hard but just sort of slides over and carries on like nothing happened. He and Blyth Tait are clear with just a few left to jump.

8:57 a.m. EST: John Kyle says those bunch of grapes are usually a B element. On their own they are causing a sour day for some!

IMG_2717[2]

8:53 a.m. EST: Cornacrew looking at the crowd instead of the fence, picking up 20 penalties at the skinny grapes at 21. He actually hit the jump and moved it as he went out the right side door. Simon Grieve made no hesitation to retire.

8:44 a.m. EST: Julie Tew (GBR) falls from Simply Sox at 20 and Alexander Peternell (RSA) comes off AP Uprising at 12 The Wishing Wells – we saw him walking off course with his horse. Simon Grieve and Cornacrew currently the only pair on course.

8:41 a.m. EST: It’s been confirmed Lillian Heard elected to retire Share Option at 13.

8:40 a.m. EST: Rebecca and “Rupert” finish with 20 penalties and 4.8 time. We’re trying to figure out if Lillian has retired or if she’s been stopped by a steward for some reason.

8:38 a.m. EST: And a stop at the fish at 24c for Rebecca Howard and Riddle Master. They just didn’t have a good jump up the bank and couldn’t quite make it over the fish.

8:37 a.m. EST: Lillian Heard and Share Option pick up a refusal at 8d, a skinny wedge. What a bummer.

8:36 a.m. EST: Karim Florent Laghouag from France and Punch de L’Esques are clear and well inside the time! Rebecca Howard turned around briefly on the track as if she thought she’d gone the wrong way. She’s galloping on now.

8:32 a.m. EST: Michael and fischerRocana give us another double-clear just as Lillian Heard and Share Option start on course. Very comfortable and tidy through the first four fences.

8:31 a.m. EST: Canadian Rebecca Howard and Riddle Master are on course! They’re clear through 10!

8:30 a.m. EST: Whew! Michael and fischerRocana FST make it through all the water complexes without a bath!

8:28 a.m. EST: Andreas Dibowski (GER) and It’s Me xx finished with 20 jumping and just 4.8 time.

8:25 a.m. EST: Astier Nicolas (FRA) is eliminated after a fall from Quickly Du Buguet at the skinny grapes jump at 21, but he’s on his feet quickly and should be back for his second ride later today.

8:20 a.m. EST: Michael Jung (GER) is on course with fischerRocana FST, lying second after dressage. Jung’s ankle is on the mend after breaking it earlier this year, but he said he has a “strong bandage,” so it’s all good.

8:18 a.m. EST: Tim Price (NZL) and Lord of the Owls finished with no additional problems after picking up 20 at 3b. They still only had 9.6 time penalties.

8:14 a.m. EST: We did have two withdrawals this morning – Jonelle Price with Faerie Dianimo and Daniel Jocelyn and Phoenix L.

8:10 a.m. EST: Our trailblazers Sarah Bullimore (GBR) and Valentino V are clear and inside the time! What a way to start the day!

Monday News and Notes from Event Clinics

Dom Schramm and Ingvill Ramberg's WL Darco's Galliano jump the Event Clinics brush during the YEH 5-year-old Championships at Fair Hill. Photo by Sally Spickard Dom Schramm and Ingvill Ramberg's WL Darco's Galliano jump the Event Clinics brush during the YEH 5-year-old Championships at Fair Hill. Photo by Sally Spickard

When I was a kid, photos of Kim and Dan, Karen and Biko, and countless others hung on my bedroom wall. When I ran out of room, I hung photos from the ceiling. Maybe times are different now and inspirational horses and riders are idolized on social media instead of poster boards, but I have to hope that Katy Groesbeck is right when she posted on Facebook this Saturday, “Right now little girls all over the country are hanging posters of Lexus and Tamie Smith on their bedroom walls the way we used to put up pictures of Kim and Dan. #‎historyinthemaking‬.”

U.S. Weekend Action:

#DuttaFHI: WebsiteFinal ScoresYEH Final ScoresColdren’s CornerEN’s Coverage, @eventingnationEN’s Instagram

The Event at Kelly’s Ford H.T.  [Website] [Entry Status]

Fresno County Horse Park H.T.  [Website] [Live Scores]

Monday News and Notes:

Kelly Prather and 7-year-old D.A. Duras made the U.S. proud with their top ten finish at the Young Horse Championships at Le Lion d’Angers this weekend. Catch up on owner Debbie Adams’ blogs about the experience of watching her horse compete against the best youngsters in the world. [D.A. Duras at Le Lion]

Fair Hill International has been doing their own social media roundups over the last several days. In their final collection they say: “Thank you all for coming, braving the cold, and staying cheerful throughout.” It’s hard not to be in good spirits at an event like this one! [Let’s Do One More]

Home is where your horse is, and having your horse in Northern Virginia is pretty magical. Horses, horsey activities and horse people are every where you turn. It’s that something special and unique about the MidAtlantic countryside that keeps luring novelist Jane Smiley back. She’s even visited Fair Hill! [My Horse Country]

Tim and Jonelle Price left New Zealand a decade ago to set up shop in Wiltshire at Mere Farm, slowly building their business and developing the property. With multiple four-star horses between them, the Prices are on their way to representing their home country side-by-side at the Rio Olympics next year. [Stable Environment Jump-Starts Rio Hopes]

Sinead Halpin and the pocket rocket Forrest Nymph at Fair Hill.

Fair Hill Sunday Social Media Roundup: When Horses Give Us Wings

Just what is it about horses? How is it that these creatures have such an impeccable power to heal, to channel all our energies, to help us find strength in the face of tragedy, to show us we are capable of more than we ever thought possible? May we be thankful for all they have given us.

#DuttaFHI: Website, Final Scores, YEH Final Scores, Coldren’s Corner, EN’s Coverage, @eventingnation, EN’s Instagram


This horse has wings and a heart like no other. Thank you Alex, Ellen & Eric for this incredible journey and thank you…

Posted by Tamie Smith on Sunday, October 18, 2015



Kim and Crossie double clear for 3rd place in the CCI***!!!!!!! Did I mention that he just moved to Advanced in…

Posted by Roslyn Rogers Johnson on Sunday, October 18, 2015


Bill on his way to fourth at Fairhill CCI**

Posted by Waylon Roberts on Sunday, October 18, 2015


YAAAAAAAY! When we go to watch the Rolex this coming spring, we’ll get to root for Joe Meyer! He and Clip Clop qualified for the Rolex this weekend! So cool!

Posted by Vanessa J. Conner on Sunday, October 18, 2015



We brought home two reserve champions from The Dutta Corporation Fair Hill International!Mighty Nice, owned by…

Posted by Phillip Dutton Eventing on Sunday, October 18, 2015


So proud of Woodge and Captain Jack on their CCI 3* finish (with a clean xc might I add..)! It was less than 1 year ago…

Posted by Karen Fulton on Sunday, October 18, 2015


Without a doubt an unforgettable weekend at Fair Hill, my first time there. So impressed with the quality of horses and…

Posted by Sally Spickard on Sunday, October 18, 2015


Fair Hill Cross Country Social Media Roundup

Whew. Fair Hill cross country day is a legit roller coaster ride. I was following the live updates on EN myself and catching up on Twitter and Facebook throughout the day. Even if you aren’t there to catch the action in person, you can definitely keep up with what’s happening thanks to the power of the internet…maybe from somewhere warmer than Maryland in October!

#DuttaFHI: Website, Entries, XC Order of Go, Live Scores, PRO Tour Radio, YEH Final Scores, Schedule, Coldren’s Corner, EN’s Coverage, @eventingnation, EN’s Instagram



CCI2* overnight leaders Will Coleman Equestrian and Tight Lines making Derek di Grazia’s course look easy at Fair Hill International

Posted by USEF Eventing High Performance on Saturday, October 17, 2015


I have the best horses in the world. They have the biggest hearts and try so hard. I’m not used to not doing my job…

Posted by Sara Kozumplik Murphy on Saturday, October 17, 2015


Mr. Clean CCI 3* horse (and kid)!

