Become an Eventing Nation BloggerTamra Smith and Sunsprite Syrius led wire to wire this weekend in the Training Horse division at the AECs. Tamra had a busy weekend here with several rides in different divisions. I was able to watch her show jumping round in the Intermediate on Fleur de Lis, on whom she ended up 8th. Tamra was nice enough to chat with me for a few moments on her win with Syrius as well as the rest of her weekend. Many thanks to Tamra for taking a few moments out of her day!
Laine Ashker and Anthony Patch on their way to the win. Photo courtesy of Liz Hall.
In true butterfly form, Laine Ashker and Anthony Patch skipped over the mud and came home double clear to hold onto their lead in the Advanced division at the AECs. Unfortunately, my camera seems to have suffered a stroke this morning, so I must send a big thank you to Liz Hall who sent me her photos as soon as she got to the airport. Laine looked absolutely elated to win the blue this weekend, as she should. This is one pair that has worked extremely hard to get where they are today, and their consistent placings this season are making them a true force to be reckoned with.
Kristi Nunnink and R-Star. Photo courtesy of Liz Hall.
R-Star looked sharp for Kristi Nunnink, storming around the course cleanly to come up for 2nd place after Ellen Doughty had a couple of rails down. I definitely found a huge soft spot for this striking mare over the weekend, since this is the first time I have gotten to see her in person. Kristi is a true class act and we are looking forward to a successful showing at Pau from these two next.
Ellen Doughty, who I was incredibly impressed to find out is virtually self-taught, had a couple of unfortunate rails down to fall down a place to 3rd. This is an extremely poised and impressive pair to keep an eye on, and the fingers crossed plan is to aim for Rolex next year.
Richard Jeffrey’s course, true to form, took many victims in the form of rails, and only 3 pairs finished with no rails down and no time. Jonathan Holling and DHI Zatopek B had one rail down to move from 6th to 4th. This horse looks like quite a handful, and Jon does an excellent job keeping him contained.
Michael Pollard and Mensa G. Photo courtesy of Liz Hall.
Michael Pollard took it relatively easy on Mensa G today, coming home with a rail down and a handful of time penalties. Michael was looking for a solid run in preparation for Pau and he should be pleased with Mensa’s performance this weekend. They head to France in just a couple of weeks.
Barb Crabo rode a steady rode on Eveready to leave the rails up and pick up one time fault.
Kyle Carter and Madison Park continued their comeback tour with a couple of rails down to end up in 7th overall. Parker looked fantastic all weekend and I am really excited that he looks to be on the right track for his comeback.
Hawley Bennett and Gin & Juice. Photo courtesy of Liz Hall.
Hawley Bennett-Awad and Gin & Juice had 2 rails down to wind up in 8th overall. Hawley’s goal, like Michael and Kristi, was to get around this weekend with solid runs, and Ginny looks to be in top form for Pau.
Jon Holling and Proper Timing had 2 rails down and a few time to drop a place to 9th on the weekend. I could flip a coin to say which of Jon’s two Advanced rides this weekend was my favorite, but I think Proper Timing might get the slight edge for me.
Katy Groesbeck and Oz the Tin Man. Photo courtesy of Liz Hall.
Katy Groesbeck and Oz the Tin Man had a stellar show jumping round, completing one of only three double clear rounds all day. “Wort,” as he is known around the barn, looked polished and professional all the way around and they attacked this course with a vengeance. Katy wrote on Facebook that she was absolutely thrilled with her course and her weekend overall. Katy, who has been a student of Hawley’s, will hitch a ride back East with Laine and Al and will be staying there to train with Buck.
Alexandra Green and Fernhill Cubalawn had 5 rails down to take 11th place on the weekend. Alex said on her Facebook that Cuba “felt his way around” the course today, so I would imagine the mud may have been a factor.
Avery Klunick and In It To Win It held their 12th place position with 2 rails down and 10 time. Avery was the youngest competitor in the Advanced this weekend, a 20 year old college junior. Avery did a great interview with the USEA before AECs and seems like a great young lady to keep an eye on. You can find the interview here.
After having a couple of stops on cross country, Barb Crabo and Over Easy had 2 rails down this morning. Over Easy is still relatively new to the Advanced level, having completed 2 Advanced runs and 1 3 star run prior to this. This mare is fun to watch and should be a true talent for Barb in the near future.
