Foshay International, the CCI2*-L/CCI1*event scheduled to be held Sept. 3-6 in Jemseg, New Brunswick, Canada, has been postponed until 2021. Some exciting news, though, to soften the blow — they’ll be adding a CCI3*-S division when it resumes! Here is a letter from the event co-chairs:
Dear Foshay Fans,
This has been quite a year and even our horses must wonder why there have been no road trips? At this point, we now have sufficient information from the FEI, EC the NBEA and the province of New Brunswick to know that we will be postponing the next Foshay International to 2021. Not an easy decision, but the right one nonetheless.
In a year where we have seen sweeping cancellations of sporting events from the Olympic Games to our local schooling shows, the physical, mental & emotional effects have been felt by all of us. Furthermore, the economic impact to the industry from national federations to boarding and training facilities has been significant and unprecedented. And though no one really seems to have seen it coming, the fall-out has been global, painful and sustained.
For all that we have experienced to date, many unknowns remain. What is clear is that any rigid approach that we take to future planning is likely to fail. It means that these times will favour those that are flexible, innovative and resilient; all words that are at the heart of the sport of eventing.
When we consider the latest provincial guidelines for travel and gatherings, common sense tells us that we would be unable to host and international equestrian event in 2020. Beyond the limitations of travel and gatherings we also needed to consider our sponsors, officials, athletes and volunteers as we imagined how to possibly host an event such as Foshay International in these times.
We are well aware of how important sporting events are to the benefit of the human psyche, and though none of us know what “normal” will feel like a year from now, we can only imagine that our lives will be enriched through sporting celebrations. For us, that means our focus is now looking ahead; with a commitment to making the Foshay International stronger in 2021.
Prior to the disruptions of 2020 we had already committed to a CCI3*-S in 2021. This will be an important step for not only this event, but also for the sport of eventing in North America. Most importantly, it will mean that Foshay International will be a qualifying event for horses and riders on the road to the 2023 Pan American Games.
Thank you to the Foshay International Organizing Committee, our sponsors, officials, athletes and the broader community for your continued support. These are difficult times as we face circumstances for which none of us could have possibly foreseen. While there may be some uncertainty as to how this will all play out, it is important that as individuals and eventers we play our part in mitigating risk while staying positive and always planning for the future.
Stay safe, and we will do our best to keep you up to date as it all unfolds towards 2021.
US Equestrian and the United States Eventing Association (USEA) are hosting a joint informational webinar session for members and participants within the eventing community to review a safe return to competition and discuss key topics relevant to eventing.
• Jenni Autry – Managing Director of Eventing, US Equestrian
• Rob Burk – Chief Executive Officer, United States Eventing Association
• Max Corcoran – President, United States Eventing Association
• Jonathan Elliott – Vice President of Competitions & Organizers Representative, United States Eventing Association
• Katlynn Sacco – Director of Competition Licensing, Evaluation & Safety, US Equestrian
• Debbie Saliling – Director of Compliance, US Equestrian
• Lynn Symansky – U.S. Eventing High Performance Athlete
This webinar event is open to USEA and/or USEF eventing members.
The virtual webinar will be held via Zoom. We encourage participants to submit questions in advance when registering. Pre-webinar question submissions will close at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 12. There will be a Q&A session following the presentation.
The recorded event will be posted on the USEF Network and the USEA website at the conclusion of the session.
The FEI European Championships in the Olympic and Paralympic disciplines of Jumping, Eventing, Dressage and Para Dressage will not be held in 2021 due to the revised dates for the Tokyo Games next year. European Championships in the non-Olympic disciplines will still be organised in 2021.
The Hungarian capital of Budapest had been due to play host to five disciplines next summer – Jumping, Dressage, Para Dressage, Driving and Vaulting – from 23 August to 5 September. However, the proximity of the Championships to the rescheduled Olympic and Paralympic Games has meant that it is no longer feasible to run Jumping, Dressage and Para Dressage. As part of its 50th anniversary celebrations of the first FEI European Driving Championships in Budapest back in 1971, the Organisers will maintain both Driving and Vaulting next year.
The FEI European Eventing Championships 2021 were scheduled to take place from 11-15 August at Haras du Pin (FRA), venue for the Eventing test of the FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014, but the decision has been made to cancel the Championships following the postponement of Tokyo 2020.
The new dates for the Tokyo Olympic Games are 23 July to 8 August 2021 and the Paralympic Games will run from 24 August through to 5 September 2021.
The FEI Board has agreed that the bid process for the European Championships 2021 in these four disciplines will not be reopened, as all organisers would face the same challenges of trying to host major Championships so close to the Tokyo Games.
“Together with the Organising Committees of both Budapest and Haras du Pin, as well as the Hungarian and French National Federations, we have examined every possible option to try and save the Championships in 2021,” FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez said, “but we have reached the regrettable decision that it simply is not possible to have these important events so close to the Olympic and Paralympic Games next year.
“While there are some nations that have enough horsepower to send strong teams to the Olympic and Paralympic Games and also to the European Championships across the four disciplines, we have to offer a level playing field to all eligible countries and we simply cannot do that in this case, so we have agreed that the focus should be on Tokyo next year.
“Of course it is desperately disappointing to lose these Championships from the 2021 Calendar, but we will continue to support Budapest with their double Europeans for Driving and Vaulting.”
The FEI Secretary General has overall responsibility for the FEI Calendar and is currently chairing the eight discipline-specific Task Forces that have been set up to seek ways of mitigating the effect of the current Covid-19 pandemic on the FEI Calendar, including the knock-on effects into 2021.
“It was the very first time that a Central European country had won the opportunity to organise the prestigious FEI multidiscipline European Championships, Dorottya Stróbl, Member of the Managing Board of the Budapest Organising Committee and Secretary General of the Hungarian National Federation, said.
“We strongly believed that the event would serve as a high motivation for the owners and sponsors in Hungary and in the neighbouring countries and promote the sport towards the elite level, but we understand that the significant challenges of holding major FEI Championships in the Olympic and Paralympic disciplines in the year of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, has meant that unfortunately cancellation was inevitable. However, we will continue to work to ensure the very highest level of FEI Driving and Vaulting European sport in Budapest next year.”
Valérie Moulin, President of the Ustica Organising Committee at Haras du Pin, also expressed her disappointment: “We are very disappointed that the rescheduling of Tokyo 2020 has led to the cancellation of the Championships in Haras du Pin, but unfortunately we were unable to find alternative dates outside August 2021. We had gathered a lot of local partners and we were financially invested. All riders counted on this date, nevertheless we understand that the situation has changed over the last months with the postponement of the Olympic Games. We have made a proposal to the FEI about potentially hosting the Championships in 2023 and we look forward to hearing about that.”
Discussions around other FEI Championships, including the Europeans in 2023, will be held during next month’s FEI Board videoconference meeting, which is set for 23-25 June.
US Equestrian has released its Licensed Competitions COVID-19 Toolkit that features the USEF Action Plan, outlining mandatory requirements and recommended best practices for competition organizers and participants as equestrian competitions prepare to resume on June 1, 2020, dependent on federal, state, and local regulations and restrictions.
Ensuring the health, safety, and welfare of participants and their horses is a paramount priority for US Equestrian. The COVID-19 Competition Action Plan includes key resources and guidelines to ensure competition organizers, exhibitors, and additional stakeholders are able to accurately assess and mitigate risk when at a competition venue.
The requirements and recommendations included in the COVID-19 Action Plan are effective immediately, and will remain in place until further notice; however, the document may be subject to modifications as guidance from the federal government and public health officials is adjusted or updated. In addition, once USEF receives notification of the FEI’s Guidelines, an amended document with updates to the current protocol will be issued.
In addition to the Action Plan, the Toolkit provides several resources and tools for use by both organizers and participants to assess the current situations in their respective states, mitigate virus transmission and spread, and assist in the management of risks associated with COVID-19.
US Equestrian will continue to monitor developments, while actively referencing and reviewing updates from the World Health Organization and Center for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as regularly consult with members and competition organizers as we navigate through our “new normal” together.
