Become an Eventing Nation BloggerEventing Training Online has released an excerpt from their video of Mary King’s clinic at Morven Park, hosted by Team EnGaged, last fall. This clip gives viewers some insight into Mary’s concepts for training on the flat in preparation for jumping.
Mary’s clinic received many glowing reviews for her positive approach and efficient training techniques, and after this video we can see why! To view the full video, you can visit Eventing Training Online here and find out more.
We hear all the time about horses at the top of the sport, but what about the next generation of equine talent? EN’s Got Talent introduces the future superstars of the sport, interviewing riders about how they’re tackling training with these youngsters. Have you spotted a spectacular young horse at an event you think should be highlighted in this column? Tip me at [email protected].
Mia Farley and Fernhill Fine Diamond. Photo courtesy of Captured Moment Photography.
Mia Farley had always big plans to go horse shopping in Ireland for her next upper level mount. After The Good Witch, whom she was leasing last year, retired in 2014, her plan came to fruition, and she found herself at Carol Gee’s famous farm. After trying several horses, she landed on Fernhill Fine Diamond, a coming 7-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare who fit the bill perfectly.
“My goal was to look for a horse that had scope for at least the one-star level,” Mia said. “(Fern) was my favorite, and I ended up trying her twice. We went out and did some cross country, and she was really straightforward. After what seemed like forever with quarantine and everything, she finally arrived home and was relaxed and happy right off the trailer.”
Fernhill Fine Diamond (Jacomar -Camacazy Diamond) at the EI100 and CNC* level under Michelle Kenny, Caroline Marwood, and Clare Lambert before coming to the Farley family, and Mia found that the mare fit her size and ambition well. Mia set to work building trust with the mare, who had a few nervous moments in the beginning but had since settled in nicely.
In their first competition together, the Novice division at Galway Downs in January, Mia and “Fern” finished on their dressage score of 33.1 to finish in fourth overall. “I was so happy with her, finishing on her dressage score,” Mia said. “We thought we’d take her out at Training the next time out, and she didn’t disappoint at all.”
Mia and Fernhill Fine Diamond. Photo courtesy of Ginnie Bryant.
Sure enough, Fern took home her first U.S. blue in the Junior Training division at Twin Rivers at the end of February, once again finishing on her dressage score. Mia’s observation is that the petite mare adores cross country, making her a pleasure to train.
“She loves to gallop,” Mia said. “In that sense, the cross country will be the biggest challenge. The jumping is easy for her, but it’s about slowing her down and having her go at the right pace.”
Coming off of a seasoned ride such as The Good Witch, Mia is enjoying the process of training up a young horse. “The Witch was well trained, and her gallop was smooth. On Fern, you can feel it a bit more — which makes it a bit more dramatic!” Mia laughed.
Mia’s got a soft spot for mares, what with their sassy personalities and willingness to commit. “Fern is a younger version of (The Good Witch)”, she said.
The goal for Fern this year is to compete in the CCI* at Galway Downs this fall. In the meantime, Mia is eyeing a Prelim move up for her new mare and plans to also take her out to some jumper shows between events. “I’d like to move her up to Prelim by July, but we’ll do a couple more Training events and make sure we’re both ready,” she said.
Training with Ginnie Bryant, Mia is a brave, ambitious rider who would love to take her career even farther than her current goals. “I’d love to go farther. For now, I’m aiming for the one-star level, but we think Fern has the scope to go higher,” she said.
Producing a young horse has its challenges, but Mia feels she’s up to the task. “My weak point is that I’m not a professional, and this is my first young horse. So we’ll be learning a lot together, but she’s so adjustable and has room for more training. I like to say she’s got room for some Mia Farley training in her yet.”
Tamie Smith and Twizted Syster. Photo by Sally Spickard.
The past year has been a whirlwind for Tamie Smith and her team at Next Level Eventing. Thanks to a shrewd eye for talented horses and a supportive team, Tamie’s found herself with four horses showing promise at the upper levels of the sport, and she’s still pinching herself every day.
Twizted Syster
Tamie originally took the ride in 2013 on Twizted Syster from Heather Morris after it was discovered that the mare had terrible allergies in Texas. “It got to the point where you couldn’t even ride her,” Tamie said. “So Heather asked if I’d be interested in trying to sell her on the West Coast.”
“Chloe”, a 7-year-old Irish Sport Horse, was a handful from the start — a challenge Tamie was more than game to take on. “I ran her at Intermediate at Galway, and I basically got run away with,” Tamie ruefully recalled. “Heather had suggested I ride her in a certain bit, and I thought I’d try something that was a bit less but of course she got out of the start box and ran away. I knew she was for sale and that Mike (Huber) would have my head if I didn’t go double clear so I just hung on for dear life and we went double clear.”
Looking back on that wild first ride, Tamie knew she was on something special, even if it was running away with her at the moment. “I knew I had to have that horse,” she said. “I agreed to keep her on the West Coast to see how she dealt with the changing seasons, and I just ended up falling in love with her.”
After campaigning the mare successfully through the CCI2* level, it was announced in October of 2014 that Tamie had officially acquired Chloe with the help of the newly formed Twizted Syster LLC Syndicate.
Tamie is grateful to have had this partnership with the talented mare, calling it the best of learning experiences. “She’s not easy, and she’s a mare,” Tamie said. “It’s been a very good learning experience for me to develop a partnership with her. I’ve had to conform a bit to her thinking process and learn to be a horseman, thinking about what suits her best in competition. She’s always going to be strong on cross country, but at four-star level that’s what I want to see.“
This year, Chloe will make the step up to Advanced at Copper Meadows before Tamie packs up and heads east for a spring campaign including the Fork and Jersey Fresh. Twizted Syster is currently aimed at the CIC3* at The Fork in April followed by the CCI3* at Jersey Fresh in May.
Tamie Smith and Sunsprite Syrius. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Sunsprite Syrius
Sunsprite Syrius, a coming 7-year-old Trakehner gelding, is another superbly produced young horse in Tamie’s barn who’s shown real talent when it comes to eventing. After being sold to Sunsprite Warmbloods, Gina Miles rode Syrius in his four-year-old year, competing him at the Novice level before Tamie took over the ride late in 2012.
“Gina did a fantastic job of putting education onto him,” Tamie said. “He’s a really spectacular horse in his mind, and he’s got a fantastic jump. He’s not the flashiest to look at, but once you see him go you perk up a bit and pay attention.”
Sunsprite Syrius was the second highest ranked 5-year-old Young Event Horse on the West Coast in 2013, which puts him into contention to earn a ticket to Europe to compete in the 7-year-old class at the FEI World Young Horse Championships at Le Lion d’Angers this year. The Holekamp/Turner YEH Lion d’Angers Grant, which will award its first recipients this year, will send the highest scoring 5-year-old who is qualified to compete in the CCI2* competition to Europe this fall.
Syrius will move up to the two-star level this year, having contested his first Intermediate at Twin Rivers at the end of February, where he finished third on a final score of 31.7. “He’s 100% the best minded individual,” Tamie said. “He’s got a load of scope and a huge willingness to try that I think will take him far.
