Maggie Deatrick

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Wednesday News and Notes from MDBarnmaster

By Maggie Deatrick on Oct 22, 2014 12:01 am -

From EN reader Erin Jones: "This is 1-year-old Liam Jones practicing his equitation in the children's area at Fair Hill International. Boyd Martin, look out!"

The leaves are changing, the air is crisp, and the upper level horses are all on vacation now, at least on the East Coast. I pretty much love everything about fall, from the beautiful orange and red leaves to the anticipation of Thanksgiving and all of the yummy goodies it brings. Now that Fair Hill is wrapped up, I get to be a virtual spectator for all of the remaining fall events, including Pau and Galway. It’s a bit of a quiet weekend in the US, with only three events running.

North American Weekend Preview:

Waredaca Classic Three-Day and H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

Chattahoochee Hills H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

Holly Hill Fall H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

FEI Global Weekend Preview:

Pau (FRA) CCI4*, CIC2* [Website] [Entries] [Schedule]

Aldon (GBR) CCI/CIC1* [Entry Status]

It’s tough to be a groom forever, no matter how much fun you have. Meg Kep is back at it, blogging about the very real issue of burnout for grooms. Sometimes, you have to just take a step back and figure out where you want to go next. [The Meg Kep Variety Show]

Is your horse too fat? SmartPak has come up with a pretty cool interactive article about how to body score a horse on the Henneke scale. If you aren’t familiar with this scale, each area of the body has a different rating system, which can change the initial impression of overall body score. [Over, Under, or Ideal?]

We love our volunteers! Let’s face it, without the volunteers at each and every event, our sport would be nothing. So we want to hear your stories! Are you a long-time volunteer at your favorite event? Did you recently have a great experience with a volunteer? Do you just want to say thank you? Send us a quick story and we’ll post it in our new Volunteer Appreciation series! Email [email protected] with your tips.

This week on the Eventing Radio Show: Young Event Horses and Fair Hill. This week Will Coleman and William Micklem talk Young Even Horses. Fair Hill CCI3* winner Jennie Brannigan drops by and the current and previous winners of the Mark Todd Bridging the Gap award have a chat. [Eventing Radio Show]

SmartPak Product of the Day: This is the time of year where the use of studs becomes pretty prevalent, with the opportunity for mud or slick grass. I always use a safety tee to clean out my horse’s stud holes. It just makes sense to use something that won’t injure or alarm him if he tries to stand on it. [SmartPak]

Check out last year’s Pau cross country and get ready to cheer for our Americans across the pond this weekend!

One Third Mission Accomplished

By Maggie Deatrick on Oct 17, 2014 11:54 am -

Riding through the tunnel at Fair Hill. Photo courtesy of Brigitte Aickelin.

The past two days have passed in a whirlwind, but I finally have some breathing room. I’m sitting in the press tent now, possibly the only person on grounds to be wearing both a Rider and a Press wristband, which is pretty cool in my book.

I’ll start at the beginning. Tuesday consisted of me sitting at work in Center City of Philadelphia, checking my phone every two seconds for updates and generally losing my focus the longer the day went on. Meanwhile, my ace groom for the weekend, Brigitte, did a short 30 minute trot on Dante, tossed him on the already packed trailer, and drove 40 minutes to Fair Hill.

Yes, my horse lives only 40 minutes from Fair Hill. Feel free to be jealous now.

Once there, Brigitte had to immediately take Dante to in-barns. At events where horse trials are running concurrently with the FEI levels, usually you can allow your horse to settle in a bit in his stall before you check in at the in-barn vet.

At Fair Hill, Jersey Fresh, and probably a few other big events that only run FEI levels, you must immediately take your horse to the vet before stepping foot into the barns. The barns themselves are cordoned off with the orange plastic fencing often seen on construction sites. Access is limited to those with the correct color wristbands, which the riders receive in their packets.

After checking in, Brigitte spent the rest of the day setting up the stall, parking the trailer, and taking Dante for walks. It was the calm before the storm, and as the day went on, more and more riders poured in.

Wednesday was the first of two whirlwind days for us. I made the drive from Philadelphia to meet Brigitte bright and early. The weather was supposed to be terrible; rain was supposed to begin at 9 am, turn into thunderstorms at noon, and continue all the way into the evening and through the night. I wanted to be off before the rain really started.

Dante was scheduled to do a sixty minute trot. I was determined not to burn him out on dressage this year before his test, and the trot had the added bonus of taking the edge off him before the following day.

It took about twenty minutes trotting around the vast back fields of Fair Hill, but eventually Dante lost interest in staring at the clouds, butterflies, and anything that moved, and allowed me to take a soft contact while he held himself in a supple low frame.

After our trot, we wandered through the tunnel and hacked through the warm-ups. For those with a Thursday ride time, I knew that they would be doing familiarization Wednesday afternoon. With the likelihood of thunder, I didn’t feel it was really necessary to try and drown ourselves just for familiarization.

Dante had been doing fantastic in rings he’d never been in before; I had no reason to believe this weekend would be any different.

At 10:30, I attended the mandatory riders meeting. With 165 plus riders this weekend, the competitors’ tent near stabling was packed. Packets and sample products were handed out. The officials were introduced and ran through pertinent information. Before long, we were released to go get ready for jogs.

Now, jogs are very stressful for me. Not because I’m worried about my horse; Dante is very sound now. However, I am not the best with fashion, and I do not have a huge closet of ‘normal person’ clothes to choose from.

With the prediction of rain, I had even fewer options to choose from; the cute dress I had been planning to wear for months was out. Unfortunately, it briefly rained quite hard as we were waiting to jog, and after seeing photos of my outfit, I will not be wearing that one again.

My horse looked lovely though! Thank you, Brigitte!

The day was done for us, and we sat in the barns and the truck waiting out the rain before feeding dinner.

Thursday came bright and early. I had an 11:15 ride time, and needed to get a pre-ride in as well. We quickly fed Dante and then I took him out for a spin. I spent longer than I planned riding him. Used to night turnout, he felt very stiff and a bit heavy in my hands. I tried to work on suppling and bending, but eventually had to give up as more riders entered the warm-up.

At Fair Hill, there is a large grass area to warm-up in, and a dressage ring with footing right next to it. Because of all the rain, the riders were staying off the grass. It became difficult for me to find a spot to do a ten meter circle with eight other horses in the ring. I eventually gave up; everyone deserves some ring time, and I knew I had gotten Dante as good as I could get.

I wasn’t feeling super confident about our test after my pre-ride. While Dante was well behaved, I felt he was too stiff and heavy to score well that day. Still, I felt very confident in our ability to get a score in the sixties, perhaps even low sixties. I’m here for my qualifier, and anything else is just a bonus. I was satisfied to just get a qualifying score.

Lo and behold, when I actually got on Dante for his ride, he was much lighter and more responsive. I got to the warm-up with fifteen minutes to spare, so was able to head straight to the final warm-up ring. I’ve found that he is at his best about fifteen minutes into every ride, so that’s when I aim to do my test. He was still a bit stiff, but looser than before, very focused, and calm.

As I began to walk around the ring, I felt very calm. I have discovered that allowing Dante to walk around the ring until the bell (or in this case, honk) lets him assimilate his surroundings. After twenty or thirty seconds, he seems to take a deep breath and is ready to focus again. The truck honked, and we picked up a trot.

We go down the final centerline. Photo by Jenni Autry.

His test felt good, but nothing special. I felt I had the same horse I had at Morven, and the same horse I might have gotten at Plantation Field had he not decided some flagpoles were noteworthy. At Morven, he was so calm and quiet that it took me by surprise, and I just sat passively while he dawdled through a mistake-free but incredibly pokey test. Yesterday, I was ready for his calm, and strove to create a more forward horse.

I came out of the ring feeling only partially successful. The test was similar to Morven’s, I thought, where I had scored a 60.3. I thought perhaps it was a touch more forward, but needed more still. And he had still been stiff, which I already knew would be our homework for the winter.

When they announced my scores, I was taken by complete surprise. My original goal when coming here was to have both judges score me at a 60% or higher. I revised it a bit to high fifties for percentages after my pre-ride. To hear 64% and 65% scores was shocking, and thrilling. Best of all, it was after a test that I felt would be easy to replicate, and even possibly improve.

For me, it was as if I could finally stop holding my breath. While I will never take our dressage mentality totally for granted, I think we have finally figured him out.

Dutta Corp Fair Hill International CCI2* Course Preview

By Maggie Deatrick on Oct 17, 2014 10:00 am -

How awesome is this jump? Photo courtesy of Andrea Collins and the Fair Hill International Facebook page.

As always, the Fair Hill CCI2* is formidable, using a mix of terrain, jump placement, and clever course design to create a challenge that will require a bold, thinking rider. The footing is currently pretty spongy from a few inches of rain last night, but with no more rain in the forecast, it will hopefully dry out a bit before Saturday.

Fair Hill #1. Photo courtesy of Andrea Collins and the Fair Hill International Facebook Page.

The first fence is relatively soon after the start box, situated on a bend that carries the riders into the course right off the bat. The riders can drift slightly out to jump from right to left, setting them up to continue the turn.

Fair Hill #2. Photo courtesy of Andrea Collins and the Fair Hill International Facebook page.

The second fence shows that Derek means business, a solid lavender table that allows the horses to get into a good galloping rhythm. Riders should get a good jump over this before looking for their route through the galloping lanes.

Fair Hill #3. Photo courtesy of Andrea Collins and the Fair Hill International Facebook page.

The third fence is not all that tall, but is quite wide, requiring the horses to stretch out over it. It’s also set slightly on an angle on a long stretch of straight galloping. However, it’s so wide that most riders will choose to drift to the right a little in their gallop and come at it in a bit more direct manner, perhaps with a slight left to right angle to maintain their galloping line.

Fair Hill #4. Photo courtesy of Andrea Collins and the Fair Hill International Facebook page.

By now the riders will have established a fairly good galloping rhythm and fence four will jump right out of stride.

Fair Hill #5. Photo courtesy of Andrea Collins and the Fair Hill International Facebook page.

Fence 5 is the first real test of horse and rider, situated at the top of what is a literal sunken road crossing. It’s a bit less challenging than last year’s version, which also had a B element across the road, but the width of the fence will still demand respect. After, the horses will face a sharp slope down, cross the road, then gallop up another sharp slope before resuming their way.

Fair Hill #6. Photo courtesy of Andrea Collins and the Fair Hill International Facebook page.

Instead of the daunting bank that required a leap towards the crowd that gathers near the first water crossing, Derek has instead added this brush fence next to it. While it looks simple, appearances can be deceiving; the landing is about eighteen inches below the takeoff. Riders will need to be prepared for quite a drop on the backside.

Fair Hill #7A. Photo courtesy of Andrea Collins and the Fair Hill International Facebook page.

A simple hanging log begins the first combination on course, a tough water crossing that uses terrain to test the rider’s accuracy. Horses jump this log, then bend four strides to a brush fence. With a large crowd gathered, combined with the surprise water on the backside of the brush, many horses back off through here, and I’ve seen five strides snugged in here.

Fair Hill #7B. Photo courtesy of Brigitte Aickelin.

What you can’t see from this photo is a sharp decline in the ground directly following this fence, followed by a stride or two through the first water obstacle. As you jump this fence, you must make the decision to jump the left or right side of the corner, and stick to your plan.

Fair Hill #7C. Photo courtesty of Brigitte Aickelin.

To go left, the riders will hold close to the small tree (of which you can see the tip in the #7B photo), then open their right rein and pop over the corner. The right side is a bit more direct, but the line taken that way is a bit left to right, inviting run-outs.

Fair Hill #8. Photo courtesy of Andrea Collins and the Fair Hill International Facebook page.

A nice galloping fence at number eight gets the horses back into a galloping rhythm, although the addition of the steer cut-outs create an added element of excitement to a horse with an aversion to cows.

Fair Hill #9. Photo courtesy of Andrea Collins and the Fair Hill International Facebook page.

Fair Hill #9A. Photo courtesy of Andrea Collins and the Fair Hill International Facebook page.

This photo of the combination in the arena shows the line the 2* riders will need to make. After jumping the large brush fence (preferably without any attempt to leap through the holes), the riders will make a bending turn to the narrow table.

Fair Hill #9B. Photo courtesy of Brigitte Aickelin.

Fair Hill #9B and 9C. Photo courtesy of Brigitte Aickelin.

After jumping the table, the horses will have a straight three stride line to the wedge.

Fair Hill #10. Photo courtesy of Andrea Collins and the Fair Hill International Facebook page.

After a tough couple of combinations, the riders will get a nice gallop stretch followed by this beautifully decorated fishy table get back into a rhythm.

Fair Hill #11A and B. Photo courtesy of Andrea Collins and the Fair Hill International Facebook page.

This fence is a perfect example of Derek’s genius when it comes to course design. Although there are no options, the brush fence is perfectly spaced to provide riders two different methods of navigating this combination. The more direct path is to jump over the center of the cabin in a forward stride, then move fairly directly towards the angled brush. The safe approach would be to collect into more of a show jumping canter, then jump the cabin on the right side, making a four stride bending line to the brush to jump it more directly.

Fair Hill #12. Photo courtesy of Andrea Collins and the Fair Hill International Facebook page.

This picnic table looks a lot larger as you walk up to it than it does in this photo. This appears to be the largest fence on the course, and while demanding the riders’ respect, should be a good fence to gallop out of stride.

Fair Hill #13A, B, and C. Photo courtesy of Andrea Collins and the Fair Hill International Facebook page.

The coffin is the next step on this course, and off a downhill approach, could be quite challenging to jump well. The bright, airy vertical will not back off many of the horses in this division, so the riders will be looking to regain a coffin canter early. The striding is a quick one and a straight two to jump the cabin on a right to left angle.

Fair Hill #14. Photo courtesy of Andrea Collins and the Fair Hill International Facebook page.

An unassuming trakehner, fence fourteen shouldn’t cause too many difficulties for the horses at this level, unless they take exception to the two-dimensional deer grazing nearby.

Fair Hill #15A. Photo courtesy of Andrea Collins and the Fair Hill International Facebook page.

This log into the water is on a downhill approach around a turn, and a large crowd usually forms at this combination, as the first water crossing is on the other side of the road. The riders will need to maintain their RPMs, and come to the log with enough power to ensure both feet leave the ground.