Click here to view the Licensed Competition COVID-19 Toolkit.
• For questions regarding Competitions, please contact Katlynn Sacco at [email protected]
• For questions regarding Compliance, please contact Debbie Saliling at [email protected]
• General comment or feedback regarding the USEF Action Plan or the Toolkit can be directed to [email protected].
Photo courtesy of Rebecca Walton/Phelps Media Group/STRIDER.
The United States Eventing Association (USEA) Board of Governors has voted to resume recognizing educational activities after May 13, 2020. All educational activities must follow the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as federal, state, and local guidelines.
Educational activities scheduled to be held after May 13 that will be eligible for USEA recognition include clinics, camps, and cross-country schooling. All other activities applying for USEA recognition will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis until further notice.
If the educational activity is able to be legally held, then the USEA strongly recommends the organizer follow the US Equestrian (USEF) guidelines for safely hosting an educational activity or event. The USEF has indicated that those guidelines will be released as a USEF Action Plan later this week, and in the interim, we recommend that organizers view the USEF Webinar: Planning for a Safe Return to Competition which is available here.
The USEA is continuing to mirror the USEF’s suspension for recognizing competitions – the current suspension period lasts until May 31, 2020. The USEA will announce as soon as possible if recognition of events can resume after May 31.
“With all of us staying at home for the last few months, we felt that educational activities are very important to knock some of the dust off in anticipation of the potential June 1, 2020 start-up to competitions,” explained USEA President Max Corcoran. “Attending an education activity is a really good way to ensure that horses and riders are fit enough and still have the skills to safely start competing again. The Board hopes that everyone takes great care in resuming competing and we look forward to seeing you all out there soon. Stay well, stay safe, and keep those hands washed!”
“When an accident happens you don’t have to completely overhaul everything, but you have to calmly look back at it and say ‘what are the problems and where do we have it right?’” explains Jonathan Holling, chair of the USEA Cross-Country Safety Subcommittee. “The reality is that the officials have been doing a pretty good job, and I think that a lot of what we have been doing has been making things safer. We just need to find where we can do even better.”
The USEA Cross-Country Safety Subcommittee was formed in May 2017 after a restructuring of the USEA Safety Task Force. The current members are Jonathan Holling, Sara Broussard, Mary Coldren, Tremaine Cooper, Max Corcoran, J.M. Durr, Lesley Grant-Law, Andy Griffiths, Jay Hambly, Malcolm Hook, David O’Connor, Doug Payne, Morgan Rowsell, Katlin Spak, and David Vos. The Subcommittee reviews all accidents that happen on cross-country at USEA recognized events and identifies current and potential concerns as well as actions that can be taken to improve the safety of the sport for both horses and riders.
The Subcommittee has been meeting regularly and has decided to put forward several proposals. “Not any one of these things is going to fix the problem. In reality it is a high-risk sport and we are looking at minimizing the risk,” Holling said. “I think these four things can help minimize that risk – having different layers of safety or regulation helps improve the safety of the sport. It is not a realistic goal to say there will be zero accidents, a realistic goal is to minimize the risk of the sport. I think it is okay to compete in a high-risk sport and not to be okay with accidents or fatalities as long as you are doing everything you can to minimize risk.”
1. Increasing Minimum Eligibility Requirements (MER) and Rider Categorization
Following the Subcommittee’s analysis of recent accidents in the U.S., Holling said that he believes the biggest piece that needed to be addressed is rider qualification. He wants riders to have more of a base of knowledge and ability than what the current MER standards demand.
“We looked at records of very successful upper level riders – Olympic caliber riders – and what we found that in most cases (virtually all of them) did two to three times more than what our minimum requirements are to be able to move a horse up,” said Holling. “When we looked at that we said, ‘maybe we don’t have right what we are requiring for the base of the sport.’ We felt pretty strongly, and the data confirmed, that one way we can increase the skill of riders and the horsemanship and relationship between the horses and the riders is to raise the minimum eligibility requirements. In a nutshell, people will have to do more at a level before they can move up.”
While each national level has a different set of requirements, a good example is the Intermediate level – currently horses are only required to achieve MERs at four Preliminary level horse trials (and one can be with 20 cross-country jumping penalties). “I had a horse this year entered to move up to Intermediate, and at first I thought maybe I hadn’t done enough Preliminary horse trials with him, but when I looked I had done nine and all of them were clear and good,” shared Holling. “It just shows you – as an Advanced level rider – I am debating moving this young horse up and I have already done over double what was the minimum requirement. Just because you have done the minimum doesn’t mean it is right, but it gives you a baseline idea of what should be done.”
The Subcommittee is still working out the final wording of the proposal, which would then need to go forward to the appropriate committees of the USEA including the USEA Board of Governors before moving to the USEF, but the proposal would also include rider categorization or licensing similar to the FEI.
“Depending on what level you have successfully competed to in the past you can move up the levels a little bit easier, but even an ‘A’ licensed rider in our proposal would still have to do what we do today. But we suspect that even the ‘A’ licensed riders will end up doing more than the minimum because overwhelmingly they already are. When you look back at the records of those top horses who are winning five-stars now – most of them spent a lot of time at the lower levels.”
2. Minimum Performance Standard for Show Jumping Phase
The Subcommittee has recently proposed a rule change to have show jumping rounds at the Training level and above which incur five rails or more result in compulsory retirement when show jumping precedes cross-country. A similar rule is already in place in the UK, Sweden, Denmark, and Germany. The Subcommittee worked with EquiRatings and the statistical analysis showed that there is a significant correlation for those who had four rails down in show jumping with horse falls on cross-country. “We felt like it was strong enough evidence and putting our horsemen hat on and it felt like it made sense to propose the rule,” said Holling.
3. Dangerous Riding, the Watch List, and Empowering Officials
After the 2008 safety crisis, wording was added to the USEF Rules For Eventing under EV112 Dangerous Riding which allows for the President of the Ground Jury to designate one or several deputies to be spotters on cross-country for dangerous riding. These deputies can include eventing officials who aren’t at the event in an official capacity, USEA ICP Certified Instructors at Level III or IV, and riders who have represented the U.S. at the Olympics, World, or Pan American Games. The deputies are provided with radios and red flags and can stop riders after communication with the Ground Jury.
Holling said that this rule worked really well for a while, but hasn’t been utilized terribly well recently. The Subcommittee voted to send a memo to all officials reminding them to use this tool especially if there is a certain area they can’t see on cross-country or if they are spread thin with show jumping and dressage going on at the same time.
If an official sees dangerous riding they have the power to penalize riders 25 points, eliminate them, or issue a warning card. The rider can also be added to the USEF Watch List.
4. Frangible Technology Fundraiser
The Frangible Technology Fundraiser was launched on March 2 in order to provide funding directly to organizers to build nearly 500 frangible tables at all USEA recognized events across the country. With the support of the USEA Foundation, a dedicated group of organizers, and a matching grant the fund has already raised over $200,000 of the $500,000 goal.
Can you help our sport reach the next benchmark on our fundraising for frangible fences? Jon Holling issues a challenge — and it involves a tattoo.
“The Frangible Technology Fund is just one piece,” continued Holling. “Having that table be frangible isn’t going to solve the problem by itself, but it will help minimize the risk.”
Last week the first communication on how to apply for grants was released to organizers. Qualified organizers will be receiving a $1,000 plus a Mim table kit.
The USEA Cross-Country Safety Subcommittee is dedicated to mitigating risk in the sport of eventing. If you have questions about the actions being taken please contact [email protected].
US Equestrian issued the following press release this afternoon:
The USEF Board of Directors’ Mid-Year Meeting scheduled for June 22-23, 2020, will be held virtually to support ongoing efforts to minimize gatherings due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This decision was approved by the Board of Directors in a meeting held Friday, April 24. The USEF Mid-Year meeting will be open to up to 1000 people, including the media and USEF members, with further details available in the coming days regarding the schedule and how to register for the meeting.
