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.
Hannah Sue Burnett and Harbour Pilot will surely be celebrating their dressage score today! Photo from Hannah's Facebook.
The first day of dressage has concluded with, surprise surprise, William Fox-Pitt leading the field on Seacookie. The weather looks to be gorgeous in France for the event, here’s hoping it holds up for the rest of the weekend!
The dressage arena all ready to see some action this morning. Photo via Kate Samuels' Facebook.
It looks as if there may be a live stream happening for Pau – I am unable to view the link but it is all over Twitter.
You can go to the live stream here to check for compatibility.
Mensa takes a quick break from the hard work of being awesome. Photo from the Pollard Eventing Facebook page.
France is about 6 hours ahead of Eastern time, so everyone is likely settled in for the night in preparation for the long day ahead tomorrow.
You won't get lost coming down this aisle! Photo via Katie Thornton's Facebook page.
Beautiful sunrise this morning captured by Katie Thornton.
We resume first thing in the morning with day 2 of dressage. Until then, Go Pau!
Helmet cams are one of the most nifty items I’ve ever gotten my hands on. Popularized by Peter Atkins and his beloved Henny, helmet cams have taken off in the eventing world as both educational tools and entertainment. We’ve all seen Peter and Henny’s helmet cam from the 2010 World Equestrian Games in Lexington, but in case you’re wanting to see it again (you know you are!), here it is:
Now, our question to you, EN, is how does the intensity of the video I am about to show you compare? Next up, we have helmet cam footage from the Red Bull Rampage, which is a mountain biking event. I have to say that this video made me feel slightly faint of heart, but maybe I am just terrified of heights.
What do you think? Which helmet cam wins in the battle of intensity?
Grumpy Cat would like to say Happy Birthday! He really does, I promise!
I must start today’s reader with a big Eventing Nation Happy Birthday wish for Joanie Morris. One of the USEF’s fearless eventing leaders, Joanie has been unspeakably instrumental in assisting our riders as they work to improve the US’ viability on the international scale. After being named USEF Managing Director of Eventing in 2012, Joanie has become (even more) popular among the eventing community and has shown a great flair for her role. Today is her birthday, if you have not already figured out that, so Joanie I hope you are feeling the EN birthday love all the way in France! I will tell Jenni and Kate to come up with some sort of outlandish birthday song for you if they run into you.
In other news, Pau officially kicks off today with dressage. Two full days of dressage means that a fully stacked field will be squeezing every possible point out of the judges in order to get into a good position going into cross country on Saturday. Jenni and Kate will be bringing you up to date action as it unfolds, so stay tuned for much more.
Do you have broodmares in your barn? TheHorse.com has published some helpful hints for caring for your broadmares as the weather starts to take a turn for winter. Nutrition is always of essence when it comes to any horse, and ensuring that your mare has the correct diet to stay healthy when the weather gets rough is imperative. [Broodmare Nutrition]
Allison Springer and Copycat Chloe have been awarded the H.E. “Tex” Sutton Forwarding Company Travel Grant to travel to Galway. This grant is in its first year, and the shipping company is participating in the eventing community by offering this generous award. The next award will be given to a rider to compete at either Bromont or Jersey Fresh next spring. [The Chronicle Details Tex Sutton Grant]
Andrew Nicholson has three horses competing at Pau this weekend. Andrew and Nereo won Pau last year and will be out to repeat this weekend. Mr. Cruise Control, Quimbo, and Viscount George will all be sent out with Nicholson in the irons this weekend. Can you believe that he has four, count ’em-FOUR, 4* winners in his string currently? You’d think he would want to share the wealth a little. I would gladly take Avebury off of his hands to lighten the load a bit. [Nicholson Goes for Gold]
Would you buy an inmate-trained horse? An auction style adoption event was held in Nevada this week to help some mustangs find new homes. All thirteen horses that were up for adoption were rehomed successfully. The horses were brought in from the wild and trained by inmate trainers that had participated in the correctional center’s training program. Given the success of this round of adoptions, another is scheduled for February. [Inmate Trained Horses Adopted]
Self-professed nerd Doug Payne added to his helmet cam at Fair Hill this past weekend. He wanted to gather some data on heart rate while competing on cross country, so he had a GPS watch added to his uniform for the day that kept track of his heart rate. Doug plans to use this research in his fitness regimen, as we all know that fitness and strength is of the utmost importance in order to be competitive. [Doug Learns at Fair Hill]
Blanket season is coming fast, if it hasn’t already arrived in your area. When I was blanket shopping last, I found myself more than a little overwhelmed at the number of choices. I wanted to keep it simple and budget friendly while simultaneously making sure my horse was fashion conscious and warm. Lo and behold, I finally stumbled upon the SmartPark Classic Turnout Blanket. I got it just in time for Christmas and immediately took it to the barn to try it on my handsome boy. I can’t tell you how well the blanket fit and how nicely it held up under all of the stress he put it through. I am pretty sure that he took it upon himself to come up with new ways to attempt blanket ruin every day – I can imagine how frustrated he was when it didn’t work! [SmartPak Classic Turnout Blanket]
Mensa plans his Pau domination. Photo from Alison Willaby's Facebook.
