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Sally Spickard

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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.

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Friday News & Notes from FLAIR Nasal Strips

By Sally Spickard on Mar 28, 2014 12:01 am -

Gin & Juice is all ready for Galway! Photo by Hawley Bennett.

Good morning! Today kicks off a busy weekend around the country. The season is definitely under full swing, and multiple events are preparing many horses and riders for a successful season. Galway Downs is one of the events running this year, and I have a special request for any of you who are attending or competing. Please send any updates, photos, or video from the event to me at [email protected]. I am trying to do as much coverage of this premier West Coast event as possible, and I need your help! Thanks in advance, and good luck to everyone competing around the country this weekend.

Events This Weekend:

Galway Downs International H.T. [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Texas Rose Horse Park H.T. [Website]

Full Gallop Farm H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Morven Park Spring H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Rocking Horse Spring H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Friday News:

Area VI has a brand new website, thanks to Athletux. The site is new and improved, and you should hop on over and check it out! [Area VI]

Stuart Pittman has penned an open letter to PETA in response to their recent allegations of abuse in the racing world. Horse Nation reprinted the letter, and I think it is well a written and diplomatic response. The fallout from the recent PETA video is still rippling throughout the racing industry. [HN: Stuart Pittman Responds]

The USEF will award three dressage riders with pre-games training and competitive grants. The grants are designed to help riders who wish to train in Europe leading up to the World Equestrian Games in Normandy later this year. [USEF Grants]

Are you attending Badminton this year? If so, check out these fabulous course walks, and nab some tickets to an exclusive look at the cross country course. The walks will be lead by Zara Phillips and Laura Collett, which means they will surely be educational and entertaining. Who has an extra bed for me to crash in so I can attend too? [Badminton Course Walks]
Friday Video:

Here’s a Flashback Friday video for you, courtesy of Evention. Also, please note Dom’s ‘stache. #winning

Throwback Thursday: And the Famous Face Is …

By Sally Spickard on Mar 27, 2014 6:30 pm -

The man behind the camera — David Frechette!

You all did great this week with the guesses, and many of you were spot on! This famous face is well-known for the videos that he so tirelessly films, edits and posts to YouTube for our enjoyment and education. His service is an invaluable one, and we must give a big thanks to …

Guess who!

… The Horse Pesterer! Also known as David Frechette, one of our favorite videographers can frequently be seen with his camera filming ride after ride at big events. If you’d like to catch up on David’s video playlist, you can always visit his YouTube site here. Thanks for guessing!

Thoroughbred Legends Presented by Cosequin: Livingstone

By Sally Spickard on Mar 27, 2014 4:30 pm -

Thoroughbred racehorses that go on to second careers are unique in that they have two retirements in their lifetimes: the first from the track and the second from the show ring. Thoroughbred Legends, a new EN series presented by Cosequin, seeks to honor off-track Thoroughbreds that went on to accomplish great things as upper-level eventers and now enjoy a second retirement in their golden years. If you know of a great Thoroughbred for this series, email [email protected].

Hawley Bennett and Livingstone during his retirement ceremony in 2013. Photo by Sarah Braun.

Hawley Bennett can barely contain her excitement to talk about Livingstone, the horse she bought as a timid teen who needed a step up from the Arabian she had been riding up until that point. In a fitting testament to the journey she has been on, she called me while out for a walk with her current mare, Gin & Juice, to talk about the horse who really started it all. Livingstone, or Hank as he is more commonly known, was part of a string of OTTBs that Hawley met when she began working for Therese Washtock. Petite and young, Hawley’s eye didn’t linger long on Hank, who was a gangly 4-year-old who was too tall for her to even put a bridle on.

“My mom came up to visit, saw Hank, and immediately asked who he was,” Hawley said. “To me, it was just this long, skinny Thoroughbred who I couldn’t get a bridle on, but my mom said we had to have him. She fell in love with him, and if it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t have had him; she really has an amazing eye for horses.” Early on, Hawley found that she was frustrated more often than not with her new horse. “I had to stand on a bucket to get his bridle on, and I just remember being so frustrated and impatient. But we grew and learned together. It took me a year to get him to properly canter on the right lead,” Hawley said.

Hawley and Hank during the emotional retirement ceremony. Photo by Gamal Awad.

Hawley stuck with the program, though, and began winning Pony Club rallies on her gentle giant. With the help of coach Pam Arthur, Hawley and Hank made progress, moving through the levels as their skill level increased and their relationship strengthened. In 1998, Hawley competed in the North American Junior Young Riders Championships, where she and Hank took fourth place in the two-star division and were the only pair to go double clear on cross country.

In 2000, Hank suffered an injury to his leg that would sideline him for a year, so Hawley took advantage of the downtime and went to work for Buck Davidson. It was also with the help of Bruce Davidson Sr. and Dr. Brenden Furlong that she was able to bring Hank back from his injury, which had been written off by many other vets as career-ending. Just three years later, Hawley and Hank made their CCI4* debut at Rolex. “I remember riding in the first saddle I ever bought, which was flat with no knee rolls or anything, because I didn’t know the difference at the time,” Hawley said. “I remember Jimmy Wofford telling me that he’d better not see me riding in that saddle ever again!”

Hawley and Hank went on to represent Canada in the 2004 Athens Olympics, at Badminton and an impressive four times at Rolex Kentucky. Hawley credits Hank, along with the help of her mentors and coaches along the way, with launching her career to what it is today. Hank is now 24, although according to Hawley, “He still thinks and looks like a 10 year old.”

Last October at the Galway Downs International Three Day Event, Hawley officially retired Hank from competition. “I tried to retire him before, but he was miserable not working, so I let a few students take him around a few times,” Hawley said. “In fact, he actually took Allie Knowles around her very first Advanced, and she had never even ridden him cross country before competing; that’s how easy of a ride he was.” Livingstone was retired in a ceremony at Galway, with Hawley’s long-time supporters — including Buck Davidson who was there to compete that weekend — present.

Now, Hank still refuses to just lounge in a pasture in his retirement. “We still do dressage and trot sets with him because he hates not having a job,” Hawley said. Hank will teach young and timid riders how to ride and still firmly believes that he is perfectly capable of going out and tackling the biggest courses in the world. “He even thought that he was going in to show jump at his retirement ceremony,” Hawley said. Go Hank.

