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Sally Spickard

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About Sally Spickard

Sally Spickard is a Korean adoptee living in San Diego, California. Sally joined the Eventing Nation team in 2013 and has subsequently written for Noelle Floyd, Heels Down Mag, and other publications both in and out of the equestrian world. Sally is an eventing fan through and through and enjoys telling the stories of riders who are not well-represented within equestrian media.

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Sunny Sailing at Defender Burghley Final Horse Inspection

By on Sep 7, 2025 4:48 am -

Overnight leaders Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

We’re quite accustomed to this point to some Sunday morning drama, but perhaps because we’ve gotten our fill of drama in the form of endless episodes of The Hills late at night while writing our reports, we were blessed with a completely drama-free morning here as we come to the conclusion of Defender Burghley.

One pair, Selena Milnes (GBR) and Gelmar, did withdraw ahead of the morning’s activities.

As much as we all love our fair share of drama, let’s be honest: the best thing you could possibly see on a Sunday morning is fresh, fit horses who don’t look like they’ve just finished running 11 and a half-plus minutes the day before. We remarked all day yesterday how well the horses were finishing, and it’s a testament to both the immaculate cultivation of the ground and the management on course by the riders. Importantly, these horses were looked after by their hard-working #supergrooms and teams of physios and vets through the evening, ensuring that their bodies felt as good as prime for today’s final effort.

Tom Crisp and Dassett Rock Star. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

To that end, we’ve had all presented pairs sail right through to the show jumping, which begins with just a few riders in the bottom third of the field beginning at 10:45 a.m. BST / 5:45 a.m. EST. The top 20 will begin at 2:30 p.m. BST / 9:30 a.m. EST. As always, you can tune in live on Burghley TV here (subscription required).

Austin O’Connor’s groom Francesca Denning with Colorado Blue. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Some special awards were also given out at the trot-up, the first being the Spillers Horse Care Prize, awarded to the groom of the best-cared-for horse in recognition of their hard work and dedication. Francesca Denning won the top honors for her care of Austin O’Connor’s Colorado Blue. Tilly Hughes, #supergroom to Laura Collett and Bling this week, was runner-up for this prize.

The Wordshipful Company of Farriers Best-Shod Award, judged on the horses’ condition of feet, making/preparataion and fitting of the shoe and nailing/position of clips, was awarded to Cool Jack, the ride of Burghley debutant Alexander Tordoff who was unfortunately eliminated on cross country yesterday very near the finish (Alex, you did the hard bits – you are a Burghley rider!), was given this top honor.

We’ll be back later on today with our final report from Defender Burghley — stay tuned and Go Eventing!

Many thanks to Kentucky Performance Products for their support of our Defender Burghley coverage! Click here to learn all about their science-backed and time-tested nutritional support products for horses.

Defender Burghley: [Website] [Tickets] [Timetable] [Entries] [Timing & Scoring] [Burghley TV] [CrossCountry App XC Map] [EN’s Coverage]

All ‘Points’ Lead to Burghley: Tom Strawson Debuts Former Racer Public Address at Defender Burghley

By on Sep 5, 2025 2:46 pm -

Tom Strawson and Public Address. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

Every now and then, among the busy professionals and multi-Olympians, a rider comes through at an event like Defender Burghley who’s got the most relatable story of all.

Meet Tom Strawson, the full-time property professional who’s making his 5* and Defender Burghley debut this week with the former point-to-point racer, Public Address.

Tom’s journey to eventing was circuitous, but also not unexpected: eventing runs in his family, after all. His aunt, Ginny Rose (née Strawson), competed here at Burghley in the 90s, his father rode around at Bramham, and his family was local to the Lincolnshire area, trekking over to watch the event nearly every year.

But Tom’s riding career started off more heavily in point-to-point racing (for our U.S. readers unfamiliar, point-to-point racing is a sort of steeplechase event done in similar fashion to a hunt). He’d done eventing as a teenager, but found he liked the racing, until, that is, he got older and he found it more difficult to keep his weight down to the necessary minimums for the pointing.

“Pointing was easier with university and work,” Tom recalled. “I managed to eventually get going, get a few outside rides, keep myself fit, turn up at a point-to-point, ride at the weekend, and get back working. I did that and absolutely loved it. I’d probably still be doing that now if it wasn’t for the size of them. But as you get older, your natural weight gets heavier, and I was just sweating more and more each year. It just wasn’t particularly fun. So I decided it was probably in my best interest to give up.”

So it’s only fitting that his next, big-time event horse would come to him also via point-to-point racing.

“A friend of mine told me he had a cheap Thoroughbred that could jump,” Tom recalled. “He sent me a video, and that was enough for me to get on a plane and go see him. And we just went from there.”

Tom Strawson and Public Address compete at Ballindenisk earlier this season. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

“I’m quite competitive, and I had got a bit bored and thought, ‘What else can I do?'” he continued. “So I started buying and selling a few horses. This horse came along. I tried to sell him, but he had a few issues and I struggled to sell him. I sort of kept him around instead of doing nothing, and he just progressed quite quickly. He’s quite talented.”

Public Address has royal breeding when it comes to pointing, but in reality, he wound up being too slow to be competitive. His temperament and trainability, coupled with his actual jumping ability, however, was enough for Simon to sign away a pittance of a purchase price to bring him home. Whether or not he’d become a 5* horse? Tom wasn’t sure.

“I had no idea, really, because I’d never done it,” he said. “It was always ‘if.’ So it was just a case of keep asking him a few questions, and then he answered them and we progressed. And I suppose that’s happened—-so that’s why we’re here.”

Tom’s got himself well set up with help ahead of this debut and Saturday’s cross country challenge. He’s just down the road from Ros Canter, and of course he’s got plenty of help within his own family, as well as from dressage mastermind Amy Woodhead. “We just use whoever we can get ahold of, usually,” he said. “Everybody’s so busy, so we just appreciate the help we can get.”

He’s feeling as ready as he can be for tomorrow’s challenge, and to be sat on a full Thoroughbred this weekend won’t be a poor decision. “I took this horse [over to Ros’ yard] for his last cross country school last week. She had some lines set up that she was jumping with her good horse. I thought, ‘well, if my horse can jump those, we’ll be okay!'”

[Want more on this pair? Read Horse & Hound’s profile here!]

Many thanks to Kentucky Performance Products for their support of our Defender Burghley coverage! Click here to learn all about their science-backed and time-tested nutritional support products for horses.

Defender Burghley: [Website] [Tickets] [Timetable] [Entries] [Timing & Scoring] [Burghley TV] [CrossCountry App XC Map] [EN’s Coverage]

A ‘Smart’ Family Affair for Tara Dixon at Defender Burghley

By on Sep 5, 2025 2:40 pm -

Tara Dixon and Master Smart. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

Tara Dixon’s 5* debut has been a long time coming. Eventing runs in her family: her mother, Karen Dixon MBE (née Straker), is a four-time Olympian who has jumped around some of the biggest tracks in the world many times over. That in-house education has served Tara well as she’s risen the ranks. In 2016, Tara told Your Horse UK that she wanted to become an Olympian in her own right, and compete at the top level for as long as she can.

Now, nine years later, she finds herself on the cusp of making that top-level debut a big reality, with one phase down and two to go aboard the 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, Master Smart, by Master Imp.

Horses in the Dixon family have to “earn their stripes” in order to obtain a “Smart” in their name. Karen, for her part, partnered with two big-time horses during her career, Get Smart and Too Smart. That tradition has carried on — and Master Smart earned his name nearly right off the bat as a talented young horse.

“He earned it in his first year with us, literally just as a five-year-old—he got it straight away,” Tara said. “And he’s got Master Imp in him, so we got Master Smart.”

To be sure, Tara’s lead-up to Defender Burghley was less than ideal. At Bramham in June, Tara fell with her other horse, Global Narco, and sustained multiple injuries and broken bones that set her back in her training for this week. Fortunately, she had enough time to make a turnaround (being plied with gin by some well-meaning friends always helps the cause, also) and get back for this debut.

“I broke my wrist, my knuckle, and my eye—-I cracked my eye socket, so my eye was all swollen,” Tara told us after her dressage test on Friday, where she scored a 37.5. Arriving here, her primary goal for dressage was to get into the 30s with a horse that’s been tending more to score in the low-40s. “I’m absolutely over the moon, to be honest with you. I’ve said to Mum for weeks and weeks, if I got a dressage score that started with a three—even if it was 39.9—I would be delirious. And to get a 37? Yeah, I’m absolutely elated.”

It’s actually quite a circuitous path she’s taken with “Fred” to get here. In fact, Tara and her mom found the horse while on a trip to watch Burghley in 2018. “The last time I came here was seven years ago with Mum, just to watch,” she said. “En route we were looking for horses, and that’s when I found Fred. So we’ve done full circle, and now we’ve returned with him in the competition.”

Tara admits it hasn’t been the easiest to produce this horse (are Master Imps ever easy?), but Tara says the time has been well spent. “He was always very special, but he’s very sharp,” she elaborated. “When he was younger, and I first got him, I’d fall off just doing dressage. He’s been a really tough horse to produce; you’d feel like you were getting somewhere, and then he’d fiddle his feet and you’d be on the floor. But now we’ve built a relationship and a connection. It took a good couple of years for us to be really close, and now we’re inseparable. I love him.”