Kim Keeton and Accolade
It was certainly Kim’s weekend here at the AECs, as she and her homebred stallion, Accolade, took the top honors in the Senior Prelim Amateur division. I spoke with Kim last night after her cross country and she told me that Accolade was not the most reliable in show jumping yet, but that she felt a bit better having a rail in hand. Turns out the rail in hand was all she needed to clinch the win.
Darlenne McInnes, from Colorado, moved up from 6th to take 2nd place on Warlord, and Janet Marden, from Texas, secured 3rd on Flagmount’s Amazing Grace.
I was able to catch up with Kim back at the barns to talk about her winning weekend. She also mentioned that she dedicated her rides this weekend to Christine Brown, who passed away earlier this year. A portion of Kim’s winnings will be donated to Christine’s fundraising efforts. Enjoy the video below!
Laine and Anthony Patch are your Advanced AEC winners. Photo from Liz Hall.
Despite a postponed show jumping round for the Advanced show jumping, Laine Ashker and Anthony Patch threw down a double clear round to maintain their lead and take home the Adequan USEA Gold Cup.
Kristi Nunnink and Ellen Doughty changed places, with Kristi and R-Star taking 2nd place and Ellen having a couple of unlucky rails to drop down a spot to 3rd.
I will be bringing you a full report shortly. In the meantime I must give a huge thank you to all organizers, sponsors, volunteers, and riders who made this weekend so fun. The event was top notch and everyone was welcoming and well organized. Everything certainly is bigger in Texas, and that includes the AECs!
We were able to catch Bonner Carpenter in the barn as her team was packing up to head home on Saturday evening. Bonner had a wonderful weekend, winning the Intermediate division on her horse Basco, who she has only had for about a year. Bonner is a genuinely wonderful person and it was a pleasure to interview her. Not to mention, her horse Basco is a total sweetheart! Thank you Bonner for letting us chat!
All dressed up with nowhere to go - Anthony Patch waits until tomorrow for show jumping
One thing I definitely did not expect coming down here was this much rain! It’s been raining nonstop since about 4:30 today, so the Advanced show jumping will begin at 7:45 am tomorrow. I will be staying down here until the conclusion of the Advanced division. The rain certainly put a damper on everyone’s plans, but Michael Pollard said it well when he said that we have to think of our horses first and foremost. I know that several Advanced riders were planning on heading home early tomorrow morning. I sent Hawley Bennett a text asking if she was able to change her flight and she said that she was having difficulty but as of right now the entry list is still complete.
I have a lot of interviews and photos to bring you from other divisions, but alas the WiFi at my hotel seems to be failing me as the videos are being extremely finicky with uploading. I will bring those to you as soon as I can.
In the meantime, here is a quick recap of the current standings and results:
Intermediate: Bonner Carpenter and Basco take home the win. I posted some photos earlier, and I was able to speak with Bonner after her ride so stay tuned for that video. Here’s a fun tidbit: She has only had Basco, who is very large by the way, for about a year, so their win today speaks volumes about the chemistry between these two.
Preliminary Jr/YR: Elizabeth New and Uppercrust D led wire to wire and took home the blue on their dressage score of 25.7.
Preliminary Sr. Amateur: Kim Keeton and her beautiful stallion, Accolade, also finished on their dressage score. I spoke with Kim about her win, stay tuned for that video as well.
Preliminary Horse: Leslie Law and Tout de Suite won this division handily on a 23.7.
Training Junior: Madeline Backus maintained her lead with PS King of Hearts to win her division. Madeline is a very sweet girl who I had the pleasure of speaking with yesterday, and her win is a well deserved one this weekend. Her second horse, PS Arianna, wound up 7th after a double clear show jumping round to move up from 12th.
Senior Training Amateur: Beth Weisberger and R. Hocus Pocus held on to their overnight lead to clinch the win.
Training Horse: Tamra Smith and Sunsprite Syrius led their division from start to finish, adding only 1 rail to their score to win.
Junior Novice: Olivia Brashear and her own Apple Jack are still sitting on their dressage score going into tomorrow’s show jumping.
Novice Horse: Elliott Blackmon and WH Topgun maintain their lead after cross country on a 25.0.
Senior Novice Amateur: Sher Schwartz and Jamocean, from Georgia, lead this divison on their dressage score of 22.5.
Beginner Novice Horse: Beth Stelzleni and Giselle sit atop this divison after cross country on a 26.7.
