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Sally Spickard

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About Sally Spickard

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Memorial Day News & Notes from Fleeceworks

By on May 29, 2017 12:01 am - 918 views

All smiles from the Clemson Tigers! Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

The USEA Intercollegiate Championships wrapped up at Virginia Horse Trials over the weekend, and it was the Clemson University Eventing Team who took home the top honors. Texas A&M secured the coveted Spirit Award. The Spirit Award is given to the team that not only shows the most school pride, but also displays camaraderie and teamwork throughout the competition. Texas A&M students were hard to miss with matching overalls and brightly painted horses. They could also be heard chanting and singing fight songs during morning ‘yell practice.’ In addition, they helped out each other as well as the event, volunteering in their spare time. The Texas A&M students were exemplary examples of the meaning behind the Spirit Award.

In all, it was a successful weekend for the ever growing Intercollegiate eventing scene, and we’re thrilled to see these programs continuing to gain traction around the country. Stay tuned for more on the weekend this week.

Weekend Results:

Devon Horse Show Arena Eventing: [Final Scores]

Saumur [Scores]

Houghton Hall International [Scores]

Mystic Valley Hunt Club H.T. [Scores]

Virginia CCI/CIC & H.T. [Scores]

Flora Lea Spring H.T. [Scores]

Paradise Farm H.T. [Scores]

Willow Draw Charity H.T. [Scores]

The Spring Event at Woodside H.T. [Scores]

Equestrians Institute H.T.  [Scores]

May-Daze at the Park H.T. [Scores]

Coconino Spring H.T. [Scores]

News & Notes:

Did you miss the live stream of the inaugural Devon Arena Eventing class last night? Never fear, keep this page bookmarked as the USEF Network will post it for On Demand viewing! [USEF Network at Devon]

Willberry the Wonder Pony continues to make dreams come true. Hannah Francis founded the Willberry the Wonder Pony charity last year to raise funds for cancer research and grant the wishes of horse crazy kids. This year, the charity was able to send Lucy Watts to enjoy Badminton — and watch Willberry take a few rides on the backs of many Badminton starters. [Willberry the Wonder Pony Makes Dreams Come True]

What type of forage is best for horses? Contrary to popular belief, not every forage plant is useful for a horse’s digestive system. There are certain things that must be done to make land suitable for grazing horses; something every farm owner should be aware of. [Grazing Land for Horses]

Monday Video:

We’re loving this series, “Ask the Vet”, from SmartPak. Check it out:

Sara Kozumplik Murphy and Rubens D’Ysieux Steal the Show at Devon

By on May 28, 2017 10:00 pm - 3,609 views

Sara Kozumplik Murphy and Rubens D’Ysieux. Photo by Lisa Thomas.

It was a thrilling night of eventing at the legendary Dixon Oval at the Devon Horse Show tonight, where 24 eventers and one hunter/jumper rider came to show off their chops in the first ever Arena Eventing Class. The field competed for the $50,000 in prize money, and the crowd was treated to a tight competition right down to the proverbial wire. It was Sara Kozumplik Murphy and Rubens D’Ysieux who stole the show — and more than a few hearts — by the time the victory gallop commenced!

The competition was held in two rounds, the first to determine clear rounds that would move forward to the jump-off. The 12 best scores from the first round would eventually move on to the jump-off, and just seven pairs managed double clear rounds. This opened the door for some of the pairs that had time and/or a rail down to move forward, which was a relief for the many who had the bogey fence of the night, an oxer as the final fence of the course, down.

We were thrilled to see Shiraz back out with Colleen Rutledge for the first time since Rolex in 2015. At 19 years young, “Luke” looked full of spring and ecstatic to be out showing off again. These two had one rail down and some time to come tantalizingly close to making the jump-off, but a late rally from Jennie Brannigan and Cambalda as the last to see knocked them out of contention for round two.

The Dixon Oval ready for some eventing! Photo via Eric Bull on Twitter.

Just one pair was eliminated on the night: Douglas King and Zeno, who forayed into this class from the hunter/jumper world. They were eliminated with two refusals on course. Aside from that, runouts were few and far between, with just the last fence on course really causing consistent trouble.

All eyes were on Canadian Waylon Roberts and his first ride, Lancaster, in the jump-off — he successfully qualified all three of his horses for the second round — and he put in an accurate if not especially daring round for a final time of 82.69 to set the bar for the finale.

Jennie Brannigan and Cambalda. Photo by Lisa Thomas.

It took some time for clear rounds to come in the jump-off. Great Britain’s Justine Dutton moved forward with one horse, Jak My Style, to round two and had a brilliant go round, bolding galloping to the final fence to set up for a good distance, but the pesky front rail came down at the last moment.

