We’re well and truly in the age of the equestrian influencer now, and if you’re anything like me, you might not be quite sure what on earth that actually means. Am I prematurely middle-aged? Maybe. But Meg Elphick, who is arguably one of Britain’s biggest at the moment, has appeared on my radar a few times with some presenting gigs at events such as Bicton’s pop-up five-star, and so I was curious to see what her day-to-day life and work consists of. Turns out it’s a lot of playing with ponies, and I think we can all get on board with that.
Energy is traditionally supplied by cereal grains such as oats, corn, and barley. These feedstuffs deliver energy as carbohydrates or starch. But what if you want to supply more energy to your horse without increasing the feed intake? Feeding a fat supplement is an excellent way to achieve this.
Fat is considered a source of “calm” energy and is thought to modify behavior in some horses, making them more tractable. This, in turn, allows horses to focus their energy on work rather than nervousness.
Andrew Hoy and Vassily De Lassos at the Tokyo Olympics. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
Australia has joined the list of big six nations that have released a long list of horse-and-rider combinations for next month’s World Championships for Eventing, which will be held at Italy’s Pratoni del Vivaro from September 14-18. Australia, who won team silver at last year’s Olympics, have put forward a strong line-up of fifteen, made up of both experienced European and Australian-based competitors — including individual Olympic bronze medalists Andrew Hoy and Vassily de Lassos — and exciting up-and-comers, including Lissa Green, who makes her Australian team debut in the Nations Cup at Haras du Pin this week with her long listed horse Billy Bandit.
The long list is as follows, in alphabetical order:
Sammi Birch and Finduss PFB – 12-year-old KWPN gelding (Saffier x Belle Miranda, by Sarantos), owned by Parkfield Breeding and Sharon Bishop
Lauren Browne and Sky’s da Limit – 15-year-old Thoroughbred gelding (Hurricane Sky x Our Cutey, by Carry A Smile), owned by the rider
Clayton Fredericks and FE Coldplay – 10-year-old Brandenburg gelding (Casskeni II x unknown dam), owned by Diana Crawford, Hugh Wrigley and the rider
Lissa Green and Billy Bandit – 14-year-old British-bred Sport Horse (Billy Congo x Furisto Clover, by Furisto), owned by Katherine Coleman and The Bandit Syndicate
Andrew Hoy and Vassily de Lassos – 13-year-old Anglo-Arab gelding (Jaguar Mail x Illusion Perdue, by Jalienny), owned by Paula and David Evans
Bill Levett and Sligo Candy Cane – 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Sligo Candy Boy x Castlemly Lass, by Visa Aldatus Z), owned by Elisabeth Murdoch
Shenae Lowings and Bold Venture — 12-year-old Thoroughbred gelding (Devaraja x Royal Zam, by Zamoff), owned by the rider
Sam Lyle and BF Valour — 12-year-old Warmblood gelding (breeding unknown), owned by Charlotte Mavris
Kevin McNab and Scuderia 1918 Don Quidam — 14-year-old KWPN gelding (Quidam x Nairoby, by Amethist), owned by Scuderia 1918 and Emma McNab
Kevin McNab and Willunga — 15-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Olympic Lux x Ringmoylan Beauty, by Coevers Diamond Boy), owned by Samia Murgian and Emma McNab
Jessica Rae and Fifth Avenue — 14-year-old Warmblood x Irish Sport Horse mare (Raphael x Tia Breeze, breeding unknown), owned by the rider
Shane Rose and Easy Turn — 10-year-old Holsteiner mare (Casall x Ressina, by Coriano), owned by Angela Shacklady and Niki Rose
Shane Rose and Virgil —17-year-old Warmblood gelding (Vivant x unknown dam), owned by Niki Rose and Michelle Hasibar
Hazel Shannon and Willingapark Clifford — 17-year-old Thoroughbred gelding (Passing Shot x unknown dam), owned by Terry Snow
Gemma Tinney and Diabolo — 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding (Diarado x Roulett M, by Aljano 2), owned by Tim Game and Karen Tinney
Equestrian Australia’s High Performance Pathways Manager Will Enzinger says: “It is very exciting to see riders from the Generation NEXT Squad named on the nominated entry list for the FEI World Championships. Not all of these athletes will have the opportunity to compete at the World Championships next month, as only eight combinations will make the final cut, but by being nominated and capturing the attention of selectors it shows that they have taken a huge step in the right direction. We are really proud of the High Performance Program and feel that we are starting to see the results pay dividends.”
The final lineup of five — four team riders and an individual — will be announced on August 17th.
Austria’s Lea Siegl presents Van Helsing P. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
If you like to summer where it sizzles, consider a trip to Normandy, in the north of France, where the temperature is currently rivalling that of the sun (nearly, anyway) and the eventing action on offer truly is among the best you’re ever likely to be blessed with. We’re here to cover the CCIO4*-S, which might just end up being the most exciting four-star of the year.
At this part of the summer, it really is crunch time: we’re just five weeks away from the first horse inspection at the World Championships for Eventing in Pratoni, and although we’ve still got a little bit of time before the September 5th entries deadline, it’s time for selectors to put their noses to the grindstone and pick out those partnerships that could propel them towards the podium. For many countries, including most of the continental European contingent and the Kiwi squad, Le Grand Complet at Haras du Pin is serving a crucial role: it’s their chosen final selection trial, and thus the last chance for riders to show what they’re made of in hot competition.
And Le Grand Complet’s CCIO4*-S, which incorporates a leg of the FEI Nations Cup series, couldn’t be much hotter. At 112 entries, it’s jam-packed by anyone’s standards, but it’s also full to the brim with extraordinary global talent. With nineteen nations represented, it’s a head-to-head that in many ways emulates what we’ll see next month in Pratoni – and, of course, it includes many of the horses and riders that’ll make the trip there, too.
A little red-carpet naughtiness means that Olympian Karim Florent Laghouag has to emerge from a cloud of smoke (or dust, anyway) to present Embrun de Reno. No Steppenwolf playing, sadly. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
The home nation’s line-up is an exceptional one: among its highlights are Gireg le Coz and Aisprit de la Loge, who recorded an impressive top twenty finish at Badminton this spring; Luc Chateau and Troubadour Camphoux, who were fourth at Luhmühlen CCI5* last year; this year’s Bramham under-25 CCI4*-L champions Heloïse Le Guern and Canakine du Sudre Z, Astier Nicolas and the 2017 Seven-Year-Old World Champion Alertamalib’or; and, of course, Tokyo team bronze medallists Nicolas Touzaint and Absolut Gold HDC and Christopher Six and Totem de Brecey, both of whom recorded top ten individual finishes at the Olympics, too, and Karim Florent Laghouag and Triton Fontaine, who finished 12th at Tokyo.
Individual Olympic gold medallists Julia Krajewski and Amande de b’Neville look like butter wouldn’t melt — but promise to serve up a serious fight. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
The Germans, too, bring forward their entire Tokyo team: Michael Jung‘s Kentucky winner fischerChipmunk FRH is joined by his 2022 German National Champion Highlighter, while 2022 Aachen winners Sandra Auffarth and Viamant du Matz come complete with Rosveel, the nine-year-old Polish gelding with whom the former World Champion was third in Luhmühlen’s German National Championship this summer. Individual gold medallists Julia Krajewski and Amande de b’Neville come to Haras du Pin off the back of a very good Aachen run, which proved that the catty mare is only getting better as she gets stronger. Beyond the realms of that Tokyo team, Germany’s entries are further bolstered by 2021 Luhmühlen CCI5* runners-up Christoph Wahler and Carjatan S, 2021 Boekelo winners Sophie Leube and Jadore Moi, and this year’s reserve German national champions, Dirk Schrade and Casino 80.
Italy’s Mattia Luciani and Leopold K. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
The Swedish team, who have been so successful in Nations Cup series standings over the last few years, are hard at work on consolidating that success into something that translates to the world stage, and so it’s exciting to see a number of very good combinations coming forward this week. Christoffer Forsberg boasts two rides: the first, and his primary choice for Pratoni, is the experienced Hippos Sapporo, who won two four-stars within two weeks earlier this season — though we have a particular soft spot for nine-year-old Con Classic 2, who has been looking more and more convincing over the last year. Aminda Ingulfson has an exciting double-hander in the excellent former show jumper Joystick, who survived a trip to the holding box today and will join Hot Cup VH on the hunt for glory this week. Frida Andersen‘s Box Leo, formerly piloted by Ludwig Svennerstal, has rarely been out of the placings and will make for an exciting watch this weekend, too. Keep an eye out for Sofia Sjoborg, who finished in 11th place individually at last year’s European Championships with Bryjamolga van het Marienshof Z and will be looking for a chance to do something similar.