What’s it like having such a well-accomplished mom to help guide her? Tara says it’s been incredibly special, and the amount of knowledge Karen stores in her brain is expansive. “She just has all those small details, and she just says it all without thinking and I just listen and take it all in. I’ll take every bit of advice I can get, all the help. She’s amazing, she’s always with me by my side. Yeah, I mean her help, her knowledge, her connections, even just to people sometimes who need a third opinion. And she just doesn’t even have to raise a finger and she’s got friends there that are willing to help with huge amounts of knowledge.”

Looking ahead to Saturday’s challenge, Tara says she’s feeling up for it. She’s been well-prepared: she’s spent a solid three or so seasons at the 4* level, and she knows she’s put in the work necessary to ride here at Burghley.

“You need a lot of concentration all the way through, and it’s going to be a long way around,” she said of the course. “But I think we’re ready to tackle it, and I’m really excited.”

Many thanks to Kentucky Performance Products for their support of our Defender Burghley coverage! Click here to learn all about their science-backed and time-tested nutritional support products for horses.

Defender Burghley: [Website] [Tickets] [Timetable] [Entries] [Timing & Scoring] [Burghley TV] [CrossCountry App XC Map] [EN’s Coverage]

The ‘Chimp Paradox’: Simon Grieve Silences the Inner Critic at Defender Burghley

By on Sep 5, 2025 10:30 am -

Simon Grieve and Autograf. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

It’s a topic that plagues us all: we experience the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, even at the smallest levels of the sport, but the drug that is eventing keeps us coming back, dogged try after dogged try — even when our inner dialogue tells us it’s the last thing we should be doing. Simon Grieve knows this feeling all too well, but thanks to, frankly, being open and candid about it and finding his sentiments echoed back to him, he’s starting to conquer that ever-chatty monkey on his back. Inside his own journey through mental hurdles lies inspiration for us all to take with us.

It wasn’t a specific incident that knocked Simon, but he’ll be the first to tell you that he struggled with a bit of a “crisis of confidence” earlier this season.

“I don’t know why it happened,” he mused. “I’ve had lots of crashes and lots of falls in the past, and I’ve got straight back on, cracked on, and been absolutely fine. This time I don’t know why it happened — it was just suddenly in my brain.”

He’d retired on cross country in the 4*-S at Thoresby’s Spring Carnival in March with his Burghley mount, Autograf. Straight after, Simon went to consult a sports psychologist. “It was all me,” he said, noting that he also enlisted the help of Chris Bartle for some lessons to help set him back on the right track.

Simon put the help he got from that support team to practice at Burnham Market the following month: “I rode like a demon,” he laughed. “And he was amazing. We were amazing. You know when you finish, you’re like, ‘my God, that was brilliant’? That was us that day.”

Simon Grieve and Autograf. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Momentum is a very real thing in sport, and Simon’s been able to take that momentum forward to now, on the cusp of Autograf’s first 5* cross country and his rider’s first Burghley since 2019.

“It started off a little bit not so great, but we’ve blossomed together,” Simon said. “He was fabulous around Hartpury last time out. So yeah, I’m feeling like we’re prepared in a good way, and really happy about Saturday.”

As with any elite pursuit, it can sometimes become difficult to silence the inner critic, the “chimp” on your back who tells you that you’re total shit, that you shouldn’t even be trying, that if things aren’t perfect, they aren’t good.

“It’s the Chimp Paradox, isn’t it? My chimp was definitely having a chat back then,” Simon said. “He was saying, ‘You’re rubbish, you can’t do this.’ So I had to shut him up.”

He says that changing his inner dialogue has made a world of a difference.

“A few years ago, I was riding a horse I wasn’t confident on, and I remember having a conversation with myself: ‘Right, you’re allowed to be as scared as you like all week, up until Saturday morning. Friday night, you can ring everyone and say, Oh God, this is terrifying, I’m so scared. But on Saturday morning, you’re going to wake up and you’re going to be professional. You’re going to say, This is my job, I’m going to do a good job, and I’m just going to get on with it.'”

That, he says, “is exactly what happened. I was talking to my sports psychologist this week, and I said that that’s what had happened, and I was like, ‘it’s really random!’ She was like, ‘yeah, that’s actually a thing — you’ve got to keep your chimp really busy and get it tired, and then off you go!'”

 

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Simon, who recently started a YouTube channel and also co-hosts the Shut Up and Ride Podcast, started to share these struggles with his followers, and what he found validated the notion that this was not a unique struggle. “I think the more I talk to people about it — and actually I’ve put a lot of it online, on my YouTube channel and that kind of stuff — lots of people have messaged me about it. It’s exactly the same for them, from all levels. Whether it’s from doing a 70cm all the way up to top level, I’ve had people saying, ‘Oh my God, I’ve had exactly the same thing.’ We don’t really talk about it, and it’s really important that we do.”

As for his tactics to keep that chimp quiet? After that Burghley, and that chat with his sports psychologist, he knows that he’s got to tire him out for the next couple of days. “I’m going to try and do just that this week — talk about how scared I am!”

While a five-star debut, as this week is for thirteen-year-old Autograf,  is always a voyage into the unknown, there’s a little bit of familiarity he’s bringing with him that feels like something of a lucky charm, too.

“I was hacking out with Will Rawlin on Wednesday and he said, ‘you definitely have a type, don’t you?’ Because Autograf is a little brown horse who’s so like Drumbilla Metro, who went around here a couple of times,” he smiled.

We’re wishing Simon and Autograf the best of weekends. They’ve started off with a 37.8 in the dressage yesterday and will now look ahead to tackling cross country tomorrow — with any luck, without any extra primate passengers.

Many thanks to Kentucky Performance Products for their support of our Defender Burghley coverage! Click here to learn all about their science-backed and time-tested nutritional support products for horses.

Defender Burghley: [Website] [Tickets] [Timetable] [Entries] [Timing & Scoring] [Burghley TV] [CrossCountry App XC Map] [EN’s Coverage]

The Power of Patience: Alexander Tordoff Comes Full Circle at Defender Burghley

By on Sep 5, 2025 10:13 am -

Alexander Tordoff and Cool Jack. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

When Alexander Tordoff was 15, he wrote in to Pony Magazine. “I am hoping to be an eventer when I grow up,” he wrote, submitting a photo of himself and his horse, Luigi, on cross country along with bit.

Alex grew up right in the area around the famed Burghley House. He’d come to watch Burghley each year, and also rode in Pony Club, which brought him to the grounds with a horse that was…challenging, to say the least, for the first time over a decade ago.

Now, in 2025, he’s brought Cool Jack (a horse purchased for less than £4,000) back here for his Burghley debut, and even with two phases to go, Alex admits: “What a weird week it’s been.”

It hasn’t been a straight road to this debut, not by a long shot. In fact, Alex, shared with me, he almost quit riding at one point altogether because he’d had so much trouble with Cool Jack — a horse very much with a mind of his own.

“When I was about 15 or 16, I couldn’t ride him,” Alex said. “I’d be at home on my own, and every time I got him, he’d walk 10 meters, and he’d throw me on the floor. I remember coming inside saying, ‘Mum, you’ve bought this horse and I can’t ride it. I just keep falling off him.’ Mum basically said, ‘Tough cookie—crack on. I’m not buying you another one.'”

Alex enlisted the help of multiple local professionals, most of whom also couldn’t get a tune out of the lanky gray gelding. “They’d come in, get on him, fall off, and just immediately leave the arena,” Alex chuckled ruefully. It was a discouraging time, and for a rider who held lofty ambitions of one day reaching the top of the sport, the hill to climb looked the size of Mt. Everest.

“I mean, I used to get up, one day I’d lunge, one day I’d ride,” he recalled. “I’d wake up on the days I’d have to ride him, and I’d have a knot in my stomach. On lunging days, I’d think, ‘Oh my God, this is a great day!'”

Manifestation: Exhibit A. And also a great branding opportunity for “Boy Eventer,” which, yes, is still Alex’s Twitter handle.

Then, Alex went out to work for Ros Canter. It was before Ros Canter was THE Ros Canter — “it was more just her and I riding in a field, before she became World Champion.” Here, Alex and Cool Jack finally found their stride together.

“Ros was the one who got him going, and also said, ‘Don’t stress—he’s actually quite good,'” Alex said. “She’s just the most incredible horseman. Just the amount of time and patience it took. Once he trusts you, he’s on your side. He’d throw himself off a cliff, he’d jump the Grand Canyon if you asked him too. And he even wouldn’t be the most scopey horse, but he just tries so hard. She was the one who taught me the most about just giving him opportunities and take it really slow, like really slowly. Eventually, I managed to get on, stay on, and then he was great. He still has those traits, though.”

It wasn’t magic or a secret sauce, working with Ros. It was simply an emphasis on patience, and on taking things back to basics and going as slow as needed to make even the smallest modicum of progress. In all, it represented a turning point. The horse was six when Alex brought him to Ros; he’s now 17, preparing for his second 5* start. And while he’s come on impressively, Alex warns, he’s still not an easy ride. He’s still sharp as a tack.

“It’s been a case of slowly, slowly. I still fall off him all the time!” Alex continued. “Like, even at Burgham, the show before this, I got on him, and within 30 seconds in the stables, I was on the floor. He’s so quick. Some days in the stable, you look at him and you’re about to tack him up, and he just gives you a look, and you know, ‘Oh, I’ll ride you later.’ You can’t even catch him in the stables sometimes. He’s the sharpest horse in the world.”