Fair Hill #15B. Photo courtesy of Brigitte Aickelin.

After riding through the water, the riders will ride up a rise in the ground, then turn left to this sizable brush corner.

Fair Hill #16. Photo courtesy of Andrea Collins and the Fair Hill International Facebook page.

Next up on course is this log oxer on a long gallop. This fence will be used to re-establish the ability to jump out of stride as the pairs enter the final third of the course. At this point, some of the horses might be getting tired and the riders will need to ride accordingly.

Fair Hill #17. Photo courtesy of Andrea Collins and the Fair Hill International Facebook page.

This Weldon’s Wall has been carved into a dragon-like creature. Although the brush is impressive, at this point of the course most horses will jump it out of stride.

Fair Hill #18A. Photo courtesy of Andrea Collins and the Fair Hill International Facebook page.

This combination was on course last year, or something very similar to it. The table is not too big, but the riders need to bend six strides to the B and C portions of the combination.

Fair Hill #18B. Photo courtesy of Brigitte Aickelin.

After bending six strides, riders need to line up the flags of two angled brush fences, set one stride apart. A gentle downhill slope adds challenge to this combination near the end of the course.

Fair Hill #19. Photo courtesy of Andrea Collins and the Fair Hill International Facebook page.

This large table is off a turn, and an approach just past the center will allow the riders to jump just a touch left to right to help to shave a few fractions of a second from their time.

Fair Hill #20A, B, and C. Photo courtesy of Andrea Collins and the Fair Hill International Facebook page.

The final combination on the course is also fairly challenging, so the riders will need to be careful not to let their guard down. A sizable brush jump to a steep slope down into the water is likely to be torn up after only a few competitors. The duck in the water is also sizable, especially for a jump in the water, and horses who back off into the water will need to be kept moving forward. After the duck, there will be three strides up the slope out of the water to the angled log.

Fair Hill #21. Photo courtesy of Andrea Collins and the Fair Hill International Facebook page.

This jump is a breather for the horses, solid enough for them to respect, but one of the smaller on the course. Up a small slope, the riders will not want to take it for granted with their tired horses.

Fair Hill #22. Photo courtesy of Andrea Collins and the Fair Hill International Facebook page.

Fair Hill #23. Photo courtesy of Andrea Collins and the Fair Hill International Facebook page.

The final two fences of the course are fairly close together, but in some ways this may make the horses and riders pay attention and really ride through the final two instead of just getting over them.

#FHI: Website, Ride Times, Live Scores, YEH Scores, Schedule, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Instagram, @eventingnation

By the Numbers: Dutta Corp Fair Hill International CCI3*

By Maggie Deatrick on Oct 15, 2014 3:00 pm -

Kendal Lehari and Totally Frank, Richland CIC3*. Photo courtesy of Kasey Mueller.

Welcome to Fair Hill weekend! With 55 horses currently entered in the CCI3* and 110 in the CCI2* (with another few waitlisted), this is certainly one of the busiest weekends North America has seen in a very long time, at least at these levels.

With the best of the best attending WEG, Burghley, Blenheim, Boekelo and Pau, we should get a chance to see some up and comers shine at this event. Fair Hill usually becomes a preview for what we’ll see next year at Rolex, and there’s usually at least one pair who shines at their first attempt at this level.

It’s fairly difficult to compare Fair Hill to any other event in the country. The East Coasters don’t usually see Derek di Grazia courses, except at Fair Hill, Rolex and Bromont. The West Coasters see more of Derek’s courses, but only at CIC3*, not CCI3*, and they certainly don’t see the terrain that Fair Hill offers up. The south sees comparable terrain at Poplar, but completely different course design. And if you add some rain and mud into the mix, it becomes a whole different ballgame.

And Fair Hill always has rain.

The scores are super tight, so I offer no guarantees. In all likelihood, you’ll see these names in a different order. Predicting the actual scores down to the last tenth of a point is not really realistic, and generally I only use the predicted scores to rank the competitors.

Without further ado, I offer you my best guesses for the top 10. You’ll also see a Spoiler, a Dark Horse and a Sleeper, too.

For the CCI3*, the dressage test will be 2009 FEI 3*-B. The course designer is Derek di Grazia, who primarily designs West Coast courses, as well as Rolex and Bromont. The show jumping course designer will be Sally Ike and the three dressage judges will be Sue Baxter, Wayne Quarles, and Christina Klingspor.

TOP TEN

1. Kendal Lehari and Totally Frank: I named Kendal as my Sleeper pick for Richland, and I think Fair Hill will be her break-out event. Fair Hill is designed for jumping horses, and many a winner has come from behind to take the whole thing.

For the past three events, this pair has laid down scores in the low to mid-60s, with a high of 65.7 coming at Plantation, a venue known to have an extremely electric atmosphere. The Fair Hill ring, while still atmospheric, is a bit more relaxing for the horses, and Totally Frank has already proven his affinity for it last spring, when he performed the same test for a 53.1 in the Fair Hill CIC3*. I’ve used their average for the test to include both outliers, landing them on a 60.9, which will have them well down the order after the flat.

Cross country is where Kendal and Totally Frank will make up the most ground. While they have yet to go double clear cross country, half of their rounds are less than 10 seconds over optimum time, including a CCI3* over Derek’s Bromont course, where they came home with only 2 time penalties. They’re already qualified for Rolex, so they ought to be looking for a quick, competitive round here since there is no need to play it safe.

Finally, while this will be their first attempt at a Sally Ike show jumping course, Totally Frank is a very careful horse who most often jumps double clear. One caveat though: One of only two rounds in which he has had a rail occurred at Bromont after running a 10-minute cross country round. Since Fair Hill is a similar scenario, there is a chance this careful jumper could have one down.

If these two perform as they have been performing, they could take home the blue on around 62.1, finishing on their dressage score.

Mackenna Shea and Landioso, Richland CIC3*. Photo by Kasey Mueller.

2. Mackenna Shea and Landioso: Mackenna and Landioso are already qualified for Rolex as well, and after a disappointing re-route from Boekelo, Mackenna will be out with something to prove.

It’s no secret these two shine on the flat, and with an average of 46.0 for this particular test, they ought to be right up with the leaders after the first phase. They’ll need the cushion that score gives them, as they average around 14.4 time penalties in the second phase. Recently, in the CCI3* at Bromont, they had 13.6 time penalties across Derek’s course, and while they may be out to go quicker this weekend, the terrain at Fair Hill will certainly make it a challenge for them to go much faster.

Mackenna and Landioso will be on or near the lead after cross country. This pair hasn’t yet jumped a Sally Ike course, but they do average clear rounds in the show jumping. However, they also tend to be a touch slow in this phase, and an average of four penalties will be just enough to drop them into second place, on a score of 63.6.

3. Matt Brown and Super Socks BCF: Matt and Super Socks BCF need a CCI3* to qualify Rolex, but they didn’t come all the way across the country to play it safe. Matt’s out to test his horse against one of the toughest courses the U.S. has to offer, and I don’t think we’ll see him dawdling around on cross country day.

Matt and Super Socks BCF are very solid on the flat, averaging a 53.4 on this particular dressage test. Although they have averaged only 1.2 time penalties over Derek di Grazia courses in California, I’ve opted to stick with their overall average of 6.4 time penalties for the level. It will be difficult to replicate their swiftest efforts over a longer course and with much more significant terrain. They will still move up significantly after cross country based on that score.

Another who hasn’t seen Sally’s show jumping courses, they nevertheless average only one rail and rarely have time penalties in the final phase. If they put in their typical performance, they should end up with a score of 63.8, hard on Mackenna’s heels.

4. Maya Black and Doesn’t Play Fair: Maya and Doesn’t Play Fair are hot off a win in a huge and competitive division in the Plantation Field CIC3*, and they have placed fifth or better at all but one of their events at this level. I don’t expect this streak to end here, so look for them in the top five.

Another pair who excels at the first phase, these two average a 47.5 for this test, which will put them in the hunt right off the bat. In their only CCI3* run thus far, they conquered Derek di Grazia’s Bromont course with 12.4 time penalties, which will lose them a bit of the advantage. They may have played it safer there, opting for the Rolex qualifier over a win; if they get closer to their usual average of 8.8 time penalties, they could easily contest for the win here.

This pair does tend to average one rail in show jumping, which occurred both at Bromont after a long cross country course and at Jersey Fresh over their one time jumping Sally Ike’s designs. The horse has jumped clear a couple of times though, which could be another avenue to the win.

If they put in their typical round, look for them in fourth with a 63.9, breathing down Matt’s neck.

Kurt Martin and Anna Bella at The Fork CIC3*. Photo by Jenni Autry.

5. Kurt Martin and Anna Bella: Kurt Martin and Anna Bella proved their affinity for this venue in the spring, winning the Fair Hill CIC3*. An unlucky minor trailer injury kept them from boarding the plane to Boekelo, and with Rolex qualifications already under their belt, they’ll be out for blood this weekend.

Anna Bella knocked it out of the park last April with a 46.5 on this test in this arena, but hasn’t shown the same brilliance since. There’s a chance she could repeat the performance, but if not, look for her to score closer to their test average of 54.5.

Kurt and Anna Bella very consistently average around 10 time penalties on cross country, but again, clocked around Derek’s course in the spring for their only clear round of the level. It remains to be seen if they can replicate that performance when the course is four minutes longer, so I’ve chosen to use their average here.

Finally, the mare is a very good show jumper, going clean over Sally Ike’s course at the Jersey Fresh CCI3* with only one time penalty. A round like that will let them sneak into fifth on a score of 65.5.

6. Buck Davidson and The Apprentice: Buck and The Apprentice have been together for a few years now, and they are almost always inside the top 10. This weekend should be no exception.

An average of 49.7 for this test for dressage will put this pair in the upper ranks after the flat. They haven’t attempted a Derek di Grazia course yet, but have averaged 16 time penalties overall at this level, which will knock them down the standings a bit. In their one attempt at a Sally Ike course, they jumped double clear, although they normally average a rail and a few time.

A double clear round will land them just outside the top five with a score of 65.7 to put the pressure on Kurt.

Boyd Martin and Crackerjack at Plantation Field CIC3*. Photo by Jenni Autry.

7. Boyd Martin and Crackerjack: It’s kind of surprising that with four rides in the CCI3*, the highest I have Boyd ranked is seventh. However, all four of his rides are attempting their first CCI3*, so Boyd will be looking to give them good qualifiers. On the other hand, Boyd is nothing if not competitive, so don’t expect him to take it easy either.

Crackerjack averages a 54.9 on this particular test. Of Boyd’s four mounts, only Crackerjack has experience over a Derek di Grazia course, clocking around with 12 time penalties at the April horse trials at Fair Hill in 2013. On top of that, Crackerjack has only ever had one rail at this level, and I expect to see a double clear from this pair come Sunday.

A 66.9 will leave them tied for seventh, but a slightly quicker round will help these two win the tie.

8. Elinor MacPhail and RF Eloquence: Ellie and RF Eloquence aren’t the most experienced pair in the field, but they have already started racking up a fairly impressive resume.

While they haven’t yet performed this test, they average an impressive 48.3 on the flat, so should be in the upper echelon after Friday. Other than one blip in 2013, they have a completely clear record across the country, averaging a solid 13.6 time penalties.

This will be a big test for the two, as they have almost exclusively ridden courses designed by Tremaine Cooper, so Derek’s course will be a big change. On the other hand, they have a couple shows under their belt at Poplar Place, where the terrain is somewhat similar to Fair Hill’s.

Right now RF Eloquence averages one rail and one time penalty over the colored sticks, although they haven’t tried a Sally Ike course yet. They will tie Boyd with a 66.9, but a slightly slower cross country will move them to eighth.

9. Cody Sturgess and Imperial Melody: This pair has flown well under the radar, and for a pair who has already qualified for Rolex, it’s rather surprising we haven’t heard their names yet. Cody and Imperial Melody aren’t perfect in any phase, but they are very consistently solid in every phase.

The FEI-3* B test is a bit tougher for the pair, and they average only a 64.5 after the dressage. However, they’ve proven they can go double clear cross country and did so over Derek’s Bromont CCI3* course. Generally a one or two rail horse, Imperial Melody had only one rail over their sole Sally Ike course.

If they can replicate those performances, Cody and Imperial Melody could be the surprise of the weekend, finishing on a 68.5 for ninth place.

10. Lisa Barry and F.I.S. Prince Charming: Lisa and F.I.S. Prince Charming are another pair who ought to sneak into the top 10 based on their jumping prowess.They are quite experienced at this level, qualified for Rolex, and this is their first trip to Fair Hill.

Lisa and Prince Charming trend to a bit higher scores, averaging a 63.8 on this test. They did run into some trouble in this phase in the electric ring at Plantation, but I think it’s likely that they’ll settle closer to their average this time.

These two are capable of a double clear cross country round, but ended up with 2.4 time penalties over Derek’s Bromont course last June. If they have only one rail over Sally’s show jumping course, as they did at Jersey Fresh, then they’ll pop into 10th on a score of 70.2.

Jennie Brannigan and Cambalda at The Fork CIC3*. Photo by Jenni Autry.

THE SPOILER

Jennie Brannigan and Cambalda: I’m sure by now everyone is wondering why I haven’t ranked Jennie in the top 10, and it was strange to me even as I was doing the rankings. Jennie and Cambalda are a model of consistency with dressage scores usually under the 50 mark, mostly clear cross country rounds with less than 30 seconds in time penalties and the capability of going inside the time, and only a couple rails ever on their record.

Unfortunately, only twice in the past two years has Jennie attempted a Derek di Grazia course, and both times she had problems. At Fair Hill last year, she picked up an unfortunate stop in the arena, and at Rolex this year, she famously missed a flag after jumping the widest portion of a corner and earning a technical elimination.

Can Jennie break her CCI luck this year? She’s been undefeated this fall season, going two for two in the Advanceds at Richland and Plantation. These two are poised to do well, and if they break their bad luck streak, they will easily take home the win with room to spare.

Buck Davidson and Petite Flower. Photo by Jenni Autry.

