View Classifieds
Sally Spickard
Articles Written 4,194
Article Views 9,906,744

Sally Spickard

Achievements

Become an Eventing Nation Blogger

About Sally Spickard

Sally Spickard is a Korean adoptee living in San Diego, California. Sally joined the Eventing Nation team in 2013 and has subsequently written for Noelle Floyd, Heels Down Mag, and other publications both in and out of the equestrian world. Sally is an eventing fan through and through and enjoys telling the stories of riders who are not well-represented within equestrian media.

Latest Articles Written

How Eventing Breaks is Making Bucket Lists More Possible

By on Sep 27, 2023 2:30 pm -

One perk of attending a major event with Eventing Breaks? Exclusive private course walks! Photo courtesy of Eventing Breaks.

I have it in the back of my mind that I’ll one day make it to every single CCI5* event there is. I’ve got quite a lot of work to do, as to date I’ve only managed to make it to the two North American events (Kentucky and Maryland).

Most recently, I had hoped to make my first trip to Burghley this year. In anticipation of this – and because I’m like any millennial girl and I like to plan trips I may or may not take and can probably not afford as a steady hobby – I started to pull up the logistical details about what a trip to England might look like.

Now, I’m a pretty seasoned traveler, but not internationally. Despite the security blanket that is EN’s UK and European editor, Tilly Berendt, I felt myself getting a bit overwhelmed at the idea of trekking to Burghley on my own.

Here’s where an idea like Eventing Breaks really fits the bill.

Let me back up just a bit. Building on the success of UK-based Racing Breaks, which has offered up all-inclusive travel packages to premier races such as Royal Ascot, The Kentucky Derby and Dubai World Cup to around 20,000 people each year, a subsidiary was born.

Eventing Breaks aims to offer the same type of hassle-free travel experience to eventing enthusiasts but with some unique add ons. Yes, they’ll organize all the basics like flights, airport transport, where to stay, or how to get tickets to a major event like Badminton, Burghley, or even the Olympics but they also provide some pretty cool add-ons. Like drinks with William Fox-Pitt at Badminton in his lakeside pavilion before a course-walk. At Burghley, the group enjoyed a post-xc drinks party at The English Pink Rose Co. Eventing Breaks wants to make the sport of eventing easier than ever to experience.

Back to my travel anxiety. To compare my stress levels planning a trip solo versus with the help of an Eventing Breaks experience, I did some digging into the details.

Cocktails for all at Badminton! Photo courtesy of Eventing Breaks.

While each travel package offers slightly different experiences, here’s a look at what trips Eventing Breaks is offering in 2024 (can I sign up for all of them please?):

Kentucky CCI5*
You can experience Kentucky like never before with an Eventing Breaks experience. Included in your package are everything from lodging, admission and reserved seating, a private course walk, daily transfers to and from the event, and much more. Your literal only job would be to shop as much as possible and take in the competition – sounds pretty ideal!

Badminton CCI5*
Same deal, different continent. You’ll get the high treatment as an Eventing Breaks guest at Badminton, and this is ideal for those who’ve not experienced this event before and/or who stress at the thought of international travel. They are also including a breakfast preview on Cross Country day so you can beat the traffic and get into the event early. Flights can be included so you don’t have to think about your travel plans from the moment you depart to the moment you arrive home.

Paris Olympic Games
Yes, that’s right – I said the Olympics! The hottest ticket is available through Eventing Breaks. You can secure guaranteed tickets and prime hotel lodging with the Paris 2024 package and with those in the bag you can Emily in Paris your way all the way from the Eiffel Tower to the Palace of Versailles.

Just one of the hotels on the roster for Eventing Breaks’ trips, the Francis Hotel at Badminton. Photo courtesy of Eventing Breaks.

You can also reserve spots in the trips heading to France for the WBFSH FEI World Young Horse Breeding Championships and to England for Burghley later in the year.

Eventing Breaks is always working on adding new experiences for their travelers. The idea of getting a better price than I can find myself one cost, logistics handled, and an insider’s view of a global event is appealing and makes the thought of making it to these special events feel that much more realistic.

But don’t take my word for it! Here are a few quotes from travelers who took part in the Eventing Breaks trip to Burghley at the end of August:

“Everything was great for our trip to Burghley. Our group got on really well and the dinner together on Saturday night was really fun. The grandstand tickets were very good. My daughter and I thoroughly enjoyed the trip and will book other excursions in the future.”

”Walking the course with Willian Fox-Pitt was amazing. Thanks for organizing everything, it was very helpful for a first time Badminton experience coming from abroad.”

“Well done team, it was a very challenging Badminton with the rain and mud and all aspects were dealt with very professionally, will definitely book again!”

Riders such as William Fox-Pitt, who led the Eventing Breaks course walk at Badminton Burghley, agree. “Eventing has been crying out for a more immersive experience for fans,” he said. “And Eventing Breaks are providing just that through their exciting packages. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know some of Eventing Breaks’ guests at Badminton when hosting a course walk and hospitality at the Fox-Pitt Lakeside Pavilion. More opportunities for fans to meet the stars of the sport and to make events more accessible by providing the best value travel and accommodation options all in one place.”

Spots for 2024 experiences are booking now, so don’t wait! You can learn more about Eventing Breaks and start planning your next getaway here. Maybe I’ll see you there!

Photo courtesy of Eventing Breaks.

Tuesday Video: Michael Jung’s Dad Olympics

By on Sep 26, 2023 2:30 pm -

Somehow, today’s video seems to need very little in terms of introduction. We all know Michael Jung as a German Olympic and World Champion — but did he just win the Eventing Dad Olympics, too?

We think Boyd may have something to say about this, but hey, what else are hot-walkers for?

Click here if the embedded Instagram post below does not display in your browser.

Coming This Week: Your Guide to Stable View Oktoberfest

By on Sep 26, 2023 12:00 pm -

Doug Payne and Camarillo. Photo by Christine Quinn Photography.

We’re fully into the fall season now as we look ahead to the remaining major FEI events on the calendar for 2023. A few big events are yet to come, not the least including Morven Park’s CCI4*-L, the MARS Maryland 5 Star, Boekelo’s Nations Cup, the Pan American Games, and Pau’s CCI5* all in October. To that end, we’ll see a strong contingent of competitors at this weekend’s Stable View Oktoberfest, always a key highlight on an eventer’s fall schedule.

Of course, Oktoberfest does not solely fun a 4*-S. In fact this year, Stable View has partnered with the USEA to offer an all-new USEF/USEA Eventing Developing Horse National Championships for 6- and 7-year-olds. This program is intended to bolster the development pipeline and provide a pathway step for horses graduating from Young Event Horse (4- and 5-year-olds) competition, or who may have missed out on those competitions for one reason or another.

“The 6-year-old and 7-year-old Championships are new for 2023 and are the first step in the creation of a USEF Developing Horse Program, which has the ultimate goal of talent identification, cultivation, and guidance for potential team horses, serving as a pipeline for the USEA Young Event Horse Program and Championships,” a press release from the USEA states.

Stable View will also host riders at National levels, with divisions ranging from Beginner Novice through Advanced also running this weekend. That means we’ll see over 400 entries all said and done, and we can’t wait to get this party started! EN’s team of Shelby Allen and Veronica Green-Gott will be your eyes on the ground, also representing Stable View by running press operations.

Here’s a look at what to expect this weekend, whether you’re competing or spectating or following from afar:

Tailgaiting and a car show? A real neighborhood event at Stable View! Photo by Christine Quinn.

THE SCHEDULE

Competition begins first thing on Friday with the 4* dressage. For those who will be on site on Thursday, be sure to stop in for a free Yoga and Sound Bath session led by Mark and Rohena Armstrong. Stop by the Stable View Pavilion on the top floor Thursday at 3 p.m. to get all limbered and centered for the weekend ahead.

Intermediate, 3*, and 4* pairs will also show jump on Friday. Also happening Friday at 7 p.m. will be a celebration for course designer Capt. Mark Phillips, who has designed at Stable View since its inception.

Saturday will feature a Classic Car Show by Aiken Horsepower as well as cross country for the top levels, while the other do their dressage and show jumping. There will also be a special edition of Stable View’s famous Graze & Gaze at the Pavilion featuring a mechanical bull from 5-7 p.m.

On Sunday, the National lower levels will finish up their competition, with the upper level and FEI winners crowned on Saturday. To stay up to date with any and all schedule changes and on-site alerts, please subscribe to the event WhatsApp chat here.

Karl Slezak and Hot Bobo. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

THE ENTRIES

26 horses and riders are currently entered in the headlining CCI4*-S division at Stable View Oktoberfest. It’s a varied roster, with several pairs putting the final touches on for the upcoming Pan American Games or their respective 4*-L and 5* destinations this fall. We’ll also see a handful of horses making their early starts at this level to gain experience and mileage alongside Olympic and 5* veterans.

Lucienne Bellissimo will bring forward her two top rides, each aiming for the 4*-L at Morven Park (October 12-15). Both 11, Dyri and Tremanton have each collected a few competitive placings at this level, and while Lucienne’s focus will be on the larger goal of Morven Park, this track will be useful as a set-up and a fine-tune of the gears ahead of the final major stop on her calendar.

Mary Bess Davis has made a remarkable comeback after suffering a neck injury in a fall at Carolina International this spring. After spending just five months out of competition, Mary Bess returned in August and now brings forward her Advanced partner, Imperio Magic, for their first run at the level since finishing 10th at Carolina. No word yet on where Mary Bess is aiming this fall, but she’s coming off a strong Advanced run at The Fork at Tryon and should be coming into this weekend looking to pick up where she left off this spring.

Phillip Dutton and Azure. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Phillip Dutton is aiming for as many unique 5* runs as possible with the very experienced Z, using Oktoberfest as a prep ahead of Pau at the end of October. Meanwhile, stablemate Azure is aiming for her 5* debut at MARS Maryland 5 Star just before he hops over to France next month. Z has had much success at this venue in the past, winning Oktoberfest’s 4* in 2019 and finishing second in the spring edition in 2021. Azure has some competitive results to her name this year, too, including a win in the 4*-L at Bromont this spring.

Chile-bound Sydney Elliott and QC Diamantaire are putting the final touches on their training ahead of their championship team debut at the end of October. The U.S. team’s final outing will be at Loch Moy (MD) at the start of October. Sydney and “Q” certainly know each other like the back of hand and hoof at this point in their partnership and should be looking for a strong run that will inject loads of confidence ahead of their Pan Ams trip.

Savannah “Woodge” Fulton’s Cash Point is in the earlier stages of his Advanced career and is showing much promise as he gains more experience. This will be Cash Point’s fourth start at the Advanced/4* level, most recently finishing sixth in his first 4* at Great Meadow last month. This is a horse Woodge has been excited about and producing since the outset of his career, and this pair is among at the 3*-L Championship at Maryland 5 Star in October to cap off their 2023 season.

Emily Hamel and Corvett. Photo by Shelby Allen.

Looking for the highest jumping powerhouse in the field? Look no further than Corvett, the fan-favorite partner of Emily Hamel, who this season has moved her base to Aiken, SC. Emily spent time abroad last year, competing at both Badminton and Burghley with her horse of a lifetime. She’s back in the States full-time now and aiming for an incredible sixth CCI5* start with “Barry” at Maryland next month.

Christina Henriksen and JTH Zest are looking to get their mojo flowing this weekend after a somewhat rocky beginning to their season. This is a pair who’s been partnered together for many years, collecting multiple competitive placings in FEI competition but then experiencing some growing pains as they moved into the Advanced rankings. It’s no task for the faint of heart and certainly one for the determined, and Christina will be tackling this weekend seeking a strong finish that gives both her and her British mare a boost for their fall goals.

Another relative newcomer to the Advanced/4* level is Calcourt Valley, partnered with Michelle Koppin. Calcourt Valley has been Michelle’s top horse, becoming her first 4* horse this year with a top-15 finish in their debut at The Fork earlier this month. This second run at the level will be all about experience for this pair.

Also based in Aiken full-time is the always stylish Sarah Kuhn, who brings forward Mr. Cash van de Start for one of his final preps ahead of an exciting 5* debut at MARS Maryland 5 Star. To be honest, my biggest question for Sarah is whether or not she’s begun planning her Maryland jog outfit and what the over-under is that it will include animal print. But also, this is a partnership that’s spent much time preparing for this next step, and while Mr. Cash van de Start can display some exuberance in the first phase, he’s become a consummate competitor for Sarah and should put in a reliable performance this weekend.

Leah Lang-Gluscic and AP Prime. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Who can relate to the story of the humble off-track Thoroughbred sold for under $1000? Most of us, am I right? That’s the gist of how Leah Lang-Gluscic came to know one AP Prime, who at 18 years young this season seems to be in the, well, prime of life tackling Advanced and Short-format competition as if it were tadpole level. AP was one of the only horses to make the tough optimum time at AEC in Kentucky last month and stands to repeat the feat this weekend. Leah will be looking to be competitive here with her old friend, relishing every moment on cross country in this “enjoy it” era with a once-in-a-lifetime horse.

After trekking overseas to compete at the Nations Cup leg at Strzegom earlier this year, Andrew McConnon now brings the 11-year-old Ferrie’s Cello back out for his fall campaign. This pair was in the top 15 at the USEA Advanced Final at AEC last month and now eyes a long-awaited 5* debut at Maryland. They were initially entered for the Kentucky 5* this spring but a minor setback forced their withdrawal and re-route.

Based at Stable View in the winter months, Brazil’s Nilson Moreira da Silva will bring forward the 8-year-old Irish gelding Elmo for a debut at the 4* level this weekend. Also prepping for the Pan American Games, Nilson’s had a bit of a gap between Advanced horses, having moved on from Rock Phantom (now piloted by Sara Kozumplik) and former rides Magnum’s Martini and Muggle. Elmo now stands to be his next top partner, and though they had a frustrating Technical Elimination in their first Advanced together at Chatt Hills, they’ll be heading into this weekend with a clean slate looking to put some valuable mileage under this young horse’s girth.

Another 8-year-old features next on our roster — it’s a true weekend for the pipeline, eh? — in Alex O’Neal‘s Redtail Penumbra. This will be this pair’s second Advanced competition together, having finished second in the Advanced at Chatt Hills earlier this month most recently. They also debuted at the 4* level earlier this summer at Ocala, finishing 13th with some green moments in the jumping phases. A fun fact: Redtail Penumbra is a product of Alex and Ellie O’Neal’s breeding program — a true reward to produce a homebred to this level (and hopefully beyond!).

