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The State of the Nations: Your Guide to Each of the Teams Tackling the 2023 European Championships

By on Aug 5, 2023 9:33 am -

Stiff competition? Check. A plethora of nations gunning for the podium? Double check.

Next week’s FEI European Championships at Haras du Pin might have a slightly smaller-feeling entry list than usual – it’s just 58 combinations and 14 nations this time – but the competition will be no less fearsome for that trio of team medals on offer. We’ve pulled together the lowdown on all ten teams, their recent form, their riders and horses, and where they stand in the Paris qualification situation, to help you make the most of your live-streaming experience throughout the competition – and maybe even give you an ‘underdog’ to support, too.

Settle in, get comfy, and let’s take a look at the competition at large.

EN’s coverage of the FEI European Championships for Eventing is brought to you with support from Kentucky Performance Products.

Chef d’equipe: Thomas Tesch is the team manager of the Austrian line-up, while German Olympic medallist Matthias Baumann is the chef d’equipe.

Team members: 

  • Daniel Dunst and Chevalier 97
  • Katrin Khoddam-Hazrati and Oklahoma
  • Lea Siegl and Van Helsing P

Individual riders: None

Are they qualified for Paris? Nope. They’re one of four teams who’ll be fighting for one of the two tickets up for grabs here. Realistically, this is the last-chance saloon for them – they’ve only done two Nations Cups legs, and they sit seventh on that leaderboard, several hundred points off the top spot. With just two legs left, it’s unlikely they’d be able to claw back enough marks to earn the one spot available from that avenue.

When did they last win a Europeans medal? Austria has not yet medaled at a European Championships – though they did sneak into fourth place going into cross-country at the 2021 Euros, when three of their four team competitors earned sub-30 scores, and Lea Siegl was fifteenth at the Tokyo Olympics, so don’t write them off entirely.

What’s their form like? Austria brings forward a three-member team, which is notable as they’re the only country without a valuable drop score. Austria is still in its developmental stages as an eventing nation, which isn’t to say that they don’t have some very talented horses and riders among them – Lea and Van Helsing P, for example, have already won at CCI4*-S and CCI4*-L this year. This European Championships is about building on the hard work that Austria has put in to produce a team completion; if that Olympic qualification can happen, that’ll be an incredible moment for them, but realistically, they’ll know that it’s something of a pipe dream. They earned an impressive sixth place at last season’s European Championships, which they would be delighted to replicate here. Austria is certainly growing in strength and has it in their wheelhouse for a solid performance.

Chef d’equipe: Kai Steffen-Meier, who rides for Germany and is married to team member Lara de Liedekerke-Meier. Together, they host the Arville International Horse Trials at their fairytale property.

Team members: 

  • Lara de Liedekerke-Meier and Hermione d’Arville
  • Karin Donckers and Fletcha van’t Verahof
  • Cyril Gavrilovic and Elmundo de Gasco
  • Tine Magnus and Champagne Pia Z
  • Senne Vervaecke and Google Van Alsingen
  • Jarno Verwimp and Mahalia

Individual riders: TBC

Are they qualified for Paris? No. But they’ve hedged their bets, putting forth a very strong line-up here and heavily targeting the Nations Cup series, too, which they lead after six of eight legs by a margin of 110 points. The next leg will be their home one at Arville – but on current form, we’re tipping them to take one of the two team qualifications at Haras du Pin.

When did they last win a Europeans medal? As a team? Back in 2009 at Fontainebleau in France, where they were bronze medallists. They’ve also been bronze medallists in 2003 at Punchestown, Ireland, and in 1999 at Luhmühlen. They’ve never won an individual European medal.

What’s their form like? Absolutely on the up-and-up. They failed to qualify for Tokyo after a serious showdown against the Swiss at the 2019 Nations Cup finale, and since then, they’ve been going through the growing pains of a rebuilding cycle — one that’s paying off in 2023. As a team, they’ve been absolutely walking away with the Nations Cup series, which will give them a confidence boost coming into this week, and individually, their riders have been seriously impressive. They look to be on the trajectory that we’ve watched Switzerland enjoy over the last few years – and for more info on this, we recommend checking out our chat with lynchpin Lara de Liedekerke-Meier, who has put a crap 2022 behind her and has been storming home with top tens and wins this year. Belgium’s bad luck in Pratoni looks to be the last chapter of a book they’re moving on from now, and putting your support behind them in France could be one of the most satisfying things you do.

Chef d’equipe: Thierry Touzaint – uncle of rider Nicolas – continues his long reign as head of the French team. He’s tasted gold before, and will want to do so again on home turf, as his team prepares for a home Olympics.

Team members: 

  • Karim Laghouag and Triton Fontaine
  • Stéphane Landois and Ride For Thais Chaman Dumontceau
  • Gireg Le Coz and Aisprit De La Loge
  • Benjamin Massié and Edition Fonroy
  • Gaspard Maksud and Zaragoza
  • Nicolas Touzaint and Absolut Gold HDC

Individual riders: TBC

Are they qualified for Paris? Yes! As host nation, they automatically earned their spot.

When did they last win a Europeans medal? In 2015 at a very damp Blair Castle in Scotland, Cadre Noir rider Thibaut Vallette and Qing du Briot took individual bronze – their first Europeans individual medal since Nicolas Touzaint became European Champion (for the second time!) at Pratoni in 2007 aboard Galan de Sauvagere. 2015 also saw them take team bronze, a title they’d won at the previous Europeans in 2013 at Malmö, and they were silver medallists in 2011 at Luhmühlen. In total, they’ve won 17 European team medals and five individual medals.

What’s their form like? Somehow, as it always seems to be with the French, both excellent and not quite there yet – which means that they tend to come into championships slightly under the radar, and then, fairly frequently, surprise everyone with total dominance. Okay, so they can’t really do the whole under-the-radar thing here, because they’re the host nation, and okay, maybe the Europeans isn’t always their happiest hunting ground in the way that the Olympics tends to be, but France’s squad of mostly young up-and-comers, plus a two-time European champion and an Olympic team gold medallist, looks like one you’d not want to bet against. Pratoni wasn’t their finest hour as a team, but they did have an individual sixth place finish thanks to Gaspard and Zaragoza, and Stéphane is a seriously hungry, ultra-competitive young riders. It’s easy enough to see that team leader Thierry is working with a timeline that’ll encourage his charges to peak for Paris, and this will be a fascinating dress rehearsal for them all.

Chef d’equipe: Prof. Dr. Jens Adolphsen takes on chef duties, ably assisted by team trainer Peter Thomsen, a former team rider in his own right, who tackles his second Championships solo after shadowing long-term chef d’equipe Hans Melzer for the last eighteen months or so prior to Hans’s retirement.

Team members: 

  • Nicolai Aldinger and Timmo
  • Sandra Auffarth and Viamant Du Matz
  • Malin Hansen-Hotopp and Carlitos Quidditch K
  • Michael Jung and fischerChipmunk FRH
  • Jérôme Robiné and Black Ice
  • Christoph Wahler and Carjatan S

Individual riders: TBC

Are they qualified for Paris? Ja. They secured that at Pratoni last year when they won team gold.

When did they last win a Europeans medal? They were bronze medallists as a team at Avenches in 2021, and gold medallists the year prior at Luhmühlen. Avenches’s individual podium was a British whitewash, but at the five (!) Europeans preceding it, Germany took at least gold and silver individually, passing the top spot back and forth between Michael Jung and Ingrid Klimke. They have 42 Europeans medals in total, and have won the team gold six times, making them the second most successful country in the history of this competition.

What’s their form like? Very, very good. They won the team gold at last year’s World Championships with a team that mixed old and new blood, and they’re going with much the same strategy this week. Once again, we’ll see Michi Jung and the unbelievable fischerChipmunk FRH, former World Champ Sandra Auffarth and Viamant du Matz, and emerging superstars Christoph Wahler and Carjatan S come forward as, undoubtedly, the lynchpins of the team, while that fourth and final slot could be admirably filled by any of the three newer faces on the roster. The likeliest is Malin Hansen-Hotopp and Carlitos Quidditch K, who won Blenheim CCI4*-L last season and were eleventh here out of over 100 last summer. Germany is Great Britain’s most obvious threat this week.

Chef d’equipe: Chris Bartle and Richard Waygood, who both joined the team in late 2016 after a disappointing Rio performance a few months prior. Since then, the team has gone from strength to strength, and it’s no suprise: Chris Bartle was previously the architect of Germany’s success, and Richard Waygood helmed the British dressage team during its extraordinary trajectory from zero to hero.

Team members: 

  • Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo
  • Laura Collett and London 52
  • Yasmin Ingham and Banzai du Loir
  • Tom Jackson and Capels Hollow Drift
  • Kitty King and Vendredi Biats
  • Tom McEwen and JL Dublin

Individual riders: TBC

Are they qualified for Paris? They are. They finished fourth at Pratoni last year and booked their ticket.

When did they last win a European medal? There wasn’t a single one that they didn’t win in 2021 – they took gold as a team, and all three individual podium places, too. Topmost of those was reigning European Champions Nicola Wilson and JL Dublin, who will return to try to retain his title, this time under Tom McEwen. The Brits are far and away the most successful team in Euros history: they’ve won 87 medals in total, while Germany, in second place, has won 42. Their tally includes 23 team golds (from 1981 to 2009, they only failed to win gold twice), and 18 individual golds. They are, in a word, formidable.

What’s their form like? Amazing, really, and they absolutely come into the Europeans as hot favourites – but they did the same at Pratoni last year and failed to earn a medal at all as a team, so nothing’s ever guaranteed in eventing, is it? Still, they currently hold team gold at the Olympics, European Championships, Young Rider Europeans, and Junior Europeans. They also have the reigning World Champion and European Champion – the former, Yas Ingham with Banzai du Loir, is on the squad for Haras du Pin, while the latter, JL Dublin, is too. Then, there’s two Badminton winners in London 52 and Lordships Graffalo, a Burghley runner-up in Capels Hollow Drift, and a Luhmühlen runner-up in Vendredi Biats, who also has a history of excelling at European Championships. Last year, the feedback largely went that the experienced five-star horses didn’t quite respect the Pratoni fences – let’s hope that the same issue doesn’t happen in France with this squad of seriously high-flyers.