Posted by Karen Fulton on Saturday, October 17, 2015





Words can’t describe how much admiration I have for this amazing horse. She jumped around Fairhill today like a…

Posted by Jennie Brannigan on Saturday, October 17, 2015



Obie was his usual amazing self XC today in the 3star. I am so lucky to call him mine. This horse is a machine! He…

Posted by Ellen Doughty-Hume Eventer on Saturday, October 17, 2015


Add USEquestrian on Snapchat for cross-country day at Fair Hill International #duttfhi

Posted by USEF Network on Saturday, October 17, 2015


So proud of Cooley Dream for jumping around his first 2* today at Fair Hill clear! Huge thanks to Lynn Symansky for…

Posted by Hannah Sue on Saturday, October 17, 2015


All three horses are sitting inside the top five in their divisions after an eventful cross country day at Fair Hill…

Posted by Phillip Dutton Eventing on Saturday, October 17, 2015


Four clear rounds and this little guy waiting at the vet box – excellent day at Fair Hill International. Thanks to Cheryl Griffith for making Nox’s outfit! Photo: Amber Heintzberger

Posted by Boyd Martin on Saturday, October 17, 2015


And then there was this:

Did you see the Presidents Cup Games this morning at #DuttaFHI? Perpetually in awe of what these kids can do.

Posted by Fair Hill International on Saturday, October 17, 2015

The big finale is tomorrow! Refresh EN like a mad person and you won’t miss a thing!

One Big Happy Fair Hill Social Media Roundup

Fair Hill week is a special one for so many reason. For one thing, you have the most talented groups of horses and riders in North America gathered in one location; the organizers and volunteers work tirelessly to pull off one of the best three-days all year; and then there are the fall colors… the photos that come out of Fair Hill are some of my very favorites.

But looking back at social media posts from the second day of dressage, there is one particular theme that is so powerful you can almost reach out and touch it, and that’s the feeling of family. When the owners, riders, organizers, cheerleaders and every one in between get together at an event like this, there’s no doubt that collectively, we’re just one big happy.

#DuttaFHI: Website, Entries, XC Order of Go, Live Scores, YEH Live Scores, Schedule, Coldren’s Corner, EN’s Coverage, @eventingnation, EN’s Instagram


Seeing this amazing person smile makes my job even better… Shout out to her homebred Twighlightslastgleam who won…

Posted by Jennie Brannigan on Friday, October 16, 2015



SpectraVET Cohiba showing off her ribbons for being named the top 5 year old on the East Coast. #winner #eventing #yeh2015

A photo posted by Lynn Symansky (@lynn.symansky.equestrian) on


On the job at Fair Hill International with Lindsay Berreth. Thanks to Jamie Rees for the cool photo from today’s press conference!

Posted by Jenni Autry on Friday, October 16, 2015


Fair Hill International — day two of dressage – 10-16-15Another *Surprise* Sunny Day!Some fantastic tests today to…

Posted by Shannon K Brinkman Photography on Friday, October 16, 2015



Farrah flicking her toes in the warm up 🙂

Posted by Forrest Nymph on Friday, October 16, 2015


Great day at Fair Hill International. The Diesel Boy said he’s too grown up to be scared of blowing flags and instead he…

Posted by MK Equestrian on Friday, October 16, 2015


Roo and Jimmie selfies before her jumping phase in the YEH championships!!!! @c4equestrian @domschramm @fairhillint

A photo posted by Jimmie Schramm (@jimmiehschramm) on



Team Rebecca's Dondante (Al) had the highest conformation score yesterday and just jumped a fantastic round to finish on a score of 81.96. Very proud of this youngster!

Posted by Will Coleman Equestrian on Friday, October 16, 2015

Good luck to everyone on cross country tomorrow!

Fair Hill Dressage Social Media Roundup

It’s been a brilliant and gorgeous dressage day at the Dutta Corp Fair Hill International. Here’s a quick bedtime social media roundup to wrap up your Thursday. One more day of circles and then it’s on to the good stuff!

#DuttaFHI: Website, Entries, Dressage Ride Times, Live Scores, YEH Live Scores,, Schedule, Coldren’s Corner, EN’s Coverage, @eventingnation, EN’s Instagram




So THIS just happened at The Dutta Corporation FHI – Will Coleman Equestrian was interviewed by WBAL-TV 11 Baltimore! … Posted by Fair Hill International on Thursday, October 15, 2015


SpectraVET Cohiba getting in her morning roll in preparation for dressage. #stretch #happygirl #grazing #eventing A photo posted by Lynn Symansky (@lynn.symansky.equestrian) on



 

Donald says Good Luck to everyone at Fair Hill!!! Posted by Philippa ‘Richards’ Humphreys on Thursday, October 15, 2015


 

Al… Just so helpful 🙂 #Dondante #TeamRebecca #wce @reddinac1 A photo posted by Will Coleman Equestrian (@willcolemanequestrian) on


Apparently @goeventing has worked Chinch too hard today. Calling in quits at #DuttaFHI #3dayeventing #equestrian

A photo posted by Fair Hill International (@fairhillint) on

Thursday Video from Zoetis: Fair Hill Cross Country Flyover With Commentary

Take a virtual drone tour of the 2015 cross country track at the Dutta Corp Fair Hill International with fence dimensions and commentary from course designer Derek di Grazia. Many thanks to Packy McGaughan for directing and Jamie Rees for producing the video.

If you missed our fence-by-fence preview of the CCI3* track, click here, and keep it locked on EN for much more from Fair Hill!

#DuttaFHI: Website, Entries, Dressage Ride Times, Live Scores, YEH Live Scores,, Schedule, Coldren’s Corner, EN’s Coverage, @eventingnation, EN’s Instagram

Pine Top Farm Adds CIC3* to 2016 Winter Calendar

Photo courtesy of Pine Top Farm. Photo courtesy of Pine Top Farm.

Pine Top Farm in Thomson, Georgia has been approved to add a CIC3* division to its February 25-28, 2016 Advanced/CIC2*/CIC* event. Pine Top will now be the site of the first three-star of the new year in North America and will provide an additional Olympic qualifier for Rio hopefuls.

Pine Top organizers Glenn and Janet Wilson told EN that they had not initially planned to host a three-star at their popular February Advanced horse trials, but it was requested that they do so right before the FEI application deadline, so they worked hard to get the details in order.

“We immediately called Area III chair Jane Barron, who then polled the other area organizers for approval, and we called our course designer Derek di Grazia, whose response was ‘no problem,'” the Wilsons stated in a press release.

While riders have until June 19, 2016 to obtain the minimum eligibility requirements to compete at the 2016 Rio Olympics, the cutoff date for individual qualification based on FEI rider rankings is March 6, 2016. The addition of this new CIC3* could assist countries such as Mexico and Ecuador, which did not receive direct qualification as a team, as it gives them an additional chance to achieve points before the deadline.

“We are pleased to add this three-star division, and we are thankful that Derek is on our team. This will be his second year as our designer, and this is a big vote of confidence for us and our dedicated volunteers. We are looking forward to upping our game yet again.”

[Aiken 2016 Winter Eventing Calendar Now Includes a CIC3* at Pine Top]

Monday News and Notes from Event Clinics

How cool is this! What a small world the horse world can be, and how special this is for the Holling’s to receive such a special note and photo during a happy time for Downtown Harrison.

We just got this as a comment on one of our posts about this weekend at Boekelo. One of the greatest things about horses…

Posted by Holling Eventing on Saturday, October 10, 2015

U.S. Weekend Action:

Course Brook Farm Fall H.T. [Results]

WindRidge Farm Fall H.T. [Results]

The Maryland at Loch Moy H.T. [Results]

Radnor Hunt H.T. [Results]

Middle Tennessee Pony Club H.T. [Results]

Heritage Park H.T. [Results]

Greenwood Farm Fall H.T. [Results]

The Event at Skyline H.T. [Results]

Las Cruces H.T. [Results]

Monday News and Notes:

Boekelo was an important competition for New Zealand as their qualification for the Rio Olympic Games was on the line. A hard fought third placed team finish ultimately sealed the deal. They brought a star squad with them to get the job done, with the requirements to finish with a team score as well as place higher than Japan, who ultimately fell out of the team competition on cross country day. The Kiwis can breathe a sigh of relief now and focus on their Olympic preparation. [Kiwi Eventers Bound for Rio]

Eventer Katie Wherley is doing a special fundraiser for the Susan G. Komen Foundation during the month of October. Katie is selling sports tech, moisture-wicking long-sleeve shirt (similar to Under Armour heat gear) with the breast cancer ribbon on them. She has had, and currently has, members of her family fighting the disease so this is something that she is really passionate about. [Click to Learn More]

The Le Cheval Canadien, or Canadian horse, made its debut at Dressage at Devon earlier this month with rider Eliza Banks and her ride CanaDream Kelbeck YouandMe, better known as Toque. The Canadian horse is a versatile breed, and Toque is a special order as he was bred by the president of the Cheval Canadien breed society. At Devon he won multiple ribbons, including winning the 4-year-old Suitable to Become a Dressage Horse class. [A Different Breed Makes Its Mark at Devon]

Jessica Springsteen is more than a rockstar’s daughter, she’s an up-and-coming international show jumper. In fact, the whole family fits right into the equestrian scene. Jessica says her parents always encouraged her to follow her passion just like they did. She might have lived a unique life growing up, but she has the same dream as most little girls who start riding horses – to go to the Olympics on day. [Meet Show Jumping Star Jessica Springsteen]

The final show jumping rounds at Boekelo. Even if you don’t speak Dutch, you’ll get the gist of what’s going on!

