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US Equestrian Recognizes USET Foundation’s 2023 Jacqueline B. Mars National Competition and Training Grant Recipients

By US Equestrian Press Release on Sep 15, 2023 1:05 pm -

James Alliston and Karma secure his third victory in a row at Rebecca Farm. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

US Equestrian is pleased to acknowledge the 2023 Jacqueline B. Mars National Competition and Training Grant recipients. The national grants are awarded by the United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation through the generosity of USET Foundation Honorary Trustee Jacqueline B. Mars, with the aim of supporting preparation and attendance at a competition that is more than 1,500 miles from the athlete’s home base. In 2023, grants were awarded to James Alliston with Nemesis and Karma and Liz Halliday with Cooley Moonshine.

The grants are designed to assist athlete-and-horse combinations’ progression to the Pre-Elite or Elite Program. The goal of the grant is to provide training and competition resources for athletes who have never competed on an Olympic or FEI World Championship eventing senior team.

James Alliston and Nemesis. Photo by Ride On Photo.

James Alliston (San Ramon, Calif.) received a grant for Nemesis, Alliston Equestrian’s 2014 Canadian Warmblood gelding, to come east for the 2023 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™ CCI5*-L (LRK3DE). Alliston rode Nemesis to the horse’s first CCI5*-L completion in April at the LRK3DE, finishing in 20th place.

Liz Halliday-Sharp and Cooley Moonshine. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Liz Halliday (Lexington, Ky.) received a grant for Cooley Moonshine to head west for The Event at Rebecca Farm CCI4*-L back in July. Since finishing second in the seven-year-old division at the 2019 FEI WBFSH Eventing World Breeding Championship, Halliday and the Cooley Moonshine have earned several top-10 results as The Monster Partnership’s 2012 Irish Sport Horse gelding has moved up the levels.

Additionally, Alliston received a grant for Karma, which the USET Foundation graciously approved for an international trip after Alliston’s fall plans changed with being named to the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team for the FEI Eventing Nations Cup Netherlands CCIO4*-NC-L. After winning the CCI4*-L at The Event at Rebecca Farm, Alliston and the 2014 Oldenburg mare owned by Alliston Equestrian and Ric Plummer head to the Netherlands from October 5-8 for the horse’s first time competing abroad.

Find out more about the Jacqueline B. Mars National Competition and Training Grants here.

In Memoriam: Jessie Aikman

By US Equestrian Press Release on Sep 11, 2023 1:34 pm -

Jessie Aikman and Hidden Treasure. Brant Gamma photo

From the United States Eventing Association:

The USEA shares its condolences with the friends and family of Area I Adult Rider Jessie Aikman. Aikman passed on September 3, 2023, from injuries received as a result of a fall at a USEA-recognized/US Equestrian licensed competition. Several of Aikman’s friends came forward to share their words of love for Aikman after her passing.

Amy Winnen, USEA Adult Rider Committee Co-Chair and Area I Adult Rider Program representative shared the following: “Jessie was an active Adult Rider Program member and always demonstrated care and support of her fellow equestrians, she always cheered on her own Virtual Team Challenge team but also celebrated everyone’s success. Even from her hospital bed, she was making sure her team got points even though she wouldn’t be able to ride at GMHA in September and didn’t want to scratch her entry for a refund because she knew GMHA needed the money. She loved the eventing community and we loved her. She will be missed.”

In addition, her dear friend and barn family member at Green Acres Stables in New Hampshire stated, ” Jessie lives in our hearts forever- in every gallop, every beautiful Green Acres Stable sunset, every rainbow across the cross-country field, and every hug we give to our horses. We are all changed by her light and love. I will never forget her saying ‘Every day is a great one when you’re with a horse!’ We will continue to ride, smile, enjoy our horses, and love one another in her honor. We love you, Jessie, forever and always.”

Julie Leblanc, friend and owner of the horse, Hidden Treasure, which Aikman competed, stated: “Jessie used to say to me at every show, ‘thank you for letting me live my childhood dreams.’ I always giggled and said you’re welcome, but she was the one who had me starry-eyed with her level of constant dedication. She jumped into everything she did, without hesitation. She learned how to properly condition a horse so that she was being fair to Treasure at every venue. She worked tirelessly on her flatwork to always best her last score. Even when she was nervous, we always said together, you can do this. What she didn’t know, is she lit a spark in me that had been missing for some time, a flame that will never go out, it stays eternal between us. The bond we shared went beyond horses. My son was like a grandchild to her, his excitement for dinners at her house, adventures while fruit picking, learning to cook new things, taking her horses for trail rides, and sledding. My son will miss every moment of the bond they had. Jessie had a way of guiding with a firm but gentle hand, that somehow just worked for my son. We talked every day, no matter the subject. Life without her will no doubt be different, but I am different because of her, I am better because of her. I love you, Jessie.”

Aikman’s official obituary is as follows:

On September 3, 2023, Jessie Aikman died from injuries she received while pursuing her lifelong dream of competitive horseback riding. She was born on July 29, 1957, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Robin and Walter Aikman and lived most of her life on the family farm in Rollinsford, New Hampshire. The oldest of six, her siblings referred to her as “The Warden” due to assertive leadership style. She was an absolute badass whose unique blend of kindness, sass, and spirited stick-to-itiveness were present throughout her life.

She loved animals from an early age. By the age of ten, when she wasn’t riding real horses, she and her sisters practiced trick riding on their bicycles, tying twine to the handlebars to use as reins. She competed in equestrian eventing in high school and worked on the family dairy farm. She attended the University of New Hampshire where she graduated with a degree in Animal Science. As an adult, she loved her many dogs and horses wholeheartedly.

Jessie had many skills and hobbies, and she excelled in all of them. Jessie was the owner of Back Channel Canvas Shop in Eliot, Maine, and was known by many to be a genius when it came to designing and crafting custom awnings, boat tops, and other structures out of canvas. She began collecting and riding antique motorcycles in the 1980s, and was the president of the Yankee Chapter of the American Antique Motorcycle Association for several years. She was a skilled knitter and pursued many other creative passions including baking quilting, photography, ceramics, and playing the flute. She was fiercely competitive and always loved to win, whether that be in a quilt show, a dog agility competition, or just a “friendly game of Cribbage.”

When she was in her mid-fifties, after a life-changing trail ride in the mountains near Telluride, Colorado and in the midst of a decades-long battle with rheumatoid arthritis, Jessie decided to bring horses back into her life and pursue her childhood dream of competitive equine eventing in earnest. She dedicated many hours to practicing, and found success both in competitions and in achieving her goals as an athlete. She became known in the horse world as a rockstar and was admired by teammates and competitors alike for her “balls,” her determination, and great sense of humor.

Jessie will be sorely missed by her husband Mike Lingley, her mother, and her siblings Lucy Putnam, William Aikman and Sophie Aikman all of Rollinsford, NH; Lorna Mehta of New York, NY and Robert Aikman of Fairbanks, AK, her beloved stepson, her extended family and her many niblings, grandchildren, and friends. We will never forget her indefatigable generosity, her miraculous ability to incorporate the “f bomb” into any sentence, or her “mile high apple pie.”

A celebration of life will be held at a later date in the future. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the following organizations:

US Eventing Association: A memorial fund has been set up in Jessie’s honor through the Area 1 USEA Adult Rider Program. Donations to the fund can be made here.

Donations to the New Hampshire SPCA in Stratham for their dog and horse rescue programs in Aikman’s memory can be made here.

The USEA would like to remind members of the US Equestrian Grief Hotline that is available to the eventing community impacted by this loss. Having partnered with the McLaughlin Young Group, US Equestrian offers free, confidential counseling services for mental health first aid with state-licensed practitioners who hold a graduate degree and at least five years of post-graduate clinical experience. You may contact these professional clinicians 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Members may reach a counselor by calling 1-800-633-3353.

‘Little Miss Perfect’ Scores at Cornbury

By US Equestrian Press Release on Sep 11, 2023 11:30 am -

Cornbury House Horse Trials came to a thrilling finish when world champion Yasmin Ingham, who had led the seven-year-old class of The Howden Way Young Horse Championships throughout the weekend, tipped the very last showjump to hand victory to Tom Jackson.

Tom, who made his senior British squad debut this summer, finished on his dressage score of 30.7 on Hugh and Pam Jarvis’s mare Midnight Endeavour. She was bred in Ireland by James Nash, and is by Future Trend out of a Ricardo mare.

Tom Jackson riding Midnight Endeavour (credit Peter Nixon)

“She’s called Little Miss Perfect at home, because whenever the girls in the yard ask how she was when I’ve been riding her, I say, ‘Perfect’,” said Tom. “She’s a little dinger across country – she just flies round. The showjumping wouldn’t necessarily be her strongest phase – she jumps well, but she can sometimes have four-fault-itis. Not today, though, and it is lovely to win on her.”

Yasmin Ingham had to settle for second on another mare, Gypsie Du Loir. Like Yasmin’s individual gold medallist at the 2022 World Championships, Banzai Du Loir, she is owned by Janette Chin and the Sue Davies Fund and came from the same stud – Elevage Du Loir – in France.

New Zealand’s Andrew Nicholson took third and fifth places on Filipo and Fenizio, a pair of grey geldings, both bred in Spain by Ramon Beca and both by the stallion Meneusekal.

This was the first time that Cornbury House Horse Trials has hosted the prestigious Young Horse Championships, and Yasmin said: “The cross-country track was beautifully built and designed and had a really good flow to it, I think it was super educational; young horses need to have a positive experience, and I felt my mare wanting to attack it and increasing in confidence all the time.”

Kitty King and Kantango (credit Peter Nixon)

Kitty King won The Howden Way-sponsored national six-year-old title for the third time in career, this time on Kantango, owned by Penelope Holley, Joanna Jones, Kitty’s mother Jane Boggis and Jane Tolley. By Tangelo out of a Winningmood mare, Kantango showjumped with Megan James, and Kitty bought him from Harry Horgan last winter.

“He’s a really smart young horse – this is his first season eventing and he’s taken to it like a duck to water,” said Kitty. “I’m very proud of him. This is a brilliant class and has been a great stepping-stone for my top horses in the past, so I’ve got high hopes for Kantango.”

The pair led the dressage with a mark of 22.7, and only added 0.4 of a time-penalty in the showjumping to that.

Kitty’s previous winners of this national championship were Ceylor LAN, whom she rode at the 2016 Rio Olympics, and Persimmon, with whom she won team silver at the 2015 European Championships at Blair Castle.

Second was Ireland’s Sian Coleman on the Diarado mare Diamond Mistress, and Sara Squires and Van Kaunitz – last year’s five-year-old champions – were third. Both combinations finished on their dressage scores of 26 and 26.8.

Laura Collett “Top overall rider” receiving her prize from David Howden (credit Peter Nixon)

Olympic team gold medallist Laura Collett won Cornbury’s Leading Rider prize, taking home a cheque for £2,500 and a magnificent silver trophy. Laura laid down her challenge for this title early on in the event, having won CCI3*-S section A and two British Eventing Open Intermediate sections on Thursday.

There were three classes for under-21 riders, all sponsored by The Howden Way. Ella Howard won the Pony Trial on Colemanstown Rocket, whom her parents bought six years ago when he was four and Ella was nine. Ella has produced him all the way through to this level, and today’s victory was an emotional one for the Howard family as he survived a colic operation last year.

Elizabeth Barrett took the young rider CCI3*-S on Dargun, while Ireland’s Alex Connors won the junior CCI2*-S with her family’s homebred OLS King Aragon.

Australia’s Kevin McNab took the remaining CCI2*-S section on Francesca Pollara’s Dance Monkey 7.

David Howden, founder and president of Cornbury House Horse Trials, said: “We have had the most brilliant event and I have to thank all our fantastic volunteers, officials, sponsors, riders, owners, grooms and supporters for all their very hard work. The weather has been hot, but so has the competition – it has been a real joy to see so many talented horses and riders at Cornbury this weekend.