Chef d’equipe: Two-time Swedish Olympian Dag Albert, who joined Horse Sport Ireland as Eventing Team Manager last year.

Team members: 

  • Susie Berry and Clever Trick
  • Ian Cassells and Woodendfarm Jack
  • Sarah Ennis and Grantstown Jackson
  • Jennifer Kuehnle and Polly Blue Eyes
  • Joseph Murphy and Calmaro
  • Felicity Ward and Regal Bounty

Individual riders: TBC

Are they qualified for Paris? Indeed! That fifth-place finish at Pratoni secured that for them.

When did they last win a European medal? It’s not happened for them as a team since 1995, when they took bronze at Pratoni. They did the same in 1993 at Achselschwang, and in 1989, 1977, and 1971, all at Burghley, and they had a trio of team silvers in ’62, ’65, and ’67. Team gold has always eluded them, though they had done it individually: in 1995, Lucy Thompson became the European Champion, following in the footsteps of Eddie Boylan (1967) – but no other Irish rider would win a medal individually until Luhmühlen in 2019, when Cathal Daniels and Rioghan Rua won bronze.

What’s their form like? As a team, it’s something of a building process — the results aren’t consistent on the world stage, but every championship is a step towards figuring out a system that works. There’s an interesting strategy at play here, which sees Ireland sending forward a lineup of new faces – human and equine – and just a couple of the ‘old guard’. Even young but established talents such as Susie Berry are here on debutant team horses and riders like Ian and Jennifer will be making their Senior team debut – guided, of course, by the huge experience of Sarah Ennis and Joseph Murphy. With their Olympic qualification in the bag, though, they can tactically use this as a way to develop some serious strength in depth in their ranks.

Chef d’equipe: Giacomo Della Chiesa, who himself rode at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics.

Team members: 

  • Evelina Bertoli and Fidjy Des Melezes
  • Susanna Bordone and Imperial Van De Holtakkers
  • Fosco Girardi and Euphorie
  • Emiliano Portale and Scuderia 1918 Future
  • Federico Sacchetti and Grc Shiraz
  • Giovanni Ugolotti and Swirly Temptress

Individual riders: TBC

Are they qualified for Paris? No. They, like Belgium, have been hotly pursuing the Nations Cup series, in which they currently sit second on 400 points, with two legs left to tackle. They’ll be hoping to get the job done here so they don’t have to fight for that final showdown at Boekelo in October.

When did they last win a European medal? In 2017 at Poland’s Strzegom, they took team bronze. Prior to that, they’ve won three team medals at Europeans – a silver in 2009 at Fontainebleau, and bronze in 2007 at Pratoni and in 2001 at Pau. They’ve never yet won an individual medal.

What’s their form like? Still building in strength and cohesiveness, though there’s some real bright sparks among their line-up. Giovanni Ugolotti and Swirly Temptress are capable of some very strong results in excellent company, and Susanna Bordone and Imperial van de Holtakkers have masses of team experience, which will help them to support a team that’s otherwise largely made up of new faces or new partnerships — such as that of Emiliano Portale and Scuderia 1918 Future, who is new to his string this season. They’re under some pressure here, because they won’t want to have to do that end-of-season Boekelo battle if they can help it – so it’ll be interesting to see whether that translates to a play-it-safe strategy through the week or if they take some calculated risks to try to catch up with the business end of the leaderboard.

Chef d’equipe: British-based Andy Heffernan, who also continues to ride at the top level and has also picked up some course designing of late, is ordinarily the Dutch head of affairs – but this week, he’s riding instead, and team manager Ad Wagemakers is deputising.

Team members: 

  • Merel Blom-Hulsman and Vesuve D’Aveyron
  • Janneke Boonzaaijer and ACSI Champ De Tailleur
  • Andrew Heffernan and Gideon
  • Sanne de Jong and Enjoy

Individual riders: 

  • Elaine Pen and Divali
  • Jordy Wilken and Wilbert Bo

Are they qualified for Paris? No. They didn’t send a team to Pratoni. They’ve been targeting the Nations Cup series this year, and sit third on 380 after taking part in all six legs so far, so if they don’t have the week they want here, they’ll be hoping Italy and Belgium get those team tickets so they can take over the lead there.

When did they last win a European medal? Individually, it was 1993, when Eddy Stibbe took individual bronze aboard Bahlua at Achselschwang in Germany. That’s their only individual medal, but they did also take team silver in 1989 at Burghley.

What’s their form like? Like the rest of the as-yet-unqualified nations, it’s fair to say that this is a building stage for The Netherlands, who have struggled a bit to keep horsepower in the country. That’s why we don’t have the likes of, say, Tim Lips on this team – but it does bode well for talented young riders like Sanne de Jong, who has slowly, devotedly produced her homebred Enjoy to team status. Each of the riders on the team proper has plenty of experience to their names, which will hopefully help them to shoulder the pressure of getting the job done. An Olympic team ticket would, one hopes, lead to further funding for the Dutch, which might just help them to keep some of their very good horses in the country – because the Dutch front’s biggest hurdle in recent years has been that owner culture doesn’t really exist in the same way that we know it to in, say, the UK and the US.

Chef d’equipe: British-based Fredrik Bergendorff, who has proven a solid captain for the Swedish efforts so far (and also wears a pair of chinos exceptionally well).

Team members: 

  • Frida Andersen and Box Leo
  • Sara Algotsson-Ostholt and Dynamite Jack
  • Sofia Sjöborg and Bryjamolga Van Het Marienshof Z
  • Amanda Staam and Corpoubet AT

Individual riders: 

  • Lina Forsberg and Kaizen

Are they qualified for Paris? Yes! They finished sixth at Pratoni and secured the bag, as the kids say.

When did they last win a European medal? Arguably eventing’s origin country, Sweden was the dominant force in eventing in the early 20th century, and it was at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics that eventing as a sport made its debut. They were the gold medallists there, of course – but midway through the 20th century, their reign over the sport ended. These days, though, they’re very consistent at the Europeans: they were bronze medallists in 2021 and 2019, and silver medallists in 2017 and 2013, breaking a team medal-free streak that they’d been on since the 90s. Their last individual medal was a silver in 2003 for Linda Algotsson and Stand By Me.

What’s their form like? The Swedes have been consistent in the Nations Cup series, which is held at CCI4*-S and culminates at the CCI4*-L level at Boekelo. They’re very good at pinning down the series win, partly because they make sure to show up for as many legs as they can — and now they’re working on taking that consistency up to championship level. One of the ways they’ve been doing that is changing their priorities – after getting that Olympic qualification at Pratoni, they’ve barely touched the Nations Cup series this year, and have instead focused on putting their riders into as many top-class fields as possible, a strategy that saw them take a top-ten spot at Aachen with their one competitor, Frida Andersen and Box Leo. Their weakness at the moment is the dressage, and they’ve pulled in great help to work on this — but their team is based between the UK and Sweden, so the cohesiveness is tricky. They’ll be aiming to try to finish on the podium again with this young team, nonetheless.

Chef d’equipe: Dominik Burger – though a mention must go to the transformative power of cross-country coach Andrew Nicholson. He has been a major catalyst for the Swiss since joining on as cross county coach in 2018. It’s a job he clearly adores, and the young Swiss team are flourishing under his intuitive instruction. Andrew’s mantra is ‘never change a winning team’ – and so he’s worked to support each rider’s current system and tweak the bits that need help, rather than do a total overhaul.

Team members: 

  • Robin Godel and Grandeur De Lully CH
  • Mélody Johner and Toubleu De Rueire
  • Nadja Minder and Toblerone
  • Felix Vogg and Colero

Individual riders: None.

Are they qualified for Paris? They are. They were seventh at Pratoni and thus got the last team spot available there – which was a huge moment for the nation, who had previously scraped into Tokyo with a closely-fought showdown in the Nations Cup finale in 2019, the last possible chance to gain a qualification for that Games.

When did they last win a European medal? It’s been, admittedly, a hot minute: they were team silver medallists in 1981 at Horsens in Denmark, and in 1955 at Windsor, Great Britain. In 1981, they also took the individual gold, thanks to Hansueli Schmutz and Oran, did the same in 1959 at Harewood, Great Britain, when Hans Schwarzenbach became European Champion with Burn Trout (yes, really). In 1953, the very first Europeans, which was held at Badminton, Hans also won individual bronze, this time riding Vae Victis – two years, for what it’s worth, after the pair won Badminton proper, which was the most recent Swiss CCI5* win until last summer, when team member Felix Vogg won Luhmühlen aboard his Haras du Pin ride, Colero. Could history repeat itself?

What’s their form like? The Swiss team has gone from strength to strength over the last few years, culminating in that Olympic qualification – and although that was still pretty far off a podium finish, it was a big deal for a nation that didn’t really register on anyone’s radar previously. They’ve been pulling that team cohesiveness together with a couple of Nations Cup outings, both of which yielded podium finishes, but generally speaking, they’re given the space to follow their own programmes, and each has been earning smart results individually this year. A podium finish here would be a lofty goal, but one that feels fitting of the trajectory they’ve been on. They’ll come in ready to get gritty and fight for it, anyway, which is emblematic of the new Swiss front – gone are the play-it-safe also-rans; say hello to the fierce new world of Swiss eventing.

EN’s coverage of the FEI European Championships for Eventing is brought to you with support from Kentucky Performance Products.

#Euros2023 </strong: Website | Live Stream | Entries | Live Scores | EN’s Ultimate Guide | EN’s Coverage

Reserve Combination Called Up for French Squad Ahead of European Championships

By on Aug 4, 2023 11:00 am -

Benjamin Massie and Edition Fonroy. Photo by Alex Jeffery.

The French team has announced a change to their six-strong line-up for next week’s FEI European Eventing Championships, which takes place on home soil at Haras du Pin, Normandy. This is the first change made to any squad since the release of the competition’s definite entries late last month.

