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We’re well underway here at the MARS Maryland 5 Star, with the second batch of 5* riders yet to go this afternoon. Yesterday, we introduced you to the field of riders and now it’s time to dive in to the four-legged stars of the show.
Want more on each pair entered in the 5* this weekend? Don’t forget to peep our Form Guide, nestled inside this year’s program which can be found here. You can jump straight into the Form Guide section by clicking here.
Woods Baughman and C’est La Vie 135. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
As we checked the weather radar with trepidation this morning, watching the buckets pour outside the media center, we held hope that the forecast would be correct: the worst of today’s rain was supposed to have moved on by around the time the first 5* rider went down centerline.
We wouldn’t quite get so lucky, though, and it would be Woods Baughman who got the worst of the downpour as the final rider in the ring with his and his family’s C’est La Vie 135 (Contendro – Anette, by Aarking xx). Despite the fact Woods says he had to keep reminding himself to look up — “I couldn’t see across the ring with all the rain!” — he delivered a 5* personal best of 27.2, shaving 2.6 points off his Burghley score.
“We started hacking over and I was like, ‘this is a bad joke’,” Woods said of the deluge that was originally forecasted to have cleared up by his ride time. “It just started getting heavier and heavier. So I got soaked completely, but it’s worth it. It’s worth it and made the lateral work quite easy, because he didn’t want to go straight. So whenever I put him into the half passes, he’s like, ‘thank you!’ and just wanted to go sideways, away from the rain!”
It’s been a year — maybe more than that, honestly — of learning curves for Woods, who made his 5* debut with this horse at Kentucky in April. Woods recalls that weekend as the first time he’s ever really felt nervous, and it wouldn’t wind up being quite the debut he was seeking. He would later go to England for a crack at Burghley but wound up with a week he’d most likely prefer to mostly forget after finding himself eliminated due to some, err, braking issues on cross country (not to mention a supremely stressful travel over that involved multiple canceled flights and a midnight trailer run to deliver “Contendro” to his flight on time). But for Woods, these difficulties are fodder to build on.
Woods Baughman and C’est La Vie 135. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
“It just took a little bit a while to figure out what we need to do to keep him happy all the time,” Woods explained. “He definitely thrives on as much free time as possible. He doesn’t like to be touched a whole lot. He kind of wants to be left alone. He likes to stand in the back of his stall, so we give him as much time as we can to just be him, and the more time you give him the less he is likely to be kind of snappy and a bit dominant. He’s a big, strong horse and he doesn’t like to be pushed around too much.”
So practice, he hopes, will make for a better finish this weekend. He’s always had to work on rideability with C’est La Vie, who was sourced by Dirk Schrade, with whom Woods based and trained with for a year while getting to know the Hanoverian gelding. It was Dirk, in fact, who picked this one out as Woods’ eventual first 5* horse. But in between then and now, there have been more than a few learning experiences. Woods, though, would be a cooler-headed rider past his 26 years, and for him it’s all a bit a part of the process.
“So he took time and I found the more I can let him be as himself, the better I am and then just kind of stepping into last minute to tell him what we actually need to do and then letting him do it rather than directing every foot.”
Astier Nicolas and Babylon de Gamma. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Frenchman Astier Nicolas makes a return to this event after bringing the 11-year-old Babylon de Gamma
A 29.1 to start the weekend puts Astier in better stead than he began the weekend with last year, where he scored a 32.7 in this phase, despite the fact he said he would’ve liked to have had a better position in the draw order. He described Babylon de Gamma’s straightness and connection as having improved over the intervening twelve months. As for Ian Stark’s sophomore cross country design, Astier says he rather likes this very different track. “I really like the courses of Ian [Stark],” he said, noting it was one more thing that prompted him to make the trip again.
“I like the way it starts this year, a bit more flat and galloping,” he said. “But it’s totally to different last year because we’re doing the very long hill at the ten minute, sort of the nine or 10 minutes…He feels very good this year. So we’ll see if he’s very good at sprinting also at having stamina. That’s what we’re here to discover.”
Liz Halliday-Sharp and Cooley Quicksilver. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
There was a bit of a flip-flop on the third placing of the day, which originally saw Tamie Smith and Ruth Bley’s Danito (Dancier – Wie Musik, by Wolkenstein II) score a 29.0 in the 13-year-old Hanoverian gelding’s debut at this level. Tamie, ever the competitor, says she would’ve liked to see some better marks in the trot work in particular, and it would in the end be a review on the scoring of one of her flying changes that would see her score updated to a 29.4.
This change would slot Liz Halliday-Sharp with The Monster Partnership’s (Ocala Horse Properties, Renee Lane, Deborah Halliday) “weird and wonderful” Cooley Quicksilver (Womanizer – Kylemore Crystal) up into third place after originally being sat in fourth, squeaking by Tamie’s updated score on a 29.3.
It’s been quite a progression for “Monster” — so named not because he’s an actual monster, but rather just a bit on the cheeky side (I think Liz has a bit of a type, eh?) — who Liz acquired as a “very green” five-year-old. But he’s taken right to the game, now starting his fourth 5* event. Liz, well-known for her love of learning about and trying new bits, chose to put Cooley Quicksilver back into a double bridle at Great Meadow last week and again chose to put him in it today.
“Anyone who knows me knows I’m obsessed with bits and I found sort of a new bradoon and a new style Weymouth I’ve never tried before, and I chucked it in to see and I was like, wow, he’s great in this,” she elaborated. “He’s a horse that you kind of need to keep him light in his frame and he just feels happy in it. And so it’s all about just what helps him flow and keeps him consistent, keeps him happy.”
The score of 29.3 is just a tick above the pair’s 29.1 earned at Luhmühlen in June en route to a fifth place finish, and Liz says she felt this test was actually better than the one in Germany.
“Anyone that knows him, he’s quite quirky and it’s taken a long time to get him sort of in this really professional space. And I mean, he tried very, very hard for me and I actually thought it was a better test than the score which is a bummer, but it’s always tough to be first to go especially on not, sort of, your ‘traditional’ horse. Not everybody gets him straightaway. But I’m just thrilled with his progression because now this year, he’s come out and he’s just a professional horse. He comes in and does his job and tries for me, so I couldn’t have asked more for him.”
Liz had an unexpected departure from the competition with her other ride, Deniro Z, who was not accepted by the Ground Jury at the first horse inspection yesterday. “He’s sore in his frog,” she said, explaining that the lameness didn’t show up until the gelding had trotted up on hard ground. “It’s just extremely bad timing. I had no idea that was even happening because he has been completely sound on the soft. So it was as much a shock to us as anything, which is really unfortunate.”
Deniro will re-route to the 4*-L at Tryon in November — “he needs to have a long format and sort of settle in again,” she said of the fighting fit 14-year-old. “But I suppose maybe the universe just had other plans for us. I’m a believer that everything happens for a reason and maybe this just wasn’t meant to be our our weekend to compete in this five-star.”
Tamie Smith and Danito. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Pratoni silver medalist Tamie Smith says she wound up here at Maryland with the “crunchy Cheeto” Danito after Ian Stark talked her into it. “He’s done three four-star Longs before, and Ian Stark kind of talked me into it. I saw him at Rebecca Farm and he was like, ‘are you going to Maryland?’ and I said ‘eh, I don’t know — those hills are kind of scary!’ But he said the terrain was going to be a little different, and that was the whole point was I trusted him.
“It’s quite electric in there, so he got away from me a bit towards the end, but he’s such a good boy so I’m very pleased,” she said after her test. “The canter he was just a little bit strong, not so much hot.”
Juggling a World Championships in another country and a whole slew of 4* and 5* horses needing to be kept in work for their respective fall destinations takes a monumental effort, and Tamie’s got one of the best teams backing her up while she jets around the globe picking up medals. Tamie brought her horses out to the East coast ahead of Pratoni, running Danito in the 4*-S at Great Meadow as his final big prep for this event. Her assistant rider, Grace Walker, flew out from California to help keep Danito in work while Tamie went to Pratoni. Once she returned from Italy, Tamie took Danito to a schooling combined test and ran an Intermediate at ESDCTA in New Jersey as one final leg-stretch.
Phillip Dutton and Z. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Fourth-placed after today on a 30.4 — just a tick below his Tokyo mark of 30.5 — Phillip Dutton said he actually wasn’t sure if he’d bring Z (Asca Z – Bellabouche) here after traveling to France and back for Team USA training camp as the traveling reserve. It’s a tough spot to be in, and more so because of all the travel involved with no competition.
“When he first got home he was not feeling himself,” Phillip said. “He was just out of it and so we gave him plenty of time and all the sudden he came around. So I was kind of on the fence whether he was going to come, but he, say, the last two weeks has been really great.”
Another Pratoni silver medalist on the board today is Will Coleman — who also leads the USEF 3*-L National Championship with the Cold Red Rum Syndicate’s Cold Red Rum — with Team Rebecca’s Dondante (Pachio – Muckno Clover, by Euro Clover), currently in sixth on a score of 33.0.
Will Coleman and Dondante. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
“Dondante is a great horse, but dressage is hard for him, and that’s a really hard test for him,” Will commented. “He’s a bit of a nervous type, and he’s very big and very leggy, and sometimes it feels like it’s hard for us to get all the parts in the right place. We’re trying to ride for a more relaxed outline and just a more relaxed horse in general, and I think we’re going in the right direction, but sometimes you don’t execute as well riding like that.”
How do you cope with a score you’d probably like to have a few marks back on? Well, for the philosophical Will it’s fairly simple: “We’ve got a big two days left and you know, I’ll probably be kicking myself for a couple hours and then I’ll forget about it. Put on some My Morning Jacket.”