Sweden’s Aminda Ingulfson re-presents Joystick, who is ultimately re-accepted into the competition. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
The Swiss team has been on flying form in Nations Cups so far this year, and they bring forward most of their stalwart riders for this leg — including three rides for Robin Godel, who won the test event at Pratoni back in May and took an individual win in Strzegom’s CCI4*-L, too. Great Britain only has four riders — just enough to fill a team — but they’re a super group, with 2021 Luhmühlen winners Mollie Summerland and Charly van ter Heiden and sixth-placed Badminton finishers David Doel and Galileo Nieuwmoed among them. Speaking of five-star winners, we’ve also got last year’s Pau champions Tim Price and Falco in the mix — as well as Tim’s 2019 Seven-Year-Old World Champion, Happy Boy. Plus, we’ve got Australian individual bronze and team silver Olympic medallists Andrew Hoy and Vassily de Lassos, who never tend to make anything easy for their competition.
Kimmy Cecere and Landmarks Monaco come forward as the lone US representatives in the CCI4*-S. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
It’s such an extraordinary line-up that you could probably make a passable case for supporting just about anyone within it – but for us, it’s all about keeping a beady eye on each of the major teams to work out who’ll earn the coveted Pratoni tickets over the course of the weekend. First of all, though, they all had to get through the first horse inspection — an incongruous ask for a CCI4*-S, but then again, this is a CCI4*-S that’s got a job to do: in order to best demonstrate horses’ ability in a long format to selectors, it’s going to feel a little bit like one itself. We’ll see cross-country play out on Saturday, while Sunday is showjumping day (after a second horse inspection, of course!).
Switzerland’s Nadja Minder awaits the verdict with Toblerone. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
After presenting to the ground jury of president James Rooney (IRL), Nikki Herbert (GBR), and Emmanuelle Olier (FRA), all 112 presented horses were accepted into the competition — though not without some drama along the way. A number of horses were asked to trot again immediately, including Pietro Sandei‘s Rubis du Prere, Luc Chateau‘s Troubadour Camphoux, and Ugo Provasi‘s Shad’OCC, but none were sent to the holding box. Those that did get held — Aminda Ingulfson‘s Joystick, Remi Pillot‘s Tol Chin du Levant, and Nadja Minder‘s Toblerone, were all accepted.
Now, we head full-steam into tomorrow’s first day of dressage, which will get underway from 8.00 a.m. local time (that’s a tender 7.00 a.m. British time, or 2.00 a.m. EST!). Poland’s Joanna Pawlak and Fantastic Frieda will be our first competitors in the ring, and we’ll see all our teams complete their tests tomorrow. Until then: Go Eventing!
Tiana Coudray and Cancaras Girl at Bramham this June. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
We’ve spotted another U.S. representative on the Burghley entry list! British-based American Tiana Coudray will be making her first appearance at the five-star level since 2016, where we last saw her at the Kentucky Three-Day Event with her London Olympic partner, the great Ringwood Magister. Joining her at Burghley this year will be 12-year-old Holsteiner mare Cancaras Girl, who is fresh off a top ten finish in Bramham’s CCI4*-L this spring. We’re looking forward to cheering them on!
Whenever I see a hold on course while out covering events for EN, two things flash through my mind: first, obviously, my thoughts flash to the rider and horse who’ve necessitated said hold, and then, I think of how tough the situation must be on those riders who’ve been stopped mid-round or — potentially worse — held at the start. We’re all used to timing our warm-ups to perfection, and the higher you climb through the levels, the more that precision matters, so what do you do when all your plans are scrapped for reasons beyond your control? The latest piece by Daniel Stewart on US Eventing’s site has some super tips and actionable advice on how to work a delay to your favour, and it’s a must-read for competitors at every level. [Get your Delay Plan in place]
The pandemic might feel as though it’s largely behind us, but its aftereffects linger on. That’s why funds like the new £175,000 Together Fund, launched by British Equestrian, are so important. This funding pot will be used to help keep riding centres afloat as they grabble with the financial implications of two years of limited income, and is particularly targeted towards centres, groups, and organisations that help marginalised groups who have been most affected by the pandemic. [A welcome cash injection for access programmes]
Ever wondered what life is like as a member of a ground jury? FEI stalwart Christian Landolt, who was part of the ground jury at Badminton this year and is a mainstay at many of the world’s biggest events, shares a week in the life at a three-day — and explains how he fell into the role almost by accident. [No, it’s not just dressage judging!]
Every time I see equestrians getting positive press in the major newspapers, I get a little thrill. Even more so when the context is the enrichment that riding can bring to young lives, as it’s doing at City Ranch outside Baltimore. There, founder Ahesahmahk Dahn has been introduced young Black riders to horses — and teaching them about the contributions that Black riders before them have made to the horse world — for the past fifteen years. [Programmes like this are worth shouting about from the rooftops]
I can think of few things better than filling the 20 airy stalls on this gorgeous farm with eventers-in-training and shutting myself away to enjoy horse heaven with them. Actually, scrap that, I can think of something better: only having to scoot down the road to compete them all at the likes of the World Equestrian Centre, before nipping over to Golden Ocala to take a dip in what is, by far, my favourite pool in the whole city. Don’t even get me started on the cocktails. This property is absolutely going to make someone’s dreams come true, and because I live in a Saddle Club daydream, I’d love to see a couple of gung-ho eventing types go in on it so they can chase the dream (and the Pina coladas) in tandem.
Watch This:
Ever wondered what it’s like to ride in a charity race with no prior experience on the track? Join amateur eventer Lucy Robinson as she tackles the Magnolia Cup at England’s Glorious Goodwood:
Just when we thought Queen Ingrid Klimke couldn’t get any cooler, she went to the ECCO FEI World Championships for Dressage and smashed out an exceptional 75.683% with Franziskus, earning herself a team bronze medal in the process. Who says you can’t have it all?
National Holiday: It’s National Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbour’s Porch Day. Even I can’t tell if that’s a euphemism or not.
US Weekend Action:
Area VII Young Rider Benefit H.T. (Centralia, WA): [Website] [Results]
Catalpa Corner Charity H.T. (Iowa City, IA): [Website] [Results]
Cobblestone Farms H.T. II (Dexter, MI): [Website] [Results]
Early Bird Summer Event at Galway Downs (Temecula, CA): [Website] [Results]
FEI European Championships for Ponies (Strzegom, Poland): [Website] [Results]
Your Monday Reading List:
It was a balmy weekend of eventing at Gloucestershire’s Gatcombe Estate. There, in Princess Anne’s front garden, the Festival of British Eventing took place in front of enthusiastic crowds of spectators and picnickers, and national championships were doled out through the weekend. We caught up with the new British Open Champion, Tim Price, as well as Novice and Intermediate winner Caroline Martin, to find out how they sealed the deal on their successful weekends. [And yes, we forgot the SPF]
Just a week after the conclusion of the Junior and Young Rider European Championships, Europe’s Pony riders got their turn in the spotlight. These intrepid under-sixteens headed to Strzegom, Poland, to battle it out for the titles on offer, and it was Ireland that would emerge victorious — scuppering Britain’s chances of holding every team gold medal at the same time. Fair play to ’em. [Big up the Irish]
In perhaps the greatest news story of the last week, a pony named Patrick has been named the major of the village of Cockington in Devon, England. It’s not all victory parades and ballot boxes for four-year-old Patrick, though — he’s facing a shaky start to his term as he’s already been barred from his favourite local pub, where he’s often found drinking Guinness in the garden. [Do I wish I was making this up? Nah]
The first medals of the World Championships have been awarded, and it was a great day for the host country: Denmark took gold in the team dressage competition, besting Great Britain by just over a penalty point. [Here’s how they did it]
One of my favourite things about following along with the ECCO FEI World Championships for Dressage has been to ‘join in’ with the journey courtesy of Ireland’s Abi Lyle, who made her World Championships debut this week. She’s arguably one of the warmest, most fun riders in the scene and her Instagram account has been a real treat over the last week. Longtime followers, though, will know that it always is.