Doug Payne and Quantum Leap. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Doug Payne is next up, bringing forward three strong options in seasoned campaigner Quantum Leap, the gutsy stallion Quiberon, and the not-so-feral-anymore Camarillo. This is a very different set of horses with three unique styles of going, but I’m sure Doug wouldn’t have it any other way as he seems to like keeping things exciting (I’m not sure why else anyone would choose to fly teeny tiny airplanes for fun). I know Quantum Leap is aiming for the Maryland 5 Star — no word yet on the fall plans for Quiberon and Camarillo, but Doug can typically be counted on to be competitive at these Short formats and will be looking to test the gears on all of his horses ahead of their fall destination events.

This weekend marks the third Advanced/4* start for Canada’s Waylon Roberts and OKE Ruby R, who is 10 this year. While they would sadly incur a Compulsory Retirement in their first 4* at The Fork earlier this month, they’ve otherwise had a pretty steady climb to this level, finishing in the top 10 at Bromont’s CCI3*-L this spring. Show jumping would be the phase Waylon would, on paper at least, want to tighten up — but in this early stage when a horse is still getting her bearings at this more technical level, experience and positive outings are what matters the most.

Pour me a Hot Bobo, the #supermare is back and feeling spicy! Canada’s Karl Slezak has been tapped for the Pan American Games squad next month — ever important as Canada still seeks Olympic qualification for 2024 — with Lexington 4*-S winner Hot Bobo. This event will then serve as a prep to ensure everything is in working order ahead of their big trip to the Southern Hemisphere. Should they decide to go fast(ish) on cross country Saturday, this pair could be a big threat to take the prize here at Oktoberfest.

Melanie Smith and Shakedown Street. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Melanie Smith and Shakedown Street have several competitions at this level under their belts now, most recently completing the Lexington 4*-S this spring. This pair has won at this venue in the past, taking the Advanced win at Stable View’s Summer H.T. last June. This will be this pair’s toughest competition since Kentucky, but that 4* is notoriously tricky and has hence been nicknamed a “5*-Short” in jest, making it an excellent preparation for those hoping to continue on or eventually step up to the 5* level.

Allison Springer & Business Ben. Photo by Abby Powell.

Allison Springer has spent some time building up a strong string of top horses in the wake of the retirement of the beloved Arthur, and this year she’s got Business Ben back in action as well as the cheeky Vandyke stepping up to Advanced and 4* competition. This first 4* back for Business Ben will likely be more of a feel it out run as the 13-year-old gelding gears back up at the top levels after sitting out the 2022 season. Allison’s brought him sensibly back, most recently running the 3*-S at Great Meadow in August. Vandyke is enjoying his first full season at this level, collecting multiple top-15 placings as he aims for his first 4*-L at Morven Park next month.

Briggs Surratt begins to round out the 4*-S roster with the tiny-but-mighty Corture (who, fun fact, was actually bred by Elisa Wallace). This weekend marks the third 4*-S start for Couture; most recently, she was 15th at The Fork at Tryon. As with many of their counterparts this week, Briggs and Corture will likely be prioritizing experience gained over competitiveness as they look to confirm themselves at this top level of sport.

Elisa Wallace and Renkum Corsair. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Elisa Wallace is our final competitor this weekend, bringing forward Renkum Corsair, who won the 3*-L National Championship at Maryland 5 Star in 2022. The pair got their fall preps underway at The Fork last weekend, finishing ninth in the 4*-S. Renkum Corsair is still relatively new to this level, but he stands to be competitive if that’s Elisa’s goal for the weekend. We don’t yet see him on any 4*-L entries for this fall, so Elisa will either be aiming the gelding for the final 4*-L at TerraNova in November or will use this week to make her final decision on a fall designation.

There is no live stream of competition this weekend, so you’ll want to keep an eye right here on EN for all the latest starting Friday. Stay tuned for much, much more coming your way from Aiken. Go Eventing!

Stable View Oktoberfest: [Website] [Entries] [Volunteer]

Training Tip Tuesday Video Break: Improving Jump Shape through Quality of Canter

By on Sep 19, 2023 5:00 pm -

We’ve all learned throughout our riding journeys that the quality of a horse’s canter directly affects the quality of a horse’s jump. But it can be more complicated to put this theory into practice.

I found a great short video from Amelia Newcomb Dressage full of advice on improving your horse’s canter. This is something that can always use some attention, and I typically find Amelia’s style to work really well in terms of understanding the concepts she’s demonstrating.

“In this week’s video we are talking about the shape of your canter stride,” Amelia writes in the video description. “As the well known hunter jumper rider and coach Archie Cox says, ‘the shape of your canter determines the shape of your jump. If you have a long, strung out canter, you will have a long strung out jump. If you have a nice round canter, you will have a nice round jump and it will be easier to achieve your distance.’ The same is true if you ride dressage! If you don’t have a quality canter, you won’t be able to achieve a quality movement.”

“We want our horses to have a nice uphill, jumping canter. This is achieved by adding more energy without allowing the horse to cover more ground in the canter. Whether you’re jumping or riding dressage and teaching the flying changes, the basic quality of the canter is of utmost importance.”

You can learn more from Amelia here — and stay tuned for a collaboration between EN and Amelia coming your way this offseason!

Scores and Souvenirs from The Fork at Tryon: Boyd Martin and Commando 3 Take 4*-S and More

By on Sep 17, 2023 12:37 pm -

Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Boyd Martin and newer partner Commando 3 (Connor 48 – R-Adelgunde, by Amigo xx) took home their first win at the 4* level at this weekend’s The Fork at Tryon, presented by Yanmar America. The pair earned a wire-to-wire victory in a full 4* division of horses and riders legging up for their fall Long formats, finishing on a score of 38.3.

Commando 3, who is 10 this year, was previously produced through the 3* and 4* level by Swedish Olympian Louise Romeike. With the support of owners, Yankee Creek Ranch LLC, Boyd was able to secure another serious prospect for new year’s Olympic Games, adding on to perhaps one of the strongest and deepest upper level strings Boyd has had in recent memory.

“I feel like the horse has got unbelievable quality in all departments,” Boyd remarked. “I can’t wait ’til next year when we’ll have a real partnership going. We’re still getting to know each other — we’ve been a team for way less than a year and I feel like our partnership is starting to grow.”

Boyd will cap off the season with the CCI4*-L at Morven Park International with Commando 3, setting up for a prospective 5* debut next spring.

Jacon Fletcher and the 13-year-old Fabian (Up to Date – Ineke, by Beaujolais), owned by Fletcher Farms, also held steady throughout the weekend in second position, ending just on Boyd’s heels with a score of 38.7.

This pair has seen growing success at the level, finishing second in the 4*-L at Tryon this spring and also collecting consecutive 4*-S wins in 2022. Jacob has been tactful in producing Fabian, first striking up a partnership with the gelding in 2019 after he was formerly ridden through the 4* level by Britain’s Millie Dumas. Shortly into his residency in the U.S., Fabian sustained an injury that would necessitate time off, to the tune of all of 2020. In many ways, the delay and the extra time may be paying off, as Jacob and Fabian now stand poised to make their long-awaited 5* debut — where will it be? We’ll have to wait and find out!

Doug Payne is aiming for the Maryland 5 Star with his and Jessica Payne’s Quantum Leap (Quite Capitol – Report to Sloopy, by Corporate Report), who moved up steadily into third place after starting the week in ninth.

Quantum Leap would be one of the more experienced 5* horses on the circuit this fall, heading for his sixth start at the level next month. He’ll route through the 4*-S at Stable View’s Oktoberfest event (September 27-29) as his final prep en route to Maryland.

Other Notables:

  • Cornelia Dorr Fletcher and Daytona Beach 8 are thankfully both unharmed and resting today following a fall on cross country at fence 19B
  • Caroline Pamukcu and Billy Be Jolly (Billy Congo – Billy By Good, by Kannan), owned by Caroline and Sherrie Martin as well as Gayle Davis, secured their first FEI victory together in the 2*-L — but it’s hardly their first blue: this pair have won an impressive 7 out of 11 starts together this season. Billy Be Jolly, you may have guessed from the Billy prefix, came from Pippa Funnell, with whom Caroline based in 2022. Keep an eye on this athletic 8-year-old! Caroline also finishes inside the top 5 of the 2*-L with Cascadella 8 (3rd) and HSH Kilbracken R (5th).
  • Boyd Martin also took the 1*-S victory aboard Malmo Mob’s 7-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding, Kolbeinn (Comfortuna VDL – Donna Linda, by Be My Chief). This is this pair’s fourth victory together in 2023. Winning the Advanced was Bonnie Stedt’s Miss Lulu Herself (Stolzenfels – Noisette), who is also aiming at the 4*-L at Morven Park in a month’s time.
  • Christina Henricksen and Cisco’s Calor Z (Carrera VDL – Zamira, by Damiro B) took home the Open Intermediate win on the wings of a double clear cross country trip to finish on a score of 26.6.
  • Liz Halliday and The Newmarket Syndicate’s Newmarket Cooley (Newmarket Venture – Kilderry Clover, by Clover Hill), clinched a start-to-finish win in the Open Preliminary on a score of 24.5.
  • Victoria Sudkamp and Woodstock Rio (Latent Heat – Little Wing) were the winners of the Preliminary Rider division on a score of 48.4. This comes as this pair’s first victory together at the Preliminary level.

Full scores and results from The Fork at Tryon can be found on Event Entries here.

The Fork at Tryon (Mill Spring, NC) [Website] [Scoring]

Tuesday Video from Dressage Land: Jessica von Bredow-Werndl Has Paris in Her Sights

By on Sep 12, 2023 3:00 pm -

Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl has her sights set on Paris — and she made that very clear in unveiling her latest freestyle performance at FEI European Championships this weekend. Partnered with #supermare TSF Dalera BB, Jessica scored a 92.818% in the final competition at Riesenbeck to set a new Europeans record and take home the title ahead of fellow superstars Lottie Fry and Charlotte Dujardin. Quite some company to keep!

You can catch up on the full list of results from Riesenbeck here.

Follow Along with Joe Meyer and Harbin This Week at Blenheim

By on Sep 12, 2023 11:30 am -

Joe Meyer and Harbin. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

It’s been nearly 14 years since Joe Meyer last competed at the popular stop on the British FEI fall calendar, Blenheim Palace International. In 2009, Joe contested what’s now known as a CCI4*-L at Blenheim Palace, which takes place on one of the most beautiful and historic pieces of eventing property in England, with the New Zealand Thoroughbred gelding, Sanskrit. The pair finished 16th individually that year.

This year, Joe’s back on the other side of the pond, this time with Irish Thoroughbred gelding Harbin (Verglas – Rainbow City, by Rainbow Quest). The 13-year-old gelding owned by the Meyer family as well as Theresa Foote raced in Ireland to begin his career before making his way to the U.S. At first, Harbin was sold to fellow eventer Rebecca Brown, who campaigned him for about three years.

“It turned out he wasn’t [Rebeccca’s] exact ride,” Joe recalled. He took Harbin out for a couple of rides and competed him at two events before purchasing him from Rebecca. “I think I was maybe going to do that anyway! I always loved the horse, the timing just hadn’t been right for us to buy him.”

Here, Joe credits Rebecca with the producing she did with the Thoroughbred, installing good groundwork and flatwork to build upon. As a result, Harbin was basically ready to step up the levels with Joe right away. The pair finished seventh in the tough 3*-L at Maryland 5 Star in 2021 and followed that with several successful placings at the Advanced level in 2022. A nearly-top 10 finish in the pair’s first 4*-L at Bromont last year solidified Joe’s notion that this would be a horse for the future — and then it all came crashing down, literally, at Morven Park’s 4*-L in October. Joe and Harbin fell, hard, and while the gelding was uninjured, Joe broke several ribs and all in all describes the experience as “that’s when I got really beaten up.”

Joe Meyer and Harbin. Photo by Shelby Allen.

Somewhat luckily, the fall came at the tail end of the 2022 season, giving Joe the winter to “rest up” and heal. This year, Harbin’s come out swinging, finishing inside the top 10 in the 4*-L at Tryon this spring.

“So he’s been great, and we’ve kind of been thinking, what are we going to do next?” Joe mused. “Do we stay home and do [Maryland 5 Star], or what do we do?”

The pair initially had aimed for Kentucky’s Lexington 4*-S this spring, but having missed that goal a new one emerged: the 4*-L at Blenheim.

“I’m very, very lucky,” Joe continued. “Theresa [Foote, Harbin’s co-owner] was keen to go for a trip. I know a lot of people there. I’m basing with my old dressage trainer, Richard Barrett, for the first few weeks. He will crucify me, I know it — in a good way! Lucienne Elms has kindly lent me her horse truck. A lot of it is who you know, and know what! So I’m very lucky.”

Joe’s making the most of this trip, planning to stay in England for some time. A handful of younger horses that the Meyers have had in training in Ireland will join Joe for some competitions in addition to Harbin’s schedule.

“He’s a lot like Snip,” Joe says when asked to describe Harbin. Snip, you may recall, was Joe’s globe-galloping partner of many years, completing eight 5* events and representing the Kiwis at the 2008 Olympics. To be compared to this legend of a horse is no small compliment. “He’s little, he’s nippy, he’s fast, he’s hot. He’s not as easy on the ground, but I just love him. He’s my kind of horse. He’s all go, but he’s not strong and I also don’t have to kick. He’s a lot like Snip in so many ways, and I think that’s why I like him so much.”

Joe Meyer and Harbin. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Joe will use Blenheim and its challenging course to determine where he aims next with Harbin. He’d love to keep himself in contention to make some squads for New Zealand High Performance in the future — “I’d love to go to more Championships, but the small about of New Zealand riders we have at that Championship level are very good. We don’t have a huge amount, but what we do have are very, very good and I’m going to have to go well against the younger riders as well!” — and he’s got the 5* level in his sights with his horse in which he sees so much of partners past.

“I think the idea is we take it one step at a time, but also enjoy ourselves along the way and maybe win some prizes,” Joe said. “For my family and Theresa and Ruthie and our staff here, that’s what keeps us ticking along.”