Héloïse Le Guern, who was set to make her Senior championship debut with her longtime partner and Bramham Under-25 CCI4*-L winner, Canakine du Sudre, has been forced to withdraw from contention following a minor injury sustained while on a final gallop yesterday (August 3) at the French squad’s training camp at Saint-Martin-de-Bréhal. While undergoing a routine final check by team vet Xavier Goupil this morning, Canakine du Sudre showed some signs of discomfort on a foreleg, and the Le Guern family, in conjunction with the French federal staff, made the call to withdraw the thirteen-year-old gelding in a bid to preserve him for the future.

Heloise le Guern and Canakine du Sudre Z. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Benjamin Massié and Édition Fonroy will now step into their place on the squad, which relocates today to Le Lion d’Angers in the Loire region of France for final training. Though this is just the nine-year-old mare’s first full season at four-star, she’s been impressive across her career thus far, most recently finishing thirteenth in strong company at Aachen, and eleventh at last year’s Boekelo CCIO4*-L. This will be a first championship appearance for Benjamin, who has amassed considerable experience through the five-star level.

Substitutions can be made until two hours prior to the first horse inspection, which will take place on Wednesday, August 9.

EN’s coverage of the FEI European Championships for Eventing is brought to you with support from Kentucky Performance Products.

#Euros2023 </strong: Website | Live Stream | Entries | Live Scores | EN’s Ultimate Guide | EN’s Coverage

Thursday Video: Ride Around Haras du Pin with Andrew Hoy

By on Aug 3, 2023 5:55 pm -

Okay, okay, you’ve got me: I’m currently totally incapable of thinking of anything other than Haras du Pin, and counting down the minutes until I hit the road for next week’s European Championships. But I absolutely believe that you should be just as obsessed as I am, even if you’re not European yourself, because there’s something particularly special about the venue – it features courses designed by Pierre le Goupil, who will be the course designer at next year’s Paris Olympics. Got your interest piqued? Paying attention to how he builds courses now will definitely yield clues as to what we can expect next year — and next week! — and so I’m diving in headfirst with a hatcam video from last year’s Haras du Pin CCI4*-S, thanks to Andrew Hoy and the indomitable Vassily de Lassos.

“The Equestrian Versailles”: Inside the Horsey History of Haras du Pin

By on Aug 3, 2023 3:24 pm -

It’s all about horses at Hara du Pin. Photo courtesy of Haras du Pin.

Next week, all our eyes will be on a tiny village in the north of France, where the 2023 FEI European Championships are set to run from August 9–13, bringing together fourteen nations and 58 competitors for a fierce battle for medals, glory – and Olympic places. But what, exactly, is so special about the venue, which was meant to host the Championships in 2021, but was replaced by Switzerland’s Avenches after their Covid cancellation and subsequent reinstatement, which came about thanks, in part, to a social media petition started by Michael Jung? We decided to do some digging in find out – and what we uncovered was an extraordinary history that helped pave the way for modern-day horse sport.

Alternately known as Haras du Pin or Le Pin au Haras (the village it’s set in) — or, indeed, its diminutive, ‘Le Pin’ — the venue is, at its heart, the oldest of France’s national studs, dating back to the 1700s. (The name itself is a clue, if you’ve got any high school French behind you: ‘Haras’ means stud, as in ‘Haras nationaux’, or national studs, and ‘du Pin’ means ‘of the pines’, referring to the abundant flora of the area. Oh, and it’s pronounced much more like ‘arah duh pan’, never the very English ‘harass’.)

Haras du Pin. Photo by Frédéric Bisson/Creative Commons.

The history of the area, though, spans back much further. Cave paintings discovered in the area prove that people have called the Normandy region home since prehistoric times; indeed, even the name ‘Normandy’ points to the Viking invasion of the 9th century that ultimately ended up inextricably linking the region its northern neighbour, England – a link that was largely friendly until the thirteenth century, at which point Normandy was reclaimed for France. In the centuries after that, turmoil often reigned over the area as it found itself embroiled in battles with the English, who did rather a lot of unpleasant things — like, for example, burning Joan of Arc at the stake in Rouen, some 130 kilometres from Haras du Pin.

All systems go at the nation’s foremost stud. Photo courtesy of Haras du Pin.

It was wars, ultimately, that prompted the founding of Haras du Pin. In the 1660s, Louis XIV’s First Minister of State, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, realised that wars in the Low Countries were depleting the French military of horses, leading to a nationwide shortage and expensive, but necessary, import jobs. Not only did he want to be able to fill the need for horses both within the country and on the frontlines, he also wanted to ensure that the horses were of top quality, and so he pulled together an administration to govern over the royal breeding programme. At first, this was largely focused on the approval of high-quality stallions; as time went on, though, it became clear that the administration would require its own bases to work from. They set up shop at Saint-Léger-en-Yvelines, west of Paris, but the results were disappointing: the infertile ground meant that they struggled to provide much grazing for their horses, who then suffered poor health as a result.

The area that we now know as Haras du Pin, which covers nearly 2,500 acres, was originally a much smaller 600 hectare section of pastureland, selected for its easy proximity to industry hub Argentan, its prevalent fresh water, and its high-quality ground and grass – the perfect conditions, the administration reckoned, to raise healthy horses upon. But getting the stud off the ground wasn’t a quick job: the first stables weren’t build until 1715, when the monarch had moved on to Louis XV, and ‘move-in day’ for those 200 carefully selected stallions and mares was still another two years away at that point. In 1736, the Royal Stud — in its first iteration, anyway — was complete, including the chateau and the main stabling.

The beautiful, formidable front gates of the Chateau. Photo courtesy of Haras du Pin.

If you’re a keen Francophile, you’ll notice that there’s something familiar about Haras du Pin: its architecture. That’s because its castle and stables were built in the same style as the École de Versailles, using plans drawn up by Robert de Cotte, the successor of the designer behind Versaille’s Grand Trianon, and himself a contributor to the chapel at Versailles. That lead to the French novelist Jean de la Varende dubbing it ‘the equestrian Versailles’ in the nineteenth century.

Still, though, even with all this prestige behind it, the stud was very nearly a short-lived thing. In 1790, it was voted that the stud should be decommissioned and torn down, though a last-minute decision to use it to house the Kingdom’s best stallions helped it avoid that grisly fate. In 1810, the First French Empire helped it reestablish full functionality, and by the middle of the nineteenth century, it had expanded to include a training academy, with building completed on many of the other buildings and amenities now present, including the arena.

The French Revolution, though, had meant that the priorities of the stud had shifted. Where once it had been used to provide horses to Versailles and the army, it had shifted into private ownership through the Revolution, and many of the stallions sold on. Private studs — using approved stallions only — were beginning to pop up around France, and so when the stud was re-secured in the early 19th century, its focus shifted to creating an ideal stamp of French horse, using Norman mares from around the region, some Norfolk Trotter stallions, and excellent English Thoroughbreds, who were deemed to have more pleasant faces and superior legs. That, of course, was the foundation of the Selle Français breed, now one of the dominant sporting studbooks in the world. Back then, though, they were often known as ‘demi-sang’ (half-blood) or Anglo-Norman horses. In 1958, the breed – which varied slightly throughout France thanks to the influence of various bloodlines, including Anglo-Arabs and Trotters – was finally recognised and collated into the modern day Selle Français, or French saddle horse, studbook.

The beautiful ‘bowl’ of Haras du Pin, which hosts Le Grand Complet each August. Photo by Christophe Tanière.

Next week’s competition will, fittingly, feature a number of Selle Français horses, several of which will be piloted by French riders fighting for glory on home soil. That they’ll be riding horses who are quite literally on something of a homecoming is particularly poignant – but many other types of horses are also celebrated at Haras du Pin, which remained in French governmental control and under national funding until 2013, when it was privatised and funded by IFCE, the French governing body for equestrian sport. These days, you can still tour the historic stables, with antique saddlery remaining well-maintained in the tack room, gleaming carriages on display in the outbuildings, and plenty of horses – most notably Percherons, the area’s much-loved working horse, and Norman Cobs, as well as Selle Français horses – to gaze at. It also hosts equestrian ‘artistes’, including high school dressage riders, Cossack vaulters, and liberty trainers; competitions throughout the year; and, of course, a continued commitment to breeding. In 2014, a Welsh pony foal was born at the stud who made headlines for being Europe’s first embryo transfer foal.

Furioso at Haras du Pin.

While you’re there, you might also stop to pay your respects at the grave of Furioso, perhaps Haras du Pin’s most famous stallion. Though he died in 1967, his is still a name that’s revered among the breeding nerds amongst us: in his 22 breeding seasons, the English Thoroughbred fathered some 303 offspring, and he’s considered one of the ‘founding fathers’ of both the modern Selle Français and of the showjumping sport horse as we know it. He was imported to the stud in 1946, making him a bright spark of hope after the tumultuous years of the War, which saw Haras du Pin occupied by the Germans. Though he didn’t initially impress the team sent from the stud to view him – he’d raced 21 times, and had ‘come close to winning’ on just three occasions — Jean Delannoy of Annuaire d’Étalon Sport Français wrote that “his dignity, harmonious length and general conformation were enough to seduce. [Stud farm officer] Mr O’Neill, who had never ridden such a well balanced horse, forgave him his slightly knock kneed forelegs, his somewhat tight hock and his long legged conformation. He was purchased for 800 pounds from Mr Blunt.”

The stallion, who “walked like a lord”, went on to sire Olympic gold medallist jumper Lutteur B, who won at Tokyo in 1964, and 1956 World Champion jumper Pomone B. Several of next week’s competitors are directly related to Furioso: Stéphane Landois’ mount, Ride For Thaïs Chamant Dumontceau, is a great-great-great grandson; his dam, Cocagne des Pins, is by Narcos II, whose sire, Fair Play III, is out of a Furioso daughter. Karim Laghouag’s Triton Fontaine also has Furioso lines; his sire, Gentleman IV, is out of a Fair Play III daughter. Gireg le Coz’s Aisprit de la Loge has Furioso top and bottom, thanks to third-generation line-breeding to Jalisco B, a maternal grandson of Furioso. Even the British-bred, Anglo-European Studbook registered Zaragoza, ridden by Gaspard Maksud, is a relative: her sire, Cevin Z, is a grandson of the Selle Français Cor de la Bryère, a maternal great-grandson of Furioso. That’s two-thirds of the French squad – and that’s without even touching the pedigrees of horses from other nations.