THE DARK HORSE

Buck Davidson and Petite Flower: This little mare of Buck’s runs hot or cold, and there doesn’t seem to be much in between. It’s true that she is capable of winning here if she’s on form, and she is just hot off a win in Texas at the AECs. When Buck gets her around cross country with a clear round, she’s close to or under optimum time, and she very rarely has a rail.

Having said all that, the mare has an awful lot of numbers on her record, and they aren’t all 20s. Last year at Fair Hill, she racked up two stops before Buck retired, then re-routed to Galway Downs CCI3* and won the whole thing. She attempted the Jersey Fresh CCI3* after a rough spring campaign and again emerged with two stops.

Is it possible that Buck can bring her home clear here? Sure, it’s Buck after all. I wouldn’t count out a blue for Petite Flower with him in the irons.

Colleen Rutledge and Covert Rights. Photo by Jenni Autry.

THE SLEEPER

Colleen Rutledge and Covert Rights: For Morven’s predictions, I noted that Covert Rights was on the upswing and could win the CIC3* if they continued their improvements. They proceeded to do just that, and I think there’s a good chance they will continue to do the same at this show.

Covert Rights appears to be a horse that seems to have all the pieces, with the ability to score in the 40s on a good day and low 50s on a bad day, the carefulness to be a none-or-one rail horse, and the speed to make time on cross country. This pair had a couple of rough spots cross country this summer that began at Richland and tailed off at Plantation, which make their numbers look worse than I really think they are.

Colleen has all the tools she needs to put together a team horse with this one. She was on track before breaking at Morven last year, and I think she’s back on track now. A good performance here in all three phases will show these two are the real deal.

Wednesday News and Notes from MDBarnmaster

By Maggie Deatrick on Oct 15, 2014 12:01 am -

The trailers roll into Fair Hill. Photo via Matt Brown's Facebook page.

Is Fair Hill here already? I don’t know about you all, but the fall season has flown by and I can’t believe we’re nearing the end. One of the bittersweet things about the last show of the season is sitting on your horse the final day of the show and knowing you won’t be riding him for a while. I always miss riding while my horse has a vacation, but I come back pumped and itching to be on again, instead of a bit burned out.

North American Weekend Preview:

Fair Hill International CCI [Website] [Entry Status] [Order of Go]

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

Paradise Farm H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

Fresno County Horse Park H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

Hagyard Midsouth Three-Day Event & Team Challenge CCI & H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Grass Ridge H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

FEI Global Weekend Preview:

Goulburn NSW (AUS) CCI1/2/3*, CIC1/2/3* [Website]

Le Lion d’Angers (FRA) CCI1/2* [Website]

Katy Groesbeck is headed to Fair Hill with her 3* horse, Oz the Tin Man. Before she wraps up the season, she summarizes her feelings about her year. I completely relate when she talks about feeling great about your performance in an event even when the results on paper don’t look very good. In fact, I found myself nodding in agreement as I read through the entire blog. [Keep On Keepin’ On]

Naked calendars, get your naked calendars! The Brits are a cheeky lot, and there’s a number of different equestrian calendars for 2015 in which you can see just how cheeky they are. In the calendars, the riders bare all for a good cause. Why yes, I love puns. Also, possibly NSFW photos (Not Safe For Work for those of you new to the Interwebz.) [Riders Get Naked for Charity]

This week on the Eventing Radio Show: Boekelo and the State of Eventing. This week Clark Montgomery and Liz Halliday-Sharp join Samantha Clark on the show to reflect on Boekelo. Mark Todd and Phillip Dutton join in to discuss the state of eventing as they see it. [Eventing Radio Show]

Former upper level eventer Nadeem Noon needs your support. The eventing community is rallying to support Nadeem during this time with a silent auction of some pretty cool items. Buy something cool and support a good cause! [Nadeem Noon Silent Auction]

SmartPak Product of the Day: My horse doesn’t think much of hitting rails, so I like to jump him bare legged at shows. However, he interferes a bit, so at home I prefer to jump in open fronts. I searched long and hard for a pair of open fronts that had both thin straps to prevent any cushioning of blows, and a matching hind that wrapped around the fetlock joint to prevent twisting of the boot. Literally the only thing I found was the Eskadron Air Flexisoft Open Fronts, so I bit the bullet and purchased them. I’ve been using them for four years now and they have held up incredibly well. [SmartPak]

In a few days, we will be watching Fair Hill CCI3* run cross country. For comparison’s sake, take a gander at 2010’s CCI3* XC course, courtesy of Buzzterbrown.

Fitness Frenzy

By Maggie Deatrick on Oct 13, 2014 5:00 pm -

Maggie and her Thoroughbred Divine Comedy are headed to the Fair Hill CCI2* on Oct. 15-19 for their fifth attempt at a CCI2*. This is their second year at Fair Hill, and they are looking for redemption after a temper tantrum in dressage last year left them just barely over the qualifying score of 75. Follow along as Maggie brings you a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most prestigious events in North America.

Final gallop at Nelson's Hill!

One of the best things that has resulted from my move to Philadelphia has been the increased availability of hills for gallops. When I lived in Texas, everything was flat. Flat, flat, flat. As a result, we spent a lot of time running intervals for our gallops, working up from 2 x 5 canters at the beginning of the season to 3 x 8 gallops by the end. Usually these were preceded by a 10-20 minute trot, so there was quite a bit of pounding on his joints.

Here in Unionville, we have access to three stages of hills. The first was the polo hill, which Dante and I began in August. The polo hill was a short but steep hill only a ten minute hack away, and we could gallop up it in about forty seconds. Dante learned very quickly that he got to GO when we hit the bottom of the hill, and it tended to be a game of how quickly we could get turned around before he shot off like a cannon.

The polo hill was great when he was making the transition back to event horse after spending all summer as a dressage pony. Within a couple weeks, the fat melted off and the fit thoroughbred emerged. We did the polo hill until three runs up was easy.

Next came Green Gate, a three stage hill that is right across the road from Plantation Field. Green Gate is on established loam, so never really got hard even when dry. It begins with a sharp but short incline, levels out for about ten strides, then shoot up sharply again before ending with a gradual pull. A full run from bottom to top was perhaps a minute long.

Dante began doing Green Gate about two weeks prior to Plantation, eventually running three times up it.

The final locale is the famous (or perhaps infamous) Nelson’s Hill. Dante has been running up that one since just before Morven, but due to work conflicts, I haven’t been able to do his gallops myself. Yesterday was the first time I was able to take him myself, and it was absolutely amazing.

When I was younger, I wanted to be a jockey. I love eventing dearly, but sometimes I find a flat-out gallop as exhilarating as any cross country round. Nelson’s Hill gives me that. From bottom to top, it’s about three minutes, and the horses can pull as hard as they like up it. It’s a strong enough incline that it’s difficult for them to reach their full speed, but can still move swiftly up it.

We ran up it twice, with me grinning the whole way. Fair Hill is up next, but I probably had just as much fun flying up Nelson’s.

Ducks In A Row (for Fair Hill)

By Maggie Deatrick on Oct 10, 2014 12:30 pm -

The lists. Photo by Maggie Deatrick.

We’re down to the final stretch, and everyone is holding their breath. These last few days are always a bit nerve wracking. Dante could go out in the field and step on a rock and end up with a stone bruise. He never has before, but that’s no reason to be sure he won’t start now. Every rider is a bit on edge at this point.

Meanwhile, I’m crossing my t’s and dotting my i’s. Dante got brand new shoes last Monday. I like to do it about ten days before the jog; long enough before to make sure he doesn’t have a hot nail, but short enough that there’s no danger of loose shoes throughout the event. I also had the farrier leave an extra set, in case we do lose a shoe.

My last flat lesson at home is tonight, and my last jump lesson is on Monday evening. In between, he’ll do fitness, either gallops or trots, and have one light day of hacking. He had a massage yesterday and will get another on Monday, to keep those hard working muscles loose.

Meanwhile, the number of massages I am getting is zero.

To keep my mind off the six trillion things that could go wrong, I like to throw myself into the logistics of planning. Anyone who knows me will quickly tell you that I am borderline OCD when it comes to planning and packing. I love lists and agendas and thrive on the process of unpacking, cleaning, and re-packing.

This is good, because the past four weeks have been a whirlwind of those things, with Plantation Field two weeks before Morven, and then a week and a half from Morven until horses arrive for Fair Hill.

A few things have slipped through the cracks (Oh, you wanted to dry clean your jump coat? Sorry, you ran out of time. A haircut? Whoops, forgot to get that scheduled.) but overall the fairly continuous process has actually kept me on my toes. I currently have a running list of everything I need to get done each day through Monday, and Tuesday my groom will make the 40 minute drive with Dante to stabling. Sadly, I have to work that day.

I’d like to say it’s particularly tough because I’m an amateur and I don’t get to see the barn every day, but the truth is that it’s tough for everyone at this point. From the West Coast riders who busted their butts for the past few months to earn enough money to come all the way out here, to the East Coast riders who are competing six or seven horses at Fair Hill, plus a few the weekend before at Maryland and a few the weekend after at Waredaca, the amount of planning that goes into this time of the year is just astounding.

So kudos to everyone out there who is making it work. Whether you’re part of a well-oiled machine, or simply a one horse amateur, it’s a major accomplishment just to make it to the event in one piece.

You Ain’t Never Gonna Keep Me Down (at Fair Hill)

By Maggie Deatrick on Oct 8, 2014 10:30 am -

Photo by Maggie Deatrick.

I’m not entirely sure what it feels like to literally bang your head against a wall, but metaphorically I’ve been doing just that for the past three years.

Most riders seem to have a bug-a-boo level where they just can’t seem to get it done … but once over the hump, never have another issue. I’ve seen riders have trouble making the transition from Novice to Training, figure it out, and run all the way up to Advanced. I’ve seen other pairs who had issues with the jump to Training to Prelim or Prelim to Intermediate.

It’s not always related to cross country or even performance at all; sometimes it’s a horse that keeps turning up with cellulitis two days before a show or a tack malfunction in stadium.

For me, this level is the CCI2*.

I have run at the Intermediate level fairly successfully since 2010. Other than a blip in our very first attempt at the level and a blip recently at the Plantation CIC2*, we have no jump penalties on our record for Intermediate or two-star and quite a few double clears. Dressage has always been a get-through-it sort of thing and stadium is occasionally a bowling game, but for the most part, we haven’t had any real issues. We’ve even successfully run a few times at Advanced.

Cue the CCI2*.

I’ve twice been thwarted by sore feet, which cropped up after the two clear cross country phases and prevented us from completing at Jersey Fresh 2011 and Colorado 2012. In November of 2011, we drove out to Galway from Dallas, where we completed the dressage phase and were looking forward to a great run on the soft California footing.

Then Dante promptly caught a lung infection overnight, forcing us to withdraw and spend the next four days in the vet clinic, only recovering in time to get back on the trailer to come home.

And at Fair Hill last year, I was so worried about the dressage phase after scoring an epic 91 in our CIC3* debut four weeks prior at Plantation that I drilled him on the flat too much. By the third day straight of dressage, he had had enough and threw a quiet but persistent tantrum throughout the test, resulting in a score that was literally one point on any movement away from qualifying.

Each time, I’ve taken steps to fix the problem. After the sore feet persisted, I pulled Dante’s shoes and let his feet grow out for six months. He came back sound as a dollar and, knocking on wood, hasn’t taken a lame step since. After last year’s dressage debacle, we spent all late winter and spring practicing at dressage schooling shows, tweaking our warm-up and sharpening our mental game.

Dante then spent three months in professional dressage training, including going to a couple of rated shows where he figured it out, culminating in a win at his first attempt at Fourth Level. Now we board with a trainer known for her flat skills, and we get better every day. I no longer worry about tantrums on the flat.

So we’re back this year and feeling better about getting our QR this time than we ever have. Well, I’m not sure how Dante feels about it, but I’m certainly feeling good. In a field of 122, I don’t really have high expectations as to where we will place, but I think we’ll still be smiling at the end of the weekend.

Wednesday News and Notes from MDBarnmaster

By Maggie Deatrick on Oct 8, 2014 12:01 am -

Lainey Ashker and her iron horse Anthony Patch just hanging out together in front of the Pimlico grandstand. No biggie. Photo via Lainey Ashker FB Page.

Right now, all is quiet on the western front. And the eastern front. It’s the calm before the storm, and everyone is holding their breath this weekend. Meanwhile, we have a decent contingent at Boekelo over in Europe, so if you just can’t get your eventing fix in the US from the shows going on this weekend, be sure to stalk the Boekelo scores.

North American Weekend Preview:

Course Brook Farm Fall H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

Radnor Hunt H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

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

Middle Tennessee Pony Club H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

Greenwood Farm Fall H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

FEI Global Weekend Preview:

Weston Park (GBR) CCI1/2* [Website]

Boekelo (NED) CCI3*

Taupo (NZL) CIC1/2/3*

Ströhen (GER) CIC1*

One really good ride at just the right time can help a rider gain a new emotional perspective on life. In Kristin Carpenter’s latest blog for the Chronicle, she eloquently discusses her lack of enthusiasm for riding or writing over the summer. Then, her young mare rose to the occasion at a muddy Morven Park, which rejuvenated Kristin’s love of the sport and rekindled her optimism. [When In Doubt, Kick On]

If re-flocking or tree adjustment doesn’t help your saddle fit, check out the billets. This article from Total Saddle Fit discusses the finer points of billet fit, which are a lot more complicated than I always thought. Between point billets, straight billets, and V billets, there’s a lot of variety in the way billets affect the fit of the saddle. [The “B” Word]

Ashley Donaldson recently made the jump from boarder to farm owner. In this week’s SmartPak blog, she discusses the various issues she comes across in her new venture, from sourcing wood planks for fencing to determining the best vendors for hay and shavings. [From Boarder to Owner]

This week on the Eventing Radio Show: Laine Ashker and Andrea Leatherman. Laine Ashker talks about her recent experiences at the AECs and the RRTP event at Pimlico. Andrea Leatherman joins Dr. Stuart Brown to talk about the touching story behind Mr. Poppers. Alison Stackpole joins the show to give an update on her OTTB Maggie. [Eventing Radio Show]

Just like many mothers, Zara Phillips struggled to regain fitness after giving birth. Zara has ridden all her life, so didn’t quite realize what a struggle it would be to get back into the saddle after a hiatus. She’s obviously doing fine now, with a medal at WEG with High Kingdom. [Zara’s Fitness Struggle]

SmartPak Product of the Day: As we head into the fall CCIs, many horses used to being turned out for the night will have to be confined to a stall for the duration of the show. To help keep my horse and his tight back happy, I bought a Back on Track Mesh Sheet to help keep his muscles loose and warm. I can use it by itself on slightly cool nights or under another sheet if it’s chillier. [SmartPak]

My next twelve days practically revolve around Fair Hill International, and with the entry list looking like a Who’s Who of US Eventing (with a few Canadians thrown in), yours should too. Here’s a preview to whet your appetite.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77OoVlczPNE

By the Numbers: Morven Park Advanced

By Maggie Deatrick on Oct 2, 2014 10:30 am -

Lauren Kieffer and Veronica at The Fork. Photo by Jenni Autry.