It wasn’t until Sara Kozumplik Murphy and Rubens D’Ysieux, a 12-year-old Selle Francais gelding, took the stage that the crowd held its collective breath — we all knew this pair had wings, could they go fast and clear? These two are more than capable of winning at speed, under pressure, in a big atmosphere: case in point, the Ocala Horse Properties Eventing Prix Invitational earlier this year.

Indeed they did, sailing over each question while slicing their turns precisely to shave off as many seconds as possible. In true unicorn fashion, Sara and Rubens D’Ysieux sailed home in a time of 75.03 to take a handy lead over Waylon and Lancaster. Sara reached into her pocked to give Rubens his typical post-round treat, and the crowd went wild.

Watch Sara’s full round here:

Many tried to come up to challenge Sara’s lead, the closest of which would be Jennie Brannigan and Cambalda, who were the last to go and came home in 79.05 to finish in second place. Jennie, our resident adrenaline junkie, certainly knows a thing or two about speed and did everything she could to get close to Sara’s time.

Finishing third after a gritty run are Erika Nesler and Right Above It, who pricked his ears and held his line no matter what, rewarding Erika with a fast and clear round in a time of 80.92 that was good for the podium. The smile on Erika’s face was perhaps the biggest of the night.

Waylon Roberts and Lancaster, the only other pair to produce a double clear round in the jump-off, ended the night in fourth place. Doug Payne and Flagmount’s Mischief complete the top five after having a heartbreaking rail at the triple bar oxer to mar an otherside speedy and neat round. Doug is well known for making daring choices in high pressure situations, and certainly he would have been one to challenge Sara were it not for an unlucky rail.

Erika Nesler and Right Above It. Photo by Lisa Thomas.

Capt. Mark Phillips course presented many challenges to both horse and rider, but each pair looked well prepared and fit to the task at hand. Capt. Mark designed the course to be tight and demanding of accuracy in the main oval, and then allowed riders to head into the adjacent Gold Ring.

In the Gold Ring, jumps were set on a loop that really encouraged forward and bold riding, giving the riders a chance to open up their horses’ strides more. From there, they returned to the Dixon Oval to tackle more related distances and turning questions. Riders who focused on maintaining a forward and steady rhythm were rewarded with tidy and safe rounds.

In all, this was a great display of Arena Eventing, so our hats are off to Capt. Mark, Eric Bull, and the many organizers and officials who brought this fledgling idea to life.

The biggest thing we learned tonight? Don’t bet against a girl and her unicorn. Many congratulations to Sara and Rubens D’Ysieux, and we can’t wait to see this event return to next year’s edition of the Devon Horse Show.

Here are your final top 12 at the end of a very fun night of Arena Eventing. The full scoring list can be found here.

Weekend Score Roundup: Virginia and May-Daze Horse Trials

By on May 28, 2017 3:00 pm - 1,498 views

Alex Baugh with her two winners, Ballingowan Pizazz and Rock Encore. Photo via Alex on Facebook.

It’s been another busy weekend of eventing around the country, proof that the spring season is officially at its peak. Weekends like this are a score stalkers’ dream, and we’re here to fuel the fire with the latest upper level results from around Eventing Nation. We will be adding Woodside scores to this report upon completion of the upper levels later this afternoon.

Virginia Horse Trials

The CCI1* divisions wrapped up competition today, and in the A division it was Skyelar Voss who maintained her overnight lead in today’s show jumping, jumping double clear — one of just three such rounds in the division — to finish nearly 10 points ahead of second placed pair Allison Springer and Fairvoya S on a 48.8.

Allison and Fairvoya S lowered two rails, but their score was enough to eke out second place on a 58.2, followed by Alyssa Phillips and Cooley Caviar on a 58.3.

Show jumping was particularly influential in the CCI1*-B division. Just two pairs jumped double clear rounds, including Michelle Warro and Play Like A Raven, who scooted up from 11th into second place overall on a score of 59.7.

Michelle’s finishing score was enough to tie her for first place with winner Claudia Sarnoff and Callan Quinto, but Claudia won the tie on account of her cross country time being closest to optimum yesterday. What a thrilling finish!

Other riders were rewarded with big moves up the board even with one or two rails down, which shows just how much of a shake-up this course initiated today.

Virginia Horse Trials: Final Scores

May-Daze at the Park

Kentucky Horse Park was buzzing with action this weekend with one of the biggest Area VIII events of the year: May-Daze at the Park. With divisions from Starter up through Intermediate, there was plenty to take in all weekend.

Jonathan Holling and Sportsfield Two Doors Down are your Open Intermediate A winners, the first win at the level for the 8-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare owned by Foshay South Eventing. This pair last came fourth in the Intermediate at the Ocala International Festival of Three-Day Eventing last month. Jonathan and Sportsfield Two Doors Down finish their weekend on a score of 39.7.