“This is our fourth year, and it has grown so much since our first event in the Covid year of 2020. Every year we have worked hard to improve every aspect of the event, and I think the additions this time of Field Food – a showcase of delicious locally produced food and drink – Wildings, the very popular area offering lots of interactive activities for children – and the superb hospitality put on by The Pelican have allowed us to step up a level once again.”

For further information visit the Cornbury House website.

Oh, Canada! Mike Winter Wins British Eventing Five-Year-Old Championship

By US Equestrian Press Release on Sep 9, 2023 6:10 pm -

Mike Winter and Happy Time at Cornbury. Photo by Peter Nixon.

Gloucestershire-based Canadian Olympic rider Michael Winter won the British Eventing Five-Year-Old Championship – sponsored by The Howden Way – on Happy Time today at Cornbury House Horse Trials.

Michael finished on the same score – 26.1 – as second-placed Gemma Gurvidi (Nistel O), but Michael was closer to the optimum time of 4min 48sec on the cross-country and therefore took top spot.

Michael and his wife Emma own the Dibadu L-sired Happy Time with Hazel Thompson and her son Josh. The Winters usually produce horses to sell, but after the Thompsons – long-time owners with Michael and Emma – bought a half-share, they plan to keep this exciting youngster, whom they bought from Belgium during Covid after seeing a video of him.

“He was super,” said Michael. “I thought he would back off a little at the more decorated fences, but he’s really brave – he’s really, really good.”

Only a fraction behind Michael and Gemma in third on a score of 26.8 was Max Warburton, riding Norway Van De Haar, owned by Miranda Lucey, Hazel Livesey and Sue Ruddock.

The Howden Way Young Horse Championships for six- and seven-year-olds conclude tomorrow (Sunday, 10 September). World champion Yasmin Ingham is in the lead in the seven-year-old class on Gypsie Du Loir, owned by Janette Chinn and the Sue Davies Fund. The pair added a few cross-country time faults to their dressage mark of 21.9, but their overnight score of 26.7 keeps them at the top of the leaderboard.

Yasmin said: “I think the cross-country track was super-educational. Young horses are learning all the time and they need to have a positive experience, which is the most important thing. I was especially pleased with Gypsie Du Loir – this was quite a decent step up for her. I didn’t really know how she was going to cope with it, but she took it all on and fought like a lion the whole way round. There were times where she got a little bit too keen, but it was so nice – she felt like she was attacking everything and building in confidence the whole way round.”

The mare, by Herald, has come from the same stud in France (Elevage du Loir) as Yasmin’s world champion Banzai Du Loir – as does Goliath Du Loir, who is in 13th place currently with Yasmin.

Kitty King and Kantango are in first place after cross-country in the six-year-old final. The pair stormed round David Evans’ track to stay on their dressage mark of 22.7.

Kitty, who won team gold and individual silver at the European Championships last month on her top horse Vendredi Biats, bought the Tangelo gelding last winter from Harry Horgan. He is now owned by Penelope Holley, Joanna Jones, Kitty’s mother Jane Boggis and Jane Tolley.

“He’s quite cocky – his dam is by Winningmood, who is Vendredi Biats’ sire, and they do have a certain amount of cheekiness and cockiness about them!” she said. “He’s always naturally a very jolly, happy chap; he got a bit feisty today across country and was very full of himself.”

Tomorrow (Sunday) is the final day of Cornbury 2023. All the cross-country action will be livestreamed for free on the event website and on Horse & Country TV.

Tickets for Cornbury House Horse Trials, which features far more than “just” the international horse sport, can be bought online via the website or on the gate. “Field Food” celebrates a wide variety of delicious, locally-produced food and drink, including from the Cornbury estate, while at the weekend “Wildings” is a shaded, interactive area full of children’s activities.

Visit www.cornburyhousehorsetrials to buy tickets, watch the livestream and for more information.

Cornbury Horse Trials Launches £50,000 Ex-Racehorse Series

By US Equestrian Press Release on Sep 8, 2023 12:44 pm -

Piggy March and the ex-racehorse Our Old Fella. Photo courtesy of Cornbury Horse Trials.

Just a few days after the announcement of the Howden Way’s new Thoroughbred Aftercare Programme, which will provide support and education to owners and riders of off-the-track Thoroughbreds, Jayne McGivern and Cornbury House Horse Trials today announce an exciting new class for ex-racehorses that will be run at Cornbury House Horse Trials in 2025, worth a phenomenal £50,000.

The introduction of this new ex-racehorse class is the initiative of Jayne McGivern of Dash Grange Stud and owner of top event horses, with the support of David Howden, Group CEO and Founder of Howden and Founder and President of the Cornbury House Horse Trials.

The initiative has been in McGivern’s thoughts for a long time, wanting to make training ex-racehorses financially viable for riders. Her aim is to also raise the profile of the adaptable nature of thoroughbreds, especially in terms of their suitability for eventing.

McGivern is generously donating £50,000 in prize money, making it one of the largest prize funds within the eventing calendar, and the class will be run alongside the other classes at Cornbury House Horse Trials.

The class will showcase thoroughbreds and their abilities, aiming to encourage riders to take on and retrain ex-racehorses and incentivise riders to work towards the 2025 class. It will also provide an additional opportunity for ex-racehorses, building on the existing resource and guidance provided by Retraining of Racehorses (RoR).

Jayne McGivern of Dash Grange Stud said: “I am thrilled to be able to launch a new ex-racehorse class that will run in 2025, and thank David Howden for his support in allowing my idea to come to fruition. Racing and Eventing are both my passions and through this class we will be able to showcase the talent that thoroughbreds have in their second careers.”

The class will begin at CCI2*/Novice level, with further details around the class to be announced in due course.

Loch Moy Farm to Host Bred to Event Classic, September 28-October 1

By US Equestrian Press Release on Sep 8, 2023 9:15 am -

Loch Moy Farm shows off its photogenic nature. Photo by Alison Green for Erin Gilmore Photography.

With a dedicated effort to bolster breeding programs in the U.S., Loch Moy Farm has established itself as a hotspot for a glimpse at future event horses as they learn their craft. The latest addition to the Loch Moy Farm calendar is the Bred to Event Classic, to be held September 28 – October 1 in collaboration with the Maryland International Equestrian Foundation.

The Bred to Event Classic is a standalone competition dedicated to the breeding of event-bred horses, providing an opportunity for breeders and owners alike to showcase their decision-making and horsemanship with the young horses they show.

“With the news that the Future Event Horse program is no longer facilitated by USEA, Bred to Event Classic will further support the dedicated breeders and competitors that Loch Moy Farm has hosted at East Coast Future Event Horse Championships for 10 years,” the event press release describes.

The Bred to Event Classic will feature qualifiers and championships for horses aged one through five. A panel of judges that includes Robin Walker, Chris Ryan, Cathy Tucker-Slaterbeck, and Ian Stark will assess the horses’ suitability for eventing.

Special awards will be presented to Maryland-bred horses, Thoroughbreds, and U.S.-bred horses, with prize money distributed between breeders, owners, and riders.
There will be special awards for Maryland Bred horses, TB horses, US bred horses, and prize money will be split between Breeders/Owners, and Riders. As an additional incentive that also bolsters the venue itself, winners of the yearling through 3-year-old competition will be invited back with a free entry to the 2024 Bred to Event Classic. Winning horses of the 4- and 5-year-old competition will be given an annual entry for three years into the Maryland Horse Trials recognized events.

You can view much more, including guidelines for entering, rules, and other important information, on the Bred to Event Classic website here.

The Howden Way Launches British Thoroughbred Aftercare Programme

By US Equestrian Press Release on Sep 7, 2023 12:39 pm -

An exciting new addition to The Howden Way programme has been announced today. A bespoke Thoroughbred Aftercare Programme will join the existing areas of The Howden Way, designed to give expert tuition and training to riders that take on former racehorses.

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Programme will be run by British Eventing and sit alongside the existing areas of The Howden Way; The Howden Regional Training Academy, The Howden Talent Academy, The Howden Young Horse Academy and The Howden Way Young Horse Leagues.

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Programme, within The Howden Way structure, will be specifically designed to assist riders from the initial point of taking on a horse leaving racing and transitioning to a riding horse. The programme will both encourage and assist those taking on a former racehorse by giving them the security of knowing they will have a comprehensive care programme wrapped around them. The programme will encompass everything that riders will need to know from both caring for ex-racehorses in terms of their nutrition, routine and welfare needs through to their ridden retraining. It will sit alongside the existing resource and guidance provided by Retraining of Racehorses (RoR).

Coaching will be delivered by British Eventing Level 3 and above coaches who have gone through the Thoroughbred Aftercare standardisation programme and further supported with knowledge sharing from experts within their chosen field.

The Howden Way offers training and opportunities to riders of all ages and abilities. It was launched in May 2022 and has been in development by a specialist team to evolve into the unique training programme that it is today. The large investment into the sport of eventing, made by David Howden, CEO and Founder of Howden and Founder and President of Cornbury House Horse Trials, has five key areas; The Howden Regional Training Academy, The Howden Talent Academy, The Howden Young Horse Academy, The Howden Way Young Horse Leagues and, now, The Howden Way Thoroughbred Aftercare Programme.

Further details about the Thoroughbred Aftercare Programme and how riders can sign up to the programme will follow.

Conceal Grand-Prix Eventing at Bruce’s Field Boosts Prize Money to $100,000 for 2024

By US Equestrian Press Release on Sep 7, 2023 9:37 am -

The Aiken Horse Park Foundation (AHPF) is thrilled to announce the Augusta, GA based cyber security company, Conceal, is joining as the Title Sponsor for the 2024 $100,000 Conceal Grand-Prix Eventing Showcase at Bruce’s Field presented by Taylor, Harris Insurance Services (GPE). Now in its sixth year, Conceal’s support has made it possible to raise the showcase purse to $100,000.

Gordon Lawson, CEO of Conceal, commented on the new partnership:

“Conceal is honored to be the lead sponsor for the premier event of the 2024 Aiken Horse Park Season. As an international cyber security firm, we are excited to host the finest eventers from around the globe, especially as we will be right around the corner from the 2024 summer Olympics in Paris. We believe the mission of the Horse Park to attract competitors and spectators to Aiken is tremendously beneficial for the community and look forward to seeing continued growth of this event for years to come.”

GPE Organizing Chair & 7 time Olympian, Phillip Dutton reacted:

“The Aiken Eventing Showcase is very excited to announce that the leading cyber security company, Conceal, is joining us as title sponsor for the 2024 showcase. This has allowed us to raise the total prize money for next year to $100k. The Aiken Eventing Showcase has been an incredible addition to the Eventing calendar in the USA, as well as showcasing the best horses and riders to the local Aiken community. The increased prize money will take the Aiken Eventing Showcase to a whole new level and will most likely entice more international riders.”

As Mr. Lawson said, this news comes at an opportune time, just as the #PathToParis, the 2024 Paris Olympics campaign, enters the final stretch. During the 2021 GPE, all three of the eventual Tokyo 2021 team members, Phillip Dutton & Z, Boyd Martin & Tsetserleg, and Doug Payne & Vandiver, competed at the showcase. Also named to the Tokyo 2021 team, Liz Halliday & Dinero Z, and Tamie Smith & Mai Baum both competed at the event as well. All of the equestrian competition at the Paris 2024 Olympic games will take place on the grounds of Versailles. With Olympic Eventing trending more and more towards tighter, faster cross-country courses, the GPE will present an excellent, early season preview of where horse and rider pairs stand, for the competitors themselves as well as team coaches and selectors.

Former Managing Director of Eventing for the USEF, and current GPE Event Director, Joanie Morris added:

“Raising the prize money has been a goal of this Organizing Committee since the inception of this event. We celebrated our 5th anniversary this past year, and thanks to the ongoing support of our loyal sponsors and Conceal’s step into the title sponsor role, we are able to reach this milestone. As the only three phase showcase in North America we continue to set the standard and believe we have a responsibility to the athletes and owners to offer the highest quality event and as much prize money as we can. It is our demonstration of appreciation for their support and in celebration of the fact that we continue to feature the nation’s best horses and athletes year after year.”

