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Peter Gray Clinic

By on Jan 24, 2011 12:35 pm -

This article was originally published on Eventing Nation

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Peter Gray has a wealth of experience in eventing – he’s competed in three Olympics, Badminton and Burghley, and two WEGs, just to skim the surface, need I say more? Along the way though, he’s been lucky to have trained with and become friends with some of the great riders and trainers across the disciplines, and riders who are lucky enough to take clinics or lessons with him are going to reap the rewards.  Peter cites his greatest influence as the “Canadian Bert de Nemethy”, Polish Cavalry hero, Colonel Micheal Gutowkski who he quotes as saying, “Better to upgrade a  year too late than a day too early”, and this is a rule of thumb he lives by.  He is an absolute perfectionist, with a passion for passing on everything he knows, and sharing his love and knowledge of horsemanship. He has a dry sense of humour which kept us all highly amused all day, and is surprisingly shy, but don’t be fooled by the wit, the soft voice and the kind and gentle demeanour, because he also doesn’t suffer fools gladly, “Now I don’t want to be critical, but really, everything about that was not good at all, from start to finish, don’t you agree?”

Peter is a stickler for the basics, and self-discipline. In everything you do. One of the things that struck me about his teaching was how useful everything was, this was all stuff we wanted to go home and start practicing right away, despite the deplorable weather, and I don’t even have a horse! He told us to be strict with yourself about making everything perfect, and exactly how you want it, from, for example, getting on at the mounting block and having the horse stand still until you ask it to move away, to each transition – are you happy? If not – change it.  Don’t just be a rider when you get on your horse, be a trainer, think about what you’re doing, and what your horse is doing underneath you.  Peter is obviously a smart man and a thoughtful man;  He’s also incredibly busy: he does about eight or ten weekend clinics a year, he organises four competitions over the winter at the Florida Horse Park, and also manages to compete himself, develop property both in Canada and Ocala, and train the Ontario Young Riders and his own day students as well as be involved with both the Canadian and US ICP programmes. 
However he does take the time to reflect, on how he might have done things differently if given another chance at life, how he can improve everything he does, how he can be the best at what he’s doing, and let’s get it over with, yes, he did address the Canadian Three Day Event Team Coach question.

Peter started off by telling us that he most admired the Klimkes and the Todds of the world who can represent more than one discipline at the very highest level, and to that end he seems to be following suit; he’s been riding Grand Prix Dressage for the last three years, as well as Hunter Derbies, and applying the lessons he learns there to his eventing and teaching. The most important thing about riding, he says, is good hands, and, if you’re not born with it, developing a “feel”, not just with the hands, but an ability to communicate with your horse.  The reins are the lines of communication and the hands must be still but not locked, and gentle and sympathetic; you can supple a horse by vibration on the inside rein and then giving again in a very subtle way, the outside rein is always steady. [ This was somewhat reassuring to me, and sounds Old School, but it’s what I learnt growing up, but lately dressage riders I think are having more of an equal contact on both reins?]

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Peter also gave all the different levels exercises to work with during the winter, poles on the ground, in a semi-circle, sometimes raised to trot over, to improve the engagement behind, poles in a square, to walk very slowly inside in a small circle, useful for young, green horses, or if you have a larger area to work with,  to trot circles around it, or trot/ canter through it.  He also recommends trotting in three point seat for five minutes every day, and once a week without stirrups  as a lower leg strengthening exercise that can’t be replicated in the gym and really works.  The three things that Peter says are going to get you out of trouble, we’re talking jumping now, not everyday life (although maybe..!) a half-seat, a strong leg and a light rein.  Peter taught four sessions and a total of about twenty riders, in abominable conditions, and everyone, even those who struggled somewhat, came away with something concrete to work on, some ideas to think about, and definitely hope!
The riders at all levels did plenty of flatwork, making sure each and every transition was perfectly executed, then lots of jumping out of trot, a slow trot, to give the horse confidence that he can jump from power and scope, not momentum. Peter likes to see the riders in their three point seat approaching the jump and for the purposes of the clinic, exaggerating the softening of the hand in front of the fence.  Always keep your leg on, “just because he’s pulling you into the fence doesn’t mean he has any intention of jumping it!”
Peter stressed throughout the day that training a horse should be a passive and gentle progression. We heard the “F” word frequently – Flexion! “flexion and bend are your friends”; according to Peter if the horse is soft and bending in his body, and has proper flexion, at his jaw, then he will be unable to put his whole weight behind you and pull and be strong.  To demonstrate, he set up barrels in the corners after jumps and had riders stop and walk small circles around them, bending their horses’ bodies correctly like bananas around them to slow them down, rather than pulling and tugging, and you can also do this on the flat, in between gaits, slow to a walk and use a 3 metre circle, about the length of you’re horse’s body.  Repetition is Peter’s preferred means of “punishment”, if your horse does it wrong, you do it again, and again until you get it right. Reward should be a pat, or a kind word, and then you move on, but there should definitely be a very clear distinction for the horse between right and wrong. The ultimate goal is a well trained horse that’s easy to ride and reacts to your aids. 
As well as a very welcome and delicious hot lunch, and a never ending supply of scalding hot chocolate and tea, (thank you very much Martha, just what the doctor ordered!) we were all treated to a good, old-fashioned dose of horsemanship.  I must admit that I questioned Martha’s sanity as I drove to her farm in sub-zero temperatures, but as usual, she was right! Peter was the perfect man for the job. The prelim level horses all got a good refresher course, and the younger, greener horses and riders have plenty to be going on with.  Clever Martha, who will now re-locate to Aiken, not to return until warmer weather does also, always knows best, has a string of excellent clinicians lined up for the summer also, including Jimmy Wofford, Jan Bynny and more [Lands End Farm – Event Stables]
Video Link: Lands End Farm
I couldn’t possibly cover everything in one report, but the good news is I will be down at the Ocala Horse Trials that Peter organises in a few weeks time, so I look forward to bringing you a report from there, as well as catching up with Peter again.  I did corner Peter at the end of the long, first day and bug with him a few more questions, and you can tell by then end where he wishes he’d rather be – you and me both, Peter, I’ll see you on that beach and the first round is definitely on me.
Thank you to Peter for sharing, thank you to Martha Lambert and the whole crew at Lands End Farm for braving the elements and making the sure the show went on, and thank you for reading. Go Eventing, somewhere warm!

One for the future?

By on Jan 23, 2011 11:20 pm -

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Erin Buttigieg rode Kim Smith’s Harley in the Peter Gray clinic this past weekend. She rode in the “Just the Beginning” group but that was more for Harley’s benefit than her own.  She keeps her horse down the road at the lovely Flying Cross Farm, and last year’s goal was to compete at intermediate level, which she did, returning to Chattahoochee after placing 3rd at the Prelim level AEC there.  Due to a strict budget that gets spent mostly on her horse, dog and cats, she trains occasionally with Martha (Lambert), and with Stephen Bradley when she can afford to.  With some 15 years of race track experience under her belt I’d wager a bet she could achieve just about anything she wanted, that’s some tough schooling. Her ultimate goal is the Olympics, but keep an eye out for her around Area VIII this spring and summer, and at Fairhill in the autumn, especially now that she’s earned her EN karma. Thanks for talking to us, Erin, Good luck, and GO Eventing!

Mary Fike – Midsouth Team Challenge Event Organizer

By on Jan 23, 2011 3:48 pm -

This article was originally published on EventingNation.com

About the same time you may have been sending in your entries for the Hagyard Midsouth Three Day Event & Team Challenge at the Kentucky Horse Park last autumn, organiser Mary Fike was already planning next year’s event. Some fourteen months ahead of time, Mary and her team were formalising the date approval with the USEF, and the licenses agreement with the FEI, as well as getting verbal commitments from the most in-demand officials, those that she didn’t already have pinned down to a lifelong contract, she laughs, as in a “as long as I’m doing this, you’re doing this” kind of an agreement.

Let’s start with some statistics:

In the database for entries there are 73 fields of information, and 567 rows for Team Challenge. In the scoring files there are 56 fields per division that relate to scoring only, add 8 additional fields to populate the rider names, teams, bridle numbers and then 25 fields for xc jump reports – one row per horse at 567 rows.  The event generates 8 original pages worth of statistics for the Technical Delegate Reports.  During the event there are generally 83 or more different reports generated, including labels for packets and all sheets that go with the horses, (Horse Inspection sheets, dressage tests, stall cards), Horse Inspection Order of Go, Office Masters, stabling lists, dressage order of go (done each day for 2 days) XC order of go (2 days) stadium order of go for two rings (2 days), Overall score sheets for the entire event updated twice a day for three days for 18 divisions plus again the same for teams.  Add in miscellaneous lists like alpha by rider, numerical by rider, special daily results FEI x 2, and sometimes a random request by an official. Phew!