Jennie Brannigan and Twilightslastgleam. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Looking to the rest of the top 12 after day one, Jennie Brannigan put in a lovely effort with the 5* debutant Twilightslastgleam (National Anthem – Royal Child), who is a homebred of longtime owners Nina and Tim Gardner, scoring a 35.2 to sit in seventh overnight. The 12-year-old Thoroughbred by National Anthem won the notoriously tough 4*-L at Bromont in June in muddy going, setting him up well for the challenge ahead. Jennie will ride her second horse, FE Lifestyle, tomorrow.
Buck Davidson and Carlevo. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Buck Davidson put in a solid effort for very tough and expecting owner Aubrey Davidson aboard the 11-year-old off-track Thoroughbred Sorocaima (Rock Hard Ten – Sankobasi, by Pulpit), who makes his second 5* start this weekend after making his debut at Kentucky in April. Carl and Cassie Segal, longtime supporters of Buck’s and owners of the late and great Ballynoecastle RM, came on board just before Kentucky to take ownership of “Cam”, who was put on Buck’s radar by good friend and Olympian Jill Henneberg. “He’s just the ultimate trier and he will get there because he’s such a workman, it’s just getting strong enough to do it,” Buck said of Cam’s 35.7.
“And actually, it’s my daughter’s horse,” Buck chuckled. “So Aubrey asked my wife, ‘some events,’ she said, ‘how was Cam? Was he winning?’ And Andrea said ‘no, it’s a work in progress, but getting better’. And Aubrey says ‘okay, when’s the progress over so we can win??’ So I think my my owner might be a little disappointed in me, but she’ll be here tomorrow to give me the instructions.”
Zach Brandt and Direct Advance. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
It was a heck of a soggy 5* debut for Zach Brandt, who was twice entered at Kentucky with the unforgettable Cavallino Cocktail in 2014 and 2015, but had to withdraw both times. So it’s a long-awaited debut on a very different, but equally special, horse in the 11-year-old Irish gelding Direct Advance (Night Cruise – Herbst Jennie B, by Concorde).
Longtime friend and coach Jon Holling was the one who found “Rosco” and told Zach that this would be one to take a gamble on. “To be honest, it feels a bit surreal,” Zach said. “You know, I’ve sort of been pinching myself all week sort of trying to just think of it as another event because the end of the day is just another event and just another weekend. But to be here, on a horse that we got as a four year old that Jon found for me, and he’s helped me produce over seven years. I mean, it just surreal cantering down centerline. And truth is, whatever happens this weekend. I’m just excited to be here.”
“It’s an incredibly well bred horse,” Jon added. “So it was a pretty easy thing to say, just based on that. And I will say Zach was coming off of an incredible mare, so I knew I had to get him something that was going to be a really good jumper. Because he wasn’t going to settle for anything that wasn’t exceptional. I mean, it’s always a bit of a gamble when you’re buying a young horse, but I knew based on the breeding, the way it was put together, and the jump that I knew he would be a really nice horse. And then it’s a little bit going on your gut instinct is this will be a good match. I heard overheard Zach saying he’s a bit of character. And I knew he liked that. He had that look in his eye, like he just thought he was the best horse on the property. And he’s kind of proven he was.”
Lisa Marie Fergusson and Honor Me. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Looking to the rest of the board today, next are Canada’s Lisa Marie Fergusson, who’s riding with some extra motivation on her shoulder this weekend after narrowly missing out on a berth for the Canadian squad in Pratoni with Honor Me (Brynarian Brenin AP Maldwyn – Dream Contessa). “Tali” is fit and ready to go, not having had a good cross country run to use his fitness since Kentucky in April. Lisa Marie and Honor Me scored a 37.1 to take forward into Saturday.
Hayley Frielick and Dunedin Black Watch. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Kiwi rider Hayley Frielick found herself sending her horses here to the U.S. much earlier than planned due to some flight logistics complications, but she says the extra time has set her up well for her first 5* outside of Australia with the off-track Thoroughbred Dunedin Black Watch (Dylan Thomas – Love First, by Lonhro). “He was brilliant,” Hayley said after her ride. “I’m so stoked with him. Obviously, it’s been a huge trip to get here. And he’s just like a little Thoroughbred off the track, but it’s just been amazing from start to finish. He just keeps trying and he felt like he was really, really with me.”
Completing the starter list for today is Zoe Crawford with K.E.C. Zara (Visa Aldatus Z – Puissance Flight, by Puissance), who was her very first event horse and now her first 5* horse. This is their fourth 5* start, and while dressage wouldn’t be this spicy mare’s preference, she lives and breathes for cross country and will do well to try to finish on her mark of 39.6 come Sunday. Zoe has been getting some help from Liz Halliday-Sharp, whose biggest advice for today was to “let go” and let the mare work freely.
We’ll have much more coming you way, now that I’ve gotten us kicked off with 3,000 words, in the coming days, including more content from the Young Event Horse and 3* and, of course, the conclusion of the 5* dressage tomorrow.
If you’re here on site, be sure to join us tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. for a cross country course walk in partnership with Ride iQ and World Equestrian Brands. The walk will be lead by Kyle Carter and Sharon White, and you can sign up for email notifications here.
Until then, I’m off to toss my soggy shoes in a dryer. Go Eventing!
MARS Maryland 5 Star:[Website] [Entries] [Schedule ] [Drawn Order] [Friday 5* Times] [All Ride Times] [USEF Network Live Stream (North America)] [Interactive XC Course Maps] [H&C+ Live Stream (Worldwide)] [Form Guide] [Digital Program] [EN’s Maryland Daily Digest Email] [EN’s Coverage]
As we move ahead to this afternoon’s start of 5* dressage here at MARS Maryland 5 Star, presented by Brown Advisory, we’ve dug into the numbers to introduce you to the 24-strong field competing this weekend. It’s a healthy mix of former 5* winners, experienced and debutant horses, and fresh faces mixed in with plenty of veteran riders.
Want more on each pair entered in the 5* this weekend? Don’t forget to peep our Form Guide, nestled inside this year’s program which can be found here. You can jump straight into the Form Guide section by clicking here.
Let’s dive right in, and stay tuned for a Meet the Horses version coming tomorrow morning!
MARS Maryland 5 Star:[Website] [Entries] [Schedule ] [Drawn Order] [Thursday 5* Times] [Friday 5* Times] [All Ride Times] [USEF Network Live Stream (North America)] [Interactive XC Course Maps] [H&C+ Live Stream (Worldwide)] [Form Guide] [Digital Program] [EN’s Maryland Daily Digest Email] [EN’s Coverage]
As Hurricane Ian made its turn to hit the west coast of Florida further south than originally anticipated — the first storm of its size to hit this side of the state in nearly 20 years — Hannah and Zach Ketelboeter began to batten down their hatches at the recently-constructed TerraNova Equestrian Center in Myakka City, just a few miles inland from the Gulf coast.
Built by B&D Builders, the TerraNova Equestrian barns were built to the highest standards in terms of hurricane and wind resistance. “One thing I really value about working with B&D is how they prioritize quality work with efficiency, which is hard to find both!” Hannah explained. “In Florida, you have to engineer your buildings to certain standards, and we built above and beyond those with our facilities.”
As a result of this planning, and despite a direct hit that brought some flooding and heavy winds to the area, TerraNova remained mostly unscathed when the storm passed. During the bulk of Ian, which brought 140 mph winds to the area for multiple hours, the team at TerraNova moved all residents — 30 horses, 14 dogs, 10 people, and 2 alpacas, to be specific — into the main barn to wait it out. “I honestly don’t think any of the horses heard the winds at all,” Hannah said.
After the storm, Hannah took to Facebook to show the condition of the property:
Thanks for joining us on FB Live to tour the property and see how well it's doing as we get ready for The Event and TerraNova Dressage!
Here are time stamps to help you find different subjects throughout the video. Hannah covered many important things throughout and circled the property twice.
– 00:00 – 00:30: Brand new water complex
– 00:38 – 03:05: TerraNova's charity efforts
– 03:05 – 07:07: Tour of cross-country course
– 07:08 – 09:40: Preview of VIP Pavilion (Win a free VIP table!), arenas and new video boards
– 09:40 – 14:40: See our competitor stabling
– 14:05 – 16:30: Hannah answers some FAQs
– 16:30 – 18:56: Preview of RV campground and area for extra tent stabling if needed
– 19:10 – 19:45: Preview of Estates at TerraNova property
– 20:21 – 25:30: Preview of arenas, including the importance of CDI ring placement, and VIP pavilion
– 25:50 – 28:50: See the cross-country course and information on tailgating
– 28:50 – 29:48: Video boards and partnership with ACCI on incredible technology
– 30:19 – 33:27: See our competitor stabling and wrap-upPosted by TerraNova Equestrian Center on Thursday, October 6, 2022
While some prep work for the upcoming Event at TerraNova (October 21-23) was delayed slightly, Hannah says all systems are still green for the event, which will also run alongside the TerraNova Dressage II CDI4*/CDI-W competition.
“We look forward to seeing you all for what is sure to be a fantastic event,” TerraNova posted on its website. “To alleviate any concerns, however, rest assured that if future unforeseen circumstances prevent us from running the event as scheduled, there will be prompt notification and full refunds will be sent to all competitors who have entered. Also, we have extended the closing date by one week.”
“We did have some flooding, which is if you’re not from this area can look scary,” Hannah elaborated. “We had a little on the cross country, but nothing around the show facility really. More by our house and main barn, but we’re by the Myakka River and in wetlands, so that can happen but also it drains really fast. Within a few days, it had receded. That was obviously more than normal, but this is what this land is meant to withstand. When building your land site, you have to have it raised to a certain height here, and so we prepared our sites to plan for [weather events like this]. One of the main pillars of TerraNova is ‘harmony with nature’, and thats why the wetlands are so important, to handle all that water and cleanse the environment.”