A key agenda item for the 2020 Mid-Year Meeting is the election of the new USEF President. The Nominating Committee will present the official nomination of Tom O’Mara as the candidate for President. Tom has served on the USEF Board of Directors for the past four years and the past two years in the role of Secretary/Treasurer.
“The Nominating Committee is pleased to put Tom O’Mara forward for the role of President of the Federation,” commented Judy Sloan, the 2020 USEF Nominating Committee Chairperson. “Given Tom’s diverse and deep background in finance, governance, community leadership, and equestrian sport, we feel he is the ideal candidate to guide the Federation’s Board and Management team into the future.”
Tom led the Drugs and Medications/Lab Review Task Force, which thoroughly evaluated alternatives and made the recommendation to transfer the USEF testing lab to the University of Kentucky. Tom has also served on the Competitions Task Force as an active contributor. Tom built a successful career in the world of investment banking over a 30-year period but importantly has a demonstrated passion and commitment to equestrian sport in many capacities. He spent years as an active and supportive parent and husband with five O’Mara riders: his wife, Liz, and their four children, Casey, Abby, Meg, and T.J. He also took his commitment to the next level through his volunteer board roles at USEF and the National Collegiate Equestrian Association National Advisory Board, of which he was the Co-Chair and now remains an active member. He prepared a thorough and convincing expression of interest for the Nominating Committee, indicating that he would continue to carry forward the vision to bring the joy of horse sports to as many people as possible.
“I strongly support the Nominating Committee’s selection of Tom O’Mara as my successor as USEF President,” said Murray Kessler, USEF President. “Tom is passionate about equestrian sport, is deeply experienced on USEF committees and the board, has unique experience with intercollegiate equestrian sports, and understands the importance of each of our 29 breeds and disciplines. He also brings real-world business experience to the position, which I found incredibly important over the past four years. I urge the board and membership to support his candidacy.”
Upon board approval, Tom O’Mara will continue to serve in his role as Secretary/Treasurer until officially taking office as USEF President in January, 2021. USEF President Murray Kessler will continue to serve in his current role during this same time period.
In addition to the election, this is the first year that all rule changes will be submitted to the USEF Board of Directors for approval during the 2020 Mid-Year Meeting.
We encourage members to join us virtually for the 2020 USEF Mid-Year Board Meeting. Please mark your calendars.
Photo courtesy of Australian International 3 Day Event.
The Board of the Australian International 3-Day Event (the southern hemisphere’s only five-star, scheduled for November 12-15, 2020 in Adelaide) are today advising supporters and partners that this year’s event will be cancelled due the COVID-19 crisis.
The difficult decision was made by the Board last week after considering all options and follows the impact COVID-19 has on all Governments, events and communities.
Board Chair Greg Rolton said it was particularly disappointing given the success of last year’s event, which was a lead up to the now deferred Tokyo Olympic games.
“Our primary focus has to be on our ability to operate a safe and successful event at the world-high benchmark we have created,” he said.
“It is the Board’s view that even if restrictions were lifted to a point of allowing spectators to the event, the athletes and horses would not have the lead up events to qualify and prepare them to compete at the 5* competition, the highest level of event for the sport of eventing.
“This has led to the decision to cancel the 2020 event but we look forward to planning the 2021 Aus3DE to showcase the very best that Adelaide and South Australia has to offer post this crisis.”
Last year, the Aus3DE was awarded 5* status by the FEI, and the standard that was set at the event cemented its position as the Southern Hemisphere’s premier equestrian event. More than 25,000 people attend the Adelaide event over the four days of competition, with visitors travelling from Greece, Singapore, UK, USA, NZ, Spain, Netherlands and France, as well as from every Australian state and territory.
Mr Rolton said the event attracts significant media attention across the traditional platforms of TV, radio and press with an estimated media value of in excess of $1m.
“We thank the Marshall Government for being a strong supporter of this great event and we have ambitions for it to extend its reach and formalise itself as a premier business networking event on the national calendar – where trade, export and South Australian opportunities can be discussed against the most idyllic and exciting backdrop,” he said.
We look forward to working with all parties to ensure that this internationally acclaimed event can become bigger and better in the beautiful Adelaide parklands from 2021.
The Online Riders Collective is proud to launch Clinics for a Cause to help mitigate the struggles equestrians are facing due to COVID-19. From not being able to ride to facing lost income, riders and equine business owners are experiencing unprecedented challenges. Clinics for a Cause invites riders to submit video to the top trainer of their choice in any discipline for just $25. The proceeds go to benefit the Equestrian Aid Foundation’s COVID-19 relief fund for equestrian business owners.
Riders can choose from world-class professionals including Boyd and Silva Martin, Lauren Sprieser, Don Stewart, Sissy Wickes, Lendon Gray, Laura Kraut, Norman Dello Joio, Phillip Dutton, Jennie Brannigan, Louise Serio, Sandy Ferrell, Val Renihan, Jamie Bissell, and more. Alice Bruno, Jess Clawson, and Sissy Wickes founded Clinics for a Cause in March 2020 and have already seen an enthusiastic response from the equestrian community. “This program has accelerated at a pace we could not have anticipated just two weeks ago,” Bruno said. “We are thrilled to be part of the #HorsemenHelpingHorsemen mission of the Equestrian Aid Foundation.”
Sissy Wickes has been instrumental to the project from the beginning. “Our equestrian industry has a long history of stepping up to help those in need. I am proud to say that Clinics for a Cause is another example of the generosity of spirit that pervades our community. I am honored to be a part of raising money for the EAF as they financially support our community,” she said.
The Equestrian Aid Foundation, founded in 1996, provides emergency, lifesaving financial grants to horsemen and women coping with loss of income due to catastrophic injury or illness. EAF invests in the future of its recipients, giving them the resources to recover and thrive in the
face of adversity.
Through its Disaster Relief Fund, the Equestrian Aid Foundation assists equestrian communities in the aftermath of natural disasters or other events unpreventable through reasonable cautionary measures. EAF has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by offering grants to equestrian professionals in unexpected financial crisis due to industry cancellations, closures, and shutdowns. For more information, please click here.
“This is a time when our community is coming together to find new ways to stay connected,” said EAF founder R. Scot Evans. “It’s a time to reflect, a time to learn, and most importantly, a time to support each other. We are so appreciative of the clinicians who have stepped forward to offer their years of knowledge and professional depth. They are turning this uncertain time into a period of growth.”
Professionals in any discipline who are interested in participating as trainers should send an email to [email protected] to be added to the roster. Trainers will be promoted through ORC and EAF and will promote this important fundraising effort through their social media audiences.
Visit onlineriderscollective.com to sign up for a clinic. Follow the ORC on Facebook and Instagram @onlineriderscollective, and the EAF @equestrianaidfoundation.
The recent warm weather suggests that spring is here – along with daffodils, rich spring grass and an increased concern about laminitis. Managing horses and ponies prone to or at risk of laminitis will be essential during this time.
Laminitic horses and ponies suffer from pain and lameness usually in all 4 limbs, but it often appears worse in the forelimbs. In acute laminitis the pain can be so crippling that the horse will stop moving but in milder chronic cases a shuffling, short gait which is worse on hard surfaces, and usually with an obvious head nod on turning are typical signs. When a horse or pony is suffering from laminitis it is important to make them as comfortable as possible and give them a soft bed to stand and lie down on.
Comfortstall’s orthopaedic flooring system is padded offering relief to horses suffering from sore feet and symptoms of laminitis. The comfortable and supportive cushioning encourages them to lie down more and take the weight off their feet. It is non-abrasive which also helps to avoid “bed sores” or “hock sores” from lying down for long periods or continual getting up and down off the floor.
Thanks to the therapeutic properties of ComfortStall’s level surface that springs back with every step, the joints, tendons and ligaments are also supported for improved joint health, movement, flexibility and hoof quality. The rebound from every step on ComfortStall’s cushioned flooring massages the horse’s frogs which can help stimulate blood circulation.