Want to be a part of #AnEventLikeNoOther? Prospective sponsors may contact AHPF Director of Marketing & Communications Kate Boggan for more information. General admission tickets will go on sale December 1st 2023. Visit aikenhorsepark.org/eventing for more details.

European Champion Ros Canter Takes #1 in FEI Eventing World Athlete Rankings; Tamie Smith Moves to 5th

By US Equestrian Press Release on Sep 5, 2023 9:30 am -

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

British athlete Rosalind Canter has claimed the coveted position of leader in the FEI Eventing World Athlete Rankings, dethroning Tim Price, from his 11-month reign.

Ros’ remarkable performance at the recent FEI Eventing European Championship at Haras du Pin (FRA) has propelled her from the third tier of the rankings to the very zenith, amassing a total of 541 points. After consistently maintaining a position among the top 5 for well over a year, Ros now returns to the top of the world rankings, a position she last held in April 2019.

“It’s really exciting to be world number one. I have some amazing horses and owners, and an incredible team behind me at home. With the help of my family, we’ve built our yard up alongside our working farm and so it’s still hard to believe that we’ve been able to achieve the results we have. We’re still learning every day and I hope that we can keep on achieving.” Ros remarked.

Tim Price and Vitali. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Reflecting on her achievement, she added, “I think becoming world number one means a lot because it shows consistency. It’s taken many years to build up a string of top horses to help me get to this point. I hope this can inspire others to follow their dreams and it’s something my daughter can look back on with pride in years to come.”

With an eye firmly set on the future, Ros has already fixed her gaze upon the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, stating, “It would be a dream come true to make it to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games next year. It’s a box I’ve not yet ticked and so we’ll be working hard over the next few months with that in mind. Looking beyond that, my aim is to continue to improve and hope that that can lead to being able to represent my country a few more times.”

Tamie Smith and Mai Baum. Photo by Alex Jeffery.

Former world number one, Tim Price, now yields to the second position with a tally of 482 points. Meanwhile, Oliver Townend ascends to the third position, amassing 478 points, surpassing his compatriot Tom McEwen, who maintains a solid fourth position with a score of 469 points.

Notable strides in the rankings include Americans Tamie Smith, firmly holding fifth place with 447 points, Will Coleman securing a noteworthy seventh place with 413 points, and Boyd Martin achieving an eighth place with 398 points. Phillip Dutton (13) and Liz Halliday (15) are also within the top 15 for the U.S. British rider Yasmin Ingham claims the sixth spot with 425 points. Jonelle Price (NZL) experiences a descent to the ninth position, while Laura Collet (GBR) exhibits a significant ascent, climbing ten positions to gain entry into the Top 10 with 371 points.

Catching Up with #AEC2023: Novice Champions Crowned on Saturday

By US Equestrian Press Release on Sep 3, 2023 11:30 am -

The competition and the temperature heated up on Saturday as six Novice divisions came to a conclusion at the USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC) presented by Nutrena Feeds.

Allison Icenogle and Fernhill Revelation. USEA / Lindsay Berreth.

USEA Novice Amateur Championship

The giant Novice Amateur division saw the most drama in the final phase. In the end Allison Icenogle and her own Fernhill Revelation climbed from fourth place overnight to be crowned Champions, finishing on their dressage score of 27.9. “I was not expecting this at all,” she exclaimed afterwards. “This is my first time here so I was shocked even after the dressage results!”

By first time here Icenogle means both the Horse Park and the AEC, but her horse is decidedly more seasoned; the 17-year-old Irish Sport Horse was campaigned up to the four-star level by Phillip Dutton, and Icenogle has been riding him for about two and a half years. “He’s just been amazing; everything I do with him he does amazingly. I’ve got my silver medal in dressage on him, and I ride him in Pony Club, and it’s been awesome every step of the way.”

Where some riders might struggle taking over an established ride from a top professional, that has not been Icenogle’s experience, “Really, it’s just a dream come true. I went out and looked at him, rode him for the first time and fell in love with him,” she said.

Although she insists it has been pretty much smooth sailing all the way, Icenogle will admit that it’s taken some time to adjust to Fernhill Revelation’s size; he’s 17.1-hands. Her family has a Fjord farm in Southwest Wisconsin so she’s used to riding small Norwegian ponies.

Supreme confidence in her relationship with her horse didn’t preclude her getting nervous before her cross-country rounds. “Terribly so, and he does too actually so we both are nervous wrecks going into the start box,” she said. But as it turned out, “It was a really fun course, and he did amazing with it; we didn’t have any issues. So that was my favorite part.”

Walking down the chute into the Rolex Arena before the final phase was a bit nerve-wracking for Icenogle. “I’ve seen Rolex over the years,” she said. “I’ve been watching it since like 2008 so getting to ride in this arena is amazing!”

Madeline Bletzacker and Landtino S. USEA / Lindsay Berreth.

USEA Novice Rider Championship

A double-clear round in the Rolex Arena saw Madeline Bletzacker (Galena, Ohio) move up one place to take the Novice Rider Championship on her own Danish Warmblood gelding Landtino S (Solos Lantinus x Chess S), “a failed dressage horse” but a former hunter derby winner, USEA Horse of the Year and now AEC Champion.

At 23 years young, it’s taken Landtino S a while to get here and to step out of the shadow of Bletzacker’s other horse. At 67 years equally young Bletzacker admits she might be nearing the sunset of her competitive career too. “He’s just been a really great horse but it did take a long time to get him to acclimate to the dressage. He has squealed and kicked out more than five times in dressage over the years! I am so excited because I’m like, almost at the end of my career. Like every day I feel like ‘Am I done?’ My horses are 23 and 15, I just feel like this is a great pinnacle for my career.”

Bletzacker honed her horsemanship skills on the racecourse and gained valuable experience retraining Thoroughbreds, “I have worked at the track for 25 years. 18 hours a day, seven days a week,” she said. “So I was a slave to horses all that time.”

It was a helpful hunter/jumper judge, “back in the ‘80s,” she said, who suggested to her that one of her off-track Thoroughbreds might be better suited to the eventing scene than the show ring, and Bletzacker’s been hooked ever since.

Emerson Padgett and MSH Giant Jac’ka. USEA / Lindsay Berreth.

USEA Novice Junior Championship

Emerson Padgett (Akron, Ohio) has only been riding her 7-year-old Selle Français MSH Giant Jac’ka (Quebracho Semilly x Loupaline Du Haul) since December, but they’ve established enough of a partnership to clinch the win in the Novice Junior Championship, leading from start to finish and adding nothing to their dressage score. “It’s really exciting!” Emerson said after her victory gallop, “He was just so good, and it was a really fun weekend, and this is just like the cherry on top for it to be so successful.”

The win was a lovely surprise even though Emerson knew her horse was capable of putting three good scores on the board, “I mean, I don’t think anybody ever expects it to happen!” she said. “It was still very exciting. And I don’t think it’s even hit me yet. I don’t think I’ve taken it in yet. I think doing the victory lap was like, ‘Oh wow, this has actually happened!’”

Emerson said she’s received a lot of help from her trainers Robin Walker and Kara Andrew who were here this weekend, “I wouldn’t be here without them; they’ve helped me so much. They helped me find ‘Jack,’ and they’ve helped us the entire way.” A big group from her barn were also at the Horse Park this weekend, as well as her naturally proud mother and grandmother.

Emerson didn’t have a rail in hand over second-placed Caroline Burkhardt and Stonehaven’s Dream who had jumped clear, but she kept a cool head and duly delivered the goods. “I was focusing on my warm up and just was more focused on the atmosphere that we’re going into and just thinking about my course, and I was trying to kind of focus on myself and then just see what happened.”

She did allow herself a moment to appreciate her surroundings right before she entered the Rolex Arena. “Oh, gosh,” she gasped. “It’s so cool! I mean, you watch so many big people ride here that it’s just so amazing to be here in such a big atmosphere, and all the horses jumped so much better in there; it was so much fun!”

Future plans this year include “probably some more events in the fall and just to really practice all of our skills, some jumper shows and just enjoy him!”

Plus, she added, “He’s just so fun to be around, and it’s a plus that he’s so talented, and he’s just such a good horse. It’s fun to do whatever with him.

Jane Musselman and Engapore. USEA / Lindsay Berreth.

USEA Novice Master Amateur Championship

Jane Musselman (Loiusville, Kentucky) has twice gone into the final phase of the AEC in the lead, twice at the Horse Park, and both times it didn’t go her way. Today, the third time was a charm: Engapore (Singapore x Orize), a 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood jumped a beautiful clear round that would have won an equitation class, and they were crowned Novice Master Amateur Champions.

“I think talking to all my friends, just trying to relax and trust my horse, trust that he can go there and do this” was what made the difference this time, Jane opined, “and he was so rideable today so that made it easier!”

Musselman trains with Martha Lambert and sometimes with Phillip Dutton who gave her a little advice and wished her luck, “He’s been busy too so Martha mostly helped me this weekend!” she said.

To finally make it onto the podium feels “So good! It’s so nice that it’s here at home!” Musselman’s parents live in Lexington, and it was her mother’s 70th birthday so there’ll be a double celebration at dinner in Lexington tonight.

Kensal Fansler and Delilah’s Boy. USEA / Lindsay Berreth.

USEA Novice Junior 15 & Under Championship

The top 3 in this division remained the same throughout the weekend as all three combinations aced their tests each day. Maybe overnight leader, 12-year-old Kendal Fansler (Clarkesville, Maryland) manifested her win, but she had predicted the day before that show jumping should be a breeze for her Connemara-cross Delilah’s Boy, and indeed it was. “It was so much fun!” Fansler beamed after her win. “He definitely saved my butt on some of the fences but he was awesome!”

Making time has not been a problem for this pair in either of the jumping phases, in fact sometimes they’ve had to struggle with the opposite, “My coach [John Secan] told me to not cut any of the turns because if I’m slicing them I’ll probably get a rail, and to make sure I keep my rhythm the whole time,” she said. Kendal did both, and the trophy was hers!

Phillip Dutton, Sharon White, and Liz Halliday are Fansler’s eventing heroes, and she watched all three show jump in the Advanced Championship finale Friday evening. “They were awesome!” Perhaps she got a taste for what it might feel like to ride in the higher divisions, or even Land Rover Kentucky one day as she waited her turn in the chute to the big arena, “It felt very professional”, she agreed.

Delilah’s Boy, a hand-me-down from Fansler’s cousin, Emma Whitaker after she outgrew him, can look forward to a short vacation, “I will make sure he’s very cooled off today, and I’ll give him probably a week off because he worked very hard. And then we’ll just continue showing.”
From Maryland, Fansler has another ride Sunday, and when I ask if she’ll be first in line for Whitaker’s current horse, HSH Golden Boy, currently lying third in the Beginner Novice Championship she chuckles, “I don’t think she’s going to outgrow that one!”

USEA Novice Horse Championship

The newly crowned USEA Novice Horse Champion found his way to local rider Elissa Gibbs’ barn as a 4-year-old without her having ridden him; she bought him on the recommendation of Liz Halliday, but she discovered pretty quickly that her new purchase could jump. “The first day he came I put him in the round pen, and he just trotted out over the eight-foot wall and found a friend in a paddock and started grazing. He just trotted straight over it!”

Scope is clearly not an issue for this stunning gray horse but the win today is bittersweet for Gibbs whose business is “finding very good quality young horses and bringing them up and and then sending them to their forever person.” Unsurprisingly there is already a buyer lined up for this one, but Gibbs says she gets a lot of joy watching them thrive in their new homes and following them at competitions.
“I don’t think at this point I’m going to run Advanced again, but I like to ride really top class horses,” she elaborated, “and I like to keep them for a couple of years so you really really know who they are and where they’re meant to be.”

However, her other ride in this division, the ex-racehorse Enjoy The Journey who finished 21st is rather special, she shares, and rather less valuable than the winner, and she thinks he’s probably a keeper. After a castration and a slow start because “he did not understand show-jumping, he was terrified of it,” she said with a laugh, something clicked, “I left the start box for the first time on cross-country on him and whew….the way just galloped and jumped the first fence, I knew then this horse was just never leaving!”