Sunsprit Syrius is also aimed for The Fork and Jersey Fresh, where he will contest the CIC2* and CCI2*, respectively. “There isn’t a day where I get on and that horse doesn’t try his guts out. Even when he’s tense, he settles in and I’m able to ask as much as I can from him.”
Tamra Smith and Fleur de Lis at the Fresno County Horse Park CIC1*. Photo by Sherry Stewart.
Fleur de Lis
An 8-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding, Fleur de Lis is a testament to Tamie’s patience and work ethic as a horsewoman. Originally sourced by Matt Flynn, it was Jennie Brannigan who thought the gelding would be a good fit for Tamie.
“In 2011, after I broke my leg at Rebecca Farm, I got a call from Jennie, who told me that I needed to come out and see this horse,” Tamie recalled. “She told me he was tough, and I said ‘No, I’m not doing any more tough ones.'” Jennie insisted, and Tamie flew to Pennsylvania a week post-surgery to take a look.
“Milton” was definitely quirky, but Jennie thought that with the right partner he’d come around, and she thought Tamie was just the one to do it. “I trusted Jennie and Matt, so we did a handshake deal and I bought him,” Tamie said. Now owned by the Team Milton Syndicate, Milton is coming into his own and flourishing under Tamie’s tutelage.
“We spent a lot of time in the air at first,” she recalled. “He’d try to get me off however he could — run me intro trees, all kinds of weird things. But once he decided that I was his person, everything kind of fell into place. Even now, I’m the one who does all of the riding on him. He’s just happier that way. He’s a very kind horse, and he’s a very correct and elegant mover. But I’d say it’s taken until now to really get our partnership to where it needs to be.”
Indeed, Tamie took it slow with Milton, waiting to make his USEA debut until 2013, where patience paid off and the gelding took home a win in the Open Training at Galway Downs. From there, the pair never finished worse than eighth, most recently picking up a third place in Milton’s Intermediate debut at Twin Rivers.
“I think his brain has really come full circle, and my mind is just blown. He was very ‘troubled’, as I like to say, but now I think there’s a lot in his future. I don’t necessarily know that he’ll be a Burghley horse, but I think he will do well with a select number of four-stars and many three-stars. I hope to make a team with him; he’s just a very reliable and consistent horse. Matt did a great job of picking him out, and I really owe it to Jennie for calling me that day.”
Milton is also slated to get on the trailer heading east this spring, taking the same path as Sunsprite Syrius and aiming for the CIC2* at The Fork and the CCI2* at Jersey Fresh.
Tamie Smith and Mai Baum. Photo courtesy of Sherry Stewart.
Mai Baum
Just over a year ago, Alex Ahearn came to Tamie’s barn for training, bringing with her a top-tier talent in Mai Baum, a 2006 German Warmblood gelding. At the time, Alex and “Lexus” had competed through the one-star level together but were experiencing some difficulties, which prompted Alex to search for a suitable working student position.
Sourced by Michele Pestle, Lexus exudes a showmanship and talent that is immediately recognizable in the ring. “Everyone wants to ride that horse,” Tamie said. “Michele did an excellent job with both him and Alex, and she has picked many incredible horses who have made their mark in the sport.”
Alex and Lexus campaigned at the Intermediate level in 2014, completing the AECs as well as the tough CCI2* at Fair Hill before being named to the Eventing 25 training list in 2015.
“(Alex) did a great job with that horse,” Tamie said. “I knew she was having some struggles, but my hat is off to her for completing at Fair Hill. She was having trouble making it to that next level, but I never in a million years thought she’d ask me to ride Lexus.”
When Alex and her family asked Tamie to take over the ride, she was floored. “(Alex) said she wanted to go to school, and she felt that she and Lexus were at a point in their partnership where they couldn’t teach each other anymore, and she felt they were struggling,” Tamie said. “I was so proud of her for recognizing it, but I told her that I’d ride him at HITS Thermal so she could really make her decision — it’s tough to hand the reins over to someone else. Saying it is one thing, but watching someone else ride your horse is totally different.”
Alex watched Tamie compete at HITS, and she thoroughly enjoyed her role as “horse mom”. “She had tears in her eyes, and she told me she loved seeing us together,” Tamie recalled.
Alex’s parents have told Tamie that Mai Baum is not for sale, and that they plan to support her with the horse for the foreseeable future. “Alex has done an immaculate job with him, and it’s just an amazing opportunity to get to ride such a phenomenal animal,” Tamie said.
Tamie has been working through a few quirks that Lexus carries with him, and she credits Alex with the job she’s done producing him to this point. “She’s 19, and they basically grew up together,” she said. “She’s the one who rode him and did all of the work — it’s been really impressive to see.”
Tamie’s first event with Mai Baum was the CIC2* at Fresno in February, where they picked up second place. This was followed by an Intermediate win at Twin Rivers late last month, and now Tamie plans to see how far she can go with the stunning gelding. She’ll step him up to Advanced at Copper Meadows and will also be taking him east to The Fork and Jersey Fresh.
At the end of the day, Tamie feels nothing short of blessed to be at this point in her career. While she prepares to take her East Coast trip, she’s got myriads of supporters cheering on her every move. “I have such an amazing team of supporters behind me, I feel so blessed to have them,” she said. “It’s scary to think that all of these talented horses are sitting in my barn. It’s just been really fun.”
To learn more about Tamie’s program and how you can get involved, visit her website here.
RNS Video has posted a compilation video of the rides through the water complex in the Intermediate division at Rocking Horse Winter III last weekend. It’s a tough question, that’s for sure, requiring a bold (but not too bold) ride through the water to make the brush jump out efficiently.
Keep an eye out for many top riders who were out for a run, including Buck Davidson, Sharon White, Lynn Symansky, and Michael Pollard. Thanks to RNS Video for these educational and entertaining montage videos!
Team CEO Eventing's barn surrounded by snow drifts. Photo via Megan Moore on Facebook.
Just when we were starting to get more excited at the prospect of the upcoming spring, Mother Nature dumped a fresh load of snow on the Ohio Valley, burying many people under over a foot of snow. Some counties have found themselves without power, and the snowfall amounts have been recorded as records in some areas.
But eventers are hardy, right? Team CEO Eventing’s Megan Moore found herself out of town when the storm hit, but she rested easy knowing that her working students had holed up in the barn apartment so they would be able to continue taking care of the horses in their care.
Photo via Megan Moore on Facebook.
The snow came down quickly, leaving many scrambling to clear driveways and find safe transportation.
Duty calls, though, and Jenn O’Neill found the warmest, snow worthy clothes in her closet to make the trek to the barn.
Photo via Jenn O’Neill on Facebook.
Those who live in the area are being advised not to venture out unless they have a big 4×4 vehicle — and even then, it’s probably safer to stay indoors. The area is not out of the woods yet, as local weather forecasts are calling for a few more inches of snow and freezing temperatures overnight.
Hang in there, Kentucky! Spring is still on the way — we promise!
In a little over a month’s time, the winter snow will be long forgotten as eventers from the world over descend upon Lexington for Rolex. In the meantime, keep those horses warm and stay safe!
Tamie Smith and Twizted Syster at Fair Hill. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Tamie Smith had a rocking year in 2014, and she’s already on track to have an even better 2015. We took a few minutes to ask Tamie a few of our burning questions, and we’d like to thank her for her time and insight. Go team C4!