Second in the Intermediate A division are Sue Jellum and Rochambeau, the best finish at this level for this pair. Rochambeau is a Connemara/Thoroughbred cross (Alladin’s Denver – Ms. Hawkeye, by Siyah Kalem) by a Connemara stallion and an OTTB mare. This pair has been together for several years, with Sue producing “Rocky” through the levels herself. They moved from sixth into second overall with 9.2 time added across country for a final score of 48.8.

Brigitte Aickelin and Evening Melody round out the top three in the A division, who were also big movers up the board, shifting from ninth place after a clear and fast cross country run.

In the Open Intermediate B, Alex Baugh and Ballingowan Pizazz are your winners, shooting up the standings from 13th with one of just two double clear cross country runs in the division. “Mango” is a former ride of Michael Pollard’s, and these two began their partnership in 2016. They’ve been quite the consistently competitive pair; they have never finished outside of the top 7 in every event they’ve completed together. The finish their weekend today on a final score of 47.8.

Bethany Hutchins-Kristen and Bronte HVF moved from fourth into second with 11.2 time added for a finishing score of 49.5. This is the highest placing at this level for this pair, who have also been together since the lower levels and have become a solid pair at the Preliminary and Intermediate levels. Nothing much better than watching a partnership grow from the ground up!

And completing the top three in the B division are Hope Walden and DHI Zatopek B, who are in their second season at the Intermediate level and continuing to gain experience and become a formidable pair. These two had the fastest cross country, aside from the two double clears, adding just 4.8 time to their final score for a 50.4.

May-Daze at the Park: Final Scores

Your Guide to the $50,000 Devon Arena Eventing

By on May 28, 2017 12:47 pm - 2,392 views
Arena eventing is coming to Devon. Photo by Chris Gosnell/Creative Commons. Arena eventing is coming to Devon. Photo by Chris Gosnell/Creative Commons.

Get excited, EN! The entry list is up and we’re ready for a night of action packed Arena Eventing from the iconic Dixon Oval at the Devon Horse Show.

This marks the first foray into Arena Eventing for the Devon Horse Show, which will boast $50,000 in prize money. The qualified riders entry list in the Order of Go is as follows:

Waylon Roberts (CAN) with Lancaster
Justine Dutton (GBR) with Jak My Style
Colleen Rutledge (USA) with Uno
Sara Kozumplik Murphy (USA) with Rubens D’Ysieux
Holly Payne Caravella (USA) with Bruisyard Hall
Erin Sylvester (USA) with Campground
Ryan Wood (AUS) with Alcatraz
Amanda Beale Clement (USA) with Get Ready
Boyd Martin (USA) with Kyra
Lisa Marie Fergusson (CAN) with Honor Me
Morgan McCue (USA) with Fernhill Flutter
Erika Nesler (USA) with Right Above It
Douglas Payne (USA) with Flagmount’s Mischief
Waylon Roberts (CAN) with Kelecyn Cognac
Hillary Moses (USA) with Zanadoo
Holly Payne Caravella (USA) with Charmking
Douglas King (USA) with Zeno
Justine Dutton (GBR) with Huck Finn
Molly Kinnamon (USA) with The Diesel Boy
Colleen Rutledge (USA) with Shiraz
Gillian Beale King (USA) with Aspire R
Courtney Cooper (USA) with Who’s A Star
Monica Fiss (USA) with Malibu Rock
Alexa Ehlers (USA) with Amistoso
Holly Payne Caravella (USA) with Never Outfoxed
Waylon Roberts (CAN) with Mindful
Boyd Martin (USA) with Ray Price W
Douglas Payne (USA) with Getaway
Jennie Brannigan (USA) with Cambalda

Take a look at the course map for both rounds:

As we speak, horses and riders are en route to and settling in at the Devon show grounds. The Arena Eventing will kick off at 7 p.m. EST tonight and will be live streamed on the USEF Network.

The course will be designed by Capt. Mark Phillips and will feature about 25 jumps in all, with 15 of them being cross country fences shipped in from Fair Hill and the rest being show jumps. All jumps will be set at a maximum height of 1.20 meters or 1.40 meters for brush fences, with a maximum top spread of 1.60 meters.

Here are the guidelines for the class:

There will be two rounds of competition. Round 1 is the qualifier, and clear rounds under the optimum time will be sent forward to the jump-off. Round 2 is the jump-off, following the tradition of jumpers with the fastest clear round winning. The course will be set in the Dixon Oval and will feature both cross country and show jumping fences.

Faults:

Knockdowns: 5 faults
First Refusal: 10 faults
Second Refusal: Elimination
Fall of Horse or Rider: Elimination

We can’t wait to see what’s in store for the riders tonight, so be sure to tune in and watch the live stream and check back for the full report later tonight! Go (arena) eventing!