If it seems like the event runs smoothly, and it does, that’s because Mary‘s had plenty of practice; we think she started running the Team Challenge back in 1986, (but it’s hard to remember exactly), with what seemed like a large entry of 45 horses, when it was held at Masterson Station Park, and she did all the admin on legal tablets.  The event has always had teams, and the costumes have always been part of the tradition, but the three day event started in 1990.  Mary can reel off a list of former competitors that reads like Eventing’s Most Wanted: Bruce Davidson, Charlie Plumb, Abigail Lufkin, Jim Graham et al, although John Williams is the only one she actually remembers winning!

Mary had had some experience running some schooling events in North Carolina in the 70’s, and her own Painted Stone Horse Trials from 1982-1995, and so she was ready for Team Challenge, although she’s had to adapt and grow with the sport as it’s changed over the years.  Obviously the advent of the internet and online entries and scoring has made things more efficient and to some extent eased her workload, but also increased expectations of competitors, some of whom she jokes, want their scores online by the time they get back to the barn!

Mary, Show Secretary and Scorer Debbie Hinkle, and Volunteer Organiser Beth Henson work year round. Six Chiefs come back each year, as well as some 225 volunteers. There’s one course builder with a crew of 3, 10 hired officials, 2 announcers and a course controller, as well as 2 people flagging and painting. As if Mary didn’t have enough to do, she delegates the design of the CCI* course to Derek DiGrazia just because “he’s wonderful”, but does all the other courses herself, from BN up to P, and considers this the fun part. It does give her a valid excuse to get out of the office on the Saturday, plus she says all the work she puts in at the Park beforehand is like therapy, those hours staining fences on her own listening to music she describes as cathartic; she knows where the fox lives, and when the hawk found a mate.  She doesn’t have any horror stories that she can recall, or any that she wanted to tell me (!), but she does remember one year it was so foggy that they couldn’t see the horses on the cross country course, despite delaying the event, and describes how eerie it was to hear them galloping at you out of the mist, have them appear and jump, and then just as quickly be gone, although she stressed that the horses handled it remarkably well.

Mary‘s greatest reward for the endless hours she puts in are the grins on riders’ faces.  She recalls a Novice rider last year who was convinced she wasn’t going to get round and ended up having a lovely clear, and the elation that was infectious. Due to the WEGs, the Team Challenge was a heroic effort on everyone’s part, but each year she finds herself struggling against an enormous workload and a desire to have everything perfect.  To feel like the weekend has been worthwhile, she wants every competitor to leave with a sense of satisfaction; she feels like the host of a party and wants everyone to enjoy themselves. She works with a wonderful group of people who help each other out, and the excitement and the camaraderie buoy them up during the long fortnight of the event that they’re based on location.  The competition has barely finished and Mary will catch herself saying to Debbie, “next year, let’s try this out…” or “let’s do such-and-such this way instead of that way…” and has never once finished an event and said “never again”, thank goodness!

Hagyards has been involved as the title sponsor of the Midsouth Team Challenge for the last four years. CEO Andy Clark says the event provides an opportunity to get the new sport horse department in front of it’s target market; for a change, he says, writing cheques to them instead of the other way round, being proactive and gives Hagyards a chance to interact with their customers. The Sport Horse Department is growing despite the recession, and seeing Hagyards’ name connected with the Midsouth Team Challenge, even in something as simple as the Chronicle results page, and the fact that the two are now synonymous, gives him great satisfaction and signals to him that the sponsorship is working.  For Hagyards, Clark says the relationship has been “everything he hoped, and the Midsouth Team are a pleasure to work with.”

Mary evented up to intermediate level and smiles at the memory of the thought that when she bought her own farm she would have more time to ride, but instead she is now even busier with students and boarders. She is one of the stalwart supporters of the classic long-format three day event, maintaining it’s the most fun you can have on a horse, and a valuable training method.  In 2010, although the CCI * had 37 starters, and the training three day had 34, the Prelim 3 day had just 6, and there is a national committee that will hang in there and support the long format for several years at least, to see what happens once these training level three day riders graduate.  Although the Hagyard MidSouth Three Day Event and Team Challenge may well be up there as one of the premier events in the area during the year with it’s many divisions, it’s fun teams and costumes and “end of term party atmosphere” and not least of all it’s location, Mary worries that with the bar being raised by so many “destination events” such as the AEC’s the smaller Horse Trials deserve maybe even more support to make sure they can continue as she’s keenly aware of their importance in the calendar.  It’s a cold day at the Horse Park when we sit down to discuss all this, and yet there’s no dampening Mary‘s enthusiasm and love for the sport, and for her event. In fact, I’m embarrassed to admit that she emailed me all the facts and figures before I could thank her for meeting me – that’s why she’s the organiser!

If you haven’t ridden at the MidSouth Team Challenge, and are anywhere close, I highly recommend it this year. And if you’re unable to attend mounted, I’m sure there’s a job to be done, which always makes the weekend more fulfilling. Whether you’re riding, watching or supporting, please remember to thank the volunteers and organizers who work endlessly and tirelessly with abundant senses of humour and patience, and without whom there’d be no event. Thank you Mary, for spending a chilly morning explaining the maths to me (glutton for punishment!), and thank you for reading. GO EVENTING!

Mary Fike – Midsouth Team Challenge Event Organizer

By on Jan 23, 2011 3:44 pm -

About the same time you may have been sending in your entries for the Hagyard Midsouth Three Day Event & Team Challenge at the Kentucky Horse Park last autumn, organiser Mary Fike was already planning next year’s event. Some fourteen months ahead of time, Mary and her team were formalising the date approval with the USEF, and the licenses agreement with the FEI, as well as getting verbal commitments from the most in-demand officials, those that she didn’t already have pinned down to a lifelong contract, she laughs, as in a “as long as I’m doing this, you’re doing this” kind of an agreement.

Let’s start with some statistics:

In the database for entries there are 73 fields of information, and 567 rows for Team Challenge. In the scoring files there are 56 fields per division that relate to scoring only, add 8 additional fields to populate the rider names, teams, bridle numbers and then 25 fields for xc jump reports – one row per horse at 567 rows.  The event generates 8 original pages worth of statistics for the Technical Delegate Reports.  During the event there are generally 83 or more different reports generated, including labels for packets and all sheets that go with the horses, (Horse Inspection sheets, dressage tests, stall cards), Horse Inspection Order of Go, Office Masters, stabling lists, dressage order of go (done each day for 2 days) XC order of go (2 days) stadium order of go for two rings (2 days), Overall score sheets for the entire event updated twice a day for three days for 18 divisions plus again the same for teams.  Add in miscellaneous lists like alpha by rider, numerical by rider, special daily results FEI x 2, and sometimes a random request by an official. Phew!

If it seems like the event runs smoothly, and it does, that’s because Mary‘s had plenty of practice; we think she started running the Team Challenge back in 1986, (but it’s hard to remember exactly), with what seemed like a large entry of 45 horses, when it was held at Masterson Station Park, and she did all the admin on legal tablets.  The event has always had teams, and the costumes have always been part of the tradition, but the three day event started in 1990.  Mary can reel off a list of former competitors that reads like Eventing’s Most Wanted: Bruce Davidson, Charlie Plumb, Abigail Lufkin, Jim Graham et al, although John Williams is the only one she actually remembers winning!

Mary had had some experience running some schooling events in North Carolina in the 70’s, and her own Painted Stone Horse Trials from 1982-1995, and so she was ready for Team Challenge, although she’s had to adapt and grow with the sport as it’s changed over the years.  Obviously the advent of the internet and online entries and scoring has made things more efficient and to some extent eased her workload, but also increased expectations of competitors, some of whom she jokes, want their scores online by the time they get back to the barn!

Mary, Show Secretary and Scorer Debbie Hinkle, and Volunteer Organiser Beth Henson work year round. Six Chiefs come back each year, as well as some 225 volunteers. There’s one course builder with a crew of 3, 10 hired officials, 2 announcers and a course controller, as well as 2 people flagging and painting. As if Mary didn’t have enough to do, she delegates the design of the CCI* course to Derek DiGrazia just because “he’s wonderful”, but does all the other courses herself, from BN up to P, and considers this the fun part. It does give her a valid excuse to get out of the office on the Saturday, plus she says all the work she puts in at the Park beforehand is like therapy, those hours staining fences on her own listening to music she describes as cathartic; she knows where the fox lives, and when the hawk found a mate.  She doesn’t have any horror stories that she can recall, or any that she wanted to tell me (!), but she does remember one year it was so foggy that they couldn’t see the horses on the cross country course, despite delaying the event, and describes how eerie it was to hear them galloping at you out of the mist, have them appear and jump, and then just as quickly be gone, although she stressed that the horses handled it remarkably well.