Pau is officially underway, and the North American contingent all jogged sharply today and look primed for action this weekend. The ladies for the US wore navy blue dresses with brown belts, and the gentlemen wore navy blazers. Stylin’! I like the classy combination of navy and brown. Also, a big shout out must be given to the grooms and everyone who helped prep the horses for the jog today as they all looked magnificent. Check out Jenni and Kate’s full jog report here.
Spurs, spurs, and more spurs! Photo from Lynn Symansky's Facebook.
Over in camp Symansky, you can clearly see that spurs are most definitely not on short supply! Lynn, I apologize in advance if you get a flock of people whose spurs went missing lurking around your stall!
Jenni's view from the top flying into Pau. From Jenni's Facebook page.
Kate and Jenni must surely be feeling the jet lag, but hopefully they are sleeping peacefully as I write this and not partying it up with the French!
Michael and Nathalie Pollard walk the cross country at Pau. Photo via the Pollard Eventing Facebook.
That wraps up the social media roundup from today. Dressage kicks off tomorow, so get ready for a busy weekend! Go Pau!
Linda Waller from the Horse Collaborative recently sat down with Superman Michael Pollard for a candid interview. Eventing Nation is one of Michael’s biggest fans, and it’s always great to have the opportunity to get to know him more. In this interview, Linda touches base with Michael on everything from his work with Cavalor to his competition plans for the rest of the year, and even touches on his history with the sport. It is a great interview and gives us a glimpse into exactly how busy this man is! I’m starting to suspect he has also invested in a cloning business and is currently using at least one of himself.
For the full interview transcript, click here and enjoy!
Hannah Burnett and Lynn Symansky in the schooling area at Pau. Photo from Alison Willaby's Facebook.
Pau is inching closer and closer. The North American horses have arrived at the competition venue and are settling in, and the chinchillas are working hard to get Jenni and Kate over so that they can bring us all of the up to the minute coverage we could possibly want. The first horse in the sandbox is at 9:30 am local time (3:30 AM EST).
GIn & Juice is all settled in on the grounds at Pau. Photo from Hawley Bennett's Instagram.
Over in camp Pollard, it was laundry day and once again the team showed off their impressive improvisation skills.
It takes 2 to do the laundry! Photo from Alison Willaby's Facebook.
Overall, it appears that everyone has arrived and settled in safely. The horses look stellar and primed for competition, and the riders and grooms all look excited to be there, if not just a tad sleep deprived!
Grooms and their charges at Pau. Photo from Alison Willaby's Facebook.
Harbour Pilot checks out the venue. Photo from the USEF High Performance Facebook page.
The staff at Pau is hard at work putting finishing touches on the beautiful competition grounds.
Photo from the Pau Facebook page.
I hope you are ready for all of the Eventing Nation Pau action coming your way this week, I know I am! Stay tuned for much, much more.
Logan and S'prit Coeur Volant at the Mondial jog. Photo courtesy of Catherine Partington.
Logan Rawlings, originally from California, represented one of a handful of North American riders competing at Mondial du Lion this past weekend. Logan and Marine Vincendeau & Anthony Molle’s S’Prit Coeur Volant had a very solid outing at this Young Event Horse Championship in the CCI**. The pair added just a handful of time penalties on cross country and a rail in show jumping to their dressage score to finish in 14th place out of a field of 47 competitive pairs.
Logan relocated to the UK in 2009 after having secured a spot working for eventing extraordinaire William Fox Pitt (how on Earth do you score that gig??) and has a had a successful career thus far competing on the British Eventing circuit. She was also completed the Olympic Test Event at Greenwich Park in 2011 at the selection of the USEF.
I did some digging on the internet and found this interview that talkinghorse.net did with Logan shortly after she relocated to the UK. Enjoy getting to know one of our fellow eventers who continues to represent the US from across the pond! Big thank you to Jessica Fredericks for the tip.
Lynn Symansky and Hannah Sue Burnett made the trip to see the Eiffel Tower on their way to Pau. Photo from Lynn's Facebook.