Joe’s #supergroom, Danielle Platt, will be taking over EN’s Instagram throughout this week to keep us up to speed with Joe and Harbin. You can preview the full entry list for Blenheim Palace — which also features appearances from other North American-based riders such as Bec Braitling, Hanna Bundy, as well as U.S. riders Hallie Coon (4*S), Katherine Coleman (4*S), Tiana Coudray (4*L), Katie Malensek (4*S), and Rowain Laird (4*S) — by clicking here. The action will also be carried live on Horse & Country (subscription or one-time viewing pass required) here.

Blenheim Palace International: [Website] [Entries] [Live Stream]

Tuesday Video Break: Ride the Prelim AEC Track with Jennarose Ortmeyer

By on Sep 5, 2023 3:30 pm -

Jennarose Ortmeyer has become something of a contributor on EN these days, thanks to her dedication to the helmet cam! As such, we’ve enjoyed following the adventures of Jennarose and her mare, Primrose, as they tackle competitions all up and down the east coast. This year, Jennarose earned a trip to the American Eventing Championships, finishing in the top 15 of the Preliminary Rider Championship. Have a ride around with this enthusiastic pair, and don’t forget to share your helmet cam videos with us at [email protected]!

#AEC2023 (Lexington, KY): [Website] [Final Results] [Live Stream Replay] [EN’s Coverage]

EN’s coverage of #AEC2023 is brought to you by hometown hero Kentucky Performance Products and Ocala Horse Properties.

4 of Our Favorite Stories from #AEC2023

By on Sep 5, 2023 12:15 pm -

Tackling American Eventing Championships is no task for the fainthearted, as perhaps more than any other event the sheer volume of wonderful stories is overwhelming (in a good way!). During my time in Kentucky, I picked out a few of my favorite short stories to share with you — a true collection of #goeventing from the greatest sport in the land!

From Eventing Newbie to AEC Competitor

Photo courtesy of Sierra Lesny.

It’s not every day you go off to championships sans coach. Personally, I always found it difficult to go to a big competition without one, but I also always aspired to have a certain level of independence and capability so that I wouldn’t panic if I found myself at the warm-up without anyone to tell me what I was doing wrong.

When Sierra Lesny earned her qualifications for AEC, she began making plans to compete Edy Rameika’s Sebastian in her first-ever championship. A year ago, Sierra wasn’t familiar with the sport of eventing, having spent most of her time in the hunter/jumper realm before earning the 2022 Ever So Sweet Scholarship from Strides for Equality Equestrians. Thanks to the tutelage from Sara Kozumplik, Sierra quickly found herself with “the bug” and racking up competitive results that would eventually pave the way for her first trip to AEC.

Things would get a little off the rails here, though, after Sara suffered a broken foot and ankle in a fall in the show jumping at Fair Hill last month. The plans laid out by the team at Sara’s Overlook Farm changed, and soon Sierra found herself as the last woman standing and en route to Kentucky solo.

She was far from alone, however, with the full support of her grandparents, along with her husband bolstering her and Sebastian as they tackled the Training Rider Championship at AEC. Never one to leave her students without help, Sara also stepped up and helped Sierra via FaceTime lessons as the competition got underway. This team effort was rewarded with a lead following the dressage, where Sierra and Sebastian scored a 24.2.

Sadly, Sierra and Sebastian’s week would come to a premature close after parting ways on cross country. It was a blip Sierra already had a plan to work on by the time she made her way back to the barn (and by the time Sebastian went on a nice jaunt across the Kentucky Bluegrass, bless him), and despite the disappointment of the ending it was difficult not to feel a sense of pride in all Sierra has accomplished in such a short time. It’s one of the truly incredible elements of the Ever So Sweet Scholarship, the idea of introducing our sport to new individuals who may not have otherwise gotten a leg up to give it a try for themselves. After concluding her time with the scholarship, Sierra joined Sara’s team as a full-time member and is now fully immersed in eventing — just the way we like it!

Applications for the Winter 2023 Ever So Sweet Scholarship are currently open — you can apply for your chance to win here.

An Epic Engagement

Surprise! Photo used with permission from Three Redheads and a Moose Photography.

It wouldn’t be AEC without at least one engagement, and for John Schneider of Kansas City, MO, a trip to Kentucky Horse Park was the perfect setting for an important question. John is a certified horse-husband-to-be, having taken many trips to competitions with Area IV’s Hadley White. In 2017, Hadley brought John to his first Kentucky Three-Day Event, and from that point on he knew it would be the idea spot to pop the question.

John’s plans began in earnest several months ago, after Hadley had earned her qualifications to compete at AEC at the Novice level with her off-track Thoroughbred, Marvelous Mrs. Hazel. “I knew I wanted to ask her at Kentucky because it was such a special place, and horses have been such a big part of our lives,” John said. His plans involved a specially made hoof pad in the shape of a heart with “Will You Marry Me?” inscribed on it, made by Hadley’s longtime farrier Stan Tracz. Then, a special photoshoot had to be arranged, timed for earlier in the week before Hadley’s competition was in full swing.

“I was completely surprised!” Hadley, who admits she’s nearly impossible to surprise. “I wasn’t sure what was happening when the photographer asked me to check Hazel’s feet because she’d stepped in mud.”

Hadley and Hazel went on to finish their first-ever AEC in the top 25 of a very competitive Novice Amateur championship — the extra bit of bling she’s bringing home certainly makes it a winning weekend!

A Long Trek Worth Taking

Southern California-based Katy Robinson knew a trek to Kentucky would be a big trip, but the upsides were numerous. Here was an opportunity to take her horses east for a jaunt around a different track with a different course designer before they were ready to tackle the big 4* and, eventually, 5* tracks. “So often we go east when we’re doing a big four-star or a five-star,” Katy said. “And this just seemed like an ideal scenario to get in that practice without it being a high-pressure atmosphere like Kentucky.”

So with the support of client Stacia Lloyd and friend/coach Emilee Libby, Katy packed her trailer and set off for the long three-day trek to the Bluegrass State. It helped that Area VI initiated a lottery award for this AEC, distributing grants of at least $1,000 to offset costs of stabling and entries for competitors from the area who were competing at AEC. “It became more of a no-brainer to take advantage of this opportunity before the jumps get all big and scary!” Katy laughed.

The trip would prove to be worthwhile in more than one way: here, Katy also received some well-deserved validation that the production she’s put into her young off-track Thoroughbred, Teki to the Limit, is paying off. She and “Teki” finished tenth, moving up from 22nd after dressage in the Bates Intermediate Championship with two fast and clear jumping rounds. Teki, who shares a sire with her other upper-level horse Outrageous Dance, has been in Katy’s program since the mare was five (she’s eight now), though she’s been in Katy’s network since she came off the track at three. Through happenstance, Katy wound up trading another Thoroughbred in her program for Teki, and the rest is, as they say, history.

“She’s just been such a game horse to produce,” Katy described, noting how professional the mare has become as she’s learned more and more about her job as an event horse. “She showed up at the Horse Park and I took her out for her first hack and she seemed to just figure out why she was there. She just came out of her stall every day completely in tune with me and almost to have this premonition of what she was there for. After the award ceremony, she jigged all the way back to the barn and turned into a total terrorist after that — as if to say, ‘Alright I’m off the clock!'”

It’s proof that making the big trips does pay off and is a great way to get out of one’s comfort zone. While not everyone found the trip to AEC to be feasible, the efforts of committees like Area VI to help offset costs made this trek doable for Katy, and it’s helping her continue to build her own confidence in her system. “I look back at my career and think ‘man, if I had gotten comfortable being uncomfortable with in new courses, new course designers…’ — that’s what I would’ve changed.”

A Movie-Worthy Comeback

Tonya Cummins Amato sports the vest her parents bought for her when she was 15 years old. Photo by Sally Spickard.

On August 14, 2022, Tonya Cummins Amato was riding a young horse on cross country and quickly found herself on the wrong side of the horse. “He was 17 hands and 1400 pounds, and down we went,” she described. “The last thing I remember is seeing his elbow, and because we fell together my vest didn’t go off.” As a result, Tonya broke seven ribs, broke her back in eight places, broke her scapula, and had a small brain bleed.

Following some time out of the saddle, Tonya swung a leg back over on April 1 (“of course it was April Fool’s Day!”) of this year. She chose to ride the horse she would eventually bring to AEC, the Connemara stallion Get Smart who is a big part of her breeding program at home in Ontario. “Just being here again is just incredible,” Tonya said, beaming with adrenaline after a double clear cross country ride. “He’s just awesome — he’s so cool.”

The icing on the cake? Tonya still wears the cross country vest her parents bought for her when she was 15 years old — in fact, she credits the vest with saving her life in the fall last year. Naturally, she donned it for this run, which you can watch in helmet cam version in the embedded video below (click here if the video does not display in your browser):

Watch my rockstar stallion- Get Smart in action on cross country at the 2023 AEC's
Thanks Hannah Jungling and Bryce Jungling for letting us borrow your Go Pro camera.

Posted by Tonya Cummins Amato on Thursday, August 31, 2023

As much as I loved these stories, I know I missed out on so many of your stories from #AEC2023! If you’ve got a tale to share, tip us by emailing [email protected].

#AEC2023 (Lexington, KY): [Website] [Final Results] [Live Stream Replay] [EN’s Coverage]

EN’s coverage of #AEC2023 is brought to you by hometown hero Kentucky Performance Products and Ocala Horse Properties.

Burghley Buzz: Cross Country Day Live Blog

By on Sep 2, 2023 6:00 am -

Rise and shine, it’s Burghley cross country time! Photo by Tilly Berendt.

It’s time for some Burghley cross country action! I hopped off a plane home from AEC at about midnight last night, so I can’t really speak to the amount of brain cells I’m in possession of, but whatever is left up there is ready to party, Burghley style.

We’ll be getting underway at 11:15 a.m. local time (6:15 a.m. EST), and as is tradition here on EN I’ll be keeping you up to speed with live updates throughout the morning. Of course, my updates can’t come close to watching in person, so be sure to snag a Burghley TV subscription to follow along (and catch up on demand if you’re a normal person who enjoys sleep).

Derek di Grazia has quite a challenge built in his sophomore year designing at this British 5*. You can read Tilly’s preview here, view the course on CrossCountryApp here, and read how riders are reacting to it here. The optimum time is 11 minutes, 6 seconds.

You can find the full running order in order of standing here. If you’re looking for the order of go, you can find it here.

Refresh this page periodically for the latest updates. Here’s to safe rides to all – let’s get after it!

Defender Burghley: [Website] [Entries] [Program] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

EN’s coverage of Burghley is presented by Kentucky Performance Products. Click here to learn all about their full line of science-backed nutritional support products, including Neigh-Lox Advanced for digestive support.

11:21 a.m. ET: Here are a few numbers to mull over from today:

Completion rate: 37/58 (63.8%)
Clear rate: 25/58 (43.1%)
Clear inside the time: 2/58 (3.4%)
Fastest round: David Doel and Galileo Nieuwmoed (10:57)

Tilly Berendt will be along later today with the full report from today. Thank you for following along with us!

11:17 a.m. ET: And Harry finishes with 9.6 time penalties aboard Tenareze to finish the day! I’ll be back shortly with some numbers from the day.

11:16 a.m. ET: Here’s a look at the top five after cross country (full scores can be found here):

11:14 a.m. ET: So Harry now has the track to himself as he navigates to the Cottesmore Leap at 18 with Tenareze.

11:12 a.m. ET: Ballaghmor Class is looking a bit winded at this last part of the course, but he’s still proving to be very genuine for Oliver. Oliver shouts “long route” in the water as he was eyeing the direct route in the water at the Lions Bridge. Oliver can afford six seconds of time and I don’t think he’s going to make it, but it will be close tomorrow. He’s 12 seconds over and 4.8 time penalties, into second for this pair on 29.0. Tim Price will not have a rail in hand.

11:11 a.m. ET: Ballaghmor Class gives the Dairy Mound a hard rub but Oliver’s picked him up and carried him through. Harry is clear at the Trout Hatchery.

11:10 a.m. ET: Tenareze looks green at the Leaf Pit, but Harry uses all of his experience to get the job done. Here’s a look at that Triple Bar:

GIF via Burghley TV.

11:09 a.m. ET: David Doel and Ferro Point had one more 20 at the Lions Bridge and have finished. Oliver is clear through the Irish Bank at 17. Harry navigates the Defender Valley and survives a hairy moment at the Triple Bar.

11:08 a.m. ET: A quick update on our North Americans: nearly all of our pairs will find themselves within the top 15, with Boyd and Tsetserleg highest placed.

11:07 a.m. ET: And our final pair is on course!

11:06 a.m. ET: David Doel and Ferro Point have perhaps the best ride through the Irish Bank at 17AB all day. Oliver is clear through the Rolex Combination hedges. Harry Meade will close us out with Tenareze.

11:02 a.m. ET: And our penultimate pair is away: Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class could take the lead if they can go clear inside the time. This pair has won here before (2017) and hasn’t finished off the podium here in three finishes.

11:01 a.m. ET: Boyd’s time is recorded as 9.6 penalties to go onto a score of 37.7 and sixth place at the moment. He’s also currently in 10th with On Cue.

10:59 a.m. ET: Ferro Point is the latest to drive by the C of the Leaf Pit, but he and David Doel are clear on the next attempt. Bummer!

10:57 a.m. ET: Oh no, it looks like Tom actually pulled Toledo up and it looked like the horse was lame on a front leg. We’ll keep you posted. David Doel and Ferro Point are on course and have the track to themselves for now.

10:55 a.m. ET: Man, what a day – Tom McEwen and Toledo de Kerser have now retired after some trouble, but I missed exactly where it happened. Harry Mutch and HD Bronze drive by the C of the Leaf Pit and are retiring now.

10:54 a.m. ET: Wills Oakden is working on another fast clear – he’s not going to be inside the time but he’s going to be damn close with 4.4 penalties accumulated with Arklow Puissance. What a great day for Wills!

10:52 a.m. ET: Thomas seems to have picked up a second wind and is home clear. They’ll recalculate his time and I’ll keep you posted.