Delannoy’s assessment of Furioso’s direct offspring reads like a summary of the clever, often quirky, but preternaturally talented Selle Français across the board. “These horses, full of personality, were sometimes difficult, particularly the mares, but were wonderful as soon as they felt confident. Slightly soft, they did not enjoy pain, they were very respectful and would sometimes misbehave or even stop if not ridden in a firm and friendly manner. Some good riders complained of them being amoral but they were not belligerent. Galloping with great balance, swinging on each big rounded stride… they hardly ever needed to be corrected, although they did not mind it (except for a few hot blooded mares). The jump was often rounded, the horse locked onto the trajectory.”

William Fox-Pitt and Chilli Morning. Photo by Jenni Autry.

In eventing circles, these days Le Pin is best known for its competitions – notably, Le Grand Complet, which hosts classes through CCI4*-S each August, and which we covered extensively last season as the continent’s most popular prep event for the World Championships. But it also hosted one of those, back in 2014, when miserable weather plagued Normandy and the world’s best horses and riders were forced to splash their way through some seriously sloppy ground, just months after a Badminton that’s remembered mostly for its relentless, hugely influential rain. Does all this sound a bit familiar? If so, and if you’re rather keen on patterns, here’s how that played out: Sandra Auffarth (competing next week) won gold, Michael Jung (also competing next week) won silver, and William Fox-Pitt (alas, not competing next week) won bronze; on the team front, Germany were victorious, the Brits won silver, and in a particularly memorable moment, the oft-beleaguered Dutch stepped up to bronze – something they’d be delighted to do again next week.

Whether you’re watching from home or within the beautiful grounds of Haras du Pin itself, take a moment next week to appreciate its extraordinary history – and the way that its contribution still plays a part in equestrian sport, both at home and afar.

#Euros2023 Website | Live Stream | Entries | Live Scores | EN’s Ultimate Guide | EN’s Coverage

Hot on H&C: Tune in For the Festival of British Eventing + Take a Peek at This Week’s Entries

By on Aug 3, 2023 10:34 am -

2019’s British Open Championship winner Jonelle Price, with class sponsor Katie Page-Harvey, president of Magic Millions, and HRH Princess Anne (right) who owns Gatcombe Park where the event is held. Photo by Libby Law.

One of the most exciting Advanced events in the UK – by my reckoning, anyway – is this week’s Magic Millions Festival of British Eventing, held in the capacious estate of Gatcombe Park, home to one Princess Anne. While the setting is fittingly pretty, that’s not even close to what makes this competition so exciting – that honour, instead, goes to the terrain afforded by the park’s natural amphitheatre. The courses – from Novice upwards – crisscross these not at all insignificant peaks and valleys in a way that’s both totally spectator-friendly (you can see most of the course from your chosen picnic spot!) and truly influential. Catching the time here is seriously hard, and you’ll want to come prepared off the back of plenty of fitness work if you fancy a chance of catching one of the titles.

Foremost among those titles, which include accolades for retrained racehorses in their own dedicated section, is the British Open Championship. Formerly held at CCI4*-S, but now run at National Advanced level, it used to be one of the most exciting fixtures on the Event Rider Masters and continues to draw a truly top-class field of entries as riders battle for top honours.

Gemma Tattersall and Arctic Soul take the British Open Championship in 2017. Photo courtesy of Event Rider Masters.

So who’s coming forward for this weekend’s renewal of the event, which will see the Open class tackle its jumping phases on Sunday, August 6? First and foremost are the reigning champions, New Zealand’s Tim Price and Vitali, who put his showjumping demons to bed last year to record a decisive victory in this class (and yes, that ‘Open’ bit does mean that the Brits can have their own title snatched away from them here!). Elsewhere in the 35-strong list of Open entries, we’ve got a number of very good combinations that we’ll be expecting to see on the Burghley line-up, including 21-year-old Alice Casburn and her homebred Topspin – a horse whose classic galloping style should suit the Gatcombe bowl marvellously – Emily King and Valmy Biats, Tom McEwen and his Olympic double-medallist Toledo de Kerser, Pippa Funnell with both Billy Walk On and Majas Hope, Oliver Townend with Ballaghmor Class and Swallow Springs and, perhaps most excitingly, Piggy March and her exceptional Brookfield Inocent, back after over a year on the sidelines and ready to re-establish himself as one of the country’s foremost contenders. You can check out the entries in full here.

I’ll always recommend checking out the Festival in person, if you can, because it’s not just a great sporting outing – it’s also a really nice spot to sample local food and, of course, shop yourself silly. If that sounds appealing, you can nab tickets for just £25 per day (or less if you fancy going for a season pass). Not everyone’s able to manage a weekend trip to rural Gloucestershire, though, and if that’s not quite within the realm of reason for you, never fear: all the cross-country action across the weekend will be streamed in full thanks to Horse & Country TV, starting at 10.30 a.m. each day. If you’re not a member, or don’t want to commit to a subscription, you can purchase an event pass, allowing you access to the event’s stream for just £14.99 – but at just £6.99 a month, H&C+ membership is the way forward, and there’s even a seven-day free trial option so you can see if the deep well of archived programming is right for you.

Go Eventing!

Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: Simple, Serious Schooling with Colleen Loach

By on Aug 2, 2023 5:08 pm -

I often get so caught up with the busy bit of competition season, and trying to just maintain the quality of work that I’ve pulled together in the off-season that I forget to actually properly school my horse – or not in a way that really pushes us forward, anyway. Then the season ends, we have a little rest, and we crack on into the really productive bit of the year. But actually, there’s no reason why you can’t be much more sensible – and organised – than me and do some proper training all year ’round. This simple, but seriously effective, exercise from Colleen Loach is a super place to start – and the best bit of all is that you really don’t need many resources to put it together.

(In case that Insta embed is misbehaving for you, just click here to check out the video!)

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Fancy Riding at Burghley? Here’s Your Chance!

By on Aug 2, 2023 11:27 am -

Piggy March leaves the arena with husband Tom after taking the Burghley title. This could be you! Kind of! Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

Riding at the iconic (and, okay, let’s be real, absolutely terrifying) Defender Burghley Horse Trials is on the bucket-list for no shortage of us loopy eventing lot – but getting there is no mean feat. First, you need to find yourself a horse who’ll love those endless galloping hills and mammoth fences; then, you need to produce them carefully over the years while picking up a laundry list of MERs; finally, you need to wrap them in cotton wool from the moment that long-awaited entry finally gets sent in and hope that you can actually make that trip to Lincolnshire come late-August.
Sounds like a lot, right? It is – but thanks to our friends at Burghley, there’s now a chance for you to ride on these hallowed grounds as part of this year’s event, even if you’re still a long way off five-star.
On Thursday, 31 August – that’s the first day of dressage – former British team chef d’equipe and leading trainer Yogi Breisner will be giving a masterclass in the main arena on ‘Better cross-country without hiring a course’ – and he needs a rider.
Applications are now being sought for a horse-and-rider pair competing at BE affiliated competitions at Novice and above, and will remain open for entries until Monday, 7 August.
To apply, send the following information to [email protected]:
  • Rider’s Full Name
  • Horse’s Registered Competition Name
  • Rider Age
  • Horse Age
  • Level competing at
  • Please tell us a bit about you and your horse (no more than 200 words)

Yogi himself, with help from the Burghley team, will select a winner and a reserve, who will be notified by the 14 August. You must be 18+ to enter. Good luck – and Go Eventing!

Tuesday News & Notes from Kentucky Performance Products

By on Aug 1, 2023 7:45 am -


I’ve long followed content creator Kate Kosnoff – better known by her Insta handle, kateattheingate – first, because I loved her eye for a photo and her perspective on the hunter-jumper shows she worked at. Now, though, I’m enjoying her pivot in front of the camera, where she’s getting real about being an enthusiastic amateur with a mid-size body and a journey of her own that’s just as valid as those of the high-flyers she used to photograph. While the conversation about rider weight and fitness must continue on in order to further equine welfare considerations, it’s such a thorny subject that so often results in anyone who isn’t whippet-thin getting vilified for their bodies. In the US hunter-jumper scene, particularly, this has historically led to young girls battling with eating disorders; for all of us, it can take the joy out of riding. There’s a balance to be struck between personal responsibility and also just letting people exist in their perfectly imperfect bodies, and sometimes, you just need to know that you’re not the only person who occasionally curses the existence of show whites. Kate’s bringing the in-gate back down to earth, and I’m into it.

Events Opening Today: GMHA September H.T., The Fork at Tryon, Aspen Farm H.T., The Event at Skyline, Flying Cross Farm H.T.-Modified Pending USEF Approval, Otter Creek Fall H.T., Marlborough H.T, USEA MDHT YEH Qualifier, The Vista Spring YEH/NEH Qualifier

Events Closing Today: Caber Farm H.T., The Event at Archer, Genesee Valley Riding & Driving Club H.T., Waredaca Farm H.T., Ocala Summer H.T. II

News & Notes from Around the World:

One of the foundations of good dressage is rhythm. In fact, you’ll find it right down at the bottom of the scales of training – which means that nothing can come after it until it’s been established. Whether you’re having your first-ever rides on a young horse or warming up an Advanced campaigner, you need to make sure there’s a cadence to your horse’s movement before you even think about the fancy stuff. This piece from Eckart Meyners has some great advice on doing just that, tailored specifically to young horses and their tendency towards wiggliness. Check it out.

At this point, I’m basically just a fizzing little ball of excitement about next week’s FEI European Eventing Championships. We’ll have SO much preview content coming for you this week, and if you’re planning to follow along from home (which you totally should be, even if you’re not based in Europe, because it’ll be your first chance to check out next year’s Olympic course designer’s work!), you’ll be delighted to hear that a high-octane team of commentators has been brought in to lead the livestream, which will be broadcast via ClipMyHorse. See who’s got the job here.

The AECs are coming up fast. Are you prepared for the competition of the year? This super-handy primer from USEA will help you get there, with livestream info, qualification notes, photographer links, and much, much more. Let’s do this thang.