Mary‘s greatest reward for the endless hours she puts in are the grins on riders’ faces.  She recalls a Novice rider last year who was convinced she wasn’t going to get round and ended up having a lovely clear, and the elation that was infectious. Due to the WEGs, the Team Challenge was a heroic effort on everyone’s part, but each year she finds herself struggling against an enormous workload and a desire to have everything perfect.  To feel like the weekend has been worthwhile, she wants every competitor to leave with a sense of satisfaction; she feels like the host of a party and wants everyone to enjoy themselves. She works with a wonderful group of people who help each other out, and the excitement and the camaraderie buoy them up during the long fortnight of the event that they’re based on location.  The competition has barely finished and Mary will catch herself saying to Debbie, “next year, let’s try this out…” or “let’s do such-and-such this way instead of that way…” and has never once finished an event and said “never again”, thank goodness!

Hagyards has been involved as the title sponsor of the Midsouth Team Challenge for the last four years. CEO Andy Clark says the event provides an opportunity to get the new sport horse department in front of it’s target market; for a change, he says, writing cheques to them instead of the other way round, being proactive and gives Hagyards a chance to interact with their customers. The Sport Horse Department is growing despite the recession, and seeing Hagyards’ name connected with the Midsouth Team Challenge, even in something as simple as the Chronicle results page, and the fact that the two are now synonymous, gives him great satisfaction and signals to him that the sponsorship is working.  For Hagyards, Clark says the relationship has been “everything he hoped, and the Midsouth Team are a pleasure to work with.”

Mary evented up to intermediate level and smiles at the memory of the thought that when she bought her own farm she would have more time to ride, but instead she is now even busier with students and boarders. She is one of the stalwart supporters of the classic long-format three day event, maintaining it’s the most fun you can have on a horse, and a valuable training method.  In 2010, although the CCI * had 37 starters, and the training three day had 34, the Prelim 3 day had just 6, and there is a national committee that will hang in there and support the long format for several years at least, to see what happens once these training level three day riders graduate.  Although the Hagyard MidSouth Three Day Event and Team Challenge may well be up there as one of the premier events in the area during the year with it’s many divisions, it’s fun teams and costumes and “end of term party atmosphere” and not least of all it’s location, Mary worries that with the bar being raised by so many “destination events” such as the AEC’s the smaller Horse Trials deserve maybe even more support to make sure they can continue as she’s keenly aware of their importance in the calendar.  It’s a cold day at the Horse Park when we sit down to discuss all this, and yet there’s no dampening Mary‘s enthusiasm and love for the sport, and for her event. In fact, I’m embarrassed to admit that she emailed me all the facts and figures before I could thank her for meeting me – that’s why she’s the organiser!

If you haven’t ridden at the MidSouth Team Challenge, and are anywhere close, I highly recommend it this year. And if you’re unable to attend mounted, I’m sure there’s a job to be done, which always makes the weekend more fulfilling. Whether you’re riding, watching or supporting, please remember to thank the volunteers and organizers who work endlessly and tirelessly with abundant senses of humour and patience, and without whom there’d be no event. Thank you Mary, for spending a chilly morning explaining the maths to me (glutton for punishment!), and thank you for reading. GO EVENTING!

This article is also published on SamanthaLClark.com

It takes a certain kind of…

By on Jan 22, 2011 8:50 pm -
Tough? Crazy? Dedicated? All of the Above? Why on earth would anyone get out of bed to go and ride in the middle of the off-season when it’s this cold?
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Perhaps because Peter Gray was giving a clinic at Lands End Farm in Louisville? I’ll have a full report on EventingNation next week once I’m fully thawed, but about twenty brave eventers and even hardier auditors, and connections watched and learned, and silently cursed that dratted black labrador hogging the heater.
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Peter was wonderful; no doubt because he’s such a well rounded horseman. Not only has he evented at the Olympics, he can now add competing and winning ribbons in the hunters and hunter derbies, as well as Grand Prix Dressage to his CV (resume),  because at the very least he has the legs for it!
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 As well as the mind, and the patience, and the passion. Despite the cold, Peter couldn’t stop himself from going a little bit long on each session, he just loves teaching, and it shows. Everyone came away with tools and exercises to practice, and ideas and theories to contemplate.
At every level, the message was the same: “bend and flexion are your friends”, training begins at the mounting block, be very strict with yourself on all the basics.  The training is a progression, a slow, deliberate, accurate process. 
Much more next week on EventingNation, including what the riders thought, and would Peter consider coaching the Canadian Eventing Team again? 

Please Come and See me Often!

By on Jan 21, 2011 6:09 pm -

harry and leo halloween.jpgThank you for visiting my new blog. I’m excited to have a place to organise all my thoughts, photos, interviews… everything I do for EventingNation, as well as the overflow that doesn’t quite fit anywhere else. We have great plans – lots of shows & places to go to, people to talk to all over the world, as well as the normal day to day Kentucky life, and the completely out of the ordinary that tends to pop up too!  I’d also love to hear your comments and suggestions, so let’s go Eventing, and everything else too…

REPORT: The Riders4Helmets Safety Symposium

By on Jan 9, 2011 3:17 pm -

This article was originally published on Eventing Nation

It’s hard to know where to start as I try to organize my notes and thoughts after a long, educational and sometimes emotional Saturday at the White Horse Tavern in the middle of the Wellington Showgrounds in Florida. Presented by the Succeed, sponsored by the USEF, and Troxel, Charles Owen, GPA, Tipperary, and Samshield Helmets, the goal of the Symposium was to make equestrian sport safer.  FEI medical chairman and US Team Physician Dr. Craig Ferrell made sure the day ran smoothly and almost to time, no mean feat as he had to cope with last minute schedule changes due to weather and, sadly other issues.  Lyndsey White was moved to found Riders4Helmets when her friend, dressage rider Courtney King-Dye, sponsored by her employer Succeed, suffered a serious head injury.  Riders4helmets has helped to raise money through an online auction to help fund Courtney’s medical expenses, and to encourage more riders to wear helmets.  Courtney had hoped to speak at the Symposium, but after feeling unwell she was resting at home.  Steffen Peters, a close friend of hers was teaching on her behalf, and had hoped to come also, but sent a personal message via Ken Braddick to stress his belief in the importance of helmets – nobody rides at his barn, or in his clinics without one.

A few days before the Symposium, Lyndsey had posted a poll online asking riders what stopped them from wearing helmets.  From over 350 replies, nearly 90% said they think they’re experienced enough not to need to wear one–that they don’t think an accident will happen to them.  This response was despite two high profile accidents to Olympic dressage riders Courtney and Guenter Seidel last year.
Kemi O Donnell was the first speaker on Saturday, and moved many of us to tears.  In 1998 her 12 year old daughter was walking her horse when he spooked, causing her to fall off.  She was wearing a velvet hard hat with a chin strap and died the next day.  Kemi was under the impression that her daughter had been wearing an approved safety helmet; she told us it never occurred to her that she would be sold anything that wasn’t a protective helmet, it looked exactly like one, she said, but actually was no more than a piece of apparel. Since the accident she went to her Senator, Senator Dodd, who sponsored a rule in Kristen’s name to make it illegal to sell helmet’s that aren’t protective headgear, but the bill has yet to be passed.

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USEF President David O Connor took the floor next, and vowed that the USEF will commit to support to making helmets mandatory at competitions.  Personally he said he has been there for a while, but now as President he is ready to push it.  If you have the technology, he argued, you have to use it, and the time is now.  It absolutely is going to happen, he forecast, perhaps not in a year, but in 2, 5, or 7 years; it is going to happen, he said, so why not now?  Understandably, he was proud of eventing for leading the charge, helped along by the cross country phase and adopting many of the safety standards from racing.  He stressed that fashion and/or tradition is no longer a valid argument, and that watching the disciplines at the WEG in Kentucky he had been shocked by the riders who weren’t wearing helmets while in the warm-up setting such a bad example, and finds it unacceptable and indefensible.  He then had to rush off to Ocala Winter 1 Horse Trials, where he said he had a total of 32 horses running, and that the Canadians were all in good shape. Phew, I’m exhausted!
Dr. Allen Sills, a neurosurgeon from Vanderbilt talked about brain injuries, concussion (you don’t have to lose consciousness to get a concussion), and recovery. Riding causes 11.7% of traumatic brain injuries amongst recreational sports–the highest percentage, and 15% of patients still have symptoms a year later.  Dr. Sills explained that it’s hard to diagnose concussion because sometimes even the worst cases will have a ‘lucid interval’, as was the case with Natasha Redgrave.  There doesn’t always have to be a laceration or even swelling to the head.