EN: Did you always know you’d be an eventer?
Tamie: I started riding with an Kim Scheid, who was an event trainer, and I didn’t really know that there was any other sport. Actually I was terrified. I was the most timid, scared child on a horse that you’ve ever seen.
I remember the first time I cantered — and it wasn’t on purpose — and I was really timid. Kim really instilled the grittiness and the bravery that I have now. By nature, most children at that age are fearless and I was terrified.
I really owe it to her because now — I think because I dealt with my fear as a kid — I don’t have that same kind of fear now. I feel like the better of a rider I become, the braver I am. Heather (Morris) rode with the same trainer, and she fell off a lot and I never fell off because I was terrified!
I was never not scared so I never let my guard down. It wasn’t because I was a better rider or anything, it was just because I was too scared. I hung on like a little spider monkey!
EN: What was your first event like?
Tamie: I competed at Ram Tap when I was 8 years old. This was my first recognized event, and there was this log at the top of this really big hill that I had to jump down. In the picture I have, I was laying on my pony’s butt because I’d watched Burghley and Badminton so much and seen the riders letting the reins slip and leaning back. I remember leaning really far backwards and thinking, “Oh, that was not as exciting as I thought it would be!”
EN: What has been your biggest career highlight to date?
Tamie: I catch rode a horse for Kristi Nunnink named Corner Street at the inaugural CCI3* at Galway Downs, and it was probably the most nervous I’ve ever been in my entire career. I didn’t know what to expect; I’d ridden that horse maybe for 10 days before the event and we went around double clear. It was just a really incredible feeling to be able to accomplish that — to get on a horse that I didn’t know and make it around a three-star.
EN: What event is on your competition bucket list?
Tamie: Burghley. Heather and I still watch the old Badminton and Burghley videos and I’ve just always been very impressed. Burghley to me has always been kind of the event that’s been the most challenging because of the terrain.
I know not every horse is necessarily a Burghley horse, but it seems like the most challenging out of all the four-stars in the way I like: height and width and galloping fences. I like the big impossible looking jumps.
Tamie Smith and Sunsprite Syrius. Photo by Jenni Autry.
EN: What kind of advice do you give a nervous student?
Tamie: I feel like it’s very much a mental game. I try to have my students schooling higher than what they’re competing at so they feel comfortable and not like they’re doing something for the first time at a competition.
I want them to go to a competition and say, “This is easy, I can do this.” I think people get wound up mentally, and there are lots of books and coping mechanisms that I have them learn to help them mentally prepare for competitions.
It’s a problem for a lot of people, amateur or professional, and you have to learn how to deal with your nerves and find something that works for you. A training program for your riding as well as your mental game is important. Being able to be mentally competitive is more important that being talented.
EN: Who was your riding idol growing up?
Tamie: Ginny Leng.
EN: What has been your favorite cross country course to date?
Tamie: I want to say it was the CCI3* at Bromont. The flow and terrain was great, and the fences really jumped big. It gave you a feel of the course just jumping really big and I really liked how technical it was.
EN: Do you have a favorite type of fence or question?
Tamie: I really just try to make every jump challenging. I don’t necessarily have a favorite, as I don’t have anything that I don’t love. Even if I’m riding at the smaller level, I always try to really focus on my position and doing as little as possible to get the horses to the jumps.
I’m a little bit of a perfectionist that way — I’m always trying to kind of make it where I try to make the horses rideable to each jump, even if it’s a ditch and wall or a trakehner. I just love cross country.
Over the winter I spent a lot of time doing dressage and we’ve been going to jumper shows and having fun. The meticulous side of all that is something that I really enjoy, but going out and competing at the first event of the season was a big relief for me!
Tamie Smith and Mai Baum. Photo courtesy of Sherry Stewart.
EN: Do you have any lucky charms or superstitions?
Tamie: I have a necklace that a client gave me that I wear all the time and I’ve never taken it off. Ever since then, things have been going in the upward direction, so I won’t be taking it off anytime soon.
I was at show recently and my whip caught the necklance and it broke. I stopped immediately and jumped off and luckily found it — I don’t want to know what would happen if I ever lost it!
I also always wear my medical armband on my left arm, but other than not I’m not too superstitious.
EN: What horse would you take a spin on, past or present?
Tamie: I would have loved to sit on Murphy Himself. I really loved his cocky, larger than life attitude. It was great to see Ian Stark compete him and watch him let the horse be who he was. It might be terrifying to ride him, but I think it would have been cool to take him for a spin.
I think that is one of the hardest things in riding — to be able to conform to each of your horses’ needs and let them be who they are and not make them what you want them to be. Not every horse can conform into what your stamp is.
I think a lot of riders pick a certain type of horse and they’re always on kind of the same type, and I enjoy the variety of types of horses. Right now, there’s not one horse that I ride that’s like another in size, conformation, mind, etc. They’re all very talented but they’re all very different and have their own idiosyncrasies.
EN: What do you love about C4?
Tamie: I think what they’re doing for the charity causes is a fantastic addition to an already really cool product. The belts are amazing because you can pretty much wear them with anything and intermix them.
It’s fun to get dressed every morning and have your own custom belt collection. C4 for a cause is really a great thing and I love being a part of companies that want to do that for people.
Did you know that C4 recently introduced reversible saddle pads? Available in navy/pink, black/white, red/blue, and green/orange, these pads are sure to set you apart at your next event. Supplies are limited, so order your own by contacting Jon Sonkin at [email protected]. Don’t forget, we’re running a 10% off promo code to be used on the C4 website this month. Use the code”TAMIEC4″ to claim your discount and outfit yourself with some new C4!
Alec Thayer has been busy honing his drone flying skills this spring. With a passion for finding new ways to capture the sport, Alec recruited Laine Asher and Sheila Wolff’s Jolly Good Sport as his test subjects.
Using his drone, Alec is able to capture eventing from a whole new angle in the air. While he’s still working out the details, it’s nonetheless a cool technology to witness. Laine has remarked that Jolly Good Sport is truly living up to his name with the drone experimentation, as he is unfazed by the strange flying object following him around.
Check out Alec’s latest video, complete with synchronized helmet cam footage from Laine on the ground above — the first mishap with the tree is not the end of the video, but those pesky trees won in the end!
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Katy Groesbeck and Oz the Tin Man at Millbrook 2014. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Katy Groesbeck bid farewell to her best friend and partner of 18 years, Oz the Tin Man, last night. Inexplicably, “Wort” shattered his fetlock, and X-rays revealed the damage was beyond repair. The 1997 Anglo-Arab gelding, by Sidi of Magic and out of Regalbatim, was euthanized with Katy by his side.
“He was the horse that every little girl dreams of growing up with,” Katy said. “He was a gentleman and a renegade, always there to help you get into trouble or save you from it. I am lucky to have welcomed him into the world the day he was born, said goodbye to him the moment he passed, and been there with him for every memory in between.”
Katy and Wort enjoyed a successful career together, spanning two coasts and multiple Advanced level events. After finishing third in the CIC3* at Rebecca Farm in 2013 and competing in the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Final at the American Eventing Championships, Katy moved from California to Pennsylvania to spend a year training with Buck Davidson.