Once she’d made that decision she asked Avery Whisman’s family for permission, an emotional Gibbs remembers, and then changed the horse’s name to memorialize “a very special student of mine who switched from eventing to being a jockey and passed away earlier this year.”
Gibbs has competed at the AEC every time they’ve been in Lexington but this is her first win. “I think it’s special to win at home because your peers are around, and your business is here. It’s good for business to do well, it makes your clients believe in you and that you know what they’re doing. And they can come and watch you. I’ve got a whole big group up there,” she gestures into the Rolex Arena grandstands, “all watching, cheering, getting drunk, and having a great time!”

[Click here to read the full recap from the Novice Championships at AEC]

#AEC2023 (Lexington, KY): [Website] [Entries] [Schedule] [Official Program] [Volunteer] [EN’s Coverage]

EN’s coverage of #AEC2023 is brought to you by hometown hero Kentucky Performance Products and Ocala Horse Properties.

Liz Halliday Clinches Nail-Biting Win in the $60,000 Adequan USEA Advanced Final

By US Equestrian Press Release on Sep 1, 2023 10:00 pm -

Liz Halliday and Miks Master C. USEA/Meagan DeLisle photo

Liz Halliday had one rail and 1.2 time penalties in hand with Miks Master C when she headed into the Rolex Stadium tonight for show jumping in the $60,000 Adequan USEA Advanced Final at the USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC) presented by Nutrena Feeds.

After leading the competition from the start, she thought she was in the clear as she headed to the last fence, but a late rail and exceeding the time allowed over Bobby Murphy’s course made Halliday, and the large crowd, groan. It took a few seconds, but announcer Brian O’Connor did the math and confirmed that Halliday only added .8 time penalties to her score to keep her overnight lead ahead of Phillip Dutton and Z, who’d put the pressure on with one of four double clear rounds.

“I am totally thrilled—I’m obviously going to have anxiety for the next 10 years after that,” she said with a laugh. “I knew I was right on the edge, and when they announced my score, I had a moment where I was like, ‘Maybe I did the math wrong.’ I was freaking out a little bit, like, ‘That was cutting it too fine, Halliday.’ He just jumped phenomenally the whole weekend. I think that light’s a little funny in there, and he just saw a glare in the water tray as he took off, and I was shocked because he was jumping so well.”

“Mikki,” an 11-year-old U.S.-bred Swedish Warmblood (Mighty Magic x Qui Luma CBF) who’s owned by Ocala Horse Properties LLC and Deborah Palmer, came to Halliday as a confirmed Advanced horse under Maya Black, and Halliday’s spent the last year and a half getting to know him and picking up big results. They were third in the gelding’s five-star debut at Land Rover Kentucky this spring, then helped the U.S. team to a silver medal at the Aachen CCIO4*-S (Germany) this summer. Next, they’ll head to the Pan American Games in Chile in October.

Liz Halliday and Miks Master C. USEA/Meagan DeLisle photo

“He’s just a really wonderful horse,” said Halliday, of Lexington, Kentucky. “He loves the sport, he’s very generous, he tries very hard, and he’s very, very talented. I just feel really lucky to ride him. I planned to come here to be competitive with him and run him fairly fast with the view of running him quieter at the final trial before the Pan Ams and just put all the pieces back together so that he doesn’t run off! My plan was to try and be pretty competitive this weekend and give him a good run for fitness as much as anything. And obviously, I wanted to come here and win, so it’s always nice when that works out.”

Twenty-six pairs started over Murphy’s course tonight and four were double clear, including Dutton on both Z and Azure, who finished third.
“I thought it was a really good track, actually,” said Halliday. “The time was influential. It wasn’t huge, but it was enough. There’s always the atmosphere factor here. I think the light was quite influential late on. It definitely influenced my horse to the last.”

Phillip Dutton and Z. USEA/Meagan DeLisle photo

Dutton agreed, adding that he brought both his horses to the AEC for their first prep runs before their big fall events. “Each horse is different,” he said of his plan over tonight’s course. “You’ve got to ride them a certain way to get the best out of them. Z’s better off being a little bit relaxed and in a bit of an open canter, not getting too much up and down. I didn’t think [the course] walked that strong, actually. But like Liz said, I think that light and a few other factors play a part, and the rails, I believe were spread pretty evenly around, so that’s a good sign of a well-built course.”

Z, a 15-year-old Zangersheide gelding (Asca Z x Bellabouche) owned by Evie Dutton, Ann Jones, Suzanne Lacy, Caroline Moran, Thomas Tierney, and Dave and Patricia Vos, is heading to the Pau CCI5*-L in France in October.

“I sort of had in mind to try to be competitive without overdoing it,” he said of his weekend. “It’s a great experience for me and the horses to get in this arena in the show jumping, and obviously on the cross-country because the footing’s usually pretty good. It’s a good training ground, and the money’s really helpful. We’ve tried to support any of the events that are putting out money; that just helps everybody along.”

“Z’s just a great horse to have and be a friend with,” he continued. “He’s in it for all the right reasons; he loves to compete, he loves it all. He gets pretty wound up about it. But you know, that’s him enjoying it, not because of any other reason. I still think it’s such a great sport that a horse at his age, he just keeps getting better and better, and it’s really fun to be a part of that.”

Phillip Dutton and Z. USEA/Meagan DeLisle photo

Azure, an 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare (Omar x Cavalier Roselier) owned by Anne Moran, Caroline Moran, and Michael Moran, will head to her first five-star at Maryland after winning the Mars Bromont CCI4*-L (Canada) in June.

Dutton’s had “Sky” for a year and a half, and he’s getting used to riding a mare at the top levels, something that hasn’t happened often in his career.

“I haven’t had the right good one to go along with,” he said. “It’s fun, and it is a little bit different than riding a gelding. This one’s very opinionated and has her own mind up made up about how it should be done, and so I’ve got to be very tactful how I ride her.”
“Up until now it hasn’t been much of a partnership,” he added with a laugh. “It’s been all on her terms. It’s all about what she wants to do. I’m gradually just trying to encourage her to let me have a little bit of a say, and it’s getting better—like a lot of the partnerships I have with my women at home!”

Training Champions are Overcome with Emotion at USEA AEC

USEA Training Rider Division

Susan Gallagher and HH Rockstar. USEA/Meagan DeLisle photo

Being named the USEA Training Rider Champion had a lot more meaning to this year’s leading rider Susan Gallagher (Millwood, Virginia). It was longtime trainer Packy McGaughan who helped Gallagher find her winning mount, the 13-year-old German Sport Horse gelding HH Rockstar (Chacco-Blue x Cherly Z). As many in the eventing community already know, McGaughan died suddenly in 2020.

“Packy was more important to me as a friend than a trainer,” shared Gallagher. “But he was a great trainer. And he rides with me still all the time. It’s been a really long journey to get here. This is our first AEC, and I think between the travel to get there when they’re on the West Coast and my schedule, and sound horses, you know, it just took a long time to come together.”

Gallagher noted that she has been aiming to mark the AEC off her bucket list for 10 years. It was a goal she was thrilled to accomplish in McGaughan’s memory.

“A lot of things remind me of him, being here,” she said full of emotion. “So it’s nice. I mean, this was one of our goals. So it’s really great to see it happen. It’s surreal.”

While show jumping was the phase that secured their win, Gallagher had a different standout phase.

“The cross-country was a favorite part of being here,” she said. “I thought the course was amazing. It was challenging enough with nothing new; it was just confirmatory, and you had to go fast and positive. And that feels like a championship course to me.”

USEA Training Amateur Championship

Stephanie Letarte and GarryNDruig Albie. USEA/Meagan DeLisle photo

Stephanie Letarte of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, started the competition week in the lead. As she crossed the finish timers in show jumping aboard her 19-year-old Dutch Warmblood-Irish Sport Horse cross GarryNDruig Albie (VDL Arkansas x Diamond Abbey), a big smile was plastered across her face because she knew she was going to end her weekend in the lead as well.

“Oh my gosh, it’s just unreal,” said an elated Letarte after her round had completed. “That horse is just amazing. And I am so lucky. Like he’s the horse of like, 10,000 lifetimes. It’s amazing, I’m really excited.”

This marks Letarte’s first visit to the AEC and her first-ever win at the Training level. “I don’t know if I can come back,” she said in jest. “It’s just so cool. I mean, it’s such a great atmosphere. It’s such a fun show. I’m so so happy to be here.”

Going into the final phase in the lead can put on a bit of pressure, especially in Letarte’s case where she did not have a rail in hand. But rather than focus on the competitive aspect of the weekend, Letarte had another thing at the front of her mind: keeping it fun. She attributes her success this week to that mentality.

As for her future with “Albie,” Letarte has hopes of competing in a few more Training level events this year and then evaluating where they are at this winter. With Albie’s age in mind, her plan is to just “take it one day at a time.”

While Letarte had never met her fellow podium-finishers before, you would have never known it. She and second-place finisher Amanda Smith and third-place finisher Lisa Hickey were there cheering one another on, swapping hugs and sharing congratulations as if they were lifelong friends, and they may be after having such an experience together at the AEC.

USEA Training Horse Championship

“I can’t believe it, I feel so great, especially being here at this venue. It means even more. And because this has so much history and significance.”

If you believe in kismet and that some things are simply meant to be, it will be no surprise that Jane Jennings (Aiken, South Carolina) and SF Vancouver 2 (Validation S x Nanna) are the USEA Training Horse Champions at the Kentucky Horse Park this weekend.

Jennings rode in the AEC when it was in North Carolina but today’s win was extra special for many reasons.

“When I went to the Athens Olympics to help my late friend Amy Tryon, I sat next to Sheilagh Costello on the plane, and she was telling me, ‘I want to start an eventing championship and have it at the Horse Park’ so I am just thrilled that her dream came to fruition, and I’m here, it’s been so many years later, so it’s really special.”

Although their recent prep for this weekend has been relatively smooth (this is their third win in a row), getting here has been a completely different story, and only thanks to a team of dedicated vets that diagnosed and treated the 8-year-old German Sport Horse gelding for a very rare inner ear infection.

“Dr. Emily Setlakwe at Tryon Equine Hospital helped me identify what the situation was, and she was paramount in his recovery. But before that, we sent him to New Bolton to Amy Johnson, and they did a CT scan so we were able to treat it, and he’s here and making a huge comeback.”

Treatment consisted of “a two-month course of minocycline. And then I took him back to try on for an evaluation, and they said another two months, so four months total on very expensive antibiotics. But the second two months really made a big difference in his recovery.”
During this time Jennings didn’t ride “Teddy,” aside from some light hacking at the end of the third month. “I gave him lots of turnout. I just wanted to make sure because he was acting very odd. We didn’t know if this was actually going to solve the problem,” she said.
It was something of a last-minute decision to even bring him at all this weekend, but she decided he was feeling so good, going so well, and plus, “He loves to show!”

Their Friday morning leading up to the final phase was also not without incident: Jennings had to change a flat trailer tire on the highway en route to the Horse Park, “And then I went to go take the trailer in this morning for the appointment to get it fixed there’s a second flat tire! So it was a bit frazzled this morning, but I got it taken care of, and then I came back to the barns and got on.”

Funnily enough, the last time Jane had a flat tire was also on the way to the AEC a different year, and she said she’s so good at changing them now that she was excited to help another competitor coming from the AEC change hers!

USEA Training Junior Championship

Marina Cassou and Castleturvin Mungo. USEA/Meagan DeLisle photo

Is there anything more thrilling than winning a national championship from start to finish on your dressage score? For Lancaster, Pennsylvania, resident Marina Cassou, it was a dream come true aboard her mother Beatrice’s 14-year-old Connemara gelding Castleturvin Mungo. Especially since Cassou shared that when she got him four years ago, he didn’t even know how to canter.