Areas IV and X Crown 2015 Champions + Other Weekend Results

It was a busy weekend, with ten recognized events occurring in every corner of the Eventing Nation. You can find links to all of them on our Sunday morning post, and we’ll go over a few others in detail here, including recognizing our new Area champions!

Heritage Park Horse Trials in Olathe, Kansas hosted the Area IV Championships as well as horse trials and Tests from Pre-Beginner Novice up through Preliminary. We congratulate the 2015 Area IV Champions: Todd Wulf and Sullivan (Preliminary), Julie Wolfert and Djabouti (Training), Julie Wolfert and GH GloryUs Grace (Novice) and Olivia Coolidge and Tallahassee (Beginner Novice), all of whom led their divisions from the start.

In the Open Preliminary division, Jessica Ptak and Cordial Lady moved up from sixth to take home the blue. Natasha Erschen and Magic Drummer were second, and Hannah Herrig and Irish Diamonds came third.

Also, we have to extend a shout out EN’s own Sally Spickard and her OTTB gelding Fawkes for their completion in the Pre-Beginner Novice B division. Go baby horses!

Congrats, Sally!

Congrats, Sally!

Heritage Park H.T.  [Website] [Live Scores]

Las Cruces in New Mexico was the site of the Area X Championships. Massive congratulations to the 2015 victors: Nicholas Madsen and B’Ambitious (Preliminary), Deirdre Orcelletto and Got Rugged (Training), Brittany Kushinsky and In Vogue (Novice) and Angela Carmitchel and Dancewithgold (Beginner Novice).

Tom Angle won the Open Preliminary Horse Trials division, leading from the start with his own and Goose Downs Farm’s Viking II. Cynthia Boudreau and She’s Got Game were close behind in second, and Amanda Gnatek and Jezebelle finished third.

Las Cruces H.T.  [Website] [Live Scores]

The Maryland Horse Trials at Loch Moy Farm had a huge turnout, with Beginner Novice through Intermediate levels. Brand new dad Boyd Martin won the Open Intermediate-A division with Master Eli, leading from start to finish after posting a dressage score of 29.6. Waylon Roberts and Rather Swell had a rather stupendous move up the leaderboard from tenth to second with the fastest cross country ride of the day, and Kate Chadderton picked up third with Buckharo.

Boyd was also the winner of Open Intermediate-B, once again leading from the start. He also shows up at the top of the leaderboard in Open Training-A riding Santos, finishing on their dressage score of 22.7, nearly 10 full points ahead of second place. Sally Cousins and Quigase du Lac were second in Open Intermediate-B, and Kate Chadderton was third again with Collection Pass. Kate’s two horses were also both awarded with the highest placed Thoroughbred awards in their respective divisions!

There were four well represented Preliminary divisions. Tayler Stewart and Sally Cousins’ former ride Ideal Contini won the Junior Young Riders division, while Sally won the Open-A division with Christopher. Phillip Dutton and Good Enough topped Open Preliminary-B, and Claire Robinson and Ayita won a tie against Wendy Bebie and Calero for the win in Open Preliminary-C.

The Maryland at Loch Moy H.T.  [Website] [Entry Status] [Live Scores]

The Greenwood Farm Inc. Fall Horse Trials in Weatherford, Texas welcomed Beginner Novice through Intermediate competitors. Bailey Moran and Loughnatousa Caislean scored a 29.6 for first place in the Intermediate class and though time penalties dropped them to second after cross country, they returned to the top of the leaderboard after the final phase. Caroline Testi and Crimson Tide came second and third went to Lida McAllister and Flagmount’s Harmony.

Mike Huber, who was recently honored with an award to be given annually in his name at the NAJYRC, won the Open Preliminary class with Russell’s Reserve. Forrest el-Effendi and Winter Colony, who posted the only double-clear cross country round in the division, were second, and Emma Kate Fisher and Carlingford’s Forever finished third.

The Preliminary Young Rider division was topped by Ashlyn Hayworth and Oliver, finishing on a 35.7. Frances Littlejohn and Hector picked up second, while Cassidy Snyder and Flagmount’s Celtic Rose moved up from sixth place to finish third.

Greenwood Farm Fall H.T.  [Website] [Live Scores]

As we reported this morning, Paradise Farm was unfortunately cancelled due to a grim weather forecast, and Windridge Farm had been rescheduled from last week to this week. Even though there was standing water after the storms brought in by Hurricane Joaquin, the grounds dried out enough to run all phases yesterday, from Starter through Preliminary.

Maya Simmons came out on top in the Preliminary division riding Archie Rocks. They were fourth after dressage and moved up to first with 6.4 time penalties to add. Hillary Irwin and Kilbeggan were just a few seconds slower to drop to second, just 0.2 penalty points behind Maya. Susan Thomas and Fly ‘N’ Bayou round out the top three.

WindRidge Farm Fall H.T.  [Website] [Live Scores]

Sunday Video: The Finish Line

Cross country day brings a wave of emotions, from the highest highs to the lowest lows, for any and every individual involved in eventing. The finish line, especially, at a three-day event radiates with energy as a rider and his or her team simultaneously reflect on the minutes and jumps that have so recently passed while carefully tending to the animal that carried them there, to the end.

Expertly captured at the Boekelo finish line by renowned equine photographer Arnd Bronkhorst, the breathtaking moments reflected in this video come as close as one could to summing up the intensity of the day.

Wet Weather Causes Cancellations, Rescheduling of East Coast Events

More rain for the East Coast! Yesterday's radar via Intellicast. More rain for the East Coast! Yesterday's radar via Intellicast.

The rain continues to pour on the East Coast — as it has been for weeks — greatly affecting a number of horse trials. We reported earlier this month on the cancellation of the October Horse Trials at Chattahoochee Hills due to bad weather and high traffic on the property. This last week we’ve seen two other events forced to make tough decisions.

Paradise Farm in Aiken, South Carolina made the call Saturday morning to cancel their event due to severe weather conditions in the forecast. While there have been reports that the skies eventually cleared and riders were able to school the courses before heading home, it is no doubt a difficult circumstance for the organizer to be in and ultimately safety must be the priority.

“We can not thank everyone enough for all their efforts to help us try and pull off a horse trial. Very sadly, the weather fooled us and we chose to cancel, only to end up having a decent afternoon where we could have run,” read a post on the Paradise Farm Facebook page.

“The decision to cancel a competition is not made lightly nor personally. Much thought went into the decision and I was proud and honored to work with a great ground jury, safety team, and all those that were a part of the event. Endless hours, people and effort make up the creation and execution of a horse trials. We were all sad to cancel.”

Windridge Horse Trials, in Mooresboro, North Carolina, was forced to cancel their horse trials last weekend due to high winds and heavy rain in the wake of Hurricane Joaquin. Organizer Alicia Henderson applied for an emergency date change for yesterday, October 10. Even though it was still raining in Western North Carolina this weekend, they were able to run all three phases from Starter through the Preliminary level. You can see the full results here.

The weather has been a tough force for the East Coast recently and here’s hoping we enjoy sunny, clear skies soon. Thank you to all the organizers who work so hard to run horse trials and the riders who brave the conditions to do what they love.

If you need a refresher on just how drastically the recent heavy rain has been affecting the Carolinas, read about the 1,000 year flooding event on our sister site, Horse Nation.

How Boekelo Is Just One Big Party

Het was vandaag volle bak bij Military Boekelo – Enschede Like als je er ook bij was!#MBE15Foto: Abbink Fotografie

Posted by Military Boekelo – Enschede on Saturday, October 10, 2015

“It was a full house.”

The Military-Boekelo Enschede in the Netherlands isn’t just a horse show, it’s an outing. Spectators turn out in droves to enjoy the festivities. There are bouncy castles for the kids, beer gardens for the adults and plenty of shopping. Combine all that with the thrill of cross country and it sounds like a perfectly good Saturday spent with 60,000 of your closest friends!

Boekelo: Website, Entries, Schedule, XC Order of Go, Live Stream, Live Scores, Team Standings, EN’s Coverage, @eventingnation, EN’s Instagram

Boekelo’s definitely gone on my bucket list. The horses are the highlight, obviously.