Devon Arena Eventing: Website, Order of Go, Course Map, Live Stream

All U.S. Nations Cup Riders Finish in Top 20 at Houghton, Felix Vogg Wins Saumur

By on May 28, 2017 11:30 am - 2,599 views

Hannah Sue Burnett and Harbour Pilot. Photo by Adam Fanthorpe.

It was a thriller of a day for cross country at the Nations Cup CICO3* at Houghton Hall, and we’re proud to report that all three of our American ladies stormed around a tough track today to finish double clear and inside the top 20, third overall as Team USA.

While Germany dominated the individual standings, with Bettina Hoy holding on to her overnight lead with Seigneur Medicott, followed by Julia Krajewski and Samourai Du Thot, it was our U.S. ladies who stole the show, proving that grit and determination can and will get the job done, even when the going gets tough.

Hannah Sue Burnett and Ms. Jacqueline Mars’ Harbour Pilot are our top placed Americans, finished 10th on the wings of a double clear run, a perfect confidence booster for Hannah Sue as she looks ahead to the Luhmühlen CCI4*.

“I thought the course walked nice and flowing,” Hannah Sue said. “I was excited to get out there. This morning when they started, the course really wasn’t riding as well, there was a lot of trouble. I didn’t go until later in the day so the nerves were building.”

“After Badminton, I really needed a good, positive, solid run, and there was a lot of pressure on our whole team.”

USA! Photo by Adam Fanthorpe.

But Hannah Sue went out and did what she does best with a partner she knows like the back of her hand: she set out confidently, riding forward and aggressively, and “William” answered every question. This puts the cherry on top of a weekend full of highs, including a personal best dressage score of 37.2.

“We were knocking on the door of getting into the 30s last year, and this spring I’ve been really focused on show jumping, which has shown in our dressage scores,” Hannah Sue reflected. “Unfortunately, after Badminton I went back home, and so (Harbour Pilot) really didn’t have the best prep for this. The three rails this weekend were disappointing, but we’ve been more focused on the cross country leading up to this event and so now we’ll go back and work more on the show jumping before Luhmühlen.”

Hannah Sue credits her successes this weekend to David O’Connor, who has been a staple in her coaching arsenal, Leslie Law for his help this weekend as well as longtime show jumping coach Silvio Mazzoni, whose insights she will be putting to practice as she prepares for her next event.

Caroline Martin and The Apprentice. Photo by Adam Fanthorpe.

Caroline Martin finished both of her horses in the top 20, with Pebbly Maximus edging out his stablemate The Apprentice to finish in 15th and 16th, respectively.

“They were both really good this weekend,” Caroline said. “I was really pleased with their dressage, especially Pebbly Maximus who put in a personal best. I’ve got to thank Leslie for that; he’s really helped me a lot on the flat.”

Caroline was particularly proud of her show jumping with The Apprentice, who lowered just one rail but kept the rest up despite a spotty show jump record. “He can definitely have a bunch of rails, normally when he hits one he hits the rest, but he didn’t come near any others after he had the fourth fence down.”

And today Caroline showed her chops and navigated her first Nations Cup cross country course double clear on The Apprentice, despite being held halfway around for about eight minutes.

Looking ahead to her next start, the CCI3*-U25 at Bramham June 8-11, Caroline says she will be honing in the details in preparation. “I made a couple of mistakes on the flat, but I have the confidence that if I can make a few changes then I can ride a better text,” she said. “I’ll focus on the dressage but also make sure that their bodies feel good and that they’re mentally fit. They both feel relaxed and fit, so they’re ready to go. Being over here for so long has been great for them, and I’m very thankful to have had the opportunity to come.”

Caroline is also quick to thank Developing Rider coach Leslie Law, who has been with her every step of the way during this trip, and has also lent a hand to the other U.S. riders competing this weekend. “Leslie has been huge, I really have to credit him for getting me to my first Nations Cup,” she said. “He’s put the belief in me that we can do well. All of us went double clear who were on the Nations Cup team today, and I think he has to be credited with that.”

Katherine Coleman and Longwood. Photo by Adam Fanthorpe.

Katherine Coleman, another re-route from Badminton with Longwood, also had a smashing day today, finishing double clear today to take home 20th place individually. This pair is seeking their first CCI4* completion as they, too, look ahead to Luhmühlen next month, and today was certainly the last little boost of confidence that they needed after their Badminton weekend came to an early end.

“I’m so pleased with ‘Woody’,” Katherine said. “I was a bit nervous about cross country after Badminton. I have never fallen off of him before and he has never gone down so I didn’t know how it was going to affect his confidence. The course was causing a lot of problems, but he absolutely flew around like a little champion!”