“I don’t have any words,” said a joy-filled Cassou. “Two years ago, I competed Novice here, and we did not do well at all. This year, my goal was not to win, but to do well, and I was not expecting this.”

Cassou, who normally trains with Lillian Heard, hitched a ride with Fylicia Barr and gained a whole new barn family this week as well. Her newfound eventing crew were lined up outside the Rolex Arena on pins and needles as she jumped around her course and were in tears for their young friend when she jumped the last jump clear.

“Coming into show jumping I was feeling a ton of pressure because Mongo likes to knock rails down, but he put on an amazing round,” she shared. The pair aim to make a move up to Modified in the future.

Also happening today: cross country for Novice riders and dressage for Beginner Novice. Stay tuned to see who’s crowned champion of our final divisions this weekend!

#AEC2023 (Lexington, KY): [Website] [Entries] [Schedule] [Live Stream] [Volunteer] [EN’s Coverage]

EN’s coverage of #AEC2023 is brought to you by hometown hero Kentucky Performance Products and Ocala Horse Properties.

First Champions Crowned at USEA American Eventing Championships

By US Equestrian Press Release on Sep 1, 2023 7:30 am -

Catch up on the standings from #AEC2023 after Thursday’s action below! Today, we’ll see the conclusion of the Adequan Advanced final this evening, as well as cross country for Novice riders, show jumping for Training level, and dressage for Beginner Novice.

Chin Wins Again: Coleman and Chin Tonic HS are the 2023 USEA Intermediate Champions at AEC

Will Coleman and Chin Tonic HS. USEA/Lindsay Berreth photo

What better way to conclude the first day of championship crowning at the USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds than with a show jumping session under the setting Kentucky sun? Competitors and spectators at the Kentucky Horse Park were treated to just that as the USEA Intermediate Championship came to a close Thursday evening with show jumping in the Rolex Arena. A total of 43 contestants came forward, but ultimately none could top Will Coleman and Chin Tonic HS (Chin Champ x Wildera).

Coleman and Hyperion Stud’s 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding led the division from start to finish, wrapping up their competition week with just a few time faults on cross-country added to their dressage score. Coleman started the week out in first and third, and his third place mount Diabolo (Diarado x Roulett M) moved up to second following cross-country and also remained unscathed after show jumping this afternoon.

After their cross-country run, Coleman noted that Chin would be heading to Stable View (Aiken, South Carolina) next before making his way to France for the five-star at Pau. Coleman felt that Pau would be a good opportunity to help Chin get more five-star miles under his belt in an appropriate environment.

“He’s done Kentucky, obviously, which I think has quite a bit of terrain,” he said. “Maryland and Burghley have tons of terrain, and I think that maybe would have been just physically a step too far. Pau is a competition that we thought would continue to season him as a five-star horse. He’s pretty good at the technical things, and he has a very big stride. I’m hoping that we can just go there and improve on our performance a little bit, we’re just trying to get better.”

[Read the full Intermediate recap]

That’s a Wrap on the Bates USEA Preliminary Championships at the AEC

Bates USEA Preliminary Amateur Championship

Kelly Beaver and Excel Star Pluto. USEA/Meagan DeLisle photo

Getting to ride with your close friend is always special, but getting to stand next to one another as Champion and Reserve Champion of your division at the AEC is on a whole other level. Bates USEA Preliminary Amateur champion Kelly Beaver (Elverson, Pennsylvania) got to do just that with her friend and division reserve champion Kathleen Bertuna (Athens, Ohio).

“The sport is so tough,” said Beaver. “It’s an individual sport, you’re really just competing against yourself, you know, and so to be able to have someone that understands it, and then to be able to share it with each other is really special.”

In the earlier part of the championship week, Bertuna actually sat one spot ahead of Beaver with her 8-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Excel Star Harry (Luidam x Moysella Cool Diamond), in third and fourth respectively. But after cross-country, both riders moved up the scoreboard with their horses with Beaver moving up to first with her 8-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding Excel Star Pluto and Bertuna in second. Knowing they were going to have to battle it out for first between each other brought a whole new sense of friendship and humor into the equation.

“She was hot on my heels,” shared Beaver. “I knew her horse had like an anaphylactic reaction to rails; you have to make this horse have a rail so I knew I did not have any chance of her having a rail.”

While Beaver did add .4 time penalties to her score after show jumping, she still held onto her lead and finished with a score of 34.3. Bertuna and Excel Star Harry concluded their weekend in second on 35.7.

Bates USEA Preliminary Horse Championship

Sharon White and Jaguar Duende. USEA/Meagan DeLisle photo

A new leader emerged in the Bates USEA Preliminary Horse Championship as Sharon White (Arlington, Virginia) piloted her 7-year-old Westphalian mare Jaguar Duende (Jaguar Mail x Latina) through a double-clear show jumping round.

“Jag is what we call her,” shared White, “and I always say I’m taking the Jag out when I get on her because she’s really beautiful and fun. She’s a competitor. She wants to win. She digs deep and wants it in all three phases, which is really cool.”

White purchased Jag as a three-year-old but she stayed in Germany for a bit before coming to the States as a 4-year-old. Bringing the mare along from the ground up has been extremely rewarding and White has big dreams for her.

“The plan is all of the things,” White said. “I would love for this to be the start of many blues in Kentucky.”

Bates USEA Preliminary Rider Championship

Susan Moessner and Satin Art. USEA/Meagan DeLisle photo

Susan Moessner (Ann Arbor, Michigan) started the weekend out in the lead aboard her homebred Warmblood gelding Satin Art (Indian Art x Epic Satin) with a dressage score of 25.7 but was bumped down to second after adding 7.6 time penalties to their score on cross-country. Going into show jumping today Moessner had just one goal:

“My plan was to stay out of his way because he’s a lovely jumper. I basically just get him in a rhythm, get him into balance, and try to stay out of his way,” she said.

Moessner noted that she backed the 19-year-old gelding off a bit on cross-country resulting in the time faults, but that “Artie” jumped wonderfully and answered all the questions the way she would have wanted.

“He’s just such a wonderful horse, and it’s so special that he finally gets the recognition,” Moessner said of her fourth-generation homebred. “He started out competing up through Intermediate, and I hoped he would be my next big Advanced horse, but he had the injury. And we had that repaired, but I just felt like eventing would be more likely to re-injure it, so he just did dressage for several years. Then I started to take him out when I was teaching some students and thought, ‘Oh, we’ll pop over one or two’. He was locking on to everything. So then I thought ‘Well, maybe we’ll go jump some fences.’ And so for the past couple of years, I’ve taken him out once or twice in the season and qualified to bring him here. He could probably go Intermediate again, but I just feel Preliminary is a safer place for him.”

At 19 years young, Moessner has a new goal for her beloved stallion: Grand Prix dressage. She has three of Satin Art’s daughters at home that she intends to bring up through the levels. Her hope is to produce those in her home base of Area VIII so she can support keeping the upper-level divisions at her local shows.

Bates USEA Preliminary Junior/Young Rider Championship

Annabelle Sprague and Da Vinci Code. USEA/Meagan DeLisle photo

Annabelle Sprague (Brookfield, Vermont) was feeling the pressure going into show jumping today in the lead with Kylie Lyman’s 16-year-old Irish Sport Horse Da Vinci Code (Master Imp x Clovers Appollo). One rail would result in losing their lead, so Sprague kept the plan today short and simple.

“The game plan was just to get a good canter and pretend like it’s any other day,” she shared. “It’s a big relief [to be Champion]. It was very nerve-wracking.”

Sprague started her championship performance in third place and is concluding the week on the same score she started with; quite a feat in a championship setting.

“In dressage, he was really good. We’ve done the test a bit, so he anticipated the halt, but besides that, I thought he was really good,” she said. “And then in the cross-country, he was just amazing. I couldn’t have asked for any better.”

She has had the ride on “Da Vinci” off and on for three years now and feels like they have really formed a solid partnership. “I feel like we know each other really well, and that helped us out today,” she said.

[Read the full Prelim recap]

Making it Count: Winners are Made in Modified Championships at AEC

USEA Open Modified Championship

Chelsey Sawtell and Toto’s Weather Tamer. USEA/Meagan DeLisle photo

Chelsey Sawtell was awarded first place in the USEA Open Modified Championship while piloting Deb Warner’s 7-year-old dark bay German Warmblood stallion, Toto’s Weather Tamer (Totals x Baquette). Adding 0.8 seconds in time faults with one rail down, increased their score to a winning 36.5.

“I haven’t even processed it yet. I feel like at any time I’m going to wake up,” said Sawtell, helmet still on and cheeks still flecked with a rosy hue of pride. Off to her side—and all throughout the week—owner of “Jakes,” Deb Warner, was misty-eyed. “It was amazing.” Dubbing him sassy and playful on his cross-country course yesterday, Sawtell laughed when she said that not choking in show jumping today was her only game plan, and fortunately she was the rider she planned to be on the stallion she shares such an obvious connection with. Naturally, on the flip side of a big win, there are future plans to keep excelling.

“We are going to do our first one-star and see what happens,” said Sawtell. “This was a big one for him…he just tries so hard and he has the scope, and he’s a big goofball.”

Sawtell knows this horse inside and out, and quite enjoys him being such a workable and polite stallion. Back at his stall, she noted that he will be very curious—almost investigatory—about a newcomer, keeping a close eye on Sawtell, which proves his loyalty to the beloved rider who lets the dressage-bred stallion do his favorite thing.

USEA Modified Rider Championship

Sylvia Byars and CSF Dassett Decoy. USEA/Meagan DeLisle photo

Sylvia Byars secured a first place finish on Nicole Byars’s CSF Dassett Decoy (Flipper D’Elle x CSF Doorn Cruise), the bay 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse-Selle Francais cross gelding. The pair managed to make an impressive leap up the leaderboard throughout the week.

“My week was pretty amazing,” said Byars, who was sitting in tenth position coming out of her dressage test with a score of 31.6, then moving up to third following her cross-country trip, and now claiming the first place win while holding tight to that initial score all the while.

“Dressage was fine—it wasn’t quite what we could’ve done, and I was a little actually disappointed with the score.” Byars noted feeling like the week was right there in black and white on the leaderboard, but when she was walking the cross-country course with her coach, they made a plan to ride for it and see where the chips fell.

“I didn’t have anything to lose and I went for it,” said Byars. “We came in right at the optimum and he’s not a very fast horse, so to go double-clear there was pretty incredible and I was really surprised to see how much it moved me up, and I went into show jump thinking, ‘Ok, super—if I can pull this off, we’ll be in top three’ and he was just amazing in the show jumping.”

And the age old phrase stands—it’s not over until it’s over! Byars noted that “Flipper” really excels in all three phases, and she’s beaming over this win. “I just have to thank the Lord for everything in my life that’s helped me to get here.”

[Read the full Modified recap]

Also getting underway yesterday was the Novice competition, while Training ran cross country. You can read the full recaps from those divisions + more over on the USEA hub here.

#AEC2023 (Lexington, KY): [Website] [Entries] [Schedule] [Live Stream] [Volunteer] [EN’s Coverage]

EN’s coverage of #AEC2023 is brought to you by hometown hero Kentucky Performance Products and Ocala Horse Properties.

US Equestrian Announces The Dutta Corp./USEF Eventing High Performance Flight Grant Recipients

By US Equestrian Press Release on Aug 29, 2023 11:15 am -

Will Coleman and Chin Tonic HS. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

US Equestrian is pleased to announce The Dutta Corp./USEF Eventing High Performance Flight Grant recipients. Established for eventing athletes who are targeting the 2024 Olympic Games, the grants were awarded to Will Coleman and Chin Tonic HS and Boyd Martin and Fedarman B.

US Equestrian awarded the two air transportation grants with a value up to $20,000 each to be used toward horse flight expenses for the combinations as they aim for Les 5 Étoiles de Pau CCI5*-L in Pau, France, from October 26-29, 2023.