And so it comes to this: a debut at Burghley, so many years after the dream first germinated, and not without its own stress. Most riders come to Burghley with plenty of anticipatory anxiety about the cross country. For Alex, the stress was front-loaded with the first phase. He’s been eliminated in the dressage before, and with all of the aforementioned sharpness, it’s easy to guess why the pair would have some anxiety associated with this phase.

Alexander Tordoff and Cool Jack. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

“I’ve been more nervous to do that than I will be tomorrow!” a relieved Alex said, talking to the media after scoring a 41.7. “That’s how much he finds it so hard. Like yesterday, when I was riding in here, you couldn’t get a tune out of him. So yeah, we’re not at the front, and obviously it’s frustrating for me—-I like to be competitive.”

As his journey “back” to Burghley comes full circle, Alex is trying to take it all in (while also doing his best to stay seated on his horse). “I’m trying to keep him in one piece in there, and at the same time trying to take it all in. And the sun’s out, so it couldn’t be any better. It’s my first time being here. I’ve grown up here. I’ve come every day of every year since I can remember. So yeah, mixed emotions—more relief.”

Near the stables for the 5* competitors are the jumps Alex used to chuck himself over with Cool Jack back in the day. It’s been a week full of feelings already, and should they get the cross country done tomorrow, the floodgates will likely open. “It’s so weird hacking out past all the little knee-high fences I was trying to throw myself over on him years ago,” Jack chuckled. “And he’s not been back here since. It’s the weirdest thing-—being here in the same field where we camped our lorries, where we did our show jumping. So bizarre. Every morning I wake up and have to remind myself. It’s just been the weirdest week. It’s brilliant though.”

Many thanks to Kentucky Performance Products for their support of our Defender Burghley coverage! Click here to learn all about their science-backed and time-tested nutritional support products for horses.

Defender Burghley: [Website] [Tickets] [Timetable] [Entries] [Timing & Scoring] [Burghley TV] [CrossCountry App XC Map] [EN’s Coverage]

Good Habits: Joseph Murphy on Learning from Michael Jung

By on Sep 4, 2025 9:20 am -

Joseph Murphy and Belline Fighting Spirit. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

Joseph Murphy will be the first to tell you to hold your proverbial horses, that there are two phases left to come, after a good dressage performance. But to come in to Defender Burghley and lay down a personal best for a horse that’s not slipped into the low 30s often, if at all, in the past, deserves some exploration.

Belline Fighting Spirit, a 10-year-old Anglo European gelding by Freeman VDL, is contesting his third CCI5*, first Burghley, this week. Prior to this, the horse’s personal best in FEI competition was a 31.8, earned at the 3*-S level back in 2022. Today, despite some touch and go weather, the Irish Olympian piloted “Spirit” (love that barn name) to a 30.9, shaving nearly four points off his previous best 5* mark earned at Pau (his debut at the level) last year.

“It wasn’t perfect in there,” Joseph, ever the realist, said after the test. But should his weekend finish according to plan, it will be the accumulation of Joseph’s pursuit of betterment, and some extra education he’s gained from none other than triple Olympic champion Michael Jung of Germany.

Joseph’s maintained a friendly relationship with Michael through the years, helping to source horses for him and asking for some assistance. Michael has earned a reputation for his meticulous preparation of his horses, and Joseph shared that those “good habits” are paying off in his own way now.

Joseph Murphy and Belline Fighting Spirit. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

“There’s the accumulation of a lot of things—-what makes him such a brilliant horseman, and how he works with his horses, and how compassionate he is with them,” he explained. “But the competition side, for me, is how disciplined he is in his preparation and what he expects from the horses. I think that’s the biggest thing. If I had this conversation with him now, he’d be probably shaking his head, thinking, ‘Well, that’s just what I do.’ But from the outside, it’s incredible, really—-how he prepares for an event and how he expects the horses to be right at the right time, for the dressage and for all phases.”

Joseph maintains a level of self-awareness that allows him to have an open mind, even so far into his own eventing career as he is, about the ongoing education of the event rider and horse.

“I think that, you know, I hold my hands up: I haven’t been riding good enough. I haven’t been preparing good enough. I haven’t probably been disciplined,” he continued. “The riding, in one way, came quite natural to me. But that’s not a great thing either, because then you tend to ride a little bit off the seat of your pants. And that’s what I was doing until I really now started knuckling down…I’ve got feedback from judges. I’ve watched videos. I’ve been more disciplined in my preparation and training with the horses every day. And I think that’s the thing that’s now starting to show.”

He’s coming off a banner preparation run at Lisgarven in Ireland, where all of his horses finished inside the the top 7 or better across divisions; for him, that’s the proof that some of these good habits are beginning to show and pay off in a big way.

“For me, that’s incredible. My goals are starting to come off. To come here with this horse and it’s another personal best—it’s a goal for me,” he said. “So I think that with a change of mindset, that’s really what I’m talking about. I have to focus on that and believe in it, and not let the outside world dictate a little bit what I do. We all can get drawn into teams and championships and trying to rush horses and so on. But I’m in a lucky position. I have some fantastic owners who are very supportive. They more or less give me free rein, and I want to get the results for them now. I feel I can, as a rider, I feel like I can do it, but I need to put it together now. In a way, I’m probably my own worst critic, but that’s how it has to be now.”

It can be difficult to tangibly state what it is a rider has learned from someone like Michael Jung. Really, even Michael himself can’t really put it into words, but Joseph tried: “The preparation events—-he would always bring the horses to a place where they’re going to be prepared properly, whether it be in the dressage ring or a jumping ring. Everything is thought of—-it’s just not on a whim. And that’s why the good results come. He’d be definitely made a different way than most people, but he knows his horses so well. So I think for me, the takeaway is the good habits that creates in the competition environment and before it.”

Many thanks to Kentucky Performance Products for their support of our Defender Burghley coverage! Click here to learn all about their science-backed and time-tested nutritional support products for horses.

Defender Burghley: [Website] [Tickets] [Timetable] [Entries] [Timing & Scoring] [Burghley TV] [CrossCountry App XC Map] [EN’s Coverage]

Horses for Courses (and Fact-Finding): Billy Alberto Finds a Purpose with Team Lissington

By on Sep 4, 2025 9:18 am -

Samantha Lissington and Billy Alberto. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

New Zealand rider Samantha Lissington comes into this week’s Defender Burghley well-mounted with two horses coming off of great seasons to date, but each of her rides carries a slightly different role as a part of her burgeoning team.

The 13-year-old Billy Alberto, an Anglo-European registered gelding by Tangelo van de Zuuthoeve, wasn’t a horse that was selected outright as a potential 5* horse, truth be told. He’s had a colorful competitive history, never quite nailing the dressage in a way that would allow him to really compete at the top levels. His owner, Alison Spence, had the horse with British rider Sophie Fouracre previously, and Sophie would take him through the 4* level. But, as Sam puts it, “the dressage was just proving too disappointing and too disheartening.”

At that point, Ali’s daughter, Honor, took the reins and competed Billy Alberto at the British Novice level, but a thought remained in the back of Ali’s mind: what if they gave it one more crack to get to the 5* level? The horse was a good cross country jumper — he wasn’t strong (“whilst he’s quite resistant on the flat, he’s the opposite jumping,” Sam describes. “And he just sort of…you steer him like a motorbike, and he just jumps whatever’s in front of him and and he just never said, has never said no, or never looked for a way out.”) and he had the rideability in the jumping that he lacked on the flat.

Here, Sam entered the picture. “[Ali] was like, ‘actually, I want to have one more crack and see if he’s a five-star horse.’ And I said, ‘Look, I can’t promise anything, but I’ll do everything I can.'”

Sam’s only had the ride on Billy Alberto since January of this year, but already he’s found a valuable role within her team: front-runner.

Many riders who come to these big 5* events with more than one horse will use strategy to inform the order in which they run their horses. Not every event will give riders the luxury of choice, but when she’s able, she’ll put “Bertie” out as her first horse, using him as a fact-finder and trusting in her confidence that he’s got the chops to jump around and give her insights for her next, and potentially more competitive, horses.

Samantha Lissington and Billy Alberto. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

This week, she’s done just that, riding her more experienced partner, Lord Seekönig, second. She feels this will come in handy come Saturday, when she tackles her first Burghley cross country since 2019.

“In a short space of time, I was like, actually, this is a really useful horse on our team,” Sam says. “And one of the agreements that I have with Ali was that he runs first, because that then is a really useful member of our team, even if the dressage doesn’t make progress. So then we can work away on the dressage attempt to make some progress on that. On that side, he’s getting to go to big competitions, and he also is my front runner for the other horses to then gain experience, put that into them.”

Of course, she’s riding two completely different horses, so her riding and strategy for cross country will adjust for their respective styles. “[The Lord Seekönig horse is] quite a nervous person, but you wouldn’t know it on cross country. He can be strong. So that’s my sort of continued work on is to try and ride with as light a contact as possible, so that when I do use the reins, it means something, whereas Bertie canters around with an inverted neck in a snaffle! So they are quite different.”