While on the East Coast, Katy and Wort completed six CIC3* events and highlighted their trip with a sixth place finish in the CCI3* at Bromont in 2014. Towards the end of 2014, Katy made the decision to retire the gelding from upper level competition, electing to find a suitable rider to learn from him.
In November of 2014, young rider Anna Robinson took over the ride on Wort, aiming to compete in the CCI* at the North American Junior & Young Rider Championships this year. Anna and Wort clicked immediately, and the pair had just completed their first Preliminary event together at Full Gallop last weekend.
Katy and Anna can take comfort in knowing that Wort was still at the top of his game, and once again we are reminded of the fragile nature of our horses. The entire EN team extends our deepest condolences to Katy and all who knew and loved Oz the Tin Man.
Rest in peace, Wort.
Boyd Martin and Crackerjack in the warm-up class. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Congratulations to our Eventing Prix winners! A full report will come shortly — in the meantime, catch up on the action by scrolling through the open thread below.
[Order of Go] [Team List] [@eventingnation] [@goeventing]
4:23 p.m. EST: Celebrate!
4:23 p.m. EST: Here are your final individual standings. A full report will be coming shortly!
Jennie Brannigan
Lauren Kieffer
Michael Pollard
Laine Ashker
Lynn Symansky
Zach Brandt
Kurt Martin
Phillip Dutton
Ian Roberts
Lisa Barry
4:20 p.m. EST: Heartbreak! Laine and Al have that pesky last fence down. Jennie Brannigan is the winner!
4:18 p.m. EST: One down for Michael and Cyrano. Can Laine close it out?
4:17 p.m. EST: Lots of verbal encouragement for Vamor, and he delivers a clear round with Jennie Brannigan.
4:15 p.m. EST: Lynn lives life on the edge with Donner. They knock the final fence down, but she’s got a big grin on her face on the way out.
4:14 p.m. EST: A textbook round from Lauren Kieffer and Czechmate give them a score of 0 for the day.
4:10 p.m. EST: A clear round for Zach and Cavallino Cocktail, complete with fist pump!
4:08 p.m. EST: A handful down for Lisa Barry and FIS Prince Charming.
4:05 p.m. EST: One down for Phillip and Mr. Medicott, two for Ian and Cooper Cove. Very tight and twisty course.
4:04 p.m. EST: Big Phil is in the ring with Mr. Medicott.
3:56 p.m. EST: Final team standings:
Team standings: 1st Pointer Sisters, 2nd Men at Work, 3rd Sonic Youth, 4th Lil and the Unlisted, 5th Crazy Cannucks
— Eventing Nation (@eventingnation) March 3, 2015
3:45 p.m. EST: The final 10 will jump in reverse order and will carry their scores forward to the final round. The top 5 are currently on a score of 0. Who will come away with the top prize?
3:36 p.m. EST: Here are your top 10 individuals who will be returning to jump off:
Laine Ashker
Michael Pollard
Jennie Brannigan
Lynn Symansky
Lauren Kieffer
Kurt Martin
Zach Brandt
Lisa Barry
Ian Roberts
Phillip Dutton
3:35 p.m. EST: Final team standings will come as soon as we have them, but we can tell you that the Pointer Sisters team consisting of Sinead Halpin, Lynn Symansky, Lauren Kieffer, and Liz Halliday-Sharp have won the team competition.
3:33 p.m. EST: Crackerjack gives a couple decent rubs and doesn’t get away with it at the last fence for just one rail down.
3:30 p.m. EST: All clear for Michael Pollard and Cyrano, Carl Bouckaert’s former mount.
3:29 p.m. EST: The last comes down for Tik Maynard and Dutch Times as well. It’s a narrow gate that looks like it could cause some miscommunication.
3:26 p.m. EST: The last one comes down again! Caroline Martin and Quantum Solace leave plenty of room to spare over the other fences:
3:24 p.m. EST: Clear with I believe one time for Kyle Carter and Cooley Nothing Better B.
3:22 p.m. EST: Two refusals for Sara Kozumplik-Murphy and Catchascatchcan end their day early.
3:19 p.m. EST: A huge cheer from the crowd for Lauren Kieffer and Czechmate, who put in a polished looking double clear. Scopey horse, that one.
3:17 p.m. EST: Four rails down but clear on the time for Ellen Doughty and Sir Oberon.
3:14 p.m. EST: A clear round with one time fault for Kurt Martin and Anna Bella. A really fantastic looking round from this pair.
3:13 p.m. EST: Lillian Heard and Share Option put in a nice looking round — apologies, we couldn’t hear the announcement of their score:
3:07 p.m. EST: Two rails down for Jacob Fletcher and the lovely Atlantic Domino.
3:05 p.m. EST: A clear round from Ian Roberts and Cooper Cove.
3:03 p.m. EST: One rail and one time for Sharon White and this fancy jumper, Cooley On Show:
3:00 p.m. EST: A sample of team names:
GI Joe and His Janes: Joe Meyer, Lainey Ashker, Sharon White, Sara Kozumplik
Maple Leafs: Callie Evans, Ian Roberts, and Kyle Carter
Sonic Youth: Zach Brandt, Ellie MacPhail, Jacob Fletcher, Caroline Martin
Crazy Canucks: Holly Jacks, Selena O’Hanlon, Cody Sturgess, Tik Maynard Lil and the
Unlisted: Jennie Brannigan, Kelly Prather, Lillian Heard, Michael Pollard
2:58 p.m. EST: One rail down for Lisa and FIS Prince Charming.
2:56 p.m. EST: We’re getting back underway with Lisa Barry and FIS Prince Charming.
2:52 p.m. EST: Just a quick dragging break and we’ll be back underway shortly.
2:45 p.m. EST: A lovely round from Buck Davidson and Petite Flower. The last fence is proving to be quite a troublemaker — this pair has it down to the collective groans of the crowd.
2:42 p.m. EST: Three down for Kelly Prather and Blackfoot Mystery.
2:39 p.m. EST: Selena O’Hanlon and Bellaney Rock have two refusals and are eliminated. More than a couple horses have been caught by surprise at this sharp inside turn:
2:37 p.m. EST: Another heartbreaking last rail down for Ellie MacPhail and True Dynamite.
2:24 p.m. EST: Who else loves Callie Evans’ “horse of a different color,” Glendening Avis?
2:30 p.m. EST: Lynn Symansky and Donner put in a classy clear round.
2:28 p.m. EST: Last fence down for Caitlin Silliman and Catch a Star.
2:26 p.m. EST: Who’s that we spy? Mr. Medicott back in action with Phillip Dutton! He looks quite keen to go. Just one down, from what can tell by the live stream.
2:19 p.m. EST: It’s lovely to see Cavallino Cocktail back in action for Zach Brandt – sorry we missed your head there, Zach!
2:15 p.m. EST: A very keen Forrest Nymph and Sinead Halpin complete a forward round.
2:10 p.m. EST: Meghan O’Donoghue and Pirate are the first to go and have a refusal at fence 8A. After a rocky re-attempt, she elects to call it a day. 2:08 p.m. EST:
Boyd Martin on Marc Donovan’s $15k Eventing Prix course: “Big and technical with decisions to make on several lines.” — Eventing Nation (@eventingnation) March 3, 2015
2:00 p.m. EST: Here’s the course the riders will be tackling today, designed by Marc Donovan.