It’s not always the direct blow that causes the injury but a biomechanical cascade of events that can take months or even years to mend, with symptoms including difficulty with memory retrieval and emotional learning.  Imaging is not usually helpful, as an MRI or CT scan can look normal.  However, computerized neurocognitive testing is becoming very popular in schools and colleges, especially ImPACT  (ImPACT-Testing & Computerized Neurocognitive Assessment Tools).  This is the the kind of testing John talked about briefly from the USEA Convention whereby a rider might try and fake the Baseline test.  Allison Springer asked about this, and they said they have internal controls and standards to “identify submaximal effort” so you can’t game the system. There are also tests to measure balance and vestibular function, much like the DUI tests, or so I’ve been told. (!)

Then, Dr. Debbie Stanitski spoke with wit and candor about her fall 11 years ago.  Despite wearing a safety helmet she suffered a cerebellum hemorrhage (on the back of the neck just below the helmet) and now competes her horse at First Level Dressage in both Para Equestrian and Able-Bodied Classes.  She joked that the helmet probably saved her life, but a funeral would definitely have been cheaper!   Walking with the aid of a stick, and with her speech affected she was forced to retire from her career as a pediatric orthopedic surgeon because she was seeing patients too “slowly”.  Head of the Equestrian Medical and Safety Association, she now takes a personal and professional interest in helmet and safety awareness.  Although her own therapist stopped reporting any progress a year after her accident, Debbie said her dressage coach continues to see improvement through her riding, and although Debbie alluded to the frustration of not being able to do things she remembers before her accident, and “being normal” she joked again that her husband said she was never normal in the first place.

helmetpics.jpg

Do they taste good?
Dave Halstead, from Southern Impact Research  (SIRC – Southern Impact Research Center) spoke at length about the results of research.  1. Never let my son Harry play football.  2. Everyone agrees that helmets save lives. To break it down, there are two types of brain injuries: the first from linear acceleration ie. stopping on a straight line, and this is what helmets are so good at protecting our heads from–so good in fact that you’ll often see football players lead into a collision with their heads and not their shoulders  because their helmets are so effective.  The second is rotational acceleration, and is a bit more of a mystery.  These are more like the whiplash, or if you hit something and then bounce back in another direction, very simply put.  You don’t have to actually hit your head to get a concussion.  These injuries are often mild Traumatic Brain Injuries, but they are much more difficult to prevent, and diagnose.  To this end, Dave is hoping to receive a grant to conduct further research, especially with more emphasis on the neck.
After lunch, Tom Cafaro demonstrated a new substance, G Form (G-Form) by dropping a bowling ball onto a concrete block. In between were some M & M’s wrapped in tissue which were completely crushed the first time, when not protected by a lining of foam, but the second batch were protected by the thin layer of shock absorbing G-Form “magic” (!) and remained pristine and delicious – Lauren Sammis ate them!  G-Form is thinner than old-school foam lining, and stiffens on impact to “decelerate” the load of the bowling ball or whatever it may be.  Tom has also promised to put a link on the Riders4Helmets website of him dropping the bowling ball on his functioning IPad.

beexiemadden.jpg
Beezie Madden and Lauren Sammis

Dressage rider Lauren Sammis, and legendary jumpers Beezie Madden and Anne Kursinski then changed the pace a little, talking about the responsibility and pride they feel as role models.  Lauren talked about being a close friend of Courtney’s and how she felt as if her accident had been akin to the 9/11 of the dressage world, and how she personally always wears a helmet, how proud she was to represent her country and would like to see the rules changed so that it’s not an issue up for discussion any more.  Both Beezie and Anne, Olympic medalists and vastly experienced, were humble and talked briefly.  Sponsored by Charles Owen, they both wear helmets all the time.  Ann discussed a period in the 80’s after the L.A Olympics when she was forced to take a 6 month sabbatical from riding after a few too many concussions, (For the record, Dr Sills says one concussion is probably one too many but in reality we don’t know) and wondered if she’d ever be able to ride again.  Since then she has always worn a hat with a chin strap.  Beezie’s husband John, who sits on the FEI jumping committee, told us how he’d been inspired by Beezie to bring up a recommendation to make always wearing a helmet mandatory in Europe, and had met with no resistance or discussion.  Beezie then had to rush off to Europe to look for her next superstar horse, while Anne has 14 horses here in Wellington for the season.
P.J Cooksey, America’s third most successful female jockey, and now Marketing Director for the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission gave advice on changing regulations. Peter Rizzo, executive director of US Polo, gave some perspective from his sport which presents extra challenges due to the stick and ball impact issues.

Sarah Ike gave an interesting presentation on the history of the rules within the USEF across all the disciplines, and there seems to have been little rhyme or reason to them.  For example, Driving introduced a compulsory helmet rule in 2000, let it go the next year, and then re-introduced it in 2005.   However, it does seem almost certain that it will be passed within the USEA that helmets will become mandatory, and Carol Lavell seems convinced that US Dressage will do the same, and admitted that she has only started wearing a helmet herself these last couple of years due to peer pressure.

The helmet manufacturers all did brief presentations, as did Dean Moran with the Safety Equipment Institute (Safety Equipment Institute, Inc. (SEI)). Then Dr. Sills and Dr. Ferrell spoke again before USEF CEO John Long wrapped thing up just in time for cocktail hour.  Dr. Sills stressed the second impact syndrome–that we are far more likely to injure our brains if we return to play too soon after an initial injury, so we MUST avoid exposure to repeat concussion.  This led to some debate, both in the group, and later in private about the ‘one fall and you’re out’ rule.  He discussed cumulative lifetime risks of three or more concussions, common in many footballers–17% reported memory loss.  Dr. Ferrell also mentioned that eventing is setting the standards (again!) for physicians at competitions, by requiring that they should be qualified Advanced Trauma Life Support Physicians as standard.

USEF CEO John Long summed the day up for us nicely.  We need more data and more science.  We need more education for all our respective audiences, and we need to find a way to implement the rules so that it’s no longer optional, and it’s easy to regulate.  Although there were plenty of suggestions for so many improvements that still could and need to be made, a real change is coming, albeit, baby steps at a time.  As John said, “it is incumbent on my organization to get my house right to be a model for the more casual rider.”
Everyone present agreed that helmets save lives.  Everyone present would like to see rules passed to make wearing helmets mandatory.  It was generally agreed that equestrianism as a sport is doing a good job in being pro-active to implement rules before the government steps in and does it for us.  On a wish list: more research and answers into the rotational acceleration brain injuries, make wearing helmets “cool” and second nature whenever you’re around or on your horse.
It was quite a day to have so many people from different perspectives gather together and work towards a common goal.  From Olympic medalists Anne and Beezie, to eventers Allison and Jennie Brannigan, P.J Cooksey, and David O Connor, Racing, Polo, Dressage riders, surgeons, administrators, survivors, innovators, insurers, manufacturers…..Huge props to Lyndsey White and Dr. Craig Ferrell for dreaming it up and making it happen.  Many thanks to the sponsors, and to everyone who attended, and thank you of course for reading. Strap one on, and GO EVENTING!
Videos of many of the speakers will soon be available on Youtube soon, and please check out the riders4helmets website here.

REPORT: The Riders4Helmets Safety Symposium

By on Jan 9, 2011 1:05 pm -

ridersforhelmets1.jpg

It’s hard to know where to start as I try to organize my notes and thoughts after a long, educational and sometimes emotional Saturday at the White Horse Tavern in the middle of the Wellington Showgrounds in Florida. Presented by the Succeed, sponsored by the USEF, and Troxel, Charles Owen, GPA, Tipperary, and Samshield Helmets, the goal of the Symposium was to make equestrian sport safer.  FEI medical chairman and US Team Physician Dr. Craig Ferrell made sure the day ran smoothly and almost to time, no mean feat as he had to cope with last minute schedule changes due to weather and, sadly other issues.  Lyndsey White was moved to found Riders4Helmets when her friend, dressage rider Courtney King-Dye, sponsored by her employer Succeed, suffered a serious head injury.  Riders4helmets has helped to raise money through an online auction to help fund Courtney’s medical expenses, and to encourage more riders to wear helmets.  Courtney had hoped to speak at the Symposium, but after feeling unwell she was resting at home.  Steffen Peters, a close friend of hers was teaching on her behalf, and had hoped to come also, but sent a personal message via Ken Braddick to stress his belief in the importance of helmets – nobody rides at his barn, or in his clinics without one. 