Morning Viewing:
I’m getting ready to head to Le Pin au Haras for the first time ever this week, alongside British team member Mollie Summerland — and to prepare, I’m rewatching all the 2019 Nations Cup cross-country. If you, too, are in need of several hours of eventing action, you can join me:
I’m always a sucker for eventing nostalgia — even when it makes me wince a bit — and these videos of Gawler’s World Championship cross-country back in 1986 are particularly interesting, not least because my focus is wholly on next month’s Pratoni trip at the moment. Like Pratoni, Gawler goes heavy on the hills at some points in its course, and there are some particularly queasy, vertigo-inducing angles on the camerawork on these videos — but it’s fascinating to see how horses and riders tackle a slope of that magnitude, because we’ll see them do the same again on the famous Pratoni Slide in September. Crack a beer for these videos, and enjoy. An awful lot has changed and I, for one, am glad of it.
Sweden’s Sofia Sjoborg and Bryjamolga van het Marienshof Z make full use of the mare’s impressive stride in the early part of the course. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
As the team announcements start to come thick and fast (including that US team one, which we simply have not stopped discussing on our EN group chat since it dropped!), May’s test event for the Pratoni World Championships is starting to feel further and further away. Were we ever those bright-eyed Pratoni fledglings, making our first tentative steps onto the rolling hills of the Roman venue? How little we knew! How much we — sort of! — know now!
Though many riders made the journey to compete in the test event, which was held at the CCIO4*-S level and also served as the opening leg of the FEI Nations Cup series, a number of riders, selectors, and chef d’equipes came sans horses to get a feel for what’s to come. That included the likes of British performance manager Dickie Waygood, Chinese Olympian Alex Hua Tian, Canada’s Rebecca Howard, Australia’s Kevin McNab, and a number of Japanese riders, including Kazuma Tomoto, who finished fourth at last year’s Olympics.
We caught up with Lauren Nicholson and Kim Severson, who made the trip together to learn all they could about Pratoni’s unique venue, bringing their individual insights and perspectives to the table to help bring the fullest possible picture back to the team. Lauren, who had originally entered to ride in the test event on Landmark’s Monte Carlo, who ultimately didn’t make the trip due to logistics, has since been named onto the US team with her diminutive superstar Vermiculus, while Kim continues to act in the capacity of selector, a role she took on after last year’s Tokyo Olympics.
After several days of Italian sunshine, multiple course walks, and — we hope — lots of trips to the venue’s gelato bar, we sat down with Kim and Lauren as we watched the showjumping unfold to discuss what their major takeaways of the trip were.
Beat Sax navigates one of Giuseppe’s clever bits of terrain as he enters the final water. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
On the overall impression of Pratoni del Vivaro:
Lauren: “I’m very glad we came, because it’s a super unique venue, and I think we’ve gotten a lot of useful information that’ll hopefully help us to prepare. I think there’s a lot of things we could have missed out on by not coming here, and the funny thing is, both Kim and I have commented on and seen very different things in a lot of places.”
Kim: “Like, I see one thing, and I’m like, ‘oh, this is blah blah blah‘ — and then Lauren’s like, ‘oh, I was thinking a totally different thing!’ We disagree on some things — she’ll be like, ‘this looks really skinny’, and I don’t think it’s that skinny at all. Or we have disagreements about roping, and how close is too close. So I definitely agree with Lauren that we’ve got some really good information out of it. It’s a very different venue for us to see for eventing these days, too — it’s very rustic, in a lot of ways. The thing I really like about it, though, is that everything’s really close. The grooms are close to the stables, and they’re not very far away from the food, and you don’t need a bike; you can just travel easily around here on foot. It’s all just easy.”
L: “It’s very like Pau in how compact it is, but with more room to go ride. That’s the nice thing — you can go for a super-long hack.”
On the hilly course, designed by Giuseppe della Chiesa:
K: “I thought it was really slick that he put a little vertical at number six, coming halfway up the hill. You had to be good about that, because if you jumped it too vertically you lost all your canter, and no matter what, you were still going to land slower than you were taking off, coming up that hill. That, to me, showed more than anything a bit what he’s thinking.
L: “You saw people not respect that rail and then have a super awkward jump at it, which was then influential at the first combination. I felt that Giuseppe did a really good job as a designer in the places where he used the terrain, and then you couldn’t predict how the horses would travel through, so you had to ride off instinct. He didn’t give a big scope question that might create an ugly picture on the way out — like, it’d be a big vertical or something, but he didn’t create a question that the horses would scrape or belly over. That made for good pictures on cross-country, because when he did use scope questions, he’d do it on a flat area, and if the horses were going to test their footwork, he didn’t punish them by using those scope questions. The coffin, for example — you never saw two horses do it the same way twice, but they never made an ugly picture, either, and that’s important when we talk about putting our sport on the world stage.”
On the perfect Pratoni horse:
K: “You want it to move, but obviously it needs to be able to jump and have a history of being really good on cross-country and a good galloper. You want a fast, Thoroughbred-y type horse; there’s a lot of hills here, and a lot of sneaky hills, and that’s definitely going to be influential. You wouldn’t want a Cooley Cross Border — even though he has the dressage and the showjumping, you probably wouldn’t want him here!”
L: “You wouldn’t want a horse that seems to lag a bit in the last couple of minutes, because I think fitness is going to play a big part. And I think Giuseppe is probably going to set up a few things to catch out the horses that do get a bit tired at the end and check out. If you have a horse that’s a real puller, you could lose a tonne of time just because of the way he’s set up the jumps going downhill — you can’t just let them run down the hill.”
On the unique Pratoni ground, which is made up of volcanic ash:
L: “I think the American horses will be well off, because they’re used to the heat, and this ground could be quite firm to a lot of the European countries. But for us, we’d be thrilled to have this ground at August in Great Meadows! But this is one thing Kim and I did disagree on: I thought the ground was quite good, and she was a little worried about the inconsistency with the mole hills.”
K: “There were definitely some soft spots, but the interesting thing with those soft spots is that they don’t necessarily go anywhere. Walking the course after the horses ran, there were very few places where I felt like it went down. I think it’s interesting; it’s quite a spongy feeling out on cross-country, whereas in the showjumping, it actually felt much more firm.”
On the undulating grass showjumping arena:
L: “I think it’s very valuable to take away that we need to practice that, because it’s very rare that we work on grass anymore in the US. Over here, they do it all the time. But none of the riders are complaining about jumping on this grass, and it’s different to England, for example, because it holds up really well. It doesn’t change from beginning to end, and it’s not going to get muddy or tricky.”
In the market for a new four-legged partner? You may find your unicorn on our sister site, Sport Horse Nation. To help with the search, we’re going to feature a selection of current listings here on EN. We include the ad copy provided; click the links for videos, pricing and contact information.
Sometimes, you just need a solid partner in your stables — one that can help you step up a level, find your competitive rhythm, and show you a jolly good time while doing so. That’s where packers come into their own: they’ve got plenty of experience at your goal level, and have usually helped other riders before you make a move up the rankings. We’ve picked eight of our favourites from Sport Horse Nation to help you hit those autumn season goals — and beyond.
High Note also know as “Totti” is a Junior/Amauter’s dream! She is a Training Level Packer with no buck, bolt or rear. Big, lovely movement and fun to jump. She has been brought up by a junior rider and is ready to show her next rider the ropes as current owner is off to college. She recently competed Training at Twin Rivers and ready to show! She is happiest living out but will be fine in a stall with turnout. No injuries, no special shoeing and little to no maintenance required. Trainers: She is a safe, with a light mouth and a big step so not for complete beginner but will tolerate. No lunging required. Orangevale, CA.
Logan is a 15 yr old, 16.2H, OTTB. He is a wonderful horse, very competitive and workmanlike. His amatuer owner has shown him up through Training level and he competed last fall at Preliminary level. He is a very forward horse and would also do well in the Jumpers. He is very tidy and athletic. Owner no longer showing and would like to make this competition horse available to the right home. Springfield, MO.
9 year old Irish Sport Horse with lots of miles at training level with a junior. Completed two training three days and is a cross country machine. Always enthusiastic to work, great on trails and ready for his next partner. 35k. San Ramon, CA.