The Advanced division at Morven Park is actually bigger and stronger than the CIC3*. I’m not entirely sure why that is, but it may be a sign that more of the pairs in the Advanced are planning on a quiet prep for Fair Hill, or even thinking of doing the combined test, while those in the CIC3* might be chasing one final qualifier they need for Fair Hill.

The Advanced is performing 2014 USEF Test A-B. Tremaine Cooper is designing both the cross country and the show jumping courses.

TOP FIVE

1. Lauren Kieffer and Veronica: Lauren and Veronica aren’t aimed at Fair Hill; they’re aimed at Pau, which means Morven is perfectly timed for a final prep. I think Lauren will be tightening the screws here, looking to tune up before a trip overseas.

Lauren and Veronica should be in the top two, if not the top, after the flat with an average of 30.1 on this test. Veronica most commonly leaves all the rails up in stadium, although she hasn’t jumped a Tremaine Cooper course yet. In addition, these two are quicker over Tremaine’s cross country courses than their usual average time, adding just 9.6 time penalties. This should give them the easy win with the only score in the 30s.

2. Ellie MacPhail and RF Eloquence: Ellie and RF Eloquence have won two in a row down south, but the fields have been very small. This will be their first taste this year of stiffer competition, and while I don’t think their win streak will continue, they’ll probably still be successful.

These two average a 33.2 on this dressage test, which will put them in the top four after the flat. They have no Tremaine Cooper show jumping experience, but more often than not jump clear with an average of only 2 time penalties. Most of their cross country experience does come over Tremaine’s courses, where they average 12.8 time penalties. They ought to finish in second with a score in the high 40s, with at least a rail’s worth of room in front of third.

Kevin Keane and Fernhill Flutter at Red Hills. Photo by Jenni Autry.

3. Kevin Keane and Fernhill Flutter: Everyone’s favorite vet is often lost in the shuffle, but I think this weekend will give him a chance to earn his highest placing yet at this level.

Kevin and Fernhill Flutter haven’t performed this test recently, but average a solid 36.8 overall on the flat. Another who hasn’t attempted Tremaine’s stadium designs, they still average only one rail, usually with no time penalties. Finally, they are much quicker across Tremaine’s cross country than their typical speed, coming home with an average of 12.4 time penalties on his courses. Kevin and Fernhill Flutter will squeak into third with a score in the 53 range.

4. Lauren Kieffer and Lucky Devil: Lauren has three mounts in this division, and this is her second most experienced one. Since Lucky Devil hasn’t run at Advanced since Richland, Morven will be an event to make sure all cylinders are firing before Fair Hill.

Lauren and Lucky Devil slightly favor this test, with their average of 37.3 slightly better than their typical score. An average of only one rail and one time penalty in show jumping should hold over to their first time jumping a Tremaine Cooper stadium course. This horse hasn’t yet completed a Tremaine Cooper cross country course, but averages only 12 time penalties in general.

These two ought to end up with a score near 54, just behind Kevin but barely ahead of fifth.

5. Boyd Martin and Crackerjack: Of Boyd’s five CIC3* horses from Plantation Field, Crackerjack has been the most lightly competed this season. The only shows at this level he’s done in 2014 include the Horse Park of New Jersey and Plantation Field. While he was quite solid at both events, he’s probably entered in this division to give him one more under his belt before Fair Hill.

Crackerjack averages a 37.7 when performing this test, good enough for middle of the pack. He has only ever had one rail at this level, so a double clear in stadium will move him up the ranks. Boyd and Crackerjack average 16.8 time penalties on Tremaine Cooper’s courses, which will leave them hot on Lauren’s heels with a score also in the 54 range.

THE DARK HORSE

Allie Sacksen and Sparrow’s Nio at Richland CIC3*. Photo courtesy of Kasey Mueller.

Allie Sacksen and Sparrow’s Nio: Allie and Sparrow’s Nio score in the low 40s on the flat usually, but a very quick cross country helps them make up ground in the rankings. Unfortunately, they’ve been denied higher placings because of some trouble in the stadium round.

However, Allie brought Sparrow’s Nio to this event last year for the Advanced and jumped Tremaine’s stadium course with just one rail and one time. If they can replicate that effort in the show jumping, they could challenge Kevin for third place.

THE SLEEPER

Kelly Prather and Blackfoot Mystery. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Kelly Prather and Blackfoot Mystery: Kelly and Blackfoot Mystery have proved they already have the dressage chops to compete at Advanced, leading a huge division after the first phase at Plantation Field CIC3*.

In only four cross country rounds at this level, they’ve had two clear rounds and two with a single stop, which could certainly improve with more experience. When they go clear, they also go very quickly, showing potential to have double clears in this phase.

While they haven’t had a clear show jumping round at this level yet, all of their rounds have only had one or two rails. Eventually, this pair has the potential to finish on a great dressage score. Look for them to gain consistency through next year.

By the Numbers: Morven Park CIC3*

By Maggie Deatrick on Oct 1, 2014 10:30 am -

Dropping into the water at Millbrook. Photo by Jenni Autry.

On the East Coast, Morven Park is running both a CIC3* and an Advanced this weekend. This year is Morven’s first CIC run concurrently with the fall horse trials, and as a result we may see some riders looking for a last minute qualifier prior to a fall CCI.

There are a few different types of pairs here at Morven. There will be some entered to do the combined test as a practice run for Fair Hill, while others are green to the level and might be skipping a fall CCI3* to gain experience here. A few might be running a CCI2* at Fair Hill instead but stepping up here to run the higher level as a final prep. And finally, there are a few who might be ironing out problems before a CCI3*.

The CIC3* is performing the 2009 FEI 3*-B dressage test. Tremaine Cooper is designing both the cross country and the show jumping courses.

TOP FIVE

1. Kate Samuels and Nyls du Terroir: EN’s own Kate Samuels is my pick for the winner at Morven Park CIC3*. The numbers say it’s so, and I can hardly argue with them! Kate and Nyls haven’t been out since Millbrook, but are consistent enough that this shouldn’t be a problem for them.

These two average a 59.7 for this dressage test, which will be good enough to put them in the upper part of the pack. Last year at Morven, they jumped double clear over Tremaine’s show jumping course. Over his cross country courses they average only 7.6 time penalties, which ought to comfortably put them in first on a score in the mid to high 60s.

Kristin Schmolze and Ballylaffin Bracken. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Kristin Schmolze and Ballylaffin Bracken at Plantation Field 2013. Photo by Jenni Autry.

2. Kristin Schmolze and Ballylaffin Bracken: First of all, I just love saying this horse’s name. It really rolls off the tongue and I find myself chanting it without thinking.

Anyways.

Kristin and Ballylaffin Bracken average a 56.4 on this test, putting them in the upper portion of the pack after the flat. They also jumped clear over Tremaine’s show jumping course at Morven last year, but added four time penalties in that phase. This pair is a bit slower across the country, adding 19.2 time penalties on average when they run over Tremaine’s cross country designs. A score in the high 70s will slot them into second place.

3. Caroline Martin and Quantum Solace: Caroline and Quantum Solace have been creeping up the ranks all summer and have not only earned a spot in my top five but are also my Sleeper pick.

Caroline and Quantum Solace average a 59.3 for this particular test, which should put them mid-pack after dressage. They average a plentiful 28 time penalties on Tremaine Cooper courses, which will keep them from competing for the top two places. For stadium, this pair usually jumps clear but average around three time penalties. This will be their first Tremaine Cooper stadium course. They’ll likely end up third with a score in the low 80s.

4. Colleen Rutledge and Covert Rights: Colleen and Covert Rights are not only my fourth place pick, but also my Dark Horse this weekend. They’ve had a bit of trouble on cross country for the past month, which gets them pushed down the ranks to fourth here.

Colleen and Covert Rights generally do very well on the flat, averaging a 51.3 on this test. That ought to be good enough to put them in the lead after the first phase. They haven’t yet jumped a Tremaine Cooper stadium course, but do average one rail and two time penalties. Unfortunately, they also currently average one stop cross country, but even with a stop, a quick round with only 9.6 time penalties should give them a score in the mid-80s, which will be good enough for fourth in this field.

5. Phillip Dutton and Seams Ready: This is a new ride for Phillip, as he’s taken over the ride for Kristen Bond during her pregnancy, and with only Plantation Field and another Advanced under Kristen at the Fork, there’s really not much data available for this one.

Phillip and Seams Ready scored a 51.9 on the flat at Plantation performing this test, so prepare for them to breathe down Colleen’s neck. The horse does average one rail in stadium, but with no time penalties. With Phillip in the irons, this horse jumped clear around Plantation but with 32.8 time penalties, which will move them well down here. They should end up in fifth with a score in the high 80s.

THE DARK HORSE

Colleen Rutledge and Covert Rights at Plantation Field 2013. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Colleen Rutledge and Covert Rights: For the first time, my Dark Horse pick is already ranked in the top five. However, Colleen has a good chance to steal the win this weekend.

After most of the spring season was spent working on the flat, Colleen brought this horse out for a clear Advanced round at Millbrook. However, at Richland, this pair had an uncharacteristic stop in the CIC3*, followed by a retirement after trouble at Five Points Advanced. At Plantation Field CIC3*, Covert Rights incurred another stop, but seemed to be on the upswing. If he continues to return to his former self here, he could easily take the win.

THE SLEEPER

Caroline Martin and Quantum Solace. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Caroline Martin and Quantum Solace at Plantation Field 2014. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Caroline Martin and Quantum Solace: Caroline and her longtime partner Quantum Solace have been solidly running around the Advanced and CIC3* levels for a while now. They’ve been improving both of their jumping phases slowly over time.

Caroline started out in early 2013 with significant cross country time penalties, opting for good rounds over quick. She took a hiatus from the level to do Young Riders that summer, then bumped up again this winter, this time with cross country time penalties in the mid-teens to low 20s. At Jersey Fresh, she put her foot on the gas, rocking home in her first CCI3* with only 8 time penalties. That low level of penalties has continued, with only 12 and 8 penalties at her two shows this season.

Quantum Solace’s show jumping has also been steadily improving. To begin with, he often has clear rounds and rarely has more than two rails, with only one three rail course on his record. However, he has jumped the last three rounds clear, the first time he has done so in succession at this level.

If this pair continues to edge closer to finishing on their dressage score, they will certainly be a force to contend with next year, if not sooner.

Wednesday News and Notes from MDBarnmaster

By Maggie Deatrick on Oct 1, 2014 12:01 am -

Advanced course is ready to go for Morven! Photo via Morven Equestrian Center Facebook Page.

It still doesn’t feel like fall up here in the Northeast; the leaves haven’t really started changing and the air isn’t crisp and cool. Instead, it’s still warm and somewhat muggy. But I know it’s fall because Morven is this weekend! They’re running a CIC at each level for the first time in the fall, and all of the usual horse trial levels through Advanced.

North American Weekend Preview:

Kent School Fall H.T. [Website]

Morven Park Fall CIC & H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

WindRidge Farm Fall H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

ESDCTA New Jersey at the Horsepark H.T. [Website]

Woodside International CIC & H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

Jennie Brannigan knows that it’s all about the journey. In her latest blog for the Chronicle, Jennie talks about how it’s important to take as much pride in the progress of the young horses as the triumphs of the experienced ones. [Love the Journey, Not Just the Destination]

Faces and noses of the AECs! This article on the USEA website showcases several competitors with their ponies and puppies who competed at the AECs. It’s great to get a sampling of the competitors who trekked to Tyler to compete. [A Walk Through the Barns]

Kaley Cuoco participated in the Longines LA. Masters for charity. Cuoco dressed up as Pocahontas and rode her horse Thor over fences that appear to possibly be at least three feet. The article is light on details and big on exaggeration, calling the L.A. Masters the ‘world’s most prestigious equestrian event,’ which I think is a stretch considering I’ve never heard of it. Still I love the Big Bang Theory, so that combined with horses is awesome. If only she had dressed up as Dr. Sheldon Cooper…. [Kaley Cuoco Jumps]

This week on the Eventing Radio Show: AECs. This week Nate and Joe host a discussion of the AECs. Buck Davidson, Caroline Martin, Tamie Smith, and Heather Morris discuss their results, while Jon Holling and Robert Kellerhouse address the everlasting debate surrounding the show. [Eventing Radio Show]

Sinead Halpin is teaching a clinic at River Glen Equestrian Park in New Market, Tennessee, Oct. 25-26. Levels offered include Starter, Beginner Novice, Novice, Training and Prelim and up, divided further if necessary. Groups will start with flatwork and stadium on Saturday and cross-country on Sunday. Cost is $175/weekend for Crossroads Dressage & Combined Training Society members or $225/weekend for non-members. Stabling is available for $25/night (1 bag of shavings included) or $10 day stall (no shavings). More details and entry form available. [CDCTS] [Email Katherine McDonough]

SmartPak Product of the Day: Rambo has come up with some crazy blanket technology, but for a basic turn-out sheet, I still swear by the Original Turnout. It’s quick, it’s easy, it stay on, and it’s nearly indestructible. As a bonus, your horse will look like Christmas every time he wears it. [SmartPak]

Because Beginner Novice Horses are always cute. And Beginner Novice champions are even cuter.

By the Numbers: Woodside CIC3* and Advanced

By Maggie Deatrick on Sep 30, 2014 3:00 pm -

Kaitlin Veltkamp and Flashpoint D. Photo courtesy of Natalie Kuhny.