A few days before the Symposium, Lyndsey had posted a poll online asking riders what stopped them from wearing helmets.  From over 350 replies, nearly 90% said they think they’re experienced enough not to need to wear one–that they don’t think an accident will happen to them.  This response was despite two high profile accidents to Olympic dressage riders Courtney and Guenter Seidel last year.
Kemi O Donnell was the first speaker on Saturday, and moved many of us to tears.  In 1998 her 12 year old daughter was walking her horse when he spooked, causing her to fall off.  She was wearing a velvet hard hat with a chin strap and died the next day.  Kemi was under the impression that her daughter had been wearing an approved safety helmet; she told us it never occurred to her that she would be sold anything that wasn’t a protective helmet, it looked exactly like one, she said, but actually was no more than a piece of apparel. Since the accident she went to her Senator, Senator Dodd, who sponsored a rule in Kristen’s name to make it illegal to sell helmet’s that aren’t protective headgear, but the bill has yet to be passed.

davidoconnor.jpg
USEF President David O Connor took the floor next, and vowed that the USEF will commit to support to making helmets mandatory at competitions.  Personally he said he has been there for a while, but now as President he is ready to push it.  If you have the technology, he argued, you have to use it, and the time is now.  It absolutely is going to happen, he forecast, perhaps not in a year, but in 2, 5, or 7 years; it is going to happen, he said, so why not now?  Understandably, he was proud of eventing for leading the charge, helped along by the cross country phase and adopting many of the safety standards from racing.  He stressed that fashion and/or tradition is no longer a valid argument, and that watching the disciplines at the WEG in Kentucky he had been shocked by the riders who weren’t wearing helmets while in the warm-up setting such a bad example, and finds it unacceptable and indefensible.  He then had to rush off to Ocala Winter 1 Horse Trials, where he said he had a total of 32 horses running, and that the Canadians were all in good shape. Phew, I’m exhausted!
Dr. Allen Sills, a neurosurgeon from Vanderbilt talked about brain injuries, concussion (you don’t have to lose consciousness to get a concussion), and recovery. Riding causes 11.7% of traumatic brain injuries amongst recreational sports–the highest percentage, and 15% of patients still have symptoms a year later.  Dr. Sills explained that it’s hard to diagnose concussion because sometimes even the worst cases will have a ‘lucid interval’, as was the case with Natasha Redgrave.  There doesn’t always have to be a laceration or even swelling to the head.

It’s not always the direct blow that causes the injury but a biomechanical cascade of events that can take months or even years to mend, with symptoms including difficulty with memory retrieval and emotional learning.  Imaging is not usually helpful, as an MRI or CT scan can look normal.  However, computerized neurocognitive testing is becoming very popular in schools and colleges, especially ImPACT  (ImPACT-Testing & Computerized Neurocognitive Assessment Tools).  This is the the kind of testing John talked about briefly from the USEA Convention whereby a rider might try and fake the Baseline test.  Allison Springer asked about this, and they said they have internal controls and standards to “identify submaximal effort” so you can’t game the system. There are also tests to measure balance and vestibular function, much like the DUI tests, or so I’ve been told. (!)
Then, Dr. Debbie Stanitski spoke with wit and candor about her fall 11 years ago.  Despite wearing a safety helmet she suffered a cerebellum hemorrhage (on the back of the neck just below the helmet) and now competes her horse at First Level Dressage in both Para Equestrian and Able-Bodied Classes.  She joked that the helmet probably saved her life, but a funeral would definitely have been cheaper!   Walking with the aid of a stick, and with her speech affected she was forced to retire from her career as a pediatric orthopedic surgeon because she was seeing patients too “slowly”.  Head of the Equestrian Medical and Safety Association, she now takes a personal and professional interest in helmet and safety awareness.  Although her own therapist stopped reporting any progress a year after her accident, Debbie said her dressage coach continues to see improvement through her riding, and although Debbie alluded to the frustration of not being able to do things she remembers before her accident, and “being normal” she joked again that her husband said she was never normal in the first place.

helmetpics.jpg

Do they taste good?
Dave Halstead, from Southern Impact Research  (SIRC – Southern Impact Research Center) spoke at length about the results of research.  1. Never let my son Harry play football.  2. Everyone agrees that helmets save lives. To break it down, there are two types of brain injuries: the first from linear acceleration ie. stopping on a straight line, and this is what helmets are so good at protecting our heads from–so good in fact that you’ll often see football players lead into a collision with their heads and not their shoulders  because their helmets are so effective.  The second is rotational acceleration, and is a bit more of a mystery.  These are more like the whiplash, or if you hit something and then bounce back in another direction, very simply put.  You don’t have to actually hit your head to get a concussion.  These injuries are often mild Traumatic Brain Injuries, but they are much more difficult to prevent, and diagnose.  To this end, Dave is hoping to receive a grant to conduct further research, especially with more emphasis on the neck. 
After lunch, Tom Cafaro demonstrated a new substance, G Form (G-Form) by dropping a bowling ball onto a concrete block. In between were some M & M’s wrapped in tissue which were completely crushed the first time, when not protected by a lining of foam, but the second batch were protected by the thin layer of shock absorbing G-Form “magic” (!) and remained pristine and delicious – Lauren Sammis ate them!  G-Form is thinner than old-school foam lining, and stiffens on impact to “decelerate” the load of the bowling ball or whatever it may be.  Tom has also promised to put a link on the Riders4Helmets website of him dropping the bowling ball on his functioning IPad.

beexiemadden.jpg
Beezie Madden and Lauren Sammis

Dressage rider Lauren Sammis, and legendary jumpers Beezie Madden and Anne Kursinski then changed the pace a little, talking about the responsibility and pride they feel as role models.  Lauren talked about being a close friend of Courtney’s and how she felt as if her accident had been akin to the 9/11 of the dressage world, and how she personally always wears a helmet, how proud she was to represent her country and would like to see the rules changed so that it’s not an issue up for discussion any more.  Both Beezie and Anne, Olympic medalists and vastly experienced, were humble and talked briefly.  Sponsored by Charles Owen, they both wear helmets all the time.  Ann discussed a period in the 80’s after the L.A Olympics when she was forced to take a 6 month sabbatical from riding after a few too many concussions, (For the record, Dr Sills says one concussion is probably one too many but in reality we don’t know) and wondered if she’d ever be able to ride again.  Since then she has always worn a hat with a chin strap.  Beezie’s husband John, who sits on the FEI jumping committee, told us how he’d been inspired by Beezie to bring up a recommendation to make always wearing a helmet mandatory in Europe, and had met with no resistance or discussion.  Beezie then had to rush off to Europe to look for her next superstar horse, while Anne has 14 horses here in Wellington for the season. 
P.J Cooksey, America’s third most successful female jockey, and now Marketing Director for the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission gave advice on changing regulations. Peter Rizzo, executive director of US Polo, gave some perspective from his sport which presents extra challenges due to the stick and ball impact issues. 
Sarah Ike gave an interesting presentation on the history of the rules within the USEF across all the disciplines, and there seems to have been little rhyme or reason to them.  For example, Driving introduced a compulsory helmet rule in 2000, let it go the next year, and then re-introduced it in 2005.   However, it does seem almost certain that it will be passed within the USEA that helmets will become mandatory, and Carol Lavell seems convinced that US Dressage will do the same, and admitted that she has only started wearing a helmet herself these last couple of years due to peer pressure.

The helmet manufacturers all did brief presentations, as did Dean Moran with the Safety Equipment Institute (Safety Equipment Institute, Inc. (SEI)). Then Dr. Sills and Dr. Ferrell spoke again before USEF CEO John Long wrapped thing up just in time for cocktail hour.  Dr. Sills stressed the second impact syndrome–that we are far more likely to injure our brains if we return to play too soon after an initial injury, so we MUST avoid exposure to repeat concussion.  This led to some debate, both in the group, and later in private about the ‘one fall and you’re out’ rule.  He discussed cumulative lifetime risks of three or more concussions, common in many footballers–17% reported memory loss.  Dr. Ferrell also mentioned that eventing is setting the standards (again!) for physicians at competitions, by requiring that they should be qualified Advanced Trauma Life Support Physicians as standard.