Jessica Phoenix Talks Poplar Place, WEG Preparation

By Sally Spickard on Mar 27, 2014 3:00 pm -

Jessica Phoenix and Exponential. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Jessica Phoenix dominated the CIC3* division at Poplar Place last weekend, taking first, third and sixth when all was said and done. Jessie has a thriving training business and is staying busy preparing for Rolex as well as keeping her top horses in prime shape with her eye on the World Equestrian Games in Normandy.

“Overall, I was very happy with their performances (at Poplar). I thought the courses rode great, and I experienced some of the best footing I’ve ever seen at Poplar,” Jessie said of her weekend in Georgia. “It was a busy weekend, but I’m really happy with everyone’s performances.”

Jessica Phoenix and Patras VR. Image courtesy of Palmer Photo.

Jessie won the CIC3* aboard Patras VR, who just moved up to Advanced last year. “I’ve basically known him his whole life,” Jessie said. “I did his stallion approval, and then he was gelded in 2010 and began his eventing career.” Jessie is aiming for the CCI3* at Jersey Fresh to continue getting the 13-year-old Trakehner gelding more experience at the Advanced level.

Coming in third was Jessie’s 2012 Olympic mount Exponential, who ran clean around the Poplar track with time. Jessie has entered Exponential (Tucker) at Rolex, but plans to just do the dressage phase with him to give him some more time in a ring with atmosphere. “He’s been prepping really well; we’ve just been working on his fitness and getting him where he needs to be,” Jessie said. Jessie will continue to plan Tucker’s schedule around the selection schedule for the Canadian Eventing Team.

Jessica Phoenix and Abbey GS. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Rounding out Jessie’s trio of success at Poplar was Abbey GS, who came to Phoenix Equestrian after spending time as a broodmare early on. The 13-year-old Trakehner mare originally came to Jessie as a sales horse and quickly showed her talent for the sport. Jessie is currently in the process of putting the finishing touches on a syndicate for the promising mare. “She’s not got a lot of experience on cross country, but when she’s out there she just blows me away because she just acts like she’s done it all and seen it all before,” Jessie said. Abbey will also head to Jersey Fresh next to contest the CCI3*.

Jessica Phoenix and Pavarotti. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Jessie also has another horse, Pavarotti, entered in Rolex this year. Pavarotti, 11, was Jessie’s 2011 Pan American Games mount and also contested the Blenheim International CCI3* last year, where he finished 10th in a large and competitive international field. “I’ve just been giving him a slow spring, focusing on building up his dressage and getting him stronger,” Jessie said. She plans to run a combined test at The Fork before continuing on to Kentucky.

Overall, it looks like Jessie is right where she wants to be at the start of an important WEG year, and certainly her results at Poplar are a testament to how her hard work has paid off. Best of luck to Jessie and the rest of the Phoenix Equestrian Team as they continue to take the event world by storm.

For more information, please visit the Phoenix Equestrian Team Facebook page or Jessica’s website.

Tiana Coudray Receives Land Rover Grant to Compete at Rolex

By Sally Spickard on Mar 27, 2014 11:58 am -

Tiana Coudray and Ringwood Magister. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Great news! Tiana Coudray relocated to the UK in 2011 to continue her training and, while she has appeared regularly representing the U.S. in European events, has not competed on U.S. soil since. Today, it was announced that Tiana and her Irish Sport Horse gelding, Ringwood Magister, have received a Land Rover grant to cover the expenses for Tiana and Finn to compete at Rolex this year.

The last time we saw Tiana and Finn here in the U.S., they placed 11th in the Intermediate division at Fair Hill in 2011 after having a rocky go at the first CCI4* at Rolex that year. Now, after numerous placings and appearances in Europe, including representing the U.S. in the 2012 London Olympic Games, Tiana will be back to contest Rolex again in just a few weeks’ time.

Congratulations to Tiana, and we certainly can’t wait to see her in Kentucky. For more on this grant, visit the USEF here.

Throwback Thursday: Guess the Famous Face

By Sally Spickard on Mar 27, 2014 10:30 am -

Welcome to Throwback Thursday! Each Thursday, we will be bringing you some vintage eventing photos and posts. Do you want to show us your first horse or a photo of your early riding days? Email [email protected].

Guess who!

We’ve got a special one for you this week, EN. OK, maybe I say that every week. This week’s Throwback Thursday subject is not actually a rider, but he can be found at countless events all along the East Coast during the season. Well known for his sense of humor as well as his wonderful contribution to the eventing world, we just had to give a shout out. He could most recently be spotted at Carolina International.

So, did I give you enough hints? Here’s one more: Many of you may not have seen his face before, but I guarantee that you’ve seen plenty of his work. Happy guessing!

A Horse of a Different Color: As You Wish

By Sally Spickard on Mar 26, 2014 3:00 pm -

"A Horse of a Different Color" features horses and ponies that have been successful in the sport of eventing while representing a unique breed. Do you have a horse that you think would be a great feature subject? If so, email [email protected].

Katie Bartz and As You Wish. Photo courtesy of Kimberly Lennon-Freire.

We posted Elisa Wallace’s helmet cam earlier this week from Poplar Place aboard the fabulous little pony, As You Wish. Per request, we learned more about this intriguing pony and now have the full scoop on “Westley” and how he came to be an event horse.

Katie Bartz is a longtime student of Elisa’s and was searching for a horse who would fit her petite, 5-foot frame. Elisa and Katie searched high and low for a suitable horse and eventually stumbled on As You Wish. A 5-year-old at the time, the half British Riding Pony and half Quarter Horse/Paint pony had been used as a stud and branded as an American Sport Pony before being gelded and prepared for a new career.

“The breeder let us come out to try him several times,” Elisa said. “She had a barrel and a round pen, so I did some work with him to see if he had any sort of jumping talent. He was green, but he was willing to give it a shot, and I think that if you can find a horse with the will to try something, you can generally instill the confidence needed to progress.” As You Wish fit Katie well, and soon enough, the 14.1 pony was on his way to join the event world.

Westley on the first day Elisa and Katie tried him. Photo by Elisa Wallace.

As You Wish, or Westley, got his name from “The Princess Bride” character Westley, who’s characteristic line was “as you wish.” Westley quickly took to jumping; in fact, both Elisa and Katie were surprised at just how well he jumped. “Katie had to learn to stick his jump, as he tends to have a lot of power off the ground,” Elisa explained. “But he is honest as the day is blue, and even though he is more refined you still feel the power when you’re galloping him cross country.”