The British Bred Sport Horse held their annual Stallion Event in January of this year at Hartpury College in Gloucestershire. 67 stallions showed off their moves, including several who are intended to produce eventing progeny.
This lovely recap video gives an insider’s look into the Stallion Event, and also provides information on each stallion’s breeding as it is shown. For details on all stallions who attended, click here.
Included in the line up are Opposition Bombshell, who shares the same sire with the late Opposition Buzz. You’ll also get a peek at Ramiro B (who looks fantastic at 21 years young), sire of none other than fan favorite Ballynoe Castle RM around the 2:30 marker.
Which of these fancy stallions would you most like to see a foal from? Cast your vote in the comments below!
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Dom Schramm and his newest mount, FE Flagstone. Photo via Dom on Facebook.
Dom Schramm posted a mysterious status on his Facebook page earlier this morning, letting his followers know that he and Jimmie were headed down to Florida for undisclosed reasons.
Guesses poured in for everything from a trip to Disney World to an earlier arrival at Red Hills, which is running this weekend. Later, he posted an article on keeping gray horses clean. This was followed up by the official announcement of a new partnership with Don and Anita Cook, which brought FE Flagstone, a 4-year-old German Sporthorse, to the Schramm barn.
Dom, who will be producing and competing the horse, is eternally grateful to Don and Anita Cook, who have been clients of his for about three years and have shown a passionate enthusiasm for the sport. “I’m so lucky to have Don and Anita, who are champions of the sport and want to see a positive change,” he said. “They approached us and said they wanted to get behind us and support us however they could.”
Dom contacted Clayton Fredericks when he and Jimmie were in Wellington in January for the Eventing Showcase, and “Owen” was a horse that Clayton recommended. “As soon as I got done riding him, I knew he was the right one for me,” Dom recalled. “So I set about making plans to bring him home.”
As it stands, Dom and Jimmie have entered a partnership with the Cooks instead of going down the syndicate path. “We wanted it to be a team effort rather than having a bunch of investors,” Dom said. “Don and Anita are all about the journey, and they loved Owen as much as we did. We, of course, would love this horse to be a superstar, but it’s all about the adventure of it.”
FE Flagstone (Cassini II – Just In Time, by Mytens) was brought to the U.S. by Clayton Fredericks and clocks in right around 62% Thoroughbred — a great sign for his makings as an event horse. Owen was imported in December of last year and picked up a third place finish at Novice at Rocking Horse in February.
As Owen is just four and still has some growing to do, Dom plans to take his time to ensure the gelding is happy and healthy. “I want to really make sure I produce this horse correctly,” he said. “There’s really no rush. The goal for this year is for him to be the five-year-old Young Event Horse champion, but I’m going to focus on getting him settled and not jump the guts out of him right away. There’s a lot of growing that’s still to come, and I need to make sure he’s happy with me in the irons as well.”
Dom and Jimmie would like to extend their sincere thanks to the Cook family as well as to Clayton Fredericks, who evidently has some top quality youngsters in his barn. Congratulations to the Schramms and to the Cook family for their new exciting addition! We can’t wait to see more — shall this youngster be the focal point of some new Evention episodes? We’ll have to wait and find out!
As much of the country is still encased in snow and ice (spring is coming, right?), some riders have taken to the indoor and gotten creative with their winter pole work. Kelley Shetter-Ruiz, who is braving the winter in Wisconsin, and her horse, Tristan, are posted some awe-inspiring videos of their pole work over the winter.
I was never very good at geometry in high school, so naturally the latest set-up from Kelley makes my head spin a bit, but you have to hand it to this pair for keeping things interesting this winter!
There’s a lot to be said about ground poles and how beneficial they are to any horse and rider. Finding ways to make the work more interesting is always a challenge, but we think Kelley’s got this down to a science. What we want to know is: how long does it take to set these patterns up?
Daniel Sarango and Carmac at Pine Top. Photo courtesy of ED/Hoofclix.com.
Daniel Sarango fell in love with Pollard Eventing when he met Michael and Nathalie Pollard for an interview in 2012. A former resident of Ecuador, Daniel was looking for an opportunity in the U.S., carrying dreams of competing at Rolex with him.
“The whole reason I am here is because of Michael and Nathalie,” Daniel said. “They are my direct sponsors in the United States. When I came to Pollard Eventing, it was only for an interview, but when I saw the facility, the farm, and the horses — it was incredible. I thought this was heaven, and I did not want to return home.”
Daniel first met with Katie Colemen (then Thornton), the barn manager at the time, and he knew it was a perfect fit. Daniel’s position with Pollard Eventing included riding, barn work, and helping with the breeding operation, Chatsworth Stud. He also filled in as a part time babysitter for Michael and Nathalie’s four children — an extra perk, no doubt.
Daniel previously competed to the two-star level in Ecuador, and is aiming to qualify for the Pan American Games in Toronto this year. He’s also got Rolex in his sights, but one piece that was missing was a horse to help him meet his goals.
“Michael and Nathalie are always helping me not only to train horses, but with everything else,” Daniel said. “Without telling me, Michael spoke to Carmac’s owner, Morgan Shaw, to see if she would allow me to ride him in order to qualify for the Pan American Games.”
“One day, just before Christmas (in 2014), Nathalie called me over and said Michael wanted to speak with me. Michael said, ‘Daniel, I have good news for you. I spoke with Morgan, and she has accepted the offer to let you ride him and aim him for the Pan Ams.’ That moment was the greatest Christmas gift of my life.”
The goal of representing Ecuador at the Pan American Games was not unfamiliar to Daniel, as he had previously been on the road to the Games in 2011. After beginning his competitive career as a show jumper, Daniel began eventing in 2010 and was selected for the Pan Ams with his mount, Don King.
Daniel’s goal of the Pan Ams was not meant to be, however, as Don King suffered a lesion in his right front tendon, canceling the trip to Guadalajara. Now, he’s able to revisit that dream with Carmac, a 10-year-old Thoroughbred gelding previously campaigned to the Advanced and CIC3* level.
Daniel and Carmac at Pine Top. Photo courtesy of Hoofclix.com.
Daniel and Carmac began campaigning together this year and most recently completed the CIC2* at Pine Top in Georgia. With his score in the CIC2*, Daniel and Carmac are now qualified for the CCI2* at Ocala, at which he will aim for a qualifying result. With each qualifying result, Daniel’s goal of going to Toronto is one step closer.
As his eventing career begins to take off here in the U.S., Daniel is eternally thankful for the opportunities he’s been afforded with Pollard Eventing. “Michael gave me a tip that’s applicable for all athletes who are in search of dreams and goals: always do things for love. When a person does something for love, they are destined to succeed — the secret is how much you want it,” he said.
Indeed, Michael has often referred to the sport as a “labor of love”, and he encourages his team to continue their dedication to the sport and all of its intricacies. While Daniel and Carmac progress along their path — wherever it may lead — Daniel knows he’s on the ride of his life.
“Carmac is the horse that allows me to keep dreaming,” he said. “He is super honest and athletic, and he tries very hard for me. I have no words to express how thankful I am to have Michael, Nathalie, and Morgan, and to be able to ride such a kind and hard working horse like Carmac.”
