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If you’ve ever made and promptly broken a New Year’s resolution, this edition of #EventerProblems is dedicated to you — and trust us, we’re already off the wagon, too. Maybe next year? Let’s see what you all have been up to in this young new year.
Tag your public social media posts with #eventerproblems for inclusion in a future edition!
Editor’s Note: There is some strong language contained in the posts embedded below.
Winter naughties are in full swing as event horses the world over begin to emerge from their holidays. We’re always kept entertained here at EN by the everlasting antics of Tokyo gold medalist London 52, who keeps partner Laura Collett on her toes (well, hopefully not anyway — have you seen the girl’s seat?) during the first jump schools of a new season. Let’s catch up with what London 52’s been up to this week:
First, a lesson with top show jumper Jay Halim, who’s advice is to “stop laughing at him” (we’re trying, Jay, we’re trying):
And a couple of other bucking parties, along with some memories from past seasons (hint: London 52’s seasons always start the same way!):
Good times and as always, well sat Laura! We’re guessing there aren’t many dull moments to be found on her yard.
Go Eventing.
Photo by Leslie Wylie.
The Ocala and Aiken migration is well underway, and many eventers are high-tailing it south for warmer temperatures and the opportunity to get a jump start on prep for the upcoming season. For many amateur riders, a trip to Aiken or Ocala is a major bucket list item — but it can be tricky to pull off without the right planning. After all, it’s hard to pack up and leave (with your horse!) when you have a family, a job, other horses, clients, or anything other semblance of a busy life.
Whether it be for a long weekend or a few months, a trip south can be a memorable one that also makes a difference by providing opportunity to focus on and enjoy your horse. If you haven’t made the trek yourself, there are a lot of questions to answer and the process can be overwhelming.
So we’re tapping into the think tank that is our EN community. We want to know: what’s your best advice for a first-timer heading south this winter?
Use the form below or click here to send us your response. We’ll select some responses to gather into a story coming later! You can also post your advice as a comment on this post or on social media.
Welcome to the dark side, kiddos! Photo via Sara Kozumplik Murphy on Facebook.
There’s nothing better than seeing someone catch the eventing bug for the first time, and Sara Kozumplik Murphy & Co.’s latest adventure is full of first-time eventers who are participating in the first ever Panama Eventing Camp. We can’t wait to see more from what looks like a great group of kids!
Friday News & Reading
Some updates have been made to the new 2022 USEF Eventing Dressage tests, incorporating feedback from members as well as judges. The updated published tests can be found here.
The ASPCA has announced the recipients of its 2021 Good People for Good Horses Awards. Eight members of the horse community were honored for their efforts to improve welfare and rehome horses in need of new living situations. Learn more about the winners here.
We all know and love the beautiful Favian, who is partnered at the 5* level with Valerie Vizcarrondo Pride. Honestly, I’m hankering to get a close-up with Favian’s trusty sidekick, the mini Theodore. Get to know “Faves” in the latest edition of Behind the Stall Door.
I can’t stop watching the #LongLiveTheHorse ad from Zoetis Equine — sorry, not sorry, I’m sharing it again. Pro tip: grab a tissue before hitting play.
Video Break: Scenes from Panama Eventing Camp!
Well sun up to sun down today for the inaugural Panama Eventing Camp!
Shown here is Romulo’s first ever time in a…Posted by Sara Kozumplik Murphy on Thursday, January 6, 2022
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New year, new series, eh? We’ve been doing a lot of thinking on what this year (and beyond) looks like here at EN, and one area of focus that has emerged as a top priority is to do more building of our community. We are a rich (well, maybe not financially, seeing how I’m nearly two decades removed from college and still eating ramen on the regular — I like it, ok?) and diverse niche of individuals with unique backgrounds and varied perspectives — that deserves to be celebrated!
So on that note, we’ll be featuring our favorite #GoEventing Instagram posts here on EN each week. That means you can tag your public posts with #goeventing for a chance to be featured! We want to know what eventing means to you — show us! Let’s kick this party off with some #goeventing posts reflecting on the new leaf that is a new year:
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Join the conversation! Follow us on Instagram at @goeventing and tag your public photos with #goeventing. We’ll feature posts here on En as well as on our own Instagram.