Sending Bertie out first, though, will still provide valuable information to use later on. “I think that first ride gives you a fact finding mission on the terrain more than anything, at Burghley. What’s it going to feel like? What’s the undulations? What’s something to be aware of?”

She’s still focused on her dressage for now — one thing at a time — but her strategy will go into full implementation come Saturday. “I mean, I’m trying to, this year, very much focus on the next job in front of me and not worry too much about Saturday’s job until it’s Saturday. So that’s been working. So far. It’s working pretty well.”

Many thanks to Kentucky Performance Products for their support of our Defender Burghley coverage! Click here to learn all about their science-backed and time-tested nutritional support products for horses.

Defender Burghley: [Website] [Tickets] [Timetable] [Entries] [Timing & Scoring] [Burghley TV] [CrossCountry App XC Map] [EN’s Coverage]

Stay Safe, Save Big: Ride EquiSafe’s 2nd Annual Safe in the Saddle Week

By on Aug 21, 2025 10:00 am -

Doug Payne and Quantum Leap. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Safety first—and savings too! Ride EquiSafe is celebrating its 2nd Annual Safe in the Saddle Week, running now through August 24, with a week full of deals, giveaways, and educational content focused on helping riders put their safety at the top of the priority list.

Throughout the week, you’ll find exclusive promotions, including:

  • Buy an air vest, get a free canister
  • Up to 10% off select safety products
  • Free sample of The Infused Equestrian’s Noggin Spray with any vest or helmet purchase
  • Spend $500, get a $25 gift card

Exclusive safety-oriented content on Ride EquiSafe’s website.

And that’s not all—Ride EquiSafe has teamed up with Eventing Nation to offer an exclusive giveaway. Visit this link to enter for a chance to win a $250 gift certificate toward your next Ride EquiSafe purchase.

Safety is more than a product—it’s a mindset. As Ride EquiSafe founder Catherine Winter explains in her recent interview on The Go Eventing Podcast, the mission is simple: to provide riders with the tools and information they need to advocate for their own personal safety.

Don’t miss your chance to save and win—Safe in the Saddle Week ends Saturday, August 24!

Save Big at Stübben This Week Only

By on Aug 20, 2025 4:07 pm -

Stübben rider Boyd Martin and Commando 3. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Stübben North America has announced a limited-time 20% off sitewide sale, giving riders the chance to save on nearly everything from saddles to accessories. The discount applies to all products—including new saddles—making this one of the most comprehensive sales the company has ever offered.

The only exception is on custom saddles, but shoppers will still find unbeatable savings across Stübben’s renowned range of tack, equipment, and rider gear. Known for combining German craftsmanship with modern innovation, Stübben products are a favorite among riders at every level of equestrian sport.

The sale runs for a limited time, making now the perfect opportunity to upgrade your equipment and experience the comfort, durability, and performance that has defined Stübben for over a century.

Visit stubbennorthamerica.com to shop the sale before it ends this Sunday, August 24!

Belgium Unveils Agria FEI Eventing European Championships Roster

By on Aug 20, 2025 11:00 am -

The team decisions are rolling in thick and fast now, and we have a look today at the Belgian squad who will be traveling to Blenheim in September:

👊 Team:
Wouter De Cleene – Quintera
Lara De Liedekerke – Hooney d’Arville (reserve: Kiarado d’Arville)
Tine Magnus – Dia van het Lichterveld Z
Senne Vervaecke – Google van Alsingen

⭐ Individuals:
Jasper Peeters – Jackass PK
Karin Donckers – Olympic de Muze or Ceres de la Brasserie

Congratulations to all! You can view more Europeans coverage here.

A Late Newcomer to the Defender Burghley Roster

By on Aug 19, 2025 9:00 am -

Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

We’ve got a new addition to the Defender Burghley entry list ahead of today’s draw for running order. After initially being short-listed for the FEI Eventing European Championships for Great Britain, Oliver Townend and the owners of CCI5* winner Cooley Rosalent have opted to withdraw from selection and instead aim for the 11-year-old Irish mare’s Burghley debut.

“We wholeheartedly believe in her as a team horse and recognise the privilege of being included in selection, but equally support her owners dream of having a horse delivering top results at our British 5* competitions,” Oliver shared on social media. “After Rosie’s brilliant win at Kentucky and 2nd place at Badminton this spring, combined with her owner’s ill health, they felt Burghley is the next exciting step for her. We will no doubt be fully supporting and cheering on the Brits who were selected for the Europeans and look forward to watching them defend the title on home soil!”

While EquiRatings still has Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo, 2024 winners of Burghley, as the heavy favorites to win at 47%, Oliver now sweeps into second in the Prediction Centre with a 16% current win chance. You can view the Prediction Centre here.

We’ll have news on the Burghley draw later today, but in the meantime you can view the full entry list and more information here.

EN’s coverage of Defender Burghley is presented to you by Kentucky Performance Products.

Defender Burghley: [Website] [Tickets] [Entries] [Burghley TV]

Great Britain Announces Six-Member Squad for Agria FEI Eventing European Championships for Seniors

By on Aug 18, 2025 10:00 am -

Laura Collett and London 52. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

It’s high time to start rolling those team announcements for next month’s Agria FEI Eventing Championships for Seniors. This year’s championship will take place t Blenheim Palace, September 18-21. Great Britain is the latest to announce its definite squad, and the announcement comes on the heels of defending European Champion Ros Canter’s announcement that she would be excusing herself from selection as she expects her second child.

With that being said, we talk often of the depth of the British, and there were plenty of pairs waiting in the wings to fill a spot that we all but knew would be granted to Ros and Lordships Graffalo. Here’s a look at the six-member squad (a team of four and two individuals will be designated at a later date) selected for Europeans. The list is in alphabetical order.

  • Laura Collett (35) from Salperton, Gloucestershire, with Karen Bartlett, Keith Scott and her own London 52 (bay, gelding, 16yrs, 16.3hh, Landos x Quinar, Breeder: Ocke Riewerts GER, Groom: Tilly Hughes)
  • Caroline Harris (35) from Stroud, Gloucestershire, Lucy Matthews, Fiona Olivier, Marie Anne Richardson and Heather Royle’s D. Day (bay, gelding, 11yrs, 16.1hh, Billy Mexico x Dilum XX, Breeder: Fiona Olivier GBR, Groom: Nellie Smith)
  • Yasmin Ingham (28) based in Nantwich, Cheshire and originally from The Isle of Man, with Janette Chinn and The Sue Davies Fund’s Rehy DJ (bay, gelding, 15yrs, 16.2hh, Tinarana’s Inspector x Big Sink Hope, Breeder: Noell Russell IRL, Groom: Alison Bell)
  • Piggy March (45) from Maidwell, Northamptonshire, with Jayne McGivern’s Halo (grey, stallion, 12yrs, 16.2hh, Humphrey 61 x Contender, Breeder: Bernard Hobe GER, Groom: Hannah Chowen)
  • Tom McEwen (34) from Stroud, Gloucestershire, with James and Jo Lambert and Deirdre Johnston’s JL Dublin (dark brown, gelding, 14yrs, 16.2hh, Diarado x Cantano, Breeder: Volker Göttsche-Götze GER, Groom: Adam Short)
  • Bubby Upton (26) from Newmarket, Suffolk, with the Five Time Syndicate and her own Its Cooley Time (grey, gelding, 10yrs, 16.1hh, Quality Time TN x Heartbreaker, Breeder: Ishennisnag Stud IRL, Groom: Kirsty Campbell)

Piggy March and Halo. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

“This is a really exciting group of horses and riders, which combines experience alongside new talent – both human and equine,” Eventing Performance Manager Richard Waygood said in the announcement press release. “We’re fortunate to have Laura and Tom returning with their accomplished Olympic rides, it’s a new championship ride for Yaz, while Piggy brings forward her next generation championship horse. Both Bubby and Caroline have been in outstanding recent form and are worthy debutants – it’s exciting for our sport to have new faces in the squad. Overall, the line-up is ideal for current and future performance as we look toward next year’s FEI World Championships and LA28, while still being competitive at Blenheim. I’d also like to thank all of our owners for their support and the faith they put in our World Class Programme.”

As Great Britain prepares to defend the team title earned in 2023, this home soil showdown looms large. If you’re interested in attending, you can find information on tickets here. Further team announcements are anticipated this week ahead of the Definite Entries deadline of September 1. You can learn more about this year’s Championships here.

Bromont Continues Its Legacy as a Launchpad for Eventing’s Future Stars

By on Aug 17, 2025 8:06 pm -

Lindsay Traisnel and Bacyrouge. Photo by Cealy Tetley.

It was a banner weekend for Canadian eventing, with home riders taking top honours at August Bromont while a recent Bromont champion also delivered on the world stage. Just two months after winning the MARS Bromont CCI4*-L, Lauren Nicholson and Ms. Jacqueline Mars’ Larcot Z claimed victory at the Arville CCIO4*-S in Belgium, besting a world-class field and underscoring Bromont’s role as a launchpad for future success.

That same pathway to progression was on display again at the August International, where Bromont once more proved its value as a key stop for riders preparing for fall campaigns. 

In the Kingsleigh Equine CCI4*-S, Canada’s Lindsay Traisnel piloted Patricia Pearce’s Bacyrouge to the win after jumping clear on cross-country. Adding 10 time penalties, the Pan American Games team and individual medalist (2023) secured victory on a final score of 42.7 — using Bromont as the perfect stepping stone toward her next big goal, the MARS Maryland 5 Star in October.