Best of Horse Nation: When it comes to training, what’s the difference between ‘right’ and ‘competitive’? How important is natural talent, really? And how can we reward correct, horse-first foundations? All this and more is pondered in this smart piece from Gwyneth McPherson.

Sponsor Corner: Are you tearing your hair out trying to get your horse to eat low-sugar supplements? You’re not alone. Whether you’ve got a Dumper or a Drama Queen, Kentucky Performance Products has tips that might help.

Watch This: 

Eventing Weekly is quickly becoming my favorite horsey podcast. This clip, of a couple of rather well-known folks calling in while groom Kerryn Edmans is in the hot seat, is why.

 

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Monday News & Notes from FutureTrack

By on Jul 31, 2023 8:19 am -

I’m sorry, or you’re welcome.

Happy birthday to both Michael Jung and Harry Potter. I’ll leave you with this little gem to commemorate both the Chosen Ones in fine style.

National Holiday: It’s National Mutt Day! Please make my day by dropping photos of your resident barn mutt of indeterminate origin in the comments.

U.S. Weekend Action

Millbrook H.T. (Millbrook, NY) [Website] [Results]

Hunt Club Farms H.T. (Berryville, VA) [Website] [Results]

Major International Events

FEI Eventing European Championships for Ponies (Le Mans, France): [Definite Entries]

Burgham International (United Kingdom): [Website] [Results]

Your Monday Reading List:

Thinking about breeding your beloved mare? It can be a really exciting, fun experience – but it’s also prudent to be aware of the stresses and risks that come along with it. Camilla Mortensen’s latest blog on COTH details her own experience of the process in her typical humour and will once again have you rooting for quirky Cairo in her newest adventure. [Baby on board!]

A couple of weeks ago, we shared a piece on rural Australia’s shortage of farriers. Today, we’re looking closer to home, in the rural US, and shifting our focus to vets. It’s not always possible, now, to get a vet to your horse in that crucial moment in which they need to be seen — so what can we do to improve our vet’s lot in life and make it a job that more people want to come into, and stay in? This think piece raises some salient points that are well worth a read. [America’s vet crisis]

The FEI has issued a revised proposal to its social media rules for athletes and officials. Some of the revisions include this paragraph: “[Athletes] should not make derogatory, offensive, or inflammatory comments about other Athletes, Chefs d’Equipes, coaches, teams FEI Officials, Organisers, the FEI or any individuals associated with equestrian sport. Engaging in online disputes or public arguments or targeting a particular individual for specific criticism/comment is strongly discouraged.” But is this a draconian step too far – and will removing the right to criticism be the death knoll of our sport? [Read more here]

A kissing spines diagnosis doesn’t always have to mean surgery. When Kathryn Jenkins’s new OTTB First Commander began exhibiting some behavioural changes, her investigation with her vet led to the diagnosis — one that no horse owner ever wants to receive. But rather than operating, Dr Chris Newton decided to craft a tailored rehab plan and make use of injectable medication to work through the horse’s condition – with great results. [Here’s how they did it]

Morning Viewing:

Here in England, we’ve had all eyes on Hickstead over the weekend – and you can catch up on yesterday’s action with this fab video from our pals at Horse & Hound!

Saturday Video: Get To Know Allie Sacksen

By on Jul 29, 2023 6:27 pm -

In this quickfire interview with 5* event rider Allie Sacksen, you’ll get to know what makes her tick, how she got into eventing, and what you can find her doing whenever she’s not in the saddle. For those of us who were big fans of Allie and her late superstar Sparrow’s Nio, the indomitable pony who captured the nation’s hearts, it’s a great way to find out more about the woman behind the magic. Go Eventing — and go Allie!

Rain Continues to Plague British Eventing Season as Burgham Loses Saturday National Classes

By on Jul 28, 2023 9:13 am -

Image courtesy of Burgham Horse Trials.

An extraordinarily wet year continues to wreak havoc on the British eventing calendar, as Northumberland’s Burgham International Horse Trials announced today that, in the interest of maintaining the footing for this weekend’s international classes, they would be forced to cancel tomorrow’s national Novice classes.
“In order to preserve the best possible ground conditions for the International CCI 4*-S (Jumping & Cross-Country running Saturday 29th July) & CCI 2*-S (Jumping & Cross-Country running Sunday 30th July), we have taken the decision to cancel the BE National Classes scheduled for Saturday 29th July (Novice O, P & Open Novice Q),” reads the statement published via British Eventing. “The weather is currently drying and we are hopeful that we can run the Sunday BE National classes as planned alongside the CCI 4*-S & CCI 2*-S classes. More information on refunds will follow early next week. Thank you for your patience and understanding with the challenging weather.”
Burgham is well underway, with BE100, Novice, and Intermediate classes running yesterday, the CCI3*-S currently midway through its cross-country finale, and CCI2*-S and CCI4*-S dressage continuing on apace today.
You can follow along with the event’s live scoring here, and to tune in for cross-country, head to Horse&Country TV.

Friday News & Notes from Stable View

By on Jul 28, 2023 6:35 am -

The FEI Eventing European Championships for Ponies is underway, and I’m loving these first glimpses at the cross-country course thanks to the CrossCountry App! Watching these intrepid ponies and kids tackle tough courses with guts and gumption is one of my highlights of my live-streaming year, and if you also fancy tuning in for the excitement, you can do so via ClipMyHorse. Kick on, everyone!

U.S. Weekend Preview

Millbrook H.T. (Millbrook, NY) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Hunt Club Farms H.T. (Berryville, VA) [Website] [Entries] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Major International Events

FEI Eventing European Championships for Ponies (Le Mans, France): [Definite Entries]

Burgham International (United Kingdom): [Website] [Entries/Timing/Scoring] [Live Stream]

News From Around the Globe:

The pandemic changed a lot about our sport – and one of those things was prizegivings. Now, in the UK at least, prizegivings for national level classes are much less likely to happen, which means that riders can arrive, compete, and leave, often without ever interacting with organisers or sponsors. But, says Piggy March, it’s well worthwhile for all of us – especially pros – to take the time to express gratitude, provide feedback, and actually foster interactions between competitors and organising teams. Read her thoughts here.

You’ve packed extra haynets, plenty of water, and a couple of different sheets in case the temperature changes – but do you have a travel first-aid kit? There’s so much that can go wrong on the road, from cuts and bruises to colic to choke, and being adequately prepared (and then keeping all that kit up-to-date!) is absolutely crucial to stop a stressful situation from escalating into a serious crisis. Pack yours with advice from an equine vet.

How devoted are you to routine? I’ll confess that this is one of my weak spots – I’m prone to disorganisation and am the queen of winging it. But taking the time to create a tailored routine that suits you and your horse is one of the keys to success, says hunter trainer Rob Jacobs. More on that here.

Watch This:

Sack off your responsibilities and rewatch all the action from last weekend’s Nations Cup cross country at Avenches instead. It’s one of my favourite venues in the most beautiful of Swiss countryside – so I can’t be held responsible if you end up planning a trip there next year!

A Continental Showdown: Your First Look at the European Championships Definite Entries

By on Jul 27, 2023 11:30 am -

We’re just a couple of weeks away from this year’s FEI European Eventing Championships, which are set to take place from August 9–13 at Haras du Pin in Normandy, northern France – and now, we’ve finally got the full list of selected riders to get us all firmly in the mood for this serious showdown.

14 nations will be represented at the Championships across 58 horse-and-rider combinations – and ten of those countries will field teams. Those are Great Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, France, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, and Switzerland, while Hungary, Poland, Denmark, and Finland will bring forward individual competitors.

There are two Olympic team qualifications up for grabs for the best-placed as-yet-unqualified teams at the Europeans, which will be chased down by Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, and Austria – but Spain, also on the hunt for a qualification, are conspicuous only by their absence, choosing instead to focus on trying to earn valuable Nations Cup points. They’ll be hoping for series leaders Belgium to finish well at Haras du Pin, and, no doubt, for current series runners-up Italy to nab a spot, too – a turn of events that would put the Dutch at the forefront of the race for the single Nations Cup qualification on a current score of 380 and the Spanish, currently fourth on 350, into second and ready to fight for further points at Arville’s leg the week after the European Championships, when their competitors’ top horses will be expected to be on holiday after the exertions of the championships.

But enough about the Nations Cup, which will certainly get its due attention as the season’s story continues to be written – for now, let’s look at these Europeans entries.

(NB: most countries haven’t yet named which riders are on the team of four, and which are individuals – and their deadline to do so isn’t until after the first horse inspection on August 9.)

AUSTRIA

Daniel Dunst and Chevalier 97

Katrin Khoddam-Hazrati and Oklahoma 2

Lea Siegl and Van Helsing P

BELGIUM

Lara de Liedekerke-Meier and Hermione d’Arville

Karin Donckers and Fletcha van’t Verahof

Cyril Gavrilovic and Elmundo de Gasco

Tine Magnus and Champagne Pia Z

Senne Vervaecke and Google Van Alsingen

Jarno Verwimp and Mahalia

DENMARK

Hanne Wind Ramsgaard and Amequ Torino

FINLAND

Veera Manninen and Sir Greg

FRANCE

Karim Laghouag and Triton Fontaine

Stéphane Landois and Ride For Thais Chaman Dumontceau

Gireg Le Coz and Aisprit De La Loge

Héloïse Le Guern and Canakine Du Sudre Z

Gaspard Maksud and Zaragoza

Nicolas Touzaint and Absolut Gold HDC

GERMANY

Nicolai Aldinger and Timmo

Sandra Auffarth and Viamant Du Matz

Malin Hansen-Hotopp and Carlitos Quidditch K

Michael Jung and fischerChipmunk FRH

Jérôme Robiné and Black Ice

Christoph Wahler and Carjatan S

GREAT BRITAIN

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo

Laura Collett and London 52

Yasmin Ingham and Banzai du Loir

Tom Jackson and Capels Hollow Drift

Kitty King and Vendredi Biats

Tom McEwen and JL Dublin

HUNGARY

Imre Toth and Zypresse 8

IRELAND

Susie Berry and Clever Trick

Ian Cassells and Woodendfarm Jack O D

Sarah Ennis and Grantstown Jackson

Jennifer Kuehnle and Polly Blue Eyes

Joseph Murphy and Calmaro

Felicity Ward and Regal Bounty

ITALY

Evelina Bertoli and Fidjy Des Melezes

Susanna Bordone and Imperial Van De Holtakkers

Fosco Girardi and Euphorie

Emiliano Portale and Scuderia 1918 Future

Federico Sacchetti and Grc Shiraz

Giovanni Ugolotti and Swirly Temptress

THE NETHERLANDS

Merel Blom-Hulsman and Vesuve D’Aveyron

Janneke Boonzaaijer and ACSI Champ De Tailleur

Andrew Heffernan and Gideon

Sanne de Jong and Enjoy

Elaine Pen and Divali (individual)

Jordy Wilken and Wilbert Bo (individual)

POLAND

Joanna Pawlak and Fantastic Frieda

SWEDEN

Frida Andersen and Box Leo

Sara Algotsson-Ostholt and Dynamite Jack

Sofia Sjöborg and Bryjamolga Van Het Marienshof Z

Amanda Staam and Corpoubet AT

Lina Forsberg and Kaizen (individual)

SWITZERLAND

Robin Godel and Grandeur De Lully CH

Mélody Johner and Toubleu De Rueire

Nadja Minder and Toblerone

Felix Vogg and Colero

#Euros2023: Website | Box Office | Entries | EN’s Coverage

EN’s coverage of the FEI European Championships for Eventing is brought to you with support from Kentucky Performance Products.

Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: Get Ready to Event with Ashley Harrison

By on Jul 26, 2023 5:18 pm -

The week before you compete, what do you do with your horse? Do you drill that dressage test until it’s perfect? Squeeze in a jump and some final fitness work? Or keep it low key and let your horse hack out? Or is it a bit of all of the above? These essential last few days have always felt a bit like a no man’s land to me – which is why I found it so helpful to get some sage advice on tailoring my plan to my horse and learning to work with the natural ebb and flow of her workload for optimal results and the happiest horse possible. This vlog from the FEI, in conjunction with 4* eventer Ashley Harrison, will give you all sorts of similarly helpful insights and help you make a plan of action that you can rely on, all season long. Happy eventing!

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Tuesday News & Notes from Kentucky Performance Products

By on Jul 25, 2023 8:14 am -

I haven’t even entered a horse show in over a year and I still relate so hard to this that it’s actually painful – I’m just currently subbing in Queen B’s physio appointments, shiny new fly rugs, expensive hoof conditioners, and, of courses, endless camera equipment for myself for the essential business of Taking Nice Photos of Horses, in place of entry fees. Adult responsibilities? I don’t know her. Hand me my credit card and I’ll happily make some more problems for Tomorrow Tilly to deal with.

Events Opening Today: Applewood Farm YEH & Mini Event, CDCTA Fall H.T., Flora Lea Fall H.T., Five Points H.T.

Events Closing Today: Woodside Summer H.T, Fair Hill International Recognized H.T., Full Gallop Farm August HT-Pending USEF Approval, WindRidge Farm Summer H.T., Otter Creek Summer H.T., GMHA Festival of Eventing August H.T.

News & Notes from Around the World:

Researchers behind three of the most significant safety studies in the sport have released a review of their findings. Now, they hope that the work they’ve done – and the recommendations they’ve pulled from what they’ve discovered — could be taken on board by British Eventing and, in time, the FEI to improve safety across eventing. Read more here.

Rescue horse Perfect Storm had already experienced the bad side of the horse world by the time he was four. But that’s when his story really began: at an auction house in 2014, where the underweight, dejected Saddlebred-Trakehner cross was given a second chance at life. Now, he’s out and about with SEE grant recipient Mia Valdez, who’s produced him to Preliminary level so far. Meet the dynamic duo.

Horse ownership is on the up in Australia — but there’s no way to meet the rising demand for farriers. Training opportunities are few and far between in the country, and often geographically impossible for many aspiring farriers to attend — which can either drive them away from the job or encourage folks to take a DIY approach to learning how to do it. Read some farriers’ thoughts here.

Do you believe in the lore of whorls? Mark Deesing certainly does – so much so, that he enlisted Temple Grandin to help him research how the position or direction of a horse’s whorls might dictate their basic nature. It might sound a bit mad, but this is a really interesting read on how they delved into a topic that was otherwise being roundly dismissed. Check it out.

Are you an Area I young rider? Then you should definitely check out these brilliant team competition opportunities coming up over the next few weeks — including the chance to ride alongside a pro as your team chases glory at the GMHA Festival and Millbrook! Find out more here.

Sponsor Corner: Did you miss the Rebecca Farm livestream? Catch up on all the action last weekend with Allie’s Reporter’s Notebook. Coverage sponsored by Kentucky Performance Products.

Watch This:

Get to know Brazilian rising star Rafa Losano and his wife, Sweden’s Amanda Brieditis, in the latest episode of the Eventing Weekly podcast!

Monday News & Notes from FutureTrack

By on Jul 24, 2023 8:10 am -


Hold up — you’re telling me I might stand a chance of learning to actually see a stride AND getting paid for it?! I’ll admit that on first glance, I might not have believed this offer from Lucinda Green was legit — but her daughter Lissa has confirmed that that 10k bonus is totally real, and now I reckon we’ll be seeing frighteningly huge improvements in riders across the world as everyone competes to get their paws on the purse. Check out the details here and find out how you can win 10k for 28 days of improvement!

National Holiday: It’s National Tequila Day! Nothing goes better with summer schooling sessions than a marg, IMO.

U.S. Weekend Action

The Event at Rebecca Farm (Kalispell, MT) [Website] [Results] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage]

Applewood Farm YEH & Mini Event (Califon, NJ) [Website] [YEH Ride Times] [Mini Ride Times]

Course Brook Farm Summer H.T. (Sherborn, MA) [Website] [Results]

Full Moon Farms H.T. (Finksburg, MD) [Website] [Results]

Horse Park of New Jersey Horse Trials II (Allentown, NJ) [Website] [Results]

Silverwood Farm Summer H.T. (Trevor, WI) [Website] [Results]

Your Monday Reading List:

If handling human-sized lizards is your day job, eventing probably doesn’t actually seem that scary in comparison. That certainly seems to be the case for veterinary specialist Katie Malensek, who “unwinds” from her busy career by jumping colossal fences — and has just been given the call-up for Canada’s team at the Nations Cup at Arville next month in Belgium. Meet this very cool rider here.

If you read one thing today, read this. It’s an op-ed from Carrie Kehring, whose teenage daughter, Maggie, was sexually abused by her coach, Rich Fellers. Now, after a long and extraordinarily tough fight for justice, they’ve seen Fellers sentenced — but the healing process is more complicated than simply closing the book now. Carrie reflects on how we all respond to allegations against high-profile men and what we all need to do to make the system better. Read her thoughts here.

The Thoroughbred Makeover is creeping ever closer, and if your training and competition plan hasn’t quite gone to schedule, it’s easy to feel disheartened — but adapting and shifting the goal posts is all part of the process. Catch up with participant Rosie Napravnik to find out why and see what she’s been up to on her own journey.

Got Barbie fever? Then you’ll definitely want to check out this very pink, very flamboyant ride from a very YOLO rider!

Morning Viewing:

Prepare your green bean for years of cross country fun with these exercises:

Sweden Reveals Team for 2023 Europeans

By on Jul 22, 2023 1:00 pm -

Sweden’s Frida Andersen and Box Leo. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Sweden has revealed its team for the forthcoming European Championships at Haras du Pin, France (August 9–13). The Swedes, who qualified for next year’s Paris Olympics at the World Championships in Pratoni last year, have won team medals at each of the last three Europeans: in 2017 at Strzegom, they took the silver, and in 2019 at Luhmühlen and 2021 at Avenches, they took bronze. At each of those, they came in to the Championships with plenty of pressure to earn one of the two available tickets for Paris, which are awarded to the two best-placed as-yet-unqualified nations — and this year, without that pressure, they’re able to use the competition to truly develop their horses and riders ahead of next year.

Unlike many other nations, who will decide their team of four closer to the event or, indeed, at the deadline after the first horse inspection, Sweden’s chef d’equipe Fredrik Bergendorff has already revealed his team and individuals.

The team horses and riders are as follows:

  • Frida Andersen and Box Leo
  • Sara Algotsson-Ostholt and Dynamite Jack
  • Sofia Sjöborg and Bryjamolga van het Marienshof Z
  • Amanda Staam and Corpoubet AT

The individual competitors will be:

  • Lina Forsberg and Kaizen
  • Niklas Lindbäck and Focus Filiocus

The line-up mixes experience with new faces: both Sopot CCI4*-L winner Amanda Staam and Lina Forsberg make their Senior Championship debuts at Haras du Pin, while 25-year-old Sofia Sjöborg, who was best of the Swedes in 13th place with Bryjamolga van het Marienshof Z at Avenches, where she competed as an individual, makes her second team call-up with the mare after helping Sweden to that Olympic qualification at Pratoni. They’re joined by Olympian Frida Anderson and Box Leo, recently eighth at Aachen and top-twenty finishers at Pratoni last year, four-time Olympian and six-time Senior Europeans competitor Sara Algotsson-Ostholt, who won this spring’s CCI4*-L at Kronenburg with ten-year-old Dynamite Jack, and Olympian and five-time Europeans competitor Niklas Lindbäck, who competed in medal-winning teams in both 2017 and 2019 with Focus Filiocus.

“It can be an advantage, as for Amanda and Lina, to do just one EC as their first senior championship,” says Bergendorff. “Giving them the chance to experience a championship feels like a plus for the whole team, because if any of them were to take the next step and be ready for an Olympics or World Championship, it would be an incredible asset.”

That development for the future, he explains, is the primary goal of the Championship.

“We will have a good championship so we can learn lessons that will make us stronger for the Olympics. Of course, a good final position also gives a lot of positive spirit in the team. Considering the level of the other teams, it might be difficult to come home with a medal, even if it would have been fantastic. But we want to be close with good performances.”

EN’s coverage of the FEI European Championships for Eventing is brought to you with support from Kentucky Performance Products.