Elisa said that Westley is a bit quirky, as many intelligent horses tend to be. “He can be a little funny about the girth, and he loves Katie but he and I have more of a trainer-student relationship,” Elisa said with a laugh. “He knows I’m the trainer, and he will do anything for me but that doesn’t mean he necessarily loves me. He can be a bit cocky, but at the same time you can put a beginner on him and he will take care of them.” Elisa has also implemented some of the training she uses with her string of mustangs, including teaching the pony to ride sans bridle and how to smile.

Elisa and Westley showing off their bridleless maneuvers. Photo courtesy of Kimberly Lennon-Freire.

Westley impressively runs Preliminary barefoot and has no issues with footing or soundness so far. Elisa has schooled him through Intermediate and says that he has no issues with the increased technicality and height. His owner, Katie, currently competes at Training level, and the goal is for the pair to move up to Preliminary in the near future. “It takes time to get them to that point,” Elisa said. “When you ride a pony, you have to go in with the mindset that they can jump the moon. If there is any little bit of doubt, they will begin to doubt too.” Elisa has been working with Katie and Westley to really fine tune their flatwork and jumping technique to ensure that they are as prepared as possible for their move up.

Elisa and Westley. Photo courtesy of Kimberly Lennon-Freire.

Elisa and Westley. Photo courtesy of Aly Rattazzi.

In the meantime, Elisa will continue to give Westley mileage at Preliminary, where he continues to excel. Most recently, placed fourth in the Preliminary division at Poplar Place, and next Elisa is aiming for another run at Preliminary in Ocala. “We definitely have big goals for him. He’s been a perfect pony for Katie,” Elisa said. “Ever since we got him, we’ve had people offer to buy him, but the fact is that he is priceless to us and he is truly one in a million. You can’t put a price tag on him because he is irreplaceable.”

Rolex Rookies: Julie Norman and Consensus

By Sally Spickard on Mar 26, 2014 9:00 am -

It's that time of year again: spring flowers, warm weather and, most importantly, Rolex Kentucky. This year, we will be highlighting riders who are making their first appearance in North America's only CCI4* event. This week, we spoke with Julie Norman, who has entered her 14-year-old Thoroughbred/Hanoverian gelding, Consensus, in Rolex for the first time this year. Thank you for your time, Julie, and thank you for reading.

Julie Norman and Consensus at Richland Park. Photo by Jenni Autry.

One of my favorite story lines for event horses is hearing about a horse who didn’t success in other disciplines but found a niche in eventing. Julie Norman’s Consensus fits right into that. Now 14, the Hanoverian/Thoroughbred gelding was 8 years old when Julie came across him being marketed as a dressage horse. “He was at a friend’s barn in Maryland, and they were having a hard time selling him as a straight dressage horse,” Julie said. “He had only ever done some cross rails, but he was so pretty and fancy!” Julie brought Consensus, or Thomas as he is known at home, and set to work with her new event horse project.

“He was a bad bucker when I got him,” Julie, 25 of Shreveport, La., said. “So I worked with him every day, and eventually he settled down.” Julie found that Thomas enjoyed running and jumping, and she feels that having a new routine made his buck eventually subside. She began jumping Thomas, and he never batted an eye at a single fence. “He jumps whatever from wherever. He really doesn’t like to touch the jump, so usually when we go ‘through’ a brush, we’re actually clearing the brush,” Julie said with a laugh.

Julie and Consensus at CHC International. Photo by Samantha Clark.

Julie and Thomas did their first Advanced together in 2013 at Rocking Horse. “I honestly never thought he would be a four-star horse,” Julie said. “But when I took him to his first Advanced, he was actually more rideable than ever. After we placed second at our first Advanced and came home to win our second (at Texas Rose), I thought ‘Well, maybe he will be a four-star horse!'” Julie then set out mapping out the qualifications for Rolex in 2014, wanting to be able to compete in Kentucky before Thomas got much older. Julie completed the remainder of 2013 with qualifications for Rolex and has not yet incurred a cross-country jump penalty with Thomas at any of his Advanced starts.

Although Thomas was started as a dressage horse, Julie feels that this is their weakest phase. “He is super fancy on the flat, but sometimes I feel like I had a hard time keeping him packaged and keeping his attention on me. We’ve been working on our dressage all winter.” Julie works with longtime coach Regis Webb at home in Louisiana and also traveled to Florida to do some work with Clayton Fredericks this winter. “We’ve worked a lot on my position and really nailing the movements, and it’s getting better. We still haven’t totally pulled it together, but I see improvements each time we’re out, so I’m hoping we can nail a test soon.”

Julie’s welcome home sign upon return from Florida. Photo from Julie’s Facebook page.

Going into Rolex, like many other competitors, Julie is doing her best to look at it as just another event. She is focusing on Thomas’ fitness and keeping him sound and mentally prepared for the biggest start of his career. “I’m also focusing on my own personal fitness, working out with a trainer so that I am just as fit as he is,” Julie said. “Other than that, I’m trying not to think about it too much. I just keep riding every day as it comes and try to keep getting better.”

Julie plans to do a couple of dressage shows with Thomas to continue improving their flatwork. She also plans to run the Advanced at Texas Rose at the end of this month to at least get more dressage and show jumping practice. She is a bit nervous about the atmosphere of the dressage ring, knowing that she has worked so hard to be as close to perfect as she can be once she enters at A. “I’m just trying to be super prepared so that I don’t notice the crowd. Hopefully he will just feed off of me. The jumping phases I am not so worried about.”

Boyd Martin: Iron Man?

By Sally Spickard on Mar 25, 2014 4:30 pm -

Boyd's new cross country gear? According to Glenn from Horses in the Morning, this Bauer Od1n Body Suit should do the trick.

I’ve been thinking of telling Boyd and Silva to buy a Powerball ticket, because their rash of bad luck has got to be coming to an end soon. The Martins are among the most resilient of all equestrians, and I got to thinking about exactly how much metal Boyd must have in his body at this point. I’m beginning to think that perhaps Boyd is actually a pseudonym for someone else, perhaps someone by the name of Tony Stark?