Carson is an 11-year-old, 16.1h, sport bred TB, gelding that has never trained for nor been on the race track. Carson is a talented eventer that has showed up to modified level with his junior rider but could easily move up the levels. At home, Carson has schooled up to 3’9” and 4th level dressage in a double bridle. Carson is confident in all three phases, an extremely motivated and honest jumper in both show jumping and cross country and an elegant mover in dressage. Carson is sound and has never been injured. He has a big, warm, lovable personality and will cuddle anyone he feels comfortable with. Carson was brought along by a junior rider who got him when she was 12 years old. He is a fun, willing and loved horse, but unfortunately his rider is heading off to college and being forced to take a break from riding.
Visit blueridgefarmeventing.com for more info and other horses for sale. North Ridgeville, OH.
The Alchemist “Topper” is a stunning grey 2012 TB gelding standing 16.3 hands by Domestic Dispute out of Star Punch. Competed through Preliminary and produced by an amateur. Topper is CCI** qualified and ready to move up to Intermediate. Consistently scores low 30’s in dressage with a careful, scopey jump over fences. Trail rides out alone or group. He is sound and low maintenance. Well suited for amateur, professional, or young rider. Winner of Area 1 OP Championships 2021. This horse is a true athlete with a gentle disposition and eagerness to please. Full set of X-rays taken July 2022. More pictures and videos are available upon request.
Located in Jericho, VT (20 minutes from BTV airport).
Silk Market is a 2007 mare by Ringfort Tinkatoo out of the thoroughbred mare Castaway. She has extensive experience in Eventing through preliminary and would make an excellent lower level school master or would excel in the jumper ring. Produced by an amateur ‘Darby’ is easy in every way.
Gaucho is looking for his next job as a prelim packer! He’s a lovely, fluid mover who scores consistently in the low 30s on the flat. He is incredibly safe on XC, and competitive, as he hasn’t had a XC penalty in over 7 years. He competed successfully at Intermediate with an adult amateur and and is back competing solidly at Preliminary with a young rider. He is easy to have around the barn and at shows, and his next partner will be very lucky to have such a consistent, experienced teammate. Suitable for a young rider or adult amateur looking to have fun and gain miles at the prelim level. Ready to go competing this summer!
Priced low to mid 5 figures.
Please contact Jen Carter (352) 342-1704. Citra, FL.
Are you looking to be super competitive? Or are you looking for a partnership with a well trained and kind animal?
Here’s your guy!
Joshua Tree is an 8-year-old, 16.2h, Holsteiner Cross gelding with multiple wins at Preliminary and Training. The gelding is by Acore out of Gijit.
He has been produced by an amateur and is an absolute packer. His quiet and uncomplicated manner makes him a lovely, serious horse for a junior or amateur. His beautiful movement has scored as low as a 23.7. He is a horse for someone looking for a beautifully trained, easy, sweet mount and at the same time, a fancy and winning one.
He would be happy to continue up the levels or just as comfortable bringing his rider along. He would excel as a pure show jumper too.
I can’t say enough nice things about this genuine creature. He’s one that does not become available often! Nottingham, PA.
Padraigh McCarthy (IRL) wins individual silver at the 2018 WEG. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.
Horse Sport Ireland has released its longlist of 14 horse-and-rider combinations for the forthcoming FEI World Championships of Eventing, set to be held September 14-18 in Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy. The team will head to Rome in the hopes of replicating their exceptional run at the 2018 World Equestrian Games in Tryon, which saw them take silver, as well as earning an individual silver medal for Padraig McCarthy and the since-retired Mr Chunky.
Sam Watson congratulates Padraig McCarthy and owner Christopher Perkins after his clear round at the 2018 WEG. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Though this longlist sees several of 2018’s team riders return – Padraig is named with two five-star mounts, while Sam Watson has been put forward with the very blood Ballybolger Talisman, who certainly has the stamina and pace for Pratoni’s hills – just one of the horses we saw then is still going strong. Cathal Daniels’s Rioghan Rua, who followed up that 2018 team silver with individual bronze at the following year’s European Championships, is one of four horses named for the rider.
The final team of four, plus one individual rider, is set to be announced on August 29th. The named horses and riders are as follows:
Susie Berry and Ringwood LB– Thirteen-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Iroko x Seoidin Alainn, by Master Imp). Owned by Helen Caton, Gwen Purce, and the rider.
Susie Berry and Monbeg By Design – Ten-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Pacino x Eskerhills Lexis, by Puissance). Owned by Helen Caton.
Cathal Daniels and Rioghan Rua – Fifteen-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare (Jack of Diamonds x Highland Destiny, by Flagmount King). Owned by Frank and Margaret Kinsella.
Cathal Daniels and LEB Lias Jewel – Twelve-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare (Limerick x Leb Liath, by Colin Diamond). Owned by Jo Breheny.
Cathal Daniels and Barrichello – Thirteen-year-old British-Bred Sport Horse gelding (Balou du Rouet x Madons Even Wiser, by Matinee du Madon VII). Owned by Sarah Hughes.
Cathal Daniels and CDS Cairnview Romolu – Eleven-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Omar x Cairnview Grace, by Ballinvella). Owned by the rider.
Padraig McCarthy and Fallulah – Thirteen-year-old Westfalian mare (Fidertanz 2 x Devona, by Di Versace). Owned by Amanda and Nicholas Boyle, Di Brunsden, Peter Cattel, and the rider.
Padraig McCarthy and HHS Noble Call – Seventeen-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Last News x Noblina, by Cavalier Royale). Owned by Pearl Chaffe and Padraig McCarthy.
Joseph Murphy and Calmaro – Eleven-year-old Brandenburg gelding (Carpalano x dam unknown). Owned by Claire and Charlie Mayne, Annette O’Callaghan, and the rider.
Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue – Thirteen-year-old British-Bred Sport Horse gelding (Jaguar Mail x Rock Me Baby, by Rock Kind). Owned by the Salty Syndicate and the rider.
Elizabeth Power and Senza Fine – Eleven-year-old Italian Sport Horse mare (Lakota x Launeddas, by Rheingold de Luyne). Owned Therese Miller and the rider.
Michael Ryan and Barnahown Corn Hill – Eleven-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Chinook Eclipse x Mats Lady, breeding unknown). Owned by Carol and Tom Henry.
Felicity Ward and Regal Bounty – Eleven-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Orestus VDL x Edge of Reason, by Senang Hati). Owned by James O’Callaghan.
Sam Watson and Ballybolger Talisman – Eleven-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Puissance x Ali Row, by All Royal). Owned by Hannah and Julia Watson.
One of my favourite parts of working on the press team at England’s All-England Jumping Course at Hickstead is that one day every July in which I get to see my pals from the eventing world, as they descend en masse to take part in the Ashby Underwriting Eventers Challenge. Part Derby course, with a spin up the iconic bank and through the tough Devils Dyke, and part arena cross-country track, it’s fast, furious, and incredibly exciting to watch. This year’s winner, Gemma Stevens (nee Tattersall) produced such an efficient, clever round with the former Liz Halliday-Sharp ride Flash Cooley that they could even afford a pole down en route to the win. Check out how they did it in this exciting video!
We’re just days away from the first medal-earning competitions of the 2022 FEI World Championships for Jumping, Dressage, Para-Dressage, and Vaulting in Herning, Denmark — and already, some of the world’s greatest dressage and vaulting horses and riders have descended upon this extraordinary venue to get ready for what’s to come. They’ve been busy documenting the experience so far on social media, aided and abetted by the plethora of photographers in situ — so here are some of our favourite snapshots so far.
Over the last couple of weeks, England has been subjected to record-smashing high temperatures, which — apart from being an enormously concerning harbinger of further climate-change crises to come — certainly has an impact on how we look after our horses. We’ve seen our national governing bodies cancel competitions across the country, and riders opting to hack at the crack of dawn to get their horses exercised outside of the brutal heat of the day. For owners of leisure horses, it’s easy enough to cancel plans and spend the day cold-hosing — but for Britain’s working horses, keeping cool requires a bit of forward-planning. Check out how the Household Cavalry in London managed it with their stable full of hard-working horses.
Energy is traditionally supplied by cereal grains such as oats, corn, and barley. These feedstuffs deliver energy as carbohydrates or starch. But what if you want to supply more energy to your horse without increasing the feed intake? Feeding a fat supplement is an excellent way to achieve this.