Junior Beginner Novice: Anna Konley and Reba’s song moved up from 3rd to 1st after a double clear cross country round on a course that claimed many victims.
Junior Beginner Novice 14 & Under: Emilie Mudd and Le Cheval Royale maintained their lead after cross country today.
Senior Beginning Novice Amateur: Andrea Mitchell and Divine lead this division on a 21.0.
Laine Ashker and Anthony Patch will have to wait until 7:45 am tomorrow morning to defend their lead in the Advanced AEC. A strong storm system has delayed the show jumping until tomorrow morning.
Many of the riders have early flights out in the morning so the entry list may dwindle.
We will have more updates as they come in.
Bonner Carpenter and Basco
Bonner Carpenter and Basco held their overnight lead to clinch the win in the Intermediate division here at the AECs. The course was a tough one, with plenty of rails scattered about and fence 2 appearing to the bogey fence. Bonner held it together and jumped a beautiful double clear round to seal the deal.
Michael Pollard and Schoensgreen Hanni
Michael and Hanni positively floated around course for another double clear round to remain in 2nd place. Hanni’s first season back after her injury last May has been quite a successful one, and we look forward to seeing her get back to the Advanced level.
Frankie Theriot and Uphoria
Frankie Theriot had a lovely round on the exuberant Uphoria, moving up to take 3rd place after going clear with just 1 time fault. Frankie may have had the largest cheering section thus far today!
Julie Wolfert and Buenos Aires
Julie had a heartbreaking rail down at the last after an otherwise beautiful round on Buenos Aires. She takes 4th place on the weekend.
Sydney Elliot and Saffario
Sydney Elliot and her gorgeous Dutch Warmblood gelding only had a single rail down to round out the top 5.
We are currently on a rail delay before Advanced show jumping gets underway. It appears that Stormaggedon is approaching so they have delayed the start until the weather clears up a bit.
Leslie Law and Tout de Suite
It just opened up and started pouring down here at Texas Rose Horse Park, so I thought I would bring you a quick Prelim update from AECs. The course rode fairly tough all day, with a lot of turns and technical questions that caused a lot of rails to come down. Leslie Law was able to hold onto his overnight lead and take home the blue.
Rochelle Costanza and Lionhart moved up to 2nd.
Hailing from Colorado, Rochelle Costanza, cheered on by her “Ride to be Fearless” team, moved up from 3rd to take 2nd place with a double clear stadium round. I also had to snap this photo of Rochelle to show off the flashy purple extension she had put into Lionhart’s tail!
Rochelle and Lionhart rocking the purple.
Clayton Fredericks and his lovely ride Sorrento had a rail down to take 3rd place. This horse was a treat to watch and has a very elegant way of going.
Clayton Fredericks and Sorrento, 3rd place.
Much more to come from my last day here in Texas, including an interview with Elisa Wallace and her mustang Rune and photos and video from the Intermediate and Advanced show jumping.
Current Advanced AEC leaders Laine Ashker and Anthony Patch. Photo from Liz Hall.
American Eventing Championships are in full swing down here in Texas. It’s been a great weekend, and I must give a big shout out to the organizers, volunteers, and staff who have made everything possible. The USEA has also been running a great media operation, and I have been lucky enough to have an air conditioned media room to work out of thanks to them. I also must thank the competitors who have been so kind as to let me take a few moments of their time to catch up over the last couple of days.
AEC Links:
[AEC Homepage] [Schedule] [Live Scores]
Events This Weekend:
Jump Start H.T. [Website] [Ride Times/Live Scores]
University of New Hampshire [Website] [Ride Times/Live Scores]
The Middleburg H.T. [Website] [Ride Times]
Flora Lea Fall H.T. [Website] [Live Scores]
Saturday Links
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 .
Renowned trainer Ross Reisner has died in an apparent murder.
In some not-so-new news, horses have been found to have a large role in building empires.
Have you entered your photo into our AEC Twitter contest yet?
Hay nets with a smaller mesh reduce consumption.
The Brazilian show jumping team is tearing it up in the FEI Nations Cup.
Saturday Video
Check out this tour of the Dressage at Devon show grounds from Dressage Today.