“I have a huge appreciation for everyone on my team; all of us work very hard to make the best out of every challenge we face.”
Michael Pollard and Halimey at Carolina International in 2014. Photo by Sally Spickard.
Michael Pollard and two of the Chatsworth Stud stallions, Songline and Halimey, packed a one-two punch today in the Open Intermediate B division at Rocking Horse. Songline, an 11-year-old Trakehner, won the day with a jaw-dropping 18.3, followed by stablemate Halimey, a 10-year-old Trakehner, who scored a 20.8.
Michael’s certainly no stranger to wowing the dressage judges, and he completed the day with a first and third finish with just time penalties added aboard both stallions. Halimey will take home the blue with just 1.6 time added, while Songline took third with 11.6 time added.
Buck Davidson and Quasar moved up from third to second with a quick footed cross country run, adding 2 time penalties for a final score of 27.2. Quasar was out for his second run of the year, coming off a fourth place finish in the Intermediate at Rocking Horse I last month. Buck’s remarked in the past about how professional this horse is, and he seems to have finished in top form today.
Moving up from ninth to fourth overall are Kylie Dermody and Da Vinci Code in their fourth run of the year. Da Vinci Code is an Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by Joan Nichols, and he and Kylie have enjoyed much consistency since beginning their partnership over the winter.
Fans of The Flying Deer will be pleased to see him back in action in his first event since WEG. Lynn and Donner scored a 26.7 in the dressage and added 6.4 in what was surely a walk in the park for the seasoned campaigner to round out the top five in the B division.
Rocking Horse Winter III H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Live Scores]
Kylie Dermody also enjoyed a top finish in the Open Intermediate A division, taking home the win aboard Lup the Loop on a final score of 34.2. This pair skipped around cross country to come home double clear. Also owned by Joan Nichols, Lup the Loop picks up his third win of the young season this weekend.
Kylie will also celebrate a fourth place aboard Cooley Ice in this division, just inching over 40 penalties after another double clear cross country run this afternoon.
Whitney Mahloch and her own Military Mind, a 9-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, made short work of their first run of the season, finishing just barely in second place on a score of 34.7. This pair had a solid 2014 season at the Intermediate and two-star level, so we can’t wait to see what’s on their agenda for the new season.
In third place in the A division are Sara Kozumplik Murphy and Delta Queen, who just stepped up to the Intermediate level at Rocking Horse earlier this month. Sharon White and Severn Sky round out the top five in fifth place after moving up from eighth after show jumping.
Sable Giesler was the winner of the Intermediate Rider division aboard Evil Munchkin (best name ever?). This is Evil Munchkin’s first run since completing the CCI2* at Fair Hill in the fall, and the pair added 10 time penalties to their dressage score to finish the day on a 41.3.
Rachel Wilks and River King, a former ride of Emily Beshear’s, bounded up the board from 10th to finish in second after the quickest cross country round of the division. This pair also completed the CCI2* at Fair Hill last fall and have gotten off to a great start so far in 2015.
Area IV shout-out! Jordynn Sahagian and Nestor also enjoyed a move up in the standings, shifting from sixth to complete the top three after cross country completed. This was their second run of the season; they opened up their year with a win in the Prelim at Ocala earlier this month.
Meanwhile on the West coast, best friends Tamie Smith and Heather Morris are holding court in the A and B divisions of Intermediate at Twin Rivers.
Tamie is riding Alex Ahearn’s Mai Baum this weekend and, if her videos from schooling the German gelding with David O’Connor this week are any sign, the gelding looks to be in top form. Tamie and “Lexus” earned a 20.7 in the dressage to take the lead over Tamie’s other ride, Fleur de Lis.
Tamie and Mai Baum have been busy forming a partnership this year, as Tamie has taken over the ride for Alex Ahearn while Alex is at college. We’re sure we’ll be seeing some great things from this pair!
The Team Milton Syndicate’s Fleur de Lis is running his first Intermediate of the season, having had a good pipe opener with a win at Fresno earlier this month and will take a score of 24.4 to follow his stablemate into cross country tomorrow.
In third place are Elizabeth New and Fleeceworks Mystere du Val, who are coming off of a third place in the Open Intermediate at Fresno. Elizabeth is a young rider from Texas who has had some great successes with Fleeceworks Mystere du Val at the Intermediate level. They’ll be on a score of 29.4 heading into cross country.
Twin Rivers Winter H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times] [Live Scores]
Leading the Open Intermediate B division are Heather Morris and Company Team Express’ Charlie Tango. Heather’s been partnered with Charlie Tango since he was competing at the lower levels, and they’re now out for their third Intermediate run this weekend after winning the Preliminary Horse division at AECs last fall. Charlie Tango earned a 26.1 to take into the final two phases of competition.
Tamie Smith is hot on Heather’s heels with Sunsprite Syrius, another young talent for Sunsprite Warmbloods. Syrius is making his Intermediate debut this weekend and is off to a great start with a 26.9 in the dressage. Tamie will likely be looking for education out on James Atkinson’s cross country course tomorrow.
Derek di Grazia and his own Ringwood Justice round out the top three in this division on a score of 28.7 — lots of scores in the 20s this weekend! Derek moved Ringwood Justice up to Intermediate last spring, bringing home several top 10 finishes in his subsequent starts.
It’s not often that a company can say it’s supported the highest scoring eventing horses in the U.S. for nine years running, but that’s exactly what World Equestrian Brands has done.
The company outfits both Buck Davidson and Carl and Cassie Segal’s Ballynoe Castle RM and also sponsored Kim Severson and Linda Wachtmeister and Plain Dealing Farm’s Winsome Adante during their historic run. Ballynoe Castle RM took over the U.S. Highest Scoring Horse title last year with 1,377 points, just edging Winsome Adante’s 1,355 points.
Kim and “Dan” are well known in eventing households, winning Rolex in 2002, 2004 and 2005, as well as clinching World and Olympic medals. Buck and “Reggie” have represented the U.S. on two WEG squads and have completed Rolex three times, in addition to Badminton and Burghley.
The prestigious brands represented by World Equestrian Brands — Amerigo, Vespucci, Mattes, and Equilibrium — have served both Buck and Kim well in their tenure as the top eventing pairs in recent U.S. history. Join us in celebrating these two greats with these videos of highlights in their respective careers.
OTTBs are among the most prominently represented breed in the eventing world. Each day, hundreds of ex-racehorses find themselves at the end of their racing career and in need of a new home. Luckily, organizations such as CANTER, New Vocations, Recycled Racehorses, and many more are always on alert for new horses that are ready for second careers. Each week, we'll be bringing you a few OTTB ads that caught our eye. Keep an eye out here for your next eventing superstar!
We have to be honest — this whole window shopping deal is difficult! It’s so hard to not pick up the phone when we come across an OTTB we love. All the more reason for you to give one of our featured horses a new home! Chinch is a great enabler, so if you need any help with convincing, he’s your guy.
Photo via After the Races.
We’re definitely crushing on our first horse this week, a 5-year-old liver chestnut mare. Standing at 16.1 hands, Twin Kisses (Delfrere – Steady Anna, by Steady Growth) raced 25 times, winning once. Her last race was at Penn National in December, and she’s now available for purchase through After the Races in Nottingham, Pennsylvania.