While prep continues, Hannah also shared some exciting updates to the facility, including all-new permanent competitor stabling:
Other additions/improvements include a new VIP pavilion, a new permanent video board, expansion on the cross country course, a new water complex, and much more. The Event at TerraNova also runs a robust charity competition, benefitting three local charities, throughout the week; this year organizers have added the opportunity for all riders — not just the 4* riders — to participate in a “team” competition, with the winning team sending the largest check to their designated charity. This year’s beneficiaries are Southeastern Guide Dogs, Meals on Wheels of Manatee, and Sarasota Manatee Association for Riding Therapy (SMART).
For more information and to purchase tickets or enter The Event at TerraNova, click here.
Liz Halliday-Sharp and Deniro Z will sadly not proceed to competition at Maryland 5 Star. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
We are through the first horse inspection here at the MARS Maryland 5 Star, presented by Brown Advisory, but the jog was not without its dramatics for the 5* horses.
A total of 24 5* horses will move forward to dressage, which begins for both the 3* and 5* tomorrow, the 5* field thinned by one after Liz Halliday-Sharp‘s Deniro Z was sadly not accepted by the Ground Jury of Christian Landolt (SUI), Gretchen Butts (USA), Judy Hancock (GBR). Liz posted on social media later on that Deniro Z was dealing with an ill-timed hoof bruise.
“Very sad to share that Deniro Z will not be competing this week at the MARS Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill p/b Brown Advisory as he presented with a badly timed foot bruise,” she wrote. “He has been feeling fit and ready and this was not something any of us expected at all. Obviously I am gutted for Deniro Z, his owners Ocala Horse Properties, my team and myself. We are disappointed that he won’t get his chance this time, but perhaps this is the universe telling us that this is not our event to run this year.”
Woods Baughman and C’est La Vie 135 in tip-top turnout thanks to #supergroom McKenzie Ragan (and #supergirlfriend Mia Farley, probably). Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Also withdrawn prior to the jog were Great Britain’s Leslie Law and Voltaire de Tre.
In the USEF 3*-L National Championship, all horses presented were accepted by the Ground Jury of Peter Gray (CAN) and Valerie Pride (USA).
Christina Henriksen presents JTH Zest in the 3* jog. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Dressage begins tomorrow for the 3* at 8:30 a.m. EST, with the 5* following at 2:00 p.m. EST. We’ll also kick off the USEA Young Event Horse competition tomorrow for both the 4- and 5-year-olds, so there’s plenty to check out if you’re planning to come in person. View the full schedule here. All ride times are now available and you can find them for each division here. You can still purchase tickets here.
Does anyone have a cuter pony face than Jessie Phoenix’s Wabbit? Definitely not. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
And don’t forget to sign up for our 4 Days of Giveaways with Ride iQ, World Equestrian Brands, and Horse & Rider Books, which kicks off tomorrow. You can click here to sign up, even if you aren’t here in person, and you can also sign up for notifications on our course walk with Kyle Carter and Sharon White Friday afternoon. We hope to see you there!
Tilly is here with shiny boots on and ready to bring you our famous (infamous?) Jog Awards later this evening, so stay tuned for much more from Maryland.
MARS Maryland 5 Star:: [Website] [Entries] [Schedule ] [Drawn Order] [Thursday 5* Times] [Friday 5* Times] [All Ride Times] [USEF Network Live Stream (North America)] [H&C+ Live Stream (Worldwide)] [Form Guide] [Interactive XC Course Maps] [Digital Program] [EN’s Coverage]
As is tradition here on EN, we love to nerd out ahead of a major competition and make our picks. For the MARS Maryland 5 Star, presented by Brown Advisory, it’s a small-but-mighty CCI5* field to choose from, and we’ve broken out our picks into a few different categories this week. Check out the full entry list here (and, if you want more detail on each pair, click here to view EN’s Form Guide inside this year’s program) and keep reading to see EN’s picks + submit your own for a shot at winning some cool prizes.
One primary U.S.-based winner will be drawn from correct picks to receive the grand prize. Additionally, one international-based winner will also be drawn to receive a bundle of EN Merch! Prizes will be drawn the week of October 17 and the winners will be announced in News & Notes and notified via email. Scroll down to submit your entry ahead of the start of dressage (the form will close at 1:30 p.m. EST tomorrow, October 13).
Oliver Townend and As Is. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.
SHELBY ALLEN
First Phase Dominator: I would keep the flaming hot cheeto Danito on your radar. Though it’s his debut at the level, he’s proven himself a fierce competitor on the flat. Recent notable dressage marks include a 24.7 at Boekelo last autumn and a 23.9 at Jersey Fresh in 2021.
XC Machine: Phillip Dutton has been around a few five-stars in his career, and he’s on Z, a horse who hasn’t had a cross country penalty in the last three seasons (and before that only from a flag penalty or fall of rider). That, combined with the bittersweet motivation of being a World Championship traveling reserve, will make them a force to keep your eyes on Saturday.
Show Jumping Star: Dondante has a penchant for the final phase, having only one or two poles down at International events in his entire career. The final phase could prove lucrative for him and Will Coleman.
Sleeper Alert: It seems hardly fair to call Liz Halliday-Sharp a “sleeper” but she’s my choice for a U.S. victor. Partnered with Cooley Quicksilver, it could definitely be in the cards. “Monster” had strong performances at both the Luhmühlen and Pau 5*s, but those tracks are much different to this weekend’s. That considered, the horse’s record gives me confidence that he and Liz could go for it — he can be quick on cross country and come Sunday the poles will more than likely stay up.
Maryland 5 Star Winner: Oliver Townend is usually a pretty good bet a at a 5*, but this will be a debut for As Is, though the Andrew Nicholson-produced ride is not short for experience. Though he may be just above the mark on the flat, he’ll finish on that result. Oliver knows how to get the most out of horses on cross country, and the striking grey has never had a pole down at an International, giving him a good shot at the win.
Tim Price and Coup de Coeur Dudevin. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
TILLY BERENDT
First Phase Dominator: I loved watching Tamie Smith and Danito at Boekelo last year, where they ultimately finished tenth — but it was their first phase that really got people talking. The tiny orange dynamo put a 24.7 on the board on that occasion, and he’s been similarly well-marked in other CCI4*-L competitions, including earning a 23.9 at the Jersey Horse Park last year. Tamie is a real perfectionist in this phase and doesn’t throw a mark away, so I think we’ll see them set the standard for the rest of the field.
XC Machine: He’s a five-star debutant, but Oliver Townend‘s As Is is a really interesting horse in this line-up. He’s Spanish-bred, from the same farm as former rider Andrew Nicholson’s stars Nereo and Armada, and he’s been seriously consistent, and seriously fast, since stepping up to four-star. We’ve not seen him finish outside the top ten in an international since 2019, and while Oliver’s only been competing him this year, he’s already nabbed a placing in the toughest four-star in the world, Bramham CCI4*-L. He should go the distance here without much trouble.
Show Jumping Star: I wouldn’t historically have put Liz Halliday-Sharp‘s Cooley Quicksilver in this spot, but whatever she’s been doing with him this season is working — he’s become a really reliable final-phase horse, and has just had one rail at the very start of the season in internationals. He made Luhmühlen’s showjumping course — the toughest in the world at this level — look like a real doddle back in June. It’s a tough call whether I want to put this pair as my jumping stars or my winners, if I’m honest. Liz is riding a high after a super week at Boekelo with Mik’s Master C, and she’s got the highest win chance according to our pals at EquiRatings. Cooley Quicksilver might have been an overcooked noodle of a horse in his scrappy youth, but he’s turned into a serious competitor, and his performance at the Germany five-star this summer certainly looked like the precursor to a major win. I think this could well be his to walk away with.
Sleeper Alert: Can we call anything Tim Price rides a sleeper, really? But of all his horses, new ride Coup de Coeur Dudevin is the biggest unknown: he’s been very exciting at the lower international levels with former rider Chris Burton, but he only joined Tim’s string at the start of this year and has done just three long-formats in his career. I loved watching him in the very, very competitive and tough CCIO4*-S at Haras du Pin in August, though, and certainly saw in him the sparkle of something special. For Tim to bring him all the way to the States as the one Price family entry this year tell me that he feels exactly the same way. I think this is the week we all learn this cool ten-year-old’s name.
Maryland 5 Star Winner: I’ve long loved Astier Nicolas’s sweet Babylon de Gamma, whose path to greatness has deviated a few times from its intended route as the result of niggling injuries and a hoof situation that bubbled up after his tenth place finish here last year. Time and patience are great healers, though, and although we were robbed of the chance to see the striking gelding at Tokyo or Pratoni, he’s got something very big in him. He comes here off the back of a decisive win in the intense CCI4*-S at Scotland’s mountainous Blair Castle, and I think that’ll prove to be the perfect prep for this week’s course.
Astier Nicolas and Babylon de Gamma. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
AMANDA CHANCE
First phase dominator: Tamie Smith & Danito
This is a horse that was bred for dressage, ridden by someone who is exceptional in the first phase… hard to bet against them!
XC Machine: Quantum Leap
This Maryland-bred gelding has been really fun to watch come up the levels. He’s got the scope of his warmblood sire and the gallop, heart, and speed of his thoroughbred dam. At last year’s Maryland 5 Star, Quantum was clear with 1.2 time, and at Kentucky this spring he was again clear with 1.2 time. Doug is a fast rider and I bet he’s itching for that elusive double clear – this horse is certainly capable of delivering.
Show Jumping Star: DonDante
This one was a struggle for me between As Is and Don Dante. Both have excellent records over the colored sticks but Don Dante comes from the Diamant de Semilly sire line, showjumping royalty, so… ultimately that’s what pushed me to give him the nod.