We’re coming into the final stretch, with the the last CIC3* and Advanced of the season for both coasts running the weekend. After this, it’s the two CCI3*, then we enter the winter break.

Woodside is holding their event a full month ahead of the Galway CCI3*, and I think it’s likely that we’ll be seeing many of these pairs going to Temecula next. A few here haven’t qualified, so they’ll probably be looking for good final runs of the season before hanging up their tack for the year.

In dressage, the Advanced is performing 2014 USEF A-B while the CIC3* runs 2009 FEI 3*-B. The cross country course designer is Derek di Grazia and the show jumping course designer is Sarah Dubost.

TOP FIVE: CIC3*

1. Kaitlin Veltkamp and Flashpoint D: Kaitlin and Flashpoint D are one of the greenest pairs in the field, but they’ve certainly made waves since debuting at Advanced at Twin Rivers last February. Since then, they’ve not finished lower than third and were recently first at their first CIC3* at Copper Meadows.

This pair hasn’t yet performed this test, but they score a respectable 57.8 on average. They’ll be only middle of the pack after this phase. They do average a double clear show jumping, although the only rail Flashpoint D has had so far at this level was during one of his two rounds over a Sarah Dubost course. Woodside in May was the only other time these two have seen a Derek di Grazia course, and they rocked around bang on optimum time for a double clear.

If they replicate that effort, Kaitlin and Flashpoint D could edge into first place with a score in the high 50s.

James Alliston and Tivoli at Rolex 2013. Photo courtesy of Kasey Mueller.

2. James Alliston and Tivoli: James and Tivoli are possibly the toughest to predict this weekend, despite their experience. This is their first time back at this level since Rolex 2013, where Tivoli sadly failed the final horse inspection. After time off, he’s back, and James’ decision on how fast to run will ultimately decide the weekend.

James and Tivoli didn’t perform this dressage test in 2013, but instead averaged a 49.5 on the flat. This will be good enough for top two on the flat. They average one rail and two time penalties over Sarah Dubost courses, which may not drop them down, but will put Kaitlin in striking range.

If James runs double clear cross country, as he did over two Advanced/CIC3* courses prior to Rolex, he could still sneak away with the win. If he gathers 7.6 time penalties, as he did over Derek di Grazia’s CCI4* course, he’ll slide down to second with a score in the low 60s.

3. Bunnie Sexton and Rise Against: Bunnie and Rise Against are coming off a win in the Twin Rivers Advanced two weekends ago and should carry that momentum over for a good result here.

Rise Against is not terribly patient in the sandbox and averages a 67.7 for this test, which will land them near the bottom after the first phase. However, this pair hasn’t had a rail over one of Sarah’s courses in the past two years, so a double clear will help them climb the ranks. With an average of only 4.8 time penalties for Derek di Grazia’s courses, they’ll end up comfortably in third with a score in the low 70s.

4. Jordan Linstedt and Revitavet Capato: Jordan Linstedt and Revitavet Capato are coming off a second place finish at Aspen Farms and overall have had a pretty successful first year at Advanced. They’ll probably be headed to Galway next so should be looking for a solid round here.

A score of 54.9 would put them in the middle of the pack after dressage. An average of three rails over Sarah Dubost courses will push them down the rankings a bit. With an average of 11.2 time penalties over Derek di Grazia courses, they ought to cruise home with a score in the high 70s for fourth place.

5. Maddy Mazzola and Mojito: Maddy and Mojito moved up to Advanced last fall, and while they haven’t done much, they’ve been very consistent at what they have done. Mojito is a former Rolex horse, and if all goes well this weekend, Maddy will qualify herself to go with him to Rolex in 2015.

Maddy and Mojito have only performed this test together once, scoring a 65.6 after trekking all the way to Jersey Fresh for the CCI3* last spring. They haven’t had a stop yet on cross country and completed with 4.0 time penalties on their only Derek di Grazia course. The show jumping is this horse’s weakness, averaging four rails over Sarah Dubost courses. They ought to end up in fifth on a score in the mid-80s.

THE DARK HORSE

Angela Grzywinski and Novelle at Rocking Horse 2013. Photo by Samantha Clark.

Angela Grzywinski and Novelle: Once again, Novelle is my West Coast Dark Horse pick for the weekend, this time with her owner Angela back in the irons.

Novelle is a mare that tries hard on the flat, but still ends up down the order after the flat. However, she is one of only two who have the potential to go double clear this weekend, and if she does, she’ll crack the top three.

As I said two weeks ago, the mare’s cross country prowess is on the upswing, with clear rounds at Copper Meadows and Twin Rivers. This weekend is the first time she’ll see a Derek di Grazia course, which should be a good prep for her prior to Galway in November.

This pair’s record also shows a sharp division in cross country time penalties; if they have an issue, they slow down. But clear rounds are also equivalent to fast rounds for them, which would put the pair in the hunt.

Finally, Novelle has some hops in the stadium phase. She ought to jump double clear over anything that is put in front of her.

THE SLEEPER

Bea di Grazia and Lad’s Night Out at Galway 2011. Photo by Samantha Clark.

Bea di Grazia and Lad’s Night Out: Bea and Lad’s Night Out were cleaning up at Intermediate when they began dabbling with mixed results at Advanced at the end of 2012. They attempted their first CIC3* in March of 2013, which is when my database begins, and had a bit of a rough weekend. Lad’s Night Out had quite a bit of time off after that and only returned to competition over the summer, winning a Prelim and Intermediate at Woodside. They’ll try to continue their success with Woodside events this weekend.

This pair can really shine on the flat, often scoring in the mid to high 40s. This pair has run twice clear across the country and twice had stops. Their one double clear round was at Woodside, a venue at which they really seem to shine. In addition, Lad’s Night Out either show jumps clear or has a few rails, with not much in between. So far, the clear show jumping rounds have coincided with the clear cross country to give them a good result.

In short, Bea and Lad’s Night Out were an all or nothing sort of pair, and when they’re on, they’re on for all three phases for the win. A long hiatus may change their consistency, and if it has changed for the better, the EN team will be watching.

WINNER: ADVANCED

Rebeeca Buehler and Brighton at Aspen Farms Advanced. Photo courtesy of Chesna Klimek.

Rebecca Buehler and Brighton: Rebecca and Brighton are quite green, with a rider fall at Rebecca Farms during their debut followed by a win at Aspen Farms last month. If they replicate their Aspen effort, they will easily win this division.

Rebecca and Brighton performed this test at Aspen, scoring a 34.7 after dressage. They haven’t run either a di Grazia cross country course or a Dubost show jumping course yet. At Aspen, they were clear cross country with only 4.8 time penalties, and a double clear show jumping handed them the win there.

A similar run here will land them in first with a score just barely under 40.

Wednesday News and Notes from MDBarnmaster

By Maggie Deatrick on Sep 24, 2014 12:00 am -

Early morning view of the Texas Rose Horse Park. Photo courtesy of Caroline Martin's Facebook page.

The competition season just keeps coming and coming, and this week is no exception. The mass migration to Texas is either underway or coming to an end for many competitors as they arrive and get settled at the Texas Rose Horse Park. Caroline Martin competed in the CIC3* at Plantation Field on Sunday and is already down in the Texas hill country. The action gets underway tomorrow with the dressage for the upper levels.

North American Weekend Preview:

University of New Hampshire H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

Surefire H.T. [Website]

Flora Lea H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

Stable View H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

Sundance Farm H.T. [Website]

Nutrena USEA American Eventing Championships & ATC [Website] [Entry Status/Times]

Jump Start H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Times]

Want to win at AECs? We want to see your insanity, and you could have a shot at one of three prize packs from our awesome sponsors. Decorate your stall or golf cart at AECs this week for your chance to win – both EN and guest judge Laine Ashker will be on hand to see your insanity, so get creative! For more details on how to enter, check out the original post. [Win Big at AECs]

For Kate Boggan, the AECs is a chance to connect. After Kate lost her horse three weeks before the AECs in 2011, she went anyways to cheer her friends and ended up closer than ever with them. In 2013, she took advantage of the move to the Texas Rose Horse Park to visit from Texas A&M, and connected with the USEA. Now she returns to where she began. [Home on the Range]

Calling All SHN Success Stories! Horse shopping can be a long and stressful operation. Buyers want to find their perfect new partner, and sellers want their horses to go to the right home. If you used EN’s classified site Sport Horse Nation to find your new best eventing friend, we want to hear about it! Email [email protected] with “SHN Success Story” in the subject.

Washington D.C. is making a bid for the 2024 Olympics. Morven Park would be the potential equestrian Olympic venue in Washington’s bid, holding show jumping, dressage, eventing, and possibly driving. Morven is already breaking ground for a new and improved equestrian center. [Olympics in the USA]

This week on the Eventing Radio Show: Plantation Field and European Young Rider Championships. The girls have taken over this week, with Jennie Brannigan, Maya Black, Sinead Halpin, and Caitlin Silliman discussing Plantation Field and Elizabeth Hayden talking about the European Young Rider Championships. [Eventing Radio Show]

SmartPak Product of the Day: I originally bought the Kerrits Cross-Over Knee Patch Breeches to be my new show breeches for stadium jumping, but the color wasn’t exactly what I needed. However, I loved the breeches so much that I decided to keep them for schooling, and the color was perfect for everyday wear. [SmartPak]

While Plantation was holding our attention over here, young rider Jacob Fletcher was busy completing his first CCI3* at Ballindenisk with Atlantic Domino.

By the Numbers: Nutrena American Eventing Championships Advanced

By Maggie Deatrick on Sep 23, 2014 9:00 am -

Laine Ashker and Anthony Patch at Millbrook. Photo by Jenni Autry.

The Nutrena American Eventing Championships are upon us finally, and the riders have converged from both sides of the nation to Tyler, Texas. The best of the west meets the top of the east in a clash that will decide the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Final Advanced Champion!

We have some heavy hitters from each coast. Matt Brown and Super Socks BCF have won three straight shows beating out 39 other pairs combined, while Laine has won two big divisions out east, dominating 68 total pairs. Will one of them take the division, or will another pair sneak in for the win?

For the Advanced, the dressage test will be 2014 USEF A-B. Capt. Mark Phillips is the course designer for cross country and Richard Jeffrey returns from last year to make sure the stadium course makes a difference.

TOP FIVE

Matt Brown and Super Socks BCF. Photo courtesy of Cecily Brown.

1. Laine Ashker and Anthony Patch: Sorry West Coasters, but I think that this show is Laine’s to lose. Laine and her experienced campaigner are just too consistent lately, and it doesn’t hurt that they won this division last year. They know what to expect, they’ve been here before, and they are cool as a cucumber under pressure.

Laine and Anthony Patch are the only pair in the field who average in the 20s for dressage. They do slightly better on this particular dressage test than their average and will score around 28.9 to lead the division after the flat. Last year’s AEC course is the only time they’ve attempted a Capt. Mark Phillips course, and they brought it home clear with only 5.6 time penalties.

Finally, they are one of only two horses in the field to average double clear show jumping rounds overall, and their double clear last year at the AECs over Richard Jeffrey’s design was no exception. They ought to bring home the blue with the only score in the 30s.

2. Matt Brown and Super Socks BCF: This is Super Socks BCF’s first year at Advanced, and he’s certainly come out with a bang. They’ve come into their own this summer, taking three straight, but haven’t had to face as many contenders as Laine.

Matt and Super Socks BCF average a solid 33 on this test, but their dressage average has been dropping at almost every outing. Last time out, they laid down a 29.7 on this test, which won’t be quite enough to catch Laine but will certainly put them right in the hunt.

They haven’t yet attempted either a Capt. Mark Phillips course or a Richard Jeffrey course, so they could end up with a bit of a surprise here. However, this pair is very consistent cross country thus far, with no stops on their record and only 6.8 time penalties. They average a one-rail round, which should keep them easily in second place with a score in the low 40s.

3. Becky Holder and Can’t Fire Me: Becky and Can’t Fire Me have only run around cross country at this level once this year at the Carolina Horse Park, but Becky and this horse are certainly experienced enough to pull an upset here this weekend.

This pair hasn’t yet performed this dressage test in 2013 or 2014, but they are well known for their prowess on the flat. They’ll likely be in the top three with an average of 32.1 at this level. Can’t Fire Me is fairly quick cross country, with an average of 9.2 time penalties, although he has no recent experience over a Capt. Mark Phillips course.

Two rails in the show jumping will put their final score in the high 40s for third, if they hold to their average over their first attempt over a Richard Jeffrey’s course.

4. Ellen Doughty-Hume and Sir Oberon: Ellen and Sir Oberon are another pair who haven’t had a run at this level since earlier this year, this time at Red Hills CIC3*. Despite that, I think this pair will stay fairly true to normal form.

Ellen and Sir Oberon average a 34.3 for this particular test. They attacked the Capt. Mark Phillips course last year, bringing home a clear round with only 8 time penalties. A couple of rails over the Richard Jeffrey course is a bit higher than their one rail average, but would put them on a score barely over 50. Look for them to be breathing down Becky’s neck.

5. Jon Holling and Zatopek B: Jon and Zatopek B had a little trouble during the middle of the year, but recently had a clear round at Poplar, so hopefully Jon has sorted out those issues.

This pair averages a 37.1 on this dressage test. Last year at the AECs during their only attempt at a Capt. Mark Phillips course, they had a clear round with 12.4 time penalties. They matched their typical average over the Richard Jeffrey course with one rail. Look for them to round out the top five with a score in the low 50s.

THE DARK HORSE

Buck Davidson and Petite Flower. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Buck Davidson and Petite Flower: Buck is only bringing one entry for this division to the AECs this year, with most of the rest of his contingent running at Plantation Field last weekend. Petite Flower isn’t the most consistent of his rides, but when she’s on, she can win.

Petite Flower averages a 32.9 for this test, which could allow her to slip into the top three after the flat. She also is the only other jumper in the field to average a double clear show jumping round, with only two rails total on her record in 2013 and 2014.

However, her cross country record in 2014 has been a bit rough, with only one clear completion at Rocking Horse Winter II. If Buck can regain her previous form from when she won Galway Downs CCI3* last year, she could very well play the spoiler.