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Full disclosure: Zoetis Equine, as I’m sure you can tell by looking at EN, is an advertiser of ours. However, I still would have shared this video in the same context because I appreciate the effort that was made to diversify the content. I’ve lost count of how many ads and commercials out there that didn’t pay as much mind to who they were showing in their creative materials. In recent months, more companies have understood that onus falls to them, in many ways, to help increase representation. Of course, the buck doesn’t stop with hiring the right people to appear as models and actors — it continues with a responsibility to work with intention in all aspects of a company to properly address inequity.
Wednesday News & Reading
Due to the ongoing threat of Covid-19, the “Celebration of Spirit” for Annie Goodwin, scheduled for January 9 at Bruce’s Field in Aiken, Sc. has been canceled. “The in-person event planned for Feb 9th at Bruce’s Field would present an unacceptable risk for transmission of disease for Annie’s family, friends and many of the athletes planning to compete the next weekend at Pine Top or other venues,” the Aiken Horse Park Foundation said in an email update. “Putter, Tina and Jake know that Annie would want to put the health of her community first. We had so hoped that Covid 19 would be in our rear-view mirror by now. At this point there are too many unknowns for the Omicron variant other than it is extremely transmissible and case counts are soaring to the highest levels since the start of the pandemic. We hope to either reschedule for a more suitable time or plan a different type of event that would not pose a health risk to Annie’s community.”
Those interested in learning more about the USEF’s updated calendaring process, which will go into effect with a revised competition calendar in 2023, can sign up to attend a free webinar on January 19. The calendaring process can and will affect riders and organizers, regardless of level, and there has been a lot of confusion surrounding the new protocol for allotting event dates. If you can’t attend, we’ll be tuning in for a story coming soon.
Ocala-bound riders: make sure to knock off that show jumping rust with the new Winter Schooling Series hosted by several area farms, including Sara Kozumplik Murphy at Overlook South, Will Coleman Equestrian at Okonokos Equestrian, Meg Kepferle at Kepferle Equestrian, and Clayton Fredericks’ Fredericks Equestrian International. The first leg kicked off this week at Okonokos and will continue over 12 weeks, rotating among venues on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. You can view more information and the schedule here.
Area III is currently accepting applications for a new Young Rider coach. This contract will run from 2022 through 2024, and you can find a full description of the role as well as more information on applying here.
After suffering devastating damage from the record-breaking tornadoes that wreaked havoc on much of central America last month, the University of Kentucky is beginning the long process of rebuilding. Its Research and Education Center, a part of the university’s School of Agriculture, sustained the most damage, taking a direct hit from the tornado. Find out how you can help here.
Looking for some new reading material in the new year? Look no further than the this list of the best horse books that were released in 2021.
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And finally, some helpful tips on winter respiratory health from our friends at Haygain:
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It’s the day and age of the digital learning curve, and in just the past year or so we’ve seen the influx of new technology and new programming that helps bring the sport of eventing that much closer to its enthusiasts. With the increase in live stream availability at major events, the creation of new learning platforms such as Noelle Floyd’s Masterclass series, and the rise of guided training apps such as Ride iQ, educational opportunities abound regardless of where you live.
Throwing her hat into the ring now is Britan’s Piggy March, who has kicked off 2022 by launching a new online training and education platform, Train with Piggy. The 2018 Badminton winner began publishing video blogs in 2021 to keep her followers updated on her routines at home, and now Train with Piggy is here to kick things up a notch with virtual training, rider fitness programs, horse care tips, and exclusive access to Piggy herself. Think of it as the boy band fan club of your teenaged years on steroids (and, let’s be honest, way cooler).
Train with Piggy is available as a £25 / $34 monthly subscription and you can learn more about this exciting new venture here.
As the year winds to a close, even if you aren’t a resolution-maker per se it’s somewhat unavoidable to think of January 1 as a page turned. Call me an obnoxious optimist, but I always feel freshly motivated (for roughly four days) at the start of a new year.
Jokes aside, this holiday season has been a bit of a time for reflection for me. I’m easily distracted by new stories, new ideas, or shiny things, and sometimes it’s easy to lose sight of the big picture or the road ahead. I invite you to join me in focusing back in on those “what’s most important” matters, and for me that includes helping expand our world of horses to welcome more to the table. One small yet impactful way to help with this ongoing mission is to donate to programs doing this work. Detroit Horse Power is just one example of an organization working to introduce horses to more people, and they’re always a wonderful option if you’re wanting to be involved or offer support.