10:51 a.m. ET: Ok, Boyd has been restarted and is now clear through the Boodles Raindance. Unsure if they were checking on Thomas or if there was some sort of repair to a fence needed. Harry Mutch now returns with his second ride, HD Bronze, and he’s one of just four left to see today.

10:51 a.m. ET: A look at Tim and Vitali on course:

10:49 a.m. ET: Boyd is shown now talking with the TD Andrew Temkin. Still not sure what’s going on.

10:47 a.m. ET: Now Boyd has also been pulled up, but at least before he made his approach to Boodles Raindance and not in the middle of it. I think Grace may have just damaged the fish in the water ahead of him, but I’ll keep you posted. We’re also joined now by Tom McEwen and his Tokyo partner Toledo de Kerser, who stand as one threat to Tim’s lead if they can go quick.

10:45 a.m. ET: Grace and Game Changer survive a hairy moment at the Lions Bridge but she’s finished clear now with 14.8 time. We’re also joined by Wills Oaken and his second ride, Arklow Puissance.

10:44 a.m. ET: Boyd at the Joules at the Maltings. He’s having to work a little here but Thomas is looking positive and confident.

GIF via Burghley TV.

10:42 a.m. ET: Grace gets a little loose through the Dairy Mounds and gives the pins a hard rub but she’s still working on a clear, dangling martingale and all.

10:40 a.m. ET: Really pleased with how these horses are finishing, I’ll keep saying it! Here’s a look at Boyd straight as an arrow through the B and C of the Leaf Pit:

GIF via Burghley TV.

10:38 a.m. ET: Ah rats, Sophie Fouracre just gets off her line and goes past the C element of the Dairy Mound. She’s clear on the long route attempt. Boyd comes into the Defender Valley at 5. Boyd has talked about Thomas not wanting to turn right early on course at times, and this question was to be a first test of that — all good here.

10:37 a.m. ET: And here comes Thomas blazing out of the box with Boyd Martin.

10:35 a.m. ET: Richard Coney is home clear with Poetry In Motion. It looks like Grace’s martingale has broken, but she’s carrying on and will be hoping it doesn’t interfere.

10:32 a.m. ET: And here’s Grace Taylor, who’s made a big impression with some strong rounds with Game Changer this year. She’s quite competitively placed after earning a sub-30 score in the dressage. Boyd Martin will be back with us next aboard Tsetserleg TSF.

10:31 a.m. ET:

10:30 a.m. ET: Our newest starters are Sophie Fouracre and Lordana vh Leysehof Z, to be followed by our next American pair Grace Taylor and Game Changer.

10:29 a.m. ET: Tom Crisp picks up 10.8 time penalties with Liberty & Glory and comes home clear and happy.

10:28 a.m. ET: “It was hard work, but that’s the nature of the beast – it’s Burghley. Whilst this horse has given me some amazing rides, with Badminton earlier this year in the deep going – today he just wasn’t taking me the same, so you have to revise your plan a bit,” Tim said of Vitali. “I went into survival mode after about three minutes thinking, ‘this is a long way home’, so I’m just really proud of him.”

10:27 a.m. ET: Our latest starter, 24-year-old Richard Coney, is clear through the Trout Hatchery with Poetry In Motion.

10:26 a.m. ET: Eventing’s power duo share a moment after a clear cross country from Vitali:

GIF via Burghley TV.

10:23 a.m. ET: Tim will keep his lead for the moment with 8 time penalties on a score of 26.7. If Oliver or Tom can go quick, they will overtake him for the overnight lead.

10:23 a.m. ET: The lovely Liberty and Glory at the Trout Hatchery:

GIF via Burghley TV.

10:22 a.m. ET: Tim Price is headed for home and we don’t have a clock on him but the commentators all believe he’s a bit down on the markers.

10:20 a.m. ET: A look behind the scenes:

10:20 a.m. ET: Tim very nearly comes unseated after Vitali just drags a leg over the Irish Bank at 17. Whew!

GIF via Burghley TV.

10:18 a.m. ET: Tom Crisp and the absolutely lovely mare Liberty & Glory are our next to see as Tim navigates the Joules at the Maltings.

10:16 a.m. ET: Tim Price uses his stick to gently encourage Vitali to move away from the Trout Hatchery.

10:15 a.m. ET: Well it looks like Julia has now been eliminated for the blood in the mouth. Definitely a good call to stand by the rule, but I also stand by the fact that stopping a rider in the middle of a combination is nothing short of dangerous and irresponsible.

10:13 a.m. ET: Wow, Julia has been pulled up in the middle of the Boodles Raindance. Not a fan of that stopping point…looks like perhaps there is some blood in the mouth here and Ardeo Berlin is being checked out by the vets. Still not a fan of that stopping point at all.

10:11 a.m. ET: France’s Arthur Duffort and Toronto d’Aurois run into trouble at the Leaf Pit and have retired here. Julia Norman is working hard on a clear round and is through the Fairfax & Favor Keepers. And here we go with our leaders! Let’s see if Tim Price and Vitali can make good on their 18.7. He has about five time penalties in hand at the moment.

10:09 a.m. ET: Sam Watson points out that fast, tidy feet are a necessity for a handy event horse as this ability gives the rider more options. However, this can often be a curse in the dressage as these horses will struggle to achieve the more elevated, extended movement naturally.

10:08 a.m. ET: The MIM pins at the Dairy Mound element C do their job as James can’t quite get Milchem Eclipse back on his hind end to make it over cleanly. That’ll be 11 penalties on their card.

GIF via Burghley TV.

10:05 a.m. ET: A look at some more fancy footwork at the Leaf Pit, as demonstrated now by Zimbabwe’s Julia Norman and Ardeo Berlin:

GIF via Burghley TV.

10:03 a.m. ET: Padraig and HHS Noble Call take a slight detour and will add a few more seconds to their final time.

GIF via Burghley TV.

10:01 a.m. ET: HHS Noble Call is another to give the B at the Dairy Mound a very hard rattle, but he and Padraig are still working on a clear round. James Rushbrook is clear through the Trout Hatchery.

9:59 a.m. ET: The global 5* average clear range is 55%, and Sam brings up the point that the best cross country horses in the world come to Burghley, which is well-known as the toughest 5* track of the bunch, which often leads to a higher than average clear rate. Today, that’s not the case with around a 40% clear rate at this point.

9:57 a.m. ET: James Rushbrook and Milchem Eclipse are away. We’re just a couple of combinations away from seeing our dressage leaders, Tim Price and Vitali, on course.

9:56 a.m. ET: Sarah Clark has been having a cracking round, making her way home via the Lions Bridge water.

9:51 a.m. ET: Tom Bird, the youngest competitor this weekend at 21, completes with Rebel Rhyme, a couple issues out there but a completion nonetheless. Ireland’s Padraig McCarthy and HHS Noble Call are the next to see out on course as fellow Irishman Sam Watson now joins Nicole Brown in the commentator’s booth. I always love Sam’s commentary and his thoughts on the sport.

9:42 a.m. ET: We’ve 16 more combinations to see today, including overnight leaders Tim Price and Vitali, Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg, Grace Taylor and Game Changer, Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class, Tom McEwen and Toledo de Kerser, to name just a few pairs with potential. Australia’s Sarah Clark and LV Balou Jeanz are our next out of the box.

9:41 a.m. ET: Tom Bird and Rebel Rhyme pick up 20 at the C of the Leaf Pit — definitely the most influential fence today so far.

9:39 a.m. ET: And a look at first-timer Holly Richardson and Bally Louis:

9:38 a.m. ET: Take a look at Pippa’s round with Majas Hope:

9:38 a.m. ET: “I just can’t believe he was clear around Burghley and it’s our first five-star!” Emma Thomas says at the finish.

9:36 a.m. ET: Another one bites the dust as Lauren Lillywhite falls from Hacien at the Rolex combination. She’ll be alright it looks like, but what a disappointment for her.

9:35 a.m. ET: Nooooooo – Tiana and Cancaras Girl look to have parted ways at the Irish Horse Bank. They both look ok, but what a bummer. Our latest starters are Lauren Lillywhite and Hacien, followed by Tom Bird and Rebel Rhyme.

9:32 a.m. ET: AH after that amazing save, Tiana now runs into trouble with a glance-off at the first corner of the Joules at the Maltings. She’s clear on the second attempt. 5* first timer Emma Thomas is on her way home and looking absolutely ready to go around again. Emma has produced this little pocket rocket herself and isn’t going to be that far off the optimum either.

GIF via Burghley TV.

9:29 a.m. ET: Wow!!! Tiana just made the SAVE of the YEAR, with a popped airvest and all, at the Leaf Pit. They’re clear on the second attempt and continuing on.

GIF via Burghley TV.

9:27 a.m. ET: 12.4 time penalties for Will and Mama’s Magic Way and a lovely clear round. Mason looks quite well coming home.

9:26 a.m. ET: Will navigates the Boodles Raindance at 25 and is getting close to home. I think he’ll be down on the time a bit, but he also certainly hasn’t been hanging about.

A quick word from our sponsor, Kentucky Performance Products!

9:24 a.m. ET: Our next starter is U.S. rider based in England Tiana Coudray with Cancaras Girl.

9:23 a.m. ET: Sam Watson brings SAP Talisman home just one second over the time, the quickest since those two double clears earlier in the day. Will is over the Cottesmore Leap with Mason.

9:22 a.m. ET: Good conditions and good designing are bringing horses home looking really well today. It’s really nice to see — well done to their riders with their fitness work.

9:22 a.m. ET: “I think he’s got plenty of blood, but over the years I feel like I don’t have quite as much blood!” Pippa Funnell says at the finish.

9:21 a.m. ET: Really strong through the Trout Hatchery for Will and Mason.

9:20 a.m. ET: Another debut pair, Emma Thomas and Icarus, are our next out of the box.

9:20 a.m. ET: Go back on board with Boyd and On Cue:

GIF via Burghley TV.

9:18 a.m. ET: Pippa Funnell stops the clock with 8.8 seconds of time, which will keep her well in contention on a 38.4 and fourth position. Sam Watson and SAP Talisman quickly navigate the triple combination at the Dairy Mound. Will and Mama’s Magic Way show off some epic footwork at the Leaf Pit:

GIF via Burghley TV.

9:17 a.m. ET: Will and Mason attacking the early oxers in the arena:

GIF via Burghley TV.

9:15 a.m. ET: Oh hey, Mason:

GIF via Burghley TV.

9:13 a.m. ET: A look at the very bold ride through the Leaf Pit from Sam Watson and SAP Talisman:

GIF via Burghley TV.

9:11 a.m. ET: Sadly Aistis and Commander VG have fallen at the A element of the Dairy Mound. Commander VG wasn’t immediately on his feet but was likely just catching his breath — the next view shows him up and walking away. The pins did activate in this instance.

9:09 a.m. ET: Another pair I’m very keen to watch today will be our next: Ireland’s Sam Watson of EquiRatings and SAP Talisman. Following Sam will be Will Faudree and Mama’s Magic Way.

9:08 a.m. ET: Pippa takes the red flag down at the C of the Leaf Pit, but looked to be well clear inside from my view with Majas Hope.

9:05 a.m. ET: Next away is Rolex Grand Slam and two-time Burghley winner Pippa Funnell with Majas Hope.

9:04 a.m. ET: Louise Harwood has retired after trouble at the Maltings.

9:03 a.m. ET: Lithuania’s Aistis Aistis Vitkauskas is on course and takes a big risk at the Leaf Pit but is clear on the direct route. Here’s a look at Boyd’s helmet cam with On Cue through this question:

GIF via Burghley TV.

8:59 a.m. ET: Louise Harwood is the latest to have a glance-off at the C element of the Leaf Pit. She’s clear on the second attempt.

8:58 a.m. ET: Gah! Tom Rowland’s weekend ends at the Maltings corners after a valiant effort to save it:

GIF via Burghley TV.

8:55 a.m. ET: We still have yet to see a third pair achieve the optimum time, with David and Wills still sitting in the clubhouse lead position. Louise Harwood and Native Spirit are our latest starters.

8:54 a.m. ET: What a round! Holly Richardson finishes with time, but no matter — a safe and clear Burghley cross country debut is in the books!

GIF via Burghley TV.

8:52 a.m. ET: Bummer – Richard Skelt takes a tumble from Credo after activating the MIM rail at the open oxer at 6. Both he and Credo look to be no worse for the wear. We’re also joined by Tom Rowland and Possible Mission. Our debut pair, Holly Richardson and Bally Louis are making their way home and looking fit and full of run – lovely!

8:48 a.m. ET: And that’s Burghley cross country, conquered! Jennie and FE Lifestyle finish with 15.6 time — what a debut for this pair and what awesome riding.

8:47 a.m. ET: A look at Jennie at the Boodles Raindance (24/25):

GIF via Burghley TV.

8:46 a.m. ET: Jennie is riding her ass off here, getting Foxy clean through the Dairy Mound at 20.

8:44 a.m. ET: Cottesmore Leap: check!

GIF via Burghley TV.

8:43 a.m. ET: Jennie is clear at the Irish Horse Bank complex at 17.

8:41 a.m. ET: 5* debut pair Holly Richardson and Bally Louis are heading out now!

8:40 a.m. ET: Oliver makes a wise decision to pull up now after Swallow Springs puts his back legs down in the A element of the Dairy Mound. This will change up the standings, as he was in second with this horse, and leaves him with just one to go in Ballaghmor Class. Jennie is clear through the Trout Hatchery. Go girl!

8:39 a.m. ET: Jennie chooses the left handed side at C of the Leaf Pit and has one of the better trips through this line so far.

8:38 a.m. ET: Jennie and Foxy are safe and straight through the Defender Valley at 5.

8:36 a.m. ET: Swallow Springs stands a bit off the second corner at the Joules at the Maltings, but all clear so far. Cavalier Crystal is m making her way home with Harry — he’s not going to be far off the time, but just a hair over I think.

8:35 a.m. ET: Here we go! Jennie Saville leaves the box in her first Burghley with Tim and Nina Gardner’s FE Lifestyle. She told me when she entered there wasn’t another horse she’d have chosen to tick this box with. Let’s cheer her on around this epic track!

8:33 a.m. ET: A heart-stopping moment for Oliver and Swallow Springs at the Leaf Pit, but they’ve made it through unscathed:

GIF via Burghley TV.