So if your horse of pony is prone to laminitis, invest in their comfort and keep them healthy and happy this season. For a ComfortStall quotation, please fill out this online form or visit www.haygain.co.uk.
Haygain is a science driven company with the horse’s health as the primary focus.
We are committed to improving equine health through scientific research, product innovation and consumer education in respiratory and digestive health. Developed by riders, for riders, we understand the importance of clean forage and a healthy stable environment in maintaining the overall well-being of the horse.
Our Haygain hay steamers are recommended by the world’s leading riders, trainers and equine vets and ComfortStall® Sealed Orthopedic Flooring System is used and recommended by leading Veterinary Hospitals, including Cornell University.
For nearly as long as horses have been domesticated, the relationship between barn confinement and respiratory disease in the horse has been recognized. This relationship is intuitive, especially when we consider that deep in the lung, where the blood takes up oxygen, the barrier between the outside air and the horse’s circulation is as thin as a couple of cells.
The surface area of this gas-exchange region of the lung has on average a surface area of 2,500 square meters (26,900 square feet), equal to nearly half a football field. The response of the lung’s immune system to inhaled air results in a number of diseases in both humans and horses. Many of the occupational respiratory diseases in humans are associated with agriculture due to exposures to organic dusts. Dusts in agricultural settings, including the horse barn, are rich in substances such as endotoxin and fungi that can drive inflammation.
Depending on when the conversation took place, horse owners consulting their veterinarians will have heard many terms applied to this problem: broken wind, heaves, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), bronchiolitis, small airway disease, recurrent airway obstruction (RAO), inflammatory airway disease (IAD), and most recently, equine asthma. Along the way, distinctions have been drawn between those horses that develop difficulty breathing at rest (heaves, RAO, severe equine asthma) and those that do not (IAD, mild equine asthma). While potentially leading to confusion for the horse owner, the changing terminology actually reflects improvements in veterinary knowledge.
While the term COPD was applied to reflect the obstruction or blocked airflow that can occur in severe cases, this term was discarded due to the differences with the human disease. In humans, COPD is mainly a consequence of cigarette smoke and is characterized by structural changes within the lung that are absent in the horse. While the terms ‘recurrent airway obstruction’ and ‘inflammatory airway disease’ are descriptively accurate, they are not necessarily terms that immediately help the horse owner to understand the disease process.
A More Relatable Term
Due to its many similarities with the human disease, the term ‘equine asthma’ has most recently been adopted. Like human asthma, equine asthma is triggered by inhalation of dusts that contain allergens and other irritants, and like human asthma, the cough and difficulty breathing can be reversed in the short-term by medications, often delivered by inhalers, or in the long-term by removal from the offending dusts. Also similar to asthma in humans, the response of the horse’s airway to inhaled dusts can vary widely. In some highly susceptible horses, inhalation of even small amounts of dust in the barn environment or airborne allergens (e.g. pollen, molds) at pasture can cause severe inflammation and difficulty breathing due to the accumulation of mucus and narrowing of the airways. There is no known cure for these ‘severely asthmatic’ horses, and they require special management for the duration of their life span.
In other horses, the inflammation is milder, with occasional coughing and decreased performance. Respiratory problems in these ‘mildly asthmatic’ horses often become apparent only when the horse is asked to perform athletically and may resolve over time. Those horses with mild asthma do not necessarily go on to become severely asthmatic.
While susceptibility varies widely, any horse (or person) exposed to enough dust will develop inflammation in the airway. In the case of stabled horses, dust exposure is mostly due to hay. Those horses with severe asthma often require that hay be completely removed from the diet and that the horses be removed from confinement to the barn altogether.
In the milder cases, decreasing the dust released from hay by soaking or steaming may improve airway health. As soaking has a number of draw backs, high temperature steaming is becoming the preferred method to reduce exposure to the dust from hay. At Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine we use a Haygain hay steamer which, has been shown to reduce respirable dust by 98%.
Article provided by Haygain, manufacturers of Haygain Hay Steamers and ComfortStall Orthopedic Sealed Flooring. For more information, visit www.haygain.com.
Following the suspension of the 2020 Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event (JFI), the event’s Organizing Committee investigated possible alternative dates for this year. However, rescheduling the event is not possible and the event will not be held this year.
“When the crisis caused by the coronavirus made it impossible to hold our event as scheduled, we looked into possible dates where we could hold it later in the year,” said Morgan Rowsell, Co-organizer of Jersey Fresh International. “However, no suitable date was possible and it simply is not going to work out. Unfortunately, we will not be able to hold the event this year.”
The event, which was to serve as a qualifying selection trial for the United States’ Eventing team for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games, had been scheduled to take place at the Horse Park of New Jersey, May 6-10. Featured would have been CCI Four-Star and Three-Star events featuring many of the nation’s top Eventing horses and riders in addition to a new Preliminary Division for future stars in the sport.
“With the Olympics also moved to next year, we anticipate our event holding its usual place of significance on the Eventing calendar,” added Rowsell. “We thank all our sponsors – especially major sponsors B.W. Furlong & Associates, Zoetis, AIG and Boehringer Ingelheim – for their support and we look forward to returning with a great event in 2021!”
The Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event/Horse Park of New Jersey is a 501(c)(3) Not-For-Profit, Charitable and Educational organization. Further information about JFI is available at www.jfi3d.com. Further information about the Horse Park is available at www.horseparkofnewjersey.com.
Earlier this year, US Equestrian launched a new health insurance benefits program for members, including options for medical, dental, vision, life, disability, business, pet, and more. These benefits are accessible to all competing members and paid-fan members.
In an effort to provide emergency relief, US Equestrian is offering a discounted fan membership now through June 1. Members with a free promotional fan membership can upgrade, and new members can join, for just $20 with the discount code RELIEF. Click here to find out more and to sign up.
US Equestrian’s insurance benefits give members Affordable Care Act compliant insurance benefits at discounted rates typically only given to large employers.
Members can also take advantage of Teladoc service for just $8.95/month. This service gives members access to licensed physicians over phone or video chat, eliminating the need to visit an office for certain healthcare needs, including prescriptions. For those enrolling in an individual medical plan, telemedicine service is included at no additional cost.
“We are so pleased to be able to offer these insurance benefits to our members,” says Kelly Bolton, Director of Human Resources for US Equestrian. “In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we know that access to health care is a serious concern for many Americans, especially those who may not have employer-based insurance benefits. We are able to offer our individual members affordable group rates, and small business owners can enroll to provide coverage for their employees. Additionally, our Teladoc service allows members to consult with a licensed physician without physically visiting a medical facility.”
We believe our members should have the opportunity to access affordable health coverage and are proud to offer this comprehensive benefits plan to all paid USEF members. With the rollout of this new program, US Equestrian has created a dedicated 24/7 member benefit hotline, where benefits specialists can help you navigate the different coverage plans that best fit you and your business. To reach the USEF member benefit hotline, call 1-800-349-1082.
In addition to insurance benefits, fan members of US Equestrian receive access to on-demand and live event streaming from the USEF Network; educational videos from the US Equestrian Learning Center; US Equestrian Magazine; MemberPerks discounts on a wide variety of products and services; and more. To access these benefits as a fan member, use the discount code RELIEF through June 1, 2020.
To learn more about US Equestrian’s new member benefits, please visit www.usef.org/insurance or call our 24/7 dedicated member benefits hotline at 1-800-349-1082.
As part of its measures aimed at minimising the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak on the FEI Calendar, the FEI has put in place a new policy for calculating the world rankings from 1 April until the Calendar returns to normal. The new policy was initially discussed with the International Jumping Riders Club (IJRC) specifically for the Longines Jumping Rankings, but will now be used for each of the disciplines where a rolling 12-month period is used for the calculations.
Starting from 1 April 2020, the period during which ranking points remain valid in Jumping (Longines Rankings), Eventing, Dressage and Para Dressage will be prolonged by one month and will continue to be prolonged for an additional month with each new ranking until the competition calendar returns to normal.