Boyd successfully underwent surgery yesterday to repair his broken tibia, acquiring his latest set of hardware as surgeons inserted a metal rod along the length of his lower right leg. Click here to see a photo of the stitched-up leg post surgery — not posting directly on the page to protect those with weak stomachs — which he posted on his personal Facebook page earlier this afternoon.

All fixed! Sort of. Photo via Boyd’s Facebook page.

Glenn the Geek, host of the Horses in the Morning radio show, called attention on this morning’s episode to the Bauer Od1n Body Suit (screenshot above taken from this article), which is designed for use by hockey players, but could also serve its purpose for cross-country riding. To me, it looks like more of an Iron Man suit than anything else. Am I right?

Boyd has ruefully called himself part of a running joke at the local hospitals he frequents, where the scene evidently turns into the theme song from Cheers, as he is easily recognized and greeted upon each new visit with a new project for the hard-working staff.

I took a quick tally of the injuries and surgeries that Boyd has been subjected to in the past year. Take a look:

Broken tibia, March 2014
Broken arm, October 2013
Torn ankle tendons and ligaments, May 2013

Boyd himself has begun to lose count of the number of times he’s been under the knife, so we may well be missing some injuries here, but you can get a good idea of what the poor man has been through of late.

All jokes aside, Boyd, we sincerely hope that your recovery — and Silva’s! — is swift and uncomplicated. While your home may currently look like a hospital ward, if anyone can come out on the other side of this victorious, it’s definitely you two!

Kelsey Briggs and The Gentleman Pirate Eye Move Up at The Fork

By Sally Spickard on Mar 25, 2014 12:00 pm -

Kelsey and The Gentleman Pirate after their cross country run at Paradise Farm. Photo by Jamey Price.

Kelsey Briggs and her OTTB, The Gentleman Pirate, have become one of our more popular stories of late. After Kelsey wrote in and told us the tearjerker story of her beloved Pirate’s recovery from what was sure to be a career ending, if not life threatening, injury, we couldn’t help but keep tabs on this pair as they go on a whirlwind comeback tour this spring.

I was able to catch up with Kelsey at Carolina International this past weekend, where she and Pirate were competing in the Preliminary division. Kelsey said that Pirate has been training well and is super fit to the point where he barely has to catch his breath after coming off of cross country. “He doesn’t feel like he spent the last year off with a broken neck at all,” Kelsey said. “He feels like he hasn’t missed a beat.”

Kelsey went on to have a stellar weekend at Carolina International, scoring a respectable 38 in the dressage in a large and competitive field. They added one unlucky rail in a difficult show jumping arena and went on to finish cross country clean with just a handful of time. Kelsey was thrilled with Pirate’s run this weekend and feels confident in her decision to move back up to Intermediate at The Fork next month.

Kelsey has her eyes set on doing a CIC2* by the end of the year and, if all goes according to plan, will consider moving up to Advanced sometime next year. “I want to make sure that we are really good at Intermediate before we move up to Advanced,” Kelsey said, having never run Advanced herself yet.

She plans to partake in some more training to further both her and Pirate’s education to ensure that they are as well prepared for the move as they can be. In the meantime, Kelsey is eternally grateful for the second chance she has been given to ride her horse of a lifetime again, and is simply enjoying the ride that she and Pirate are privileged enough to go on.

To keep up with Kelsey and Pirate, visit their Facebook page.

Here is Kelsey’s helmet cam from the Preliminary cross country at Carolina International this past weekend:

From the PRO Blog: Clark Montgomery and Rebecca Howard at Gatcombe

By Sally Spickard on Mar 24, 2014 1:30 pm -

Clark Montgomery and Universe. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Clark Montgomery and Canada’s Rebecca Howard are busy training on the European circuit, and the PRO Blog has had a chance to catch up with these two as they begin their season in earnest.

Clark is aiming Loughan Glen and Universe for Badminton this year, and seems pleased with their preps so far. “Undeterred by hail, wind or rain, both horses jumped well out of the mud in the arena, and went steadily but easily and clear around the cross country, and now preparation can begin in earnest for the big one in May,” Samantha Clark wrote.

You can read all about Clark’s outing at Gatcombe on the PRO Blog here.

Rebecca Howard also had Riddle Master, or Rupert, out at Gatcombe, competing in the Intermediate combined test. Rupert is also headed to Badminton this year, and Rebecca told Samantha that Rupert was always a work in progress. “The horse has got super quality work, he has the ability to go in and be up there with the best in the world but he struggles with nerves in the arena and anticipation and then he overreacts to my aids. He’s a bit of a mission for me!” she told Samantha.

Catch up with Rebecca on the PRO Blog here.

EN’s Got Talent: Crimson Quickly Learns the Ropes

By Sally Spickard on Mar 23, 2014 12:00 pm -

Daniel and Crimson. Photo by Liv Stringer.

Last week on EN’s Got Talent, we met Daniel Clasing’s promising Prelim mare, Crimson, who came to him after showing her displeasure for her polo training. Once Daniel and Crimson got to know each other better, their partnership solidified and the nine-year-old mare quickly displayed her prowess for eventing.

Crimson eased into her flatwork nicely, exhibiting elegant movement and natural talent. “She’s had a lot of life experiences, so she’s seen nearly everything,” Daniel said. “She’s scored really well right off the bat, and everything just seems to come so naturally to her.”

Daniel has been especially impressed with Crimson’s careful approach to her work. “She’s a very different ride from Houston, which I actually kind of prefer,” he elaborated. “She’s small and catty. She is ultimately not the most brave horse; I would say Houston is much braver, but I think that’s a good thing. Horses that are overly brave tend to not be as careful. It really makes her respectful of the fence. She locks in to the jump but knows she has to respect it, so she naturally balances herself and I barely have to touch the reins.”

Photo by Liv Stringer.

One of the challenges that Daniel has worked through with Crimson is a general displeasure when it comes to working in traffic. “She doesn’t really like it when other horses get too close to her, so she can get a bit cagey in the warm up,” he said. That said, though, Crimson settles right down and gets to work once she enters the ring, and Daniel has figured out a good routine for warming the mare up correctly, even in a crowded warm up ring. “She loves to compete, and she knows that when she goes in the ring it’s time to go to work.”