Katherine now feels ready for her next start at Luhmühlen and will be marking down this weekend as one for the memory books. “It was so fun to be a part of the team with Hannah Sue and Caroline; they are great girls and super competitors.”

And we would be remiss not to mention another American competing this weekend! Andrew McConnon, who has spent the last year in the UK working for William Fox-Pitt and Pippa Funnell, competed in the CCI1* this weekend, finishing in the top 30 aboard Andarilho, a 12-year-old Thoroughbred gelding owned by Carol Egan.

Andrew has had the ride on “Andre” since March of this year, and this weekend marks the gelding’s FEI debut. They added just one rail to their score, ending the weekend on a final score of 53.7.

Saumur CCI3*

Not to be forgotten, the CCI3* at Saumur came to a conclusion today, and Switzerland’s Felix Vogg were able to defend their overnight lead, adding no penalties in today’s show jumping for a final score of 41.7.

Poles fell throughout the entire division, but none quite as costly as the two lowered by Michael Jung and Lennox 364, who amassed nine penalties to finish in fifth place. This was Lennox 364’s first CCI3* and we look forward to seeing what else is in store for this young talent in Michael’s string!

Finishing in second position overall were Donatien Schauly Adj and Pivonine Des Touches, a 14-year-old Irish mare, representing France. This pair also jumped one of the four double clears inside the top 10 today, boosting them from fifth following cross country on a three day score of 48.0.

Rounding out the top three are Sir Mark Todd and Kiltubrid Rhapsody, who lowered one rail but were able to retain their third placing on a final score of 49.1.

Meet Virginia: Cross Country Day Social Media and Recap from VAHT

By on May 27, 2017 4:00 pm - 1,475 views

The upper levels as well as the FEI divisions completed cross country today at the Virginia Horse Trials, which provides a beautiful backdrop for one of the most highly anticipated end of spring events of the Area II calendar.

In the CCI1* divisions, it will be Skyeler Voss and Argyle who lead the A division, moving up from fourth place into first thanks to a double clear run today for a two day score of 48.8.

Skyeler has just some time in hand over second placed Allison Springer and Fairvoya S, whose double clear round was also rewarded with a bump up the board from fifth place. Third in the A division are Emily Beshear and Knight Hill, moving from sixth with just 1.6 time picked up today.

Good luck hugs from his girl @britt_hebets

A post shared by Skyeler Icke Voss (@skyevoss) on

Just a handful of the A division pairs had trouble on course, with two eliminations and one retirement on course.

Looking to the CCI1*-B division, Katherine Christopher and Frodo of the Shire are your overnight leaders, moving from fourth into first for a two day score of 49.2. Frodo of the Shire was formerly campaigned by Lisa Borgia before Katherine took the reins, and this is the first CCI start for this newer partnership.

Rocky being a novice champ with @erin_jarboe !

A post shared by Libby Head (@libbyheadeventing) on

In second is Colleen Orta and Pandora’s First Avatar. You may remember Colleen from a talent spot article we did on her former ride, Queen Bee, and now we’re thrilled to see a new partnership thriving in their first one-star together. These two put in a double clear cross country to move up from fifth place on a score of 51.4.

Rounding out the top three in the CCI1*-B division are Claudia Sarnoff and Callan Quinto, who are also contesting their first CCI1* together. This pair will take a two-day score of 51.7 into tomorrow’s show jumping finale.

Someone was in beast mode today at @virginiahorsetrials . 💪🏻 not our best dressage (someone thought he'd think canter every time I put leg on him for engagement. Definitely ready to run 😅) but still managed a 38.5. Then had an amazing double clear XC run to finish up for the day. Now we are attacking our buckets and trying to fling salt/hanging ball every where. 😅🙈 Show jumping tomorrow! Huge thanks to @cmhpetequinesvs , @brumbieva224 and my parents for helping me out today!!! #inny #innceptionvt #thoroughbred #thoroughbredcross #warmblood #eventer #eventing #xc #crosscountry #jumping #jumper #vht #virginiahorsetrials #vaht #novice #funbonnets #charlesowen #ogilvyequestrian #pessoasusa PC/VC: my sister 😘

A post shared by Charlotte Crump (@chxinny) on

Jennie Brannigan and Tim and Nina Gardner’s Cambalda are your CIC2* winners following the completion of cross country. Jennie and “Ping” were the only pair to add nothing to their dressage score to complete the weekend, edging out Alyssa Phillips and Oskar, who finished second on a final score of 50.1. Matt Brown and BCF Belicoso complete the top three on a final score of 56.5.

Jennie continued her winning ways with a blue ribbon in the Advanced/Intermediate with Elisbeth Battel’s Cool As Ice on a final score of 41.0. Jennie also finished third in the division with Elisbeth and Jennie’s Stella Artois, and finishing in between the two in second are Emma Klugman and Bendigo.