Well, it’s here! Pau week is finally upon us. As an example of how little French pronunciation I know, I will admit that until recently (I don’t want to disclose how recently) I believed that Pau was pronounced “Paw.” Real midwest of me, right? Not to worry, I have since been corrected and am proudly voicing my new found French to anyone who will listen. In other, more exciting, news, our North American riders have been settling in nicely in France in preparation for the grueling week of competition that lies ahead. Most of the horses have been kept in Chantilly, France but are now in the process of moving to the show grounds.
Donner looking very French indeed. Photo from Katie Thornton's Facebook.
Both horses and riders enjoyed final fitness preps for this year’s last CCI4* event.
R-Star enjoys a jump school in France. Photo from Alison Willaby's Facebook.
Michael attempts to convert more people over to Crossfit. Photo from Lynn Symansky's Facebook.
Meanwhile, the European-based riders have also begun their migration journey to Pau.
Clark Montgomery and Universe have safely made it to Pau. Photo from Clark's Facebook page.
Pau has also been posting photos of the gorgeous grounds and the jumps that are so painstakingly placed and decorated. This venue definitely looks to be out to impress this year, as does the weather!
Photo from the Pau Facebook page.
I also found this on Twitter – it appears a horse may need a lift to its destination at Pau. I thought I’d post it on the off-chance that someone may be able to assist.
And last but certainly not least – you cannot forget to ice your horse’s legs after a good workout! It appears that France offers many natural options for this procedure!
Icing isn't just for horses! Photo from Hawley Bennett's Facebook.
Stay tuned for many more results of my inherent social media stalking disorder. Go Pau! (That rhymes – did you know that? You can thank my excellent French pronunciation for that tidbit.)
I wandered out onto the cross country course for the Novice division for awhile today and met some friendly team members who graciously allowed me to photograph them. It turned out to be an absolutely gorgeous day today, and all horses and riders galloped happily across country today on a very inviting course.
Team Better Lucky Than Good
All of the course reviews I heard were very positive, and everyone seems to have had a great run today. Cross country was the last phase to be run for the various horse trials divisions.
Team Tiara came all the way from Toronto to compete this weekend. Go Canada!
I was impressed that one of the combined driving obstacles was incorporated into the cross country course. There was an option to go around, but the direct route had riders going up under a spooky pagoda and then down through the driving lanes to a brush fence immediately after. Every rider I saw went through just fine, but it was a very unique way to introduce more challenging obstacles on course.
The Combined Driving obstacle used on course.
The Team Challenge was a great hit this weekend, and you could hear many cheers and whoops around cross country as riders completed their rounds. Everyone seemed to be in great spirits.
A University of Kentucky team member rocks around her cross country course.
Some teams even dressed in costume in honor of Halloween – from Despicable Me Minions to the Queen of Hearts, the costumes were well thought out and everyone was color coordinated.
Team Wonderland, from Simpsonville KY and one member from New York.
I must also give a shout out to the University of Kentucky event team, which showed up in droves to cheer their members on.
The University of Kentucky team and its supporting members.
Overall it seems to have been a very successful weekend here at the Hagyard Midsouth 3Day and Team Challenge. I must again give a big thank you to the event organizers, volunteers, jump judges, etc who were so helpful and friendly all weekend. The weather may not have been at its best the past couple of days, but today made everything worth it, and to see all 400+ competitors having a blast is what this sport is truly all about.
Go Kentucky and Go Hagyard Midsouth! Until next year!
Jocelyn Hawe and Going Going Gone on their victory lap in the P3D. Photo by Sally Spickard.
The Three Day divisions have wrapped up here at Kentucky Horse Park, and Jocelyn Hawe and Going Going Gone jumped a beautiful double clear show jump round to take home the win. Jocelyn looked confident and solid all weekend, and I’m sure she is thrilled with the win in this long format event.
P3D winners Jocelyn Hawe and Going Going Gone. Photo by Sally Spickard.
While the Prelim division was small, the competition was close as less than a rail separated the top three going into show jumping. After a grueling weekend that requires an immense amount of fitness on the part of both horse and rider, all combinations looked fresh and fit to finish off their weekend.
Andrea Johnson gets some congratulatory feedback from coach Megan Moore aboard Wapentake. Photo by Sally Spickard.