So far this year, Crimson has done well. She and Daniel took second in the Preliminary division at Full Gallop earlier this month, and we’ve just gotten word that Crimson placed fifth in a large and competitive Preliminary field at Carolina International this weekend. Daniel said on his Facebook that the mare came back from cross country barely blowing and made the time look easy on a course that made it tough to come home double clear. The pair will next head to The Fork. Daniel tentatively has his eyes set on moving Crimson up to Intermediate at Fair Hill later this year, and believes the mare has the scope to go Advanced. “I think a really good way to judge scope is to ride the horse into a deep distance to make them jump out of the base pretty hard,” Daniel said. “She did really well when I tried this with her, and that makes me really believe that she has the scope to go Advanced.”

Daniel is a member of Experience Eventing, which connects potential event horse owners with horses and riders who are seeking ownership or syndication. Several shares of this talented mare are currently available. For more information on joining Daniel and Crimson, visit his Experience Eventing page or his website.

Ariel Grald and LBF O’Leagh’s Image Win Carolina International CIC2*

By Sally Spickard on Mar 22, 2014 7:00 pm -

Ariel Grald and LBF O'Leagh's Image. Photo by Sally Spickard.

The leaderboard shifted considerably after cross country on the CIC2* today. The course rode with more issues than the CIC3* course did, and while I was unable to catch the majority of the rides, I caught a few towards the end of the day, which seemed to be going smoothly when I saw them. The path the CIC2* horses had to take through the Stonehenge complex as well as Zoe’s Bank seemed to catch the most riders out, and the Cloud Eleven Tidal Pool saw a few mishaps as well. Only three riders came home inside the time: winners Ariel Grald and LBF O’Leagh’s Image, Becky Holder and Frodo of the Shire, and Elinor MacPhail and RF Eloquence.

While I did not catch most of the 2* rides through Stonehenge today, I did hear over the loudspeaker that it was causing its fair share of problems. The second element was set at quite an odd angle, and had many other distractions close around it, so it caught many pairs out. Ariel and LBF O’Leagh’s Image looked positively fierce coming through Stonehenge, neither of them so much as batting an eye on one of the more challenging questions on course. Ariel was one of three double clear rides in the 2* today, and I imagine she is absolutely thrilled, as she picks up her first CIC2* win on her home turf at Carolina Horse Park.

Leslie Law and Fernhill Whatever. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Overnight leaders Leslie Law and Fernhill Whatever were unfortunately eliminated at the Cloud Eleven Tidal Pool when Leslie took a bit of a dip into the water. Both horse and rider were on their feet immediately and appeared to be no worse for the wear.

Michael Pollard and Halimey. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Michael Pollard and Halimey were in second going into cross country, and I caught a bit of their run before I had to head back for Charlotte to catch a flight. Halimey looked curious about many of the elements on course, but also showed complete faith in Michael and answered every question he was presented with. It really looks like this partnership is really going well, and Halimey is an exciting horse to keep an eye on. Halimey hung onto the second place finish, accumulating only 4.8 time penalties.

Emily Beshear and Shame On the Moon. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Emily Beshear and Shame On the Moon looked lovely coming through the Stonehenge complex, and they came home with 18 time penalties to drop them down into ninth place for the weekend. Emily has commented that she is really still getting to know this stunning mare, so I would imagine that the run today helped solidify this relationship, and I expect Emily is pleased with the effort Delta put in.

Many thanks to The Horse Pesterer for this footage of Ariel and Leah:

[Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

EN is Now on Instagram

By Sally Spickard on Mar 22, 2014 6:30 pm -

Our very first Instagram photo from Carolina Horse Park. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Stop the presses! We are getting more and more social media “hip” (I’m not sure that “hip” is the word the kids are using these days, but I’ll stick with it) by the day. Recently, we let you in on the addiction that is our Pinterest account, and now we are happy to announce that we are officially Instagram members. There is an Instagram account floating around with the “@eventingnation” handle, but sadly it is not ours. Instead, you can search for “goeventing” on your Instagram, and we will pop up then.

Our Instagram account will primarily be used by our event coverage writers to bring you candid photos or photos that we feel add more dimension to our event coverage. We always love followers, so be sure to check it out yourself and click the Follow button.

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Marilyn Little and RF Demeter Win the Carolina International CIC3*

By Sally Spickard on Mar 22, 2014 2:46 pm -

Marilyn and RF Demeter. Photo by Jenni Autry.

It was all about Marilyn Little today, who had two spectacular rounds on RF Smoke On the Water and RF Demeter, becoming the eventual winner of the CIC3* with RF Demeter. I saw Marilyn from fence 11, Lizzie’s Leap, through fence 12AB, Stonehenge, and both she and Demi looked fiercely determined. Marilyn and Demi finished on their dressage score (46.2), moving from eighth after dressage to fifth after show jumping and, finally, to first after cross country. Both RF Demeter and RF Smoke On the Water are headed for Rolex this year, so I’m sure Marilyn will be quite pleased with how well their spring prep is going.

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

The optimum time proved elusive today, although many pairs were likely not pushing for time quite yet this year. Marilyn was one of only two to come home inside the time: Timothy Bourke and Luckuan Quality were the other pair to get it done. Marilyn also came close with RF Smoke On the Water, who clocked in with just .8 time penalties to end up in eighth place provisionally.

Michael Pollard and Ballingowan Pizazz. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Buck Davidson and Ballynoe Castle RM (Reggie) also had a quick round, coming home with only 2.4 time penalties to add to their dressage score of 48.0 to clinch second place. I saw Buck and Reggie as they pulled up at the vet box, and Buck looked positively thrilled with Reggie, who looked like he had simply warmed up and was ready for another (harder) go.

Jan Byyny and Inmidair. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Michael Pollard and Ballingowan Pizazz had a solid run today but accumulated just a few too many time penalties to stay in the lead. Michael ended the weekend on a 51.1, adding 8.8 time penalties today after jumping double clear yesterday to finish third. I saw Michael through Zoe’s Bank as well as Stonehenge, and they both looked calm, cool and confident. Michael said yesterday that he wasn’t going to turn this event into the Olympics, and I think he will be pleased with Mango’s showing this weekend.

Marilyn Little and RF Smoke On the Water. Photo by Sally Spickard.

The CIC3* course rode quite well, with only a few issues cropping up sporadically. Sharon White and Rafferty’s Rules had a run-out at fence 8B, the corner that was part of Zoe’s Bank, but went on to put things together for a solid round the remainder of the time. Buck Davidson and Petite Flower had a glance-off at fence 18AB, the Aires Marine Pine Line. Flower jumped her eyeballs out for Buck today, and aside from that little blip they had a beautiful round.