Here is Lauren Kieffer and Landmark’s Monte Carlo, the highest placed American pair in tenth after cross country. (Click to play)


Buck bomb.

Kijk een paard #horse #race #military A photo posted by Jim Tolman (@langenzo) on


The caption reads, “Fun day had at the Military-Boekelo with family.”

Leuk dagje op de military in boekelo gehad met familie de Vries/Wijnbergen/Groeneweg/Hondebrink

A photo posted by Lynn Steeman (@xlynn2806) on


But when you turn the camera away from the galloping lanes, things miiiight start getting rowdy as the day progresses. Feestje is a Dutch word for “party” and that’s basically what Boekelo is, in a word. And the Dutch go all out.

Great day at East Netherlands yearly tradition: the Military @ Boekelo! A photo posted by tacopotze (@tacopotze) on


#feestje

#MBE15

A photo posted by @matroosje on


One thing I noticed on the live stream this morning as the camera panned across the crowd and zoomed in on spectators – which happened as frequently as a horse galloping through the frame – is the Dutch are really quite stylish. I saw fur coats, you guys.

Military maatjes A photo posted by Senna Karim (@sennakarim) on


How do these people do it? I’m lucky if I leave this house without wellies and a t-shirt from a horse show 10 years ago.

Rara waar zijn we. Bonnie&Clyde #MBE15 #Military #Boekelo #Mieters #Feestje

A photo posted by Kylie Bollegraf (@kyliemero) on


This is the last one I swear. (pssst, I love how your hat matches your lipstick, lindaeertink). Oh wait, she’s actually a model. Models hang out at Boekelo. #feestje!


Let’s go back to the horses.

Boekelo was so much fun, had a lovely day #military #Boekelo

A photo posted by Sanne (@sanneth96) on


(Click to play)

It was so much fun at the military with my best friend ❤️ @flapppie A video posted by all about me & horses (@my.horseslife) on


Is it just me, or are they standing really close to the fence?

Paarden zijn sowieso cool #military #boekelo #crosscountry #horse #loveit #unomas #metdankaannemidupuis

A photo posted by Cécile Sayuri | Amsterdam | (@cecilevanunen) on


HORSIE #boekelo #military #maspan #hindernis3 #crosscountry #galloperenddoorhetsticht #meerpaarden

A photo posted by Cécile Sayuri | Amsterdam | (@cecilevanunen) on


(Click to Play)


 

#militaryboekelo2015 #militaryboekelo #horseriding #boekelo A photo posted by Edwin Plokker (@edwin13ok) on


(Click to play)


 

Military Boekelo 2015 #mbe2015 #militaryboekelo #horse #event #boekelo #enschede #igersenschede #igersholland #horsesofinstagram #horses A photo posted by g e r b e n h i l b r i n k (@gerbenhilbrink) on


Josephine Schnaufer’s Sambucca 10 left out an entire stride before the bank at the first water. (Click to play)

Last 5 !!!

A video posted by Stephen Pegg (@sdpegg) on


(Click to play)

#mbe15 A video posted by @fleur_van_dijk on


(Click to play)


But this seems like as good a place as any to bring this roundup to a close:

A photo posted by Robert ten Thije (@r.tenthije) on

I didn’t really make it past the Military Boekelo Instagram hashtag and there is more where that came from, so for more horses, style and feestje, click here.

Hope the Wonderhorse Is Now a Riding Horse

Rachel Medley riding Hope the Wonderhorse. Photo via Facebook. Rachel Medley riding Hope the Wonderhorse. Photo via Facebook.

When Hope the Wonderhorse was rescued from severe neglect almost one year ago, it was uncertain whether she would survive. The prospect of her one day becoming a riding horse was not even considered for a long time during the rehabilitation process.  Time and again, she has defied the odds and exceeded everyone’s expectations, and this week, Hope was ridden for the first time by Rachel Medley, her owner and primary caretaker since her rescue.

“Ten months and nine days after Hope was rescued, she enters the world of productive society!” Rachel said in a Facebook post on Tuesday. “I started tacking her up about six weeks ago. Ever so slowly, I started working her lunging her under tack. She met each new task with her characteristic vigor.”

After many weeks of ground work and careful saddle fitting to ensure a healed wound on her withers would not be irritated, Hope started work on the lunge line, learning voice commands and developing a work ethic.

Hope’s workout today! She is really getting this walk/trot thing down!! Her attention span is getting longer as well…today she worked for 20 minutes and was still patient and ready to keep going! I stopped right after this video…she was being SO GOOD!

Posted by Hope the Wonderhorse on Wednesday, September 23, 2015

“With regular vet checks along the way, I started laying over her back to see if my weight caused her any discomfort. Since she showed no signs of pain or irritation, we determined she was ready to be ridden,” Rachel said.

The first ride went just about as well as one could imagine. With the help of photographer and Hope Wonder-fan Allie Conrad, the trio took a ten minute walkabout and ended the first ride on a high note.

“She took it like a champ and seemed to understand that, like everything else in the past ten months, nothing will hurt her and no harm will come to her as long as the people who love her are near her.”

Here’s a little clip from Hope’s workout yesterday. She did very well, even stopping and turning on cues from me; Allie had the lead rope for safety but I don’t think she’ll need it much longer. We will build her fitness up gradually and she will have regular checks from Dr. Kivett to make sure she can handle what we introduce to her. Hope will have today off from riding, and we will have another short ride Thursday!

Posted by Hope the Wonderhorse on Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Ever since the prospects of Hope one day being ridden began to twinkle on the horizon, Rachel said that she would always make sure the filly was comfortable in work and would let her do any job she wanted to do. Now that she’s under saddle, Rachel is excited to try different disciplines with her and discover what she enjoys.

It makes our hearts sing to see this little filly thriving. We look forward to watching Hope and Rachel’s partnership continue to grow and maybe, just maybe, see them at a horse trials one day. You can follow Hope’s journey, too, by following her page on Facebook.

12107104_1049660731741584_9123713037290934475_n

Rachel Medley, Hope, and Allie Conrad. Photo via Facebook.

Boekelo CCIO3* Cross Country Live Updates

Buck Davidson and Copper Beach on their way to a clear round at Boekelo CCIO3*. Photo by Leslie Wylie. Buck Davidson and Copper Beach on their way to a clear round at Boekelo CCIO3*. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

Rise and shine! We’re just moments away from the start of the Military Boekelo CCIO3* cross country. It’s a big division with 84 horse and rider combinations set to start. We have ten U.S. riders and our Canadian friend Lindsay Traisnel to cheer on this morning, and we will keep their updates at the top of this post so you don’t have to scroll through the whole page.

If you want to watch the live stream, it’s embedded in this post!

Boekelo: Website, Entries, Saturday Order of Go, Course Walk, Schedule, Live Scores, Team Scores, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, @eventingnation, EN’s Instagram

10:35 a.m. EST: The U.S. is third in the team competition heading into show jumping! Ireland is well deserving of their overnight lead as they had some cracking rounds today, with many of their riders going early when it was still slick, but there is no room for error tomorrow as New Zealand is hot on their heels. Check out detailed team scores here.

Screen Shot 2015-10-10 at 10.34.42 AM

Screen Shot 2015-10-10 at 10.13.05 AM

10:09 a.m. EST: That’s a wrap on Boekelo CCIO3* cross country. For those of you who were up with us six hours ago and everyone who tuned in since, thank you for joining us! Stay tuned for much more from Boekelo!

9:56 a.m. EST: What a day! All four U.S. Nations Cup Team riders crossed the finish without jumping penalties, and of 11 North American riders in the field, 10 went clear over a tough course. Congratulations to Team USA!

9:49 a.m. EST: Cooley looked to be quite strong throughout the course and he and Liz pick up 23.2 time penalties, but that’s four clear rounds for the U.S. Nations Cup team!

9:43 a.m. EST: Amazing save by Liz at the first water. Cooley jumped in big over the first element and she had one leg on the wrong side of the saddle as they cantered on. She jumped off the drop with one stirrup and jumped, erm, cooley, out over the brush.

9:40 a.m. EST: Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp and her big Irish grey HHS Cooley are on course and clear through the combination at seven.

9:34 a.m. EST: Buck and Carlevo are clear with 26.4 time – a super performance for the 8-year-old in his first CCI3*.  We’ve just one American rider left to go!

9:26 a.m. EST: Carlevo is just cruising with his lovely long stride. Buck circled him between 11 and 12 but they are clear through 18 and approaching the final water.