Points earned in ranking competitions at events that take place during the current Covid-19 affected period will continue to count, and the maximum number of results that count for each athlete will remain, ie for the Longines Jumping Rankings best 30; Dressage best eight; Eventing and Para Dressage best six.
Rankings for the other FEI disciplines – Driving, Endurance, Vaulting and Reining – are calculated on a fixed period (calendar year or other fixed period) so they will remain untouched. The change to the Driving Rules that means the discipline rankings will be based on a rolling 12 months does not come into effect until 1 January 2021.
For Jumping, Eventing, Dressage and Para Dressage, the following system will apply:
– The rankings established after 29 February 2020 remain unchanged (points valid for 12 months: best results at events taking place between 1 March 2019 and 29 February 2020)
– The rankings established after 31 March 2020 have been calculated based on the best results at events taking place between 1 March 2019 and 31 March 2020 (points valid for 13 months)
– The rankings established after 30 April 2020 will be calculated based on the best results at events taking place between 1 March 2019 and 30 April 2020 (points valid for 14 months)
– The rankings established after 31 May 2020 will be calculated based on the best results at events taking place between 1 March 2019 and 31 May 2020 (points valid for 15 months)
– and so on until the competition calendar returns to normal.
A working group will recommend to the FEI Board at what point the competition calendar is deemed to have returned to normal worldwide. As of that date, the rankings will continue to be calculated over the extended timeframes above, guaranteeing there will always be at least 12 months of normal competitions included in the calculation of the rankings.
The new system provides a level playing field for all our athletes as ranking points can still be earned in countries where the sport is able to continue, regardless of the length of time the current situation lasts, but athletes in countries where the sport is on hold will not lose points. An athlete’s ranking points can only improve, not decrease during this period, as the relevant number of best results in each discipline still applies.
Twelve months after the competition calendar is deemed to have returned to normal globally, the timeframe during which ranking points remain valid will be decreased by one month with each new ranking until the standard 12-month rolling timeframe has been reached.
Dear USEF Members and Competition Organizers (Licensees and Managers),
We are all anxious for equestrian sport to start up again and for our families and friends to return to their normal lives pre-COVID-19 Pandemic. We also understand the financial pain that this is having on so many in our industry. We, too, at USEF are feeling that pain. However, we are not through this yet. The pandemic continues to cause unprecedented impact throughout the world. The Las Vegas World Cup Finals were canceled. The Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics are being rescheduled. So, we must all work diligently to address the situation. We greatly appreciate those of you who have joined us in our community-wide effort to responsibly address the COVID-19 virus outbreak by canceling competitions and choosing not to compete during this critical period. This is the only way to flatten the curve of this virus and let us all get back to some level of normal. So as promised, here is an updated position on USEF competitions.
The original 30-day suspension that became effective March 16, 2020, is being extended through May 3, 2020. Effective today, all USEF owned events, selection trials, training camps, clinics and activities will be suspended through May 3, 2020 consistent with recommendations by the CDC.Due to the importance of keeping the members of our equestrian community and their families safe, USEF strongly recommends that competition organizers suspend all USEF licensed competitions across the country and that equestrians do not compete for this same time period. For those competitions that choose to run and can do so in accordance with the CDC, State, and Local recommendations, there will be no accumulation or points, scores, money won, qualifications, or rankings toward any USEF award programs, USEF owned events, or selection to a US team during this time period. This includes USEF National Championships.
Again, we are cognizant of the ramifications that extensions have on the lives of our members, support personnel and the events that fall within this time period, and the significant impact they have on qualifications for, and the operation of, major events that might be occurring later in the year. With that in mind, our President, Murray Kessler, has already informed me he intends to use his Presidential Modification authority to waive mileage rules and allow for major events to be rescheduled later in the year and has instructed us to develop a fair method for altering qualifications for these events. With that direction, USEF has already implemented mechanisms to provide for flexibility and the ability to make necessary modifications to responsibly manage the competition calendar in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are engaging with organizers daily and continue to review situations on a case-by-case basis.
Important Reminder: If you need to cancel a license or have questions about postponing your event to another date, please contact Katlynn Sacco at [email protected].
We continue to closely monitor the situation and we pledge to keep you informed about any updates to our position as circumstances warrant or as instructed by Public Health authorities.
Palm Beach Equine Clinic is equipped with secure isolation stalls and follows strict biosecurity measures. Photo by Erin Gilmore Photography.
The recent spread of the novel coronavirus has raised serious concerns as the status continues to evolve. As equine veterinarians, Palm Beach Equine Clinic would like to address the questions and concern raised by horse owners regarding the potential impact of this disease on the equine industry.
Coronaviruses include a large group of RNA viruses that cause respiratory and enteric symptoms, and have been reported in domestic and wild animals. Equine Enteric Coronavirus and COVID-19 are both coronaviruses, however, they are distinctly different viruses.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), infectious disease experts, and multiple international and national human and animal health organizations have stated that at this time there is NO EVIDENCE to indicate that horses could contract COVID-19 or that horses would be able to spread the disease to other animals or humans. Equine enteric coronavirus and COVID-19 are NOT the same strain, and there is no indication that either are transmissible between species.
Therefore, it is important to concentrate on the health of our equestrians by being precautious and following recommendations from public health officials. Palm Beach Equine Clinic will continue to make every effort to stay informed on the developments with COVID-19, and will continue to provide expert veterinary care to all horses regardless of the status of this disease.
A Profile of Equine Enteric Coronavirus
Equine coronavirus is an enteric, or gastrointestinal, disease in the horse. There is NO EVIDENCE that equine enteric coronavirus poses a threat to humans or other species of animals.
Transmission: Equine coronavirus is transmitted between horses when manure from an infected horse is ingested by another horse (fecal-oral transmission), or if a horse makes oral contact with items or surfaces that have been contaminated with infected manure.
Common Clinical Signs: Typically mild signs that may include anorexia, lethargy, fever, colic or diarrhea.
Diagnosis: Veterinarians diagnose equine enteric coronavirus by testing fecal samples, and the frequency of this disease is low.
Treatment and Prevention: If diagnosed, treatment is supportive care, such as fluid therapy and anti-inflammatories, and establishing good biosecurity precautions of quarantining the infected horse. Keeping facilities as clean as possible by properly disposing of manure will help decrease chances of horses contracting the virus.
US Equestrian is pleased to announce the eventing athletes who will participate in the USEF Futures Team Challenge, a two-day training program and unofficial team competition, at the Cloud 11~Gavilan North LLC Carolina International CCI and Horse Trial, held March 19-22 in Raeford, N.C.
Launched in 2019, the USEF Futures Team Challenge is a key component of the U.S. Eventing Pathway Program and gives two teams of four athletes the opportunity to compete in a simulated team competition under the guidance of U.S. Performance Director Erik Duvander and U.S. Developing and Emerging Coach Leslie Law.
Athletes applied to compete in the USEF Futures Team Challenge and were recommended by the Performance Advisory Team for approval to an Ad Hoc of the Eventing Sport Committee. Based on the selection criteria for the FEI Eventing Nations Cup™, athletes were selected based on their results, potential, willingness to learn and commitment to developing into future team athletes.