The grant recipients have scored top results in 2023. Coleman (Ocala, Fla.) and Chin Tonic HS, a 2012 Holsteiner gelding owned by Hyperion Stud, LLC, won the Carolina International CCI4*-S and were 11th in the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™ CCI5*-L in the horse’s five-star debut. Martin (Cochranville, Pa.) and Fedarman B, a 2010 KWPN gelding owned by the Annie Goodwin Syndicate, won the Tryon International Three-Day Event CCI4*-S and were eighth in the Luhmuhlen CCI5*-L in the horse’s debut at the level.

“The Dutta Corp.’s support for US Equestrian’s eventing programs and Olympic hopefuls is influential in achieving the goal of earning medals on the international stage,” said US Equestrian CEO Bill Moroney. “We are thrilled to present the travel grants to these talented U.S. combinations aiming for strong results abroad and a chance to represent their country in 2024.”

“We are delighted and honored to support our amazing human and horse athletes to compete at the world stage as we prepare for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games podium,” said Tim Dutta, founder and CEO of The Dutta Corp. “We are humbled to give these fine horses wings.” 

About The Dutta Corp.

The Dutta Corporation is an international and domestic horse air shipping company founded by J. Tim Dutta that has been expanding rapidly since its inception in 1988. For more than three decades, J. Tim Dutta and The Dutta Corp. team has put the horse first and foremost. With state-of-the-art jet stalls and an expert team of grooms, The Dutta Corp. provides expert horse air transport tailored to serve the horse. The Dutta Corp. has delivered horses from around the world to and from top international competitions including the Olympic Games, Pan American Games, FEI World Equestrian Games™, FEI World Cup™ Finals, and is the Official Equine Air Transport of US Equestrian. We Give Horses Wings™

US Equestrian Announces Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team for FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ Netherlands CCIO4*-NC-L

By US Equestrian Press Release on Aug 28, 2023 4:06 pm -

US Equestrian is pleased to announce the four combinations selected to represent the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team at the FEI Eventing Nations Cup Netherlands CCIO4*-NC-L hosted in Enschede, Netherlands at the Military Boekelo-Enschede from October 5-8, 2023. The U.S. combinations will be led by Chef d’Equipe Leslie Law.

– James Alliston (San Ramon, Calif.) and Karma, a 2014 Oldenburg mare owned by Alliston Equestrian and Ric Plummer
– Phillip Dutton (West Grove, Pa.) and Denim, a 2015 Holsteiner gelding owned by Caroline Moran, Ann Lapides, Neil Sites, and Ann Jones
– Cassie Sanger (Wilmington, Del.) and Fernhill Zoro, her own 2008 Irish Sport Horse gelding
– Jennie Saville (West Grove, Pa.) and Connory, a 2012 Holsteiner gelding owned by Nina Gardner, Timothy Gardner, and Jennie Saville

The following combinations have been named as team alternates and are listed in alphabetical order.

– Jenny Caras (Buckhead, Ga.) and Trendy Fernhill, a 2011 Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by Elyse Eisenberg
– Cosby Green (Lexington, Ky.) and Jos UFO de Quidam, a 2008 Argentine Silla gelding owned by Heather Morris
– Andrew McConnon (Vass, N.C.) and Wakita 54, his own 2013 KWPN mare
– Madison Temkin (Lexington, Ky.) and MVP Madbum, a 2013 Thoroughbred mare owned by Madison Temkin, Beth Brown, and Brian Brown

The competition will begin with the dressage phase on Thursday, October 5, and Friday, October 6. The cross-country phase will take place on Saturday, October 7, over the course designed by Adrian Ditcham (GBR). The final jumping phase will conclude competition on Sunday, October 8, over the course built by Kris van Gelder (NED).

Event website | Schedule | Entries and results

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Wills Oakden Wins CCI4*L to Conclude Defender Blair Castle International

By US Equestrian Press Release on Aug 27, 2023 12:58 pm -

Wills Oakden and A Class Cooley. Photo by Athalens.

A rare showjumping clear round, one of only two in the class, propelled Wills Oakden to the top of the leaderboard in the CCI4*L. “It’s unbelievable,” he said. “I thought winning one class here last year was massive, but to win two is beyond belief. We’ve been telling A Class Cooley’s owners all summer that we’ve been prepping at one-days for a big win, and now we’ve pulled it off – I’m not sure how, but we have.”

Two rails down for Toshiyuki Tanaka and Jefferson JRA dropped the pair below Wills, but it’s still a good result in terms of him achieving his bigger goal of of securing individual qualifying points for Paris 2024. He admitted, “I’m happy, but angry with myself – the two rails down were my mistakes, the horse is a good jumper. I have enjoyed my trip to Blair.”

Past Blair 4*L winner, Rosie Fry, took third place on Romantic. “I came here hoping for a good run, so a podium finish is the icing on the cake. It’s very special to have another horse here after winning with True Blue Too, who I subsequently lost to injury. I knew she’d enjoy the course here, I’m so proud of her.”

Canter is pure class

Ros Canter was again in a class of her own, beating herself by almost 10 penalties for first, second and fourth place finishes in the CCI4*S, on Izilot DHI, Rehy Royal Diamond and MHS Seventeen respectively.

“I’m absolutely delighted,” said Ros. “I brought the horses up here to set them up for their autumn 4* long-formats; they are all at slightly different stages in their careers, but I’ve always found Blair to be a really good stepping stone in horses’ development. If they are going to be good horses they have to be able to deal with hills and mud – it’s a really good fitness run for long-format events. Jump by jump there was nothing too difficult on the cross-country but the ground made it testing.

“Izilot DHI is in a really good place at the moment. I’d been quietly hoping he’d be settled here, and he was. When he’s like this, he’s a delight to ride.”

Josie Proctor prevented the clean sweep, posting the fastest cross-country round of the day on Bee Naround. She made the trip to Blair as part of her sister, Emelia’s, ‘eventing swangsong’. Emelia chose the event as her first four-star, and also her last ever event as she is hanging up her competitive boots. She finished 29th on Larksbell.

Bee Naround was started by Nicola Wilson, moved on to Josie’s cousin Imogen Coughlan and then to Josie who describes her as, “a hand-me-down mare! I am absolutely elated and stunned. She did a decent test for her, so I decided to go for it across country… everyone is amazed she has got to this level and finished so well.”

Nail-biting times for Wills

Wills Oaken really did have a fantastic event. As well as winning the CCI4*L he also took the CCI3*L, this time riding Keep It Cooley. Entering the arena, he had two fences in hand and needed them, finishing 2.5 penalties ahead of Morven Pringle.

“That was pretty nerve-wracking,” he said. “Keep It Cooley doesn’t normally touch a rail, but has never jumped in this ground before. I’m thrilled with the win and think the world of him.”

Morven was delighted with both of her horses; Miss Contender finished runner up while Something Classical placed fifth. “Luckily for me, they both like mud!” she laughed. “I’m lucky to be on the Wesko training programme and have really benefitted this season from access to top coaches, not just with my riding but also from the tips I’ve gained on things like mental strength, nutrition etc.”

George Bartlett and Conpierre completed the podium line-up.

Rio Grande

Rio Hall and Georgie Girl led from pillar to post in the CCI2*L, finishing on their 24.6 dressage score. Rio left the arena with tears on her cheeks, admitting, “this is way more than I’d hoped for. I genuinely came here wanting to get round the cross-country so I could showjump today. She surprised me with how well she coped in the mud.” Rio is based with third-placed Sam Ecroyd, and added, “it will be a fab journey home in the lorry!”

Another dressage score completion moved Lucinda Atkinson and Frankfort Pointllexi up a place to second. Equally emotional, Lucinda said: “I’ve won big classes before, but this result feels special as Nicola (Wilson) is such a good friend. I feel extremely honoured and privileged to have this ride.”

Boleybawn Lecrae, ridden by Sam Ecroyd, completed the podium placings, again having kept a clean sheet throughout the jumping phases. “I am super happy with him. He was despicably behaved as a youngster and I was on the verge of giving up on him, but the feeling he gives me across country made me persevere,” Sam admitted. “He’s a big horse at 17.2hh, but he’s incredibly agile and nippy. I deliberately came here to gallop up and down the hills in mud to see what he is made of – and now I know.”

There were two CCI1*S sections at Blair. The first was won by Robyn Gray on Margaret Francis’ Jazz Time IV, with Daisy Cross and Cooley Master Mischief second and Phil Brown with M Bear Esquire in third. Lucinda Atkinson added to her good weekend with a win in the second, aboard Pride Park. Just 0.2 penalties behind came Jack Mantell on Night Prowler and another 0.2 behind Jack was Anna Gilchrist on Kilimazing Topaz.

Finally, Blair hosted a CCI2*S Pony class. Ireland’s Kitty Cullen, daughter of Declan Curran who was also competing at Blair, took the spoils with Coppenagh Spring Sparrow, finishing ahead of England’s Arabella Henderson riding Our Billy Eile. Irish riders filled five of the top six places, Anna Nangle and Liscannor Tulira finished third.

Rain Fails to Stop Play at Blair as Leaderboards Change on Cross-Country Day

By US Equestrian Press Release on Aug 26, 2023 5:00 pm -

Max Warburton and Monbeg Exclusive take the lead in Blair’s CCI4*-L after cross-country. Photo courtesy of Athalens.

Blair Castle has a new leader in the CCI4*-L after a rather wet cross-country phase in which no-one came close to making the optimum time. Max Warburton has moved in to pole position with a fence in hand on Monbeg Exclusive, previously competed by Andrew Nicholson.

“I rode the horse last year when it was still at Andrew’s, but it was then bought for me to ride. He’s absolute class, a typical Bramham or Blair long-format horse; he stayed the distance really well, it’s an honour to ride him. The terrain always comes in to play here, but we know that in advance,” said Max.

Japan’s Toshiyuki Tanaka now sits in second place riding the ex-mount of both Chris Burton and Bubby Upton, Jefferson JRA (formerly Jefferson 18). Both Toshi and fellow Japanese rider Ryuzo Kitajima are up at Blair to try to gain points and qualify for individual slots at Paris 2024. “I have to thank both my horses; I kept kicking and they kept jumping!” said Toshi, who also lies in 6th place on Talma d’Allou, one place behind Ryuzo on Feroza Nieuwmoed.

Perthshire rider Wills Oakden completes the top three on A Class Cooley, just 0.1 of a penalty behind Toshi. Wills admitted that he had gone faster on this horse than he ever has before, saying: “Fair play to the horse, he dug really deep. I hope this will be a coming of age for him.”

Ros Canter remains in first, second and fifth place in the CCI4*S, which showjumped this morning, on Izilot DHI, Rehy Royal Diamond and MHS Seventeen respectively. Libby Seed has moved up to third with Heartbreaker Star Quality.

It’s all change at the top of the CCI3*-L leaderboard. Wills Oakden has climbed two places and now has one fence in hand going in to tomorrow’s showjumping. Keep It Cooley jumped a lovely cross-country round, finishing just two seconds over the optimum time, picking up 0.8 of a penalty, and now sits on a score of 29.9.

“He’s a brilliant horse – I’ve never ridden him in conditions like we had today, but he won the 2*L here last year. I ride a lot quirky horses but this one is an absolute gentleman and a winner at all levels. He made it feel easy,” said Will.

Susie Berry and Irene Leva rocketed up the leaderboard to be in the runners-up spot after a clear round, one second over the optimum time but, unfortunately, her second ride, Jesmond Renard, suffered a fall at the double of corners, fence 18.

Katie Magee was one of only two riders to make the optimum time, which moved Agadir Gano up to third place. Katie has produced the seven-year-old gelding up the levels and in their last four outings they have posted two wins, a fourth and a fifth.

Morven Pringle fills the next two places, Something Classical half a penalty ahead of stable-mate Miss Contender. “They are two very different horses,” said Lockerbie-based Morven. “Something Classical has a lot of Thoroughbred in his breeding and ate it up. Miss Contender is not the fastest but is a real trier. The ground is definitely taking a huge amount of energy of some of the horses, but I’m delighted with both of mine today.”