Wednesday News & Reading
Race trainer Michael Matz’s Fair Hill, Md. training barn was destroyed by a fire on Christmas Eve. Thankfully, no humans or horses were harmed in the fire, which did an estimated $850,000 in damage to the facility shared with Equine Veterinary Care.
Sara Kozumplik Murphy and Overlook Farm South are hosting a winter schooling dressage series in Florida. One date in January, two in February, and one in early April will round out the schooling series which will be held in “fix-a-test” format. Click here to learn more.
Speaking of dressage, this 2017 article from Dressage Today made some fresh rounds on social media this week and for good reason: it provides some excellent insight into the handy (but oh-so-torturous) figure eight exercise.
You have just one head — be sure to look after it! With technology always advancing, it’s important to continue to advance with our safety equipment. Learn how Charles Owen focuses on testing and safety with its latest offerings here.
Are you thinking of hanging your shingle as an equine professional in 2022? Building a brand doesn’t only apply to professions such as marketing or social media. A brand is a key part of any business’ success, and that includes pro riders, bookkeepers, writers, veterinarians, and everyone else involved in our industry. Bookmark this guide for building an equestrian brand from Black Unicorn Creative for some useful info as you lean into your brilliant new business idea.
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Each day between now and the New Year we’re counting down the top 20 most popular videos shared on EN in 2021. The #6 spot goes to this video, which garnered 2,838 views when it was originally posted on May 27, 2021.
“Sorry, I can’t ride right now.” “Slow down!” “I’m scared.” “Holy sh*t!” “You’re going too fast!” “Good boy!” “I’m tired!” “Don’t jump the Prelim!”
If these exclamations sound relatable, then you’ll want to tune in to ride around the Beginner Novice at Ohio’s Winona Horse Trials with first-time eventer Heather Terdan and her Thoroughbred gelding, Dermontti, who was registered to race but never actually made a start on the track. This pair has been partnered together for 10 years – Heather first got “Monty” when he was eight and they’ve done a bit of everything together. This video comes from Heather and Monty’s very first foray into recognized eventing!
“I got him when he was 8, so he is 18 now,” Heather told EN. “We’ve done everything together all the way from hunters, equitation and then jumpers for awhile. He was very successful in the jumpers and I wanted to try something different. He started out as a timid horse and throughout the years we have grown together and his confidence really shown through! I did a few mini trials last year so wanted to try a horse trial and my goal is to qualify for finals in Novice.”
Heather Terdan and Dermonnti. Photo by Photography In Stride.
“I was so proud of Monty at his first horse trial,” she continued. “I expected him to be nervous and he exceeded my expectations and was a machine out there on cross country! We have our second competition at May Daze this weekend and I can’t wait!”
Best of luck in your next event, Heather, and welcome to the dark side! Enjoy the ride:
Posted by Heather Terdan on Sunday, May 16, 2021
Each day between now and the New Year we’re counting down the top 20 most popular videos shared on EN in 2021. The #7 spot goes to this video, which garnered 2,547 views when it was originally posted on July 1, 2021.
While official scores were not handed out in yesterday’s dressage practice at the US Equestrian Mandatory Outing, held at Great Meadow in The Plains, Va., Tamie Smith has shared video of her test that earned a 21.4 from the judges.
Riding the new Olympic Games test before Mark Weissbecker and Debbie Adams, the Tokyo-bound combinations and the alternates were able to get some valuable feedback on what to perfect in this short and intense test. You can follow along with the movements using this link.
Want to see some other pairs practicing the Olympic test? Click here to see our round-up from yesterday, and catch up on today’s Mandatory Outing action in Kate Samuels’ report here.
Each day between now and the New Year we’re counting down the top 20 most popular videos shared on EN in 2021. The #8 spot goes to this video, which garnered 2,460 views when it was originally posted on February 11, 2021.
If you’ve been experiencing some FOMO ever since the new World Equestrian Center in Ocala, Fl. opened, you’re not alone. I’ve been green with envy watching all of my friends competing at WEC Ocala, with its spacious arenas, great footing, and – perhaps most importantly – affordable pricing. Maybe one day I’ll experience it! In the meantime, this video tour gives us a glimpse at life inside this little slice of equestrian paradise.