Intermediate leaders Bonner Carpenter and Basco. Photo by Sally Spickard
It was another action packed day here at the American Eventing Championships. I was able to get on course for a good chunk of the Intermediate and all of the Advanced, both of which rode tough but fairly. My favorite moment of the day goes to Bonner Carpenter and her massive entourage of supporters who were waiting for her at the finish. On a day on which virtually no one made the time in any division, Bonner managed only 1.2 time faults to take the lead going into show jumping. Overnight leaders Michael Pollard and Hanni came home with 3.2 time to lie in second behind Bonner. Julie Wolfert and Buenos Aires, who have had an excellent season, positively skipped around the course to move up to 3rd from 6th.
In the Prelim Horse division, Leslie Law and Tout de Suite are in 1st going into show jumping. Leslie, as only Leslie can do, was one of the few and far between double clear rounds all day today, and he retains his dressage score of 23.7 after today.
Elizabeth New and Uppercrust D held their lead in a very competitive Jr/YR Prelim division, in which a whopping five pairs had double clear cross country rounds.
I spoke briefly with Kim Keeton, the Prelim Senior leader. Hailing from Watkinsville, GA, Kim has had to adjust to the fact that the AECs are no longer in her backyard. She had nothing but good things to say about Texas, though, and has been quite pleased with her Swedish Warmblood-Thoroughbred stallion, Accolade, this weekend. She said that she felt her two years spent riding in England really helped her out on today’s cross country course, what with all of the twists and turns. Kim acknowledged that Accolade is not the most reliable in show jumping, so she feels a bit better having a rail in hand. She will spend the rest of the year doing dressage with Accolade before moving him up to Intermediate next year.
I also got a chance to speak with Madeline Backus, who currently sits atop the Jr/YR Training division. A senior in high school from Colorado, Madeline has two horses competing this weekend. Her first place horse, PS King of Hearts scored a 30 in dressage and went double clear today. Madeline had a great save that I wish I had caught on video at the coffin. She though that her horse didn’t see the ditch properly and dropped his back legs into it, leaving the jump with Madeline hanging on for dear life after losing her balance. She pulled it off though and now is eyeing the blue ribbon tomorrow.
Tamra Smith was also kind enough to talk on the phone with me. Tamra leads the Training Horse division with Sunsprite Syrius, a 5 year old Trakehner. She took over the ride on this horse earlier this year and has been pleased with her results so far. She plans to take him to YEH championships at Galway next with a goal of moving up to Prelim next year.
You can find the rest of the standings after today here. Training through Advanced conclude competition with show jumping tomorrow and Beginner Novice and Novice will set out across country.
Here is a brief interview with Katy Groesbeck and Oz the Tin Man, who definitely knew he was on camera and made sure to pose the entire time.
And last but least, stay tuned for an interview with Elisa Wallace, who demonstrated her progress with her mustang, Rune, who she has only had for 130 days and is already riding without a bridle. What an awesome pair!
Elisa Wallace and Rune showing off their stuff. Photo from Laine Ashker.
The weather cooled off just a bit for cross country today, and what we all predicted yesterday definitely came true: the course definitely proved to be influential. The course had many twists and turns to take advantage of the terrain, which caused many horses to appear a bit tired at the end. While jump penalties were few and far between, the time proved virtually impossible to make as not one horse came home double clear. Anthony Patch skipped around the course in typical fashion and Laine came home with only 5.6 time to take the lead. Laine said in the press conference that her watch stopped working as she was leaving the box, so she had no watch on course. She must have one good mental clock since it certainly worked out in her favor!
Ellen Doughty and Sir Oberon on their way to 2nd place. Photo by Sally Spickard.
In the biggest jump up the leaderboard of the day, Ellen Doughty and Sir Oberon stormed around course to accrue only 8 time to move from 11th to 2nd. Ellen also came to the press conference and was a pleasure to speak with. She and Sir Oberon are relatively new to the Advanced level, but they certainly made a name for themselves here. Ellen is the only trailer-in entry this year as she lives less than an hour away from Texas Rose Horse Park. She said she was thrilled that the AECs were practically in her backyard this year, a nice break from long hours of travel. Ellen is aiming for Fair Hill after this and has her eyes set on Rolex next. Definitely keep an eye on this pair as they definitely made mincemeat of a tough and technical course today.
Kristi Nunnink and R-Star hold their 3rd place position. Photo by Sally Spickard
R-Star looked full of herself on course today and showed us all again how much she loves going across country, coming home in time to keep 3rd place. Kristi said she was quite pleased with how her weekend was going and is confident in R-Star’s show jumping abilities for tomorrow. Kristi, along with Hawley and the rest of the West Coast entries, came quite a long way (31 hours to be specific) to be here, but she had nothing but good things to say about the event and venue, saying she would definitely come back again. Kristi and R-Star are headed to Pau next, and Kristi should feel confident going overseas after such a great run today.