And of course, one of our favorite stories of the weekend is Libby Head’s Sir Rockstar competing with Erin Jarboe in the Novice divison and the Intercollegiate Championships. This pair added a double clear cross country run to their CV today, though Libby posted that “Rocky” needed a lead into the start box!

Rocky being a novice champ with @erin_jarboe !

A post shared by Libby Head (@libbyheadeventing) on

Leslie Threlkeld will be along later with an update from the Intercollegiate Championships, so stay tuned for much more from beautiful Lexington, Virginia! You can also see videos uploaded from The Horse Pesterer on his YouTube channel here.

VAHT: Website, Live Scores

Here is a look at some more social media from the day:

Rocky being a novice champ with @erin_jarboe !

A post shared by Libby Head (@libbyheadeventing) on

It's CATurday, y'all. 😻💙#GoCats 📸: @skipperdoodlefritz

A post shared by Alexa Eleanor Ehlers (@alexa.eleanor) on

European Update: Caroline Martin Top American at Houghton Hall, Vogg Takes Command of Saumur

By on May 27, 2017 2:00 pm - 2,734 views
Caroline Martin and Pebbly Maximus. Photo by Jenni Autry. Caroline Martin and Pebbly Maximus. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Show jumping proved to be quite the influencer for the Nations Cup competitors at the Houghton Hall CICO3* today, with Bettina Hoy remaining steady at the top of the board to break a tie with New Zealand’s Jesse Campbell for the sole lead going into tomorrow’s cross country.

Bettina and Seigneur Medicott, an 11-year-old Westphalian gelding coming hot off of back-to-back wins at Chatsworth and Blenheim, jumped one of the seven fault-free rounds in the top 10 to sit on a score of 35.3 — the sole score remaining in the 30s — overnight.

Second placed following show jumping is fellow German Nations Cup teammate Julia Krajewski with Samourai Du Thot, an 11-year-old Selle Francais gelding. This pair also jumped a faultless round to add no penalties to their dressage mark of 41.1, giving Bettina just 14.5 seconds of breathing room on cross country tomorrow.

Breaking up the German party at the top of the individual leaderboard is Great Britain’s Pippa Funnell with Sandman 7, who will take third place, moving up from seventh on the wings of a double clear jump round today for a score of 41.3 to really put the pressure on the leaders for fast rounds tomorrow.

Team Germany is sitting pretty for the Nations Cup board, also holding fourth place with Andreas Ostholt and So Is Et on a score of 42.2 with four penalties added today.

Caroline Martin and The Apprentice. Photo by Adam Fanthorpe.

Caroline Martin is the top U.S. rider following show jumping, sitting in 13th place with four penalties added with Pebbly Maximus. These two hold a two-phase score of 47.1, just under 12 penalties off from the leaders, heading into cross country. This horse has a pretty solid cross country record, so tomorrow should be a fun challenge for this pair.

Hannah Sue Burnett made us proud this morning with a smashing dressage test, scoring a personal best 37.2 with Harbour Pilot to slide into early third place. The pair subsequently picked up 12 penalties in the show jumping to drop them into 20th on a 49.2, but rest assured that Hannah will be determined to lay down the cross country run that we all know she and “William” are more than capable of tomorrow following a re-route from an early retirement at Badminton earlier this month. Go get ’em, girl!

Katherine Coleman and Longwood. Photo by Adam Fanthorpe.

Looking to the remainder of the U.S. contingent, Katherine Coleman and Longwood, the third U.S. Nations Cup team member, picked up four penalties today to sit on a score of 57.5 and 46th overall overnight. Caroline Martin and her Nations Cup ride, The Apprentice, picked up six penalties to drop them into 37th.

Germany has a stronghold on Nations Cup leaderboard with a total score of 118.6, followed by Great Britain on a 141.5, the U.S. on a 160.9 and New Zealand on a 164.4.

Cross country will begin at 11 a.m. local time / 4 a.m. EST — the order of go can be found here. You can preview the cross country that the CICO3* riders will be tackling here. Unfortunately there is no live stream, but keep checking back for the latest throughout the day tomorrow.

Houghton Hall CICO3*: Website, XC Order of Go, Live Scores, Team Standings

Houghton Hall International Top 20:

Saumur CCI3*

Felix Vogg and Onfire. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Shockingly enough, it is not Michael Jung atop the CCI3* leaderboard following cross country at Saumur today. Rather, it is Swiss rider Felix Vogg and Onfire who moved up from fourth place to take the lead thanks to one of just two fault-free runs in the division out of 24 remaining pairs.