Each day between now and the New Year we’re counting down the top 20 most popular videos shared on EN in 2021. The #9 spot goes to this video, which garnered 2,088 views when it was originally posted on March 2, 2021.
I thought it appropriate to dedicate a weekly video to just a few of the bold women who have achieved milestones in the sport of eventing, in celebration of Women’s History Month. To kick things off, I dug into the archives to find this gem of a video montage looking back on British rider Pippa Funnell’s historic Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing win in 2003.
Pippa picked up the Grand Slam win – which requires a rider to win Kentucky, Badminton, and Burghley in any consecutive order – just a few years after its inception in 1999, and since then Germany’s Michael Jung has been the only other rider to achieve this (2016). While many riders have come close (Andrew Hoy, Oliver Townend, William Fox-Pitt, and Andrew Nicholson have all won two consecutive legs), the prize remains elusive for most.
These days, Pippa’s hardly hanging about on her past success; in fact, she’s the reigning Burghley champion having picked up the win in 2019 aboard MGH Grafton Street. And really, the Grand Slam could be Pippa’s to chase once again: while modifications to the Grand Slam in light of coronavirus cancellations have not been announced, her status as the last winner of Burghley could come into play should she make the trek to Kentucky – and win – this spring.
Each day between now and the New Year we’re counting down the top 20 most popular videos shared on EN in 2021. The #10 spot goes to this video, which garnered 1,947 views when it was originally posted on Jan. 7, 2021.
There’s a brand new horse movie in town, and eventing enthusiasts watching are likely to recognize one of the filming locations: the much-loved Full Moon Farm in Carroll County, Md. Hope’s Legacy, the sequel to the 2016 film Christmas Ranch, picks up approximately 15 years after Christmas Ranch and finds Lizzy (Taylor Lyons), now a young woman, the heir to her late grandmother’s ranch. Determined to hold on to it, she finds her way into equestrian eventing with the help of former event rider and coach Linda (Dyan Cannon). Lizzy learns to stand tall as she faces challenges from her competitor Bethany (Abigail Reed) and plans for her upcoming wedding with fiancé, James (Allen Williamson).
Grace Fulton appears as the riding body double in the film, as does resident Full Moon horse Wild Orange, who stars in the film as Legacy, so there are plenty of Easter eggs to pick out for shrewd viewers. Hope’s Legacy is now available to rent or buy on most video-on-demand streaming platforms.
We always knew our Wardrobe Malfunction Photo Challenge with Fairfax & Favor would be a hoot, but we also know our #GoEventing community is a nutty one full of good sports — and you all certainly took it up a notch for this one!
After Melissa Mayo became the overwhelmingly convincing winner of the contest, which was decided by reader vote, we decided we needed the full story behind the photo that speaks more than a thousand words:
Photo courtesy of JJ Sillman.
Melissa, the blessed soul she is, obliged us by providing us the full photo gallery and video of The Incident.
“It was the Kentucky Classique Beginner Novice Classic Three-Day in 2018,” Melissa told EN. “Skipping Class is an 2004 off-track Thoroughbred mare, also known as Ginger. I had always wanted to do a Classic Three-Day and she came home from a lease three months before this one.”
Determined to do a Three-Day with her mare, Melissa got to work getting the both of them into shape. “I had been so worried about what to wear for jogs,” she said. “I kind of wanted to slide by (not over nor under dressed). I’m a little socially awkward so didn’t want to be ‘the one they talk about’ [here she inserts 15 cry-face laughing emojis]. Apparently all my fitness training leading up to the event helped me lose more weight than anticipated…and…my skirt fell down. Thank the good Lord above for Spanx!! I sewed my skirt to my shirt for the second jog.”
But, we’re happy to report, not all was lost: “We worked really hard and got both of our backsides in shape in time. We finished eleventh on our dressage scored and won the Best Fitness Award. They also made a ‘Sportsmanship’ award for my wardrobe malfunction!”
While we can’t promise a shiny new pair of Fairfax & Favor Regina Boots will keep Melissa’s frock from falling again, we can at least guarantee that any future wardrobe malfunctions will have some extra flair thanks to the new footwear. Thanks for being a good sport Melissa (who, by the way, also went on to be Mrs. July in the Sh!tEventer 2021 calendar — honestly, you can probably retire on that note!), and as always, Go Eventing (and Spanx).