Fat is considered a source of “calm” energy and is thought to modify behavior in some horses, making them more tractable. This, in turn, allows horses to focus their energy on work rather than nervousness.
Jack Le Goff and Image on their way to a team bronze medal at the Rome Olympics in 1960. Photo courtesy of Jack Le Goff.
Whether it is on the flat in a dressage ring, in a show-jumping ring, or on a cross-country course, the eyes are the first and most important tool that a rider has. Most of my life, I have heard instructors yelling, “Keep your eyes up.” Of course, that is true, but do their students know why they are being asked to do this? There is more to it than just saying the words. The eyes should anticipate the track you are following for jumping fences, just enough to make sure you are on the track you walked for riding your course. In dressage, your eyes should be only a few strides ahead as the speed is slow and you know the geometry of the figures in the dressage arena. If you turn your head too much to one side, you are likely to get your horse off the track that you are supposed to follow. One word of caution: your head weighs between 20 and 30 pounds. If you move your head over to one side or the other, you will totally alter the balance, the direction, and the straightness. So if you have a bad habit of tilting your head, then I say, “get rid of it!” The habit, that is.
I have said for years that horses will follow your eyes. Nothing is truer because your eyes dictate the desired position needed to make a turn to the rest of your body. Consequently, it has a significant influence on your weight and balance. I have repeatedly used the example of a racecar going downhill as fast as possible and asked students to think what would happen if the driver took his eyes off the road ahead.
There is also one other imperative factor that is related to the use of the eyes and that is the sense of balance. Without getting too involved in physics, let’s accept that the center of gravity is directly under our feet. When moving forward on a horse, the balance is obviously always moving forward directly under you at a 90-degree angle. So if you keep your eyes on that 90-degree angle relative to the ground (center of gravity), you are in the best place to detect if your horse is speeding up, slowing down, or changing his balance or direction. Please experiment. Look down first and see where the center of gravity is, then raise your eyes directly in front of you and look straight ahead so your line of sight is parallel to the ground. This line will always put you at a 90-degree angle from your center of gravity and down to the ground. I would be surprised if you could not feel a remarkable difference. It is like riding a bicycle or driving a car: you will be able to feel, as well as see, whether the horse is staying on a straight line and whether he increases his speed or slows down. I guarantee you will feel it.
Observing horses teaches you a lot of things. When a horse is jumping please concentrate on his eyes and you will be able to tell at which precise moment he sees the jump. You will then see him react to that jump: he will run to it, slow down, or avoid it. The sooner the horse sees the fence, the sooner he will react to it and the more time the rider has to adjust his riding to the horse’s reaction and make the necessary corrections for a successful jump. So get his eyes on the fence as soon as you can…. People have often heard me shout, “Get his eyes on the jump!” The best way to do this is to get him straight in his neck between the reins.
This excerpt from Horses Came First, Second, and Last by Jack Le Goff is reprinted with permission from Trafalgar Square Books (www.HorseandRiderBooks.com).
Anneli Drummond-Hay (who would go on to be the first-ever winner of Burghley.) when she was just 16 at the European Championships.
It’s with heavy hearts that we share news of the passing of Anneli Drummond-Hay, who died on Sunday at the age of 84. Her passing came after a short bout of illness.
Anneli’s legacy in equestrian sport is extraordinary in its breadth and depth. To eventers, she’s perhaps best known as the first-ever victor of Burghley Horse Trials, which she scooped in 1962 aboard the six-year-old Merely-a-Monarch. She was just 24 years old at the time, but had amassed enough experience to pilot her green gelding to the top spot through a career that began with a decisive victory in the European Pony Championships at the age of 16. Prior to her victory with the young gelding in 1961, she’d already notched up sixth and third place finishes at Badminton Horse Trials with her former top ride, Trident.
By the time she made Monarch’s entry to Burghley, he’d already made it to Grade A showjumping classes — but his experience of horse trials was considerably more limited, and she later told Horse&Hound that his only experience of water jumps was “leaping over puddles in the road”. But they gave themselves such an extraordinary margin in the first phase that by the time they set off for the multi-part cross-country, with its long roads and tracks stints, they were a solid 30 points ahead of their nearest competitors. They had been drawn as last to leave the start box, and as she prepared to start, Anneli was greeted with some news that would dictate her plan for the challenge to come: every competitor before her had fallen, which meant that she could afford the luxury of slowing down and giving her young horse an educational ride where the intensity of the track warranted it.
“I took Monarch carefully and cantered him round – he had a huge stride that just ate up the ground,” she said to H&H. “He was a trifle spooky, but he cleared everything,including the stone wall located at the bottom of a deep ditch, a bullfinch, and the “bogey” fence, the Trout Hatchery, where a hole in the bottom had caused a lot of the falls. The Trout Hatchery that year consisted of a choice of a high post and rails to the water, or a log with a bigger drop in. I chose the latter option and then squeezed around the side, thus avoiding the troublesome hole.”
Their clear round the next day would secure the win, which they followed up with victory at Badminton the following year by a record-holding 42 points, but as women still weren’t allowed to compete in eventing teams at championships, Anneli opted to switch back to showjumping so that she could make a bid for a place at the Olympics.
By the time the 1964 Tokyo Olympics came around, though, Anneli had put herself in such a strong position across the disciplines that she was shortlisted for all three teams — all with Merely-a-Monarch. They remain the only partnership ever to achieve this and now, as the disciplines have become so distinct and professionalised, it’s enormously unlikely that it’ll ever be repeated. In 1968, they were once again shortlisted for the Olympics, this time just for showjumping, but were left off the team in favour of Marion Mould and the 14.2hh Stroller. That would be their last look-in at an Olympic team, as Anneli was offered a lucrative sponsorship deal shortly thereafter, making her ineligible for Olympic selection under the IOC’s rules at the time, which enforced a strictly amateur competition. In taking that deal, though, Anneli became the first-ever rider to secure funding in this way, creating a model for top-level riders that’s universally in use today.
Anneli Drummond-Hay and Merely-a-Monarch – perhaps the world’s first truly remarkable event horse. Photo courtesy of Badminton Horse Trials.
Many years of success at the top level of showjumping followed, including wins in the prestigious Queen Elizabeth II Cup and Hickstead Derby, winning Nations Cup berths at London, Geneva, and Rome, and Grand Prix wins at Brussels, S’Hertogenbosch, Paris, Geneva, Chile, Toronto, Berlin, and many, many more. She was also a prolific winner in Derby classes, taking top honours in Hickstead’s showpiece, as well as Rome twice, Geneva, Berlin, and South Africa twice. Her tours of America also yielded enormous successes, with wins at Madison Square Gardens on her roll of honour.
In 1971, she relocated to South Africa, where she continued to teach and compete, and was awarded a number of honourable accolades — such as British Sportswoman of the Year on three occasions, South African Sportswoman of the Year on eight occasions, the Italian Equestrian Federation’s ‘Premio Caprilli’, and the Cadre Noir’s Golden Spurs. In 2010, she was inducted into the British Horse Society’s Hall of Fame. She also holds the ladies’ high jump record, at a staggering 2.36m, and was actively competing up until her death.
“Anneli set the path for all of us, as female riders, to follow,” says Helen West, British Eventing Chief Executive. “She was a woman who showed the world that women should be included and compete on equal terms with their male counterparts and it is hard to believe there was ever gender inequality when you consider that we are one of the very few sports today where men and women compete on equal terms.
“We all owe so much to Anneli and her legacy lives on with the number of women she will have inspired over the decades to not only ride but to never give up on their dream. On behalf of myself, the British Eventing Board and our entire membership I would like to express our heartfelt condolences to Anneli’s husband Trevor Bern, their family and friends whom she has left behind.”
Anneli’s legacy is certainly one that’s felt every day by all of us women who get to enjoy competing in one of the only sports that’s truly gender equal — and her family legacy will continue to live on, too, in the form of her great-niece, Izzy Taylor, who continues to show exactly what strong women are made of.
All of us at EN offer our most heartfelt sympathies to those connected with this extraordinary powerhouse of a woman. Anneli, we salute you — and we thank you for all you did.
We let Chinch watch the dressage, and now he won’t stop asking for an orange tailcoat.
While we’ve still got six weeks to go until the FEI World Championships for Eventing kicks off in Pratoni, we’re hardly short of action on the global stage in the meantime — and this week, all eyes turn to Herning in Denmark, where the World Championships for dressage, para-dressage, vaulting, and showjumping are about to get underway. Most of this week is devoted to settling horses in, training and familiarisation sessions, and horse inspections, and from Saturday, the action will kick off in earnest with the dressage team Grand Prix.