Michael Pollard and Mensa G, currently in 4th place. Photo by Sally Spickard
Michael Pollard had a great run on Mensa G. Michael is also headed to Pau next with this horse and was looking for a solid run here in final preparation. They came home with 16 time penalties to drop a couple of places to 4th.
Kyle Carter and Madison Park, currently in 5th place. Photo by Sally Spickard
Kyle Carter and Madison Park looked to be in great form around course today, also making a big jump up the leaderboard coming from 12th place to finish the day in 5th. As you may recall, this is Parker’s first season back after suffering an injury at Blenheim in 2011. We wish Kyle and Parker the best as they continue Parker’s comeback.
Jonathan Holling and DHI Zatopek B, currently in 5th place. Photo by Sally Spickard
Jon Holling and DHI Zatopek B made some moves up the standings as well, coming from 10th to 6th after cross country. This horse looked full of run while I saw him on course, and Jon does a great job keeping him focused.
Hawley Bennett-Awad and Gin & Juice, laying in 7th. Photo by Sally Spickard
Pau bound Hawley Bennett-Awad and Gin & Juice held their 7th place position after cross country. They had a close call with a golf cart that pulled out in front of them before fence 10, but they recovered well and had a beautiful round otherwise. Ginny looked full of running after a course that was tiring many horses.
Jonathan Holling and Proper Timing in 8th place. Photo by Sally Spickard
After improving immensely on his dressage score from Richland, Jon Holling and Proper Timing came home with 16.4 time to drop down a couple of spots to 8th.
Barb Crabo and Eveready, in 9th place. Photo by Sally Spickard
Eveready looked to be jumping hugely for Barb around course, and they came home with 19.6 time to lie in 9th overnight.
Alexandra Green and Fernhill Cubalawn, 10th place. Photo by Sally Spickard
Alexandra Green and Fernhill Cubalawn picked up 21.2 time faults to take 10th place going into show jumping
Katy Groesbeck and Oz the Tin Man, 11th place. Photo by Sally Spickard
Katy and Oz the Tin Man had an unfortunate run out at fence 15. I spoke with Katy after her ride and she said she was committed to riding the line from 14 to 15 in a forward 3 strides but that Oz didn’t quite understand the question. She was quite positive about her ride otherwise, though, and was happy to have had the learning experience here before heading to Fair Hill next.
Avery Klunick and In It To Win It - 11th place. Photo by Sally Spickard
Avery picked up 20 at fence 19C, which came after the drop into nothing down bank that I spoke about in my course preview.
Barbara Crabo and Over Easy, 13th place. Photo by Sally Spickard
Today did not appear to be Over Easy’s day as this pair picked up refusals at 6B and 19C as well as some time.
Lainey gets some coaching from David O'Connor. Photo from Laine's Facebook.
Hawley and Ginny during dressage on Thursday. Photo courtesy of Liz Hall.
I stopped by Hawley’s stalls yesterday after watching her typically beautiful dressage test. Hawley was nice enough to introduce me to Ginny and talk with me for a few minutes about her test and her thoughts on the cross country course today. Many thanks to Hawley for taking the time to talk with me, and best of luck today and tomorow!
You can catch Hawley’s dressage test video as well:
Katherine Groesbeck and Oz the Tin Man Lead the Advanced AEC after dressage. Photo by Sally Spickard.
Good morning and happy Friday! It’s nice and hot down here in Texas, and I have the sunburn to prove it! AEC action kicks off first thing this morning once again, with Beginner Novice and Novice riders contesting dressage and Training through Advanced setting out across country. If you didn’t catch my course preview from yesterday, check it out. The course promises to be a big factor in the final leaderboards this weekend, and I look forward to an action packed day at the Texas Rose Horse Park.