Erik Duvander’s Team:
Caroline Martin (Miami Beach, Fla.) with Danger Mouse, a 12-year-old Warmblood gelding owned by Caroline Martin and Sherrie Martin, or Islandwood Captain Jack, an 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by Caroline Martin and Sherrie Martin (CCI4*-S)
Dan Clasing (Lovettsville, Va.) with MW Gangster’s Game, a 10-year-old Anglo European gelding owned by Dan Clasing (CCI4*-S)
Allie Knowles (Lexington, Ky.) with Ms. Poppins, a 9-year-old Westphalian mare owned by Katherine O’Brien, Business Class, a 10-year-old Selle Francais gelding owned by Katherine O’Brien, or Morswood, a 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by Katherine O’Brien (CCI4*-S)
Ellie O’Neal (Reddick, Fla.) with Zick Zack, an 11-year-old Swedish Warmblood mare owned by Sally Cox (CCI3*-S)
Leslie Law’s Team:
Fylicia Barr (West Grove, Pa.) with Galloway Sunrise, a 12-year-old American Warmblood mare owned by Fylicia Barr, Shannon Barr and Daniel Barr (CCI4*-S)
Woods Baughman (Lexington, Ky.) with C’est La Vie 135, a 12-year old Hanoverian gelding owned by Woods, Kim, and James Baughman (CCI4*-S)
Jenny Caras (Cartersville, Ga.) with Trendy Fernhill, a 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by Elyse Eisenberg (CCI3*-S)
Alyssa Phillips (Fort Worth, Texas) with Oskar, an 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by Alyssa Phillips and Julie Phillips (CCI4*-S), with Bliss III, a 14-year-old KWPN mare owned by Alyssa and Julie Phillips, as a direct reserve (CCI3*-S)
“Yet again it was a very good group of combinations that put their names forward for selection,” Erik Duvander, U.S. Performance Director, said. “I believe both Leslie and I have strong teams, and I look forward to working with the athletes in a learning and competitive team environment.”
“This is a great opportunity for the athletes to learn and gain experience riding on a team before they potentially have the opportunity at a championship,” Leslie Law, U.S. Developing and Emerging Coach, said. “This is similar to how the Europeans use the Nations Cup series to develop their athletes.”
The USEF Futures Team Challenge will expand to the West Coast at the Galway Downs International Three-Day Event, held Oct. 29-Nov. 1 in Temecula, Calif. Applications for Galway Downs will open in September.
“We hope to see the USEF Futures Team Challenge grow to include additional competitions in future years so more athletes have the opportunity to practice competing in a team environment,” Jenni Autry, U.S. Managing Director of Eventing, said. “We are incredibly grateful for the support we received from the USET Foundation to launch this program and are actively looking for increased support and potential sponsors so we can continue to expand the program.”
2019 The Fork at TIEC CCI4*-S winners Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography courtesy of TIEC.
Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) has announced today that it is excited to welcome the return of The Fork at TIEC Eventing competition on April 2-5, 2020. However, due to recent storm damage on the course, the Training, Novice and Beginner Novice Divisions for The Fork at TIEC will not be held this year.
Captain Mark Phillips visited TIEC this week to review the course conditions and begin the design phase. Phillips’ review confirmed that the course is in great shape to run the Modified, Preliminary, Intermediate, Advanced and FEI levels (CCI4*-S, CCI3*-S, CCI2*-S, CCI1*-S). Stay tuned to the TIEC website and Facebook page for event updates and course pictures in mid-March. TIEC looks forward to hosting all levels on the White Oak Course for the Blue Ridge Mountain H.T. on Sept. 12-13, 2020.
The Fork at TIEC will occur alongside Tryon Welcome 3 on April 2-5, which has recently been upgraded to A Hunters/Level 3 Jumpers. This upgraded rating brings all Tryon Welcome Series shows to the A or AA level, offering Hunter/Jumper competition from March 19 through April 12.
Both lodging and stall discounts are available if booked by March 10, with similar offers available for the Tryon Spring Series when booked by April 1. Visit Tryon.com/Compete to learn more.
EN Tip: Looking to re-route from The Fork at TIEC to another event in the Tryon area? FENCE H.T. in nearby Landrum, SC, takes place the following week, April 11-12, 2020. WindRidge Farm H.T. in Mooresboro, North NC, is also nearby, and takes place May 9-10.
2019 competitors Remember Gizmo and Kendal Lehari — eventers, represent! Photo by CanterClix.
The journey officially begins today for 616 accepted entries, representing 604 unique trainers and teams, on the road to the Retired Racehorse Project’s 2020 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America. The 2020 event will take place at Oct. 7-10 at the Kentucky Horse Park.
The Thoroughbred Makeover is a retraining competition open to professionals, juniors and amateurs to compete side-by-side. Ten disciplines of competition are offered, including barrel racing, competitive trail, dressage, eventing, field hunter, polo, ranch work, show hunter, show jumper, and freestyle (a free-form discipline to demonstrate skills of the trainer’s choice). Horses can compete in one or two of those disciplines. We’re proud to see that eventing is the most represented group, with 153 entries!
A few household eventing names we spotted on the accepted trainers list: four-star eventer and national-level Pony Club coach Richard Lamb, four-star eventer Emma Lomangino, retired Breeders’ Cup-winning jockey turned eventer Rosie Napravnik, and five-star eventers Sally Cousins, Katie Ruppel, Erin Sylvester and Cathy Wieschhoff. Shout out also to 2019 EN Makeover bloggers Clare Mansmann, one of the hardest working and most heart-on-their-sleeve OTTB advocates in the biz, as well as Lindsey Burns, a true inspiration who is also heading back to Kentucky in 2020! Speaking of which, we’ll be scouting out a fresh batch of bloggers to chronicle their journeys to this year’s Makeover — if interested, email us at [email protected].
The five top-placed horses in each discipline after preliminary competition will return for the Finale on Saturday, where they will compete once more to determine final placings. A panel consisting of all of the judges from the 10 disciplines will determine the overall Thoroughbred Makeover Champion, selecting the best-trained horse from the 10 discipline winners. A popular vote placed by spectators watching both in-person and online via live stream will determine a People’s Choice winner, who wins the right to direct a donation to an equine charity of their choosing.
2019 Thoroughbred Makeover Champion Cowboy Swagger, trained by Fallon Taylor. Photo by CanterClix.
Accepted trainers are encouraged to register their horses at www.tbmakeover.org as soon as they acquire them. Horse registration closes on July 31, but registration upon acquisition allows the Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) to better gather data on horses in the Makeover process.
The application process for the 2020 Thoroughbred Makeover required trainers to demonstrate their skills and expertise through competition results, videos and references, as well as a letter from a vet stating that the applicant had the necessary skills and knowledge to appropriately care for a horse transitioning off the track. The RRP’s selection committee took into consideration both candidates’ ability to effectively retrain an off-track Thoroughbred and candidates’ commitment to the RRP mission of promoting off-track Thoroughbreds in second careers.
“Every year that we run this event, we learn more about how to make it that much better of an experience for those involved, and 2020 will be no exception,” states Kirsten Green, Managing Director. “Our staff continue to devote themselves to providing resources to our trainers and fostering a community of like-minded equestrians that support one another throughout the year on the road to Kentucky — and beyond. This year, while we welcome strong numbers of first-time applicants to the community, we also cheer on alumni trainers who are developing their Makeover graduates as recreational or competitive partners.”
Harry Caldwell and Silken Lady (grey) and Buck Schott and Great Reward (chestnut) in the polo chukker on Finale Saturday. Photo by Anne Litz.
The Makeover has historically attracted a broad cross-section of the horse industry, represented by junior, amateur and professional equestrians, as well as teams. The great equalizer at the Makeover are the horses: eligible Thoroughbreds competed in 2020 will all come from similar backgrounds, with no more than 10 months of retraining for a second career and all having raced or trained to race within the past two years.
This format allows all trainers — the juniors, amateurs, professionals and teams preparing the horses — to compete side-by-side on equal footing. Juniors and amateurs routinely enjoy great success at past Makeovers with multiple top-five finishes; the 2017 Thoroughbred Makeover Champion Old Tavern was trained by junior Charlie Caldwell.
Trainers for 2020 have signed up to bring a total of 670 horses. The full list of accepted trainers for the 2020 Thoroughbred Makeover can be found at the event website: https://www.tbmakeover.org/entries-2020.
New for 2020, the RRP has added a waitlist for entry into the Thoroughbred Makeover: with the uncertainty of training green horses, the length of time between acceptance of trainers and Final Entry, and the fact that some horses sell before the Makeover, the RRP listened to trainer feedback to develop a wait list process that allows late applicants a chance at competing. While the wait list does not guarantee final entry into the competition, it widens the impact of the Makeover and helps more horses transition into second careers. Trainers interested in applying to the waitlist should contact the show secretary at [email protected].