Andrea Johnson had a great weekend at her first three day with Megan Moore’s Wapentake. I was salivating over this horse all weekend, so I caught Megan and Andrea back at the barn after Andrea’s show jumping round. Andrea came into today in the lead, but she had one rail on course which dropped her down to second. She was no less thrilled, however, after having a rocking weekend here at Midsouth. I filmed a brief interview with Andrea but my camera decided to die halfway through so I am bringing you the cliff notes. Andrea got the ride on Wapentake (“Jerry”) after owner Megan Moore discovered that the horse had taken a strong disliking to her. Megan said “I gave him a shot one time when he was a baby, and he hasn’t liked me since.” This sentiment is still strong, it appears, as Jerry gave Megan a hefty bruise on her thigh after kicking her this weekend! I caught video of Andrea’s round, and will update this post as soon as I can get the video uploaded.
In the Training Three Day, the leaderboard shook up a bit after show jumping. The course has proven to be very influential for all divisions this weekend, and the Training was no different. Overnight leader Waylon Roberts and Bill Owen dropped two rails down to finish in 6th place for the weekend. DeAnna Burke and her gorgeous Dutch Warmblood, Davinci, took home the top honors after jumping a lovely double clear round to finish on her dressage score. Unfortunately I was unable to get any photos from the Training show jumping due to some camera issues, so I send my sincere apologies to all competitors!
Check out Andrea Johnson and Wapentake’s Prelim round:
Early morning at Kentucky Horse Park can't be beat.
Good morning from Kentucky! The sun decided to show itself today so I am very thankful to just be cold and not cold AND wet! The Team Challenge divisions are still competing today, as are the Prelim and Training Three-Day. I’ve brought you some sights from around the park this morning and will also have a Three-Day wrap up for you later.
The show jumping arena brought to you in panorama by Rebecca Clayton.
The Three-Day divisions had their final horse inspection this morning, and all horses presented were accepted. I unfortunately did not get a photo of the overnight leaders in the P3D, Andrea Johnson and Wapentake, but I think if I had started photographing this horse I would not have stopped – he is simply stunning! Fortunately, I benefit from being Facebook friends with coach Megan Moore!
Andrea Johnson and Wapentake - Prelim Three Day leaders. Photo from Megan Moore's Facebook page.
Jocelyn Hawe and Going Going Gone in the P3D jog. Photo by Sally Spickard.
Overnight leaders in the Training Three-Day Waylon Roberts and Bill Owen looked sharp at the trot up and will look to take home the blue in just a couple of hours.
Waylon Roberts and Bill Owen.
Over in the Team Challege competition, the show jumping for the Training division is underway currently. I will bring you more as the day goes on – for now my WiFi hotspot is dying so I have to find a power source somewhere. Stay tuned!
Stephanie Sills and Blue Cliff, 4th in P3D after cross country. Photo by Sally Spickard.
It was a soggy day on cross country for the divisions running today. I was on hand to watch the Prelim and a portion of the Training Three Day today, and the pairs that I saw seemed to be rocking around course, at least at the point where I was able to see them. I must give a big shout out to Andrea Johnson and Wapentake, of Team CEO Eventing, who rocked around the cross country as if it were made of crossrails. I have not gotten to speak with Andrea or coach Megan Moore yet, but Megan posted on her Facebook that every fence was “spot on” and that she was an extremely proud coach.
The Prelim Three Day was small to begin with, and unfortunately it grew a bit smaller after cross country, with one pair (Lisa Mendall and Hokus Pokus) retiring and one (Brigette Kettell and Calvin) were eliminated. Going into tomorrow’s show jumping, Andrea Johnson leads after adding no penalties to her dressage score of 38.
Jocelyn Hawe and Going Going Gone finished the day in second after also having a double clear round.
In the Training Three Day, Waylon Roberts held onto his overnight lead by adding a double clear cross country round to his weekend. DeAnne Burke and Davinci are hot on his heels, and there is no breathing room between the top two placings going into show jumping tomorrow. Ten horses did not complete the cross country in the Training Three day, and there were also plenty of double clear rounds to help others jump up the leaderboard.
Cindy Bonamarte and Puma jumped form 28th to 12th with a brilliant cross country round. Photo by Sally Spickard
The Three Day divisions will wrap up their weekend with show jumping tomorrow, while the remainder of the horse trials divisions will run cross country. I have many people to catch up with, so stay tuned for much more from Kentucky.
A rainy day for show jumping at Kentucky Horse Park.
The rain clouds settled in over Lexington this morning towards the end of the CCI* horse inspection and did not stop until roughly an hour ago. Needless to say, it’s been a wet and cold day here at the Hagyard Midsouth 3-Day and Team Challenge, but we have still seen some gritty riding across the board.
Elinor MacPhail celebrates her winning round aboard Rendezvous With Charly. Photo by Sally Spickard.