“Besos” is clean legged and sound and is said to be fit for any discipline. She’s a mannerly girl and can turn out with any herd. We would love to see this uphill, leggy girl go to an eventing home — make it happen, EN!
Click here for Twin Kisses’ listing at After the Races.
Photo via Second Stride Inc.
Keeping with our chestnut theme, Seton Hall is an 8-year-old gelding available for adoption through Second Stride Inc. in Crestwood, Kentucky. Standing 16.1+ hands, Seton Hall (Lion Heart – New Jersey, by Kingmambo) raced 28 times and earned over $160,000 on the track. His last race was in August 2014, and he’s been enjoying hacks around the farm and socializing since retiring.
Click here for Seton Hall’s listing on Second Stride Inc.
Photo via CANTER Mid Atlantic.
Diverging from our chestnuts this week, this guy’s got plenty of white to get you noticed in the show ring. Jerek Deter (baseball fans, this one’s for you!) is a 16 hand, 5-year-old gelding available through CANTER Mid-Atlantic on a farm near Mountaineer Park in West Virginia.
Jerek Deter (Thunder Gulch – Empress Lil, by Grindstone) raced 31 times, most recently on Valentine’s Day, and has won a little over $63,000 in his career. He does have a small osselet on which he is said to be sound, and he’s ready to take on a new career.
Click here for Jerek Deter’s listing on CANTER Mid Atlantic.
Happy participants and auditors after a successful William Fox-Pitt clinic. Photo courtesy of Scott Hayes.
Aspire to inspire. It’s a simple motto, and it’s the theory behind Scott Hayes’ business model for SH Productions Inc. By integrating his background with event planning and passion for equestrian sport, he’s created a unique business centered around taking educational clinics to a whole new level.
When William Fox-Pitt landed in Vancouver to teach a clinic in Canada earlier this month, Scott had every detail covered. Fresh off of a 10-hour flight, William was whisked off to a 4-star hotel and treated like a VIP all weekend. Not to mention, he flew first class.
Hundreds of auditors and more than 30 horses and riders came to learn from William, and Scott accommodated all of them with ease. The result? A fantastic educational opportunity for all involved and a happy clinician who was able to do his job in a well organized environment.
Anky van Grunsven during her clinic. Photo courtesy of Scott Hayes.
Building the business
Scott cut his teeth early in his career by managing a top-notch equestrian facility housed in a private equestrian community. “I was the general manager, and the idea came to me to put on world class events there. We had the facility for it, so there would be a huge draw for people to come,” Scott said.
“I’m a ‘go big or go home’ type person, and when the board of directors didn’t want to take on the financial risk of the events I was envisioning, I asked their permission to go ahead and plan it on my own.”
Scott set the bar high, eyeing Anky van Grunsven, the renowned dressage rider, as a potential clinician to introduce to the Canadian equestrian community. “I wanted to bring a world class clinician to an area that perhaps wasn’t getting as much attention,” Scott said. “I felt like there was a niche in the market.”
After securing permission from the board to plan the clinic, Scott worked furiously to pull off the event. Having already secured dates with Anky, he had just three months to bring his vision to reality.
“That was a big risk,” Scott said. “In three months, I created a company and went all out in planning. (Anky) had a very high price tag, and there were a lot of ends to be met. But in the end, everything went off without a hitch. Everyone who came learned something and found her training methods to be clear and concise. They all wanted her to come back the following year.“
The view from an auditor’s table at Scott Hayes’ William Fox-Pitt clinic in Vancouver. Photo courtesy of Scott Hayes.
Joining the eventing ranks
Having recently ventured into event horse ownership, Scott decided to make an eventing clinic his next marquee event. Keeping with his “go big or go home” theme, Scott targeted William Fox-Pitt, contacting his assistant in an effort to secure dates for 2015.
“I was very persistent with William’s assistant. That’s what I will always tell someone looking for advice — you’ve got to be persistent, while making sure you’re not annoying. The saying ‘patience is a virtue’ really is true when dealing with top-level athletes. Due to their demanding schedules, securing dates is the hard part — the rest is easy,” Scott said.
Scott set dates for William’s clinic in Vancouver and also created sponsorship opportunities for the clinic to reduce costs. For the facility, Scott chose a large indoor arena where William could bring in cross country fences. “I wanted William to have access to everything he needed,” Scott said. “I also want to support all the facilities I can, so it just depends on what the event requires.”
Scott also had prospective riders apply for their spot in the clinic. Since he kept entry costs as low as possible, he created more of an invitational model, screening applicants and selecting qualified combinations to ride with William.
Auditors were welcomed, and VIP tables were made available for those who wanted to view the clinic as up close and personal as possible. “My philosophy for pricing is evolving. The costs for these events is extremely high, and it’s not fair to rely on the riders to cover everything. I look at it as a presentation, a learning opportunity for everyone, especially the auditors,” Scott said.
“I try to keep the cost for riding as low as I can — I rely more on the community surrounding the event to support. Whether it’s corporate sponsorships or auditing tickets, it’s a way to involve everyone and spread out the costs.”
Graphic via Scott Hayes.
‘Aspire to inspire’
Scott hopes to continue planning events that will provide unique opportunities for education and, subsequently, inspiration. “My motto is ‘aspire to inspire,’ and I want people to be inspired by what they’ve seen,” he said. “These clinicians have worked hard to get where they are, and I want the events to be an inspiration to improve every facet of your life.“
His next big clinic venture is the West Coast Dressage Symposia with Charlotte Dujardin on May 1-2 in Surrey, British Columbia. Once again, Scott has pulled out all the stops to make the event one that attendees will be talking about for months to come.
VIP tickets and auditing packages were made available, and accommodations were made for Charlotte and her best friend, Ian, to make a vacation out of their trip to Canada. “I want the clinicians to leave our events and remember it. I want it to be a memorable experience for them, because I think we have a lot to offer here,” Scott said.
What advice would Scott give to event and clinic organizers based on his experiences? “Delegate,” he said. “That’s one thing I’m still working on, but that is what personal growth is about. You have to be willing to accept the help that people offer. At William’s clinic, I almost felt as if I wasn’t doing enough because I had delegated enough that I didn’t have to run around like a chicken with its head cut off.”
In the grand scheme of things, Scott has found his niche. Education is an integral part of any equestrian pursuit, and Scott’s aim is to provide those opportunities in a unique way. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s so rewarding. After all, it’s only two or three days you have to get through! It’s all well worth it in the end.“
To learn more about upcoming opportunities from SH Productions Inc., click here.
We hear all the time about horses at the top of the sport, but what about the next generation of equine talent? EN’s Got Talent introduces the future superstars of the sport, interviewing riders about how they’re tackling training with these youngsters. Have you spotted a spectacular young horse at an event you think should be highlighted in this column? Tip me at [email protected].
Boyd Martin and Santos schooling at Stable View Farm in Aiken earlier this month. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Last week on EN’s Got Talent, we got to know a little more about Santos, the newest upper-level prospect in Boyd Martin’s barn. Bearing a striking resemblance to Neville Bardos in both looks and demeanor, Boyd is thrilled to have the opportunity to build a partnership with the 6-year-old Thoroughbred gelding.