THE SLEEPER

Avery Klunkick and In It to Win It at Richland CIC3*. Photo courtesy of Kasey Mueller.

Avery Klunick and In It To Win It: It’s tough to pick a sleeper in a championship field, as everyone here had to qualify to make it into the division, and the majority are quite experienced. Avery and In It To Win It have been running around this level since Rebecca Farms 2013, so they certainly aren’t green, but they have been showing improvements in two of three phases lately.

This pair’s strength is in the two jumping phases, and they seem to be getting better as time goes on. The only stop on their record appeared at last years AECs, and with solid experience since then, I doubt we’ll see it again. Their time penalties have decreased almost each time out and were most recently in the single digits at the Richland CIC3*.

Show jumping is either a positive or a negative for this pair, but they are showing signs of conquering that phase as well. In their two most recent non-CCI outings, they were double clear, including at Richland where double clears were few and far between. If they can stick to that form and continue to decrease their time penalties on cross country, they could become formidable by finishing on their dressage score.

By the Numbers: Plantation Field International CIC3*

By Maggie Deatrick on Sep 17, 2014 11:58 am -

Boyd Martin and Trading Aces. Photo by Jenni Autry.

With 53 horses entered in the CIC3* at Plantation Field, I certainly had my work cut out for me in deciding a top five. So I didn’t; I picked a top ten instead, along with a Sleeper, Spoiler and Dark Horse. The field is incredibly competitive, and there are about four or five others who could have appeared in this list, but at the end of the day, these 10 pairs have the best numbers.

There are two WEG horses entered, Trading Aces under Boyd Martin and Ballynoe Castle RM under Buck Davidson. While Plantation is generally an event at which the riders ride to win in terms of time on cross country, it’s hard to say exactly what these two riders will do. The rest of the field will likely be sharpening the edge for their respective fall CCIs and putting the pedal to the metal.

For the CIC3*, the dressage test is 2009 FEI 3*-B. The course designer for cross country is Mike Etherington-Smith for the first time this year, and the show jumping course designer is Marc Donovan. None of the horses in North America have experience over Mike Etherington-Smith courses in the past two years.

Plantation Field Horse Trials: [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times]

TOP TEN

Sharon White and Under Suspection. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Sharon White and Under Suspection at Jersey Fresh 2014. Photo by Sally Spickard.

1. Boyd Martin and Trading Aces: I’m not 100 percent on this, simply because Trading Aces just returned from WEG. However, Oscar retired around two-thirds of the way in, so ended up running a course that was similar in length to a typical Advanced or CIC3* course, instead of the full 10 1/2 minutes. I can’t say for sure what Boyd has planned for this weekend, but there’s definitely a possibility that he’ll be out to show that Oscar is fit to compete at this level.

There’s a reason Oscar was picked to go to WEG, and it has a lot to do not only with his excellence, but also his consistency in all three phases. He’ll be in the top 10 after the flat with an average of 44.8 on this test. A double clear show jumping round over the Marc Donovan course will move these two up the ranks.

Finally, this pair will probably be out to prove that Oscar has the fitness to belong at this level, and will snag only 7.6 time penalties on cross country. If Boyd steps on the gas, they will bring home the blue with a score in the mid-50s.

2. Sharon White and Under Suspection: Always the bridesmaid and never the bride. This will be the third time that I rank Sharon and Under Suspection second, and I’d love to see them prove me wrong and take home the blue. Under Suspection is headed to the CCI)3* at Boekelo, so Sharon will be looking for a good result before heading overseas.

This horse is good on the flat, but averages a 50.1 on this test, which will keep them out of the very top group. Another good show jumper, Under Suspection will move up after a double clear show jumping on the Marc Donovan course. Sharon also averages 7.6 time penalties on cross country with this mare, so will sneak into second with a score in the mid to high 50s.

3. Erin Sylvester and No Boundaries: Erin and No Boundaries have had plenty of success this year, and as long as No Boundaries can contain himself during the flat phase, this pair will shine.

No Boundaries seems to prefer this dressage test, his average of 50.7 is four points better than his typical average. He does tend to have a rail in show jumping, regardless of course designer. A quick, clean cross country with only 6 time penalties should move them up to third after the final phase with a score barely over 60.

4. Maya Black and Doesn’t Play Fair: Other than a fall near the end of the course at Richland Park, Maya and Doesn’t Play Fair have had a phenomenal first year at the Advanced level, placing in the top five all but once. They ought to continue that trend here, sorting out any issues before the fall CCIs.

Doesn’t Play Fair averages a 47.0 on this dressage test, which will be good enough for the top 10. He typically pulls one rail over Marc Donovan courses, but a clear cross country with only 10 time penalties will keep him high in the order. Look for this pair to be breathing down Erin’s neck with a score in the very low 60s.

Emily Beshear and Shame on the Moon at Millbrook. Photo by Jenni Autry.

5. Emily Beshear and Shame on the Moon: Emily obtained the ride on this mare late last year and has been at the top of her divisions ever since. Although she had a bit of a subpar dressage score at their first Advanced in June, the pair bounced back at Millbrook and Richland.

In their one time performing this test, Emily and Shame on the Moon hit 44.7 penalties, and I don’t see any reason why they won’t score the same here. This score could potentially put them as the leaders after phase one. While in general Shame on the Moon averages one rail, she performed double clear over the Marc Donovan course at Richland.

Emily has been increasing the speed of her cross-country round on this horse over the past three shows, but still averages 18 time penalties. Depending on how quickly they come home, this pair will slot into fifth place with a low 60s score.

6. Buck Davidson and Copper Beech: Buck has three entries in the CIC3* this weekend, and depending on what he does with Reggie, I think Copper Beach is his best chance to end up in the top 10. Copper Beech flies a bit under the radar thanks to all of his famous stablemates, but he did just win the CCI3* at Jersey Fresh, so he’s starting to make a bit of a name for himself.

Copper Beach is good enough that he’ll probably end up in the top 10 after the flat, averaging a 48.1 on this test. This horse is a very good jumper as well and tends to go double clear over most show jumping courses, including Marc Donovan’s. Finally, he averages a few more time penalties on cross country, picking up 16.8 on average. Buck and Copper Beach should end up in sixth with a score in the mid to low 60s.

7. Kendal Lehari and Totally Frank: Previously ranked as a sleeper at Richland, Kendal and Totally Frank are breaking into the top 10 here by virtue of their cross country prowess. One of the quicker horses in the field, this pair has finished their last three courses with a combined 10 seconds over optimum time.

Kendal is still figuring out Totally Frank on the flat, and they bounce between low 50s and low 60s for their dressage average. On this test, their average is a 59.3, which will put them mid-pack. Totally Frank usually jumps double clear over Marc Donovan courses and averages only 6.4 time penalties, which ought to shoot them up the ranks to finish seventh on a mid-60s score.

Mackenna Shea and Landioso at Richland 2014. Photo courtesy of Kasey Mueller.

8. Mackenna Shea and Landioso: Mackenna and Landioso are the second pair in this group who will be headed to Boekelo to contest the CCIO3*. They’ll be looking to continue to build on the good form they’ve had over the past year.

Landioso is really great on the flat, and with an average of 46.0 on this test, they’re likely to break into the top three. Mackenna and Landioso jumped clear over their only Marc Donovan course at Richland, but picked up seven time penalties, which will move them down a little after stadium if they have a similar ride. Landioso is also not quite as quick across the country, picking up an average of 13.6 time penalties. Mackenna and Landioso will finish solidly on a score just over the mid-60s.

9. Kurt Martin and Anna Bella: The final pair headed over to Boekelo, Kurt and Anna will be looking for three solid phases before boarding their flight.

Anna Bella averages a 52.8 on this test, which will put them in the top quarter of the division. They do average a rail and two time penalties on Marc Donovan courses, but a solid round with 8.8 time penalties will keep them in the top 10. Look for Kurt and Anna Bella in ninth on a score in the mid to high 60s.

10. Kelly Prather and Blackfoot Mystery: Kelly just moved Blackfoot Mystery up to Advanced in June, and the horse is already solid in all three phases, although not yet stellar. Still, solid performances will allow Kelly and Blackfoot Mystery to slip into the top 10 this weekend.

Blackfoot Mystery scored a 52.8 in his only attempt at this test thus far, which is slightly above his normal average. The pair also tends to have one rail in the show jumping and had four time penalties over their one attempt at a Marc Donovan course. Finally, they are fairly quick and getting quicker over time across the country, averaging 8.4 time penalties. Kelly and Blackfoot Mystery should sneak into the top 10 with a score in the high 60s.

THE SPOILER

Buck Davidson and Ballynoe Castle RM at WEG. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Buck Davidson and Ballynoe Castle RM: Reggie just got back from WEG, where he completed most of the course before retiring. Buck is likely just doing the dressage and show jumping on the horse, but if he does decide to do the full event and be competitive about it, this pair will probably take the whole thing away from his WEG teammate, Trading Aces.

Reggie is very good and very consistent on the flat, averaging a 48.5 on this particular test. That will put him in the top 10 after the flat. He’s also a very good show jumper, averaging double clear rounds no matter the course designer. However, it’s on cross country that Reggie wins, as he averages only four seconds over optimum time, the fastest average in the field.

Everything for Reggie hinges on whether Buck decides to run and to run fast. If Buck wants to be competitive with this horse this weekend, he could play the spoiler.

THE DARK HORSE

Sharon White and Wundermaske at The Fork. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Sharon White and Wundermaske: Right now, the numbers are telling me that this pair will be just outside the top 10. However, I think the numbers aren’t telling the full story in this instance, which is why Wundermaske is ranked as the Dark Horse.

Currently, Wundermaske’s overall dressage average is a 54.7, with an average on this particular dressage test of 54.5. That includes the outlier of 71.3 from Rolex, which doesn’t have a huge effect on the average because of Wundermaske’s significant experience. Since he has shown a lot at this level, he has a lot of data points to help even out the outliers.

However, in three shows since Rolex, Wundermaske has averaged a 42.7 on the flat, a 12 point reduction in score. Combined with a rail and a couple time penalties in show jumping and just under 10 time penalties on cross country, we could see Wundermaske pop into the top three if he continues to show such prowess on the flat.

THE SLEEPER

Boyd Martin and Steady Eddie at Millbrook 2014. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Boyd Martin and Steadie Eddie: I singled out this horse at Five Points as my sleeper, and I still like him, but I think he’s not quite ready to be competitive in a field like this. At Five Points, he outperformed the numbers and ended up in 3rd, but I think this field will see him in the top 15 outside the top 10. This horse scores in the low 50s on the flat, usually jumps double clear in the stadium, and his cross country time penalties have dwindled with every single show. He’s down to about 10 time penalties and under Boyd’s tutelage, they should continue to drop.

Wednesday News and Notes from MDBarnmaster

By Maggie Deatrick on Sep 17, 2014 12:01 am -

Best. Nails. Ever. Photo courtesy of Tori Long.

It’s finally the week of Plantation Field, one of my favorite shows of the year. Plantation Field touts itself as the ‘Best. Event. Ever.’ and I can hardly disagree. It’s certainly up there in the top three, at the very least, and I really can’t wait to get this mundane work thing out of the way. Vet and eventer Tori Long obviously feels the same, judging the fabulous nail job she got in preparation for competing her mare All That Jazz in the CIC2*.

North American Weekend Preview:

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

Plantation Field International CIC & H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Times]

Marlborough H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

Tryon Riding & Hunt Club H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

Otter Creek Fall H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

Twin Rivers Fall H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Times]

Stanton Farms H.T. [Website]

Stone Gate Farm H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

FEI Global Weekend Preview:

Pompadour (FRA) CICYH1* [Website]

Ballindenisk (IRE) CCI1/2/3*, CIC1/2/3* [Website]

Vale Sabroso (POR) CCI2*, CIC1* [Website]

Pirassanunga SP (BRA) CCI1*, CIC2*

Hohenberg-Krusemark (GER) CCI2*

Gatcombe Park (GBR) CIC1/2* [Website]

Strzegom (POL) CCI1/2*, CIC1/2* [Website]

Varsseveld (NED) CIC1/2*

Segersjö (SWE) CIC1/2*

Montelibretti (ITA) CIC1/2/3* [Website]

Asian Games – Incheon (KOR) CCI1* [Website]

Pinjarra WA (AUS) CIC1/2/3*

Former upper level eventer Nadeem Noon needs your help. Nadeem suffers from amyloidosis, which has compromised not only his heart but numerous other organs. In-eligible for a new heart due to multiple organ damage, Nadeem is currently subject to significant medical expenses as well as loss of income. Take a look at the support page and consider donating to the Equestrian Aide Foundation fund set up for him. [Nadeem Noon Facebook Support Page]

Want to have the best fall ever? SmartPak Blog has some tips and products that might be useful to you. [Top Tips for the Best Fall Season Ever]

PRO will be live streaming coverage of the CIC3* at Plantation Field. That means you can spend Saturday watching more than fifty top riders show jump and Sunday you can top it off with cross country. PRO plans on continuing their live coverage at Galway Downs in November. [PRO TV] [Watch Here]

This week on the Eventing Radio Show: Francis Whittington. This week Francis Whittington and Gill Watson discuss the Blenheim CCI3*, then Dr. Lydia Gray from SmartPak talks about muscle health. [Eventing Radio Show]

SmartPak Product of the Day: It was cool enough the other morning that one of my friends busted out her quarter sheet. My horse loves the cold, so it’ll be a bit before I pull my own out, but if your horse is sensitive, you might look into purchasing a Rambo Quarter Sheet. The fleece is super snuggly, and the stripes look pretty sharp too. [SmartPak]

Even if you’ve seen this preview for Plantation multiple times, you should watch it just once more.

By the Numbers: Plantation Field Advanced

By Maggie Deatrick on Sep 16, 2014 10:30 am -

Jennie Brannigan and Cambalda at Plantation Field last year. Photo by Jenni Autry.

While the West Coast has a fairly quiet weekend, the East Coast is running one of the largest upper-level competitions in North America at Plantation Field, with 55 horses alone in the CIC3* and 17 horses in the Advanced. The show is big enough that we’re giving Advanced and the CIC3* a separate By the Numbers breakdown.