The CCI* divisions show jumped today, and the course proved to be quite influential, most likely from a combination of the weather and conditions and the technicality of the course. Rails fell left and right all day, and no single fence seems to be the clearcut “bogey.” A triple combination that was the last obstacle on course caught a lot of riders out after otherwise solid rounds, and several precise turns needed to be executed correctly throughout the course in order to leave the rails up.
Elinor MacPhail and Rendezvous With Charly. Photo by Sally Spickard.
In the CCI*-A, Elinor MacPhail moved up from third after cross country after delivering one of only five double clear rounds in the A division. Elinor had two beautiful gray horses competing in the CCI* this weekend, and she took home the win on Rendezvous With Charly. She also cruised right up the leaderboard after lying in 16th after dressage to finish in 7th place with her other ride, Shadow on the Wall. Ask me which of her horses was my favorite and I would have difficult answer as they both seemed to make easy work of the show jumping today. I plan to try to catch up with Elinor later so that I can get her take on her strong weekend here at Midsouth.
Overnight leaders in the CCI*-A, Whitney Mahloch and Military Mind, had a wonderful round up until the triple at the end, where she took down two rails to drop to 6th on the weekend.
Sophie Kalpin and Rolex - CCI*-B Winners. Photo by Sally Spickard.
The rain began to slow as the CCI*-B, the Young Rider division, began, and the course seemed to ride a bit smoother for these pairs. Like the A division there were five double clear rounds, and after lying in fifth place overnight, Canadian rider Sophie Calpin and Rolex had a nearly foot perfect round to move up to take first place on the weekend. Overnight leaders Sydney Hagaman and Diablo Tejano also had some rails and just a few time to finish in sixth place overall.
One of my favorite horses today, Esquire, ridden by Alexander O'Neal, 2nd overall in the CCI*-B. Photo by Sally Spickard
I had the pleasure of speaking with several riders from Ontario’s Dreamcrest Equestrian while they caught a bite to eat before show jumping began. Many of the riders in the CCI*-B this weekend were attempting their first event at this level, and several of my new friends were also here for the first time. Overall, the impressions of the Horse Park and the event as a whole have been very positive, and it seems that many of these pairs plan to return in the future.
Stay tuned for more from the Horse Park, including a recap of the Long Format Three-Day divisions. Go Midsouth!
For an idea of the technical nature of this course, coupled with the wonderful weather we’ve had today, check out Whitney Mahloch’s (CCI*-A) round below.
Whitney Mahloch and Military Mind, 1st place in the CCI* A division
All horses presented for the final horse inspection in the Hagyard Midsouth CCI* have been accepted. Only one horse, Tahiti Creek, ridden by Tasha Orr, was held but passed upon reinspection. It is quite a chilling day here at Kentucky Horse Park, and no sun is in sight. Many of the horses were feeling quite fresh this morning, but for the most part everyone was very well behaved. Show jumping commences at 11:30 local time, while the Preliminary and Training 3 Day divisions are preparing to begin cross country. The horse trials divisions also run cross country today, and the Beginner Novice and Novice divisons will ride dressage and show jump today as well. I must give major props to Whitney Mahloch, who suffered a slight shoe malfunction midway through her jog but recovered quite well!
Lauren Lambert and Opera Ghost, 2nd in the CCI* A
There are what seems like a million Canadian riders competing in the CCI* division this weekend, and they all seem to be in great spirits and happy to be here – possibly also enjoying the “warm” weather here in the Midwest!
Sydney Hagaman and Diablo Tejano, 1st place in the CCI* B
Thus far the event organizers have been more than welcoming, and from what I have seen so far everyone seems well accommodated and cheery. Stay tuned for more updates. I am writing from my car, as it seems to be the one place warm enough to properly use my hands to type!
Kelly Taylor and Kynymont Indelibly Irish, 2nd in the CCI* B
I will post more photos from the jog later this evening, so keep your eyes open for that! Until then, Go Eventing and Go Midsouth!
The Pollard Event Team shows off their Crossfit kicks. Photo from the Pollard Eventing Facebook page.
Pollard Eventing is currently settling in overseas in preparation for the Pau CCI4* event next weekend. Michael and his team have popularized the fitness regime of Crossfit and seem to always be busting through to new levels of insane fitness. Side note, have you looked into exactly what Crossfit entails? I have a few close friends who do it and I tip my hat – I’ll go play in the hot tub while you folks do your thing!
Meanwhile, Michael ensures that he does not miss a workout, even in France!
No weights? Feed bags work just fine! Photo from the Pollard Eventing Facebook page.