8:31 a.m. ET: Bouncy Cavalier Crystal is looking very much in her element in her Burghley and 5* debut with Harry:

GIF via Burghley TV.

8:28 a.m. ET: Well scores are showing Michael Owen and Bradeley Law have retired, most likely after that drive-by at the Leaf Pit. This won’t be the ending to his career Michael was hoping for, but what a star Bradeley Law has been for him. It’s been an honor to follow him. We will now be joined by Oliver Townend and Swallow Springs, who are currently in a tie with himself for second place. Jennie Saville and FE Lifestyle, our next U.S. pair, will follow Oliver.

8:27 a.m. ET: Wabbit is still looking keen as ever as Jessie navigates the Lions Bridge direct route. She’s a bit down on the clock but she will be close. Nothing runs like a Thoroughbred! She’s going to stop the clock less than a minute over — great round from these two!

8:25 a.m. ET Our trailblazer Harry Meade is back with his second ride, Cavalier Crystal. Michael Owen and Bradeley Law looked to not have made the jump at the C of the Leaf Pit but it looked like they continued on…

GIF via Burghley TV.

8:23 a.m. ET: Kristina Hall Jackson and CMS Google come home with some time and those unfortunate 20 penalties at the Dairy Mound. Jessie and Wabbit are over the Cottesmore Leap.

8:22 a.m. ET: Some highlights from Lauren Innes’ awesome round earlier:

8:19 a.m. ET: After a huge jump over the A, CMS Google has a runout at the B of the Dairy Mound combination. Jessie and Wabbit make quick work of the Trout Hatchery water. We are also joined on course by Michael Owen and Bradeley Law, who is running his final 5* this weekend at the age of 19 years young.

8:17 a.m. ET: Wabbit is super keen down the Leaf Pit and they are able to make the straight route work without trouble. Here’s a look at them earlier at the Defender Valley:

GIF via Burghley TV.

8:16 a.m. ET: A look at Kristina Hall Jackson and CMS Google making it happen at the bounces at the Trout Hatchery:

GIF via Burghley TV.

8:15 a.m. ET: Here we go with our next North American pair and sole Canadian representative today: Jessie Phoenix and Wabbit with the Cute Ears.

8:13 a.m. ET: Interesting choice here as Kristina Hall Jackson opts to go long at the Leaf Pit, perhaps because she felt CMS Google might be too keen off the drop and encounter the same trouble many others have. It pays off, and they stand off from the brush at C but make the line work.

8:12 a.m. ET: Matt Heath and Askari climb all over the B element of the Dairy Mound but leave the pins unscathed.

GIF via Burghley TV.

8:10 a.m. ET: CMS Google and Kristina Hall Jackson are our latest starters as we move toward the halfway mark. Andrew Heffernan has also opted to retire Harthill Phantom ahead of Cottesmore Leap.

8:10 a.m. ET: Highlights from Boyd and On Cue’s round:

8:07 a.m. ET: Askari and Matthew Heath are the latest to fall victim to the corner at the Maltings, also picking up a drive-by here but clear on the second attempt. Andrew Heffernan also has a drive-by at the Leaf Pit, coming in smoking hot to the brush and unable to make it work. The big brush oxer on an uphill approach ahead of this encourages a forward stride, but then you’ve got to have enough management to get the horse’s eye on the left or right-handed brush. Also an update: Emily King’s missed flag penalty has also been removed, so she’ll just be sitting on the 11 for the pin falling and time penalties.

8:05 a.m. ET: Dutch rider Andrew Heffernan now leaves the box with Harthill Phantom; this is Andrew’s first 5* start since 2017 and Harthill Phantom’s debut at the level.

8:04 a.m. ET: Alice Casburn and Topspin turn in a speedy round; they’ll collect 7.6 time but will but themselves well into contention for a strong finish with that scrappy round.

8:03 a.m. ET: Our latest starters are the very experienced Matthew Heath with a new 5* horse, Askari, who was produced through the 3* level by Dickie Waygood.

8:02 a.m. ET: Luc Chateau has retired after a glance-off at the B element of the Joules at the Maltings. This is set on a very forward four strides, requiring commitment and concentration on the part of horse and rider.

GIF via Burghley TV.

7:59 a.m. ET: To catch up on scores so far, our clubhouse leader is currently David Doel, who achieved a clear round inside the time with his first horse, Galileo Nieuwmoed, earlier today. He’s one of two clears inside the time — Wills Oaken and Oughterard Cooley are the other pair to earn the time so far. Luc Chateau has a hairy ride through the bounces at the Trout Hatchery, and Alice Casburn survives some trickiness at the Fairfax & Favor Keepers after a huge leap over the Cottesmore Leap:

GIF via Burghley TV.

7:58 a.m. ET: Francis brings DHI Purple Rain home quite well with some time, but much improvement from their last attempt here where the horse appeared to tire fairly early on.

7:55 a.m. ET: Our first of two French pairs, Luc Chateau and Viens du Mont out seeking their third 5* finish this weekend and their first Burghley together.

7:54 a.m. ET: A handful of horses have banked the massive Irish Horse Bank at 17, including DHI Purple Rain, who also almost takes out the cameraman on his way out!

GIF via Burghley TV.

7:51 a.m. ET: We’re now joined by 21-year-old Alice Casburn and Topspin, already with a Burghley and a Badminton under their belt and looking for a strong performance today. Here’s a look at Francis Whittington and DHI Purple Rain through the Trout Hatchery:

GIF via Burghley TV.

7:49 a.m. ET: Ah, bummer. Tim and Gaston have had another problem at the Joules at the Maltings and are now opting to retire.

7:44 a.m. ET: Francis Whittington and DHI Purple Rain are our next to see, looking for a Burghley completion after coming here last year and opting to retire on course.

7:43 a.m. ET: Lauren Innes and Global Fision finish with about a minute of time, and she looks thrilled. Nicely done! Meanwhile, Tim is the latest to have a glance-off at the brush at the Leaf Pit, another one to go for the bold, long stride to the final element and paying the price for it.

GIF via Burghley TV.

7:42 a.m. ET: Also some highlights from Harry Meade and Away Cruising’s pathfinding round:

7:39 a.m. ET: Lauren Innes is clear at the Cottesmore Leap with Global Fision M. Tim Cheffings (who is celebrating his 40th birthday today!) and Gaston are our new starters, looking for a first 5* completion this weekend.

7:36 a.m. ET: Phil Brown is our latest starter with Harry Robinson. They run into trouble at both Defender Valley and the Leaf Pit and have opted to call it a day.

7:31 a.m. ET: Here’s a glimpse at Wills Oakden’s cracking round earlier:

7:30 a.m. ET::

7:30 a.m. ET: Our first Kiwi of the day will be Lauren Innes (who celebrated her birthday yesterday — happy birthday!) and Global Fision M.

7:28 a.m. ET: Now Austin has a drive-by at the brush coming out of the Leaf Pit. He, much like Zara earlier, came in quite bold to the brush oxer and just couldn’t get Colorado Blue’s eye on the next question. Austin has opted to retire now, not much point to continue on without hope of competing — this horse certainly doesn’t need the extra mileage at this point.

GIF via Burghley TV.

7:27 a.m. ET: Austin O’Connor has to pony club kick “Salty” with his left leg to make the line to the big corner at Defender Valley, and they look to be getting into their stride as they carry on.

7:25 a.m. ET: RATS – Pencos Crown Jewel just catches a leg at the second of the pinned arrowheads at the Dairy Mound and sends Ros out the left-hand door. What a disappointing ending — highs and lows, man.

GIF via Burghley TV.

7:24 a.m. ET: Now here’s a pair I’ve been waiting to see: Ireland’s Austin O’Connor and the elite Colorado Blue.

7:22 a.m. ET: Oh no! Our latest starter, Christoph Forsberg, comes in a bit hot to Defender Valley’s upright rails and very nearly makes the save but can’t quite make it work and takes a tumble. He looks to be absolutely fine, though he’ll be salty about that early ending, to say the least.

GIF via Burghley TV.

7:20 a.m. ET: Ros is nicely through the Trout Hatchery with Pencos Crown Jewel.

GIF via Burghley TV.

7:18 a.m. ET: “I rode rubbish to a single fence and ended up having a rail at the pinned oxer. It was completely only my fault, but on the hard fences he was phenomenal — he was super,” Emily King says in the vet box. She notes that she dropped her whip at the MIM oxer and also felt her girth move up with the rub, so she contemplated pulling up until she heard some encouragement from the crowd. “I heard someone in the ground say “you’re doing a great job!”

7:16 a.m. ET: Greta Mason is still managing a very keen Cooley For Sure as they navigate the Dairy Mound at 20. Another one who’s struggled to get the control, but who also looks quite fit for the task.

7:14 a.m. ET: Here we goooooo – your reigning European Champion is underway with a horse that poses a serious threat this weekend: Ponchos Crown Jewel.

7:13 a.m. ET: Boyd’s 15 penalties for missing a flag have been removed, leaving him with just 10.8 time added aboard On Cue. That puts them onto a two-phase score of 42.6.

7:12 a.m. ET: Emily is home a little over 60 seconds past time and with that broken MIM and a missed flag at the Joules at the Maltings.

7:11 a.m. ET: Nicky Hill and MGH Bingo Boy are our latest starters. Emily King and Valmy Biats are at the Lions Bridge at 26/27.

7:08 a.m. ET: Emily and Valmy Biats seem to be no worse for the wear from their broken pin and are jumping well and on their way to Cottesmore Leap. Greta Mason had a drive-by at the Defender Valley early on at 5 with Cooley For Sure.

7:07 a.m. ET From an elated Alex Bragg: “I don’t know that any horse is going to finish as strong as that!”

7:06 a.m. ET: Yikes, Emily King and Valmy Biats break the pin quite hard at the Waterloo Rails at 12. They’ve continued on and look to be ok thus far.

GIF via Burghley TV.

7:05 a.m. ET: Zara is retiring just before the Cottesmore Leap, the same place where Oliver pulled up earlier. She’s been having to really encourage Class Affair and likely has decided it’s not going to be worthwhile to push for a finish.

7:02 a.m. ET: Alex and Quindiva are going to be over the time, but the mare looks exceptionally fit coming home — what a great round for this pair. Super impressive so far – a testament to the fitness of these horses we’ve seen to this point as well as the intelligent course design on the part of Derek. We’ll see if the time proves to be catchable for more pairs, but so far we’re seeing horses looking well as they finish which is the top priority.

GIF via Burghley TV.

7:01 a.m. ET: Class Affair knocks the bounces coming into the water at the Trout Hatchery and Zara is really needing to ride this gelding in the earlier going.

6:59 a.m. ET: Quindiva is still looking really well in herself as she navigates the Irish Horse Bank at 17, on Winners’ Avenue. Emily King now leaves the box in her first Burghley with Valmy Biats.

6:58 a.m. ET: Oh gosh, Zara Tindall just loses her center after a big distance at the brush oxer coming out of the Leaf Pit and then cannot make the line to the brush work. That’ll be a disappointing and unlucky 20 for this pair.

6:57 a.m. ET: Harry Mutch brings home Shanbeg Cooley with the 20 penalties at the Leaf Pit and about 40 seconds of time.

6:56 a.m. ET: From Boyd: “She’s a legend horse. About halfway around she really felt that hill going up to the Trout Hatchery and I sort of thought to myself if I push her any faster she might be out of petrol by the end. I just love her to bits and got her home a bit over the time.”

6:55 a.m. ET: Zara Tindall is now away with the experienced Class Affair.

6:51 a.m. ET: Boyd has a missed flag penalty from the Joules at the Maltings — I don’t think I saw that combination so not sure what it looked like. He brings Cue home about 30 seconds over the time, and she looked quite well within herself galloping home. We’ll see what happens with the flag.

She’s 17 years young! GIF via Burghley TV.

6:50 a.m. ET: Alex Bragg now joins us with the mare Quindiva.

6:48 a.m. ET: Boyd sails over the Cottesmore Leap at 18. He loses his balance a bit at the Fairfax and Favor Keepers but keeps himself in the tack. Cue kicks out the red flag at the second MIM-pinned arrowhead at the Dairy Mound but she’s clear through.

GIF via Burghley TV.

6:47 a.m. ET: Tom brings Luna Mist home 47 seconds over with this first-timer — a really nice first round for this mare. I will be keen to see her develop with this big experience under her belt. Harry has picked up a 20 at the Leaf Pit, with the 9-year-old Shanbeg Cooley just getting a bit of an extra peek at the big drop. Listen, I would need a second too, I get it.

6:46 a.m. ET: Harry Mutch now joins us with his first of two rides today, Shanbeg Cooley. Luna Mist is boldly through the Lions Bridge on her way home.

6:44 a.m. ET: A really nice trip through the Trout Hatchery for Boyd.

GIF via Burghley TV.

6:43 a.m. ET: Boyd and Cue are neatly through the Defender Valley at 8 as David Doel finishes inside the time by a whopping 14 seconds. Jonelle notes that she felt many people would catch the time today. Boyd chooses the left handed option through the Leaf Pit.

6:40 a.m. Luna Mist has a HUGE jump through the bounces at the Trout Hatchery, just showing her greenness a bit — but hey, she’s enthusiastic! Tom’s task will be to keep her energy contained to save it, and also to keep her confidence up. Boyd is away!

6:39 a.m. ET: Next out will be our first U.S. pair, Boyd Martin and Maryland 5 Star winner On Cue. Let’s goooooooo! Enjoy Boyd’s hype video to get you amped:

6:38 a.m. ET: Tom McEwen navigates the Leaf Pit and takes the left-handed corner option with this greener horse, who’s quite keen and impressed by the crowds in this early going.

6:36 a.m. ET: Wills is inside the time! 11 minutes, 2 seconds — what a class round. This is one of the toughest courses in terms of terrain and stamina demand, and this horse set an example of fitness today. Also, I’m a big fan of how these bounces at the Trout Hatchery ride (as demonstrated by David Doel):

GIF via Burghley TV.

6:35 a.m. ET: Both Wills and David are having absolute cracking rounds so far, with their horses looking really fit and within themselves at this point. We now see Tokyo Olympian Tom McEwen on course with Luna Mist, a 10-year-old 5* debutant who’s also a newer ride for him.