Tuesday News & Notes from Kentucky Performance Products

By on Jul 18, 2023 6:46 am -

How cool is this? This year’s Breyerfest, which was held over the weekend at the Kentucky Horse Park, saw a seriously special new model debut: that of jockey Cheryl White, who was the first Black woman to hold a jockey’s license in the US back in the 70s. I love that we’re now moving towards a point where any young rider can see someone who looks like them succeeding, and we’re highlighting increasingly diverse role models. There’s still a whole lot of work to be done, but it’s a positive step in the right direction. Read more about Cheryl – and her new Breyer model set – here.

Events Opening Today: Seneca Valley PC H.T., Chattahoochee Hills H.T., Silverwood Farm Fall H.T., USEA AEC, $60,000 Adequan Advanced Final, and ATC Finals

Events Closing Today: Area VII Young Rider Benefit H.T. at Caber Farm-Pending USEF Approval, Cobblestone Farms H.T. II, Hoosier Horse Trials, River Glen Summer H.T., Catalpa Corner Charity Horse Trials, Olney Farm H.T., Huntington Farm H.T., Spring Gulch H.T., Early Bird Summer Event at Galway Downs

News & Notes from Around the World:

Great news for the Dubarry Young Event Horse series,  which culminates in a finale at Burghley: both Nicola Wilson and Andrew Nicholson have been signed on as judges for the final. Between them, they have an extraordinary wealth of experience in spotting talented young horses — and exacting standards, too. I can’t wait to see which horses they pick out as their best in show.

We’ve all had an experience with a particularly spooky horse, right? It’s not always fun — but where’s the line between managing a flighty personality and suppressing a horse’s base instincts? This op-ed from a show barn picks a side, and I’m inclined to agree.

She’s not an eventer,but I reckon most of us have watched McLain Ward’s HH Azur jump and felt no shortage of emotion when the Grand Slam contender was retired from the sport at Aachen. The Chronicle of the Horse sat down with the rider to reflect on his journey with the plucky mare and some of the highlights of their career together. Check it out.

Here’s a great listen for your morning muck-out: the latest episode of the US Eventing podcast takes stock on the pathway to Paris, what the team has been up to lately, and how it all shapes the training and planning over the next year. Give it a spin.

Sponsor Corner: All signs point West! Eventing Nation’s coverage of the legendary Event at Rebecca Farm will be sponsored by Kentucky Performance Products. First up: A total of 19 riders will receive financial support to assist with travel costs for competition in the 3* or 4* divisions. Read more here!

Watch This:

Head down a 90s rabbithole with this compilation video from Badminton in 1997:

 

Monday News & Notes from FutureTrack

By on Jul 17, 2023 7:20 am -

 
How cool is this?! Faerie Usain and Faerie Good Golly, both by Upsilon and out of Classic Moet (by embryo transfer), are full sisters and turned five this year — and they’ve been enjoying their first eventing outings. With exactly the same genes, one looks just like dad and the other is very like mum. We can’t wait to see more of these two little rockets!

National Holiday: It’s World Emoji Day! Sum up your horse in emojis; mine’s 🦄💩😈🥰

U.S. Weekend Action:

Champagne Run at the Park H.T. (Lexington, KY): Website | Results

The Maryland Horse Trials at Loch Moy Farm (Adamstown, MD): Website | Results

Your Monday Reading List:

There are some wins that just feel bigger than others. For British eventer Enid Grant, it’s a BE80(T) (US Beginner Novice) victory that stands out, because it came with a horse who was so tricky to gel with that she tells H&H she spent the first year falling off him. Now, they’re on a roll, thanks to some great help, plenty of compromise, and some smart changes at home. [Read their story here and restore your faith in your own tricky bugger]

And another cool win for you, this time in a 2*, for America’s Most Wanted Thoroughbred. OTTB Reloaded took the CCI2*-S class at Maryland under Will Faudree, proving why he was such a success a few years back at the Thoroughbred Makeover, and completing a cycle that’s seen him succeed with a number of riders in the irons. [Go Thoroughbreds!]

Researchers in the UK have developed a new back-mapping system, which could be a massive step forward for horses. It’s estimated that 35% of ridden horses suffer from back pain, with many of those coming as a direct result of poor saddle fit — and now, we could be much closer to accurately locating and treating issues. [Here’s what they’re working on]

In need of a holiday, but can’t stand the idea of a horse-free few days? Then check out these hotels around the world — some just have nods to horses through their architecture and decor, while others offer horses for gorgeous hacks, schoolmaster lessons, and more. [Spice up your Pinterest travel board]

Morning Viewing:

Relive Emily Hamel’s big UK adventure in this interview clip published this week by An Eventful Life:

Saturday Video: Would You Jump It? (The Truly Mad 1930s Edition)

By on Jul 15, 2023 6:09 pm -

What was in kids’ breakfast cereals back in the ’30s? Obviously some kind of supervitamin I’m not finding in my Cheerios, because this display of ‘trick jumping’ from a Cotswold Hunt kiddos suggests that preteens were a heck of a lot ballsier back then than I’ve ever been. This archival footage might be less than a minute long, but it’s jam-packed with insanity, from burning fillers to ruined meals — all thanks to some seriously game ponies and gutsy kids. I, for one, am also a big fan of the VERY POSH and not at all shocked presenter. Hooligans, the lot of ’em!

“I Have to Put Last Year Behind Me”: Checking in with Lara de Liedekerke-Meier at Aachen

By on Jul 14, 2023 9:31 am -

Lara de Liedekerke-Meier and Ducati d’Arville brave the elements at Aachen. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Aachen is always a crucial event in the global calendar for a few reasons: first of all, that it’s an invitational, and nations must first be given the go-ahead by the competition to enter teams, based on strict performance guidelines, and then each nation is in charge of selecting its own team – and so the field of entries, horses and riders alike, tends to be the very best of the best. Secondly, it’s blessed with an extraordinary atmosphere that comes hand in hand with its multidisciplinary model – as the self-styled ‘World Equestrian Festival’, it features the biggest and most prestigious classes across jumping, dressage, combined driving, and vaulting, too, alongside the eventing – and urban location. Its main stadium, which is so often packed to the brim with spectators, seats 40,000; its cross-country day yields upwards of 30,000 scattered around the tight track; at any given point, the cheers from across the venue are deafening.

Both of those primary factors work together to create a pressure-cooker of an atmosphere and, as a result, the best simulation for a major championship that any team could possibly hope for – and the results of an Aachen showdown are telling ahead of a ‘real’ team competition, even though it’s run as a CCIO4*-S, rather than the long format favoured at championships. Teams that go well here can be safely considered on-form ahead of, say, next month’s European Championships; teams that mar their copybooks with avoidable blunders, conversely, leave with a blueprint of what they need to work on in the month or year to come.

For the casual spectator, it’s always great fun to see the battle at the top – one that, this time, saw home nation and inarguable powerhouse Germany take the spoils, followed by the USA, who continue on their spectacular upward trajectory, and the Brits, the most formidable team in the world at the moment, in a surprising third. For the true eventing nerd, there’s more to uncover beyond the podium – especially if spotting nations and horses on the rise takes your fancy.

There’s plenty that could be written about, say, Switzerland – the swiftest-rising nation of this Olympic cycle – who fielded a team for the first time at Aachen this month, logging an educational, rather than competitive, week. Or we could talk about Sweden, who sent just one individual in Frida Andersen and Box Leo, and still managed to nab a top ten finish on the leaderboard, proving that when the going gets tough, the Swedes more than capable of overcoming their current national tendency towards middling dressage marks. But the real story, if you ask me, is that of the Belgians.

Like Sweden, Belgium didn’t qualify to send a team to Aachen this year. What they did do, though, is earn themselves a couple of individual spots, which they used wisely: one went to 22-year-old Jarno Verwimp and his eleven-year-old World Championships partner Mahalia, and the other, to Belgian powerhouse Lara de Liedekerke-Meier, riding the excellent thirteen-year-old Hanoverian Ducati d’Arville.

Perhaps you skim-read past those names when the Aachen line-up was first revealed. That’s fair enough; without a team, it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle, to be overshadowed by the likes of Will Coleman and Tom McEwen and not one, but two Prices. But in the end? They beat them all. Jarno finished fourteenth, adding just 9.2 time penalties across the country to his first-phase score of 34.4, while Lara and Ducati finished tenth, securing their spot at the business end of the leaderboard after delivering one of the fastest rounds of the day in the influential cross-country finale.

 

Lara de Liederkerke-Meier and Ducati d’Arville. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Though many of Lara’s horses with the ‘d’Arville’ suffix, a nod to her home base, Arville Castle in Belgium, are homebreds, Ducati isn’t – and his entry into her string ticks all the boxes of a classic horse girl shopping spree.

“I found him at an auction when I was pregnant, so I couldn’t ride him, and my husband, Kai [Steffen Meier], tried him for me instead,” she remembers. “He was called Ducati just like my previous horse, who I’d ridden at Badminton, and just like that Ducati, he couldn’t make the flying changes! So it was a bit that he reminded me of him and I wanted another similar to him, but also that I loved his Diarado breeding, so I bought him.”

While Kai offered to produce and compete the horse at the beginning of his career, Lara was so excited about her new prospect that she used him as motivation to get straight back in the saddle after giving birth – and before long, they’d logged the results required for him to make his Six-Year-Old World Championships debut at Le Lion d’Angers. He finished sixth – his first FEI top ten. That’s been followed by placings at every level through CCI4*-L and, in 2021, a senior championship debut at the European Championships, where he performed competitively in the first two phases but sadly had to be withdrawn at the final horse inspection.

“I thought from the beginning he would be a good horse, but he’s not just the easiest  to manage health-wise,” says Lara. But with her team at home at Arville, she says, “we’ve found the tricks to managing him – and now he’s so consistent. I think he’s now a much stronger horse thanks to my team at home, and the vet who really tries to understand him and is dealing with him really well.”

Though Lara was disappointed to tip two rails in the showjumping phase at Aachen, which is set in that busy, bustling main arena, she was the first rider of the day in the final phase to really give the optimum time – which no one would catch – a proper run for its money. She and Ducati executed a classy clear, adding just 2.8 time penalties, which helped them close the book on a weekend that had seen them go from first-phase 11th all the way down to 28th, and then back up to tenth.