We have all heard that improvisation is one of the best ways to improve your problem solving skills – here Michael demonstrates that a lack of weight room is simply no excuse for meeting your fitness goals. Word is that the team did not show this photo to Mensa, as he would have been more than a little upset at the sight of his dinner being used in such frivolous ways.
We think he is ready to move up to Prelim, what do you think? Photo from Alison Wilaby's Facebook page.
No one ever said that eventers did not fully empathize with the tasks we ask our horses to do each day. Michael Pollard and Lynn Symansky undertook a grueling high jump competition this week, and it appears that both Michael and Lynn are fully prepared to move up a level in no time. Unfortunately, photos were not available of any cross country schools that may have been attempted – something tells me it may not have been as pretty.
Lynn Symansky shows off her vertical skills. Photo from Alison Wilaby's Facebook page.
Donner may have snorted with derision at the sight of Lynn attempting this tricky vertical on her own, however I applaud her for getting to the middle of the jump and keeping her body position flawless!
Andrea Johnson and Nikki Kowalski, of Team CEO Eventing, hack at Kentucky Horse Park in preparation for the Hagyard Midsouth 3Day. Photo from Megan Moore's Facebook page.
Another busy weekend is well underway across Eventing Nation as well as across the pond. Virtually every horse and rider you could possibly hope to see in one place have descended upon Fair Hill to contest the last CCI3* of the year, while the best of the best young horses compete at Mondial in France and the fans of the long format are duking it out in Lexington at Midsouth. Whew! Not to mention all of the other fantastic events running this weekend – that’s enough to keep anyone out of bed and fully loaded with Red Bull!
Dressage in the CCI2* and CCI3* concluded today and cross country kicks off first thing this morning. In the CCI2* it’s all Boyd Martin and Pancho Villa at the top. These two sit atop the leaderboard on a 41.4 that could not be touched for the duration of the division. In the CCI3*, Jennie Brannigan held onto the lead going into cross country on a very impressive 42.6. These horses will all be chomping at the bit to get out on Derek di Grazia’s cross country course today, so I would not expect this to be a dressage competition by any means!
At the Hagyard Midsouth, the CCI1* concludes today with show jumping, while the 3day divisions prepare to run cross country and the remainder of the team challenge divisions show jump.
Jenni will be bringing you updates from the exciting cross country day at Fair Hill, and I will be lurking working from Kentucky Horse Park bringing you updates on Midsouth, so stay tuned for plenty of action!
This spring Tipperary Equestrian launched the GOT PINK Breast Cancer campaign in partnership with the Women’s College Hospital Foundation. Until October 31, 2013 Tipperary will donate 5% of each Tipperary Pink Sportage 8500 and Pink Eventer 1015 sold to the Women’s College Breast Cancer Research Program .
After an unfortunate cancellation of the 2012 event due to inclement weather, the 6 and 7 year old championships have returned at Mondial du Lion in France this weekend. Several new jumps have been added to the cross country course, and the top young horses from around the world will be contesting the event this weekend as a launching board for future international events.
There are a handful of North American riders competing this weekend. In the CCI1* for 6 year old horses, Brianne Stanley and Back to Business represent the US, currently sitting in 41st place on a dressage score of 60.8 and Lindsay Traisnel and Topla d’Auzay represent Canada in 25th place on a 50.8. In the CCI2* for 7 year olds, Logan Rawlings and S’Prit Coeur Volant ride for the US and sit in 38th on a 54.6.
With over 100 entries across both divisions, the weekend promises to be action packed and thrilling as these future stars enjoy their time in the spotlight. If you want to keep up with the happenings in France, you can check out the live stream here.
Last year's Fair Hill CCI*** winners, Hannah Sue Burnett and Harbour Pilot (shown here at Red Hills 2012). Photo by Samantha Clark.
Welcome to yet another action packed weekend here at EN! I don’t know what I am going to do with myself in a couple of months when there is no big event to stalk and the ground is nearly frozen. Jenni is holding down the fort at Fair Hill this weekend, and I am headed to Kentucky to check out the action at the Hagyard Midsouth 3Day and Team Challenge. Stay tuned for plenty of action from both of these exciting fall events!
As this goes to press, we are about halfway through the Fair Hill CCI** dressage, with Boyd Martin and Pancho Villa holding down the lead on a 41.4. CCI** dressage resumes tomorrow and the CCI*** pairs will also ride dressage. I must give a big EN shout out to Ellen Doughty and Sir Oberon, who trekked from Texas to contest the CCI*** this weekend. Ellen is a true class act and “Obie” is an absolute cross country beast!