Thursday’s leader George Barlett jumped clear with Conpierre but suffered a tack malfunction early on, the martingale flapping between the horse’s legs. Fourteen time penalties dropped the pair to eighth, while the overnight leaders, Caroline Powell and Legally Grey, picked up an early 20 penalties at the parallel bars, fence 4a, dropping them out of contention.

Rio Hall and Georgie Girl have retained their lead in the CCI2*L after cross-country, coming home bang on the optimum time of 8 minutes 26 seconds. “She was bang on all my minute-markers, and the distances all rode as planned – the ground was better than I thought it would be, I think today’s warm weather has helped,” said Rio. “I can’t fault her… and she’s normally a good jumper so I’ve got everything crossed for tomorrow.”

Emma Carmichael and Faerlie Flighty have moved up in to second place after Amelia England’s ride Eluna was one of several to activate the MIMClip [a safety device which triggers if a fence is hit too hard] at the Gate, fence 11.

“I brought him to Blair because the bigger the atmosphere, the more he seems to enjoy himself. He has a lot of ‘blood’ (thoroughbred) in him, being by Primitive Faerie Tale, and benefited from that on the hills here – he was really class out there,” Emma explained, adding, “He’s very low mileage because he had a couple of winters off, when sarcoids on his shoulder were lasered off, but he’s caught up really quickly.”

Lucinda Atkinson and Frankfort Poinllexi now fill third place. This horse is something of a project of Nicola Wilson’s and is owned by Nicola’s parents-in-law. Lucinda lives a couple of fields away from Nicola and they went through Pony Club together, hence her gaining the ride.

“I thoroughly enjoyed that,” said a beaming Lucinda. “This is our first season together so I’m still getting to know her, but she’s an absolute machine with a massive heart who really wants to please. Blair is my favourite event and she has a lot of ‘blood’, so I thought the hills would suit her.” The pair finished almost 20 seconds inside the optimum time.

Women Dominate Dressage at Blair Castle International

By US Equestrian Press Release on Aug 26, 2023 9:19 am -

CCI3*L leaders Caroline Powell and Legally Grey. Photo courtesy of Athalens.

Ros Canter’s fabulous run of form continues; she has three horses in the CCI4*S and at the close of the dressage phase lies in first, second and fifth. Her final ride, Izilot DHI, has a commanding lead after scoring 24.8, while Rehy Royal Diamond sits on 29.3 and MHS Seventeen 30.3.

“Izilot DHI is possibly the most talented horse I have ever sat on, but also the quirkiest. He’s taught me a huge amount, with some fabulous results but also a few little blips. He’s hugely exciting to ride and a pleasure when he is in the mood he is in today. It’s always a case of keeping his mind in the right place and keeping him happy and onside,” Ros explained.

Storm Straker on Fever Pitch and Aaron Millar riding Count Onyx have prevented a clean sweep by Ros.

New Zealand’s Caroline Powell has deposed the overnight leader, George Bartlett, in the CCI3*L. George and Conpierre now lie in second but Caroline’s ride, Legally Grey, has almost a four penalty advantage, sitting on a score of 24.3.

“The horse was bought for Fiona Lambert for her birthday, and when presented with his passport someone said, ‘oh, it’s a bay filly’ – that’s where the name came from, he’s a grey gelding! I was very pleased with him today. I’ve been away and everyone has worked hard to get the horses ready to come up here. They’ve done a great job.”

Wills Oakden’s Keep It Cooley was the only other horse to post a sub-30 mark, completing the current top three.

In the CCI2*L, Emma Carmichael has dropped to third place with Rio Hall’s Georgie Girl topping the table on 24.6. Originally produced by Emily King, Rio bought the mare ahead of the 2020 season and the pair has posted some good results, including winning a CCI2*S at Kelsall Hill last year.

“I’m so, so chuffed. That was by far the best test she has ever done, she was with me the whole way,” said Rio, who is based with Sam Ecroyd whose mother bred the mare for Sam, but she didn’t grow enough. “She’s very sensitive but with the heart of a lion – although she does like things her way. We love coming to Blair, it’s the most stunning venue – and all to play for tomorrow!”

Amelia England and Eluna are currently in the runner up spot, on the same overall score as Emma Carmichael. Eluna has Blair experience, completing the CCI2*L here two years ago with Arianne Finlay in the saddle. Amelia took over the ride last year, winning Blair’s CCI1*.

The two CCI1* sections are headed by Robyn Gray on Jazz Time and Annabel Walsh with DHI Funnyman. Robyn was offered the ride on Jazz Time, a homebred of owner Margaret Francis, at the beginning of the season, and describes her as, “so much fun!”

Ireland’s Kitty Cullen and Coppenagh Spring Sparrow lead the Pony CCI2*S class, with Chloe Chan and Blennerville Rua hard on her heels as each class heads into its jumping phases today.

Horse & Hound Awards Open for Nominations – With New Event Horse Category

By US Equestrian Press Release on Aug 25, 2023 2:00 pm -

Nicola Wilson accepts the inspiration award at the 2022 Horse & Hound Awards in partnership with NAF, alongside her husband Alastair. Photo by Peter Nixon/Horse & Hound.

Nominations are now open for the Horse & Hound Awards 2023 in partnership with NAF.

Last year’s awards enjoyed fabulous participation, with over 86,000 votes cast. This year, we are planning a glittering ceremony at Dallas Burston Polo Club in Warwickshire. Some 300 people, including Olympic and Paralympic superstars, will gather to enjoy a glamorous evening of champagne, winner reveals, Oscar-style speeches and dancing.

As previously, the H&H Awards winners will be nominated and voted for by our readers. We seek to recognise both the big names who have made 2023 special and the unsung heroes who make it possible for all of us to enjoy equestrian sport and our horses, at whatever level.

Winners at last year’s H&H Awards included Nicola Wilson – who brought the audience to their feet as she walked up on stage to take the inspiration award, seven months after she was seriously injured in a fall at Badminton – and The late Queen’s Fell pony, Carltonlima Emma.

H&H editor-in-chief Sarah Jenkins says: “We are excited to launch the eighth Horse & Hound Awards today and to welcome back NAF, our longstanding headline partner, as well as all the sponsors of the individual awards.

“This year we look forward to taking the awards to a new venue and we have given the awards categories a refresh. Rather than one horse of the year, we will be looking for an equine hero in each Olympic discipline and showing, which gives us a brilliant opportunity to celebrate more of the horses who our readers love so much.

“We’ll also, of course, laud the human stars of the year – both those winning the big trophies in equestrian sport and those toiling behind the scenes to support others’ dreams, big or small.”

Isla Boxall-Loomes, UK Marketing Manager at NAF, adds: “Our partnership with Horse & Hound is extremely important to us and we are delighted to be involved with the awards once again.

“We are enjoying a summer of thrilling sport as we build towards the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and we look forward to celebrating the achievements of a number of talented horses and riders on the night itself.

“The awards also offer the opportunity to acknowledge those unsung heroes who are pivotal to the industry that we love and we are excited to see who comes through via the nomination process and the differences that they have made.”

Nominations can be made at horseandhound.co.uk/awards until 5pm on 21 September. In our 19 October issue, we will announce the shortlisted candidates, with voting closing on 26 October. The winners will be revealed at the awards on 22 November.

The Horse & Hound Awards 2023 categories are:

Stretch & Flex by Equilibrium Dressage Horse of the Year
Black Nova Designs Event Horse of the Year
Whickr Showjumping Horse of the Year
EQUO Show Horse of the Year
HorseDialog Professional Rider of the Year
Spillers Horse Feeds Amateur Rider of the Year
Tommy Hilfiger Young Rider of the Year
NAF Five Star PROFEET Farrier of the Year
Absorbine Groom of the Year
NAF Natural VetCare Unsung Hero of the Year
Baileys Horse Feeds Vet of the Year
Agria Horse of a Lifetime
The Horse & Hound Podcast Inspiration of the Year
The Horse & Hound Lifetime Achievement award (no voting)

£700 Horse Races Ahead at Blair Castle

By US Equestrian Press Release on Aug 24, 2023 3:52 pm -

Overnight CCI4*S leaders Ros Canter with Rehy Royal Diamond. Photo by Iain Campbell.

With the first day of dressage complete at Defender Blair Castle International Horse Trials, Italy’s Roberto Scalisi sits at the top of the CCI4*L leaderboard with Alamein. Half a penalty behind is Max Warburton with Monbeg Exclusive while Japan’s Ryuzo Kitajima and Feroza Niewmoed complete the top three.

A delighted Roberto said: “I can’t believe it. He did a 29 in our first four-star and you go off and have dressage lessons to try to improve that but I’ve been stuck in the low 30s ever since – which is fab, but I’ve not been able to break the 30s barrier again.

“He felt really good in there and deserved his score. This is his sixth year eventing – he’s an ex-racehorse who raced 25 times. I bought him for £700 to produce and sell over the winter – five years later he’s still here. The more I trained him, the better he got and he’s taken me round several four-stars, giving me experience at this level.”

It’s a first visit to Blair for Roberto, who is very excited to be here. “I can’t wait to get out on those hills. It can rain more as far as I’m concerned, I’m on a thoroughbred!”

George Bartlett and Conpierre lead the CCI3*L with a comparatively comfortable four point lead over Ireland’s Amelia Leeming on Overis Cavalier. Fellow Irish rider Susie Berry lies in third place on Irene Leva. Conpierre was produced to four-star by Sarah Bullimore before being bought by John Peace for George to ride.

“I knew he had a performance like that in him,” said George, who did the CCI2*L with him last year. “He’s a little dude; a dobbin to lead around but he can be spooky and sharp to ride. He doesn’t try to drop you, but he likes to have a good time. Having got him super-fit I was a bit worried about the dressage but we managed to just about hold it together.”

It’s a case of girl-power in the CCI2*L, the top three all posting sub-30 scores. Emma Carmichael and the aptly named Faerlie Flighty have the advantage, over Selina Milnes on Calling Cooley and German’s Josephine Schnaufer-Volkel with Cinnamon Red.

“I wasn’t expecting that,” Emma confessed. “He’s just six and very low mileage. He’s always struggled with the dressage – he’s still a bit weak and has a lot of building up to do. He also lives up to his name and is a bit flighty – he’s been quite excited to be here. I just wanted to keep a lid on him in the arena and I was so chuffed with him. That was the best he could have done at this stage, a personal best – Fiona Bell, his owner, was in tears!”

The two CCI1*L sections are currently led by Sarah Clark on Secret Affaer VII and Anna Gilchrist riding Kilimazing Topaz. Scores are tight at the top, and this isn’t going to be a dressage competition.

Three-, two-, and one-star dressage continues tomorrow, at 9am.

Ten of the CCI4*S combinations have performed their tests, with Ros Canter and Rehy Royal Diamond well out in front. The remaining competitors take to the arena from 12.30pm tomorrow.

Five Venues Confirmed as Bidders for 2026 FEI World Championships

By US Equestrian Press Release on Aug 24, 2023 9:30 am -

Germany’s Aachen has placed the only bid to run a full World Equestrian Games-style World Championship in 2026, as they did in 2006. Photo courtesy of CHIO Aachen/Andreas Steindl.

The FEI has today confirmed the shortlisted bidders for the FEI World Championships 2026. The shortlist comprises five Organising Committees who have applied to host events in various disciplines, as follows:

Aachen (GER) – Jumping, Dressage, Para Dressage, Eventing, Driving Four-in-Hand, Vaulting;
Boekelo (NED) – Eventing;
Burghley (GBR) – Eventing;
Al Ula (KSA) – Endurance;
Samorin (SVK) – Endurance;

The FEI Board will allocate the FEI World Championships 2026 at its in-person Board Meeting on 18 November 2023 in Mexico City (MEX), following a thorough review by the FEI Evaluation Commission and taking into account recommendations by the Technical Committees.

Following three decades of a unique host formula for senior World Championships under the FEI World Equestrian Games™ format, in 2022 the FEI returned to a more flexible approach accepting single and multiple World Championship bids with a focus on catering to the needs and specificities of each discipline. Herning (DEN) hosted hugely successful events in Jumping, Dressage, Para Dressage, and Vaulting whereas Eventing and Driving Four-in-Hand competitions took place at Pratoni Del Vivaro (ITA), venue of the 1960 Olympic equestrian events. The FEI Endurance World Championships 2022 were held at Butheeb (UAE) last February.