“Honestly, I just really wanted to give him a good ride,” Traisnel said. “What really motivates me is to have a really good round. I’m probably not always competitive enough, so I just love giving him a good ride and having a good round. [The fact I was in the lead] didn’t really change my ride today.”

Traisnel, who brought “Dreamy” back to Canada after finding him in France when she resided there, only has one upper-level horse competing. While many of her colleagues have a string of horses, Traisnel says she relies on her trust and partnership with her horse to keep her instincts sharp without over-running him at events.

“I just…I really trust him,” she said. “I haven’t really run a four-star since March, so I looked at some old videos, like, ‘Yeah, I do know how to do this!’ And when I start jumping him in the warm-up, he’s always great. So I remember, ‘Oh, he’s got a huge jump. We’re good!’

It was Canada also on the second step of the podium as Kendal Lehari finished second in come-from-behind fashion with her own Thoroughbred gelding, Mitchell. Lehari made steady progress up the levels, tying with Buck Davidson in the first two phases and breaking the tie today with a quicker turn of foot on cross-country. This marks the best finish in the 10-year-old gelding’s four-star career; he had previously competed in Belgium at Arville as well as at TerraNova, and was sixth in the CCI3*-L here at MARS Bromont in June to set up up to step back to this level. Lehari and Mitchell finished their weekend on a score of 45.8.

Finishing third in the Kingsleigh Equine CCI4*-S are Buck Davidson and Sorocaima, an off-track Thoroughbred gelding, on a score of 51.8.

Boyd Martin and Shanroe Cooley. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Boyd Martin continued his solid weekend on cross-country, piloting Ocala Horse Properties’ Shanroe Cooley to the eventual CCI3*-S win on a score of 29.5 after adding 3.6 time penalties as the quickest round of the division. Martin had expressed his plans to be slightly more conservative on his other, more experienced horses as they set up for their various fall destinations. However, with “Dallas,” he planned to “let ‘er rip” a bit more to get a feel for where the 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding was in his fitness and training.

“It’s the first time I sort of opened him up a little bit, and for a big horse, he’s actually got a big step,” Martin said. “I was impressed with his galloping ability because I thought he might be slow, but he’s not. I’m very, very pleased with him.”

“Obviously, it’s one of Liz’s champion horses, and it’s just a real honor and privilege,” Martin said. He has taken the reins on both Shanroe Cooley as well as Miks Master C (owned by Ocala Horse Properties and Debby Palmer), who was ninth in this division, while Olympic rider Liz Halliday continues her recovery from a traumatic brain injury sustained in a fall last summer. For Martin, the intervening months have been dedicated to building a partnership with these horses, which isn’t a simple task.

“I have to say, they’re beautifully trained horses,” he continued. “Me and Liz were always sort of ‘rivals’ at the competitions, but I admire [her]—with all her horses, they know their job. Even if you’re not quite perfect to some of the accuracy fences, they fight for you and jump through the fences, which is a credit to Liz’s training.”

Martin’s first plan is to qualify Shanroe Cooley for a CCI4*-L later this fall, and is tentatively aiming for the US Equestrian Open of Eventing Final at Morven Park in October.

Boyd Martin and Luke 140. Photo by Sally Spickard.

The FEI World #4 also claimed third place in the CCI3*-S with the Luke 140 Syndicate’s Luke 140, who ran more conservatively as he prepares for the MARS Maryland 5 Star and accumulated 13.2 time penalties to relinquish his lead.

“He’s an older horse but a difficult horse to ride, so I wanted to put him in a slightly easier class and just work a bit on his rideability and balance,” Martin elaborated. “Plus, the jumps are a bit smaller and a little nicer on his legs. He could do really well at Maryland if I play my cards right and all the stars align. So it’s just trying to keep him fit, sound, and dialed in to strike at Maryland 5 Star.”

Will Coleman and Honest Man. Photo by Cealy Tetley.

Will Coleman picked up the CCI2*-S win today with the Honest Man Group’s Honest Man, a 7-year-old Belgian gelding with whom Coleman has been partnered with for just about a year. Last August, Coleman brought Honest Man to August Bromont for his first event stateside, finishing third in the CCI1*-S. Now, Coleman feels confident that this young talent is nearing readiness to move up to the Intermediate and three-star level.

“He’s come a long way in a year,” Coleman said. “He’s still got a long way to go, but I was pretty pleased with him this weekend overall. He’s just kind of, I think, getting close to taking a step forward, maybe to the Intermediate level, and this was a great way to sort of see where we’re at.”

Coleman echoed the sentiment of using Bromont’s up-to-standard courses to build up his string for the top levels. “The courses are always first class. I think that’s a big reason why a lot of us like to come here—it gives us a great read on where we are, our horses for each level.”

Maddie Hale and Shanbeg Legacy. Photo by Cealy Tetley.

Maddie Hale retained her lead to win the U25 CCI2*-S division, riding her newest partner, Shanbeg Legacy, to a double clear cross-country round to remain on a score of 31.1. Just four riders across FEI divisions made the optimum time, and Hale can proudly count herself as one of them.

“I found that [the cross-country] rode very forward,” Hale said. “Walking, it felt a bit big, but then riding, it felt quite forward and he found it quite easy to jump everything. It was a bit spooky in places, but I think everything was set up really nicely to set them up going through the course.”

Hale is using this event to set herself up for a CCI2*-L later on this fall.

Bradley Champagne and Excel Star Bravo 2. Photo by Cealy Tetley.

Once more, Canada topped the podium in the CCI1*-S, with Bradley Champagne taking the victory aboard his own Excel Star Bravo 2 on a score of 29.2 and becoming one of just two competitors finishing on their dressage score. Champagne, who works full-time for Boyd Martin starting young horses, credits both that experience and his partnership with “Bravo” to secure the 6-year-old Irish gelding’s first FEI win in as many starts.

“I’ve had him since he was a three-year-old. He wasn’t easy!” Champagne said. “It took him until he was about five and a half to stop blindly spooking at everything. At first, it was a bit of a headache. I was thinking, ‘What have I done? Have I taken on more than I can handle?’ But I took my time, kept it easy, and it’s all paid off.”

“I honestly couldn’t have done it without that tool of training [young horses],” he continued. “Like I said, he was very difficult as a three- and four-year-old. Boyd basically said, ‘Yes, he is difficult, but just go back to your basics and what you know.’ That helped me give him a moment to take a breath. It was up and down for the first couple of years, but now he’s settled. Hopefully—knock on wood—he’ll just keep getting better.”

Bromont also hosted riders competing at the national EV100 level, and Canadian Olympian Selena O’Hanlon took the win aboard Kevin Tallman’s Castlequarter Bobbie D, steadily moving up after beginning the weekend in third place to finish on their dressage score of 27.8.

Bromont would like to thank the competitors, grooms, sponsors, officials, volunteers, staff, media and all who came out to spectate throughout the weekend. Many thanks in particular to Kingsleigh Equine for their support of the CCI4*-S. We look forward to welcoming eventing back to Bromont Olympic Equestrian Park in 2026 as the venue celebrates its 50th anniversary since hosting the 1976 Olympics. It will be a weekend not to be missed, so watch out for future communications as our date is finalized and we make preparations for what promises to be a stellar weekend of competition.

Bromont CCI-S H.T. (Canada): [Website] [Scores]

Lindsay Traisnel Tops CCI4*-S, Boyd Martin Dominates CCI3*-S at Bromont

By on Aug 16, 2025 9:09 pm -

Lindsay Traisnel and Bacyrouge. Photo by Cealy Tetley.

The August Bromont Horse Trials continued on Saturday with both dressage and show jumping phases taking place at the Bromont Equestrian Park ahead of Sunday’s cross-country action. A multi-national field is on feature this weekend, with five nations (Canada, USA, France, Australia, New Zealand) represented across divisions.

Canada came out in front early, with Lindsay Traisnel currently leading the Kingsleigh Equine CCI4*-S, sitting on a 37.2 going into cross-country with Bacyrouge, a 14-year-old Selle Francais gelding owned by Patricia Pearce.

Traisnel says “Dreamy” is feeling primed for the fall season and is feeling great. With October’s MARS Maryland 5 Star in mind, she plans on piloting Bacyrouge, an experienced horse who loves to be on the move, to a competitive run tomorrow.

“Definitely the focus is preparing for Maryland,” Traisnel commented. “He’s my only horse at this level – or even he’s my only horse, really – so I need to practice going a little quickly to make sure I’m ready for that as part of our prep.”

Boasting that Bromont is perhaps her favorite event in the whole word, Traisnel speaks on the courses designed by Derek di Grazia, assisted by Canada’s Jay Hambly, and prep. “I mean we all come for the cross-country,” she said. “It’s beautiful, it’s big and bold and galloping, and I think it really helps prep the horses for their long formats in the fall or depending on the time of year.”

Hannah Sue Hollberg and Christa Schmidt’s Carsonstown jumped a clear round Saturday afternoon to move into second in the Kingsleigh Equine CCI4*-S, and we have a tie for third, with Buck Davidson jumping from sixth to third on the wings of a double clear jumping round on Sorocaima, accompanied by Canada’s Kendal Lehari and Mitchell, also jumping from sixth to keep the tie intact.