Sleeper Alert: Coup de Coeur Dudevin
Ok I’m willing to admit that I’m not sure any horse ridden by a Price could ever truly qualify as a sleeper, BUT it’s the horse’s 5 star debut and his first time leaving the continent – that makes him a bit of an unknown quantity here. That said, he is being piloted by the world #1 and he’s yet to add a cross country jump penalty to his FEI record. Plus his dam is by 5 Star horse Leprince des Bois, and we’ve got a Leprince des Bois filly here on the farm, so there is an immediate bias that I won’t apologize for.
Overall Winner: Babylon de Gamma
I know, I know, I bet all my imaginary money on the French for Pratoni and ended up cursing them all, so apologies in advance to Astier but I just love this horse. He pings off the ground like he’s got springs in his feet – maybe not surprising since he’s by an Olympic showjumper and out of a French Anglo Arab mare. Such a très chic and very typically French pedigree, lots of blood and lots of scope. This horse did well here last year, adding just a handful of time to his dressage score, and they’ve shown improvement since that performance.
Woods Baughman and C’est La Vie 135. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
EMA KLUGMAN
First Phase Dominator: C’est La Vie 135 (Woods Baughman) strikes me as the one to watch to lead the dressage. This striking horse is really impressive in this phase, and if he can follow it up with good cross country and show jumping performances, he could be one to watch to snatch a top placing.
XC Machine: FE Lifestyle (Jennie Brannigan) is an amazing cross country horse and if the track is especially difficult, this will be his day to shine. The course designer couldn’t build a fence too big for this horse to jump, and it will be a treat to watch the well-seasoned go around.
Show Jumping Star: DonDante (Will Coleman) is really strong in the show jumping. He rarely has a rub, much less a rail, and his jockey is also very stylish in this phase. I think that if he entered the final day in a strong position, he could move up the placings onto the podium if the show jumping track is difficult.
Sleeper Alert: Superstition (Harry Meade) has now done a couple of American five-stars, and he always turns in a very solid performance. If he can knock off a couple of points in the dressage, he is capable of finishing on that score and quietly rising up the standings.
Maryland 5 Star Winner: You absolutely cannot bet against Tim Price at the moment. He could be on a mustang and still have a shot. Jokes aside, the riders coming from overseas would not enter if they didn’t think they had a shot at the prize money. Even though Tim is on a 10 year-old five-star first-timer, Coup de Coeur Dudevin, he could well win the whole thing.
Doug Payne and Quantum Leap. Photo by Abby Powell.
ABBY POWELL
First Phase Dominator: No stranger to leading the field after the first phase (or any of the phases, mind you) I’m betting that we’ll see the familiar names of Liz Halliday-Sharp and Deniro Z at the top of the leaderboard when the dancing is done and dusted.
XC Machine: Zoe Crawford‘s K.E.C. Zara is the definition of an XC Machine to me. They won’t be contesting the top of the leaderboard after the dressage and they may not be in the ribbons at the end of the weekend either, but they’re sure in contention for the biggest mover award thanks to this mare’s zest for cross country!
Show Jumping Star: I have to admit to not keeping up with show jumping statistics very well, but Quantum Leap, really jumps out at me (but not intended, but welcomed) as being exceptionally strong in this phase. This horse clinched the CCI5* National Championships thanks to a double clear round in his debut at the level in Kentucky this spring and you know he and Doug Payne put in plenty of practice over the poles.
Sleeper Alert: I have to admit, I don’t know very much about As Is, the former Andrew Nicholson ride who is now ridden by Oliver Townend. But I do know that Oliver wouldn’t be flying him across the pond if he didn’t believe he were a right contender for the top.
Maryland 5 Star Winner: I may have picked Deniro Z to lead after the first phase, but I’m going to get top honors to his stable mate, Cooley Quicksilver, who (from a rudimentay glance at FEI records) looks to be just a bit faster across country and is seriously on top form with Liz Halliday-Sharp this year. Here’s to another home-country five-star winner!
Liz Halliday-Sharp and Cooley Quicksilver. Photo by Erin Gilmore Photography.
SALLY SPICKARD
First Phase Dominator: Danito
Ever seen a Cheeto Puff dance? Well on Thursday afternoon we’re likely to see just that. The early dressage lead is likely to be taken by Danito and Tamie Smith, who can coax a 25 out of a giraffe if she needs to, and while this test is a step up for the 13-year-old Hanoverian gelding he’s already shown his prowess for the first phase at the 4* level. If he can put the pieces together, Danito’s also game to finish on that score, but Tamie may choose to prioritize education over competition come Saturday.
XC Machine: Superstition
At this level, it’s often hard to find a horse without a cross country penalty on its FEI record, but the 13-year-old Superstition, ridden by Great Britain’s Harry Meade, has managed to achieve this in 23 international competitions. Truth be told, this pair could easily make me eat my words when it comes to my winner pick — they knocked on the door at both Kentucky and Maryland in 2021, finishing 5th and 7th respectively. Cross country is this horse’s jam, and Harry won’t be hanging about on Saturday as he tries to catch that elusive podium finish.
Show Jumping Star: Quantum Leap
Gotta go with the part-time show jumping rider on this one (though you could easily slot Quantum Leap into the Sleeper or even potentially the Winner spot here). Quantum Leap is piloted by the very experienced Doug Payne, who knows a thing or two about turning and burning. Show jumping here at Maryland can feel a bit like a fishbowl with the close arena sides and small dimensions in comparison with its Kentucky counterpart, so the ability to come forward, not succumb to distraction, and turn efficiently will all play a key on Ken Krome’s show jumping track later this week.
Sleeper Alert: Twilightslastgleam
I’ve been a huge fan of this big-galloping Thoroughbred ever since I caught a glimpse of said gallop during Young Event Horse finals at this venue several years ago. Add in the fact that he’s got a big 4*-L win under his belt with “Need for Speed” Jennie Brannigan at Bromont this summer and the fact that Ian Stark builds — you guessed it — big, galloping tracks and I think you could well see this pair slip right up into the top five or even onto the podium when the dust settles Sunday.
Maryland 5 Star Winner: Cooley Quicksilver
It feels odd to go against the reigning world #1 (Tim Price) and former world #1 (Oliver Townend), but I am going to give this nod and a first 5* win to Liz Halliday-Sharp and Cooley Quicksilver. This pair won the very tough Lexington 4*-S this spring and followed that up with a top-5 finish at Luhmühlen. Despite his relative young age, “Monster” is well-traveled and has all the chops to put in a personal best weekend: he’s solid on the flat, he’s nippy and bold on cross country, and he can leave the poles up on Sunday. Liz, a need for speed lady herself, is oh-so-competitive, so you know she’ll be gunning for a top finish this weekend with plenty of momentum on her side coming off a strong finish at Boekelo last week aboard Miks Master C.
Now, it’s your turn! Up for grabs this week is a $100 Starbucks gift card provided by Ocala Horse Properties, a 6-pack of FLAIR Equine Nasal Strips in the color of your choice from Achieve Equine, and an EN merchandise bundle. Submit your pick to win as well as the winning score for tie-breaking purposes no later than Thursday (10/13) at 1:30 p.m. EST to be eligible to win! Use the form embedded below or click here to submit.
Now here is a cool update from the Platinum Performance/USEF Show Jumping Talent Search, in which junior jumping riders are challenged to develop skills that they can call upon as they build their professional careers. With qualifying classes held across the country each season, this is a healthy pipeline for well-developed young riders, and this new “dressage” portion of the Talent Search is case in point. Check out a test in the video below or here on Instagram.
The test features shoulder-in work, 15-meter circles, medium canters on a circle, turn on the haunches, and more, making it quite a solid test of horsemanship and intelligent riding. It’s a very cool crossover of disciplines, if you ask me, and a little foundational flatwork never hurt anyone. What do you think? Could you ace this test?
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Jonelle Price and McClaren. Photo by Shelby Allen.
Happy Ticket Tuesday! If you’ve been having Kentucky withdrawals, you can salve that wound right up by snagging your tickets for the 2023 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by MARS Equestrian, happening April 27-30, 2023 in Lexington.
General admission passes, tailgating passes (which will go quickly!), reserved seating, and VIP options are all available as of 9 a.m. EST today, so move quick particularly if you’re in need of reserved seating or tailgating. Click here to buy your tickets.
The 2023 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event will also feature the return of the Lexington CCI4*-S, which will be sponsored by Cosequin. Your tickets will also grant you access to this competition.
As always, we look forward to seeing you once more in Kentucky! April can’t come soon enough. Go Eventing!
After an absolutely whirlwind of a 2022 season, the penultimate five-star and the final such event in North America looms large this week. A small-but-mighty field for the second Maryland 5 Star features a boatload of Olympians, five-star winners, and WEG riders, making for a true top-flight competition all week long.
We’ve got plenty in store for you as Tilly Berendt and I travel to Maryland this week, with support from Shelby Allen and Abby Powell remotely. You can bookmark this page as your Ultimate Guide to Maryland, including links to all of EN’s coverage and information about the event.
Keep scrolling for the latest information!
THE PROGRAM
THE FORM GUIDE
Click here to view EN’s Form Guide to the 5* competitors inside this year’s Digital Program.
THE SCHEDULE
The full schedule can be found here. The CCI5* schedule is as follows:
Wednesday, October 12: First Horse Inspection – 1:30 p.m. EST
Thursday, October 13: Dressage – 2:00 p.m. EST – 4:00 p.m. EST
Friday, October 14: Dressage – 2:00 p.m. EST – 4:00 p.m. EST
Saturday, October 15: Cross Country – 2:00 p.m. EST – 4:00 p.m. EST
Sunday, October 16: Second Horse Inspection – 9:00 a.m. EST
Sunday, October 16: Show Jumping – 2:00 p.m. EST – 3:00 p.m. EST
THE OFFICIALS
The CCI5* will be presided over by Christian Landolt (SUI) alongside Ground Jury members Gretchen Butts (USA), Judy Hancock (GBR). The 3*-L will have Pratoni Ground Jury member Peter Gray (CAN) as President alongside Valerie Pride (USA).