USEF CEO John Long summed the day up for us nicely.  We need more data and more science.  We need more education for all our respective audiences, and we need to find a way to implement the rules so that it’s no longer optional, and it’s easy to regulate.  Although there were plenty of suggestions for so many improvements that still could and need to be made, a real change is coming, albeit, baby steps at a time.  As John said, “it is incumbent on my organization to get my house right to be a model for the more casual rider.”
Everyone present agreed that helmets save lives.  Everyone present would like to see rules passed to make wearing helmets mandatory.  It was generally agreed that equestrianism as a sport is doing a good job in being pro-active to implement rules before the government steps in and does it for us.  On a wish list: more research and answers into the rotational acceleration brain injuries, make wearing helmets “cool” and second nature whenever you’re around or on your horse.
It was quite a day to have so many people from different perspectives gather together and work towards a common goal.  From Olympic medalists Anne and Beezie, to eventers Allison and Jennie Brannigan, P.J Cooksey, and David O Connor, Racing, Polo, Dressage riders, surgeons, administrators, survivors, innovators, insurers, manufacturers…..Huge props to Lyndsey White and Dr. Craig Ferrell for dreaming it up and making it happen.  Many thanks to the sponsors, and to everyone who attended, and thank you of course for reading. Strap one on, and GO EVENTING! 
Videos of many of the speakers will soon be available on Youtube soon, and please check out the riders4helmets website here.

Clark Montgomery

By on Dec 18, 2010 3:16 pm -

This article was originally published on Eventing Nation

clarkmontgomery9.jpg

Clark takes his victory gallop at the Fair Hill CCI2* with Loughan Glen

Even by my own terrible reckoning, (I was born without a sense of direction), Chattahoochee Hills is barely out of the way if you’re traveling from Pine Top back up to Lexington, Kentucky, so that was all the excuse I needed to arrange a meeting with Clark and Jess Montgomery who have been based there since June this year.  Sadly, Jess was not feeling well the day I visited so I didn’t meet her, but her lovely husband chatted with me for a while and caught me up to speed with what’s happening with Montgomery Equestrian.   According to his website Clark started riding when he was five, trained with Jim Graham for a couple of years starting in 1997, and then joined the O’Connor Event Team in 1999. In 2008, he and Jessie took three horses over to England, basing themselves at Mark and Sandy Philips’ Aston Farm, hoping to stay for the four years leading up to the London Olympics (visa issues eventually made this impossible).  While in England, apart from placing 2nd at the Blair Castle 3* CCI, attending Barbury, Gatcombe, Badminton, Chatsworth amongst others, and also events in Europe, either as a competitor or spectator, Clark and Jessie also acquired two more lovely horses, Universe and Loughan Glen, who earlier this autumn finished first and second in the CCI ** at Fairhill.  I asked Clark  what he felt he learned in England, and about his tentative plans for these two horses next Spring.

Clark told me how he felt it was good for him to ride in the UK, and get some experience over there under his belt before a really big occasion, maybe for example, the Olympics or a Badminton.  He said that, on going back again in the future, he feels like he might have a little extra edge and confidence.  Although he always puts the horses development and progression first, there is a chance that if all goes well, Clark could be up for consideration for the 2012 team, and it seems that the USEF Eventing High Performance Program are in agreement – last week they named him to the 2011 Developing Rider Program A List.

barnaisle.jpg  chattahoocheehills.jpg
The beautiful Chattahoochee Hills facility and scenery

Belgian Olympic Three Day Eventer Carl Bouckaert’s Chattahoochee Hills Farm is undoubtedly a convenient venue to base yourself and horses; rolling acres, an indoor arena & numerous outdoor arenas, light and airy stalls with the mac-daddy of barns under construction, five sanctioned competitions a year including the AEC’s for two more years, and big plans for the future, and a growing equestrian community in the surrounding area.   Although, it might have seemed like an obvious question, I asked Clark how he and Jess ended up here…

 

Not only do people rave about Clark’s riding talent, but Clark and Jess are an extremely popular couple on the circuit, and now that I’ve met one half of the couple I’m beginning to understand why: they work together, and enjoy their time off together too.  Clark said he’s quite busy all day riding, and he helps Carl whenever he’s around.  If Clark needs a pair of “eyes on the ground” then Jess will oblige.  Most nights, he said they are very happy to cook a nice meal, stay at home and keep it low key, but being close to Atlanta also has it’s advantages!

 

Montgomery Equestrian will be based at Chattahoochee for most of the winter, but they may re-locate to Ocala for six weeks or so during the very worst of the weather in January or February.  But otherwise Clark seems very content with the set-up the way it is.  Quietly ambitious and motivated, as he approaches his thirties, he has a reassuring confidence and conviction in his ability and the choices he’s made, and yet he still has an endearing modesty and is unfailingly polite & helpful.  The horses are in a routine, he has a plan, and although Carl has four fox-hunters that he regularly takes on “the man from snowy river” trail rides, as Clark jokingly refers to them, making full use of the massive acreage on the estate, don’t expect to see Clark out in the Hunt Field any time soon!

Thank you to Clark for taking the time out of his busy day to talk to me, it was an absolute pleasure.  I’m only sorry that Jessie wasn’t feeling well, but now I have the perfect excuse for a return visit, as well as to get pictures of their adorable german wire haired pointer, Brodie, who they got  in Scotland, and who wouldn’t stay still for a second this time! Thank you also to Carl Bouckeart and Chattahoochee Hills for letting me have another look around their gorgeous property, and thank you for reading and watching.  Go Eventing!

Clark Montgomery

By on Dec 18, 2010 1:39 pm -
clarkmontgomery9.jpg

Clark takes his victory gallop at the Fair Hill CCI2* with Loughan Glen

Even by my own terrible reckoning, (I was born without a sense of direction), Chattahoochee Hills is barely out of the way if you’re traveling from Pine Top back up to Lexington, Kentucky, so that was all the excuse I needed to arrange a meeting with Clark and Jess Montgomery who have been based there since June this year.  Sadly, Jess was not feeling well the day I visited so I didn’t meet her, but her lovely husband chatted with me for a while and caught me up to speed with what’s happening with Montgomery Equestrian.   According to his website Clark started riding when he was five, trained with Jim Graham for a couple of years starting in 1997, and then joined the O’Connor Event Team in 1999. In 2008, he and Jessie took three horses over to England, basing themselves at Mark and Sandy Philips’ Aston Farm, hoping to stay for the four years leading up to the London Olympics (visa issues eventually made this impossible).  While in England, apart from placing 2nd at the Blair Castle 3* CCI, attending Barbury, Gatcombe, Badminton, Chatsworth amongst others, and also events in Europe, either as a competitor or spectator, Clark and Jessie also acquired two more lovely horses, Universe and Loughan Glen, who earlier this autumn finished first and second in the CCI ** at Fairhill.  I asked Clark  what he felt he learned in England, and about his tentative plans for these two horses next Spring.

Clark told me how he felt it was good for him to ride in the UK, and get some experience over there under his belt before a really big occasion, maybe for example, the Olympics or a Badminton.  He said that, on going back again in the future, he feels like he might have a little extra edge and confidence.  Although he always puts the horses development and progression first, there is a chance that if all goes well, Clark could be up for consideration for the 2012 team, and it seems that the USEF Eventing High Performance Program are in agreement – last week they named him to the 2011 Developing Rider Program A List.

barnaisle.jpg  chattahoocheehills.jpg
The beautiful Chattahoochee Hills facility and scenery

Belgian Olympic Three Day Eventer Carl Bouckaert’s Chattahoochee Hills Farm is undoubtedly a convenient venue to base yourself and horses; rolling acres, an indoor arena & numerous outdoor arenas, light and airy stalls with the mac-daddy of barns under construction, five sanctioned competitions a year including the AEC’s for two more years, and big plans for the future, and a growing equestrian community in the surrounding area.   Although, it might have seemed like an obvious question, I asked Clark how he and Jess ended up here…

 

Not only do people rave about Clark’s riding talent, but Clark and Jess are an extremely popular couple on the circuit, and now that I’ve met one half of the couple I’m beginning to understand why: they work together, and enjoy their time off together too.  Clark said he’s quite busy all day riding, and he helps Carl whenever he’s around.  If Clark needs a pair of “eyes on the ground” then Jess will oblige.  Most nights, he said they are very happy to cook a nice meal, stay at home and keep it low key, but being close to Atlanta also has it’s advantages!