Boyd Martin and Luke 140. Photo by Cealy Tetley.

FEI World #4 Boyd Martin enjoyed a strong day at the office Saturday and currently holds first through third place in the CCI3*-S. Leading the pack is the Luke 140 Syndicate’s Luke 140, who added nothing to his dressage score of 25.4 to hold firm on the lead. Luke 140 is followed by Shanroe Cooley (25.9) and Miks Master C (27.0), both owned by Ocala Horse Properties.

“I’ve come here with some mega horses that are four-star and five-star horses, so I just wanted to give them a nice confident run around an inviting course,” Martin said. “That’s why I bring them up here to Bromont! It’s sort of their first proper run as they prepare towards Maryland [5 Star], [Morven Park CCI4*-L], and Pau [CCI5*]. We’re off to a good start.”

Will Coleman and Honest Man. Photo by Cealy Tetley.

Will Coleman is the overnight leader for the CCI2*-S division, riding the Honest Man Group’s Honest Man to a two-phase score of 25.0, adding no penalties in the show jumping late this afternoon. The 7-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding earned a personal best FEI dressage score Saturday morning and will look to build on his growing experience on cross-country Sunday.

Maddie Hale and Shanbeg Legacy. Photo by Cealy Tetley.

Young rider Maddie Hale is the U25 CCI2*-S leader overnight, riding a newer-to-her horse in the 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Shanbeg Legacy. This weekend marks the first CCI2* for this pair, though the horse has competed through the three-star level with former rider Jason Hobbs of Great Britain.

“I think just giving him a forward ride and not really thinking about the placing [made a difference],” Hale stated. “I just want to get him around confidently and give him a good feel for the fall with bigger courses. Everything [at Bromont] sets the horses up better for the future, because even to do the two-star here, it can feel like a three- or a four-star.”

Bradley Champagne and Excel Star Bravo 2. Photo by Cealy Tetley.

Leading the final FEI division, the CCI1*-S, is another Canadian rider in Bradley Champagne, who rode Excel Star Bravo 2 to a dressage score of 29.2 and then moved up to the lead with a double clear jumping round to end the day. Champagne, who works full-time starting young horses for Boyd Martin, brought the 6-year-old gelding over from Ireland when he was three years old. He’s done all of the production on the horse, and expressed his ongoing desire to keep taking things slow and properly developing him for the future. The one-star level, he says, is the perfect ticket for this.

“I think it’s just been about keeping him confident,” Champagne said. “I think about the last six months, he’s really figured out his body. But he is still only six. I’ve gotten more confident to where I felt doing some Modifieds [and one-stars] would be the right thing for him to bring him up the levels. He’s definitely a horse for the future.”

Cross-country kicks off at 8 am on Sunday and will begin with the CCI3*-S division. Boyd Martin will be the first rider out of the start box aboard Fetiche des Rouges, who is currently eighth in the CCI3*-S.

Admission and parking are free to the public on Sunday, and all are invited to come out and take part in some spectacular cross-country action. Patrons can also stop by the VIP tent to check out a free sample of Kingsleigh Equine’s environmentally-friendly cleaning products. You can learn more about Kingsleigh Equine here.

Bromont CCI-S H.T. (Canada): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

USA Moves to Gold Position Following Cross Country at Arville Nations Cup

By on Aug 16, 2025 7:41 pm -

The Defender U.S. eventing squad competing at this weekend’s FEI Nations Cup leg in Belgium started the morning in silver position. It wouldn’t take long, though, for the cross country to exert its influence, humbling some experienced horses and riders and shuffling the standings considerably.

Germany began the day in gold medal position, but it came down to the clock. The German team, consisting of individual overnight leader Libussa Lübbeke and Caramia 34 (30.8), Nicolai Aldinger and Timmo, Calvin Böckmann and The Phantom of the Opera, and Arne Bergendahl with Luthien NRW, collectively yielded just a few too many time penalties to open the door for the Americans to jump ahead.

The all-female team of Cosby Green and Clever Louis (31.2), Lauren Nicholson and Larcot Z (31.7), Caroline Pamukcu and She’s the One (32.2), and Cassie Sanger with Redfield Fyre (41.3) all delivered quick clears, with Cosby one of just four riders to make the optimum time and move into second individually. The team will head into tomorrow on a two-phase score of 95.1, currently dropping Cassie’s score. They don’t have a breath over Germany, though, who looms behind them on a 96.9 team score. The Dutch team lies in third ahead of show jumping on a score of 120.2. Full team standings can be found here. Individual scores are here.

Many riders competing here are vying for a coveted spot on their countries’ FEI Eventing European Championships for Seniors, for which Arville is being used as a final selection trial. A solid finish here for these riders could stamp their ticket to Blenheim in about a month’s time.

The show jumping begins for the 4*-S at 11:00 a.m. local time, which is 5 a.m. EST / 2 a.m. PST. You can tune in live to see if the U.S. can bring home their first FEI Nations Cup gold of the season on ClipMyHorse.TV here.

FEI Eventing Nations Cup – Arville CCIO4*-S: [Website] [Schedule] [Entries/Timing/Scoring] [Live Stream] [About the FEI Eventing Nations Cup]

Another European Championships Contender Bows Out Ahead of Entry Deadline

By on Aug 16, 2025 9:00 am -

Julia Krajewski and Uelzener’s Nickel. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

We have another big contender who has now bowed out of selection for next month’s Agria FEI Eventing European Championships at Blenheim Palace (September 18-21). Julia Krajewski (GER) announced on social media on Friday that she will not be pursuing selection with Uelzener’s Nickel, who most recently won the Meßmer Trophy German Championship at Luhmühlen and was also Julia’s partner at the Paris Olympics last summer.

The 2020 Olympic champion cited the terrain at Blenheim as one deciding factor, holding to the “horses for courses” concept with an eye to longevity.

“When I heard that the European Championships for this year had been given to Blenheim I thought ‘very cool venue, but I don’t think it’s for Nickel,'” Julia wrote. “I’ve been in Blenheim twice, with fond memories and for the right horse it is a great course and impressive venue! Though, knowing Nickel for some years now, I felt that the very hilly terrain and subsequent intensity isn’t something that makes him thrive and we don’t want to push him into something I know he doesn’t feel comfortable with.”

“After contemplating all aspects, his ever supportive owner Professor Bernd Heicke and I decided to stay out of the selection process and rather have him do a 4*L this autumn that I know suits him better,” she continued. “As said, this is absolutely nothing against the venue itself, but I am a firm believer in ‘horses for courses’ and try to live by that!”

Germany has yet to nominate its entries, but you can view their starting list here, which will still feature many heavy hitters even with the absence of Julia and Nickel. We should begin seeing nominated entries beginning next week as the August 18 deadline for submission looms. Definite entries will be due on September 1. You can learn more about the FEI Eventing European championships here and see more coverage on EN here.

France Reveals Nominated List for FEI Eventing European Championships at Blenheim

By on Aug 15, 2025 9:00 am -

Nicolas Touzaint and Absolut Gold HDC. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

France has named the seven combinations it is nominating for this year’s FEI Eventing European Championships, to be held at Blenheim Palace (GBR) September 17-21. The nominated combinations will take part in a training camp at Saumur at the start of September before final definite entries are decided. In the end, four pairs will ride on the team and two will ride as individuals.

  • Sébastien Cavaillon & Elipso de la Vigne (11 year old male, Selle Français), owned by the Syndicat Elipso 2024, Group 1 FFE
  • Luc Château & Cocorico de l’Ebat (13 year old male, Selle Français), owned by Laure Sudreau, Group 1 FFE
  • Alexis Goury & Je’vall (11 year old male, KWPN), owned by Fanny Hamelin-Boyer and Michel Mitius, Group 1 FFE
  • Karim Laghouag  & Triton Fontaine (18 year old gelding, Selle Français), owned by Camille Laffitte, Guy Bessat, Philippe Lemoine and SARL écurie Karim Laghouag, Group 1 FFE
  • Benjamin Massié & Figaro Fonroy (10 year old gelding, Selle Français), owned by Aurélie Losin, Group 1 FFE
  • Astier Nicolas & Alertamalib’or (15 year old gelding, Anglo-Arab), owned by Aliette Forien, Pascal Ravery, Nicolas Paul and his rider, Group 1 FFE
  • Nicolas Touzaint & Absolut Gold*HDC (15 year old gelding, Selle Français), owned by the Haras des Coudrettes, Group 1 FFE

The selection committee for the French is made up of:

  • Frédéric Bouix, President of the FFE
  • Sophie Dubourg, National Technical Director
  • Martin Denisot, national technical advisor in charge of the full
  • Jean-Luc Force, national coach
  • Amélie Billard, assistant dressage trainer
  • Philippe Limousin, assistant trainer for dressage
  • Pascal Henry, federal speaker for show jumping
  • Cédric Lyard, federal speaker for cross-country
  • Xavier Goupil, federal veterinarian
  • Mathieu Bez, federal veterinarian
  • Laurent Bousquet, representative of the coaches
  • Camille Lejeune, representative of the riders

For more news on the European Championships, click here.

2024 Champions Return and Other Notes from the Defender Burghley Entry List

By on Aug 14, 2025 9:00 am -

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.