Scholarship alert! The Optimum Youth Equestrian Scholarship (OYES) is an awesome opportunity for a rider from any discipline and is currently accepting applications for its Winter 2022 round of funding through January 15.
From the OYES website:
The mission of the Optimum Youth Equestrian Scholarship is to provide opportunities for youth aged 17-27 from marginalized communities to become involved or stay involved in horse sports through financial awards and mentorship focusing on not only horsemanship and equestrian pursuits, but also career planning and education.
You can learn more and apply for this scholarship here.
Wednesday News & Reading List:
It always sounds counterintuitive to put more leg on a “hot” horse — but really, it’s the secret to success in most cases. But how do you work toward getting over any trepidation on your part and over sensitivity on your horse’s part? Read this for some tips.
The sad reality is that sexual abuse and harassment still runs rampant within our community. For every brave individual who comes forward to share their story, there are countless others who are still working up the courage to share theirs — and more beyond that who might never find their voice. This is a problem that cannot be ignored. #WeRideTogether has partnered with The Army of Survivors, the only national organization advocating for and supporting child athlete survivors of sexual violence, to create the “Not Alone” PSA and share the powerful stories of elite athletes from football, diving, gymnastics and equestrian. Learn more about this resource, how you can help, and how you can find help here.
What is your go-to recovery and therapy routine? In the latest SmartPak blog, learn about SmartPaker Danielle’s “Full Franchi” routine with her horse, Duncan.
Current USEA members are able to participate in an open comment period through January 17 to provide feedback on the proposed rule changes on the docket for 2023. The rule changes, which have prompted much discussion this year, will next go to the USEF for further review.
On This Day in Horse Nation History: I’ve been enjoying digging up some older content from our sites these last few weeks, so I thought I’d share some good ones that come up “on this day”. I’ll kick things off with a good old fashioned letter to Santa.
Watch This: Get to know Will Faudree in the H&C+ series, Barn Talk:
And finally, a word from our pals at Haygain:
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We’re only just beginning to see a fair few of the Tokyo horses coming slowly back into work after their well-deserved breaks, and team gold medal-winning London 52 is certainly one who’s happy to see some jumps again! His partner, Laura Collett, certainly has a penchant for spunky horses (case in point, this video compilation that’s worth a reshare), making it all the more entertaining to watch her laugh off the antics happening underneath her.
Because watching the video on repeat just isn’t enough, here are some screengrabs from a handful of London Leaps:
Well sat, Laura, and welcome back London 52!
Each day between now and the New Year we’re counting down the top 20 most popular videos shared on EN in 2021. The #11 spot goes to this video, which garnered 1,737 views when it was originally posted on Sept. 22, 2021.
We met Keira O’Connor-Reichert and her 12.2-hand Welsh pony, Pine Creek’s Snapdragon (Evans Cirque Du Drallion – Cymareg’s Rain or Shine), or “Flower” earlier this year, and this dynamic duo is back with a new helmet cam from Loch Moy Farm. A few snippets from Keira’s running conversation with Flower, all of which I could put on an inspirational t-shirt, honestly:
“Rise and shine pretty girl!”
“It kind of looks scary but it really isn’t it’s actually really simple. It’s not THAT bad.”
“I know it’s a pheasant feeder so it looks really weird but it’s actually really really easy. You just like pop over it – no probs!”
“See? It’s a piece of cake, Flower. No problems. All fun through the woods!”
“Oh you like the water, this one’s fun!”
“Not even scary, quite honestly. I feel like Beginner Novice can do better than that!”
“Good job, see I told you it was a breeze!”
Photo courtesy of Debbie Reichert.
These rides remind me of how much fun this sport is, and where it all begins. Life throws us many a curveball, but at the end of the day we’ll always have the horses.
Also, I’m starting a petition to bring Keira along on a five-star course walk so we can get some of her excellent, chipper commentary! Who’s with me??
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It’s hard to believe we’re already winding this giveaway spree down, but we hope you’ve enjoyed playing along and a few of you have some new goodies coming your way! Ready to wrap things up? We’re closing out our 12 Days of Giveaways by giving out a FREE 6-month subscription of the new guided coaching app, Ride iQ.