The Young Event Horse East Coast Championships will be judged as follows: 5-Year-Olds: Marilyn Payne (USA), Martin Plewa (GER); 4-Year-Olds: Debbie Rodriguez (USA), Anne Moss (USA), Phyllis Dawson (USA), Karen Winn (USA)
Ian Stark is the cross country designer this week while Ken Krome will design show jumping.
THE ENTRIES
All entries can be found here. Entry drawn order can be found here.
HOW TO WATCH
USEF Network is the carrier for the Maryland 5 Star if you’re in the U.S. or Canada. Existing USEF members can use their credentials to log in and watch all phases of competition, or you can sign up to watch free with a USEF Fan account or take 40% OFF an annual USEF Subscriber Membership with promo code Maryland22. Click here to view the USEF Network Maryland page.
For those outside of the U.S. and Canada, Horse & Country will be your provider. An H&C+ subscription is required. Click here to view the main H&C Maryland homepage.
The schedule for Maryland 5 Star can be found here. We’ll update this page with ride times once they are posted.
HAPPENINGS
You’re invited to join EN and Ride iQ for an exclusive cross country course walk on Friday, October 15 with Kyle Carter and World Equestrian Brands rider Sharon White. You can also get in on the action even if you aren’t attending in person by signing up for our 4 Days of Giveaways with World Equestrian Brands and Horse & Rider Books! Click here to sign up and enter.
You can also view Special Events happening daily at Maryland here. For the shopaholics out there, stalk the trade fair vendor list here.
EN’S COVERAGE
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16
Maryland 5* Weekend Social Recap
Ride the Maryland XC with the 3* National Champions
Elisa Wallace and Renkum Corsair Named USEF 3*-L National Champions
Tim Price is King of the Hill at MARS Maryland 5 Star
Top Ten Contender Held in Final MARS Maryland 5 Star Horse Inspection
Ian Stark: Course Designer and Part-Time Baby Horse Wrangler
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15
Hannah Sue Hollberg and Capitol HIM Maintain Lead in USEF CCI3*-L Eventing National Championship
Can’t Hold the #1 Down: Tim Price Takes the Lead after Maryland 5 Star Cross Country
It’s Go Time: Maryland 5 Star XC Live Updates
Hold Onto Your Butts, You’re Now in Jurassic Park: Previewing Ian Stark’s Beefed-Up Maryland CCI5* Track
A Real Bum Clencher: Riders React to Ian Stark’s Sophomore Maryland 5 Star Track
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14
The Sky’s the Limit for Sky Moon After Finishing First in Dutta Corp. USEA YEH Five-Year-Old Championship
Hannah Sue Hollberg and Capitol HIM Top USEF CCI3*-L Eventing National Championship at Maryland 5 Star
Maryland 5 Star: Tim Price Heads Friday Field but Woods Can’t Be Felled
Maryland 5 Star At-A-Glance: Meet the Horses
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13
Shmick Conquers All to Bring Home 2022 Dutta Corp. USEA YEH East Coast Four-Year-Old Champion Title
Woods Baughman Leads Day One at Maryland in the Downpour
Thursday Video: Watch Woods Baughman Take the Maryland 5 Star Lead
Maryland 5 Star At-A-Glance: Meet the Riders
We Have Footwear Questions: The Golden Chinch Jog Awards
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12
1 Spun, 24 5* Horses Move Forward at MARS Maryland 5 Star
Pre-Competition
Team EN Makes Their Maryland Picks + Pick Yours & Win!
Maryland 5 Star Drawn Order: Liz Halliday-Sharp First in the 5*
Meet Hayley Frielick, the U.S.-Based Australian Heading to Maryland
The Pre-Performance Advantage at the Maryland 5 Star
Tim Price Joins Maryland 5 Star Line-up
World #1 Returning to Maryland 5 Star
Maryland 5 Star Right Around the Corner: Catch Up with Entries
Get An Early Look at Entries for the Maryland 5 Star
Maryland 5 Star Welcomes Title and Presenting Sponsors to the Helm
Want to Be Part of a Five-Star? Join Maryland’s Donor Program!
MARS Maryland 5 Star:: [Website] [Entries] [Schedule ] [Drawn Order] [USEF Network Live Stream (North America)] [H&C+ Live Stream (Worldwide)] [Form Guide] [Digital Program] [EN’s Coverage]
Exciting news! Sharon White has been added as our special World Equestrian Brands guest for our cross country course walk Friday at Maryland 5 Star. We’ll be touring Ian Stark’s course with Sharon and Ride iQ coach Kyle Carter, so be sure to sign up here to receive email notifications about timing! Not attending Maryland in person? No worries — you’ll still want to sign up as we’re launching 4 Days of Giveaways on Thursday with chances to win a big prize from World Equestrian Brands, a book from Horse & Rider Books, or EN merch each day.
And if you’re hankering to make your winner prediction for this week, stay tuned for our Pick ‘Em contest, which will go live later today and features a chance to win a $100 Starbucks gift card from Ocala Horse Properties.
Events Opening This Week
FEH & YEH Last Chance Qualifier & West Coast Championships (CA)
Events Closing Today
Tuesday News & Reading
While the East Coast Young Event Horse Championships are happening this week, several Young Event Horse program graduates will also be contesting the 3* and 5* at Maryland. Find out who here.
Trish Gilbert is one of the riders receiving an invite to the USEA Hall of Fame class for 2022. She sat down with USEA podcast host Nicole Brown to chat about her career and the sport as it’s evolved.
Hot on Horse Nation: Preventing colic during cooler weather with Kentucky Performance Products.
Former eventer Lauren Balcomb and her former event horse, Verdini D’Houtveld Z, took home the top honor (and beat partner Sharn Wordley while she was at it #girlpower) in last weekend’s $75,000 John Deere Greenville Turf & Tractor Grand Prix CSI 2* at Tryon. Lauren made the full-time switch to eventing not long after she moved to the U.S. from Australia. Read more here.
Sponsor Corner:
Our Ocala Horse Properties find of the week is just 15 minutes from Ocala’s World Equestrian Center and features a great ranch-style home, barn and plenty of turnout, and even a workshop space for that long-suffering horse husband!
Tuesday Video
Another #TrainingTipTuesday video from our course walk leader, Sharon White, all about setting your horse up using line selection on cross country:
Eventing Nation is excited to once again team up with Ride iQ for an exclusive course walk at next month’s Maryland 5 Star. The popularity of our course walk at Kentucky even impressed Chinch, so we’re keen to make this an ongoing tradition. Here’s the scoop:
The course walk will take place in the afternoon of Friday, October 14. A specific meeting location and time will be emailed to RSVP’d participants no later than Friday morning, but it’s safe to plan for later in the day after the conclusion of competition.
Kyle Carter entertains the group at the EN x Ride iQ course walk at Kentucky. Photo by Sally Spickard.
Canadian Olympian and Ride iQ coach Kyle Carter and World Equestrian Brands rider Sharon White will be joining us as tour guides du jour, so you can count on colorful commentary and plenty of useful information (plus plenty of utterly useless information to balance things out).
As if that isn’t enough excitement, we decided to add some more. We’ll be doing daily prize drawings for stellar items from World Equestrian Brands as well as books from Horse & Rider Books — and the grand prize is an Equilibrium Magnetic Rug that’s sure to spoil your horse to (happy) tears (not convinced? Check out our review here). You do not need to be present to win these prizes, so you’ll want to enter even if you aren’t attending Maryland in person!
Last but not least, the first 25 people to RSVP to attend the course walk in person will receive a free EN x Ride iQ tote bag that can be picked up at the Dapplebay booth on site.
Whew — you still with me? Great! Hop on over to this page to enter.
Caroline Martin and Islandwood Captain Jack are one of two pairs representing the U.S. entered at Pau this year. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Typically the penultimate five-star event of the season (in most years, Australia’s event in Adelaide is the latest, happening in November but this year postponed until April 2023), this year’s edition of Les Etoiles de Pau will close out the season and a 52-strong entry list has just dropped. The French five-star will take place in the South of France October 27-30.
Pau has, in recent years, produced winners that have gone on to appear on championship teams: 2019 winner Tom McEwen along with 2020 winner Laura Collett would each go on to win gold medals in Tokyo aboard their Pau partners Toledo de Kerser and London 52, respectively. 2021 winner Tim Price would be selected to represent New Zealand on this year’s FEI World Championship squad with Falco (collecting two medals in the process). With this year featuring its share of Olympic horses and riders, previous five-star winners, and re-routing World Championships horses, it’s safe to bet that the to-be-named 2022 winner could springboard in similar fashion.
Two American riders will tackle longtime Pau designer Pierre Michelet’s challenge: Caroline Martin, based in the UK for the past few months thanks to the support of the Wilton Fair Grant, will make her first overseas 5* start with the 14-year-old Irish gelding Islandwood Captain Jack. Carolina has been based with Pippa Funnell — who is also entered at Pau with 2019 Burghley winner MGH Grafton Street — for the majority of her time in the UK and says the education she’s received from the Rolex Grand Slam winner is incomparable. She and “James” are hot off some seriously competitive finishes in FEI competition overseas and are primed to have a peak weekend to cap off a successful trip.