The Defender Burghley entry list is among the most hotly anticipated entry rosters annually, and while this year we’ll see a mildly diminished field due to the timing of the FEI Eventing European Championships for Seniors that will take place just a couple of weeks later, the roster still boasts a 59-strong membership. Now, we’re likely to see some whittling down yet — some pairs on the entry list this year are also likely candidates for a Europeans selection. As the team selections fall into place with the deadline for Nominated Entries approaching next week, we’ll likely see a handful of pairs drop off in favor of Euros.

THAT BEING SAID.

We shared some big news earlier this week that reigning European Champion Ros Canter (GBR) will forego the team selection for this year’s cycle of Championships. Ros announced that she was pregnant with her second child, due in early 2026. However, in her post, Ros only clearly eliminated Europeans from her list this fall. As it stands now, it seems Burghley is full steam ahead for her 2024 winner, Lordships Graffalo. They’re coming off a big year already; hot on the heels of the team gold medal earned in Paris, Ros kicked off 2025 with her second Badminton title (also aboard Lordships Graffalo).

Should Ros compete at Burghley, she could be looking at another repeat victory and a third 5* title for Lordships Graffalo.

Tim Price and Vitali. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Ros will have plenty of competition for the title though. Tim Price (NZL) will have a somewhat uncharacteristically light week, with just one horse in his CHIO Aachen individual winner Vitali, who was second at Burghley in 2024 behind Ros. This is a pair that would also have a handful of 5* wins under their belt, most likely, were it not for some plaguing troubles in the show jumping — especially at 5* events where show jumping comes on the final day. Tim’s expressed his frustration but also his curiosity at the situation and finally felt he had hit on some helpful points by the time he got to Aachen last month. If Vitali can keep the poles in place on Sunday, he’s also a likely contender for the win.

Lucy Latta and RCA Patron Saint. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

Other combinations to eye include David Doel (GBR) and Galileo Nieuwmoed, another pair who’ve been knocking at the door of a big 5* weekend: they were also second at Burghley, in 2023, and also on the podium at the Maryland 5 Star last fall. Katie Magee and Treworra, just crowned British Open Champions at Hartpury last weekend, are also poised to make a big run. Samantha Lissington (NZL) will be aiming to continue her hot streak with two entries in Lord Seekonig and Billy Alberto, two horses that have already had some big results this year. No one can forget Lucy Latta (IRE) and RCA Patron Saint, who absolutely dazzled us all at Badminton last year to finish on the podium in their first 5*. They missed out on Burghley last year but are a proper shout to have another huge weekend if things go to their plan.

Gosh, I could keep going, so I will. And please don’t write me hate mail for leaving your favorite pair out of this preview; I’m writing this from the Atlanta airport after a red-eye flight and I cannot be held responsible for the decisions I make at this time.

Piggy March and MCS Maverick. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Burghley will also mark the 5* debut of Piggy March (GBR) and the former Pippa Funnell ride, MCS Maverick. This 12-year-old British gelding was purchased by a syndicate for Piggy to ride; Pippa had always planned not to keep the ride. Having just taken up the reins less than a year ago, it’s not likely to be a winning weekend for this pair, but this will be a combination to watch as they continue to solidify a partnership.

Harry Meade and Cavalier Crystal. Photo by Cealy Tetley.

We’re not sure yet which horses Harry Meade (GBR) will end up putting on the lorry. As is typical for Harry these days, he’s got three horses entered this year for Burghley. He is, however, also short-listed for the British Europeans team with both Cavalier Crystal and Et Hop du Matz. Any of these horses would be a good shout for a competitive weekend, either at Europeans or Burghley. All three have finished within striking distance at the 5* level, including a third place at Burghley in 2024 for Cavalier Crysal, a fourth the same year for Annaghmore Valoner, and a third at Kentucky for Et Hop du Matz.

Grace Taylor and Game Changer. Photo by Sally Spickard.

For the U.S., we’ve got a small contingent this year with just two riders representing the stars and stripes on the roster. First up is Grace Taylor, who bases full-time in England, and her very talented Game Changer. This will be Grace’s first trip back to Burghley since 2023, which was a weekend she’d likely prefer to forget after she had to withdraw Game Changer ahead of show jumping. Cassie Sanger is also entered with Redfield Fyre, looking to build off of a solid 5* debut at Kentucky earlier this year. Cassie’s been in the UK this summer preparing for this run, and will use this weekend’s FEI Eventing Nations Cup at Arville as a final ramp-up to Burghley.

Cassie Sanger and Redfield Fyre. Photo by Sally Spickard.

You can read more bits and bobs from the entry release here, and the full entry list can be found here.

Stay tuned for much more, including drawn order coming soon, and much more. EN’s coverage of Defender Burghley is brought to you with support from Kentucky Performance Products.

Defender Burghley: [Website] [Tickets] [Entries] [Burghley TV]

Statement from British Eventing on Incident at Aston-le-Walls

By on Aug 9, 2025 11:38 am -

British Eventing posted a short statement on its channels Friday evening informing followers that competition at Aston-le-Walls (Northamptomshire) would be abandoned from today after an incident that took place on site. This morning, the organization provided the following statement update:

It is with the deepest sadness that we confirm Sarah Yorke (GBR), 37, suffered a fatal accident while competing at Aston-le-Walls Horse Trials in Northamptonshire, England, on Friday August  8 2025.

Medical professionals attended immediately following her fall at fence 3; however, tragically, she could not be saved.

Her horse, MGH HERA, was assessed by the on-site vets, walked back to the stable, and is uninjured.

Rosie Williams, Chief Executive of British Eventing, said: “On behalf of everyone at British Eventing, I would like to express our deepest condolences to Sarah’s family and friends. The thoughts of the entire eventing community are with them at this incredibly difficult time.”

A full review of the incident will now be undertaken by British Eventing in line with our established protocols.

To respect the family’s privacy during this very sad time, no further details will be shared.

We appreciate this is a deeply difficult moment for the eventing community, and we encourage everyone to support one another. The British Eventing Support Trust Helpline is available 24/7 on 07780 008877 for anyone who would like to talk to a trained professional.

Our hearts go out to Sarah’s family and friends, and to all of the support personnel who worked to try to save her. We are devastated to report any news of this nature. It’s an unthinkable element of our sport, and writing these pieces never gets easier. We are so sorry for all who knew and loved Sarah.

Applications Open for Georgie Campbell Foundation’s First Rider Beneficiary

By on Aug 7, 2025 9:30 am -

The Georgie Campbell Foundation has officially opened its first application window to support an aspiring professional event rider through its new beneficiary program, designed to honor the values and legacy of the late 5* rider Georgie Campbell.

Created by those who knew and loved Georgie best, the Foundation’s mission is to champion the sport of eventing that Georgie was so passionate about, while helping to create a more sustainable and safe future for both riders and horses. This new rider support program offers one early-stage eventing professional the opportunity to receive bespoke mentorship, financial guidance, safety training, and more, all tailored to their individual needs and ambitions.

Applications are now open through Tuesday, September 30, 2025 at midnight BST, and eligible riders are encouraged to apply.

Who Should Apply

The Foundation is seeking eventing athletes who:

  • Are registered with British Eventing (BE)
  • Are currently competing—or have previously competed—at the CCI3* level or higher
  • Are in the early stages of running their eventing business
  • Can demonstrate both a need for support and a clear ambition to progress in the sport
  • Are aligned with Georgie’s values and committed to eventing long-term

Riders of all nationalities are welcome to apply, including those affiliated with any national team, but preference will be given to those who have not received substantial previous financial support or benefitted from programs such as Great Britain’s World Class Programme.

Applicants will be asked to submit a key information form and a response to application questions either in writing or via video—a nod to Georgie’s own experience with dyslexia. All submissions will be reviewed by a panel made up of industry professionals, members of Georgie’s family, and Foundation trustees.

The selected beneficiary will receive highly individualized support for an initial two-year period, with the potential for a third year based on progress and alignment with the Foundation’s mission. Support areas may include:

  • Financial and business management
  • HR and legal compliance
  • Securing and managing sponsorships
  • Young horse development
  • Rider and staff safety training
  • Branding and marketing strategies

Most of the mentorship will be delivered one-on-one and in person, supplemented with remote support when necessary.

This program is designed to be far more than a financial grant. It’s a comprehensive, personalized development plan to help passionate riders build a successful and sustainable future in the sport. The Foundation hopes to expand its reach to additional beneficiaries in the coming years.

Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to the values Georgie embodied: love for horses, determination, resilience, kindness, and a deep joy for the sport and its community.

To apply or learn more, visit Georgie Campbell Foundation website here. Applications are open until Tuesday, September 30.

Aiken’s Fall Showpiece: Stable View Oktoberfest CCI4* Promises Excitement, Challenge, and $40K on the Line

By on Jul 30, 2025 9:00 am -

Phillip Dutton and Z compete at Stable View Oktoberfest in 2023. Photo by Shelby Allen.

The buzz is building in Aiken as Stable View’s Oktoberfest CCI4-S* draws closer (September 26–29), and riders seeking a fall 5* or 4*-L prep will find plenty of refreshed challenges as well as a $40,000 purse up for grabs.

With a wet summer in the books, the Stable View team has doubled down on preparation: the Big Guns and K-Line irrigation systems have been running around the clock, and the cross country course has already been vertidrained and aerated, with the running lanes aerated twice to ensure top-notch footing for the venue’s full slate of upcoming competitions, including Eventing Academy weekends as well as the Oktoberfest FEI in September.