“The entry process for the Makeover has always been ten months prior to the event for a number of reasons, including simple logistical purposes and to chronicle the training journeys of our competitors and their horses to the public,” said Jen Roytz, executive director of the RRP. “Just as we know that situations can change over the course of a year that could prevent someone from bringing a horse to the event, we understand that opportunities can also arise in which a trainer could gain the opportunity to train a horse for the Makeover that they could not have foreseen at the time of application. The waitlist will be based on a combination of scratches and entries in the various disciplines, and hopefully will allow more horses and riders the chance to participate in the Thoroughbred Makeover.”
The Makeover Marketplace allows buyers to watch, try, vet and buy in one location in one weekend. Photo by Giulia Garcia.
For riders seeking a well-started off-track Thoroughbred for competition or pleasure, the ASPCA Makeover Marketplace will return, offering buyers the unique opportunity to watch a horse compete, trial ride and vet all in one location. Over 100 horses are expected to be entered in the Marketplace.
In addition to a weekend of Thoroughbred competition and celebration of what makes the off-track Thoroughbred great, the Makeover also offers ample opportunity for education for both trainers and the public: educational seminars and panel discussion will take place on Friday, October 9, as well as the Makeover Master Class. Structured similarly to popular colt-starting competitions but without the competitive aspect, the Makeover Master Class offers spectators the opportunity to watch experienced off-track Thoroughbred trainers assess a prospect’s conformation and movement, as well as demonstrate their process for initial training and first rides. A vendor fair provides plenty of shopping as well!
“The Thoroughbred Makeover is much more than a competition. It’s a coming together of the Thoroughbred aftercare community,” said Roytz. “We are incredibly thankful to our sponsors, who not only make this event possible, but who encourage us to expand it every year in ways that will further serve those who love and serve our horses after racing. It is thanks to our sponsors, competitors, volunteers, staff and others that the Thoroughbred Makeover is touted as one of the key drivers for the resurgence of Thoroughbreds in the sport horse world.”
The Thoroughbred Makeover is the flagship event for the RRP, a 501(c)3 non-profit committed to increasing the demand for and value of Thoroughbreds in their careers after racing. Sponsorship opportunities are still available for the 2020 Thoroughbred Makeover.
The RRP is a membership-based organization and an engaged membership base is key to furthering the organization’s mission. Individual membership is $45 annually and includes a subscription to Off-Track Thoroughbred Magazine, discounts on merchandise and Thoroughbred Makeover tickets and more. For more information or to join, go to www.retiredracehorseproject.org.
A few more fun stats:
2020 Thoroughbred Makeover Things to Know:
▪ The competition is open to any Thoroughbred that raced or had a published work after July 1, 2018, and did not start retraining for a second career before Dec. 1, 2019.
▪ Trainers indicate a primary (and optional secondary) discipline on their applications, but are free to change disciplines as the competition approaches and they learn their horses’ strengths. A horse can compete in up to two disciplines, and a trainer can compete a maximum of two horses.
▪ Trainers do not need to have obtained the horse they intend to compete at the time of their application. Some trainers have already obtained their Thoroughbred Makeover mounts, but many are still searching. Trainers may begin registering their horses today, but have through July 31 to complete horse registration.
▪ Participation in the Thoroughbred Makeover Marketplace sale is entirely voluntary, but many trainers take advantage of the extra exposure to market their prospects. All sales are private contracts between individual trainers and buyers; the RRP is not involved and receives no commissions.
Selena O’Hanlon and Foxwood High. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Equestrian Canada has named its Eventing National Team riders for the new year, splitting the list into the National Squad and the Developmental Squad. A total of 20 riders have been selected between the two squads, and the focus of this program for 2020 will be individual qualification for the Tokyo Olympics. Canada has the option to fill two individual spots for the Olympics this year.
The National Squad consists of pairs “committed to and capable of producing individual performance results at international 4* and/or 5* competitions, and who show the ability to contribute to a top six team result at major games.” The National Squad list is as follows:
The Developmental Squad is made up of pairs “committed to and capable of progressing to National Squad. Horse-and-athlete combinations named to the Development Squad are those which have achieved targeted performance results at eligible international competitions in the previous 12 months.” The Developmental Squad is as follows:
The Equestrian Canada National Team Program for eventing is led by Technical Advisor, David O’Connor with the support of and Equestrian Canada Eventing High Performance Advisory Group and Eventing Manager Fleur Tipton.
“We are very pleased to announce the talented athletes and horses that comprise the 2020 High Performance Squad,” Rob Stevenson, Chair of the EC Eventing High Performance Advisory Group, said in the announcement release. “We feel that this list reflects the progress fostered by David’s technical leadership. The Squad riders will have the opportunity to train with him throughout the year, most notably at the training sessions that are taking place in Ocala, FL, throughout the winter months. The two training sessions to date have been keenly attended and highly successful as we look to hone the skill base of our riders and horses.”
The National Team Program provides a pathway that supports the progression of targeted Canadian athletes in the Train to Compete and Learn to Win stages of the Long-Term Equestrian Development (LTED) framework to achieve international podium performances. It is aligned with EC’s high performance strategy and supported by funding partners, Sport Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee.
The Jon and Rick Show debuted to much appreciation from eventing fans the world over earlier this year, and this week the show takes on an even bigger presence as the newly refreshed Eventing Radio Show. You may recall the Eventing Radio Show with longtime hosts Max Corcoran, Joe Meyer, Liz Halliday-Sharp, and Paul Tapner — the most established show of its kind in the eventing space. Now, the show will go on with Jon and Rick at the helm supported by the Horse Radio Network as well as EQTV Network.
“I am excited to welcome some new voices to the Eventing Radio Show,” Horse Radio Network founder Glenn Hebert said in a press release. “Jon and Rick bring years of Eventing experience and terrific dynamic to the longest running Eventing podcast in the world. We also want to thank Max Corcoran, Joe Meyer, Liz Halliday, Paul Tapner and the ERA for their years of hard work to make the show into the success it is. We are looking forward to 10 more years of Eventing Radio Show.”
The Jon and Rick Show was a brainstorm idea between Jon Holling, Rick Wallace and Louisa Barton of The Horse Talk Show. The new Eventing talk show began creating a lot of buzz and with the new format launching today, Jon and Rick are excited with the possibilities.
The Jon and Rick Show has also joined forces with Joel Wiessner of EQTV Network who will be providing all the media streaming production for the show. The show will air twice a month as a media streaming show, available on social media platforms starting February 13 and February 27. The ERS Podcast will air twice a month starting February 15 and February 29.
“Rick and Jon are entertaining individually and putting them together on a show is really funny and entertaining,” Joel said. “Basing this show in the Horse Capital of the World only lends to this success it will have on the air. I am proud to be the producer of this show.”
The Jon and Rick Show’s first airing will feature Mia Farley and our second show featuring Alex O’Neal, both listed on one of the USEF training lists. The show will dive into their lives here in Ocala as well as their personal lives as up-and-coming eventing stars.
The first episode airing today, February 13, will debut a new format in digital media streaming show on The Jon and Rick Show Facebook page, and on February 15 on the Horse Radio Networks. It will also have updates from the FEI meeting in Aintree, England where Jon Holling traveled as a part of the USEF Safety Committee participant.
“We are excited for the opportunities in front of us,” Jon said. “Thank you to Matt Taub and Horse Trailer Pros for believing in our vision. Without the support from Horse Trailer Pros the is new voice for Eventing wouldn’t exist. Also thank you to Louisa Barton for jump starting The Jon and Rick Show, we are looking forward to this next step.”
The Jon and Rick Show is pleased to have Horse Trailer Pros onboard as its title sponsor. Horse Trailer Pro’s of Ocala is owned by Matt Taub and located just off US 27 at exit 354 off 75. HTP services all makes and models of horse trailers and specialize in living quarter conversion service and upgrades. “We are very grateful to Matt Taub of Horse Trailer Pros for believing in our show to help promote his awesome horse trailer services. We also send a special thanks to Louisa Barton for giving us a leg up and to HRN’s Glenn Hebert for signing us up as the new voices of the Eventing Radio Show,” said Rick Wallace.