Here’s a look at how the schedule will work for each day of competition at Herning:
SATURDAY, AUGUST 6
11.00 a.m. local time (10.00 a.m. BST/5.00 a.m. EST): FEI World Team Dressage Grand Prix Championship, followed by individuals
SUNDAY, AUGUST 7
10.00 a.m. local time (9.00 a.m. BST/4.00 a.m. EST): FEI World Vaulting Female Championship — Individual Female First Round Technical Test
11.00 a.m. local time (10.00 a.m. BST/5.00 a.m. EST): FEI World Team Dressage Grand Prix Championship, followed by individuals
3.00 p.m. local time (2.00 p.m. BST/9.00 a.m. EST): FEI World Vaulting Male Championship — Individual Male First Round Technical Test
6.00 p.m. local time (5.00 p.m. BST/12.00 p.m. EST): FEI World Vaulting Pas-De-Deux Championship — Pas-De-Deux First Round Freestyle Test
8.oo p.m. local time (7.00 p.m. BST/2.00 p.m. EST): FEI World Dressage Championship — Grand Prix medal ceremony
MONDAY, AUGUST 8
8.30 a.m. local time (7.30 a.m. BST/2.30 a.m. EST): FEI World Vaulting Female Championship — Individual Female First Round Freestyle Test
1.00 p.m. local time (12.00 p.m. BST/7.00 a.m. EST): FEI World Vaulting Male Championship — Individual Male First Round Freestyle Test
1.30 p.m. local time (12.30 p.m. BST/7.30 a.m. EST): FEI World Dressage Championship — Individual Grand Prix Special
3.30 p.m. local time (2.30 p.m. BST/9.30 a.m. EST):FEI World Vaulting Squad Championship — Squad Round Freestyle Test, followed by medal ceremony for squad, female, and male individuals
8.oo p.m. local time (7.00 p.m. BST/2.00 p.m. EST): FEI World Dressage Championship — Grand Prix Special medal ceremony
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10
8.30 a.m. local time (7.30 a.m. BST/2.30 a.m. EST): FEI World Para Dressage Individual Championship — Grade IV
11.00 a.m. local time (10.00 a.m. BST/5.00 a.m. EST): FEI World Team & Individual Jumping Championship — First Competition – Speed
11.00 a.m. local time (10.00 a.m. BST/5.00 a.m. EST): FEI World Vaulting Pas-De-Deux Championship — Pas-De-Deux Final Round Freestyle Test
12.15 p.m. local time (11.15 a.m. BST/6.15 a.m. EST): FEI World Para Dressage Individual Championship — Grade II, followed by Grade IV and Grade II medal ceremonies
1.00 p.m. local time (12.00 p.m. BST/7.00 a.m. EST):FEI World Official Nations Team Vaulting Championship — Nations Team, followed by medal ceremony for Pas de Deux and Nations Team
3.30 p.m. local time (2.30 p.m. BST/9.30 a.m. EST): FEI World Para Dressage Individual Championship — Grade I
5.00 p.m. local time (4.00 p.m. BST/11.00 a.m. EST): Para Dressage Medal Ceremony for Grade I
8.oo p.m. local time (7.00 p.m. BST/2.00 p.m. EST): FEI World Dressage Grand Prix Freestyle Championship
11.00 p.m. local time (10.00 p.m. BST/5.00 p.m. EST): Dressage Grand Prix Freestyle Medal Ceremony
THURSDAY, AUGUST 11
1.00 p.m. local time (12.00 p.m. BST/7.00 a.m. EST): FEI World Team Jumping Championship – Round 1, followed by FEI World Jumping Championship — Individual – Second Competition – Round 1
2.00 p.m. local time (1.00 p.m. BST/8.00 a.m. EST): FEI World Para Dressage Individual Championship — Grade III
5.30 p.m. local time (4.30 p.m. BST/11.30 a.m. EST): FEI World Para Dressage Individual Championship — Grade V, followed by medal ceremonies for Grade III and Grade V
FRIDAY, AUGUST 12
11.00 a.m. local time (10.00 a.m. BST/5.00 a.m. EST): FEI World Para Dressage Team Championship — Grade IV
2.45 p.m. local time (1.45 p.m. BST/8.45 a.m. EST): FEI World Para Dressage Team Championship — Grade II
5.20 p.m. local time (4.20 p.m. BST/11.20 a.m. EST): FEI World Para Dressage Team Championship — Grade I
9.oo p.m. local time (8.00 p.m. BST/3.00 p.m. EST): FEI World Team Jumping Championship — Round 2, followed by Individual — Second Competition – Round 2
11.30 p.m. local time (10.30 p.m. BST/5.30 p.m. EST): Jumping Team Medal Ceremony
SATURDAY, AUGUST 13
11.00 a.m. local time (10.00 a.m. BST/5.00 a.m. EST): FEI World Para Dressage Team Championship — Grade III
2.20 p.m. local time (1.20 p.m. BST/8.20 a.m. EST):FEI World Para Dressage Team Championship — Grade V
8.3o p.m. local time (7.30 p.m. BST/2.30 p.m. EST): Para Dressage Medal Ceremony — Teams
SUNDAY, AUGUST 14
9.00 a.m. local time (8.00 a.m. BST/3.00 a.m. EST): FEI World Para Dressage Individual Championship — Grades IV, II & I
11.30 a.m. local time (10.30 a.m. BST/5.30 a.m. EST): Para Dressage Medal Ceremony for Grade VI, II & I
2.00 p.m. local time (1.00 p.m. BST/8.00 a.m. EST): FEI World Jumping Championship — Final Individual – Third Competition
2.15 p.m. local time (1.15 p.m. BST/8.15 a.m. EST): FEI World Para Dressage Individual Championship — Grades V & III
4.30 p.m. local time (3.30 p.m. BST/10.30 a.m. EST): FEI World Jumping Championship Individual medal ceremony
5.10 p.m. local time (4.10 p.m. BST/11.10 a.m. EST): Para Dressage Medal Ceremony for Grade V & III
HOW TO WATCH
No matter where you are in the world, you’ve got plenty of options for following along with all the action. The primary live-stream provider for the entirety of the event will be FEI TV, which has been absorbed into ClipMyHorse.TV. They’ll provide wall-to-wall livestreams, plus almost immediate on-demand viewing options, across the disciplines, though you will need to take out a subscription or a trial membership to access their coverage. (They’ll also be in charge of the streams from Pratoni, so it’s well worth getting your account sorted now so you’re prepared for the busy autumn season!)
There are a number of non-championship classes going on throughout Herning, too, including small-tour dressage and showjumping classes, and you can sign up to ZibraSport Equestto keep up with these, plus watch masterclasses and Riders Corner interview segments daily.
There’s currently no plan for any of the disciplines to be shown on the BBC’s Red Button service as they have done in previous years, though representatives for the service have said that this could change as we get closer to the start of the action. Keep this page bookmarked and we’ll be sure to update you with any additional coverage options that become available.
Hawley Bennett-Awad and Jollybo. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.
The Canadian eventing team for the forthcoming FEI World Championships for Eventing at Pratoni del Vivaro (September 14-18) has been released today, and it’s arguably among the strongest Canadian teams we’ve seen in recent memory. Though we don’t yet know which of the five named horses and riders will take the four team berths, and which will come forward as an individual, we can expect to divulge that information closer to the competition itself.
The named horses and riders are as follows:
Hawley Bennett-Awad and Jollybo – eighteen-year-old British-bred Sport Horse mare (Jumbo x Polly Coldunnell, by Danzig Connection), owned by the Jolly Syndicate LLC and the rider.
Holly Jacks-Smither and Candy King – twelve-year-old British-bred Sport Horse gelding (Grafenstolz x Eye Candy, by Moothyeb), owned by the Candy King Eventing Limited Partnership.
Colleen Loach and Vermont – ten-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Van Helsing x Hauptstutbuch Hollywood, by Heraldik), owned by Peter Barry.
Karl Slezak and Fernhill Wishes – thirteen-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Chacoa x KEC Galway Bay, by Gildawn Diamond), owned by Kirk Hoppner and the rider.