9:24 a.m. EST: Big pats for RF Quarterman as he and Marilyn cross the finish clear with 11.6 time. What a star! In his first year at the level, the 7-year-old has completed three CIC3* and two CCI3* without a single cross country penalty.

9:20 a.m. EST: Marilyn takes the direct route on RF Quarterman at the second water. She’s done that with both horses successfully today when only a handful of riders have even attempted it.

9:15 a.m. EST: Lauren is all smiles as she crosses the finish with Landmark’s Monte Carlo. They are clear with just 1.2 time in the 9-year-old’s second CCI3*. Great to see all the other members of the American “team” including riders, grooms, owners and parents waiting at the finish to help and congratulate!

9:14 a.m. EST: The Americans have the course to themselves now – Lauren is clear through 26 and Marilyn Little and RF Quarterman have started.

9:10 a.m. EST: Lauren and “Patrick” are clear through the tricky combination at 7, and a trip up the bank didn’t appear to bother this Irish Sport Horse. Both Lauren and Patrick kept their eyes up and kicked on over the brush out.

USA is rocking it at Boekelo!!!!! Keep bringing home clear rounds guys! So proud!! And Lindsay Traisnel was a beast!!!

Posted by Hannah Sue on Saturday, October 10, 2015

9:04 a.m. EST: Another commercial starting right before an American heads out on course. Lauren Kieffer and Landmark’s Monte Carlo coming up!

8:52 a.m. EST: A clear round with 13.2 time for Jon and Will! Amazing! USA you are making us SO PROUD!

8:45 a.m. EST: Close call for Jon and “Will” at the first water! He was honest to jump the brush after stumbling up the bank. Kick on, Jon!

8:40 a.m. EST: Jonathan Holling and Downtown Harrison are on course and over the first!

Jumping up and down for Matt Cecily Brown!!!!! Way to go buddy!!! And Team USA!!!! Only a couple more to go!!!! So…

Posted by Tamie Smith on Saturday, October 10, 2015

8:15 a.m. EST: Matt and Super Socks ring in the fifth clear round from the North American contingent so far today! They add just 5.2 time penalties to their dressage score of 46.4. The U.S. Nations Cup Team now has three clear rounds on the team score with Liz Halliday and HHS Cooley still to go. Go USA!

8:09 a.m. EST: Matt and Super Socks are clear through the first water at 9.

8:06 a.m. EST: The live stream has switched to a pre-filmed feature now while Matt Brown and Super Socks are on course. They are clear through the tricky combination at 7.

7:58 a.m. EST: We’re three away from the start of the next U.S. rider – Matt Brown and Super Socks BCF.

7:24 a.m. EST: Lots of pats for Vermiculus at the finish – clear with 15.2 time.

7:17 a.m. EST: Lauren and “Bug” are super through the first water. Not a misstep at a complex where many experienced pairs have had trouble today.

7:13 a.m. EST: Lauren Kieffer and Vermiculus are on course. This horse is only 8 and he’s tackling his first CCI3*.

7:10 a.m. EST: Yes! A clear round with time for Lindsay and Candar van het Neerveld.

7:05 a.m. EST: Lindsay is clear through 18. Come on, let’s see another clear!

7:01 a.m. EST: Canadian Lindsay Traisnel is on course with Candar van het Neerveld. They are clear through fence 10. The live stream has started skipping but they look great from what I’ve seen.

6:52 a.m. EST: Despite the early penalty, Katherine and Longwood finish well with 18.4 time penalties to add.

6:44 a.m. EST: Rats. Katherine and Longwood pick up 20 at fence 7b. Longwood is another one to leave a leg on the bank out at the first water. They power through, though.

6:40 a.m. EST: Britain-based U.S. rider Katherine Coleman has left the startbox with Longwood.

Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

5:53 a.m. EST: Marilyn had to work very hard to guide Kitty around her first CCI3* course, and they got it done with no jumping penalties and 9.6 time penalties. That was one heck of a ride and we have two clear rounds up for the U.S. team score.

5:49 a.m. EST: Marilyn takes the straight route through the second water, which not many have done so far today. “Kitty” has to reach for it, but they get it done.

5:45 a.m. EST: Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous are very bold and straight through the first water.

4:42 a.m. EST: Our next American pair, Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous, will leave the box at 5:40 a.m. EST, so you could, if you feel so inclined, have a little nap before she goes. I have may have to make more coffee…

Buck Davidson and Copper Beach. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

Buck Davidson and Copper Beach. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

4:32 a.m. EST: They’re interviewing Buck at the finish and we can hear a bit of it over the loudspeaker. He mentioned that it was a lot of work and the horse needs to be honest on this course.

4:28 a.m. EST: Buck and Copper Beach are home clear with 12 time! The livestream is showing U.S. grooms and supporters tending to the horse at the finish and he’s looking very proud of himself!

4:21 a.m. EST: Buck had to work for it through the influential first water but they’re clear. Copper Beach is looking very keen!

4:17 a.m. EST: Buck Davidson and Sherrie Martin and Copper Segal’s Copper Beach are on course!


10:08 a.m. EST: Cedric and Qatar du Puech Rouget come to grief at the first water. Two hard stops at the drop in and Cedric trots the horse through the water on the backside. They drop in successfully on the third attempt, but they retire after circling and jumping the final element, the brush at E.

10:06 a.m. EST: Oh dear, Sam and Angelo have a fall at 14, an upright gate, the only trouble there all day.

10:04 a.m. ETS: Cedric Lyard (FRA) and Qatar du Puech Rouget are on course. They’re the last to go and they’re clear through 6. Alice Naber-Lozeman from the Netherlands and ACSI Peter Parker have finished without jumping penalties. 

10:01 a.m. EST: Sam Griffiths (AUS) could potentially take over second place with Angelo. They’re clear through 13.

9:51 a.m. EST: We’re in the home stretch with three left to start. Josephine and Sambucca have just finished clear.

9:46 a.m. EST: Sambucca 10 completely left out a stride over the bank at the first water and was very honest on the way out over the brush. Josephine Schnaufer of Germany did well to hang tight and stay forward thinking!

9:41 a.m. EST: Tim Price (NZL) was double-clear with Xavier Faer despite picking up 20 penalties at 7b.

9:29 a.m. EST: Nicola and Bulana were clear with a handful of time, so they will drop down the leaderboard a bit but currently remain in the top 10 before show jumping.

9:23 a.m. EST: Nicola is clear through 12 where she fell from Kiltealy Brief early this morning.

9:21 a.m. EST: The commentator just said – in English – Nicola Wilson “doesn’t hang around” as she and Bulana clear the first water. Very positive riding!

9:13 a.m. EST: Oh, and Henton’s Attorney General stops at the brush out of the first water. He jumped up the bank well but threw in an extra stride and stopped. Lizzie is retiring as they were carrying another 20 penalties from the combination at 7.

9:12 a.m. EST: Lizzie Brown (NZL) is on course with her second ride, Henton Attorney General. They were the winners here at Boekelo in 2013. They’re sitting 11th after dressage.

9:01 a.m. EST: Bettina finishes clear with 14 time which drops her well down the leaderboard. That means Chris Burton and Sarah Pritchard’s 9-year-old mare Monarchs Exclusive are the overnight leaders. Nicola Wilson and Bulana could tie for the lead with a double-clear.

8:59 a.m. EST: Louise Svensson Jahde is taking no chances at the first water. Wieloch’s Utah Sun  absolutely flies through with Louise in the back seat.

8:53 a.m. EST: Close call for Bettina at the first water – the horse’s momentum was really the only thing that got them over the drop after a hard pause at the base of the fence. Then he jumped the high side of the brush out of the woods and Bettina was forced to circle before the narrow table at 12. She did not present so she won’t incur any penalties.

8:51 a.m. EST: Bettina Hoy and Seigneur Medicott are on course. They’re the only ones left to challenge Chris Burton and Monarchs Exclusive for the overnight lead.

8:44 a.m. EST: Daniel Jocelyn of New Zealand posts his second clear of the day, adding only 2.4 time with Beaucatcher.

8:39 a.m. EST: In Chris Burton’s post-ride interview (after he caught his breath), he said he was happy with how Monarchs Exclusive was listening to him despite not having the best prep and being green at the level. She did the time easy, he said, and he was gently holding her back most of the way. Chris said the footing is the best he’s ridden on at Boekelo and suggested it may be better this afternoon with the sun coming out than first thing this morning.

8:35 a.m. EST: One second under time for Christopher Burton and Monarchs Exclusive. That’s our fourth double-clear round and the Aussie moves into the lead.