Katherine Coleman and RLE Limbo Kaiser. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Also entered for the U.S. is Katherine Coleman, who makes her first start at the 5* level since 2017 and her first with the 14-year-old RLE Limbo Kaiser, who did complete this event with Britain’s Rosa Onslow in 2020. Katherine is based full-time in the UK after packing up her bags and moving from the U.S. to England in 2012 to pursue her riding career. She’s had a handful of horses step up to this level but is still chasing that coveted first completion. Over the last decade, Katherine’s had the opportunity to work alongside riders such as Sam Watson and Lucinda Green and also helped to found ReadySupp, a SmartPak-esque supplement company based in the UK.
Other highlights from the Pau list include:
Ros Canter and Rehy Royal Diamond. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
We’ll also see a 31-strong British contingent, a healthy list of experienced French riders looking to nab the first win for the home team since 2018, as well as riders representing Australia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, and much more.
Click here to view the full entry list as we roll full steam ahead into the finale of the fall five-star season. You’ll be able to follow along live thanks to Horse & Country. Keep an eye out here on EN for the latest from Pau!
Can’t see the embedded Instagram post at the top of this article? Click here to watch the video.
Boekelo’s unique cross country challenge awaits tomorrow as the FEI Nations Cup continues with team USA currently in silver medal position on a collective score of 87.2. They’re just 11.9 penalties separated from Germany in gold, but the team will also have New Zealand breathing down their necks just 1.2 penalties back in bronze.
SmartPak rider Boyd Martin, competing this weekend with the Annie Goodwin Syndicate’s Fedarman B, clued us in to his strategy for tomorrow with “Bruno”, who steps up to his biggest challenge to date this weekend in this Nations Cup format. The first water, always a popular spot for the throngs of spectators on Saturday, will be key to setting the tone for the rest of the way around, Boyd says.
You can view the full track, which carries an optimum time of 10 minutes, 10 seconds and is designed once more this year by Adrian Ditcham, on CrossCountryApp here or by clicking/tapping the map image below. Keep scrolling for a list of Team USA times.
Click/tap the map to view the full course on CrossCountryApp.
The full order of go for cross country, which can be viewed live on Clip My Horse TV (FEI TV) beginning at 4:45 a.m. EST, can be found here.
Team USA start times:
James Alliston and Nemesis: 2:13 a.m. PST / 5:13 a.m. EST / 11:13 a.m. local
Alyssa Phillips and Oskar: 2:53 a.m. PST / 5:53 a.m. EST / 11:53 a.m. local
Liz Halliday-Sharp and Miks Master C: 3:29 a.m. PST / 6:29 a.m. EST / 12:29 p.m. local
Boyd Martin and Fedarman B: 4:09 a.m. PST / 7:09 a.m EST / 1:09 p.m. local
Katherine Coleman and Monbeg Senna: 4:57 a.m. PST / 7:57 a.m. EST / 1:57 p.m. local
Military Boekelo CCIO4*-L: [Website] [Entries] [Leaderboard] [Schedule] [XC Start Times] [XC Preview] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage]
Photo courtesy of Horse & Country.
Did you know that Horse & Country is not only a source of frequent international live streams, it also plays host to a robust library of education and entertainment content? In an age when digital assistance is becoming more the norm (which I am 100% here for), it seems like you can really take your riding and horsemanship education to the next level with so many offerings on the menu.
One series I’ve become a big fan of recently is the Masterclass compilation, which taps the expertise of well-known riders and wraps the concepts up into a video series. U.S. 5* rider Hannah Sue Hollberg and her husband and show jumping rider Matt Hollberg paired up with MARS Equestrian to deliver the latest Masterclass, which centers on the ideas of productive flatwork, making the most of your warm-up (which includes rehearsing it!), practicing your jumping at home, and working through spooky questions.
Here are just a few bits Hannah Sue and Matt focus on in this Masterclass:
Photo courtesy of Horse & Country.
Rehearsing a Show Day Warm-Up
Hannah Sue starts out on Harbour Pilot, her Pan American partner, bred and owned by Jaqueline Mars. After some flatwork aiming for forward engagement, they jump some small fences to get warmed-up. Matt discusses that the warm-up might look different for different horses, noting “William’s” vast experience means he doesn’t need much preparation to be ready to win.
Practicing a Course
Hannah Sue jumps Harbour Pilot through a course with elements similar to what they find in the show ring. Matt explains the importance of starting on the pace you want throughout the course, riding up to the jumps and working towards a 12′-14′ stride. He also mentions they always incorporate rollbacks in their coursework to ensure the horses are looking ahead to the next fence along with the rider’s eye.
Working on a Circle
Hannah Sue switches on to J, a seven-year-old rising star, owned by Christa Schmidt. Matt talks about the difference between a younger, less experienced horse like J, and a seasoned pro like Harbour Pilot. He stresses the importance of introducing everything to the horse in a slow, thoughtful way. In their flat warm-up, Hannah Sue rides J on a circle, where Matt discusses the aim of this exercise is to get the horse’s eye to follow the rider’s eye for better focus and connection.
Photo courtesy of Horse & Country.
Breaking Down the Spookier Elements
After a few smaller fences, beginning with a cross-rail and progressing towards little verticals and oxers, Matt has Hannah Sue jump a shortened portion of the course with spookier elements. He expresses the importance of everything being introductory for a young horse. Then he supposes how J will likely react and details the best way for Hannah Sue to get his attention back on her, by continuing to incorporate the circles from the flatwork as well as downward transitions from the canter to the trot to maintain balance and connection.
Putting it All Together
Hannah Sue uses all of the elements they’ve worked on to jump through a course. Before they jump, Matt reiterates the importance of having the horse’s eye follow that of the rider– that the rider’s body language also needs to match their intention so the horse has a clear idea early on of what they are supposed to do.
You can watch the Hannah Sue & Matt Hollberg Masterclass using your H&C+ subscription here. Not an H&C+ member yet? Click here to lear more and subscribe.
View this post on Instagram
The Equestrians of Color Photography Project is going strong, with new riders from a rich tapestry of backgrounds featured regularly on their platforms. The idea behind the project is multi-fold: amplify the voices of minority and marginalized riders, create art that celebrates the diversity of the love of horses, and draw attention to issues that face this demographic of riders. You can follow along with EOC on Instagram here and on the website, where the full features are housed, here.
U.S. Weekend Preview
Morven Park Fall International CCI4*-L (Leesburg, VA): [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Erin Gilmore Photography] [Scoring] [Volunteer]
Heritage Park H.T. (Olathe, KS): [Website] [Entries] [Scoring] [Volunteer]
Hitching Post Farm H.T. (South Royalton, VT): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]
Middle Tennessee Pony Club H.T. (Nashville, TN): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring]
Ocala Fall H.T. (Ocala, FL): [Website] [Entries] [Scoring] [Volunteer]
Radnor Hunt H.T. (Malvern, PA): [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring] [Volunteer]
WindRidge Farm Fall H.T. (Mooresboro, NC): [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring]
Woodside Fall H.T. (Woodside, CA): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]
Major International Events
Military Boekelo CCIO4*-L: [Website] [Entries] [Leaderboard] [Schedule] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage]
Wednesday News & Reading
Have you signed up for our course walk with Ride iQ at Maryland 5 Star? Even if you aren’t able to attend the walk, you’ll still want to sign up as we’ll be kicking off daily giveaways with World Equestrian Brands as well as Horse & Rider Books on Thursday, October 13! [Sign up here]
Nominations for the 2022 USEA Hall of Fame class are trickling out, and the latest to receive an invitation for the honor is the great Eagle Lion. Partnered with Bruce Davidson, Sr., at the height of his career, Eagle Lion became the first American horse (and one of just two ever) to win Badminton. He is also the horse we’ve all taken a photo with at Kentucky Horse Park, as he’s the horse that’s been made into the Bruce Davidson Sr. statue at Rolex Stadium. [Eagle Lion Invited to Join Hall of Fame]
Itching for a custom item from World Equestrian Items on your holiday list? Yes, it’s that time already — I know, I can’t believe it either. But if you’re planning ahead and anticipating needing a custom order from Amerigo via World Equestrian Brands, the order must be placed by October 7 to guarantee a delivery in time for the holidays. All other custom orders must be placed by October 10. [It’s Custom Season at World Equestrian Brands]
It’s nearly time for the 2022 Retired Racehorse Project Thoroughbred Makeover! The super bowl of Thoroughbred re-training is a popular event that I have GOT to make it to one of these days, and it’s held annually for a multitude of disciplines at Kentucky Horse Park. [The Need-to-Know on Thoroughbred Makeover]
David Taylor took a moment of frustration and tried to make it into something actionable. Thus began his journey to obtaining his cross country course designer’s license. Now, his courses can be found popping up all over the country, and he isn’t done yet! [David Taylor’s Journey to Becoming a USEF Course Designer]
We love our #supergrooms! Fresh off the plane from Pratoni with their charges, USEF caught up with each U.S. eventing groom that traveled to Italy for FEI World Championships last month. [#supergrooms Reflect on Pratoni]
Tack Facts with Sterling Essentials: If you learn one thing about leather care today, let this be it. It’s all about two little letters: pH. One of the very best ways to protect your leather tack and your investment is to ensure that you care for your leather using products that support the natural pH of the leather. How? Read more here.
Sponsor Corner
Managing equine asthma with Haygain:
Wednesday Video Break
Loved this tip from Ride iQ and Lauren Sprieser on developing following elbows:
We’re big fans of Amelia Newcomb’s dressage trainings, which are applicable across disciplines and easily available on her YouTube channel. With the rise in digital teaching and training, it’s important to be shrewd when finding someone to learn from. Not all solutions are good fits, but one thing about Amelia’s content is it is universally useful for riders of varying levels.