6:30 a.m. ET: “I think everything was sort of as expected. I think he was a good yardstick for everyone to watch and get a good indication of the course,” Harry says of Away Cruising. We’re also joined now by David Doel and Galileo Nieuwmoed.

6:29 a.m. ET: We now are joined by Wills Oaken and Oughterard Cooley, who have finished as well as 12th here at Burghley. Also, some unfortunate news for Oliver as it looks like his left rein has snapped with no hope of getting it back, forcing his retirement just before the Cottesmore Leap at 18.

6:28 a.m. ET: Harry and Away Cruising are home! They will pick up about a minute of time plus those 15 penalties for the missed flag.

6:26 a.m. ET: Harry and Away Cruising jump the widest part of the corner at Capability’s Cutting and has to come back around for the option. He also opts for the option at the Lions Bridge at 26/27.

GIF via Burghley TV.

6:24 a.m. ET: Harry Meade is riding Away Cruising strongly as they get to the back third of the track, having done quite a bit of uphill climbing to this point. Away Cruising is a bit tired, but he is responding well to Harry’s aids. Tregilder is clear through the Trout Hatchery water.

6:23 a.m. ET: Oliver kicks out the white flag at the corner out of the Leaf Pit as Harry sails over the Cottesmore Leap at 18.

GIF via Burghley TV.

6:21 a.m. ET: Harry is clear at the Joules at the Maltings — a notoriously huge combination that requires a brave, attacking stride to make the distances work.

6:19 a.m. ET: Jonelle notes that she feels the Trout Hatchery (11 and 12) is “a bit of a let-up” this year. The bounce into the water rides quite well for Harry and Away Cruising. Meanwhile, Oliver Townend is away with his first of three rides, Tregilder.

6:15 a.m. ET: And that whistle means we’re away! Harry Meade and Away Cruising are away, and we’re treated to commentary from Tina Cook and Jonelle Price to kick us off. This is Away Cruising’s eight appearance at this level, and he’ll be looking to be a competitive pathfinder for Harry today.

Liz Halliday Retains Adequan Advanced Championship Lead at #AEC2023

By on Aug 31, 2023 12:57 pm -

Liz Halliday and Miks Master C. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Time proved to be a determining factor, as it often is here at the Kentucky Horse Park, on the Jay Hambly-designed Adequan Advanced Championship cross country this morning to kick off Thursday at the USEA American Eventing Championships, presented by Nutrena Feeds. Liz Halliday left the start box with the goal of letting Miks Master C, owned by Ocala Horse Properties and Deborah Palmer, gallop within himself, but without taking any unnecessary risks. She had about 11 seconds of time in hand to hold her lead, and she needed just 8 of them to cross the finish flags, putting her on a score of 26.3 with a rail in hand to win the whole shebang tomorrow evening.

“He’s amazing,” Liz said after her ride. “He’s an amazing horse. He made everything feel very easy. He was with me the whole way. I got a little bit of a head of steam on me at the end -— I had a little moment when some people ran in front of me in front of a jump -— so I actually slowed him up a bit at the end. I think I would have made time otherwise.”

Liz Halliday and Miks Master C. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Indeed, it’s a good reminder to keep an eye out when a track isn’t roped, though a few things contributed to the perfect storm as Liz neared the fourth fence from home, a big table on top of the hill. After the preceding rider had some trouble on course, Liz found herself right on her heels and came to this fence quicker than anticipated. Without a whistle warning, some spectators were in the path of the fence. It’s tricky — I found myself being overly cautious all morning as the whistles were infrequent and the horses were coming quickly. Liz and Mikki gave the table a hard rub and had to then reorganize strongly down the hill to the final combination.

Nonetheless, this run ticks the preparation box, as Liz and the 11-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding by Mighty Magic are headed for the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile in October. “I think it will be a great opportunity to ride around [a course by] the course designer from the Olympics with him because I hope he’s my Olympic horse,” Liz said. “Mikki’s done a lot of amazing, big things in the last year, and it will be nice to be in a championship situation but not put a gun to his head at the big level. I think it will be really useful for him ahead of next year.”

Phillip Dutton and Z. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Phillip Dutton delivered three quick and clear cross country trips today, moving up into second and third with Z (31.5) and Azure (32.0), respectively.

Z (Asca Z – Bella Bouche B by Babouche vh Gehucht Z), the most experienced of the bunch, is preparing for the 5* at Pau this fall. He added four time penalties to his mark for a two-phase score of 31.5.

“He’s such a professional cross country horse,” Phillip said of Z, who is owned by Evie Dutton, Ann Jones, Suzanne Lacy, Caroline Moran, Tom Tierney, David and Patricia Vos. “And, you know, it’s his first run since Aachen and I was wanting to be competitive, but I didn’t want go to 100%. So it’s a little hard — I didn’t measure the course, didn’t know where the minute markers were, I just sort of stuck to the speed that I thought was efficient and competitive and ended up a little bit over eight seconds. But he didn’t have a bad fence. It was really such a pleasure to ride cross country — once I get him in the start box!”

Phillip Dutton and Azure. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Azure (Omar – Cavalier Roselier, by Cavalier Royale), a ride acquired after being previously campaigned by Ireland’s Esib Power, is showing a lot of promise for Phillip as she continues to gain experience. Connected to Phillip via Fernhill Sporthorses’ Carol Gee, Azure had already competed at the Advanced level when he took the reins. Here, he gives much credit to Esib for the foundational work she put in with the mare, who is 11 this year. Azure is owned by Anne, Caroline, and Michael Moran.

“She’s very speedy,” Phillip said. “That was her first round since Bromont, but she did it well within herself. It wasn’t that hard on her. She’s a real genuine galloping, what I would think would be a five-star horse.”

“I haven’t done much with her cross country, Esib did a great job,” he continued. “It’s very rare you buy a horse and the first time you go cross country, it feels like your horse, you know, and that was right from day one. I’m not saying that I don’t school her a bit because she still needs that but she’s just natural at it and was produced well before that in that phase.”

Phillip’s third horse, Denim, owned by Ann Lapides, Caroline Moran, and Neill Sites, also delivered a clear round in the Advanced, preparing for his first overseas trip to the Nations Cup leg at Boekelo (Netherlands) in October.

Leah Lang Gluscic and AP Prime. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Just two pairs caught the optimum time of 6 minutes, 56 seconds: Phillip and Azure and Leah Lang-Gluscic and the OTTB AP Prime, who at 18 years young still relishes a big, beefy cross country track and leapt from 22nd to sit seventh overnight as a result. Canada’s Karl Slezak and Hot Bobo, who have emerged as one of the top pairs for the Canadians this year, came very close with just one second of time in a top-class round that moved them up from 14th into fifth place.

Will Coleman and Off the Record. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Will Coleman and the Off the Record Syndicate’s Off the Record enjoyed a nice romp in preparation for Pau, collecting a few time penalties to finish the day in fourth place.

Karl Slezak and Hot Bobo. Photo by Sally Spickard.

The Advanced track rode well for the majority of riders, though there were some issues scattered throughout.

The day is far from over, as we have cross country running for the Training divisions, dressage for the Novice riders, and show jumping for Preliminary, Modified and Intermediate, which will jump under the lights this evening in Rolex Stadium. We’ll be back later on with more news from #AEC2023! Thanks for following along, and be sure to also follow the USEA as they’ve got a full team covering all divisions here this week.

#AEC2023 (Lexington, KY): [Website] [Entries] [Schedule] [Live Stream] [Volunteer] [EN’s Coverage]

EN’s coverage of #AEC2023 is brought to you by hometown hero Kentucky Performance Products and Ocala Horse Properties.

Who Jumped It Best? USEA AEC Intermediate Championship Edition

By on Aug 31, 2023 10:00 am -

We all love a good Who Jumped It Best, and I’ll be doing my best to bring you more of these from other divisions at #AEC2023 this week. Let’s kick things off with a smattering of options from the USEA Open Intermediate Championship, part of the 2023 American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds.

You know the drill: cast your vote below for the pair you feel presents the best overall picture in this captured moment in time. Eternal EN karma to the winner! Best of luck and Go Eventing.

Alina Patterson and Flashback. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Anna Pierce and Obiejohn. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Will Coleman and Diabolo. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Liz Halliday and Shanroe Cooley. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Jenny Roberts and Trendy Fernhill. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Kelly Ransom and Heart of Hollywood. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Lea Blackmore and Frostbite. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Maddie Hale and Cinzano 87. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Maxine Preston and Want to Be Cooley. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Olivia Miller and Cooley Starstruck. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Rory Frangos and Monty’s Tune. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Sharon White and Shirsheen Ice. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Lindsay Traisnel and Bacyrouge. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Woods Baughman and Kamara CFF. Photo by Sally Spickard.

#AEC2023 (Lexington, KY): [Website] [Entries] [Schedule] [Live Stream] [Volunteer] [EN’s Coverage]

EN’s coverage of #AEC2023 is brought to you by hometown hero Kentucky Performance Products and Ocala Horse Properties.

Liz Halliday Leads $60,000 Adequan Advanced Final at AEC + More from Day 2 in Kentucky

By on Aug 30, 2023 7:00 pm -

Liz Halliday and Miks Master C. Photo by Sally Spickard.

We are in the full swing of things here at the Kentucky Horse Park, site of this year’s USEA American Eventing Championships, presented by Nutrena Feeds.

Today we saw the kickoff of the $60,000 Adequan Advanced Final, which features a 29-strong roster of top contenders currently led by Kentucky 5* podium finishers Liz Halliday and Miks Master C (Mighty Magic – Qui Lumba CBF, by Quite Easy). Liz delivered a polished test with “Mikki”, who’s out for his first run since he finished fifth individually (and silver in team competition) at CHIO Aachen earlier this summer.

“I was for the most part really pleased with that,” Liz said after her test, which earned a 23.1 and some cushion ahead of her next competitor. Earlier in the day, she’d been first down centerline with Ocala Horse Properties’ Deniro Z (Zapatero – Zonne-Trend by French Buffet xx). Deniro isn’t far off the leading mark, sitting fourth after dressage on a score of 28.9. “Just a couple of little things that weren’t quite how I wanted them, but I hope they mark him well, because I thought all in all, it was a good test.”

Strength in the hind end has been a big focus for Liz with the 11-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding, who is owned by Ocala Horse Properties and Debby Palmer. “The biggest thing is he’s asymmetric behind, so it’s really about keeping him strong without wearing him out in the warm-up. He offers so much in the ring, so much power, so you just want him to be able to deliver his best self.”

Just named to the U.S. eventing squad for the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile in October, Liz will use this weekend as a set-up — but don’t think that means she won’t want to compete for the win here at AEC.

“I mean, I’d like to be competitive,” she said. “I’m definitely going to try and run Deniro competitively as well. It doesn’t suit Mikki to go slow, so I think I’ll let him gallop within himself, but not take any undue risks.” She will have about 11 seconds of time in hand over second-placed Phillip Dutton and Z (27.5) on tomorrow’s cross country course.

Phillip Dutton and Z. Photo by Sally Spickard.

For his part, Phillip noted that his work with FEI dressage rider Arlene “Tuny” Page has been instrumental in continuing to fine-tune Z (Asca Z – Bella Bouche B by Babouche vh Gehucht Z), who is owned by Evie Dutton, Ann Jones, Suzanne Lacy, Caroline Moran, Tom Tierney, David and Patricia Vos. At 15 this year, Z has become a fairly consistent and competitive performer on the flat — but as Phillip knows well, there are always details to tune.

“I got two days of help from Tuny Page and it’s been really, really helpful in the whole process of getting him going and how it’s going to look in the ring,” Phillip elaborated. “Improving the contact and the connection and just overall how to present him and look in the best possible way.”

Phillip says he’s on a mission with Z to get to as many 5*s in the world as possible (though the jury’s still out on Australia; I told him it would be an epic homecoming of all homecomings and he laughed at me, so I’m not sure what that means. Just do it, Phillip, just do it.), which means this fall he’s got a ticket booked for the 5* at Pau (France).

Will Coleman and Off the Record. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Will Coleman secured third place after the first phase with the Off the Record Syndicate’s Off the Record (Arkansas VDL – Drumagoland Bay by Ard Ohio), scoring a 28.1 in a test Will was generally pleased with.

“He was a little spunky,” Will said of “Timmy”. “He came out and I was warming up and think he saw the cross country going — I think like probably a lot of horses today. He got pretty juiced about that, and he was just a little bit on the muscle. I wasn’t unhappy with him, but it’s not maybe it’s the best test. And that’s okay, you know, he’s in a good place, and we’ll go and hopefully have a good run tomorrow and then jump along on Friday.”

Will Coleman and Chin Tonic HS. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Coleman in Charge of Intermediate Championship

Will Coleman will also take first and second position ahead of the final phase of competition in the USEA Open Intermediate Championship, leading the way with Hyperion Stud’s Chin Tonic HS (Chin Champ – Wildera by Quinar), who added 4.4 time penalties to retain the lead earned in the dressage yesterday.

Will chose to drop “Chin” down to this Intermediate championship after first entering the Advanced. After the Holsteiner gelding had a small respiratory setback over the summer, Will felt he would be more competitive dropping down a level. “I think it started with maybe some allergies. But then he developed like a cold and I had to be very careful with him for about three and a half weeks. So I’ve only kind of just over the past three or four weeks, I’ve been able to get him now geared back up, headed towards Pau and I just thought, I’ve kind of not really been able to put the right amount of preparation into him to come to the AECs and do the Advanced class.”

Cross country today on both Chin Tonic as well as new ride Diabolo was just pure fun, Will said. “I had a ton of fun out there actually,” he explained. “Both horses just felt like they were kind of just playing around and having a good time. They both kind of came out of the box pretty keen and just said, let’s go. And they were awesome.”

Will Coleman and Diabolo. Photo by Sally Spickard.

After receiving a video from agent Sharon Ridgeway about a horse available in Australia, Will wasn’t immediately interested. In fact, it was Will’s wife, Katie, who was first keen on Diabolo (Diarado – Roulett M, by Aljano 2). Previously campaigned through the 4* level by Australian rider Gemma Tinney, Katie saw something promising as she sat on the couch watching the cross country video Sharon had sent.

“To be honest, Katie was sitting on the couch and she watched [the video] and she goes, ‘I think you need to go look at this horse’. She watched him go cross country and she said ‘I’m serious, I think this horse might like it.’ And to be honest, if she hadn’t said that I might not have paid that much attention.”