AEC Links:
[AEC Homepage] [Schedule] [Live Scores]
Events This Weekend:
Jump Start H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Times]
University of New Hampshire [Website] [Entry Status/Times]
The Middleburg H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]
Flora Lea Fall H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]
Your Friday News:
Have you entered the awesome FLAIR contest yet? 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 FLAIR will give you $250 in bragging rights! [Eventers Win Big With FLAIR]
Are you at the AECs? If so, check out EN’s Twitter contest. We are looking for your best EN inspired photos from the weekend – the more creative, the better! Just tweet your photo to @EventingNation using the hashtag #insanityinthemiddle. [EN’s AEC Twitter Contest]
Boyd and Silva Martin are competing at Devon Dressage this weekend. Silva rode Boyd’s 4-star mount, Trading Aces to a fourth place finish in a fourth level class while Boyd collected his own ribbons in a 5 year old dressage suitability class aboard Dhouble Scoop. The Martins are using this show as a ramp up for Trading Aces’ upcoming run at Boekelo. [Boyd and Silva at Devon]
A British man accused of punching a police horse has been told to expect jail time. Upset over a football match that did not turn out the way he wanted it to, the unruly fan took his feelings out on Bud, a shire-cross police horse. [Do the Crime, Do the Time]
The deadline to apply for Thoroughbred Incentive Program sponsorship is September 30. TIP is a great program that supports retrained racehorses, and horse shows are invited to apply for TIP awards at their events. [TIP Sponsorship]
Best of the Blogs:
Kat Drake blogs about gender roles in eventing.
Your Friday Video Break:
A throwback to last year’s AECs, here is Michael Pollard and Hanni contesting the Advanced show jumping.
Michael Pollard and Hanni lead the Intermediate dressage. Photo from the Pollard Eventing FB.
Many apologies to Michael Pollard, as I was arguing with the Wi-Fi while he was doing his test with Hanni so I missed it. However, the numbers say it all as Hanni leads the Intermediate division on a score of 26.8. I interrupted the lunch of spoke with Michael briefly this afternoon and he told me that Hanni is among the most reliable in the dressage, and her score proves this to be true. Michael also had another ride in the Intermediate, Cheyenne Blue, who he said is still a work in progress as he works to get her to relax more. Coming out of the arena after their test, he said that this ride was a huge improvement. Cheyenne Blue is a wonderful mover and quite athletic. It should be a pleasure to watch this mare grow with Michael.
EN guest blogger Julie Wolfert put in a wonderful test on her own Buenos Aires, which puts them into sixth place on a 29.4. I did not have a chance to catch up with Julie today as she quickly transitioned from competitor to coach, but I hope to speak with her later this weekend.
Frankie Theriot and Uphoria. Photo by Sally Spickard.
My Intermediate shout of the day goes to Frankie Theriot and Uphoria, who threw down a beautiful test to sit behind Michael and Hanni on a 27.6. Frankie and her connections all seemed thrilled with her ride today. These two have had a heck of a year at Intermediate this year, it’s exciting to think about Frankie moving this mare up to Advanced at some point.
You can find the full Intermediate standings after dressage here.
Advanced leaders Katherine Groesbeck and Oz the Tin Man. Photo by Sally Spickard.
The Advanced division is stacked with talent this weekend, and it has been a pleasure to watch these pairs in action. The caliber of entries is evident by viewing the scores after day one; a mere 12.2 penalties separate the entire field. In speaking with several riders today, it is evident that no one is anticipating this being a dressage competition. True to Capt. Phillips form, the cross country course promises to be challenging, and it seems the consensus is that the time is going to be a major factor tomorrow.
AEC Links:
[AEC Homepage] [Schedule] [Live Scores]
Michael Pollard and Mensa G. Photo by Sally Spickard.
Second placed Michael Pollard with Mensa also laid down a phenomenal test. Michael said that Mensa has continued to improve his dressage score this year and was happy with the test today, although he believes there is still untapped talent to be discovered. Mensa appeared eager and happy to dance in the sandbox today, and their score places them well within reach of the top honors going into cross country.
Kristi Nunnink and R-Star, 3rd after dressage. Photo by Sally Spickard.
This is the first time I have gotten to see R-Star in person, and the mare is even more beautiful than videos and photos make her! She and Kristi definitely win my favorite test of the day, although an error in the extended trot cost them what likely could have been first place. Overall, it was a lovely test. R-Star is coming off of back to back wins at Rebecca Farm and Copper Meadows and will be a force to be reckoned with in the remaining phases.
Barb Crabo and Over Easy, tied for 4th after dressage. Photo by Sally Spickard.
Barb Crabo has both Over Easy and Eveready going this weekend, and Over Easy turned in a relaxed test to score a 31.5 to tie Laine Ashker for fourth. Over Easy is relatively young and just moved up to Advanced this year, and she appears to have great potential to go much farther.