I enjoyed this video on this commonly-seen method of bit and contact evasion: inverting or curling behind the bit. I know I’ve dealt with this many times due to gaps in my own riding, and I find videos like this to be really useful as they call to attention the rider’s aids and intentions.
Dressage training is useful for eventers — that’s a known fact. Help us sort out what content you’d like to see on EN the most in the coming months by filling out the poll below.
Want more from Amelia Newcomb? Click here to learn about her program!
Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Team USA will look to pile on its collection of medals as a Nations Cup team heads to this week’s Netherlands leg at Boekelo; competition begins Wednesday, October 5 with the first horse inspection and will be followed by two days of dressage Thursday and Friday, cross country on Saturday, and show jumping on Sunday.
Graphic via US Equestrian.
This year’s Nations Cup team for the U.S., which claimed silver at this event in 2021, features:
In addition to the Americans, a field of 78 competitors will tackle the CCIO4*-L competition. The Nations Cup field includes teams for Germany, which currently holds the highest number of Nations Cup points, Belgium, France, Great Britain, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Sweden.
Daniela Moguel and Cecelia. Photo by Shelby Allen.
Notable entries include:
Officials this weekend include Ground Jury President Christina Klingspor (SWE) and members Edith Schless-Störtenbecker (GER) and Merel Schurink (NED). Adrian Ditcham (GBR) is the cross country designer, while Kris van Gelder (NED) will design the show jumping.
All phases of competition at Boekelo will be live streamed on FEI TV/ClipMyHorse.TV — if you signed up for a subscription during Pratoni, here’s another great use for it! — here. The broadcast schedule is as follows:
Thursday, October 6 – Dressage: 3:00 a.m. EST / 8:00 a.m. BST / 9:00 a.m. local
Friday, October 7 – Dressage: 3:00 a.m. EST / 8:00 a.m. BST / 9:00 a.m. local
Saturday, October 8 – Cross Country: 3:00 a.m. EST / 8:00 a.m. BST / 9:00 a.m. local
Sunday, October 9 – Show Jumping: 4:30 a.m. EST / 9:30 a.m. BST / 10:30 a.m. local
Tilly Berendt will be our eyes on the ground all week at Boekelo, and you can of course find everything you need to know on Boekelo right here on EN. Go Eventing!
Military Boekelo CCIO4*-L: [Website] [Entries] [Leaderboard] [Schedule] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage]
We’re looking ahead to several exciting happenings in the coming weeks: first up will be both the FEI Nations Cup leg at Boekelo in the Netherlands and Morven Park’s second annual 4*-L in Leesburg, VA. The following week, we’ll head up to Maryland for the return of the MARS Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill. We’ve also got FEI WBFSH Eventing World Breeding Championships at Mondial du Lion later this month, as well as the final 5* of the year, also in France at Pau. One more month of madness commences!
U.S. Weekend Action
Apple Knoll Farm H.T. (Millis, MA): [Website]
Fleur de Leap H.T. (Folsom, LA): [Website] [Scoring] [Volunteer]
Jump Start H.T. (Lexington, KY): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]
Maryland H.T. at Loch Moy Farm (Adamstown, MD): [Website] [Entries] [Scoring] [Volunteer]
Spokane Sport Horse 8th Annual Fall H.T. (Spokane, WA): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]
Sundance Farm H.T. (Plymouth, WI): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring]
Tomora H.T. (Greeley, CO): [Website] [Scoring] [Volunteer]
Sunday Reading List
Resources to help those affected by Hurricane Ian:
Florida Equine Evacuations | Hurricane Ian Relief Resources
Register to attend the USEA Annual Meeting & Convention, happening in Savannah, GA December 7-11.
USEF Fund Helps FEI Deliver $100,000 in Veterinary Supplies to Ukraine
Brandi Cyrus: Her Own Star Power
Cancer, Horses, and Hope: Joyce’s Story
Nominations Now Open for EQUUS Foundation Humanitarian Awards
Sunday Video Break
Throw it back to the 2000 Hickstead Eventer’s Grand Prix — buckle in!
Earlier this week, we shared Jennarose Ortmeyer’s helmet cam from the Preliminary division at Stable View Oktoberfest. Now buckle in for a ride around the CCI3*-S track designed by Capt. Mark Phillips aboard Renkum Corsair, a 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by the Corsair Syndicate and piloted by Elisa Wallace.
Elisa and Renkum Corsair are aiming for the CCI3*-L at Maryland 5 Star later this month, and an eighth place finish here sets them up nicely for a strong Long-format debut.
Next up at Stable View is the October Eventing Academy series, October 14-16. You can learn more and sign up by clicking the banner below.
Strides for Equality Equestrians (SEE) is excited to offer two riders the opportunity to attend the Barnstaple USEA Educational Program and Three Day Event, happening November 16th – 20th in Morriston, Florida with all expenses (including travel and hotel) covered. The application period for this scholarship closes October 10, 2022.
At the Peterson Smith BarnStaple Educational Three Day, riders from Starter through Training will have the unique opportunity to experience each exciting aspect of a traditional three day event. Throughout the six-day event, participants will learn from international riders, USA medal winners, respected authors, FEI officials, and sought-after clinicians.
ELIGIBILITY AND APPLICATION
Interested in this awesome opportunity? Click here to apply by October 10 and here to learn more about the Barnstaple USEA Educational Program and Three Day Event. For further inquiries, please contact Heather Gillette at [email protected].
Strides for Equality Equestrians is also pleased to kick of SEE Month, a two-year anniversary celebration, awareness, and fundraising drive happening all throughout October. Your support helps the SEE mission — and programs like this! — grow. Click here to learn more about SEE Month!
Did you hear?? We’ve teamed up with World Equestrian Brands, Ride iQ and Horse & Rider Books for an epic Maryland 5 Star cross country walk and giveaway spree! On the line are daily prizes from Thursday-Sunday during Maryland as well as an exclusive 5* course walk with Ride iQ coach Kyle Carter and a rider from the World Equestrian Brands roster. Sign up here — even if you aren’t attending in person, you’ll still be eligible to win a prize!
U.S. Weekend Preview
Apple Knoll Farm H.T. (Millis, MA): [Website]
Fleur de Leap H.T. (Folsom, LA): [Website] [Scoring] [Volunteer]
Jump Start H.T. (Lexington, KY): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]
Maryland H.T. at Loch Moy Farm (Adamstown, MD): [Website] [Entries] [Scoring] [Volunteer]
Spokane Sport Horse 8th Annual Fall H.T. (Spokane, WA): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]
Sundance Farm H.T. (Plymouth, WI): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring]
Tomora H.T. (Greeley, CO): [Website] [Scoring] [Volunteer]
Saturday Links
Strides for Equality Equestrians kicks off SEE Month all October
Is Capels Hollow Drift the next top British team horse?
Do you know your horse’s limits?
The latest research on equine eyesight is raising eyebrows
Massage vs. Magnetic: Which should you use?
Saturday Study Tip
Use this quick tip from World Equestrian Brands rider Sharon White next time you walk your cross country course:
Silver never looked so sweet. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Before this month, 2006 was the most recent year that the U.S. had secured a medal in World Equestrian Games/World Championship competition. This honor was earned by the late and great Amy Tryon with Poggio II at the Games in Aachen, Germany. To find the last team medal won by the Amercians, you must flip back to the 2002 World Equestrian Games in Jerez, Spain, when the stalwart team of David O’Connor (Giltedge), Kim Severson (Winsome Adante), Amy Tryon (Poggio II), and John Williams (Carrick) pulled off a nail-biter of a finish to secure team gold. A smattering of Olympic and Pan American medals can be found in the recent records, but the pinnacle of achievement — the team gold — is an elusive prize.
It’s nearly impossible to pinpoint any absence of podium finishes to one root cause — and the truth is, each U.S. equestrian team has gone through its shares of ups and downs in recent cycles. The American eventers and para dressage riders, for example, were the only U.S. representatives to come out of this year’s FEI World Championships with a medal.
Nonetheless, a World Championships podium “drought” makes the fact that the U.S. collected a hard-fought team silver at Pratoni even sweeter.
No one was exactly sure what to expect of this team six months ago. US Equestrian leadership was dismantled at the end of 2021 with the non-renewal of contracts for former Director of High Performance Eventing Erik Duvander and Managing Director of Eventing Jenni Autry. It was then reassembled with the naming of interim chef d’equipe Bobby Costello, who took the reins in a mostly unprecedented management – rather than “coaching” – role. It was a lot of change — and while change is a constant, it can bring about uncertainty. Fellow wearer of multiple hats, Max Corcoran, was also named to a leadership role, taking on the tasks of Eventing Elite Program and Team Facilitator and once again using her extensive experience and expertise to guide the logistics and care of the horses.
“I honestly didn’t know, going into it, exactly what it was going to take for me to do this job successfully,” Bobby told me before Pratoni. “I’ve been lucky that I’ve seen every single part of [the sport], so nothing has been a surprise. But no one has done this job strictly just as a Chef d’Equipe. You’re slightly one step removed, kind of looking in and being of support when it’s necessary — and kind of knowing when to step back because riders know their programs are working on all cylinders.”
It’s a formula that seems to have worked. When asked about any factors that stand out as instrumental in the success Team USA found in Italy, Bobby talks about the strength of each rider’s individual program. It was a bit of a ‘don’t fix what isn’t broken’ scenario, which set Bobby up well to step in as a gelling agent with what could be labeled as quiet confidence ahead of the World Championships challenge.
“I have worn so many hats within High Performance for so long that it never felt like I was trying to make it up, what I was trying to accomplish,” he elaborated. “I felt very confident and clear in my own mind what it was going to take to bring a group of riders together.”