Before he knew it, Will was hopping a plane with his father to jet down to Australia for a quick three day trip (no word on how long that jet lag took to recover from) to try the horse. “We tried [Diabolo] every day for three days and a couple times one day, and we kind of liked him more and more every time we rode him. And I’m very grateful to Tinneys and to Sharon for trusting me with him — now I’ve just got to produce him.”

Adjusting to the Northern Hemisphere was difficult for Diabolo, so Will’s taken his time to get him out competing. There’s also the layer of getting to know a horse with as much experience as this one; typically, Will (like most riders) would prefer to make his own mark on his horses from a younger age. “I’m used to starting them much younger,” he said. “So it just wasn’t something I was 100% comfortable with. But we liked the horse and the more I talked to my owners, the more they kind of recognized that I have a really aging string, and I needed a horse.” Will’s current roster of upper-level horses is the smallest it’s ever been at this point in time, and as with any top rider a pipeline and a string of top horses is, well, not the only way to “make it” in this sport — but is certainly a major benefit.

“[My owners] stepped up for me. So I really owe it all to them, and for them giving me a little push to say ‘it’s alright, we got your back’, because that meant the world. And now I think we’re at a stage where we need to sort of retool a little bit. We’re short horses, the smallest group of horses, I’ve had in like, ten years. So this horse fills a nice hole, but we probably still have a few holes to fill.”

Caroline Pamukcu held the lead in the Intermediate for a short while after the scores recorded a double clear cross country. Upon finalization, two seconds of time were added to her score to drop her and HSH Double Sixteen into third place (though they still moved up three places after starting the week in sixth).

The 8-year-old former racehorse joined Caroline while she was basing in England last year after starting his career with Ireland’s Leila Barker. “Leila did a really good job of teaching him everything, getting a good foundation on the flatwork and foundation of jumping,” Caroline described. Strength and fitness has been the focus for this young talent, and Caroline’s hoping to aim for either the 4*-S at Morven Park or the 3*-L at Maryland this fall as his bigger goal.

Score Updates from Preliminary, Modified, Training

With much going on each day, it’s difficult to fully cover every division, but let’s take a look at the scores in the rest of the equally important divisions! The awesome team at the USEA is working hard to ensure every division is covered in full, so be sure to follow along with their reports here.

Bates Preliminary Amateur: Kelly Beaver and Excel Star Pluto (33.9)
Bates Preliminary Horse: Elisabeth Halliday and Maybach (25.8)
Bates Preliminary JR/YR: Annabelle Sprague and Da Vinci Code (29.2)
Bates USEA Preliminary Rider: Ashton Hays and A Boy Named Rozy (31.9)

[Catch up on the USEA’s report from Prelim]

USEA Modified Rider: Carlin Keefe and Point Nemo (28.8)
USEA Modified Open: Chelsey Sawtell and Toto’s Weather Tamer (31.7)

[Catch up on USEA’s report from Modified]

USEA Training Amateur: Stephanie Letarte and GarryNdruig Albie (25.5)
USEA Training Horse: Jane Jennings and SF Vancouver 2 (26.0)
USEA Training Junior: Marina Cassou and Castleturvin Mungo (29.6)
USEA Training Rider: Sierra Lesny and Sebastian (24.2)

[Catch up on the USEA’s report from Training]

The action continues tomorrow, beginning with cross country for the Advanced competitors. Training level will also run cross country tomorrow. Novice will begin their competition with dressage, and we’ll welcome the Beginner Novice competitors starting Friday. There’s much to see and do, and you can follow along virtually using the Horse & Country live stream here.

If you’re an Instagram user, be sure to follow us (@goeventing) tomorrow (Thursday) for a takeover with Caroline Pamukcu and Sierra Lesny. Go Eventing!

#AEC2023 (Lexington, KY): [Website] [Entries] [Schedule] [Live Stream] [Volunteer] [EN’s Coverage]

EN’s coverage of #AEC2023 is brought to you by hometown hero Kentucky Performance Products and Ocala Horse Properties.

How to Follow Defender Burghley CCI5* This Weekend

By on Aug 30, 2023 9:00 am -

Ros Canter and Pencos Crown Jewel. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

Today is the day!

The 2023 Defender Burghley CCI5* is very nearly underway, and we’ll finally get our first peek at the horses and riders competing this week at today’s First Horse Inspection.

You can watch all of the action, including the jogs, live on Burghley TV — one of the best live streaming options available in our sport with comprehensive coverage and a full catalog of archived streams. The subscription will run you $25 and some change in the U.S., and it will grant you access to this event as well as the on-demand replays and archived content — not a bad deal! Click here to sign up.

Here are the provisional start times each day:

Wednesday August 30
First Horse Inspection – 4 p.m. BST / 11 a.m. EST / 8 a.m. PST

Thursday August 31
Dressage – 9 a.m. BST / 4 a.m. EST / 1 a.m. PST

Friday September 1
Dressage – 9 a.m. BST / 4 a.m. EST / 1 a.m. PST

Saturday September 2
Cross Country – 11 a.m. BST / 6 a.m. EST / 3 a.m. PST

Sunday September 3
Final Horse Inspection – 9 a.m. BST / 4 a.m. EST / 1 a.m. PST
Show Jumping Session 1 – 11:30 a.m. BST / 6:30 a.m. EST / 3:30 a.m. PST
Show Jumping Session 2 – 2:30 p.m. BST / 9:30 a.m. BST / 6:30 a.m. PST
Awards to follow show jumping

Stay tuned for much more to come right here on EN from our reporter-at-large, Tilly Berendt! Go Eventing.

EN’s coverage of Burghley is presented by Kentucky Performance Products. Click here to learn all about their full line of science-backed nutritional support products, including Neigh-Lox Advanced for digestive support.

Defender Burghley Horse Trials Links: Website | Live Stream | Entries | EN’s Coverage

AEC Day One: Scores and Photos from Eventing Heaven

By on Aug 29, 2023 5:00 pm -

Lea Adams Blackmore and Frostbite. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Day one of official competition is in the books at the USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds. The Adequan Advanced Final will get underway tomorrow, along with the Training and Novice divisions, with Beginner Novice beginning later in the week.

We’ll have much more coming your way all throughout this week, including lots of fun over on our Instagram (@goeventing): we’ll be doing a takeover with Liz Halliday on Wednesday, August 30 and with Caroline Pamukcu and Sierra Lesny on Thursday August 31.

You can also check out the various Jay Hambly-designed cross country tracks all levels will be tackling thanks to the hard work of our friends at Cross Country App here.

Will Coleman and Diabolo. Photo by Sally Spickard.

With one day in the books for the Intermediate, Preliminary, and Modified riders, let’s check in on who’s leading what:

USEA Intermediate Championship: Will Coleman and Chin Tonic HS (25.3)
Bates USEA Preliminary Amateur Championship: Lisa Borgia and Silmarillion (28.8)
Bates USEA Preliminary Horse Championship: Liz Halliday and Newmarket Cooley (25.7)
Bates USEA Preliminary Junior/Young Rider Championship: Lizzie Hoff and HSH Limited Edition (28.9)
Bates USEA Preliminary Rider Championship: Susan Moessner and Satin Art (25.7)
USEA Modified Rider Championship: Darlene Walters and Concord Dawn (27.7)
USEA Open Modified Championship: Marty Riney and George Alexander (28.1)

You can view full scores and ride times here. Enjoy a handful of shots from today, and I’ll be back with much more tomorrow! Go Eventing.

#AEC2023 (Lexington, KY): [Website] [Entries] [Schedule] [Live Stream] [Volunteer] [EN’s Coverage]

EN’s coverage of #AEC2023 is brought to you by hometown hero Kentucky Performance Products and Ocala Horse Properties.

Tuesday Video Break: Go Eventing with Elisa Wallace and Lissavorra Quality

By on Aug 29, 2023 2:00 pm -

I love a great helmet cam, but I think I might love a vlog from a pro rider even more. There’s just something about getting to go behind the scenes and find out exactly how a top rider tackles a competition. Luckily, Elisa Wallace is one such pro who’s always willing to bring us along for the ride. In her latest vlog, she shares her weekend competing with Donna Biggs & Rosemarie Spillane’s Lissavorra Quality, a 7-year-old Irish mare by OBOS Quality.

Listen and watch while Elisa shares bits and bobs from each phase of competition at the Ocala Summer H.T., where they finished fourth in their Open Preliminary division.

You can find much more from Elisa on her YouTube channel here.

How to Follow the USEA American Eventing Championships All Week Long

By on Aug 29, 2023 8:00 am -

Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Today marks the beginning of an epic week of eventing at the iconic Kentucky Horse Park, which plays host to the USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds both this year and in 2024.

The schedule for AEC is staggered, with horses arriving and starting competition throughout the week. Today we’ll see the first divisions — Intermediate, Preliminary, and Modified — get us formally underway with their dressage competition. Advanced and Training begin tomorrow, Novice begins Thursday, and Beginner Novice begins Friday.

If you can’t be here with us in person, never fear! The USEA has teamed up with Horse & Country to provide a live stream — some portions of which will be shown at no cost — throughout the week. Here’s a look at the full live stream schedule (click here to access the main live stream page):

You will need to have an H&C+ subscription (use code EVENTINGNATION15 to get 15% off your annual membership!) to view some of the live stream.

Stay tuned here and on our Instagram (@goeventing) for much more from on the ground at #AEC2023!

#AEC2023 (Lexington, KY): [Website] [Entries] [Schedule] [Live Stream] [Volunteer] [EN’s Coverage]

EN’s coverage of #AEC2023 is brought to you by hometown hero Kentucky Performance Products and Ocala Horse Properties.

Caroline Pamukcu and King’s Especiale Move to CCI4*-S Lead at MARS Great Meadow International

By on Aug 26, 2023 8:00 pm -

Caroline Pamukcu and King’s Especiale. Photo by Erin Gilmore Photography.

Quite a few changes were made to the leaderboard today at the MARS Great Meadow International in The Plains, VA, where we saw the top divisions tackle Chris Barnard’s show jumping course late in the afternoon to beat some of the notorious summer heat. When the dust settled, the lead had changed hands, and then changed hands once more after the top two 4* pairs opted to withdraw their horses for another day.

After the withdrawal of both Boyd Martin with Luke 140 and Will Coleman with Diabolo, who had initially tied for the lead following show jumping, Caroline Pamukcu now moves into the CCI4*-S lead with the 8-year-old King’s Especiale (Connect – Cha Cha Cha Special). A part of Caroline’s string since his five-year-old year, “King” was Caroline’s first major syndication, now owned by Redfield King’s HX Group made up of Gayle Davis, Paul Hendrix, Emil Spadone, and Derek Strine.

“He’s my first real syndication horse and I just think the world of him,” Caroline said. This year, she’s taken a new approach of splitting her entries up at more shows, meaning she has fewer horses to ride each time. “It’s so I have more time to focus on each horse because they’re so individual,” she explained. With three here this weekend (newer ride Cascadella 8, owned by Sherrie Martin and Derek Strine as well as HSH Vamanos, who’s come back from an injury sustained on his first gallop in England last year and is preparing to go up to 4* to close the year), Caroline says it’s been a useful approach for giving each horse the attention they need.

Following show jumping, 12 pairs withdrew, many citing hard summer ground as the incentive to do so. Boyd’s horses, Luke 140 (owned by the Luke 140 Syndicate) and Fedarman B (owned by the Annie Goodwin Syndicate), who each had a strong showing at Luhmühlen’s CCI5* in June, will be saved for their respective final fall 5* preps — Luke 140 is aiming at the Maryland 5 Star along with stablemate Contessa, while Fedarman B will travel to France for the 5* at Pau at the end of October.

Will Coleman and Diabolo. Photo by Erin Gilmore Photography.

Will Coleman also opted to withdraw Diabolo (Diarado – Roulette M), who’s only recently been acquired from Australian 4* rider Gemma Tinney and this week would have been his third event with Will in the irons. “He’s a new horse, we got him in February from Australia,” Will commented. “The transition from Australia is pretty tough on them, and we’re giving ‘Dab’ time to adjust as needed. We’re very much a work in progress, but I’m excited about the horse and hoping for a big future with him. I’m very thankful to the people who made it possible for me to acquire him — they’re a wonderful group of owners to have involved in him.”

With those withdrawals, Lillian Heard Wood now moves into second position with Debby Greenspan’s Dassett Olympus (36.4), and Lucia Strini and Plain Dealing Farm’s Excel Cool Quality move into third (37.6). We can anticipate the remaining pairs to take the pressure off making the time, so the competition remains anyone’s game at this stage and will be primarily used to set these horses up for their fall seasons.

Lizzie Hoff and Cooley On Show. Photo by Erin Gilmore Photography.

Looking to the other divisions, here’s a breakdown of your leaders and the winners crowned on Saturday:

Lynn Symansky and Katherine Coleman’s Idefix Van De Crumelhaeve (going to have to work on the pronunciation of this one!) currently lead the way after two phases in the 3*-S competition on a score of 26.9. “Iddy” is a newer addition to Lynn’s program as of last year.

Mike Pendleton and Kara Angulo’s Adorrado were crowned 2*-S winners, adding just a few seconds of time on cross country to finish the weekend on a score of 29.4.

Lizzie Hoff took home the Preliminary A win aboard former Sharon White ride Cooley On Show, who’s now been partnered with Lizzie since earlier this year. The pair moved up from ninth after dressage to collect the win on a score of 38.3.

EN’s own Ema Klugman was victorious in the Preliminary B with FVF Wildflower, one of the youngest on Ema’s growing string of #supermares. They finish their weekend on a score of 31.6.

Katie Lichten and her own HTS Jenson R were the winners of the U-25 2*-S division, earning the win on a score of 31.4. Ben Noonan and Street Fighter are currently in charge of the U-25 3* and 4* combined contest, with the winner determined tomorrow following cross country.

Cross country for the 3* and 4* divisions will be streamed live on Horse & Country — you can access the live stream with your H&C+ membership or one-time viewing pass here. The 3*-S division will run first beginning at 9 a.m. EST, following by the 4*-S at 12:41 p.m. EST. You can find the schedule and orders of go here.