Boyd and Santos’ first competition together was at Full Gallop in Aiken, South Carolina, at the end of January. “Our first event was nearly disastrous,” Boyd said. “He did very well in the dressage and show jumping, but on cross country, I was a bit on cruise control and didn’t give him the best line into the water, so he had a bit of a peek there. So it wasn’t great, but we went and schooled a few times before our next event at Paradise Farm, and he was spot on.”
Indeed, the young gelding found his rhythm with Boyd in his next outing at Paradise, winning his Open Training division on his dressage score of 24.8. “We’re not getting too far ahead of ourselves,” Boyd said. “We’re not setting the world on fire yet, but we’re improving each day.”
Boyd’s general training philosophy is to spend a year at each level to ensure his horses don’t have gaps in their education as they progress. Many riders designate a level to spend more time on, and for Boyd, it’s Intermediate.
“I used to do a year at each (level) and then take them Advanced,” he explained. “But I’m finding myself spending more time at Intermediate and two-star level now. You see basically the same questions as an Advanced course in that you’ll have a corner to a corner or a one stride into the water to a narrow out. The difference is that instead of two strides corner to corner, you’ve got six strides corner to corner, and so on. So the horse can be a bit greener and you have more time to show them where to go and educate them.”
What about the potential for Santos to go up to the Advanced level? Boyd would like to think that his newest charge has the makings to be a four-star horse. “Four-star horses have that look about them, that championship look. I’m not sure that’s very technical, but you can tell when you see it.”
“You have to ask, honestly, if this horse has the ability to gallop for 12 minutes,” he continued. “That’s a big question. Not many people in the world know the feeling of galloping a tired horse coming to the last fence, and I’ll tell you it’s an awful feeling and one that I sincerely try to avoid at all costs.”
Boyd’s got high hopes for Santos, and his full Thoroughbred pedigree will certainly give him a leg up in the question of stamina. For now, he’ll continue fine tuning the skills the horse will need to be successful in the future. “His dressage is world class, and cross country will come very easily to him because of his style,” Boyd said. “I’ll be gently chipping away at the show jumping;I’m pretty confident in this guy.”
Santos also adds some personality to the barn, always hanging his head over his stall door to observe the happenings around him. “He’s always happy to be there,” Boyd said. “When you hop on, he’s a character. If it’s cold and windy, he’ll jump around a bit — he doesn’t mind jumping up in the air! He’s definitely a bit quirky.”
We can’t wait to see more from Santos as his education continues to progress, and Boyd is thrilled to have the support of Gloria Callen and Ron and Densey Juvonen in his quest to develop his next upper-level partner.
Brendan Quinn competes his Percheron cross, Smoke, at the Preliminary level and the pair stepped out for their first Prelim run of the year this past weekend at Pine Top. Braving cold weather and a bit of rain, Brendan and Smoke made easy work of the course as evidenced by his helmet cam above.
They added 8 time penalties in show jumping to finish fifth in the Jr/YR Preliminary division — a great start to the season! Brendan also captured some footage of his show jumping round:
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Tredstep Ireland rider Emily Beshear and Deep Purple Eventing’s Shame On the Moon stepped out for their first Advanced run of the season at Pine Top this past weekend. The pair took second place into cross country in the Advanced B division and picked up 12.8 time penalties to finish the weekend in 13th place.
“Delta” stepped up to the Advanced level after winning the CCI2* at Jersey Fresh last May, culminating the year with completing the Dutta Corp Fair Hill International CCI3*. The 9-year-old Trakehner/Thoroughbred mare has continued to impress Emily with her elegant presence and confident nature in the jumping phases; we’re sure we have much more to see from this mare.
Check out Emily and Delta’s first Advanced outing of the year with these videos, courtesy of The Horse Pesterer.
Clare Abbott and Euro Prince at the 2014 World Equestrian Games. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Senior Eventing High Performance Manager Nick Turner has selected his squad for the 2015 season, stocking it full of well qualified participants with the goal of the Summer Olympics in Rio looming in 2016.
The 2015 Irish High Performance Eventing Squad is as follows:
Clare Abbott & Euro Prince (ISH)
Aoife Clark & Fenya’s Elegance (ISH)
Fraser Duffy & Fernhill Revelation (ISH)
Sarah Ennis & Horseware Stellor Rebound (ISH)
Ciaran Glynn & Killossery Jupiter Rising (ISH)
Mark Kyle & Jemilla
Joseph Murphy & Westwinds Hercules (ISH), Electric Cruise (ISH) and Sportsfield Othello (ISH)
Austin O’Connor & Ringwood Missippi (ISH), Kilpatrick Knight (ISH) and Balham Houdini (ISH)
Sam Watson and Horseware Lukeswell (ISH)
Nick took a few minutes to chat with Irish Horse TV on his nominations, giving us some insight into his decisions:
There are so many quality Thoroughbreds looking for new homes each day, it’s supremely difficult to pick just a few of them to feature this week. Thanks to the efforts of organizations such as CANTER, New Vocations, Recycled Racehorses, and many more, these horses are getting a chance at a second career after their time on the track is up.
Time after time, you’ll hear event riders endorsing the OTTB as their breed of choice — why not join the ranks yourself? Don’t forget: the Retired Racehorse Project Thoroughbred Makeover is still accepting entries! You can find more information here. Happy shopping!
Photo via CANTER Texas.
For all of you Texans out there, this one’s for you! Dapper Devil is a 9-year-old, 16.1hh gelding — but don’t let his age scare you away! He’s described as a “been there, done that” type of guy and raced 73 times, earning almost $350,000 with 30 placings. Not too shabby!
Dapper Devil (Crafty C.T. – Due Elegance, by Devil His Due) is available through CANTER Texas and is ready to move onto a great second home. Click here to visit his listing.
Photo via Finger Lakes Finest.
We’re re-listing this handsome guy, Fotografia, who had his adoption fall through and is now back with Finger Lakes Finest. Fotografia (Western Expression – Picture, by Roar) is 8 years old and stands 16.3-17hh. He’s already got some retraining under his belt, so you’ll get a head start with this quiet and handsome guy! You can find more information by visiting Finger Lakes Finest here.
Photo courtesy of New Vocations.
Our last horse this week is available for adoption through New Vocations in Lexington, Kentucky. Conga Forty (Congaree – Yahk Forty, by Lear Fan) is a 4-year-old mare standing 15.1 1/2hh. She raced just three times and retired sound, although a trailer accident left her with some scarring on her right hind leg. It’s said that the scarring will not affect soundness if kept protected.
“Conga” looks like she’s got that competitive gleam that many of us are always looking for — she’s sure to not last long! Visit her listing on New Vocations here.
If you missed out on the cross country action from Pine Top yesterday, never fear! The Horse Pesterer was out on course yesterday to grab some videos, and there’s a whole playlist waiting for us now. Who needs Netflix when you have The Horse Pesterer, anyway?
Pine Top Advanced CIC and HT: Website, Entry Status, Ride Times, Live Scores, @eventingnation
The Advanced divisions ran cross country yesterday — and some show jumped as well — on what looks like a beautifully presented course on an equally beautiful day. Check out these videos from the day’s action, and click here to view the full playlist.