Ready to watch the very first episode? The Jon and Rick Show is hosting a live premiere tonight at 6 pm ET. Update: Here’s a replay!
Nikki Lienhard’s Dream Big ‘Says the Alicorn.’ Sponsored by Better Homes and Garden Real Estate Lifestyle Property Partners, Opulence of Southern Pines & Patricia. Located at The Mews (280 NW Broad St).
Painted Ponies are roaming the streets of downtown Southern Pines! The inaugural Painted Ponies Art Walk and Auction runs from Feb. 8 through April 2 as 10 five-foot tall fiberglass works of art line Broad Street for all to view as visitors walk the downtown area. After the display is over, the ponies will be auctioned off on April 4 with the proceeds benefiting the Carolina Horse Park Foundation.
Carolina Horse Park is, of course, a preeminent venue on the Area II eventing calendar and host of approximately 28 weeks of equestrian events each year. The venue’s 2020 eventing calendar is already up and running — its second of two Pipe Opener combined tests takes place this Saturday, Feb. 15. Its first USEA-recognized event of the spring is Southern Pines H.T. on March 7-8, followed by Carolina International CCI and H.T. on March 18-22. Other events throughout the year include its War Horse Event Series, Longleaf Pine H.T., Five Points H.T. and WHES Eventing Series. View a full calendar of events here.
Founded in 1998 as a 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit organization by equestrian enthusiasts, CHP is dedicated to the preservation of open space for equestrian events, as well as educational and recreational purposes. We are grateful for their support of the eventing community, and the Painted Ponies Art Walk and Auction is an opportunity to support them in kind.
Jenay Jarvis’ “Water for Horses.” Sponsored by The Country Bookshop. Located in front of Framer’s Cottage (162 NW Broad St).
“The Carolina Horse Park is proud to bring the Painted Ponies Art Walk to downtown Southern Pines. It demonstrates our commitment to our local businesses and artists while also highlighting our equestrian heritage and community,” said Bryan Rosenberg, chairman of the board for the Carolina Horse Park. “The Art Walk has been a phenomenal community effort. We look forward to visitors and residents enjoying the painted ponies while they line Broad Street and generously support the auction on April 4th.”
Local businesses coordinated to sponsor the painted ponies that will be placed at 10 locations in downtown Southern Pines. Artists from the Pinehurst, Southern Pines and Aberdeen area donated their time and talent to transform the fiberglass ponies into exquisite works of art. Once the display ends on April 2, the Painted Ponies will be removed and auctioned off. The auction will take place on Saturday, April 4, at Big Sky Farm from 1-4 p.m. in Southern Pines.
A gallery of the Painted Ponies — photos by Diane McKay and Joseph Hill:
Gene Fletcher’s “Living in the Pines.” Sponsored by The Pilot. Located in front of the Wine Cellar (241 NE Broad St).
Mary Ann Welsch’s “Royal Tashunka.” Sponsored by WhitLauter Estate Jewelry. Located at WhitLauter Estate Jewelry (229 NE Broad St).
Claire Connaghan’s “Little Red Truck.” Sponsored by McDevitt Town & Country Properties. Located at McDevitt Town & Country Properties (107 NE Broad St).
Shelly Renee Turner’s “Horses Connect Us All.” Sponsored by Pinnock Real Estate & Relocation Services,
C Cups Cupcakery, and Longevity Massage & Bodywork Therapy Center. Located In front of 115 and 125 E. Pennsylvania Ave.
Beth E. Roy’s “Horsefeathers.” Sponsored by Hampton Inn & Suites, TownePlace Suites and Hilton Garden Inn. Located at Belvedere Plaza (122-138 W. Pennsylvania Ave).
Ashely VanCamp’s “Love Your Local.” Sponsored by Ashten’s
Moore Equine Feed and Pet Supply. Located at Ashten’s (140 E New Hampshire Ave).
Darlene Ivey’s “Between the Ears.” Sponsored by English Riding Supply. Located in front of Broad Street Bakery (130 SW Broad St). Photo by Joseph Hill.
Tiffany Teeter’s “The Chief’s Pony.” Sponsored by Cabin Branch Tack Shop
BB&T. Located In front of Cabin Branch and BB&T (200 and 232 SW Broad St.).
The Carolina Horse Park crew.
Visitors viewing the Painted Ponies Art Walk are invited to use the hashtag #PaintedPoniesCHP when taking pictures and posting them to social media.
For more information about the Painted Ponies Art Walk and Auction, visit www.CarolinaHorsePark.com.
Introducing the USEF Eventing 25 Program Class of 2020.
US Equestrian is pleased to announce the final list of athletes named to the 2020 USEF Eventing 25 Emerging Athlete Program, following four program Assessment Sessions hosted during the month of January in Ocala, Fla., Aiken, S.C., and Temecula, Calif.
The USEF Eventing 25 Program offers athletes 25 years of age and under access to coaching and mentorship opportunities with Developing and Emerging Coach Leslie Law. Leslie will work within each athlete’s existing program providing guidance and further supporting the continued development of the Eventing High Performance Pathway and Program.
“I look forward to working with the Eventing 25 athletes in a new structure for the program,” Law said. “Instead of holding training sessions, I will be going into each athlete’s home environment to work with them individually, as well as watch them work with their own trainers. The intent is to mirror how Erik Duvander coaches the Elite and Pre-Elite athletes. This is a Pathway system, so when the Eventing 25 athletes progress up the pathway, they will already be working within that system.”
The following athletes have been selected to participate in the 2020 USEF Eventing 25 Program.
Fylicia Barr (West Grove, Pa.)
Fylicia Barr and Galloway Sunrise. Photo by Abby Powell.
Alexandra Baugh (Lexington, Ky.)
Alexandra Baugh and Mr. Candyman. Photo by AK Dragoo Photography.
Woods Baughman (Lexington, Ky.)
Woods Baughman and C’est La Vie 135. Photo by Abby Powell.
Amanda Beale Clement (Phoenixville, Pa.)
Amanda Beale Clement and Carlson 119. Photo by Abby Powell.
Jenny Caras (Cartersville, Ga.)
Jenny Caras and Fernhill Fortitude. Photo by Abby Powell.
Hallie Coon (Ocala, Fla.)
Hallie Coon and Celien. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Kalli Core (Orange, Texas)
Kalli Core and Cooley Master Courage. Photo by Shelby Allen.
Zoe Crawford (Reddick, Fla.)
Zoe Crawford and K.E.C Zara. Photo by Abby Powell.
Cornelia Dorr (Manchester by the Sea, Mass.) (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
Cornelia Dorr and Daytona Beach 8. Photo by Abby Powell.
Mia Farley (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
Mia Farley and Fernhill Fine Diamond. Photo by Abby Powell.
Savannah Fulton (Finksburg, Md.)
Savannah Fulton and Captain Jack. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.
Alyssa Phillips (Fort Worth, Texas)
Alyssa Phillips and Oskar. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Kaylawna Smith-Cook (Murietta, Calif.)
Kaylawna Smith-Cook and Passepartout. Photo by Kim Miller.
Megan Sykes (Midland, Texas)
Megan Sykes and Classic’s Mojah. Photo by Abby Powell.
Madison Temkin (Sebastopol, Calif.)
Madison Tempkin and Dr Hart. Photo by Sherry Stewart.
For more information on the USEF Eventing 25 Program, please contact Christina Vaughn, Director of Eventing Programs and Program Support, at [email protected]. To learn more about the Eventing Pathway Program, please contact Jenni Autry, Managing Director of Eventing, at [email protected].
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Keep up with the U.S. Eventing Program by following USA Eventing on Facebook and US Equestrian on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Use #USAEventing.
The USEF International High Performance Programs are generously supported by the USET Foundation, USOC, and USEF sponsors and members.