Laine Ashker and Anthony Patch, tied for 4th. Photo by Sally Spickard
Laine told me that she felt a bit disappointed with her test today, as she felt the test lacked some impulsion and left some points on the board. She has her eyes set on cross country tomorrow, and I think we’ve all come to know that Al absolutely loves cross country. This pair is tied for fourth with Barb Crabo and Over Easy after dressage, lying only 3.8 points out of first place.
Here is your full album of dressage pictures from today.
Katherine Groesbeck and Oz the Tin Man Lead the Advanced AEC after dressage on a 27.7. Photo by Sally Spickard
It was a busy day full of dressage today at the AECs. We saw some quality tests and at this point the Advanced division could virtually be anyone’s game after the next two phases.
Katherine Groesbeck laid down a fluid and relaxed test to lay in first overnight on a 27.7. Hot on their heels is Michael Pollard and Mensa G, followed by Kristi Nunnink and the lovely R-Star.
Stay tuned for a more detailed report. In the meantime, here are your top five going into cross country tomorrow.
AEC Links:
[AEC Homepage] [Schedule] [Live Scores]
Fence 1 on the Advanced Course
Good afternoon from Texas! I got to the venue in the very early hours of the morning and was on site bright and early to walk the course before the heat hits. So far, Texas Rose Horse Park has not failed to impress. The grounds are beautiful and the setup is efficient and well maintained. The media room is air conditioned and the wifi seems solid so far, so all signs point to a great weekend. Capt. Mark Phillips is the course designer this weekend, and the rolling terrain of the facility lends well to a championship caliber course. The Advanced course seems to be a very fair course for this level, but there are a few questions that are sure to ride even more technical than they look.
I caught up with Michael Pollard between rides today, and he said that the time will be relatively difficult to make due to the twisty nature of the course. There are a lot of big tables and oxers on course and a few tricky combinations, including a down bank that I would prefer to never have to jump down in my life. Many thanks to the organizers and volunteers who are making this event run smoothly, and without further ado here is your course preview. I apologize in advance for a couple of shadows as I was walking early this morning when the sun was not quite high enough.
Get ready to show off those EN photography skills!
If you have thrown in the towel and joined Twitter and will be in Texas for the AECs this weekend, this contest is for you.
What: We are looking for your best EN photos from the upcoming weekend. Feel like spelling out EN with your stud kit? Did your gray horse wake up on dressage day with a suspicious, EN-shaped stain somewhere on him? Can you spell out Eventing Nation with the massive amounts of electrical tape that you brought with you?
When: If you are at the AECs this weekend, we want to hear from you.
What’s in it for me?: Our brand new Eventing Nation hats are coming hot off the presses soon and you could be the lucky recipient of one of the first ones! The winner will be selected next week and will receive a very official EN hat.
How do I enter?: Just snap the best EN photo you can come up with this weekend and Tweet it to @EventingNation using the hashtag #insanityinthemiddle. We will compile the entries and post them up after the AECs for your viewing pleasure.
What if I don’t have a Twitter account? If you are not a Twitter-er (Is that a word? It is now!), you can also submit your photos to [email protected].
Questions? Just email [email protected] if you’re not sure about how to enter.
Good luck and Go AECs!
Allison Springer and Copycat Chloe. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Hot on the heels of the USEF’s announcement of the US team for Boekelo, the fall Land Rover travel grants have also been announced. The fall travel grants will send the recipients to either the Fair Hill International CCI*** or the Galway Downs International CCI***. The following pairs have been awarded the Land Rover Competition Grants:
Fair Hill International CCI***
Katherine Groesbeck and her own 16 year old Anglo-Arab, Oz the Tin Man
Ellen Doughty and her own 11 year old Holsteiner-Thoroughbred, Sir Oberon
Galway Downs International CCI***
Buck Davidson and Sharon Will’s 10 year old Oldenburg, Absolute Liberty, or Sergio Rios and Caroline Martin’s 11 year old Thoroughbred, Petite Flower
Allison Springer and the Copycat Chloe Syndicate LLC’s 10 year old Trakehner-Thoroughbred, Copycat Chloe
Congratulations to all recipients!
It’s Super Bowl AEC week! I hope you all have your tack trunks packed and your game face on, because it’s going to be a great week of eventing down in the great state of Texas. I will be on site bringing you all of the latest news this weekend, and I wish everyone the best of luck in their divisions. Here are just a few reasons why you should be (even more) pumped up for AECs.