Doug Payne and Crown Talisman. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Michael Pollard and Mensa were the only pair to have a fall on course; Michael fell at the A element of fence 18 (the Aires Marine Pine Line) and was immediately up on his feet. Both horse and rider appeared to be fine. Kimberly Kojima and High Time were the only other elimination of the day, picking up three refusals on course, with the final stop coming at fence 22 at the second water.

Lauren Kieffer and Lucky Devil. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Two horses were withdrawn prior to cross country: Holly Payne’s Never Outfoxed and Kim Severson’s Fernhill Fearless.

I must say that my personal favorite ride of the day was Buck Davidson and The Apprentice, the trailblazers for the CIC3*. Dirk looked like he was having the time of his life on course today, and clearly thought that clearing the fences with as much room as possible was the order of the day.

I also have video footage from throughout the day, and Jenni just ran off to catch up with Marilyn and Buck, so keep it locked here for more from Carolina International.

[Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Carolina International CIC3* Live Cross Country Updates

By Sally Spickard on Mar 22, 2014 12:00 pm -

Stonehenge — fences 12ab on the CIC3* course.

It’s go time here at Carolina International, and the CIC3* horses and riders and getting ready to test out Hugh Lochore’s brand new course for this year. If you haven’t already, check out both the bike cam course preview as well as the traditional preview to get up to speed on what the riders will be facing today.

I will be out on cross country today checking in with updates as they come in, so be sure to keep checking back for more. We will have a full wrap-up once cross country completes.

The first combination on course in the CIC3* will be Buck Davidson and The Apprentice at 12:16 pm EST. Stay tuned for much more!

[Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

12:23: Buck Davidson and The Apprentice came home with no jumping penalties and 13.2 time. These two had a rocking good round and really attacked the course. Will Faudree and DHI Colour Candy also came home clear with 10 time penalties.

12:33: Allison Springer and Arthur blazed home with just 8 time penalties. Arthur looked to be thoroughly enjoying himself on course.

12:43: Sinead Halpin and Manoir de Carneville had a great round, coming home clean. No word on time penalties for her yet. [Update] Just 3.2 time penalties for Sinead, the fastest so far.

12:58: Hannah Sue Burnett and Harbour Pilot come home with just 2.8 time penalties. The ground is really holding well and the galloping conditions look fantastic today. The riders who are wanting to go for time should have no issues asking for the needed speed.

1:00: Sharon White and Rafferty’s Rules had a run-out at fence 8B, the corner that is part of Zoe’s Bank. They cleared it on second attempt.

1:05: Kimberly Kojima and High Time had a runout at Stonehenge, fence 12B.

1:09: Kimberly Kojima and High Time had a runout at fence 22, part of the Cloud Eleven Tidal Pool. This was their third refusal (I believe the first was at Zoe’s Corner), so they have been eliminated.

1:10: Holly Payne has withdrawn Never Outfoxed.

1:18: Emily Beshear and Here’s To You are looking great through the mid-point on course. Quincy took out a flag at fence 15A, part of the Knowlbrook Farm Feeders, but both look confident. I overheard her say at the finish that she took it slow, and it looks like she got a decent run today.

1:22: Buck Davidson brought Reggie home looking like he could go around again. No jumping penalties, and only 2.4 time. He takes the provisional lead from Hannah Sue Burnett.

1:28: Marilyn Little looked positively thrilled with RF Smoke On the Water at the finish. They’ve come the closest to a double clear with just .8 time penalties. Marilyn called Smoke “the most intelligent pony ever!” after she crossed the finish line.

1:40: Ireland’s Timothy Bourke and Luckuan Quality are the first double clear of the day!

1:51: Michael Pollard and Mensa had a fall at fence 18A, the first part of the Aires Marine Pine Line. Michael was up immediately and appears to be fine. Mensa ran off but found himself back at the vet box. First impression looks like they are both ok.

2:03: Will Coleman and Conair are the second pair to make the time.

2:06: Buck Davidson and Petite Flower hav. a refusal at fence 18AB, the Aires Marine Pine Line. Clear on second attempt. Flower is jumping huge today.

2:09: Kim Severson has withdrawn Fernhill Fearless.

2:11: Marilyn Little continues her kick ass day, bringing home RF Demeter home double clear. She currently has the lead. The top 5 are getting ready to start.

2:19: The overnight top 3 are on course. We’ll have your winner shortly!

2:21: Michael Pollard and Ballingowan Pizazz looked very confident through Zoe’s Bank.

2:26: Michael Pollard and Ballingowan Pizazz come home with about 8 time penalties. Marilyn Little and RF Demeter are your winners! Second is Buck Davidson and Ballynoe Castle RM, Michael and Ballingowan Pizazz third. Full report to come!

Will Faudree and Riesling de Buissy Win Carolina International CIC*

By Sally Spickard on Mar 22, 2014 11:55 am -

Will Faudree and Reisling de Buissy. Photo by Jenni Autry.

The CIC* cross country has just wrapped up, and it came down to the finish for overnight leaders Peter Barry and Long Island T. The pair came home with a few time penalties, so Will Faudree’s double clear round will seal the deal. As we reported yesterday, “P-Nut” is coming back from having the majority of the 2013 season off, and Will and P-Nut’s owners will be pleased with this win here at Carolina International this weekend. Will also piloted Pfun to a third place, a big jump from 10th after dressage with a double clear cross country round. Doug Payne moved up from third to second after also putting in a double clear with Cellar Door.

Doug Payne and Cellar Door ready for the start. Photo by Sally Spickard.

The cross country definitely proved influential this weekend. Fence 14AB, the Knowlbrook Farm Feeders, caused their fair share of problems today. A few riders had multiple runouts here, and others picked up one stop on their way home. Aside from that, there were a few early issues at fence 8AB, Zoe’s Bank, but the rides seemed to smooth out as the day progressed. Overall, the course seems to have ridden fairly for this level at this point in the season, and a big congratulations is in order for Will and Riesling de Buissy, who finished on their dressage score of 48.8. Final scores are still being loaded, so I will update this post with the final standings once they are confirmed here in a few minutes.

In the meantime, here is some footage of fence 8AB, Zoe’s Bank. Go Carolina.

[Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Cross Country Underway at Carolina International

By Sally Spickard on Mar 22, 2014 10:30 am -

Ariel Grald and Huey in the CIC* cross country. Photo by Sally Spickard

Good morning from Carolina! The FEI divisions have begun their cross country, with the CIC* out first to test out the new Hugh Lochore course. I caught a handful of rides on the one-star course this morning, and there were a few hairy moments that I heard through the speaker, but overall the horses and riders seem to be enjoying this beautiful morning.

The Cloud Eleven Tidal Pool. Photo by Sally Spickard.

I camped out at fence 19ABCD, the Cloud Eleven Tidal Pool, to see how it rode for the one-star riders. For the most part, the line seems to ride well. I must give a shout-out to Mara DePuy and Congo Brazzaville C, who had a positively wonderful ride through the water and looked quite keen throughout the course.

Scores are still coming in, and I plan to head back out to catch some of the top 10 riders in the CIC*, but in the meantime, here is some footage from the Cloud Eleven Tidal Pool. Also, be sure to check out our good friend The Horse Pesterer, who is on site this weekend and uploading videos for the FEI divisions as quickly as he can.

[Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Saturday Links from Tipperary

By Sally Spickard on Mar 22, 2014 12:01 am -

Marilyn Little and RF Demeter in the CIC3* show jumping at Carolina International. Photo by Sally Spickard.

It’s been a great weekend of competition in both North Carolina and Georgia, as both the Carolina International and Poplar Place are running. The entries are positively stacked at both competitions, and there is plenty more action to come today. Jenni and I will be wrapping up our coverage of the CIC3* at Carolina International today; the 43 pairs will run cross country today on what promises to be a challenging course designed by Hugh Lochore. Many commendations are in order for the event organizers, volunteers, and officials who have kept this weekend running so smoothly. The riders have had nothing but praise to give, and Jenni and I echo those sentiments. In fact, let’s just give a nice, big EN shout out to ALL of those hard working individuals who keep our beloved events running day in and day out. There is so much work that goes on behind the scenes to pull off an event of any size, and that hard work does not go unnoticed. So thank you to each and every one of you who make weekends such as this possible.

Events This Weekend:

Carolina International CIC: [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Poplar Place Farm March H.T. [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Saturday Links:

Don’t forget, The Horse Pesterer is here at Carolina International this weekend. He has videos from both the dressage and show jumping for the FEI divisions uploaded to his YouTube channel, and will be out taking video of the cross country today. [The Horse Pesterer]

Tipperary Equestrian has announced the “Dash for Cash” for riders competing at Rolex this year! This exciting contest gives riders who wear Tipperary gear at Rolex a chance to win an additional $5,000 in prize money. All three phases have a $5,000 which riders can qualify for. The winning rider must be wearing a new Tipperary 3015 Eventer Pro vest in the cross country phase of competition. In the dressage and show jumping phase, the winning rider must be wearing a Tipperary T-Series helmet to qualify for the bonus money. Be sure to read up on the full guidelines and rules here. Good luck to all Rolex riders who plan to participate!

Are you in Ocala? Don’t forget to enter Jump Extreme — where show jumping and cross country converge! The event starts at 10 a.m. March 26. There will be a hospitality food tent with food and drinks. The Southern Stars Saddlery $5,000 Mini Prix starts at 10 a.m., and the Harley Davidson Grand Prix — with the grand prize of a Harley Davidson motorcycle — starts at 1 p.m. Enter on www.EventEntries.com. [Jump Extreme]

Dressage Canada has announced the availability of financial support for 2014.

From western pleasure to FEI dressage.

The 2014 Nations Cup for Eventing has begun!

Steve Asmussen has been removed from consideration for the Racing Hall of Fame.

The NRHA and AQHA have officially become affiliated with the FEI.

Best of the Blogs:

Check out EN writer Erin Critz’s take on the whole prize money debacle over on Bloggers Row.

Saturday Video:

“Horses Unite the World” is the theme for this year’s Dubai World Cup promo.

Carolina International CIC* and CIC2* Day Two Wrap-up

By Sally Spickard on Mar 21, 2014 9:30 pm -

Riesling de Buissy on their way to a second place finish in the CCI2* at Jersey Fresh in 2013. Photo by Jenni Autry.

The CIC divisions here at Carolina International wrapped up the show jumping today, and the top three from both the one- and two-star divisions came over to the media tent for a quick press conference at the end of the day. The big story of the one-star is Will Faudree’s lovely ride, Riesling de Buissy, a 9-year-old French gelding. “P-Nut” suffered an unfortunate injury in 2013, tearing a flap on the edge of his deep digital flexor tendon sheath, which required tenoscopy surgery, and spent the remainder of the season rehabilitating. “He was alright at Jersey, and when we got him home the tendon really blew up. Luckily I was close enough to NC State and had a very supportive owner, so I am really lucky to have had the support,” Will said. Will is a consummate horseman when it comes to rehabbing horses, so he meticulously and slowly brought P-Nut back from the injury.

“He’s a fun horse, and I have high hopes for him and his future,” Will said. “He’s a very good jumper. He was found by Katie and Henri Prudent in France, and they originally showed him to Phillip (Dutton). Phillip mentioned the horse to me, and it was kind of a right place at the right time situation.” This CIC* is Riesling de Bussy’s first full run back since the injury, and he is clearly feeling healthy and ready to go, as he goes into cross country tomorrow in second place behind Peter Barry and Long Island T.

Peter Barry took over the ride from his assistant trainer Colleen Loach on Long Island T this weekend, who moved up from third to first with a double clear show jumping round. Peter, along with the other riders, commented on the quality of the event here in Carolina, saying the cross country course asked a lot of good questions. “Maybe I’m talking out of league here, but outside of Rolex, I would consider this to be my go-to event. The quality of the courses I think trickles down,” Peter said of the well-organized Carolina International, which he believes is a great example of a fair, challenging event that offers something for everyone.

Doug and Jane Dudinsky’s Cellar Door have also had a rocking weekend. So far, this pair has added nothing to their dressage score to lie in third going into cross country on a 50.9. Cellar Door, or Little Leo as he is known at home, is one of Jane’s homebreds, and Doug said that the horse has made a lot of progress since they began their partnership. “The jumping has been a work in progress, so I was really pleased that he jumped well today,” Doug said. “He’s absolutely a dirt bike kind of horse. He doesn’t need a lot of time to set up, and it makes for a lot of fun on cross country.” Doug plans to keep Cellar Door at Prelim to ensure that he has all of the tools in his arsenal that he will need to move up. “I’d rather spend a little bit more time to make sure I have everything I need instead of pushing him. He’s a really nice horse, and I try to do my best to maintain him.“

Emily Beshear and Shame On the Moon in the CIC2* dressage. Photo by Sally Spickard.