Plantation Field really bends over backwards to not only create a fabulous show for the riders but also a fantastic spectator event for even non-horsey people. The short hop for those who live in the area, the phenomenal exposure and the fantastic courses means it’s a huge draw for the professionals. And this year, PRO will be live streaming the cross country on the all new PRO TV, so make sure to tune in at some point to watch what is one of North America’s premier events.

For the Advanced, the dressage test will be 2014 USEF A-B. Plantation Field has brought in Mike Etherington-Smith to do course design for the CIC3*, and it’s likely that Tremaine Cooper will stick mostly to his course when designing the Advanced, though we’re definitely curious to see exactly how the Advanced course shakes out. The show jumping course designer is Marc Donovan.

Plantation Field Horse Trials: [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times]

Lauren Kieffer and Veronica. Photo by Alec Thayer.

TOP FIVE

1. Jennie Brannigan and Cambalda: Jennie and Cambalda are fresh off a win in the Advanced at Richland, and the numbers say that they’ve got a good chance to be on top here again. It’ll be close though, so Jennie and Cambalda will need to put in a consistent performance in each of the three phases.

This pair is fairly well known for their prowess on the flat, and while they don’t have experience in the past two years with this particular test, they average a solid 31.9 on the flat. This will be good enough to rank them in the top three, if not at the top, after dressage.

There’s a few good show jumpers in this field, and Cambalda is one of them, averaging a double clear over a Marc Donovan course. However, Jennie’s turn of foot on cross country is where they will win this event, averaging clear cross-country rounds with a paltry 6.0 time penalties. They’ll likely end this event as the only pair to finish on a score in the 30s.

2. Lauren Kieffer and Veronica: This is Veronica’s first effort at this level since Rolex, and as the second-placed horse there, it’s easy to see why this pair will be Jennie’s closest competition.

Veronica and Lauren are also very good on the flat and have a slight affinity for this test, with 30.1 as their average. They might be in the lead after the flat and will maintain their position with a double clear through the Marc Donovan show jumping course. However, they’ll have a few more time penalties, averaging 10.8 at this level. Lauren ought to end up comfortably in second with this mare, cruising home with a score in the very low 40s.

3. Lillian Heard and Share Option: Lillian and Share Option are slated to head to the Pau CCI4* in France next month, so they’ll be looking for a solid run here. All the WEG riders are probably jealous that she gets to go to France without having to deal with #WoodstockWEG, as Pau is known for lovely weather and lots of sunshine.

Lillian and Share Option will likely be in the middle of the pack after the flat, with an average of 36.1 on this test. They’ll make up ground in the show jumping, as Share Option averages double clears on Marc Donovan show jumping courses, and will come home with approximately 14.0 time penalties. This pair will ease into third with a score barely over 50.

4. Sally Cousins and Westerly: Sally and Westerly have a ridiculously good jumping record, and that will let them sneak into the top four here. This horse doesn’t shine on the flat, and an average of 41.5 will put them near the bottom of this particular division. However, Westerly averages a clear jumping round on Marc Donovan courses with only 1 time penalty. A clear cross-country round with 13.2 time penalties will put them on a final score in the mid-50s, solidly ahead of the rest of the pack.

5. Allie Sacksen and Sparrow’s Nio: Allie and Sparrow’s Nio took top honors in the Fair Hill CCI2* last fall but haven’t quite been able to replicate their success at the top level yet. They do favor this dressage test, scoring more than four points better on it than their average, and ought to be in mid-pack with a 36.5 after the flat. Unfortunately, they average four rails and 6 time penalties over Marc Donovan courses, which will drop them down the ranks after the second phase. A quick and clear cross country with only 7.6 time penalties ought to bump them up again, and they’ll easily take the final spot in the top five.

Kate Groesbeck and Oz the Tin Man at Millbrook 2014. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Katy Groesbeck and Oz the Tin Man at Millbrook 2014. Photo by Jenni Autry.

THE DARK HORSE

Katherine Groesbeck and Oz the Tin Man: Katy and Oz the Tin Man originally hail from the West Coast and first made the trek east last year to compete at the Dutta Corp Fair Hill International. She ended up staying and working for Buck Davidson, and this pair has been present at the big shows on the East Coast ever since.

Katy and Oz the Tin Man will be right up with the leaders after dressage, although they don’t have any recent experience with this particular test. Katy and her horse have only attempted one Marc Donovan course at Rebecca Farm in 2013, where they had one rail and 4 time. They haven’t yet had more than two rails at this level — though they did have an uncharacteristic refusal at Millbrook — and have also occasionally brought home clear rounds, so could possibly move up after the show jumping this weekend.

While they ran into a bit of trouble this spring on the cross country, the pair seems to have straightened out any lingering issues. Clear rounds at Jersey Fresh, Bromont and Millbrook show that they’re back on track, and I think they’ll continue this trend here. Katy and Oz the Tin Man have also gotten quicker their last three runs, so there’s a good chance that with a fast, clear round, we’ll see this pair possibly cracking the top three.

Lauren Kieffer and Czechmate at Jersey Fresh 2013. Photo by Jenni Autry.

THE SLEEPER

Lauren Kieffer and Czechmate: This will be Czechmate’s first attempt at this level, and Czechmate has had a light year in 2014 to begin with, but this horse looks like a potential star for Lauren. Czechmate hasn’t had a stop or a rail on his record since 2011, when he was running Training. He generally scores in the 20s and low 30s in dressage, and Lauren has shown he can run double clear at Intermediate.

This weekend, Lauren will likely be looking to give him a good first experience at this level, and any kind of ribbon will be a cherry on top. Look out in the spring though, when Lauren’s ready to really turn him into a competitor.

By the Numbers: Twin Rivers Advanced

By Maggie Deatrick on Sep 15, 2014 12:00 pm -

Bunnie Sexton and Rise Against at Bromont 2013. Photo by Samantha Clark.

This weekend, the California competitors begin what I term ‘The Great Migration’, the start of the trek east for the Nutrena AECs in Texas. Some will go even further and make the long haul to Fair Hill, while others will return home and run at Galway.

Meanwhile, eight competitors are staying on the west coast, opting to run the Advanced at Twin Rivers instead of making the long haul. It’s a small division, so I’ll be ranking the top two plus a dark horse. There are also two newcomers to this level, which as always are unranked due to lack of Advanced and CIC3* data.

At Twin Rivers, the Advanced is performing the 2014 USEF A-B test. The cross country course designer is James Atkinson and the show jumping course designer is Sarah Dubost (neé Kotchian).

David Acord and Reigns for Justice. Photo courtesy of Liz Hall.

David Acord and Reigns for Justice at Galway Downs CIC3* 2014. Photo courtesy of Liz Hall.

TOP TWO

1. Bunnie Sexton and Rise Against: Bunnie Sexton and her partner Rise Against are no strangers to long trips east, but I think they’ll be rewarded for staying home this weekend. As debatably the most experienced horse in the field, I think they’ll use that to bring home the blue this weekend.

Bunnie and Rise Against are known more for their jumping prowess than their flat and will probably be sitting mid-pack after the dressage, averaging a 43.3 for this test. They’ll make up the ground in the jumping phases, with an impeccable record over James Atkinson cross country courses, usually bringing home an average of only two time penalties. Bunnie and Rise Against are also careful over Sarah Dubost courses, jumping double clear on average. They ought to finish with a score in the mid-forties, good enough for first.

2. David Acord and Reigns for Justice: David and Reigns for Justice are newer to the level, with a few completions in 2013, and a clear round at Galway in March. They haven’t tried this level since but were quite successful at this Twin Rivers Fall event last year.

Reigns for Justice is another horse who much prefers the jumping, and with an average of 45.6 for this test, we’re likely to see them well down in the order at first. However, Reigns for Justice will also go up the ranks after the cross country, as David and this horse were clear with only 3.6 time penalties in their one attempt at a James Atkinson course.

All of their show jumping efforts at this level have been on Sarah Dubost courses, so they should continue their trend of double clears. David will be close on Bunnie’s heels for second with a score in the high forties, but well ahead of the rest of the pack.

Angela Grzywinski and Novelle at Rocking Horse 2013. Photo by Samantha Clark.

THE DARK HORSE

1. Tamie Smith and Novelle: Tamie Smith is actually catch riding the dark mare Novelle this weekend for her owner and rider Angela Grzywinski. Novelle and Angela have been very lightly dabbling at this level for a couple of years, but only really started entering this level consistently in 2014.

The pair has been on the upswing since Rebecca, and recently placed second at the Copper Meadows CIC3*. The Copper Meadows course was essentially a James Atkinson course with Tremaine Cooper’s mark of approval, so that experience could very well carry over to this weekend.

It’s a bit difficult to tell what the horses will do when the riders change, but Tamie Smith is no stranger to catch rides at this level, having catch ridden Kristi Nunnink’s Corner Street to a double clear cross country round at the Galway Downs CCI3* in 2010. Tamie also is a mainstay on the West Coast, and has tons of experience with James Atkinson’s courses. Novelle’s numbers will likely be similar under Tamie.

Novelle always tries very hard on the flat, and has an affinity for this dressage test, scoring on average four points better. Tamie will likely be sitting in the top three after the first phase, with a score in the high thirties.

Under Angela, Novelle has shown to be very quick across the country when she goes clear, and it’s certainly possible that Tamie will continue this trend. Although on paper the mare has no James Atkinson course experience, the Copper Meadows run will put her in good stead.

Finally, Novelle is a phenomenal show jumper, and even though she’s never attempted a Sarah Dubost course, she very rarely has even one rail.

If Tamie continues Novelle’s upward trajectory, they could potentially bring home a double clear round, snatching the whole show out from under Bunnie’s nose with a score in the high thirties.

By the Numbers: Poplar Place CIC3* and Advanced

By Maggie Deatrick on Sep 10, 2014 9:00 am -

Michael Pollard and Mensa at Rolex 2014. Photo by Jenni Autry.

This weekend is a little quieter than most on the event front, although Blenheim is running over in England. The only venue running an Advanced or CIC3* over on this continent is Poplar Place Farm, which is running both.

Six of the pairs entered here are also heading to the Nutrena AECs in two weeks time, so there’s a chance we will see a couple withdrawals. I don’t know for sure what these riders have planned, so I’m ranking those who entered. Even without withdrawals, the divisions are both fairly small, so for brevity’s sake I’ve done both divisions in one article.

The Advanced is performing 2014 USEF A-A while the CIC3* runs 2014 FEI 3*-A. No one in the three star division has executed this dressage test yet, so we’ll be using overall averages for all of them. The cross country course designer is Tremaine Cooper and the show jumping course designer is Jan Brodkin.

Elinor MacPhail and RF Eloquence. Photo by Jenni Autry.

TOP FIVE: CIC3*

1. Michael Pollard and Mensa G: Michael and Mensa G just won the Richland CIC3* a few weeks ago, and I think we’ll see them do the same here. There is the possibility that Michael will run a bit slower, saving Mensa’s legs for bigger shows, but even Mensa’s slow runs end up quicker than many others. Mensa is not currently entered at the AECs, so ought to be out to complete this weekend.

Michael and Mensa will be first after the dressage, with an average of 47.2 edging them into the lead. Jan Brodkin’s courses run a little slow, and Mensa is no exception to this rule, generally adding a rail and four time penalties when attempting them. While this pair will not be the fastest cross country, their average of only ten penalties will still be quick enough to hold the lead. I think they’ll end up in the mid sixties, just squeaking out the win.

2. Elinor MacPhail and RF Eloquence: Ellie MacPhail and RF Eloquence recently won the Advanced at Chatt Hills, sliding completely under the radar thanks to WEG running the same weekend. Ellie is not heading to the AECs, so she’ll definitely be looking to finish with this horse.

This horse is quite nice on the flat, averaging a 49.4 to nip right at Michael’s heels after dressage. Ellie and RF Eloquence do tend to have a rail and a couple of time penalties on Jan Brodkin courses. However, they average clear cross country rounds with a steady 12.0 time penalties. This pair will end near the mid to fight sixties, barely missing out on first.

3. Kyle Carter and Madison Park: Kyle and Madison Park are another pair who are headed to the AECs in two weeks, but they haven’t had a run since an Intermediate at Chatt Hills since July. I expect they will opt to do the full event this weekend.

Kyle and Madison Park will be in the top five after dressage, putting down a 56.4. They perform better than their average on Jan Brodkin show jump courses, dropping one rail to maintain their position. An average of 12 cross country time penalties on Tremaine Cooper courses will keep them good enough for fourth on a final score in the low seventies.

4. Emily Rusinyak and Reatta HW: Emily and Reatta HW also just competed at Chattahoochee Hills a couple of weeks ago, coming second to RF Eloquence. They are fairly new to the level, and while their overall record is slightly spotty on cross country, they seem to be improving.

Emily and Reatta HW will be mid-pack after dressage, averaging 68.3 penalties in this phase. Reatta HW is not the most careful jumper, averaging three rails and four time penalties on Jan Brodkin courses. They jumped around clear at their only attempt at a Tremaine Cooper course with a mere 3.6 seconds in time, which ought to rocket them up the standings. If this pair does go clear across the country this weekend, they ought to finish on a score in the mid-to-high eighties, just barely ahead of the rest of the pack.

5. Libby Head and Sir Rockstar: Libby and Sir Rockstar had a very uncharacteristic blip on cross country a couple weeks ago at Chatt Hills, and I suspect they’ll run the full test here to make sure all cylinders are firing before trekking to Texas for the AECs. Libby and Sir Rockstar otherwise have an immaculate cross country record, so I expect they’ll rock around well enough here.

Sir Rockstar does tend to score higher on the flat, averaging a 65.6 to put them near the lower end of the pack after the flat. However, just one rail and two time penalties will move them up after the stadium phase over a Jan Brodkin course, and a clear cross country round over Tremaine Cooper’s course with 16.4 time penalties will allow them to bump into fifth place, with a score in the upper eighties.

Becky Holder and Can’t Fire Me. Photo by Sally Spickard.

WINNER: ADVANCED

Becky Holder and Can’t Fire Me: Becky and Can’t Fire Me withdrew from Richland Park after show jumping a few weeks ago, and although they topped an Intermediate division at the beginning of August, they haven’t had a run at this level since Carolina International. With an entry in the Advanced at the Nutrena AECs in two weeks, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Becky running the full event.