Mike Winter and El Mundo – thirteen-year-old KWPN gelding (Numero Uno x Calvaro’s Bria Z, by Calvaro F.C.), owned by Jonathan Nelson, Emma Winter and the rider.
The non-travelling reserves for the team are:
Dana Cooke and FE Mississippi – twelve-year-old Württemburg mare (Cassini II x Liastra, by Legaat), owned by the FE Mississippi Syndicate LLC.
Lisa Marie Fergusson and Honor Me – sixteen-year-old Welsh Sport Horse gelding (Brynarian Brenin x Dream Contessa, breeding unknown), owned by the rider.
Canada will be fighting for a top seven finish at the World Championships, which would secure them a team spot at the 2024 Paris Olympics — a goal that’s very much at the forefront of the squad’s collective mind after a disappointing previous Olympic cycle saw them fail to qualify for Tokyo. There’ll be plenty of fighting to do in Pratoni, but we have high hopes for this exciting line-up.
If you’re looking for all the latest information on Pratoni, be sure to check out our Ultimate Guide that’s chock full of the latest coverage, team announcements, and much more.
I’m not sure anything has ever encapsulated the mid-season vibe quite so deftly as this — Laura Collett‘s account of the many miles she’s driven over the weekend while flitting between three competitions on each end of the country. Are eventers lunatics? Yes, absolutely. But we reckon the good results she’s notched up make it worthwhile.
Horse nerds, listen up: there’s some fascinating new research into the origin story of horses in the US, and there’s some pretty interesting links between the ponies of Assateague and Chincoteague and Spanish settlers. Lots to sink your teeth into with this one. [All from a solitary molar, too]
If you were at the USPC Championships East over the weekend, you might have spotted a pretty special team. The Brook Hill Pony Club rides exclusively rescue horses, with a wide swathe of unique needs, and many of the kids in the programme are overcoming mental and physical challenges themselves. [We’ll happily root for these guys any day of the week]
Nicola Wilson has released another update on her progress. In it, she shares exciting details about how she’s smashing her own movement goals, and bittersweet details on the horses leaving her yards for pastures new. [Keep on fighting, Nic]
Watch This:
Yesterday, we rewatched the cross-country from the Young Rider European Championships – now, we’re deep-diving into the Junior CCI2*-L track. Sign us up (although we’re far too old).
Huge congratulations to the British Junior and Young Rider teams, who took decisive team golds in their European Championships over the weekend at Hartpury in Gloucestershire. There’s always something extra special about a home win, and it’s particularly heartening (though perhaps not for anyone from any other countries) to see that the next generation of riders is every bit as formidable as the current upper echelons in this country. To give you an update on the medal tallies so far, Great Britain currently holds Olympic gold, WEG gold, and European golds at Senior, Young Rider, and Junior levels. We’d be fairly confident they can add the Pony Europeans gold to that this week, too.
US Weekend Action:
Horse Park of New Jersey H.T. (Allentown, NJ): [Website] [Results]
Hunt Club Farms H.T. (Berryville, VA): [Website] [Results]
UK Weekend Results:
Hambro Sport Horses Burgham International CCI4*-S (Morpeth, UK): [Results]
FEI Eventing European Championships for Young Riders (Hartpury, UK): [Website] [Results]
Kilguilkey House International CCI4*-L/CCI4*-S (Cork Co, Ireland): [Website] [Entries/Times]
Your Morning Reading List:
We’re inching ever closer to October’s Young Horse World Championships in Le Lion d’Angers, and that means that the race for the Holekamp/Turner grant is hotting up. There are two exciting seven-year-olds newly qualified to fight for this lucrative bit of funding, and plenty who are close to completing their required MERs for the event – catch up on who’s in contention here.
I don’t know about you, but my favourite part of an eventing day is carbing up at the burger van at the end of it all. But I’m far from the first person to benefit from the unbridled joys of eating things in bread – and as it turns out, in medieval times, that was actually the main philosophy behind feeding horses. [The great equine bake-off of 1593]
We’re deeply saddened to hear the news that Anneli Drummond-Hay – the first-ever winner of Burghley – has died, age 84. This extraordinary powerhouse of a women was shortlisted for the Olympics in all three disciplines, and proved to a world that wasn’t quite as accepting of women at the top level that they could do anything the men could do – and often better. [We owe her a great debt]
We talk a lot about the potential concerns of wormer resistance – but antibiotics resistance in horses, too, can be a major concern. Just as in humans, overuse of antibiotics can cause bacteria to evolve and adapt, minimising the impact of medicating and potentially leading to veterinary crises that are considerably harder to deal with. [Find out how to minimise risk here]
We’ve featured 20-year-old Alice Casburn on EN a number of times in the past for her great successes with the homebred Topspin II, with whom she stepped up to five-star last season and completed Badminton this year. The horse is the grandson of Alice’s mother’s former Advanced horse, which is about as pony novel chic as it gets, and over the weekend, they represented Great Britain at the Young Rider European Championships, taking team gold and individual bronze for their efforts. Give her a follow to see what adventures they go on next — we hear there are some exciting ones planned for the latter half of the season!
Morning Viewing:
Relive the action from the Young Rider Europeans cross-country day at Hartpury:
Ruy Fonseca and Ballypatrick SRS. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.
And so it begins! The Brazilian team is the first to be named for this year’s World Championships, which will be held from September 13–19 in Pratoni del Vivaro, southwest of Rome. Due to their relative shortage of horses and riders in this championship cycle, their team announcement was dependant on their final combination – Marcio Carvalho Jorge and Kilcoltrim Kit Kat – gaining the required MER, which they accomplished in this weekend’s CCI4*-S at Burgham. Though we expect to see some further announcements over the next couple of weeks, teams will have until September 5th to make their final entries and reveal their teams.
The team is made up of the following riders and horses:
Carlos Parro and Goliath, an eleven-year-old KWPN gelding (Chello III VDL x Octa, by Belisar). Owned by EMTEC Laboratories and the rider.
Marcelo Tosi and Glenfly, a seventeen-year-old Thoroughbred gelding (Presenting x Dorans Glen, by Over the River). Owned by the rider.
Marcio Carvalho Jorge and Kilcoltrim Kit Kat, a thirteen-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare (Waldo van Dungen x Kilcoltrim Kitten, by Ghareeb). Owned by Alison and Helen Mordaunt and Alistair and Annabel Vere Nicoll.
Ruy Fonseca and Ballypatrick SRS, an eleven-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Pacino x Ballypatrick Romance, by Clover Hill). Owned by Renata Rabello Costa and the rider.
There’s considerable championship experience among the four named combinations: Carlos and Goliath represented Brazil at the Tokyo Olympics and also competed in Pratoni’s test event in May, and Marcelo and Glenfly were part of the team at Tokyo in 2021 and at the World Equestrian Games in Tryon in 2018. Ruy and Ballypatrick SRS were part of the Brazilian team at the 2019 Pan American Games, when the horse was just eight, while Kilcoltrim Kit Kat, who joined Marcio’s string just this season, has had no previous championship experience but has completed several four-stars.
Rosie Fry and True Blue Too II en route to victory at Blair. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
We’re desperately sad to report that Rosie Fry‘s True Blue Too II has been euthanised after falling in the cross-country warm-up at Northumberland’s Burgham International Horse Trials today. The gelding, who was owned and bred by Rosie’s aunt, Di White-Hamilton, had been contesting the CCI4*-S class.
The team at Burgham have released a statement about the incident on social media:
“It is with great sadness with which we announce that the horse True Blue Too, ridden by Rosie Fry (GBR) and owned by Mr and Mrs White-Hamilton, was put down on humane grounds as the result of a fatal accident at Burgham International Horse Trials, Alnwick, United Kingdom, CCI4*-S, at 1.30pm on 30 July 2022. True Blue Too, an 11-year-old gelding, fell in the cross-country warm-up,” it reads.
“Veterinarians immediately attended to the horse, providing all veterinary care, and full medical attention was given to the rider, Rosie Fry, who was transported to hospital for further observation. At every FEI event the maximum consideration is given to the safety and welfare of horses and riders. The organising committee of Burgham and the FEI are sending all our thoughts to those connected with this horse.”
True Blue Too won the CCI4*-L at Blair Castle last year at just ten years old, giving his longtime rider a career-best result, and stepped up to CCI5* at Badminton this year, finishing 47th. His run at Burgham had been intended as part of an autumn campaign towards Burghley. Our thoughts are with Rosie, Di, and the rest of the team around this much-loved family horse.