8:28 a.m. EST: We’re three-quarters of the way through the division and it would seem the ground is holding up well. In Wylie’s course walk she expressed concern that the ground may deteriorate later in the day, but we’re seeing more clear and quick rounds as the day progresses. No doubt word got back to the barn on where to take extra care and where you can kick on.

8:26 a.m. EST: Britain’s Izzy Taylor posts the third double-clear round and fastest ride of the day, finishing 14 seconds under the time with Briarlands Birdsong.

8:24 a.m. EST: Anna Siemer and Butts Avondale were clear and fast, with just 3.2 time. Gabriel Figueiredo Silva Cury (BRA) is on course with Grass Valley, Brazilian Team Coach Mark Todd’s 2010 World Equestrian Games horse.

8:13 a.m. EST: New Zealand’s Jesse Campbell and Kaapachino have taken the lead with a clear round and finishing just one second over the time.

8:04 a.m. EST: Another clear with 6.8 time from Joseph Murphy and Westwinds Hercules. That’s three clear rounds for the Irish Nations Cup Team.

7:59 a.m. EST: Blyth Tait is clear with 6 time with Xanthus III. They were 13th after dressage, so this round may set them up for a top ten finish tomorrow.

7:57 a.m. EST: We’ve had a streak of clears after Ciaran. The Dutch Horse was clear with Michele Moor as was Don Geniro and Alex Hua Tian of China, and Verdi with a delighted Clelia Casiraghi of Italy, who was patting her horse the whole way around.

7:44 a.m. EST: Ciaran Glynn and November Night finished clear with 3.6 time. That’s the sixth clear round for the Irish today.

7:42 a.m. EST: Because I know you were wondering, The Dutch Horse, piloted by the Swiss rider Michele Moor, is in fact Dutch. He was bred in the Netherlands by J.C W. Simons.

7:39 a.m. EST: Oliver Townend (GBR) and Mr. Hiho, lying seventh after dressage, retired after a stop at the second water at 20. Oli shouted that he was taking the option, but the horse’s momentum petered out in front of the final element and Oli put his hand up.

7:37 a.m. EST: We have our second double-clear of the day from Elizabeth Power (IRL) and Soladoun! Elizabeth said in the post-ride interview that the 8-year-old grey stallion came into his own today and that she will spend the winter working on dressage.

7:29 a.m. EST: We’re halfway through the division and so far there have been 19 clears, of those three have been Americans and one Canadian. Go North America!

7:28 a.m. EST: A delighted Robert Suffern (IRL) finishes clear with Rio, adding 10.8 time faults to their score.

7:27 a.m. EST: How did I miss this? Astier Nicolas (FRA) was clear with Spes Addit’Or finishes only 2 seconds over the time!

7:20 a.m. EST: Arnaud Boiteau (FRA) and Sultan de la Motte had a lot of time but they were clear.

7:09 a.m. EST: Three refusals at 9c for Nadia Benzineb-De Buck and Sachou des Isles of Tunisia brings their day to an early end.

7:03 a.m. EST: Matthieu Vanlandeghem (FRA) and Safran du Chanois ENE HN pick up a stop at 24; they’re the first pair to have problems there.

7:00 a.m. EST: Kristina Cook and Billy the Red are CLEAR with 6 time.

6:53 a.m EST: Thomas Carlile (FRA) took a chance at the straight route at the second water at 20 and it did not work out in his favor. Opium de Boisy didn’t read the fence well and they carry on with 20 penalties.

6:50 a.m. EST: Fraser Duffy (IRL) and Fernhill Revelation gave us a much needed clear round with 10 time penalties.

6:46 a.m. EST: Pippa Funnell said she had a “blonde moment” on course during her post-ride interview. She and Billy the Biz finished with a refusal and 18 time. She said she won’t retire from eventing until she completes Boekelo well (she had one elimination and a withdrawal last year).

6:32 a.m. EST: Young rider Isabella Innes Ker (GBR) just finished her first CCI3* course with Rosses Captain. Pippa Funnel and Billy the Biz have picked up a runout early on course (7 again). Someone on course is a bodybuilder apparently (there’s no Dutch word for “bodybuilder” – that’s how I know).

6:27 a.m. EST: The candid shots of the growing crowd at Boekelo are one of the best parts of the live stream. We’re glad you’re here with us on this thread, but you can also tune into the live video here.

Jonelle Price and Cloud Dancer. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

Jonelle Price and Cloud Dancer. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

6:18 a.m. EST: Dutchman Andrew Heffernan and Millthyme Corolla showed us a clear round with 7.2 time penalties. Andrew Hoy (AUS) picks up 20 with Cheeky Calimbo, who is making his third Nations Cup appearance this year.

Screen Shot 2015-10-10 at 6.06.24 AM

6:03 a.m. EST: Ruy Fonseca (BRA) is another to find trouble at 7, picking up 20 penalties at the B element and opting to retire Korsica there.

5:59 a.m. EST: We’re a little more than 25% of the way through the division and after 25 rides we have had 10 clear rounds. Fence 7abc has been the primary culprit so far, causing problems for seven riders to this point. They aren’t showing that fence on the live stream so not sure what’s happening there.

5:51 a.m. EST: Josefa Sommer (GER) and Hamilton 24 get right under the narrow table at 12a and just can’t get out of their own way. They take a digger on the backside but they are both up and fine.

5:43 a.m. EST: Jonelle Price and Cloud Dancer were clear with 14.8 time. That knocks them out of the lead but she’s still delighted with the 8-year-old in his first CCI3*. In her interview at the finish, she states the priority was to give him a nice jumping round – and she did!

5:41 a.m. EST: The Dutch commentators are talking about tropical fruit and bananas. Don’t know why! I should have paid better attention in class…

France’s Veronique Real and Seashore Spring barrel past. #Boekelo

A video posted by Eventing Nation (@goeventing) on

5:36 a.m. EST: 19-year-old Cathal Daniels has posted the first double-clear round of the day with Rioghan Rua. He had a successful Young Rider career and this is his second appearance on a senior team this year. One to watch for sure.

5:35 a.m. EST: Aha! Jonelle Price takes a slightly different line than previous riders at the first water and it works brilliantly.

5:31 a.m. EST: Overnight leaders Jonelle Price and Cloud Dancer are on course. They have room for a few time penalties over second place Bettina Hoy and Seigneur Medicott.

5:29 a.m. EST: My goodness! Very bold riding through the water for Ireland’s Cathal Daniels and Rioghan Rua. A good example of kicking your eyes up and kicking on!

5:24 a.m. EST: Imogen Murray and Ivar Gooden blow right by the offset brush at 11. You see some riders hugging the tree line to give the horse time to see the fence as they gallop out of the woods.

5:21 a.m. EST: There have been some interesting rides through the first water. Every horse seems to read the broken ground line to the drop slightly differently. They are certainly trying to be careful, but several horses have misread the bank out, leading to a stop or runout at the final element. If you missed Wylie’s course walk, check it out here.

5:19 a.m. EST: Véronique Real of France scrambles through the first water with one stirrup and opts to retire Seashore Spring.

5:12 a.m. EST: The live feed periodically cuts away from the competition and features interviews of people behind the scenes who perform important tasks such as placing flags and decorating the jumps. Check out the beautiful flower arrangement at fence 16 and the intricate designs at the veggie stand below. It’s nice they are recognizing the individuals that work so hard to make the courses the best they can be!

#25

#25

5:07 a.m. EST: A cracking round from Kiwi Lizzie Brown and Princeton in the 8-year-old Thoroughbred’s first CCI3*. They add just 3.6 time penalties for the quickest round so far this morning.

4:59 a.m. EST: Sarah d’Argouges slipped between 12a and b, resulting in a runout for the mare and Frenchman Sébastien Cavaillon. They’re carrying two refusals now as they make their way to the last third of the course.

4:50 a.m. EST: Absolute elation from Mélody Johner of Switzerland as she clears the final fence with Frimeur du Record CH.

4:33 a.m. EST: Truth be told, my Dutch is a bit rusty (I took a class in college). The commentators have plenty to say but I’m only picking up on a few not very useful phrases. John Kyle pops in here and there to comment – hopefully we hear more from him the morning continues!

nicolakiltealy(1)

Nicola Wilson (GBR) and Kiltealy Brief over fence #3. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

4:30 a.m. EST: Nicola Wilson’s Kiltealy Brief seemed to misread the brush corner coming out of the woods. The horse jumped the high side and just couldn’t make it work. Nicola popped off and they are both up and appear to be fine.