“There are a few things I keep going back to,” Bobby continued. Certainly helped by his previous experiences as both competitor and coach at this level, he, like the team, values the concept of respect. Everyone has a say. “Mutual respect, trust in the program that’s been set up for [the riders] to be a part of, and also every person feeling like they have equal opportunity. There has tended to be the perception of favoritism or that one person is ‘the chosen one’ – and I was one hundred percent not going to fall into that trap, perceived or not. And I think the riders appreciated it.”
Tamie Smith and Mai Baum. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Earning the silver medal at Pratoni not only earns the Americans bragging rights, it also secures the qualification for the 2024 Olympics in Paris. This is an achievement that releases ripple effects, one of which is the fact that the federation can now send a primarily developmental team to the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago. In recent cycles, a more experienced team has been sent to Pan Ams with a need to qualify for the Olympics, having missed out on a berth at the previous World Championships. Having the privilege of sending a mostly developing team will only serve to bolster what could be a burgeoning American eventing program if proper attention is paid to said development.
“It’s such an incredibly positive knock-on effect, getting this qualification off our back,” Bobby noted. “And we can send maybe one senior or Elite rider and then have the luxury of sending more of a developing team [to Pan Ams]. I think that is an incredible positive for our program.”
Bobby also holds hope that Team USA’s achievement in Pratoni will help elevate the sport more, and incite more youngsters to buy posters to hang on their bedroom walls. “I remember being a kid and watching the LA Olympics, and just being so inspired by [Team USA’s] win there,” he said. “And then the next generation had the same feeling with David [O’Connor] at Sydney, and we just haven’t had that in awhile. So I’m hoping this is going to inject a bit of enthusiasm among the people getting into eventing.”
But success cannot be wholly attributed to one factor, and it cannot be sustained off of one achievement alone. The other ingredient to success – and the one Bobby says the U.S. will need to continue to focus on in order to continue as such – is the strength and depth of an athlete’s program at home.
Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg filled the anchor role for Team USA — a choice chef d’equipe Bobby Costello explains was a simple one due to the pair’s extensive resume. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
“I think what absolutely worked for this group is that they were a very well-established, seasoned group of athletes with known, successful programs,” he said. “What those guys did over the weekend – you have to be operating in an environment where there is not one detail overlooked.”
This is a factor that needs to be further developed – from Bobby’s perspective, there are too few programs that have been developed to the point of consistent production as exemplified by those represented on the team. There are also too many riders falling through the cracks between the Developing Rider and Elite Squad levels.
“What I get worried about down the road is that program development and rider development,” Bobby said. Athlete and program development go hand in hand, and while robust programs exist for younger riders, there is often a gap where talent (and program) goes undeveloped.
“What Leslie Law has done with the Emerging Athletes is incredible. I wouldn’t change anything. But that 21 to 25, even 30 to 35 group – that’s the time when it’s very easy to get lost. So what I feel strongly about is that the next group of athletes coming along have got to really look at their programs and really have an honest conversation with themselves on if their program is good enough, thorough enough.”
Vermiculus finds his way through all the flags for Lauren Nicholson. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
“I was in that boat in my late twenties, early thirties,” he recalled. “I never felt like I was going to get there. Mark Phillips kind of plucked me out of obscurity a bit and put my name forward for training lists, and without that I don’t think I ever would have made it. So, yes, these guys have to put themselves in a position where they can’t be denied, they have to go out there and show they’re on the pathway – but you’re also trying not to lose those very talented people that maybe just don’t have everything quite buttoned.”
Development also comes from experience, and Bobby encourages riders who are eager to make their mark on the sport to put themselves out there for Nations Cup opportunities.
“I think we have to use these Nations Cup competitions more,” Bobby explained, noting that on many recent Nations Cup decisions, the selectors were not choosing from a large group of applicants. “I believe USEF puts every good effort toward fielding these teams, there is just a depth issue. I’m often surprised that more people don’t target these. Nothing gets you experience faster, and at the very least you’re getting your name out there. Right then and there, you’re putting your name in front of the selectors, and you give yourself a good chance if you just put your name forward and take a risk.”
Exemplary of the depth on the roster was individual rider Ariel Grald’s stellar performance. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
It was pure team effort that brought the team medal and an overall excellent weekend home for the U.S. Off the bat, Bobby gives credit to his colleagues at USEF as well as fellow technical advisor Ian Stark for his strategic planning ahead of cross country.
“When I took on this role, I said as part of my proposal that I would like to employ Ian as the cross country advisor,” he said. “Even though riders had their own coaches, Ian was the filter for all of the information about the course, and from that we had a plan for the day. Lucky that everyone went out and had the same plan – go the straight ways, go fast, try not to have any time – and the day went well so we didn’t have to go to any plan B.”
Will Coleman and Off The Record brought back valuable intel for the U.S. as pathfinders. Photo by Shelby Allen.
Show jumping would be the bone to pick, with the team collectively adding eight rails to their final tally (and – not that anyone’s doing the math, but to do the math and assuming Germany still finishes on a 95.2 – losing out on a potential gold medal), but both Bobby and the team remain adamant that no stone will be unturned in pursuit of improvement, both for this and squads yet to come.
“My job, if I were to keep doing this, is to sit down individually with all these riders and ask a million questions,” Bobby said. Previously non-committal on whether or not he’d consider applying to keep the chef d’equipe designation on a more permanent basis, he says now he’s planning to keep his name in the hat. A leadership trio of Graeme Thom, David O’Connor, and Bobby could certainly yield some hefty results. “I want to delve into how the riders see themselves being successful like the team was this weekend. Ask tough questions.”
“The riders, at some point, have to become supremely confident in what they have built,” Bobby continued. That confidence translates into a quiet mind in the saddle – that elusive not-so-secret weapon when it comes to competitive success.
The feelings are hopeful and positive as life returns to its normal frenetic pace at home. There’s a lot to feel good about this current generation of Team USA, but there’s also much to be done to keep the trajectory heading forward.
“This was about the riders and the work they did to be there. It was a very uncomplicated plan that we had for the weekend, and I think that’s something to learn from the past: believe in your program, keep it simple, go out and do your job well.”
It seems to be peak scholarship season, and the opportunities are ample if you’re looking for some help developing your riding or horse career. One opportunity worth exploring is the Optimum Youth Equestrian Scholarship, which is currently accepting applications for its Fall cycle through October 15. Young equestrians age 17-27 who are facing challenges in becoming involved or staying involved in horse sports are invited to apply for the OYES scholarship. The scholarship is valued at $1,000 and is proudly sponsored by the Pittsburgh Polo Club, Mare Goods, and ‘Straight from the Horse Doctor’s Mouth’ Podcast by Springhill Equine Veterinary Clinic.
[Learn more about Optimum Youth Equestrian Scholarship]
U.S. Weekend Preview
Apple Knoll Farm H.T. (Millis, MA): [Website]
Fleur de Leap H.T. (Folsom, LA): [Website] [Scoring] [Volunteer]
Jump Start H.T. (Lexington, KY): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]
Maryland H.T. at Loch Moy Farm (Adamstown, MD): [Website] [Entries] [Scoring] [Volunteer]
Spokane Sport Horse 8th Annual Fall H.T. (Spokane, WA): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]
Sundance Farm H.T. (Plymouth, WI): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring]
Tomora H.T. (Greeley, CO): [Website] [Scoring] [Volunteer]
Wednesday News & Reading
Virginia Horse Trials has run for the final time at Virginia Horse Center in Lexington after event organizer Andy Bowles and the venue ownership were unable to reach new terms. While Andy hopes to continue running the event at a different venue, the Virginia Horse Center has also made moves to host an event on the same dates. More developments are yet to come with this story. [VHT and Virginia Horse Center Part Ways]
Longstanding equestrian publication The Chronicle of the Horse has come under new ownership after the company was sold to Global Equestrian Group. The Danish-based GEG has been steadily expanding its equestrian holdings in the U.S. and now owns a portfolio that includes Wellington International, Helgstrand Dressage, Beerbaum Stables, ShowGroundsLive, and other entities. Development of the publication’s digital offerings will be top of mind, GEG representatives said. [Global Equestrian Group Acquires COTH]
What matters most when it comes to producing a young horse? Their happiness, health, and longevity, naturally — but what are the things you should prioritize in order to cultivate those factors? Burghley winner Piggy March knows a thing or two about producing young horses not only to competitive success but to peak mental health, as well. She’s Caroline Culbertson’s latest guest on the excellent Noelle Floyd podcast, Equestrian Voices. [Staying Focused on What Matters with Young Horses]
It’s about that time to begin thinking about moving your horses onto a more supplemented diet as pastures begin to thin ahead of colder weather. But switching from primary pasture to more hay does require some considerations so as not to tilt the scales of the often-sensitive equine digestive system. [Safely Switching from Pasture Grass to Hay with KPP]
#TackFacts from Sterling Essentials: I remember having to just grit my teeth and deal with “helmet smell” when I was growing up, given the sad lack of options there were at the time for proper helmet de-smelling. I was all about the dryer sheets and Febreeze — kids, you’re lucky these days to have so many options to keep your helmet funk-free! Sterling Essentials recently added a helmet spray to their line-up of fresh-smelling natural products and let me tell you: I am HERE for it.
Hot on Horse Nation: In a new series, “Barn Aisle Chats”, Horse Nation is getting to know equestrians from all types of backgrounds. In the latest edition, HN writer Amanda Uechi Ronan sits down with Numa about (re) learning to ride as an adult and removing systemic barriers at the barn. [Barn Aisle Chats: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion with Numa]
Sponsor Corner: Keep an eye out for a new ebook from Haygain all about optimizing your barn for the cold months.
Wednesday Video Break
Amelia Newcomb’s YouTube channel is full of gems, like this one on developing following elbows (a struggle I know all too well!).