 

Montgomery Equestrian will be based at Chattahoochee for most of the winter, but they may re-locate to Ocala for six weeks or so during the very worst of the weather in January or February.  But otherwise Clark seems very content with the set-up the way it is.  Quietly ambitious and motivated, as he approaches his thirties, he has a reassuring confidence and conviction in his ability and the choices he’s made, and yet he still has an endearing modesty and is unfailingly polite & helpful.  The horses are in a routine, he has a plan, and although Carl has four fox-hunters that he regularly takes on “the man from snowy river” trail rides, as Clark jokingly refers to them, making full use of the massive acreage on the estate, don’t expect to see Clark out in the Hunt Field any time soon!

Thank you to Clark for taking the time out of his busy day to talk to me, it was an absolute pleasure.  I’m only sorry that Jessie wasn’t feeling well, but now I have the perfect excuse for a return visit, as well as to get pictures of their adorable german wire haired pointer, Brodie, who they got  in Scotland, and who wouldn’t stay still for a second this time! Thank you also to Carl Bouckeart and Chattahoochee Hills for letting me have another look around their gorgeous property, and thank you for reading and watching.  Go Eventing!

Erik Duvander and Kiwi High Performance

By on Dec 16, 2010 3:15 pm -

This article was originally published on Eventing Nation

Yesterday we brought you an exclusive Eventing Nation Puhinui video of rides and audio interviews that I put together with Russell Hall.  YouTube is limited to ten minutes per video, and since yesterday’s ran to nine minutes and change, we decided to give Erik Duvander, Kiwi High Performance Team Leader, a film all of his own, “because he’s worth it”!  I’ve known Erik for longer than I’d want to admit, back when he was competing against Mark Todd, Andrew Nicholson et al. They all used to have yards within hacking distance of each other, in fact I believe Erik was even based with Mark for a while, and the easy, genuine friendship they all share was so obvious and such a delight to see again at WEG.  I was constantly bumping into them at the WEGs, traveling in a pack, with Jock too–the rookie addition who put up with endless teasing in very good spirits.  It has been a change though to see Erik as coach, and the respect they have for him, rightfully so.  I was glad to catch a few words with him now that the Games can be put in some perspective, and to have a general conversation about his duties as Team Leader!

My interview with Erik Duvander from the other side of the world:

Making the videos: Russell Hall and I came up with the notion of doing this video while we were discussing the level of debate that my posting of Jock Paget’s helmet cam ride on Clifton Pinot had generated last week. I may also have been moaning about the Kentucky weather and wishing I lived, or at least owned a winter home down under.  Regardless, at the time, it seemed like there was an interest, and for me, this might be the next best thing to being there. We may have separately regretted the decision several times over the many hours we spent working on these two videos these last several days.  I did,  inevitably, confuse the hours and end up having to run out of a movie leaving my best friend in the cinema alone on Friday night, sorry Meredith, and I did bail on my other best friends on Saturday night, when Lizzie Brown got corralled by the sponsors after the prize-giving, and couldn’t come straight out to talk to us, as planned and ran later and later and later.  Basically I spent most of the weekend on vampire time, hunched over my laptop, talking, typing, tearing my hair out, and  working on this.  Russell may have drawn the aces weather wise, but he definitely did the lion’s share of the work.  First he had to  co-ordinate  interviews with the riders, with Erik, he almost caught  Mark Todd before he left but we were a couple of hours too late, perhaps next time.  Then, working with a 17 hour time difference, we recorded the interview via Skype, on my computer my end, and Russell recorded them via video his end. I then edited all the audio, and sent that back to him in an MP3 file, which he then had to edit again, to swap his “clean”, non-crackly trans-atlantic answers over my version.  Next the real Russell magic: putting the video together, and adding the audio on top, editing that, uploading that (hours), finally sending it back to me, and to Eventing Nation for final approval.  Final approval from me, personally, doesn’t come close to what I felt, I am so proud to be a part of this project, and hope that we collaborate on many more;  my mind still boggles that some three days later we can bring you footage and interviews of an international three day event that took place the other side of the world.

Thank you to Erik for talking to EventingNation.com. Thank you to Russell Hall for all your work in this collaboration, and thank you for watching. Go Eventing Down Under!

Erik Duvander and Kiwi High Performance

By on Dec 16, 2010 11:09 am -

Yesterday we brought you an exclusive Eventing Nation Puhinui video of rides and audio interviews that I put together with Russell Hall.  YouTube is limited to ten minutes per video, and since yesterday’s ran to nine minutes and change, we decided to give Erik Duvander, Kiwi High Performance Team Leader, a film all of his own, “because he’s worth it”!  I’ve known Erik for longer than I’d want to admit, back when he was competing against Mark Todd, Andrew Nicholson et al. They all used to have yards within hacking distance of each other, in fact I believe Erik was even based with Mark for a while, and the easy, genuine friendship they all share was so obvious and such a delight to see again at WEG.  I was constantly bumping into them at the WEGs, traveling in a pack, with Jock too–the rookie addition who put up with endless teasing in very good spirits.  It has been a change though to see Erik as coach, and the respect they have for him, rightfully so.  I was glad to catch a few words with him now that the Games can be put in some perspective, and to have a general conversation about his duties as Team Leader!

My interview with Erik Duvander from the other side of the world:

Making the videos: Russell Hall and I came up with the notion of doing this video while we were discussing the level of debate that my posting of Jock Paget’s helmet cam ride on Clifton Pinot had generated last week. I may also have been moaning about the Kentucky weather and wishing I lived, or at least owned a winter home down under.  Regardless, at the time, it seemed like there was an interest, and for me, this might be the next best thing to being there. We may have separately regretted the decision several times over the many hours we spent working on these two videos these last several days.  I did,  inevitably, confuse the hours and end up having to run out of a movie leaving my best friend in the cinema alone on Friday night, sorry Meredith, and I did bail on my other best friends on Saturday night, when Lizzie Brown got corralled by the sponsors after the prize-giving, and couldn’t come straight out to talk to us, as planned and ran later and later and later.  Basically I spent most of the weekend on vampire time, hunched over my laptop, talking, typing, tearing my hair out, and  working on this.  Russell may have drawn the aces weather wise, but he definitely did the lion’s share of the work.  First he had to  co-ordinate  interviews with the riders, with Erik, he almost caught  Mark Todd before he left but we were a couple of hours too late, perhaps next time.  Then, working with a 17 hour time difference, we recorded the interview via Skype, on my computer my end, and Russell recorded them via video his end. I then edited all the audio, and sent that back to him in an MP3 file, which he then had to edit again, to swap his “clean”, non-crackly trans-atlantic answers over my version.  Next the real Russell magic: putting the video together, and adding the audio on top, editing that, uploading that (hours), finally sending it back to me, and to Eventing Nation for final approval.  Final approval from me, personally, doesn’t come close to what I felt, I am so proud to be a part of this project, and hope that we collaborate on many more;  my mind still boggles that some three days later we can bring you footage and interviews of an international three day event that took place the other side of the world.

Thank you to Erik for talking to EventingNation.com. Thank you to Russell Hall for all your work in this collaboration, and thank you for watching. Go Eventing Down Under!

The New Zealand Puhinui Three-Day

By on Dec 15, 2010 3:12 pm -

This article was originally published on Eventing Nation


The Puhinui International Three Day Event took place this last weekend in hot and sunny New Zealand.  Running a CCI ***, **, and *, a pre-novice three day event, a novice and pre-novice and one day event as well as several Open Hunter Derby classes the competition attracted most of New Zealand’s top riders, as well as Chairman of the Selectors Andrew Scott, and High Performance Team Leader Erik Duvander. 

For full results and more about the event please see their website [Latest Results].  But we can thank Russell Hall, website and facility manager at Clifton Eventing, and also a video genius for bringing us all the action here on EN.  Please enjoy this short overview of the event courtesy of Russell’s hard work over the weekend;  it’s almost as good as being there, and certainly makes me think it’s another event I have to visit, ASAP! Especially as I compare the weather forecasts, why on earth am I still here? 
Tomorrow we will be bringing you some insights from Erik Duvander, HIgh Performance Team Leader, as he reflects on the Kiwi’s performance at WEG, their young squad competing at Puhunui, and of course, the legend that is Mark Todd. 
A massive thank you to Russell for all his help with this collaboration, and to Clifton Eventing, Lizzie Brown, and Jock Paget.  Click here for the Clifton Eventers’ site.  Thank you for watching, I hope you enjoyed it, and Go Eventing Down Under! 

The New Zealand Puhinui Three-Day

By on Dec 15, 2010 10:54 am -

The Puhinui International Three Day Event took place this last weekend in hot and sunny New Zealand.  Running a CCI ***, **, and *, a pre-novice three day event, a novice and pre-novice and one day event as well as several Open Hunter Derby classes the competition attracted most of New Zealand’s top riders, as well as Chairman of the Selectors Andrew Scott, and High Performance Team Leader Erik Duvander. 