Onfire is a 15-year-old gelding with which Felix has been partnered for throughout his entire FEI career. This pair represented Switzerland in Rio last summer and are coming off of a top 10 finish in the CIC3* at Marbach earlier this month. Onfire has a bit of a spotty record in the show jumping, so tomorrow will be an exciting finish considering that Felix’s score of 41.7 is not enough to have a rail in hand over Michael Jung.

In Lennox 364’s first CCI3*, Michael Jung piloted him home with just 8.4 time penalties to slot into second place on a two day score of 42.9. This is the horse that Michael has tapped as his mount for European Championships, so big expectations rest on this up and coming talent.

Conférence de presse avec @michaeljungofficialnews avec notre partenaire NAF

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Mark Todd and Kiltubrid Rhapsody will retain their third placed position following cross country, adding 5.2 time for a score of 45.1. Less than a rail currently separates the top three, so we’re anticipating quite the show down between the heavy hitters tomorrow for the show jumping finale.

Show jumping begins at 4:00 p.m. local / 10 a.m. EST and you can follow the live stream on the Saumur homepage here.

Saumur CCI3*: Website, Ride Times, Live Scores, Live Stream

Saumur CCI3* Top 10:

Tuesday News & Notes from Cavalor

By on May 23, 2017 12:01 am - 865 views

The Apprentice takes in the scenery with Caroline Martin in England. Photo via Caroline on Instagram.

We are gearing up for the next Nations Cup leg at Houghton Hall this weekend, and we’re thrilled to be cheering on our American contingent. It’s sure to be a tough battle over on the other side of the pond, and we’ll have much more coming to you from Houghton Hall as the week progresses.

Events Opening This Week:

Event at Rebecca Farm (MT, A-7), 41st Annual Whidbey Island H.T. (WA, A-7), Roebke’s Run H.T. (MN, A-4), Chattahoochee Hills H.T. (GA, A-3),  Huntington Farm H.T. (VT, A-1), The Maryland H.T. at Loch Moy Farm I (MD, A-2), Coconino Summer I H.T. (AZ, A-10), Round Top H.T. (CO, A-9), Old Chatham H.T. (NY, A-1), Great Meadow International – FEI Nations Cup Eventing Series (VA, A-2), Powder Basin H.T. (WY, A-9)

Events Closing Today:

Derbyshire Farms H.T. (MI, A-8), Copper Meadows H.T. (CA, A-6), Roebke’s Run CCI & CIC 2/1* & HT (MN, A-4), River Glen June H.T. (TN, A-3),  Larkin Hill H.T. (NY, A-1),  Plantation Field June Horse Trials (PA, A-2), Camelot Equestrian Horse Park Horse Trials (CA, A-6), Aspen Farms H.T. (WA, A-7), Queeny Park H.T. (MO, A-4), Valinor Farm Horse Trials (MA, A-1), The Middleburg H.T. (VA, A-2)

News & Notes:

What is a better pairing than eventers and alcohol? Wait, what? Waredaca Brewing Company is proudly sponsoring a fundraising night for the Area II Young Rider program, donating $1 per pint plus tips to the cause on the night of June 15 from 4-8 p.m. There will also be a silent auction that includes an incredible 7-night riding safari for two guests! Area II Young Rider Fundraiser

Only 100 days remain until the Nutrena American Eventing Championships in Tryon, North Carolina! Entries open on July 18 and close on August 15, so get those last minute qualifications in so that you can experience all that Tryon International Equestrian Center has to offer. Expect to see plenty of WEG hopefuls this year as well, as they’ll be wanting to get more runs at this facility. 100 Days Until AEC

Best of the blogs: What happens when a self-proclaimed hunter princess goes rogue? Find out in this new blog fresh from The Chronicle of the Horse. When a Hunter Princess Goes Eventing

Tuesday Video:

Germany Dominates Strzegom Nations Cup CICO3*, Karin Donckers Wins CCI3*

By on May 21, 2017 5:00 pm - 992 views
Andreas Dibowski (GER) and FRH Butts Avedon at Badminton in 2016. Photo by Leslie Wylie. Andreas Dibowski (GER) and FRH Butts Avedon at Badminton in 2016. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

Germany came to win in this weekend’s Nations Cup CICO3* at Strzegom in Poland, claiming six out of the top 10 individual spots on the leaderboard after the show jumping finale early on today.

It was Germany’s Kai Ruder and Colani Sunrise who took home the individual honors — this pair was, in fact, not a part of the German Nations Cup team this weekend — finishing on a final score of 51.9 to lead from start to finish.

Colani Sunrise, an 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding owned by Anne Diener, made his first three-star start of 2017 this weekend. His 2016 highlights include a top-10 finish at Luhmühlen, and this weekend boasted a personal best FEI dressage score for this horse, whose previous record low was a 43.9 at the CIC2* level.