In the CIC2*, Leslie Law moved up from third to first after a double clear show jumping round, sitting on his and Fernhill Whatever’s dressage score of 49.4. Leslie is still getting to know “Winston,” and he thinks that the cross-country course tomorrow will really help them solidify their relationship.

Michael Pollard has enjoyed a successful weekend so far, sitting in second in the CIC2* aboard the 9-year-old Trakehner stallion Halimey. This horse was bred to event; his sire, Askar AA out of Hamamelis Go, is a Polish Anglo-Arab and was one of the last stallions to compete in the long-format Olympics in 1996, so the stamina factor is definitely in play with Halimey. Michael acquired the stallion last year and has since been working through some confidence issues. The pair moved from fourth to second to add nothing to their dressage score of 49.7. “He is actually a really careful jumper; he’s got good power,” Michael said. “It’s more about keeping his feet moving and coming off the ground, and when you do that, he actually jumps pretty well. I think he’s got it in him to be a really good horse, but I just need to be careful not to overface him.”

Emily Beshear and Shame On the Moon had a solid go-round in the show jumping today as well. They ran into a bit of a blip when “Delta” peeked at the second liverpool on course and knocked a rail. “She wants to be careful, but she can get a little unorthodox,” Emily said. “She’s not very solid in her technique yet, so she tries hard, but it doesn’t always work out the way she wants. I’m trying to make that a little more solid going forward.” Emily plans to get a good confidence-building round for Delta tomorrow on cross country. She, like Leslie and Fernhill Whatever, is still forging a new partnership with Delta and is excited to get the mare out for a good run.

[Website] [Live Scores]

Poplar Place March HT Social Media and Score Update

By Sally Spickard on Mar 21, 2014 4:19 pm -

Becky Allen and Da Vinci preparing for their first CIC*. Photo from the Phoenix Equestrian Team Facebook page.

While the Carolina International is in full swing here in North Carolina, don’t forget that there is also another big event running this weekend. Poplar Place is running CIC one, two, and three star divisions and horse trial divisions all the way from Beginner Novice to Advanced, so you can bet it’s a busy, busy weekend in Georgia as well. The CIC divisions rode dressage today, will show jump tomorrow and run cross country on Sunday.

[Website] [Live Scores]

Jennie Brannigan catches a quick nap in between rides. Photo from Allie Knowles.

CIC3*:

1. Jessica Phoenix – Patras VR – 48.8

2. Diana Burnett – Diamond Cut III – 53.4

3. Diane Burnett – Shigatzi – 56.0

CIC2*:

1. Kyle Carter – Serengeti – 49.9

2. Pedro Gutierrez – Racques Biats – 51.2

3. Karl Slezak – Yoshi – 53.5

CIC1*:

1. Elisa Wallace – Corteo – 38.8

2T. Kelly Taylor – Kynynmont Indeliby Irish – 42.4

2T. Sabie Giesler – Devil Munchkin – 42.4

Friday Video: How Horses Eat Their Food, Part 2

By Sally Spickard on Mar 21, 2014 3:30 pm -

I don’t know about you, but I about fell out of my seat laughing when I saw the first part of Evention TV’s “How Horses Eat Their Food.” It’s scary how accurate Dom and Jimmie’s portrayals of various horse eating personalities are. Well, now the dynamic duo is back with another edition of “How Horses Eat Their Food,” and I dare say that this one may even be better than the first. Enjoy!

Carolina International: Michael Pollard and Ballingowan Pizazz Lead After Show Jumping

By Sally Spickard on Mar 21, 2014 2:07 pm -

Buck Davidson and Petite Flower. Photo by Sally Spickard.

The leaderboard certainly saw some changes this afternoon as the CIC3* division show jumped. As Jenni reported earlier, Marc Donovan’s course was challenging and required accurate, forward riding. It seems that this morning’s bogey fence, fence four, was replaced by fence 6A this afternoon. 6A was part of an in-and-out that came five strides after fence 5. Some horses seemed to come in to the in-and-out with a bit too much power, and the fence took many hard rubs and quite a few fallen rails. All in all, 11 out of 43 pairs in the CIC3* jumped double clear today. Michael Pollard and Ballingowan Pizazz will lead the field going into cross country, followed by Doug Payne and Crown Talisman, and Jan Byyny and Inmidair.

Will Coleman and Conair. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Will Coleman came into show jumping having speculated in yesterday’s press conference that show jumping may be the biggest question mark on Conair’s resume. Unfortunately, Conair knocked rails at fences 5 and 6A, dropping him down to 11th place. Knowing that Conair may benefit from some more fine tuning in the show jumping, I’m sure Will is already at work formulating a strategy to get all cylinders clicking.

Marilyn Little and RF Demeter. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Marilyn Little and RF Demeter jumped a lovely, fluid round to move into fifth place. I can’t say enough about how amazing Demi looks this year, and I think we are all in for a treat as we watch her continue to campaign with Marilyn.

Holly Payne and Santino. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Buck Davidson, in true Buck fashion, piloted three of his four CIC3* rides to double clear rounds: Ballynoe Castle RM, Petite Flower and Park Trader. Petite Flower will be the highest place horse for Buck going into cross country; she will go into sixth place after show jumping. Ballynoe Castle RM is not too far behind his stablemate with a move into equal seventh with Jon Holling and Downtown Harrison. Park Trader is a bit farther down in the standings, but still within striking range in 12th place overnight.

Rachel Jurgens and Ziggy. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Rachel Jurgens and Ziggy had a huge cheering section today, and I could hear the cheers from all the way back by the media tent after she finished.

We will continue to add more videos to this post as they upload, so keep checking back! Go Carolina.

[Live Scores]

Michael Pollard and Ballingowan Pizazz:

Doug Payne and Crown Talisman. Disclaimer: Please excuse my moment of clarity when I saw Doug taking a daring inside turn through the Stonehenge complex!

Jan Byyny and Inmidair:

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