At the heart of this year’s 4* course are some new design concepts from Helen West, who’s been working closely with the Stable View team for months to integrate her fresh tracks with proactive turf management—something organizers say they’ve not been able to accomplish to this level before. Earlier in the season, Helen collaborated with incoming Maryland 5 Star and last year’s Paris Olympics course designer Pierre le Goupil, and she’s brought key insights from that experience to shape a track that is both forward-thinking and preparatory for the fall’s marquee events.

What to expect? A new creative technical use of the arenas, exclusive to the 4* division. Riders will jump into the Hunter Arena, gallop through the Silva Arena, and tackle a combination at 17AB in the New Arena. But it doesn’t stop there—spectators will get an up-close view as the course runs into the Phillips Arena for fences 18 and 19AB before looping back out. This section alone utilizes 500 meters of all-weather footing, making it not just a spectacle, but also perfect prep for Maryland or Pau 5* or Morven Park’s US Equestrian Open Final 4*-L later in October.

Entries for Stable View Oktoberfest, which in addition to the CCI4*-S division will offer FEI competition from 1*-S and up and National divisions from Beginner Novice up to to Advanced. Entries open on August 12, and you can learn more here.

Weekend Winners: Millbrook, Hunt Club, Glen Oro

By on Jul 28, 2025 2:30 pm -

It’s time to look back on another bustling weekend of eventing! In big news from Canada, FEI eventing made its return to Ontario with CCI1* and 2* divisions running at Glen Oro Farm’s Horse Trials. Thanks to the hard work of many, more FEI opportunities in Canada are coming up at Wesley Clover Parks in September.

Our lowest score of the week also comes from Glen Oro, as Jessie Phoenix won the Open EV100 division with Dunhallow Sampson’s Legacy — owned by Chelsea Low — on a score of 20.6. Well done to all!

Millbrook H.T. (NY): [Website] [Scores]

Advanced: Boyd Martin and Miss Lulu Herself (44.9)
Open Intermediate A: Katie Lichten and Fast Company (43.2)
Open Intermediate B: Savannah Fulton and Cash Point (39.7)
Open Preliminary A: Tim Bourke and Quality TNT (27.3)
Open Preliminary B: Tim Bourke and Sing To Me Cooley (30.5)
Preliminary Rider: Jessica Ebzery and Absolut Cooley Quality (23.4)
Modified Rider: Julie Crispin and Magnific C’Imagination (31.9)
Open Modified: Booli Selmayr and Uptown Girl (33.3)
Open Training A: Booli Selmayr and Bobbie Burns (32.0)
Open Training B: Robin Walker and DHI Milan (25.7)
Training Rider A: Fiona King and Kilbracken Blu (37.1)
Training Rider B: Emma Cross and Raise the Bounty (30.0)
Junior Novice: Emerson Hover and Amore (22.8)
Novice Rider A: Jacqueline Thorne and The Fonz Himself (23.9)
Novice Rider B: Hannah Lowin and Jack Frost (27.2)
Open Novice A: Leigh Casaceli and Irish Hero (28.9)
Open Novice B: Morgan Connelly and Call Me Rio (27.2)
Beginner Novice Rider A: Thomas Whitty and Twain (30.3)
Beginner Novice Rider B: Caroline Reardon and Storm the Castle (30.9)
Open Beginner Novice A: Lee Fairchild and Black Magic’s Riverdance (26.2)
Open Beginner Novice B: Joanne Blackmore and Callam (26.9)

Hunt Club Farms H.T. (VA): [Website] [Scores]

Open Preliminary: Lee Maher and Global Crown (39.8)
Open Modified: Ashley Kehoe and My Ernie (46.1)
Open Training: Martha Wunder and Sunshine Daddy (31.9)
Training Horse: Stephanie Sills and Valor (33.3)
Training Rider: Piper Etheridge and Dalhem Theano (33.3)
Novice Horse: Lee Maher and Fernhill Klass Act HTF (28.6)
Novice Rider A: Catherine Ramsey and Cakewalk (25.3)
Novice Rider B: Emma Thornell and Delta Dawn PVF (34.6)
Open Novice: Kendyl Tracy and Disney (26.9)
Beginner Novice – Junior: Mackenzie Hicks and Sorry Not Sorry (32.9)
Beginner Novice Horse: Devon Sutherland and James (40.5)
Beginner Novice Rider: Michaela Yowaiski and Lumen ex Tenebris (21.8)
Open Beginner Novice: Molly Smith and Kimberlake Jophiel (31.8)
Pre-Starter: Celeste Legat and Key To Freedom (27.7)
Starter A: Miranda Van Hemert-Hartsock and River Monster (27.7)
Starter B: Aila Rodriguez and High Maintenance (27.7)

Glen Oro H.T. (Ontario): [Website] [Scores]

CCI2*-S: Jessica Phoenix and ESI Nixon (33.6)
CCI1*-S: Nicole Reynolds and Glendening Totem (34.2)
Open EV115: Melissa Bourtin and Obeah Dancer GS (35.1)
Open EV110: Emily Lindsay and Ta Ta For Now – SR (43.8)
Open EV100: Jessica Phoenix and Dunhallow Sampson’s Legacy (20.6)
Senior EV100: Maureen Sinopoli and Darcy (32.0)
Junior EV90: Melanie Tian and The Mighty Finn (42.1)
Open EV90: Jessica Phoenix and El Tormenta (29.1)
Senior EV90: Jade Buchanan and Gusto (27.7)
Junior EV85: Danica Fetter and Rather Boldly (35.3)
Open EV85: Jade Buchanan and Ginger (26.9)
Senior EV85: Michelle Stableford and Make My Day (27.2)
EV60: Violet Humphries and Sawyer (32.5)
Junior EV75: Emilie Roberts and Lightnight McQueen (35.0)
Open EV75: Marnie Bennett and FF Fortuna – SR (35.8)

We Want This Farm: Aiken’s Hidden Shangri La

By on Jul 26, 2025 11:48 am -

If you’ve ever dreamed of a life where every detail was designed with horses—and your own luxury—in mind, welcome to Shangri La (literally). Tucked away in prime horse country in Aiken, South Carolina, this 13-acre estate feels like a private resort with an equestrian heartbeat.

From the moment you turn onto the magnolia-lined driveway, you know you’re in for something special. Crepe myrtles frame the approach to the main residence, a 3,953-square-foot Tuscan-style home built in 2009 that balances warmth and elegance.

Inside, a solid wood arched door with horsehead hardware opens to a foyer featuring a stunning inlay of 11 wood species and aqua marble, lit by an artisan stone chandelier. That attention to detail continues throughout the home—6” European white oak planks underfoot, river stone fireplaces, Schonbek crystal chandeliers, and custom stained-glass windows handcrafted by Savannah River Art Glass.

The primary suite is a sanctuary in itself, with a gas fireplace, ambient lighting, and a spa-worthy ensuite bath that includes heated floors, a freestanding clawfoot air jet tub, steam shower, towel warmers, and dual walk-in closets. Even the garage was built with intention, featuring 11’6” ceilings ready for car lifts or extra storage.

But it’s not just the main home that makes this estate exceptional. The 2,500-square-foot Koi House, built in 2016, is both serene retreat and architectural marvel. Enclosed with copper screen and birnam wood beams, it features a fully automated 52,000-gallon koi pond with imported Japanese koi, plus a gourmet kitchen with Wolf and Bosch appliances, hand-forged lighting, and a cozy fire pit sitting area—ideal for quiet mornings or entertaining guests (like the EN team, which will certainly be knocking on the door after we referred you to this amazing property).

Of course, no dream farm is complete without the perfect equestrian amenities – that’s what we’re here for, right?

The 3,500-square-foot climate-controlled stable is built to impress. It includes four stalls with Nelson automatic waterers and fans, a hot/cold wash stall with heat lamps, a spacious tack room, storage, laundry with a raised dog-washing station, and even an adjoining kitchenette and half bath.

Also included: kennels for five dogs open to a fenced yard, and the two pastures and two paddocks are complemented by three matted, fan-cooled run-ins with automatic waterers and lights. The entire property is irrigated and enclosed with no-climb wire, ready to keep horses safe and comfortable year-round.

Security, comfort, and longevity were key considerations across the property. Each structure includes built-in generators, lightning rods, copper flashing and gutters, and 50-year architectural shingles. HVAC systems are equipped with purification and humidifiers to maintain ideal conditions no matter the season.

Residents enjoy access to over 30 miles of riding trails, private carriage roads, two professionally designed equestrian complexes with GGT footing, and two clubhouses. Whether you’re a competitive rider, a dedicated horse owner, or simply someone who craves privacy and natural beauty, Shangri La offers an unmatched blend of equestrian functionality and luxurious living.

Can we go ahead and start a Kickstarter campaign to make this EN headquarters? Asking for a friend.

Click here to view the full listing!

For more information:

📍 1029 Shell Bluff Drive, Aiken, SC 29803 [View listing]
💲 Listed at $4,500,000 | MLS #216062
📞 Contact:
Deirdre Stoker Vaillancourt – 803-640-4591
Alexa Bottomley – 843-540-6831
Presented by Meybohm Real Estate