“He was clear here last year so it was a disappointment to have two rails. He felt really stressed against the bridle, which is a shame, but if I had to sign again for the top ten at the beginning of the week, I think I would! So yes, it’s just really special,” says Lara with a smile. “He’s a fantastic horse — he’s really looking for the flags and he really makes my life easy. Unfortunately, I lost a shoe at fence three, and then later on after the two skinnies I lost another on the line and I thought okay, now the two corners without  shoes in front is going to be tricky! I had to have an extra pull here and there to really ensure that he would stay in between the flag and not have a slip. So maybe it’s saved me a place in the top ten, but I do have a little frustration, because I could have kicked here and there maybe a bit more! But on the other hand, he was just so focused and tried so hard for me, and I think Aachen is one of those tracks where you have to be 100% concentrated from start to finish, and he gave me just the best feeling.”

Lara and Ducati. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Ducati, who’ll be aimed for an end-of-season run at Boekelo to help qualify him for Paris, is just one part of a string of horses that’s looking particularly strong for the rider: there’s Formidable 62, an “incredible little horse” who overcame a cancer of the eye to win her first CCI3*-L at Kronenburg this year; homebred Hooney d’Arville, a daughter of Lara’s Young Riders-to-World Championships mount Nooney Blue, who finished tenth in Luhmühlen’s tough CCI4*-S last month; and Hermione d’Arville, who went to last year’s World Championships as just a nine-year-old and was seventh in Luhmühlen’s CCI4*-S. Both Hooney and Hermione are just ten year olds this year; Formidable, for her part, is only nine, as is the impressive Origi, who was ninth in the Seven-Year-Old World Championship in 2021 and has now returned after a year out. Not only does Lara look set to have horses in droves for Paris, but for Los Angeles, too, all being well.

But this year’s successes aren’t just an exciting boon for Belgium in their own right – they’re also a long-awaited uptick of fortunes after a 2022 that Lara would love to leave well behind her. Though there were some great results, with placings at numerous internationals, there were also colossal disappointments – none worse than the World Championships at Pratoni, where Lara suffered a shock fall at the first fence on the cross-country course. That blow came just one year after she made her Olympic debut at Tokyo — a long-awaited one, after having missed out on previous call-ups due to pregnancy — but had to make the correct, but heartbreaking, decision to withdraw before cross-country as her horse wasn’t quite right.

“I think I have to put what happened in the past behind me,” she says sagely. “Falling at fence one at Pratoni was quite something. When I felt my head on the ground, I was like, ‘no way, I’ve got to wake up, there’s no way – it’s a nightmare’. But no, I never woke up. It was reality. I mean, everything happens for a reason — you don’t always know why, but I’m confident it will come along, and considering that the horses I have are good, I just need to keep producing them the right way.”

Part of Lara’s rebuilding process was in finding herself as a rider again – a process that had been complicated by the fact that her husband and confidante, German eventer Kai Steffen Meier, has stepped into the chef d’equipe role for the Belgian team, changing a dynamic that has so long functioned as the two of them working together. To help her regain her mojo, and to give the rest of her teammates, and her husband, the chance to work on solidifying as a unit, she opted to step back and sit out two of the early-season Nations Cup competitions.

“I  have to say I put myself a bit behind the team, because I needed to find myself as a rider again — because it was difficult to share my husband as the team manager and everything,” she explains. “So I let them go to Chatsworth and Millstreet, while I focused on the horses and getting the ten-year-olds to Luhmühlen.”

That plan paid off with that double of top-ten finishes – and great results for the Belgian team, too. Bolstered by their win at the first Nations Cup of the season at Montelibretti, where Lara finished fourth individually with Ducati, the team logged podium finishes at both Chatsworth and Millstreet, cementing the feeling that everything was beginning to go in the right direction for the Belgian efforts.

“Luhmühlen was really something for me – being that close to the top three, and at Aachen, as well, to be top ten… I’m feeling like I’m getting back in shape,” says Lara. “It takes a village – the trainers, but also my grooms. I’m so thankful to to have all these people who kept believing in me despite what happened last year, which was not really helpful.”

Team Belgium winners of the FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ 2022 Arville (BEL). From left to right: Jarno Verwimp; Julien Wergifosse; Maarten Boon; Lara de Liedekerke-Meier; Kai-Steffan Meier (Chef d’Equipe). (FEI/Libby Law)

So what does this mean for Belgium, who are one of several teams fighting tooth and nail for their first Olympic team qualification since London 2012? It’s a heartening step in the right direction, certainly, for a team that — like its lynchpin rider — is on the up and up in 2023. While gaining that team ticket is hot on their minds – as the eighth-placed team out of sixteen at Pratoni, they missed gaining qualification there by one frustrating place – they’re in a strong position at the midpoint of the season, and results like these will only bolster their resolve. Right now, they have two remaining opportunities to gain qualification: the first could come at next month’s European Championships, at which there’ll be two team tickets up for grabs for the highest-placed as-yet-unqualified nations, while the second – and, actually, the very last ticket of them all – would be the team qualification awarded to the highest-placed unqualified nation in the overall season standings of the 2023 FEI Nations Cup series, which Belgium leads after four legs by 65 points.

And right now, while we’re one day into leg five at Jardy? They sit third with just Lara left to deliver her test with Hermione d’Arville – and the best of those unqualified nations. The job is far from done; the Dutch, Italian, and Spanish teams certainly won’t be letting those team spots go without a fight over the next few months, but something is shifting in the Belgian eventing stratosphere, and there’s a quiet confidence beginning to crystallise around each of the riders within its orbit, from Lara, who hopes to have four or five horses qualified for Paris, to Jarno, who has put himself on the global map while still barely out of Young Riders, to national champion Tine Magnus, who has a horse I’ll put forward now as one of the most exciting in the world in Dia Van Het Lichterveld Z, to longtime leading rider Karin Donckers, who continues to throw down top ten placings on the world stage – and beyond, too, to up-and-comers such as Sanne Vervaecke, Wouter de Cleene, and more beyond. Belgium has always been a particularly competent equestrian nation: after all, a third of the horses who took part in the Tokyo Olympics across the disciplines were bred in the country, and it has long been one of the great exporters of top-class sport prospects. Now, if they can retain some of that horsepower, they’re starting to get on the right track to make best use of it.

For those of us who backed the Swiss team and reaped the rewards (mostly in bragging rights and great vibes) when they stepped up to the plate on the world stage over the last few years, the Belgians look a particularly sweet prospect. Ignore them at your peril.

EN’s Coverage of CHIO Aachen is brought to you with support from Kentucky Performance Products and Ocala Horse Properties.

CHIO Aachen: [Website] [Entries] [Schedule] [Timing & Scoring] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage]

Thursday Video: At Home with the Lipizzaners

By on Jul 13, 2023 4:47 pm -

There’s something very special about Lipizzaners, and it’s not even really got anything to do with the high school classical dressage movements, the Hapsburg-era palace they perform in in Vienna (very cool, though, if you’ve not been), nor the incredible story of how they very nearly perished in the Second World War but were saved in a remarkable rescue mission. Instead, I’m talking about their universality for horse-crazy kids. They’re the ubiquitous pony magazine centrefold – like Akhal Tekes, they were one of those breeds none of us would ever actually encounter but we all knew so much about. Horse breed encyclopaedias highlighted them, VHS tapes on the beauty of the horse showed them in all their glory, and model horse companies shilled many a white horse into the clutches of a little girl. That’s why, at the age of 32, I think I still find myself transfixed by them – and why I was so excited to see that the FEI’s RIDE magazine put out a new episode focussing on their true home, the Lipica Stud in Slovenia. I’m already SkyScanner-ing my next holiday, frankly.

Write (or Video!) Your Way to Free Training from Great Meadow International with the Jimmy Wofford Essay Contest

By on Jul 13, 2023 10:15 am -

Kristen Bond and Enough Already at Great Meadow. Photo by Jenni Autry.

One of the things that I always most loved about Jimmy Wofford was that all his (extensive!) equine knowledge and wisdom was so eloquently imparted: he was as good a writer as he was a rider and trainer, and I learned as much about the art and craftsmanship of creating brilliant sentences as I did about riding positively to a fence when reading his books and columns over the years.

Now, his extraordinary legacy is being honoured in a way that reflects his love for sharing knowledge, with the Jim Wofford Essay Contest, presented by Davis Equine. There will be two prizes on offer at this year’s MARS Great Meadow International (August 24–27): the Scholarship Prize “will be awarded to a GMI competitor based on their submission and their sportsmanship and horsemanship demonstrated throughout the weekend”, while the Development Prize is open to “all spectators, competition staff, volunteers, grooms, and participants of GMI for the current year.”

So what are those submissions? Well, although this is ostensibly an essay competition, it’s actually broader in scope than that – you can enter an essay, a video submission, or a quote concerning Jimmy’s training techniques. (If I were to be eligible to enter, I reckon I’d go down the route of a Woff-inspired cross-country day preview and predictions piece, which used to be the highlight of my horse-magazine-guzzling year. You’re welcome to take that idea and run with it, writers and vlogger types.)

Jim Wofford and Chinch share a moment.

The prizes, which are generously sponsored by Davis Equine, Ride Safe, the Virginia Equine Rehab Center, and the GMI organising committee, are fittingly educational: the winning contestant of the Scholarship Prize will receive a training stipend of $2500 to train with one of the trainers from a pool of trainers who previously trained with Jimmy, who will be selected by the organising committee, and will also receive a perpetual trophy. The Development Prize winner will receive a collection of Jimmy’s “most influential books about training techniques”, to be provided by Davis Equine, and an award certificate.

“Jim Wofford was a horseperson beloved by the local equestrian community and beyond,” says Dr. Chad Davis of Davis Equine. “Many of the riders at GMI have been influenced by Wofford. We wanted to honor his contributions to the sport, not only in this year, but for many years to come with the support of the community and this local event.”

Ready to enter? Click here and give it your best shot. Submissions are due on August 15, 2023 and winners will be awarded at Great Meadow International (August 24-27). And, as always, Go Eventing!