The clock is ticking on the entry time for the contest that FLAIR is running. You can win $250 by winning back to back horse trials between now and October 31. Be sure to use FLAIR strips for both your cross country and stadium rounds (take photos so we can see you rocking them!), and then spend your $250 on…oh, who am I kidding, I would spend it on my vet and farrier bills. [Eventers Win Big With FLAIR]
Authorities are investigating the death of three wild horses in Oregon. The horses had been shot when authorities arrived at the scene, and currently information and suspects are being sought in this senseless act of cruelty. [Oregon Horse Shooting Investigation]
Colleen Rutledge will be at Fair Hill this weekend! Mara DePuy has taken over the ride on Colleen’s YEH ride, Roulette, for the weekend and I know Colleen will be rooting them on. Colleen will be on site tailgating, and she has invited all of us to come see her at her tailgating spot. I will send Jenni a heads up to bring the wine! [Check out Colleen’s Facebook for more information]
Elisa Wallace, part eventer and part mustang trainer, is doing a mustang demo at the Cagle Mill Country Fair Fundraiser for ACES. Elisa and her amazing work with mustangs has been hugely popular in the horse community, and it’s great to see her getting the opportunity to show off what these great little horses can do. Are you in the Cagle Mill area? Be sure to stop by and check out Elisa’s mustang moves! [Cagle Mill Country Fair Fundraiser for ACES]
A yearling Thoroughbred filly has broken the record for the highest purchase price for a horse. Sired by the famous Galileo and out of Alluring Park, the filly was sold to Qatari Sheikh Joaan’s Al Shaqab Racing, breaking the previous record that was set a mere two days earlier by another Galileo yearling. [Galileo Filly Breaks Sales Record]
The Chronicle of the Horse published a post about some questionable actions taken in the holding box at Fair Hill this weekend. Two horses that were entered in the CCI2* this weekend, Fly Me Courageous and L.E. Font, were held after jogging and were advised to withdraw upon further inspection. “Further inspection” in this case appears to be flexion tests performed on the horses, which is illegal according to FEI rules (Article 1033, Section IV, d.).
According to [veterinarian Denys] Frappier, the horses were sensitive to palpation, so he flexed them.
“I have to give an answer to the ground jury,” he said. “If it confirms my first palpation, is he just ticklish and he doesn’t want me to touch him, then I flex him, and he trotted very, very lame. It made me comfortable of my answer to the ground jury.”
Both riders withdrew, not knowing that an illegal flexion had just taken place. When they realized, they appealed to technical delegate Martin Plewa, but he told them once they’d withdrawn there was nothing he could do.
Common sense says that we as riders will always put our horses’ welfare above a competition. I would speculate that both Debbie Foote (Fly Me Courageous) and Jessica Shull (L.E. Font) are taking every measure possible to ensure that their horses are safe and sound at the end of the day, although they must simply be gutted on having to withdraw before even setting foot in the dressage ring. However, to what extent should the veterinarian in the holding box have taken his examination? Furthermore, flexion tests are often stressful on a horse’s joints, so some think that they can produce inaccurate results based on how the horse reacts.
Betsy Ball, who owns L.E. Font, was displeased with the results of the horse inspection. She told COTH: “No one wants to run a crippled horse. They palpated my horse’s joint and said he was fine, but they were holding his hoof up to his stomach like a ‘you want money off a pre-purchase’ flexion. It’s six months until the next two-star. If he weren’t sound, I wouldn’t have driven from Mississippi to Maryland.”
Denys Frappier has stood by his decision to take the examination further, saying that he had the horses’ best interests in mind. There is no word on what, if any, consequences there will be for the infraction of FEI rules regarding the horse inspection.
We will have more on this story as it develops. What do you think? Did the veterinarian take his job too far, or should more precautionary measures and/or procedures be allowed in the holding box?
Collegiate eventing is a growing sport among college athletes, offering an alternative to the traditional hunter/jumper, saddleseat and western options typically seen in athletic programs. We begin our new series on collegiate eventing with the University of Georgia. Do you have a tip about a college team? Email [email protected].
UGA Eventing members show their team spirit. Photo from Jorja Miller.
The University of Georgia has laid claim to many an NCCA equestrian title, so these students are no strangers to equine sport. As a former member of the UGA Intercollegiate Horse Show Association hunter/jumper team, I can attest to the potential for an involved equine community on campus. UGA is currently home to both an NCAA-level team and an IHSA team, both of which compete in their respective circuits representing the school. Until recently, the school had no eventing presence. This is where team president Jorja Miller stepped in after seeing a need for an eventing team.