Rosie and True Blue Too moments after winning at Blair. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
So often, England’s Magnolia Cup – an invitational charity flat race for women who aren’t actually jockeys at England’s Glorious Goodwood – is the site of extraordinary, inspiring stories. It was here that teenager Khadijah Mellah became not only the first-ever Hijabi winner of a race, but the first Hijabi jockey in the UK back in 2019, which inspired a flurry of aspiring jockeys to join the Ebony Horse Club programme in London, where she’d learnt to ride.
This year, upon the race’s return to the calendar, we’ve seen a similarly exceptional winner in Ashleigh Wicheard, who used the race as a platform to promote diversity in equestrianism and the continued fight to end systemic racism well beyond the realm of sport. I’m putting the site of the jockeys collectively taking the knee down as one of the most moving sporting moments of the year, and I doubt we’ll see it eclipsed as the rest of 2022 plays out. Check out this short documentary video for the full story, and give Ashleigh a follow on Instagram to keep up with this powerhouse rider.
A super-speedy Gemma Stevens celebrates after sailing the last with Flash Cooley. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
We so often see eventing Grand Prix classes relegated to the depths of winter and the dramatic floodlights of indoor shows, which is one of the reasons that the Ashby Underwriting Eventers Challenge at the All-England Jumping Course at Hickstead feels so special: it’s something of a summer sweetener in the midst of a busy season, and though it’s undeniably fast, furious, and enormously competitive, it’s also a welcome bit of fun in the calendar for riders and horses alike.
That sense of fun is certainly something that Gemma Stevens – nee Tattersall — has been cultivating in ten-year-old Flash Cooley, who she inherited from Liz Halliday-Sharp on the rider’s return to the US. The petite grey has been delivering some exciting results over the year they’ve been together, including a twelfth place finish in Blenheim’s eight- and nine-year-old class in 2021 and a move-up to CCI4*-L at Bramham this year. Throughout, he’s earned himself a reputation as a promisingly swift little horse – but never has he shown that with more certainty than in the ring today, when he delivered a round so fast that even a knocked pole didn’t cost him the win.
“That was absolutely brilliant – what a cool little horse he is,” says Gemma, who took the win by just over a second and a half over second-placed Helen Wilson and My Ernie, who had led for much of the class. “Two weeks ago he was up at Bolesworth doing the Mini Major and the Ride and Drive, and then last weekend he won an Advanced eventing class at Aston le Walls, and now he’s won an Eventers Grand Prix. He’s just so much fun and he absolutely loves the speed.”
Each of the top three — Gemma, second-placed Helen, and third-placed Pippa Funnell and Majas Hope — are local to Hickstead, which sweetened their superb rounds all the more.
“As my father just told me, I’ve been trying to win this for over half my life – so at long last, I’ve managed to win,” laughs Gemma. “It’s really cool, and I’m really happy. It’s like being home, basically, at Hickstead – I live fifteen minutes away and I come schooling here all the time, so it’s really cool to win here. That arena still gives me such butterflies, because it’s just such a cool arena. Everyone comes to Hickstead to want to jump in the main ring, so I’m just really lucky not only to jump in there but to have a win, too.”
Gemma is no stranger to Hickstead’s iconic main arena, either — she’s been gaining some serious mileage in the ring over top-level courses with her pure showjumping mare, the nine-year-old MGH Candy Girl.
“I’m very lucky to have the amazing MGH Candy Girl, and at the last show I was extremely lucky to be in the four-star showjumping, which is really exciting. I jumped two 1.45s and a 1.50m – and very big and very terrifying! I’ve actually been invited to do the Queens Cup, which is absolutely a dream come true. We’re just going to jump her today and hopefully I’ll do it – as long as it’s the right thing. I might walk the course and freak out!”
Flash Cooley makes easy work of the tough Normandy Bank. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Even with ring experience over considerably bigger fences, Gemma wasn’t totally free of nerves ahead of today’s class, which featured a mix of portable cross-country fences and knockable derby-style showjumping fences.
“It’s really fun, and I felt really relaxed all day, but then I was like, ‘oh god, I’m actually really nervous!’ Because, you know, we’re all competitive and we all want to give it a go, and I always want to win. I’m not scared of doing the jumps, I just don’t want to mess it up. I want to do well and give it my best shot – and also, I know what it takes and how fast I’ve got to go, and that is actually scary. Although it’s fun and exciting, too!”
“Helen [Wilson] is incredibly competitive, and she’s an absolutely fantastic rider and that’s a fantastic horse. So I knew I’d have to really go for it, and then we just hit that little fence because bless him, he was trying to be so careful and we just got a little close. So then I was like, ‘well, I’m not going to beat the time, but I’m going to give it a go!’ And somehow I managed it. He’s actually a very speedy little horse, and he’s so nippy, and he’s really careful, so I can just trust him.”
Helen Wilson and My Ernie set a nearly unsurpassable standard but ultimately are pipped at the post for second. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Helen Wilson‘s very near win with her five-star mount My Ernie was certainly a popular one, not least because she’s local: the petite black gelding’s trajectory has been a unique and appealing one that’s helped him become a fan favourite. Bought as a bargain basement project due to his quirks, he hunted extensively with Helen at the local Surrey Union hunt before starting his eventing career in 2019. By last year, he’d made enough headway to finish sixth in the CCI4*-L at Blenheim, and though his Badminton debut this year was an educational one, there’s no doubt that he’s one of the most exciting up-and-coming horses on the British scene – and undeniably one of the most fun to watch.
Pippa Funnell and her Pratoni-longlisted Majas Hope take third. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Pippa Funnell was the first ever winner of this class back in 2000, when she piloted The Tourmaline Rose to victory over a very different track, and she certainly made a good bid for another win today, jumping a swift clear with her European Championships mount Majas Hope. But they’d find themselves just over a second and a half too slow for victory despite their best efforts, ultimately taking third place.
The course caused plenty of influence throughout the class, with a number of horses knocking rails at the Devil’s Dyke rails and ditch, and others hesitating when coming down Hickstead’s iconic derby bank and Normandy bank complexes. The reigning winners, 2019 champions Nicky Hill and Kilrodan Sailorette, set off at a remarkable pace, but ultimately fell at the third fence after misreading the stride. Both were unharmed, as was Tom Crisp, who took a tumble from Vendome Biats in the Devil’s Dyke.
Tom Crisp delivers the save of the day with Vendome Biats. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Simon Grieve celebrates a classy effort with Drumbilla Metro. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Simon Grieve and his experienced five-star partner Drumbilla Metro finish fourth. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Pippa checks the clock after crossing the line. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Pippa Funnell guns for the finish after jumping the last with Majas Hope. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Helen Wilson and My Ernie. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Lucy Jackson and Kallio B. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Laura Collett and Dacapo. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Katie Preston and Templar Juno. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Gemma Stevens and Flash Cooley. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Francis Whittington and DHI Fiktor Nita. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Gaspard Maksud and She’s The One. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Francis Whittington and DHI Fiktor Nita. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Felicity Collins and Shadow Minnie Moon. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Claire Deuten and Ustinov van Elsenham finish ninth. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Claire Deuten and Ustinov van Elsenham. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
This week sees the return of England’s iconic Royal International Horse Show at the All-England Showground at Hickstead for the first time since pre-pandemic, and one of our favourite classes of the week is on the schedule for tomorrow — that’s the Eventers’ Challenge class, which has taken a number of forms over the years and even involved a number of top show jumpers at one point. We’ll be bringing you coverage and snaps from the class tomorrow, but in the meantime, we’re whetting our whistles by looking back at how the class played out in 2000, when it still involved a long loop outside of the main arena. That year, it was won by a baby-faced Pippa Funnell aboard The Tourmaline Rose; this year, we’ll see Pippa return to try for the title aboard Billy Wonder. Stay tuned to find out if she can repeat the feat!
Energy is traditionally supplied by cereal grains such as oats, corn, and barley. These feedstuffs deliver energy as carbohydrates or starch. But what if you want to supply more energy to your horse without increasing the feed intake? Feeding a fat supplement is an excellent way to achieve this.
Fat is considered a source of “calm” energy and is thought to modify behavior in some horses, making them more tractable. This, in turn, allows horses to focus their energy on work rather than nervousness.