Not familiar with Ride iQ? You can read Abby Powell’s review here. In the app, you’ll find hundreds of audio lessons organized by type, level, horse temperament, and coach. Get on your horse, press play, and experience the best coaches in the world as ‘the voice inside your head’!
To enter, use the form below or click here to enter by midnight tonight and we’ll draw a winner at random and announce them in tomorrow’s giveaway. We will not share your email address with third parties, but you will opt-in for emails from us (don’t worry, we won’t overwhelm you and you can opt-out at any time!). Good luck!
And congratulations to Amanda K., the winner of yesterday’s giveaway with Haygain!
Each day between now and the New Year we’re counting down the top 20 most popular videos shared on EN in 2021. The #15 spot goes to this video, which garnered 1,505 views when it was originally posted on Jan. 19, 2021.
Happy Hacking | Episode 4 | #PiggyVlog 2021 | Piggy March
❄️🐴🥶HAPPY HACKING!❄️🐴🥶
We do a lot of hacking at this time of year with all the horses coming back into work ahead of the new event season. Hacking is often thought of as ‘boring’ but it really shouldn’t be. It’s an essential part of my preparation and fitness work and I really focus on making the best possible use of all the ‘facilities’ that I have. I’m lucky to have a great set-up here at Maidwell (arena, gallop, etc) but you really don’t need much, or even anything really, to achieve an awful lot. I hope this video can give you all a few tips to take your happy hacking to the next level!💪🤞🤗
✅ Using hills (if you have them)
✅ Riding on different surfaces
✅ Trotting up (and maybe down) hills
✅ Working on flatwork basics
✅ Practising your transitions
✅ Getting your horse fit without ‘galloping’
✅ Stay warm🥶
✅ And don’t fall off!🐎💨🙈#PiggyMarch #TeamPiggy #PiggyVlog
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Parlanti RomaPosted by Piggy March on Friday, January 8, 2021
Piggy March certainly needs no introduction as a senior member of the British Eventing team and the reigning Badminton winner. This winter, Piggy’s begun vlogging and we’re going back a few episodes to one full of her best practices for hacking out.
It’s no secret that hacking is a key ingredient to event horse fitness – indeed, in the absence of firm footing during the wet winter, most British riders make good use of the road systems to bring their horses back to peak form over time.
“Hacking sounds like it’s pretty simple, but I really don’t think it is,” Piggy explains in this episode. “Especially this time of year, when the horses have had a month to six weeks off. This to me is a really important time of their building up for the season.”
Hacking should be done with intention, however, and attention to detail must be paid. Was that transition nice enough, or should you try it again? While Piggy says hacking for her team is low-stress and low impact, the fact is that attention to the foundational basics will pay off when it comes time to get into proper schooling.
The benefit of the miles and miles of slow walking and trotting is that come March, “our horses are pretty fit, and it’s not by galloping them hard at all. It’s a lot of slow conditioning and build-up work.”
Long, slow distance is indeed a well-known manner for bringing a horse into fitness. Done correctly, this time put in over the off-season can reap benefits such as less lameness issues, more stamina on cross country, and more relaxation/less tightness. Of course, Piggy says, this is her system – every program, every horse, every rider is different. Nonetheless, there are still some beneficial nuggets of wisdom to be learned from these top riders and integrated into our own programs.
Happy Hacking, and don’t forget to follow Piggy on Facebook to watch her new vlogs as they are released.
For today’s giveaway we’ve teamed up with Haygain to get one lucky winner all decked out in gear for your next show. The winner of this giveaway will receive a Haygain-branded Saddle Pad, Ring Towel, Bucket, Caribiner, Tail Brush, Baseball Cap, and Leather Lead — the perfect show day kit!
To enter, use the form below or click here to enter by midnight tonight and we’ll draw a winner at random and announce them in tomorrow’s giveaway. We will not share your email address with third parties, but you will opt-in for emails from us (don’t worry, we won’t overwhelm you and you can opt-out at any time!). Good luck!
Congratulations to Ruth W., the winner of yesterday’s giveaway with Mare Modern Goods!