For full results and more about the event please see their website [Latest Results].  But we can thank Russell Hall, website and facility manager at Clifton Eventing, and also a video genius for bringing us all the action here on EN.  Please enjoy this short overview of the event courtesy of Russell’s hard work over the weekend;  it’s almost as good as being there, and certainly makes me think it’s another event I have to visit, ASAP! Especially as I compare the weather forecasts, why on earth am I still here? 
Tomorrow we will be bringing you some insights from Erik Duvander, HIgh Performance Team Leader, as he reflects on the Kiwi’s performance at WEG, their young squad competing at Puhunui, and of course, the legend that is Mark Todd. 
A massive thank you to Russell for all his help with this collaboration, and to Clifton Eventing, Lizzie Brown, and Jock Paget.  Click here for the Clifton Eventers’ site.  Thank you for watching, I hope you enjoyed it, and Go Eventing Down Under! 

Colic Surgery for HJ Hampton

By on Dec 11, 2010 3:08 pm -

International advanced event horse H.J. Hampton developed an acute case of colic Saturday morning.  Peter Atkins told me that they rushed “Henny” to New England Equine Surgical and Medical Center, where surgery was performed.  Henny had an entrapment of his small colon.  He recovered well from anesthesia and he is currently doing very well.  Peter thanked Eventing Nation for our support and we will post updates as we get them.  EN wishes Henny a speedy recovery.

Dorothy Crowell

By on Dec 8, 2010 3:11 pm -

This article was originally published on Eventing Nation


dorothycrowellwheaties.jpg

I was lucky enough to see Dorothy Crowell when she was still Dorothy Trapp, riding Molokai in England before going on to win a silver medal at The Hague World Equestrian Games in 1994 and the inaugural 4* USET Championship at Rolex in 1998.  The circuit in England is small, so inevitably you end up seeing everyone at the same events throughout the season, and I must have admired her lovely bay horse several times by pure chance at quite a few events.  Since moving to Kentucky, I’ve bumped into Dorothy a couple times.  It wasn’t until I sat down with her recently at her home, in Frankfort, Kentucky, and got to know her a little bit better that I realised I should have admired the rider more also!  Dorothy is bright and sunny–just what you’d expect from Kentucky’s  homegrown hero and golden girl–but she is also extremely smart and likable.

Dorothy has made a conscious decision to keep her eventing operation fairly small and manageable, having seen the professional route and tried first hand to do it larger scale.  Dorothy seems to have found a perfect way to balance the books and the lifestyle. Her farm is a work in progress; she has big plans for improving the house, the arena, the stable complex, all in increments as she sells a horse or two.  Dorothy’s farm, like her life, is balanced between the most picturesque, remote, and rural location nestled in wooded hills above the Kentucky River, and Frankfort, the State Capitol of Kentucky, and it’s relative (!) civilization.

ridingarena.jpg

Dorothy is disarmingly modest, funny, chatty, welcoming, and she makes a great cup of tea.  We covered a lot of topics, mostly related to horses.  Dorothy moved to Kentucky after returning from England, and since then she has seen a number of horses and pupils though her yard, not the least of which are two graduates who have gone on to do great things at EN.   Dorothy feels a great responsibility for young riders who want to make a living from their riding, and tells me she makes sure all her young students realise that horses are hard work –  even medalists like herself do barn chores on “days off” (with a wry grin).  She also feels a keen responsiblity towards her horses: Radio Flyer, or Red, who was almost her comeback horse this year, is now teaching students.  Pikadilly, a former ride of hers that she had since a 2 year old, is campaigning with her working pupil Michelle and they’ll be aiming for the Pan Am Games.

Dorothy’s nine stall barn is functional and absolutely spotless; the aisles are clear, the halters all hang neatly on the doors; it looks ready for the Queen’s Inspection, and I’m sure it wasn’t for my benefit.  I get the feeling it looks like this all the time.  Dorothy is resourceful–she tells me about the year there was a drought and she had a bunch of horses and students going to Fair Hill and Radnor.  The ground was so hard they didn’t even want to trot, so they cleared a path and then walked their horses up the very, very steep hill adjacent to her property every day – she ended up winning best conditioned award.

Family is Dorothy’s priority – her daughter told her while watching the dressage Freestyle at WEG a couple months ago that that’s what she wants to do!  Dorothy loves horses and eventing, and has obviously given a lot of thought to where the sport should go next. She is a Level 4 ICP instructor and she loves her teaching, and yet she definitely hasn’t ruled out any TD aspirations.  Let’s cross fingers for sooner rather than later

I’d like to extend a huge thank you to Dorothy for talking to me and for the lovely tea.  Her home is quite warm and cosy on a cold, damp day, with dogs and puppies, trophies, photos, and mementoes everywhere. The view is worth at least a million dollars, and she admits that once she saw it, she was hooked! Thanks again, Dorothy, thanks for reading, and Go Eventing!
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Dorothy Crowell

By on Dec 8, 2010 10:29 am -

dorothycrowellwheaties.jpg

I was lucky enough to see Dorothy Crowell when she was still Dorothy Trapp, riding Molokai in England before going on to win a silver medal at The Hague World Equestrian Games in 1994 and the inaugural 4* USET Championship at Rolex in 1998.  The circuit in England is small, so inevitably you end up seeing everyone at the same events throughout the season, and I must have admired her lovely bay horse several times by pure chance at quite a few events.  Since moving to Kentucky, I’ve bumped into Dorothy a couple times.  It wasn’t until I sat down with her recently at her home, in Frankfort, Kentucky, and got to know her a little bit better that I realised I should have admired the rider more also!  Dorothy is bright and sunny–just what you’d expect from Kentucky’s  homegrown hero and golden girl–but she is also extremely smart and likable.

Dorothy has made a conscious decision to keep her eventing operation fairly small and manageable, having seen the professional route and tried first hand to do it larger scale.  Dorothy seems to have found a perfect way to balance the books and the lifestyle. Her farm is a work in progress; she has big plans for improving the house, the arena, the stable complex, all in increments as she sells a horse or two.  Dorothy’s farm, like her life, is balanced between the most picturesque, remote, and rural location nestled in wooded hills above the Kentucky River, and Frankfort, the State Capitol of Kentucky, and it’s relative (!) civilization.

ridingarena.jpg

Dorothy is disarmingly modest, funny, chatty, welcoming, and she makes a great cup of tea.  We covered a lot of topics, mostly related to horses.  Dorothy moved to Kentucky after returning from England, and since then she has seen a number of horses and pupils though her yard, not the least of which are two graduates who have gone on to do great things at EN.   Dorothy feels a great responsibility for young riders who want to make a living from their riding, and tells me she makes sure all her young students realise that horses are hard work –  even medalists like herself do barn chores on “days off” (with a wry grin).  She also feels a keen responsiblity towards her horses: Radio Flyer, or Red, who was almost her comeback horse this year, is now teaching students.  Pikadilly, a former ride of hers that she had since a 2 year old, is campaigning with her working pupil Michelle and they’ll be aiming for the Pan Am Games.

Dorothy’s nine stall barn is functional and absolutely spotless; the aisles are clear, the halters all hang neatly on the doors; it looks ready for the Queen’s Inspection, and I’m sure it wasn’t for my benefit.  I get the feeling it looks like this all the time.  Dorothy is resourceful–she tells me about the year there was a drought and she had a bunch of horses and students going to Fair Hill and Radnor.  The ground was so hard they didn’t even want to trot, so they cleared a path and then walked their horses up the very, very steep hill adjacent to her property every day – she ended up winning best conditioned award.

Family is Dorothy’s priority – her daughter told her while watching the dressage Freestyle at WEG a couple months ago that that’s what she wants to do!  Dorothy loves horses and eventing, and has obviously given a lot of thought to where the sport should go next. She is a Level 4 ICP instructor and she loves her teaching, and yet she definitely hasn’t ruled out any TD aspirations.  Let’s cross fingers for sooner rather than later

I’d like to extend a huge thank you to Dorothy for talking to me and for the lovely tea.  Her home is quite warm and cosy on a cold, damp day, with dogs and puppies, trophies, photos, and mementoes everywhere. The view is worth at least a million dollars, and she admits that once she saw it, she was hooked! Thanks again, Dorothy, thanks for reading, and Go Eventing!

Update: Run Henny Run

By on Dec 7, 2010 11:24 pm -

I get to write Eventing Nation’s ‘Wednesday news and notes’ and instead of a bunch of links I thought I would provide a quick update on the