In second place in the CICO3* and the highest placed German team rider are Andreas Dibowski and FRH Butts Avedon, who completed their weekend on a final score of 57.4. FRH Butts Avedon, who is 14 this year, last competed in a Nations Cup event at Boekelo last year, where he came second individually. He is no stranger to Nations Cup competition, though, as this weekend is his ninth completion in such an event during his career.

Rounding out the top three in the individual Nations Cup standings are Falk-Filip-Finn Westerich and FBW Gina K, 10-year-old Württemberger mare who finishes her highest placing at the level to date. This is the third Nations Cup appearance for this pair, who previously completed individually at Vairano as well as this same venue, Strzegom, in 2016.

Germany finishes another strong weekend on a final team score of 179.1, handily ahead of second placed Great Britain, who placed one rider in the top 10 (Alex Bragg and Redpath Ransom, fourth place) on a score of 246.9. Sweden completes the top three on the team podium with a final score of 247.5.

Karin Donckers and Fletcha van’t Verahof. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Looking to the CCI3* at Strzegom, it was Belgium’s Karin Donckers and Fletcha van’t Verahof, rerouting after retiring on cross country at Badminton earlier this month. This pair, who is very experienced at the three- and four-star levels (they finished fifth individually at WEG in 2014), bounced back in style to complete the weekend on a final score of 53.2 with just about 30 seconds of time on cross country.

Merel Blom (NED) and Rumour Has It N.O.P. finished their CCI3* weekend in second position on a three-day score of 52.4. This pair moved into second following cross country on the wings of the quickest run of the division and added no penalties in show jumping to solidify their finishing position. This is this pair’s first Advanced run since finishing in Rio in the top 20 individually last summer.

And completing the top three in the Stzegom CCI3* are the Swiss pair Eveline Bodenmüller and Waldmann, a 13-year-old Holsteiner gelding. These two completed the CCI3* here in 2014 in the top 20 and make a big improvement on that finish this year on a final score of 55.3.

We now look ahead to the next Nations Cup leg, which will be held this weekend at Houghton Hall in Great Britain. This leg will feature our two young guns, Caroline Martin and Mackenna Shea, who are beginning their European trip on the heels of the Karen Stives Eventing Endowment Fund.


Strzegom CICO3*: Website, Results>

Upset Alert: Cloud Computing Wins Preakness Stakes, No Triple Crown This Year

By on May 21, 2017 2:00 pm - 526 views

Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming dashed our dreams of a Triple Crown winner this year, fading quickly in the stretch during the 142nd Preakness Stakes at Pimlico yesterday afternoon. Instead, it was lesser backed Cloud Computing, trained by Chad Brown, who stormed down the stretch to close powerfully over Classic Empire.

It was a great race, with Classic Empire finishing in second and a hard closing Senior Investment getting up for third. Always Dreaming faded to finish in eighth place in the 10-horse field.

Next for racing fans, we’ll look ahead to the Belmont Stakes to be held on June 10 at Belmont Park in New York. Cloud Computing’s connections have yet to comment on whether or not the colt will compete.

Best of JN: ‘Pony App’ Will Change Equine Bookkeeping Forever

By on May 21, 2017 11:30 am - 900 views

This article originally appeared on our sister site, Jumper Nation. Each week, we feature our favorite headline from Jumper Nation right here on EN. Be sure to bookmark JN for all of your jumper needs!

Palo Alto, Calif. – May 16, 2017 – Tired of writing checks? Chasing down payment? Wondering when was the last time your horse saw the dentist?

At last, there is a solution for all your problems: The PonyApp!

US Olympian Lucy Davis and partner Lindsay Douglass launched Ponyapp this winter to provide an easy solution for horse care clients and professionals across the globe.

“None of us got hooked to this lifestyle to camp out in an office. Ponyapp makes managing your stable and/or business more efficient, so we can all spend more time on the ground with the horses,” Davis explained. “Our goal is to funnel the daily horse care services, news, and records into one place.”

What does it do? It is an iOS application for iPhone and iPad (Android and Desktop platforms coming soon) that helps you manage your business and stable in a centralized location:

1. Log important horse activities.
2. Set reminders for things like vaccinations, farrier visits, registration renewals, etc.
3. Upload vet reports, x-rays, or any other important documents.
4. Read articles, watch videos and review results from the top sport.
5. Invoice on its direct (and secure) payment platform…Pay and get paid!!

Who is it for? EVERYONE. PonyApp was designed specifically for the equine industry. No matter your level of involvement with horses, PonyApp has something for you

Where can you find it? In the App Store, by searching “the Ponyapp.”

Should you take the risk? ALWAYS. Check it out! It’s free, and we guarantee you won’t regret it!

Check it out.

Website: www.theponyapp.com
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