1. Prizes, prizes and more prizes.
The USEA never fails to put on a great event, and the prize list this year is second to none. There is $90,000 in prize money up for grabs this weekend — definitely not a small chunk of change! Aside from that, there are some great prizes, such as custom portraits from Julie Lawther and gift certificates galore.
2. Plenty of big names will be on hand strutting their stuff.
The divisions are positively stacked with riders who I for one will have a hard time not stalking all weekend for autographs and photo ops with their various horses. Check out the entry list here for the latest entries.
3. Texas Rose Horse Park is a gorgeous facility that promises to host a great event this year.
I’ve been chowing down on as much information as I can get about the facilities, and it seems like the perfect place to hold a large scale event such as the AECs. The space is huge, there is plenty of stabling and the weather looks like it will be perfect.
4. EN will be running a Twitter contest for all of you who are in attendance this weekend.
More details are coming, but for those of you who have joined the dark side Twitterverse, this contest should be right up your alley. Get ready to practice those Instagram skills and look for more information coming soon.
5. The USEA is also running a great photo contest right now.
Send in a photo of the state signs that you pass as you make your trek to Texas and you will be entered to win some fantastic prizes plus get your photo on the USEA website.
6. Competitor party, anyone?
I for one will never pass up an opportunity for a good party, and the competitor party at the AECs is no exception. The party will take place immediately following the Advanced awards ceremony on Saturday. One ticket is included with each entry, and additional tickets are available on site.
7. Are you competing your OTTB this weekend?
The Thoroughbred Incentive Program is supporting the AECs with more prizes for all Jockey Club-registered Thoroughbreds competing. Make sure that your horse has his or her TIP number and then go for the gold.
8. One of our much loved sponsors, FLAIR Nasal Strips, is also a sponsor of the AECs.
You know what that means? Yep, you guessed it — a free FLAIR strip in your competitor welcome bag. Don’t mind me if you see me sporting one this weekend; I feel the need the fit in, so since I will be horseless I can at least represent FLAIR in my own way.
9. What else is there to do in Tyler, Texas anyway?
Well, good thing you checked EN first. Not that you will want to tear yourself away from the eventing action, but in case you do, here is a handy list of some area attractions that Tyler has to offer.
10. Last but certainly not least — have FUN!
This may be one of the biggest events in the country, but let’s face it, at the end of the day the AECs are a chance for everyone to show what they’ve worked so hard for this year. For all of you competing, be very proud of yourselves. And for those of you who will be following along with the action at home, help us cheer on our eventing family as they show off their best moves all weekend.
Go eventing, and Go AECs.
Sinead Halpin and Manoir De Carneville lead the CIC3* on a 37.8. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Surprise, surprise – Tate is atop the leaderboard once again! It’s a quite welcome sight to see Sinead and Tate back in top form, and they have not failed to deliver in each performance this season. Plantation Field is no different, as this pair finds themselves on top of a very competitive division after a full day of dressage. Of course we know that Tate is an absolutely cross country machine, but plenty of other pairs will be on the lookout to get that double clear this weekend so the pressure is definitely on!
Plantation Links:
[Website] [Entry Status] [2013 Schedule]
[Ride Times] [Live Scores] [CIC3* Preview]
Events This Weekend:
Twin Rivers Fall H.T. [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]
Northwest Equestrian Fall Gala H.T. [Website] [Ride Times/Live Scores]
Otter Creek Fall H.T. [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]
Marlborough H.T [Website] [Ride Times/Live Scores]
Stone Gate Farm H.T. [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]
Stoneleigh-Burnham School Fall H.T. [Website]
Tryon Riding & Hunt Club H.T. [Website] [Ride Times]
Coconino H.T. [Website] [Ride Times/Live Scores]
Grandview Fall H.T. [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]
Links:
Back on Track is a documentary in the works on the rehoming process for OTTBs.
Meet the deaf horse who recently graduated from police training school.
British Eventing’s best ever score was achieved this week in Scotland.
Mark Todd’s ride NZB Land Vision is back in action this weekend.
UC Davis is hosting a Donkey Welfare Symposium.
Your Saturday Video:
Boyd Martin will be competing in his first pure dressage show at Dressage at Devon. Many thanks to Hilary Hebert of Dressage Today for sending over this interview!