We may be winding down to the tail end of our 12 Days of Giveaways, but the prizes are no less exciting! Today, we’ve got a killer giveaway from Mare Modern Goods, one of our favorite go-to brands for gifts, accessories, and apparel. You could win a $100 gift card to shop ’til you drop — you can scope out the wares and start planning ahead for what you’ll splurge on by clicking here.
To enter, use the form below or click here to enter by midnight tonight and we’ll draw a winner at random and announce them in tomorrow’s giveaway. We will not share your email address with third parties, but you will opt-in for emails from us (don’t worry, we won’t overwhelm you and you can opt-out at any time!). Good luck!
Congratulations to Holly S., the winner of yesterday’s giveaway with Horse & Rider Books!
We’re so pleased to be here at the United States Eventing Association, Inc. (USEA) Annual Meeting & Convention! Our…
Posted by Strides for Equality Equestrians on Saturday, December 11, 2021
It was a true honor to be able to represent Strides for Equality Equestrians (SEE) at the USEA Annual Meeting and Convention last weekend. In a day when most work seems to be done remotely, it feels that much more special to get some quality in-person time with people you care about. My colleagues at SEE fall into this category, and any time I get to spend with them having conversations with our peers about growing the sport makes everything better. If you want to learn more about the work SEE is doing, click here.
Melissa Mayo – photo courtesy of JJ Sillman.
Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let’s take a moment to congratulate Melissa Mayo, the winner of our very popular Fairfax & Favor Wardrobe Malfunction Photo Challenge! Melissa submitted the most epic of wardrobe fails and has now been crowned the champion of this contest and will receive a new pair of Fairfax & Favor Regina Boots for her next jog. Hopefully the next one goes better! Congratulations, Melissa!
Wednesday News + Reading:
This past week, the middle of the country was devastated by record-breaking tornadoes that wreaked havoc and left a trail of fatalities and damage in their wake. These tornadoes have impacted equestrian communities in these areas, and the USEA has compiled some important information on how you can help.
Bareback riding certainly has its advantages (and not just because it makes for less tack to clean!). If you’re planning to get in some quality bareback time this winter, use this article from Horse Sport to learn how to make the most of it.
Haygain is having a sale! Now through December 18, you can unlock savings to “up your hay game” in the new year. Click here to see what discounts you can grab!
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Hot on Horse Nation: Horse Nation editor DeAnn Sloan took a snoop through the Aztec Diamond Equestrian catalog to pick out her favorite “Diamond Deals” best enjoyed by you after you spoil yourself for the new season!
Watch This:
If you’re still hankering for 5* action, might we interest you in the Maryland 5 Star highlights show? Check it out, available exclusively on H&C+ here.
#GoEventing Video of the Day: Cue the tunes for the cutest pony in all the eventing land…
Molly Adams & Caletto’s Symphony. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photo.
The USEA has announced that the American Eventing Championships will return to Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington for 2023 and 2024 following a Board of Governors vote at the Annual Meeting and Convention this weekend. Equestrian Events Inc. (EEI) and Mary Fike will organize the AEC, reprising their roles played for the 2019 and combined 2020/2021 Championships, pending contract negotiation/finalization.
The 2022 AEC will be held in Kalispell, Mt. at the picturesque Rebecca Farm venue. Stable View, in Aiken, Sc., was also a finalist to host the 2023-2024 series of AEC.
“We are truly elated for the AEC to return to the Kentucky Horse Park,” USEA CEO Rob Burk said in a press release announcing the venue as host. “Our partners at EEI and Mary Fike have developed a strong working connection with our staff over the previous three years. The USEA Board of Governors had a difficult decision to make and I want to thank all of our bidders including Barry Olliff, Molly Bull, and the entire team from Stable View. We received an overwhelming amount of feedback from the membership about their desire to return the AEC to Kentucky, and we are happy to deliver this news to the USEA members.”
AEC dates for the next three years are as follows:
August 30 – September 4, 2022 – Rebecca Farm – Kalispell, Montana
August 29 – September 3, 2023 – Kentucky Horse Park – Lexington, Kentucky
August 27 – September 1, 2024 – Kentucky Horse Park – Lexington, Kentucky
Planning to compete at Rebecca Farm for the 2022 AEC? Be sure to book your accommodations early as Kalispell is a popular tourist destination! The AEC in Montana is sure to be one to remember.