Jorja hatched the idea for an eventing team after meeting other eventers who wanted to keep competing in college, and she worked closely with NCAA team members from other equestrian sports to formulate a plan to get the eventing team off the ground. Together, Jorja and her newfound advisors were able to come up with a Collegiate Challenge, in which schools bring a team of up to four members competing at any level. In order to keep all levels equal for scoring, each level receives its own coefficient to determine the team’s score. This keeps the challenge open to more schools that might not have four riders competing at the same level.
Jorja Miller competing for UGA Eventing. Photo courtesy of Hoofclix.
Once the eventing team at UGA launched, the popularity increased. The team currently boasts 27 members at both the undergraduate and graduate level, as well as alumni members. The team welcomes members of all levels and currently has riders actively competing from Beginner Novice all the way up to Advanced. If a member does not have his or her own horse, the team is able to assist the member in finding a suitable lease for competition. Non-riders are also welcome to be a part of the team, helping out and cheering their teammates on at competitions.
Currently, the UGA team is gearing up for the College Team Challenge at Chattahoochee Hills on Oct. 26 and 27. Riders from schools around the area, such as Clemson University and the University of Kentucky, will be proudly representing their universities. Jorja and the rest of her team members hope the team’s success at competitions will help them attract more attention and, ideally, support from the school. Jorja said that the ultimate goal is to be able to join the ranks of the NCAA, and although this is a long and tedious process, it appears UGA is well on its way. For more information on the UGA Eventing Team, visit the website or Facebook page. Go Eventing, and Go Dawgs!
Earlier today, we brought you the disturbing news that has surfaced regarding a positive drug test on Jock Paget’s Badminton and Burghley winning mount, Clifton Promise. Promise, along with another Clifton horse, Clifton Pinot, both tested positive for the prohibited substance Reserpine after competing at Burghley earlier this year. Both Clifton Promise and Jock Paget have been provisionally suspended from competition while the investigation is going on.
Fairfax NZ News was able to speak with Jock today, and stuff.co.nz has posted excerpts of the interview.
Jock is understandably devastated at the news of what he called a shocking revelation of the results of the test. “We are looking at everything and trying to find out just how this has happened. There’s obviously been some sort of mistake, but I’ve got no idea at this stage. I haven’t even heard of it (reserpine), I have never done anything with that sort of stuff. It’d be sheer stupidity to because you know if you do any well your horses will be tested, I’m absolutely dumbfounded by it all.”
A “B” sample, which has been sent to a different laboratory than the one that tested sample “A”, can stop the investigation in its tracks if it is found to have no traces of Reserpine, however if it is positive Jock will have to attempt to prove his innocence to an FEI tribunal while serving a suspension.
For the full report on Jock’s reaction, click here.
Lillie Keenan, who has already made a big name for herself in all three rings, took home yet another prestigious title over the weekend at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show. Well over 200 junior equitation finalists descended upon Harrisburg, PA this weekend to vie for the top honors in the Medal Finals. Lillie is a student of prestigious New York trainer Andre Dignelli and has an easy and natural rhythm to her riding that has brought her much success in her young career.
Riders, who qualified for the finals by based on their placings in regional competitions throughout the year, competed in a preliminary round first, with only a handful of riders making the callback to the featured final round. The top 6 riders then had to ride a no-stirrup “work out” that would make even us tough eventers quake in our boots for the final results.
Check out Lillie’s winning work out below and previous rounds. I don’t know about you, but I had to double check that she was in fact without stirrups!
Final Work Out:
Final Round:
Preliminary Round:
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Niklas Lindbäck and Cendrillon. Photo by Jenni Autry,
Good morning! I hope your Saturday finds you in better weather than what is forecasted in The Netherlands at Boekelo! I hope Jenni brought her Dubarrys to go sloshing around cross country today. Cross country day at Boekelo is upon us, and the American team is holding its own in a very stiff field that is stacked with talent. As I write this, the US team currently sits in sixth place on a collective score of 145.2. Being just a team of three, they are unable to drop a score as many other teams are, so the pressure is definitely on to perform well across country. These pairs are no stranger to tough cross country tracks and lots of pressure, so I have full faith in Boyd, Lauren, and Liz!
This spring Tipperary Equestrian launched the GOT PINK Breast Cancer campaign in partnership with the Women’s College Hospital Foundation. Until October 31, 2013 Tipperary will donate 5% of each Tipperary Pink Sportage 8500 and Pink Eventer 1015 sold to the Women’s College Breast Cancer Research Program.