4:26 a.m. EST: Marina Kohncke parted ways from Let’s Dance 73 at 7b.

4:22 a.m. EST: Daniel Jocelyn and Dassett Cool Touch for New Zealand were the second out of the start box and they’ve finished with 9.2 time.

4:14 a.m. EST: Our trailblazers are home clear with 5.6 time penalties.

4:03 a.m. EST: First on course is Irish Team rider Padraig McCarthy and Simon Porloe. They rode on the Nations Cup Team at Blair Castle last month and had a fall, so they’re looking for a good round!

Monday News and Notes from Event Clinics

The leaf pit at Morven Park. Photo via Sara Kozumplik Murphy's Facebook. The leaf pit at Morven Park. Photo via Sara Kozumplik Murphy's Facebook.

Horse people log a lot of miles on the road, and my little Toyota and I are coming up on our 100,000 mile-versary! Most of those miles have been racked up driving to the barn and to horse shows around the East Coast. This weekend I drove up to Virginia in the driving rain to witness two of my favorite people tie the knot (one horsey girl and one non-horsey guy who knows what he’s getting into). In this industry, either as a rider/trainer, official or member of the media, we spend a lot of time away from home and long hours outside in the elements when most people are cozy indoors, but we just wouldn’t trade it for the world!

U.S. Weekend Action:

Kent School Fall H.T. [Results]

Morven Park Fall CIC & H.T. [Results]

ESDCTA New Jersey H.T. [Results]

Woodside International CIC & H.T. [Results]

Spokane Sport Horse Farm Fall H.T. [Results]

Monday News and Notes:

Mythic Landing Enterprises recently launched a sleek new website! MLE offers multiple professional services to help businesses succeed with a team that specializes in communications, marketing, business management and event planning. While they do have non-equestrian clients, the entire MLE team is comprised of horse lovers, so if you need help with your equestrian business needs, you can’t go wrong! [Mythic Landing Enterprises]

A half brother to Gin and Juice won the West Coast Future Event Horse Championship at the Woodside Horse Trials last week. Three-year-old Cheers, a Thoroughbred/Holsteiner by Blauer Vogel out of Qtrapastree, won the overall award with a very impressive score of 82.85. If his family tree is any indication of success, we see big things in this young horse’s future!
[West Coast FEH]

Big Bang Theory actress Kaley Cuoco has become one of our favorite celebrity equestrians. She and Tracy Wade won a Charity Pro-Am Style & Competition at the Longines Masters of Los Angeles this weekend. What makes this competition especially fun is that teams dressed up in costumes and jumped to the music of their choice! What did the Big Bang beauty and her teammate choose as their theme? Star Wars! Come to the dark side, Kaley! In the horse world, it’s called eventing! [Kaley Cuoco jumps to charity win]

I appreciate the fact that Charlotte Dujardin, after winning almost every major dressage championship with Valegro, has been on tour teaching clinics, and thanks to the power of the internet, we can all benefit from her keen observations and clever one-liners that make oh so much sense! In this write-up, find out how Charlotte chooses and develops young prospects. [Starting from Scratch]

Kim Severson and Cooley Cross Border at Morven Park.

Kim and Cooley Cross Border had a wonderful day at Morven park in the CIC 3*! With a double clear Show Jumping round they are sitting in first headed into XC!

Posted by Kim Severson Eventing on Friday, October 2, 2015

AEC Hangover Social Media Roundup

It’s been all about the Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships for the last week. This event is like the Super Bowl for the lower levels and a big money opportunity for the Advanced riders in the Gold Cup Final.

But what’s really great about the AEC is the immense display of support from friends and family, the excitement from the riders who have worked for months towards their goal of competing at the Championships and the pride that the whole eventing community feels when those they love – both four-legged and two – succeed. The AEC exudes the true spirit of the sport.

As we look ahead to the AEC’s move to the Tryon International Equestrian Center in North Carolina next year, let’s take a quick look back at some of the great 2015 AEC moments from around the internet.

#AEC15: WebsiteFinal ScoresEN’s CoverageEN’s TwitterEN’s Instagram


Early morning fishing waiting for competition to start at AEC Posted by Cathy Wieschhoff on Saturday, September 26, 2015


I think I’m ready for AEC’S now! What do ya think Carla??? 😉 A photo posted by Lauren Eckardt (@bigtimelauren1) on


Yay! So proud of my friend Ashley Hays! You’ve worked so hard this past year! To bring Caddy from green baby to AEC winner in a year is so awesome!

Posted by Ellen Doughty-Hume Eventer on Saturday, September 26, 2015


Not a bad weekend at the American Eventing Championships!! #aec2015 #winning #fuxkcancer

A photo posted by Tamie Smith (@tsmitheventing) on


Jessica Bowen and Lolo finished the AEC championship competition at the Texas Rose horse park in Tyler, Texas, with stadium jumping. Great weekend with family and friends. Love that girl! Posted by Barbara Bowen on Monday, September 28, 2015


I love my silly boy! A photo posted by Caroline Martin (@carolinegmartin) on


#barnfamilypride

Last morning at the AEC’s. Getting ready for stadium.

Posted by Sneak Away Riding Club on Sunday, September 27, 2015


Girls having fun at AECs

Posted by Limerick Stables on Sunday, September 27, 2015



Our future eventers getting inspired at AECs!

Posted by RB Riding on Sunday, September 27, 2015


Everyone goes shopping at AECS. #eventinglive #travelswithamy #todaysoffice

A photo posted by Amy Dragoo (@dragoophoto) on


So proud of Mr. POPPERS and Buck for finishing 2nd in the training at the AECs! I am so thankful to be part of this journey with Stuart. Sam continues to do what Christine did, making people smile!

Posted by Andrea Davidson Eventing on Saturday, September 26, 2015


Toby is also recovering from his weekend at AEC’s lol

Posted by Jayne Lloyd on Monday, September 28, 2015


And to close it all out, here’s a word from the Event Director.

Thank you Texas!Your incredible team of volunteers with their passion and knowledge for the sport of Eventing helped…

Posted by Robert Kellerhouse on Monday, September 28, 2015

Monday News and Notes from Event Clinics

Mako looking fierce! Photo courtesy of Lacey Messick. Mako looking fierce! Photo courtesy of Lacey Messick.

Lacey Messick competed in the Preliminary Amateur division at the American Eventing Championships this weekend, and she entered her adorable 8-month-old German Shepherd puppy in the popular dog show, too. ‘Mako’ looks so cute in his eventing themed outfit for the costume contest. “Don’t even think about jumping in to Mako’s cross country water jump!” Lacey said. If you can’t tell, he’s wearing a blue shark outfit. Thanks for sharing, Lacey!

U.S. Weekend Action:

University of New Hampshire H.T. [Results]

Flora Lea Fall H.T. [Results]

Surefire H.T. [Results]

Stable View H.T. [Results]

Sundance Farm H.T. [Results]

Running Start H.T. [Results]

Nutrena USEA AEC H.T. [Results]

Jump Start H.T. [Results]

Monday News and Notes:

It’s an horse owner’s worst nightmare – fire. Stored hay can not only cause a fire but also increase the speed at which it spreads, which is why many farms won’t store hay in buildings where animals are housed. Hay can actually spontaneously combust if the moisture concentration conditions are right, and monitoring the temperature of stored hay could help prevent disaster. [Preventing Hay Fires]

Lloyd Landkamer, a sport horse breeder, USEF official, FEI steward and dedicated volunteer, passed away at his home on Friday after battling cancer. He was 60 years old. Lloyd worked many jobs behind the scenes at some of the biggest dressage shows in the country and he served on several USEF and USDF committees. [USEF Mourns the Passing of Lloyd Landkamer]

Charlotte Dujardin taught a master class at the Rolex Central Park Horse Show this weekend, and a group of lucky spectators got to watch her complete Grand Prix dressage movements on a horse called Renaissance Tyme, whom she had only ridden once. She along with U.S. Dressage Chef d’Equipe Robert Dover discussed the movements and gave the audience tips on how to get the most out of their horses at home. [Top 14 Lessons from Charlotte Dujardin]

Here in the South, we’re awfully thankful for rain after a long, dry summer, but continuous rain and some flooding the last several days wreaked havoc on the TomorrowWorld music festival that takes place at Chattahoochee Hills in Georgia. [TomorrowWorld Limits Attendees After Weekend of Weather Issues]

Team Belgium won the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping finale on Saturday. Belgium, who failed to qualify for the Rio Olympics during Aachen a few weeks ago, took an early lead in the Nations Cup competition last Thursday in Barcelona. The Brits and Dutch were hot on their heels in the final round, but Belgium got it done. Team USA finished fourth. [Belgium takes the Furusiyya 2015 title in gripping finale]

AEC helmet cam!