We’ll be back tomorrow with a final report! Until then, keep cool and Go Eventing.

EN’s coverage of MARS Great Meadow International is brought to you by Kentucky Performance Products. Click here to learn about just one of their science-backed nutritional supplements, Equi-Jewel, for the hard keeper in your barn who needs the calories but not the extra grain.

MARS Great Meadow International: [Website] [Entries] [Tickets] [Schedule/Ride Times] [Scoring] [Live Stream] [Volunteer] [EN’s Coverage]

US Equestrian Names Eventing Team for 2023 Pan American Games

By on Aug 23, 2023 5:30 pm -

Graphic via US Equestrian.

Let’s go, girls!

US Equestrian has just announced the eventing squad that will travel to Santiago, Chile this fall for the 2023 Pan American Games. Please join us in congratulating the following combinations for their selection:

  • Sydney Elliott (Benton, La.) and QC Diamantaire, a 2010 Oldenburg gelding owned by Carol Stephens
  • Liz Halliday (Ocala, Fla.) and Miks Master C, a 2012 Swedish Warmblood gelding owned by Debby Palmer and the Ocala Horse Properties, LLC
    • Direct Reserve: Cooley Nutcracker, a 2014 Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by The Nutcracker Syndicate
  • Caroline Pamukcu (Miami Beach, Fla.) and HSH Blake, a 2015 Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by Mollie Hoff, Sherrie Martin and Caroline Pamukcu
  • Sharon White (Summit Point, W.V.) and Claus 63, her own 2012 Holsteiner gelding
  • Traveling Reserve: Tamie Smith (Murrieta, Calif.) and Kynan, a 2015 KWPN gelding owned by Kynan Syndicate LLC

A full list of alternates was also selected:

  • Jacob Fletcher (North Little Rock, Ark.) and Fabian, a 2010 KWPN gelding owned by Fletcher Farms
  • Hannah Sue Hollberg (Kennett Square, Penn.) and Capitol H I M, a 2007 Holsteiner gelding owned by Christa B. Schmidt
  • Dan Kreitl (Muncie, Ind.) and Carmango, a 2013 Westphalian gelding owned by Kay Dixon
  • Alyssa Phillips (Fort Worth, Texas) and Oskar, a 2009 Holsteiner gelding owned by Julie Phillips
  • Tamie Smith (Murrieta, Calif.) and Elliot V, a 2009 Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Elliot V Partnership

The Pan American Games this year serve as an opportunity to develop pipeline talent, both horse and rider, with the pressure of Olympic qualification off the U.S.’ shoulders following their silver medal finish at World Championships in 2022.

The competition will be run as a hybrid 3*-L/4*-L: athletes will have a 4*-L level test (CCI4* Test B for the dressage) in the dressage and show jumping (1.25m max height), and a 3*-L level test on cross country (8-10 minute optimum time, 550 meters/minute).

The eventing portion of competition in Chile will commence on October 26 with the first horse inspection. Athletes will then compete over October 27-29, with medals awarded following show jumping on the 29th.

You can follow more from #Santiago2023 on the official website here. More information on the equestrian competition, including full nominated entries when available, can be found here. 

Tuesday Video Break: Flashback to Burghley 2018 with Tim Price and Ringwood Sky Boy

By on Aug 22, 2023 1:30 pm -

I’m in an all-out Burghley mood today, which means I’ve spent more time than I’d like to admit digging through videos from past years. One of my favorite videos is always a voiceover helmet cam, in which the rider talks us through their round. This time, we’ve got the additional layer of SAP data added to the viewer’s screen, which shows the speed, position, minute marker, and other points of reference throughout.

For this go-round, we’ll revisit the 2018 running of Burghley, which would eventually be won by New Zealand’s Tim Price and Ringwood Sky Boy.

“It’s always been a dream to do Burghley, ever since watching Andrew, Toddy, Blyth and those guys,” Tim said on that big weekend. “We got inspired as youngsters, watching it on the television. To be doing it is unbelievable — beyond my wildest dreams. It’s everything, isn’t it — it’s Burghley! I like to think of myself as a very natural rider; a horseman who’s just going through the motions of the competition. That’s my background — I work with young horses from the bottom on up, and I just look at Burghley as a place that exemplifies all of that. So to come here and to win it is pretty cool. It’s going to take a while to sink in. It’s amazing — amazing.”

What’s on Tap: How to Watch and Follow MARS Great Meadow International This Weekend

By on Aug 22, 2023 12:00 pm -

Will Coleman and Off the Record. Photo by Erin Gilmore Photography.

A strong roster of 23 horses and riders are entered in the marquee CCI4*-S at MARS Great Meadow International in The Plains, VA this weekend, giving us a glimpse at both some new Advanced horses making their first steps toward the ultimate 4*-L or 5* goal as well as some seasoned campaigners beginning to prep for their respective fall destinations. The popular summer hot-spot for eventing offers FEI competition from 2*-S up to 4*-S, as well as a Preliminary division. It’s also a spectator-friendly event with plenty to do, eat, drink, and see — and there are still some options available for tailgating and other hospitality perks if you want to check them out here.

As has been tradition for the past few seasons, the competition at Great Meadow will be carried live on Horse & Country (H&C+ membership or single event viewing pass required). You can bookmark this page for all the viewing options as competition commences.

Action will kick off Thursday, August 24 with dressage for the 2*-S and Preliminary pairs, followed by 3*-S and 4*-S dressage on Friday, show jumping for 3*-S and 4*-S and cross country for 2*-S and Prelim on Saturday, and cross country for the upper levels and the conclusion of competition with show jumping for the lowers on Sunday.

Looking to the entries for the 4* division, we’ll see quite a few relatively new 4*/Advanced horses on the list, including Lisa Takada’s Monbeg Libertine, piloted by Tim Bourke, a newly acquired ride in Diabolo for Will Coleman (though the 11-year-old gelding has a few 4*s under his girth already with Australia’s Gemma Tinney), Woodge Fulton’s Cash Point, Jan Bynyy’s talented 8-year-old Beautiful Storm, Tik Maynard’s SKM Lux Sonata, Shannon Lilley’s Eindhoven Garette, Rachel Dunning and High Tide, Maya Clarkson and Maks Mojo C, and Mexico’s Guillermo De Campo Marambio and Visi SDN and Fernando Parroquin Delfin with Beldad, to name just a few.

We’ll also see Luke 140 and Fedarman B step out after each delivering top performances in their first 5*s this spring at Luhmühlen with Boyd Martin, who also brings forward the lesser experienced but high-potential Miss Lulu Herself. Caroline Pamukcu brings forward King’s Especiale, Alyssa Phillips will ride her experienced partner Oskar, and Lauren Nicholson will compete the Ms. Mars homebred Landmark’s Jungle Gold in his first 4*-S.

You can view the complete entry list for all divisions here. While we won’t be there in person this year, Taleen Hanna and I will be bringing you reports from Great Meadow all weekend, so stay tuned here and be sure to tune in live on Horse & Country as well.

Go Eventing!

EN’s coverage of MARS Great Meadow International is brought to you by Kentucky Performance Products. Click here to learn about just one of their science-backed nutritional supplements, Equi-Jewel, for the hard keeper in your barn who needs the calories but not the extra grain.

MARS Great Meadow International: [Website] [Entries] [Tickets] [Schedule/Ride Times] [Scoring] [Live Stream] [Volunteer] [EN’s Coverage]

2023 Defender Burghley Entry Preview: Who’s Tackling the Fall’s ‘Big B’

By on Aug 16, 2023 9:30 am -

Boyd Martin and On Cue. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

It’s nearly time to turn our sights to the penultimate CCI5* event of the season — hard to believe, but we’re already here! The Defender Burghley Horse Trials will take place August 31 – September 3 at the iconic Burghley House in Stamford, Lincolnshire.

Entries have just closed this week, and while we may see a couple of tricklers added to the list the roster is mostly now complete with 67 combinations entered. This includes a strong North American contingent that includes Maryland 5 Star winners Boyd Martin and On Cue (as well as Tsetserleg), Will Faudree and Mama’s Magic Way, Jennie Saville and FE Lifestyle, Tiana Coudray and Cancaras Girl, Grace Taylor and Game Changer, and Jessica Phoenix and Wabbit.

Can you guess which U.S. pair sent us these pictures the day their entry was sent?

From there, the entry list is a veritable who’s who of the 5* circuit, though we will see a few heavy hitters missing with the recent conclusion of the European Championships. This opens the door for a close race for the $300,000 in prize funds, though it’s very much anyone’s game and will come down to the combination that can best navigate the notoriously grueling Burghley cross country, designed now by Derek di Grazia.

The roster as of publication is:

RIDER HORSE
Aistis Vitkauskas COMMANDER VG
Alexander Bragg QUINDIVA
Alice Casburn TOPSPIN
Andrew Heffernan HARTHILL PHANTOM
Arthur Duffort TORONTO D AUROIS
Austin O’connor COLORADO BLUE
Boyd Martin ON CUE
Boyd Martin TSETSERLEG TSF
Bubby Upton COLA III
Bubby Upton MAGIC ROUNDABOUT IV
Christoffer Forsberg CON CLASSIC 2
Christopher Whittle SKIP MILL
David Doel GALILEO NIEUWMOED
David Doel FERRO POINT
Emily King VALMY BIATS
Emma Thomas ICARUS X
Francis Whittington DHI PURPLE RAIN
Grace Taylor GAME CHANGER
Greta Mason COOLEY FOR SURE
Gubby Leech ROYAL HARVEST
Harry Meade AWAY CRUISING
Harry Meade CAVALIER CRYSTAL
Harry Meade TENAREZE
Harry Meade RED KITE
Harry Mutch HD BRONZE
Harry Mutch SHANBEG COOLEY
Holly Richardson BALLY LOUIS
James Rushbrooke MILCHEM ECLIPSE
Jennie Saville FE LIFESTYLE
Jessica Phoenix WABBIT
Julia Norman ARDEO BERLIN
Kristina Hall-Jackson CMS GOOGLE
Lauren Innes GLOBAL FISION M
Lauren Lillywhite BILLY BEAUFORT
Lauren Lillywhite HACIEN
Louise Harwood NATIVE SPIRIT
Luc Château VIENS DU MONT
Matthew Heath ASKARI
Michael Owen BRADELEY LAW
Nicky Hill MGH BINGO BOY
Oliver Townend COOLEY ROSALENT
Oliver Townend TREGILDER
Oliver Townend SWALLOW SPRINGS
Oliver Townend BALLAGHMOR CLASS
Padraig Mccarthy HHS NOBLE CALL
Phil Brown HARRY ROBINSON
Piggy March BROOKFIELD INOCENT
Pippa Funnell MAJAS HOPE
Richard Coney POETRY IN MOTION II
Richard P Jones ALFIES CLOVER
Richard Skelt CREDO III
Rosalind Canter PENCOS CROWN JEWEL
Sam Watson BALLYBOLGER TALISMAN
Sarah Clark LV BALOU JEANZ
Sophie Fouracre LORDANA VH LEYSEHOF Z
Tiana Coudray CANCARAS GIRL
Tim Cheffings GASTON
Tim Price VITALI
Tom Bird REBEL RHYME
Tom D Crisp LIBERTY AND GLORY
Tom McEwen LUNA MIST
Tom McEwen TOLEDO DE KERSER
Tom Rowland POSSIBLE MISSION
Will Faudree MAMA’S MAGIC WAY
Wills Oakden ARKLOW PUISSANCE
Wills Oakden OUGHTERARD COOLEY
Zara Tindall CLASS AFFAIR

If you’re wanting to keep up with the action live, you can do so by subscribing to Burghley TV. This is a small purchase of about $25.40/£20 and you can pick up your pass here.

We’ll provide more updates on the Burghley entries as they evolve in the next few weeks, plus some in-depth insights into this years course this week – and, of course, we’ll be bringing you our traditional 5* coverage from on the ground and remotely. It will be a busy week here at EN with American Eventing Championships also running the same week in Kentucky. Bring it on!

Burghley: [Website] [Entries] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage]

EN’s coverage of Burghley is brought to you by our friends at Kentucky Performance Products. You can learn more about their full line of science-backed nutritional support products here.

Tuesday News & Notes from Kentucky Performance Products

By on Aug 15, 2023 12:01 am -

It didn’t take our newest European Champion (and our most recent Badminton winner) to settle right into his well-deserved vacation. We certainly haven’t seen the last of Lordships Graffalo, who continues to blow us away with his keen sense for the sport and wisdom beyond his years. If you can’t quite get enough Ros these days (and who can’t?), she’s also entered at Burghley with “Walter’s” sister, Pencos Crown Jewel (and we think she’s got just as strong of a shot to win another title, tbh). You can read more about these two and their personality differences here.

Events Opening This Week

Jump Start H.T. (KY); Stable View Oktoberfest (SC); Sundance Farm H.T. (WI); ESDCTA H.T. (NJ); Old Tavern H.T. (VA); Fleur de Leap H.T. (LA);

Events Closing Today

Equestrians’ Institute H.T. (WA); USEA American Eventing Championships (8/15)

Tuesday News & Notes

Applications for the Broussard Charitable Foundation Going Forward Scholarships are coming due in just about a month’s time! This program is open to those who wish to continue their education as officials, coaches, or horsemanship experts, and it’s open to amateur riders. [Continue Your Education]

What’s the answer to the question “where did all the barn rats go?” The Chronicle of the Horse‘s Shelley Garrett dives into this topic and how one foundation is trying to make a difference for those who need it. [The Barn Rats Need Trainers Willing to Fight for Them]

How does one reduce stress for their horse at a show? When you think about it, despite the fact that many horses are well-accustomed to travel and competitions, it’s still a different, potentially stressful environment for them. Creating an stress-free environment can help your horse (and yourself!) adjust and also perform better. [Creating a Stress-Free Haven at the Horse Show]

We love a “horse of a different color” story, and this one about Jessie Phoenix’s 4* mare, Fluorescent Adolescent, ticks all the boxes! [Fluorescent Adolescent Lights Up a Cross Country Course]

Sponsor Corner:

Ros Canter: your new European Champion. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Miss any of our European Championships coverage? Get all the details on the FEI European Championships at Haras du Pin here. Coverage sponsored by Kentucky Performance Products.

Tuesday Video Break from KPP:

Can you relate to this drama queen content?!