Becky and Can’t Fire Me may actually be sitting in third after the dressage, with a score near 34.1. This pair favors Jan Brodkin show jumping courses, so will jump double clear instead of having their usual rail. This ought to give them the lead after this phase. If they do run cross country, they’ll run quick, as they do better than their average on Tremaine Cooper courses, finishing with 5.2 time penalties. They ought to cruise home in the high thirties for total penalties, easily in first place.

Wednesday News and Notes from MDBarnmaster

By Maggie Deatrick on Sep 10, 2014 12:01 am -

Jacob Fletcher and Atlantic Domino at Rockingham Castle CIC2*. Photo courtesy of Mary Frances Cargile.

Rise and shine, EN! Before you set your sleep cycles back to normal time, you should keep your eye on just one more event across the pond. This weekend, Blenheim is running a CCI3*, and we’ve got four American pairs for which to stalk the scores. Phillip Dutton has his pair of Fernhill horses, Fugitive and Cubalawn. Katherine Coleman is taking Courage Under Fire. And last but not least, former Area V YR Jacob Fletcher is attempting his first CCI3* on Atlantic Domino. I’ve known Jacob since he was a tween running Novice and Training, and I can’t be prouder of him for making the decision to base himself across the Atlantic in order to immerse himself in the sport. Go Jacob, go Americans, and go eventing!

North American Weekend Preview:

GMHA September H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Times]

Seneca Valley Pony Club H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

Poplar Place Farm September CIC & H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Times]

Dunnabeck H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

Feather Creek H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

Flying Cross Farm H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Times]

FEI Global Weekend Preview:

Blenheim (GBR) CCI/CIC3* [Website] [Entry Status]

Jardy (FRA) CCI/CIC1*

Langenhangen (GER) CIC1/2* [Website]

Bonza (COL) CCI1*, CIC2*

Pompadour (FRA) CICYH1*

East meets West at the Adequan Advanced Gold Cup Finals during the AECs. Matt Brown and his Super Socks BCF have been dominating every west coast division they’ve entered this summer. Meanwhile, back east Laine Ashker and Anthony Patch have proven they have nerves of steel, winning two big Advanced divisions by less than a rail. Will one of them take the title home, or will someone else pull the upset? We’ll never know unless we help Matt Brown make the trek east and then further east. [Matt Brown’s Aptly Named East West Stables]

It’s not always obvious when it’s time to move up a level. In the SmartPak Blog, Jennifer Bagley talks about what signs to look for when you’re read to make the jump from one level to the next. She and her mare Tally just made the big move from Novice to Training. [When To Move Up]

This week on the Eventing Radio Show: Rodney Powell and Jackie Green. This week hosts Jess and Samantha talk Burghley and re-hash WEG. There’s really no shortage of things to discuss this time of year. [Eventing Radio Show]

Wouldn’t it be great to win a Gold Cup series event at your second Advanced? Rebecca Buehler and Brighton have done just that, securing the win in the final Gold Cup leg of the year at Aspen Farms. [Rookies for the Win]

SmartPak Product of the Day: Fall is definitely knocking on the door, and around here, that means rain. Sometimes we have no choice but to ride in a downpour, and inevitably everything ends up soggy. The Horseware Brianna Riding Jacket will keep at least the top half of your body dry. [SmartPak]

Today’s video is Francis Whittington’s helmet cam from the Blenheim CCI3* in 2013.

By the Numbers: Five Points Advanced

By Maggie Deatrick on Sep 3, 2014 3:27 pm -

Laine Ashker and Anthony Patch triumphant at Millbrook 2014. Photo by Jenni Autry.

After all of the WEG hoopla, you’d think things would slow down, but instead, we are ramping up into the fall season! Burghley runs this weekend, Blenheim the next, and the US gets things rolling for fall with four divisions of Advanced or CIC3* this weekend! We’ve already talked about the west coast, today we move onto the east coast division, an Advanced running at Five Points Horse Trials, based at the Carolina Horse Park.

Five Points is filling out quite nicely entry-wise, with 24 pairs entered as I write this. We’ve got green riders, green horses, horses heading south for the AECs, horses ramping up to aim at Fair Hill. With the AECs now in Texas, horses are now coming here to fill their early September schedule.

For the Advanced division, the dressage test will be 2014 USEF A-B. The cross country course designer is Hugh Luchore and the show jumping course designer is Marc Donovan. Hugh Luchore is also the course designer for Red Hills, so there are slower XC time penalty averages below, since Red Hills is famous for their twisty terrain. Expect to see quicker rides this weekend, as Luchore gets the chance to work with a different piece of land.

Sharon White and Under Suspection at Fair Hill 2013. Photo by Jenni Autry.

TOP FIVE

1. Laine Ashker and Anthony Patch: Laine and Anthony Patch are no stranger to fall season success, having won Millbrook in 2013, followed by placing second at Richland, and topping it off with a win in the AECs. This year, they are well on their way to a repeat, with a win already at Millbrook.

Laine and Anthony Patch favor this dressage test with an average of 29.2, which is a full point lower than their typical dressage average. While the pair usually averages a mere 6.8 time penalties on cross country at this level, they tend to be a bit slower on Hugh Luchore courses, coming home with 12 time and no jump penalties. Lastly, they are one of only two pairs in the field that average double clear show jumping rounds, which carries over to their experience with Marc Donovan courses. I think they’ll be walking home with close to a rail’s worth of breathing room over the second place rider, somewhere in the range of 41.2 penalties.

2. Sharon White and Under Suspection: A few weeks ago, I tapped Sharon and Under Suspection to play the bridesmaid at Richland Park, which they did, and I’m going to do it again here today. Sharon will be headed to Boekelo CCI3* later this fall with this mare, and she’s certainly making a good case for a solid placing.

The pair averages a 36.0 on this dressage test, which is a bit higher than the mare’s normal average. They’ll be out of the top five, but still easily in the top ten after the flat. Sharon and Under Suspection are also a little slower than their average on Hugh Luchore courses, but still only tend towards only 10.0 time penalties while jumping clear. Finally, these two perform better than their average on Marc Donovan courses and are one of only a few pairs who will end with a clean round. Look for them to walk home second near 46.0 total penalties.

3. Sally Cousins and Ideal Contini: Sally bought Ideal Contini from Will Coleman’s barn a few years ago and have been flying slightly under the radar ever since. Ideal Contini is probably the best on the flat of all Sally’s rides and is a good jumper to boot.

Like most others, Sally and Ideal Contini have an affinity for this dressage test, laying down around a 31.3 after the flat. They are just a touch slower on Hugh Luchore courses, but jump clear with only 10.8 time penalties. Ideal Contini is extremely consistent in the jumping, with one rail and one time averaged on most show jumping courses, which holds for Marc Donovan’s tracks. They’ll press Under Suspection a bit by finishing around 47.1.

4. Lizzie Snow and Coal Creek: Lizzie Snow is a former Young Rider who has been knocking on the door for a while with this former ride of the late, great Amy Tryon. They are likely to lay down a 34.0 on this dressage test, putting them in a large cluster near the top, just outside of the top four. Lizzie and Coal Creek are one of the few pairs who average a faster time on Hugh Luchore courses than their normal time penalty average, so I expect a clean, quick run from them with 8.4 time penalties. Coal Creek is another horse who averages a rail and one time penalty over Marc Donovan courses, so near a 47.4, they’ll be clipping Sally’s heels.

5. Will Coleman and Obos O’Reilly: Obos O’Reilly has proven himself capable at this level, winning the Bromont CCI3* in 2013. However, he has only run once at Advanced in 2014, early in the season at Pine Top in February. Will is likely going to give Obos O’Reilly a good ride to stretch his legs as he steps up again.

Obos O’Reilly is not quite as proficient at this dressage test, averaging a 40.0 when he normally scores a few points lower. He has not yet attempted a Hugh Luchore course, but is fairly proficient at cross country in general, usually clear with 11.2 time penalties. Finally, this is pair is the other pair who averages a double clear show jumping round, although they haven’t tried a Marc Donovan course yet. Will and Obos O’Reilly should see a pink ribbon after they finish close to 51.2 penalties.

Will Faudree and Pawlow at The Fork 2014. Photo by Jenni Autry.

THE DARK HORSE

Will Faudree and Pawlow: I can’t quite believe I’m saying that Pawlow is the ‘Dark Horse’, after all of his experience. Unfortunately, he hasn’t yet found his stride since Rolex 2013. Will withdrew Pawlow from the Carolina CIC3* earlier this year, then picked up a stop at The Fork CIC3* before retiring after yet another stop at Rolex. If Ernie’s got his groove back, they could steal the whole show by a whisker from Laine. If not, look for him outside of the ribbons.

Boyd Martin and Steady Eddie at Millbrook 2014. Photo by Jenni Autry.

THE SLEEPER

Boyd Martin and Steady Eddie: I’d first like to admit that when I was a kid just learning to ride, a pony named Steady Eddy (with a -y) was my absolute favorite, no matter how many times the cheeky bastard dumped me on my head. So when Boyd imported this TB from Australia as a youngster and announced his name, it immediately drew my eye and I’ve been watching ever since. Maybe it’s a touch of unintentional favoritism here, but of Boyd’s four greener Advanced rides he has here, I think this one has the most potential.

Steady Eddie’s dressage has been steadily dropping with only one relapse in the six months since Boyd moved him up to Advanced. This horse has gone from scoring a 46.5 at Pine Top in February to a 28.1 at Millbrook in early August. Obviously he is capable of the scores on the flat, and Boyd is definitely a rider who knows how to coax the best out of a horse.

Similarly, his times across the country have dropped steadily through the year from being more than a minute over time to being barely thirty seconds over. This horse is a Thoroughbred and Boyd is known for his ability to ride quickly. I fully expect to seem them making the time when they want to next year. They’ve had only one blip on cross country, when Eddie unfortunately broke Boyd’s leg. Oops.

Finally, this horse is careful in the show jumping, having jumped three clear rounds and one with only one rail this year. This horse could be a potential team horse for 2016 if he keeps improving as he has in the past six months. And we all know that Boyd likes to have a spare.

Wednesday News and Notes from MD Barnmaster

By Maggie Deatrick on Sep 3, 2014 12:01 am -

Can Jock Paget and Clifton Promise get redemption at Burghley 2014? Their quest begins today. Photo by Nico Morgan Photography.

Good morning, EN! Thank goodness this week is only four days long, because between WEG and Labor Day last weekend, and Burghley this weekend, my attention span for working is not very long. I hope you all aren’t too tired to be following along not only with Burghley over in England, but also Five Points, Copper Meadows, and Aspen here in the States. Kate Samuels will be reporting live from Burghley for EN so stay tuned here for all the latest photos, news, and random tidbits you could desire. Buckle your seatbelts, the fall season is about to begin!

North American Weekend Preview:

King Oak Farm H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

Five Points H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

Bucks Country Horse Park Fall H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

Roebke’s Run H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

Copper Meadows CIC & H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Times]

Aspen Farms H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Times]

FEI Global Weekend Preview:

Burghley (GBR) CCI4* [Website] [Entry Status] [Times]

Minsk (BLR) CCI2*/1*, CIC3*

San Pedro Sula (HON) CCI1*

In case you missed it on Labor Day, check out this blog that Sally wrote regarding changes to zoning ordinances in Newlin Township, PA. Zoning ordinances sound boring, but what it boils down to is the township creating unwanted changes that could put the famous fitness gallop Nielson’s Hill in danger, as well as Missy and Jessica Ranssehousen’s Blue Hill Farm. If you can take two seconds to sign the petition, I know the entire equestrian community of Chester County would appreciate it. [Nielson’s Hill In Danger]

If you need a tear jerker to start off your day, this is it. The Square Peg Foundation connects off track thoroughbreds with kids who need someone to understand them. For many of them, these Thoroughbreds work perfectly as a friend. [Thoroughbreds Who Change Lives]

SmartPak Marketing Manager Kerri Vuolo talks about what it takes to do it all. Kerri is a full-time Marketing Manager for SmartPak, a part-time student obtaining her MBA, a rider and a marathoner. Somehow she gets it all done, and she has a few handy tips for the rest of us who aspire to take more on our plates. [Tips for Juggling a Busy Schedule]

This week on the Eventing Radio Show: Everyone at WEG. Just kidding. But Nate and Joe do talk to Sandra Auffarth, Jonelle Price, Zara Phillips, and David O’Connor about their thought on this cycle’s WEG. So really, at least half of WEG. A quarter, at the very least. If you are getting WEG withdrawal, time to pull out your ear plugs and pretend you are listening to music while working. [Eventing Radio Show]

You know it’s bad when spectating WEG was compared to being ‘on the frontline.’ One journalist recounts her horror stories of attending the World Equestrian Games to cover the New Zealand eventing team. Here’s to hoping Bromont pulls their WEG off in a bit smoother fashion four years from now. [Logistics Nightmare]

If you’re still jonesing for your WEG fix, there’s a whole week to go. Show jumping is ongoing all this week, and the U.S. is in with a fighting chance. Get to know our U.S. Show Jumping Team with this article from the Chronicle. [U.S. Show Jumpers]

Go East, young man. Matt Brown, winner of the Rebecca Farm CIC3* in July with Super Socks BCF, is fundraising to bring his fabulous pair of horses to Fair Hill. First stop, the AECS, then Fair Hill! But first, he’s holding an online auction on the Facebook page of his farm, East West Stables. There’s lots of cool things like entries to west coast events, vacation rentals, and Voltaire and Cavalor items will be making appearances as well. Auctions not your thing? Well, food is always delicious instead. Matt is also holding a fundraising dinner in Petaluma, California, on September 14. [East West Stables Facebook] Finally, if you’re stuck east but still want to help, then there’s always tax-deductible donations that can be made through his website. [East West Stables]

SmartPak Product of the Day: I know I was talking about a nip in the air last week, but this week I can feel the humidity pressing in on me. My horse doesn’t love the humidity all that much either, and to help out his system, I make sure to feed him a daily electrolyte. I love SmartLytes Pellets, which are sugar free, and in pellet form, my horse happily munches them up. [SmartPak]

Today’s video is of Meg Kep, groom extraordinaire of the French Princess himself, on the course at WEG. If you’ve got just under nine minutes to kill, I suggest you give this a watch.

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