Oliver Townend, Liz Halliday-Sharp Winners at Ballindenisk International

Liz Halliday-Sharp and HHS Cooley at Red Hills 2015. Photo by Jenni Autry. Liz Halliday-Sharp and HHS Cooley at Red Hills 2015. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Oliver Townend (GBR) and Cooley SRS won the CCI3* at Ballindenisk in Ireland this weekend, finishing on their dressage score of 44.3. Sam Watson was the only other rider to add no penalties to his initial score in the 32-horse class. He accomplished this on Horseware Bushman, who finished fifth, and he was also fourth with Imperial Sky.

Eight-year-old Cooley SRS is spending is his first season at the three-star level with the very experienced Oliver, who has been partnered with this horse since 2014 when they won the CIC2* at Floors Castle in their first FEI appearance together. This year they won at Burnham Market in February and were fourth in the horse’s first three-star at Alnwick – Burgham. Cooley SRS is a graduate of the upcoming Goresbridge Go for Gold sale.

Brazil’s Ruy Fonseca was riding at Ballindenisk with Tom Bombadill Too in their first event back after winning bronze at the Pan American Games in Toronto. This weekend they finished seventh. Mark Todd and NZB Campino picked up their second CIC3* win of the year, their first at Tatersalls and another at Ballindenisk. They were second after dressage with a 36.6, and added only a rail in show jumping to stay ahead of second place Emily King and Brookleigh.

America’s own Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp was third in CIC3* with HHS Cooley, who she said on Twitter today “has the biggest heart in the world.” They jumped clear in both phases, adding only time penalties to their initial score of 37.6. Liz also won a big CIC* class with her up and coming 6-year-old Holsteiner Oskar.

Click here for full results.

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Goresbridge Go for Gold Catalogue Goes Live

Goresbridge go for gold

Whether it’s Thoroughbred adoption sites, Sport Horse Nation or Facebook groups, we all find ourselves perusing horses for sale and doing a little wishful thinking, even when we aren’t in the market for another mouth to feed.

The 2015 Goresbridge Go for Gold sale catalogue was made available online today and this is the ultimate window shopping opportunity. There are 61 young horses listed this year, including Shannondale Tyrion (Lot 41), a full brother to Ryan Wood’s Woodstock Bennett.

Now in it’s sixth year, the Go for Gold auction was the first of its kind in Ireland and now attracts buyers from all over the world due to the quality of the horses presented, which are selected for their pedigree, performance and potential.

Several notable Go for Gold graduates have succeeded in eventing in the U.S., including Carl and Cassie Segal and Sherri Martin’s Copper Beech, and many of the horses at the sale each year have already had illustrious careers in young horse classes around Europe.

So mark your calendar for the dates of the sale November 9-11, make a list of your favorites and start saving your pennies. Me? I’m pining for Lot 18, Willow’s Peeping Pocket.

Click here to view the 2015 Catalogue

New CANTER Initiative Helps Both Horses and Military Members in Need

Canter Mid-Atlantic owned horse Pegasus Fever gives a first riding lesson to a young military family member. Photo by Allie Conrad.

Canter Mid-Atlantic owned horse Pegasus Fever gives a first riding lesson to a young military family member. Photo by Rachel Medley.

CANTER has announced a new partnership with the Old Glory Legacy Foundation (OGLF) in Wagram, North Carolina that will help rehome ex-racehorses who are considered difficult adoptees due to their age, soundness and appearance. Through a program called “Warrior’s Claim,” horses will work with military members and their families as part of the rehabilitation process before they are made available for adoption.

“Attractive, sound, vice and injury-free horses are finding homes at unprecedented rates, but the injured, old and plain horses often get overlooked,” read a recent CANTER press release. “This groundbreaking program will help the forgotten horses and give them a path for adoption, and help military members and their families in a way that only a Thoroughbred horse can help.”

Warriors Claim will take horses passed over by sport horse buyers and give them time to recover plus two months of retraining and desensitizing before they are moved into the program at OGLF where they will interact with military members and their families through ground work, lessons and trail rides for six to nine months before they are made available for adoption.

“This alliance is going to save the lives of Thoroughbreds who have so much to give but are overlooked by the sport horse buyers. We have countless horses who might have small injuries or not be able to pass a pre-purchase who languish in limbo, but still have so much to give,” said Allie Conrad, Executive Director of CANTER Mid-Atlantic.

“Thoroughbreds are unbelievably empathetic, and we believe their very nature will lend itself to healing Military members, veterans and their families who face countless mental and physical traumas. In helping these families, they will be learning much-need skills to help them find their forever homes.”

You might remember the OGLF, a non-profit that brings military members and their families closer together through horses and the outdoors, from our stories about Hope the Wonderhorse, who inspired the creation of the Sandhills Horse Rescue. OGLF and Sandhills Horse Rescue Founder Rachel Medley told us in an interview that one day she hoped to be able to take in more horses in need, but it would depend entirely upon income.

Now is the time and you can help. The goal is to raise $10,000 to support Warrior’s Claim for the first six months. Click here to donate through the CANTER Mid-Atlantic website.

“Our mission has always been to help the horses who need help, and this program will ensure that it will continue,” Allie said. “Our pilot program has proven to be amazingly successful, and we cannot wait to be able to help more horses.”

[CANTER announcement: Introducing a groundbreaking new program to benefit forgotten Thoroughbreds, Military Members and their families]

Monday News and Notes from Event Clinics

Clark Montgomery savoring the moment after his win at Blenheim. Photo via Facebook. Clark Montgomery savoring the moment after his win at Blenheim. Photo via Facebook.

It was a couple of years ago that the brand new U.S. Team Coach David O’Connor was specifically outlining the steps it would take to get the USA back on the international podium, and we have slowly but surely seen the efforts of DOC, the horses, riders, owners and everyone else in between, make monumental strides towards that goal. The fact that Clark Montgomery won the massive CCI3* division at Blenheim in England and another three American riders finished in the top twelve all while a class field of competitors impressed at Plantation Field this weekend seems to drive that reality home. Success certainly isn’t something that happens overnight, especially not in the horse world. Here’s to hard work paying off!

Blenheim Links: WebsiteRide Times & Live ScoresEN’s CoverageTwitterInstagram@samanthalclark

Plantation Field Links: WebsiteSchedule & Ride TimesLive ScoresEN’s CoverageTwitterInstagram@jenniautry

U.S. Weekend Action:

Stoneleigh-Burnham School Fall H.T. [Website]

Marlborough H.T.  [Website]

Tryon Riding & Hunt Club H.T. [Results]

Fleur de Leap H.T.  [Website]

Otter Creek Fall H.T. [Results]

Twin Rivers Fall H.T. [Results]

Stanton Farms H.T. [Results]

Stone Gate Farm H.T. [Results]

Monday News and Notes:

Lynn Symansky will be coming to Area 1 November 7 and 8 for a 2-day clinic at Thunder Crest Performance Horses in Tivoli, NY. The cost for the weekend is $400, or to ride a single day is $250. Stabling is available for $30/night. Each rider gets one auditor free, and auditing will be $20/person. Snacks and light refreshments will be provided. Anyone interested can email [email protected] for entry info! [Clinic with Lynn]

After she was diagnosed with cancer in May of this year, 17-year-old Hannah Francis and her trusty sidekick Willberry the Wonder Pony started documenting her journey back to good health through social media. Many people have come together to support Hannah and inspired others to fundraise for cancer research and other important causes. [Event for teenage cancer patient raised nearly £15,000]

Sally Ike was honored with the 2016 Spirit of the Horse Award by the Rutgers University Equine Science Center. Sally is a lifelong horsewoman whose contributions to the sport through her work with the USET and USEF have not gone unnoticed. But she humbly states that the award does not recognize how she has changed the horse world, but how horses have changed her. [Sally Ike honored]

Six horses in North Carolina have died after ingesting alfalfa contaminated with blister beetles. Officials have narrowed the source of poisoning down to 500 bales from Kansas that were sold through Murphy Farm Hay and Feed in Louisburg and Jones Farm Hay and Feed in Middlesex on or after August 11. [Blister beetles contamination]

Jennifer McFall is coming home from Blenheim with a new horse. Be Real is a 4-year-old Irish Event Horse prospect by Ramiro B out of a Puissance mare. He was the top priced horse at the Brightwells Blenheim Elite Event Horse Auction, selling for £23,000. [Irish horse tops eventing sale]