“We are very pleased with the variety of bids we have received,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said. “Following the outstanding FEI World Championships 2022 organised in Denmark, Italy and the UAE, we are confident this flexible approach with single and multiple bids serves not only the sport, but also the fans and the development of equestrian around the world, allowing different nations and venues to bid to host a major FEI event.”

The FEI World Championships 2026 in Jumping, Dressage, Para Dressage, and Eventing will be the first qualifying events for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The FEI World Championships have a long history. Dressage is the FEI discipline with the longest tradition of Championships. A Grand Prix de Dressage, organised in Lucerne (SUI) as early as 1927, had hosted 12 riders representing five nations. Official FEI Dressage Championships were organised on all non-Olympic years between 1930 and 1939 in Switzerland, France, Austria, Hungary, Germany, and Great Britain. The last such event took place in August 1939, only days before the outbreak of World War II.

The FEI tried to revive the event after the war with limited success. Participation gradually improved and European Championships were organised in 1963, which led to the first FEI Dressage World Championship held in Bern (SUI) three years later.

The first Para Dressage Championship, which took place under the leadership of the FEI, was held in July 2007 only a year after Para Equestrian came under the FEI umbrella. The event enjoyed a truly international representation gathering 133 athletes from 35 nations. Since 2010, FEI Dressage and Para Dressage Championships are being held concurrently.

The first FEI Jumping World Championship was organised in June 1953 at the Parc des Princes stadium in the south west of Paris (FRA). The event was drastically different from its modern equivalent as only 19 athletes from 11 countries, including Yugoslavia, Cambodia and the USA, competed. No women took part since female riders would not be able to enter Jumping competitions until 1956.

The first FEI Eventing World Championship was organised in 1966, the same year as the first FEI Dressage World Championship, at the beautiful estate of Lord Burghley in Lincolnshire, Great Britain. The Championship gathered 39 athletes representing five nations: Argentina, Great Britain, Ireland, USA, and USSR.

The previous year the FEI had established the configuration according to which World Championships in the Olympic discipline of Jumping were held every four years in the non-Olympic even years and continental championships were organised in the odd years. This pattern is still in use today for all the FEI Olympic and Paralympic disciplines.

The first edition of the FEI Driving World Championship for Four-in-Hand was held in 1972 in Münster (GER) two years after Driving had become an FEI discipline. Since then, the event continues to be organised every two years.

Endurance became an FEI discipline in 1982, one year before Vaulting. The championship histories of these two non-Olympic disciplines have run in parallel from the start with World Championships organised every other year on even years.

FEI Endurance European Championships had been held in 1984 and 1985 until the first FEI Endurance World Championship was organised in September 1986 at Pratoni del Vivaro (ITA).

In 1983, one year after Driving, Vaulting also joined the FEI. In 1984 the first FEI Vaulting European Championship was organised and was followed by another European edition in 1985. This second European edition was open to the rest of the world. A strong showing from the USA convinced the FEI the time had come for a World Championship. The first FEI Vaulting World Championship took place in in the small Swiss town of Bulle from 18 to 20 July 1986.

The inaugural FEI World Equestrian Games™ were held in the Swedish capital Stockholm with the 1912 Olympic stadium as the main venue. On the initiative of the then-FEI President HRH Prince Philip, the World Championships in all the FEI discipline were held in the same city from 14 July to 5 August 1990. Given the smooth organisation and success of these Games, what should have been a one-off event, was extended and seven more editions took place in The Hague (NED) in 1994, Rome (ITA) in 1998, Jerez de la Frontera (ESP) in 2002, Aachen (GER) in 2006, Lexington, KY (USA) in 2010, Normandy (FRA) in 2014, and Tryon, NC (USA) in 2018.

Dispatches from the Thoroughbred Makeover: 404 Entered; Digital Catalogue Now Live

By US Equestrian Press Release on Aug 19, 2023 2:13 pm -

Allison Thompson and Cactus Willie, 2017 Thoroughbred Makeover eventing champions. Photo courtesy of Retired Racehorse Project.

The 2023 RRP Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium at the Kentucky Horse Park is still a couple of months away, but now, we can tell you with some certainty that a whopping 404 horses will be aiming to take part in this year’s competition, a figure that’s been confirmed with this week’s close of entries. You can take a look at the entries, which include a huge number of eventing prospects, here.

With the release of the entries has come the reveal of this year’s ASPCA Makeover Marketplace catalogue, with over 100 Makeover graduates available and looking for a new home. You’ll be able to see them in action, take a ride, and potentially find your heart horse, all in one place. Take a browse through what’s on the market here.

Volunteers are still gratefully welcomed for this year’s Makeover, which will take place from October 11–14. Can you donate your time at the Makeover? There’s a variety of jobs and shifts available whether you have horse show experience or not!

There are two great opportunities to donate money or goods to this year’s Makeover and help Thoroughbreds blossom: you can donate to the Fund-a-Need program, currently sitting just shy of $7500, or donate an item or experience — or buy one! — for this year’s silent auction.

Or perhaps your style of participation is cheering on OTTBs and their people — and that’s great, too! Admission is free every day of the competition, and we’ll be bringing you news and updates, too.

Go eventing — and Go Thoroughbreds!

Horse & Country To Provide Exclusive Livestream and On-Demand Coverage of the 2023 USEA American Eventing Championships

By US Equestrian Press Release on Aug 15, 2023 12:30 pm -

Molly Adams & Caletto’s Symphony. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photo.

Horse & Country (H&C), the leading international sports network, will provide exclusive streaming coverage of the 2023 United States Eventing Association (USEA) American Eventing Championships (AEC) presented by Nutrena Feeds on its streaming service, H&C+. The competition will be held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, from August 29-September 3, and will feature many of North America’s best eventing combinations as well as the sport’s rising stars.

The AEC is the USEA’s annual championship for every level of the Olympic equestrian sport of eventing, from Beginner Novice to the $60,000 Adequan® USEA Advanced Final. H&C will broadcast worldwide live coverage of all three phases of the $60,000 Adequan® USEA Advanced Final at the AEC, as well as select coverage from the Intermediate, Preliminary, Training, and Modified divisions. In addition, livestream coverage from the Novice and Beginner Novice divisions will be available for free. All of the action will be available the following day for H&C+ members to view on demand, and clips will be available for purchase. Visit www.horseandcountry.tv for the full streaming timetable.

H&C Director of Content Jonathan Rippon said, “We are thrilled to feature the USEA American Eventing Championships on our livestream schedule, and we hope that fans of the sport and competitors at the AEC will enjoy H&C’s expanded livestream coverage of all divisions this year. As one of the premier eventing competitions in the United States and a highlight on our USEA Channel, we are very pleased to share it with our worldwide audience.”

USEA CEO Rob Burk added, “We are very happy to continue our strong partnership with H&C. The American Eventing Championships showcases the best of the eventing sport, from the junior and amateur athletes to the seasoned professionals. Being able to share even more of this important competition with H&C’s broad audience in 2023 is very exciting.”

The 2023 AEC concludes 10 straight days of eventing programming on H&C, which kicks off on August 25, 2023, with the exclusive livestream of the MARS Great Meadow International CCI4*-S in The Plains, Virginia.

In addition to top-notch live sport, H&C has extensive educational content for eventing fans. Learn more about the AEC Kentucky Horse Park venue in a behind-the-scenes Barn Talk. Also, Masterclasses with U.S. Olympic eventer Lauren Nicholson and notable international eventers Sydney Elliott (USA) and Kai Steffen-Meier (GER) were recently released, joining the already impressive Masterclass line-up, including U.S. Olympic eventer Will Coleman and top international eventer Liz Halliday-Sharp (USA). A Masterclass with Ariel Grald (USA) will be available just after MARS Great Meadow International on August 29, 2023.

H&C+ members can watch online or with H&C’s mobile apps, as well as on Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, and Amazon Fire. With two annual membership options and a new pay-per-view offering, H&C+ Freestyle, there are even more ways to access H&C’s vast library of content. Full details on how to join can be found at horseandcountry.tv/select-plan.

Beyond H&C’s extensive sports coverage, both live and on demand, H&C+ members also get access to more than 1,800 hours of equestrian programming featuring content from all disciplines, masterclasses and training series, barn tours, rider profiles, and documentaries.

Piggy March and Burghley-Bound Brookfield Inocent Win NAF Magic CCI4*-S at Hartpury

By US Equestrian Press Release on Aug 14, 2023 10:30 am -

Piggy March and Brookfield Inocent. Photo by Jasmine Punter Photography.

Piggy March enjoyed a birthday to remember at the NAF Five Star International Hartpury Horse Trials, winning the NAF Magic CCI4*S for the second year running and the fourth time in her illustrious career. Piggy now becomes the rider with the most wins in this competition.

The pair had started the 2023 competition as the hot favourites according to EquiRatings, but managed to go one better than when they finished as runners up in this class in 2019. The 14-year-old gelding owned by Alison Swinburn and John and Chloe Berry, came to Hartpury fresh from a win at Aston Le Walls in a competitive Advanced section.

As one of four rides for Piggy in the CCI4*S, Burghley-bound Brookfield Inocent jumped a clear round in the showjumping before relishing the conditions around Eric Winter’s imposing cross country track that rewarded bold riding.

Piggy explained: “This horse has had some time off, so this is all about getting him back to top level and making sure that he feels good. It’s a brilliant course and I’m excited because he made the time easily, and it really set him up for Burghley. I came here purposefully with him to give him a good set up and make sure that he’s back to his best. He gave me a great spin.”

Alluding to the ground conditions for this year’s event, Piggy added: “They do such a brilliant job here. With the grass covering, it was really perfect ground.”

The Hartpury CCI4*S has proven a reliable preparation for Piggy previously, who went on to win Burghley in 2022 with Vanir Kamira after winning at the Gloucestershire event.

Piggy showed her suitability for Hartpury’s undulations, also guiding her other three horses to clear rounds across the country. Halo and Coolparks Sarco had steady clear rounds with an eye to the future, while day one dressage leader Brookfield Cavalier Cruise picked up just 6.4 time penalties. He and Coolparks Sarco each had a rail down in the showjumping, while Halo jumped clear in the second phase.

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Eric Winter’s CCI4*S track saw 60 of the 81 starters jump a clear round. While no particular combination caused any serious problem, fence 23, the Ermin Plant Woodside was set on an acute angle, inviting four combinations to run past.

Two withdrawals from the top ten after the showjumping opened the door for those combinations to come, with the most notable being the withdrawal of the dressage leader Alex Hua Tian and Jilsonne Van Bareelhof. William Fox-Pitt and Grafennacht also withdrew after jumping a clear round in the show jumping.

Pippa Funnell’s Burghley 2019 winner MGH Grafton Street, who lay second after dressage, lowered two rails in the show jumping before refusing at fence 9, the Hartpury Brush, with Pippa then opting to retire. Pippa’s Bramham winner MCS Maverick continues to grow in confidence, jumping a double clear and adding 8 time penalties on the cross country. Billy Wonder’s clear in both jumping phases lifted Pippa to 10th place.

Several combinations moved into the top ten thanks to accomplished cross country rounds. Wiltshire-based David Doel finished with his two rides in the top seven. Galileo Nieuwmoed and Ferro Point put in faultless jumping rounds in both phases finishing 2nd and 7th place respectively.

Felicity Collins added 2 time penalties to her dressage and improved on her dressage placing, finishing in 3rd place. Bubby Upton and Cola III added 5.2 time penalties to their dressage score finishing in 4th.

Burghley-bound horses used the Hartpury hill as a taste of what’s to come this autumn, with Zara Tindall and Class Affair also having a faultless spin in both jumping phases and finishing in 9th place.

To find out more, visit https://www.hartpuryequineevents.co.uk/naf-five-star-hartpury-international-horse-trials/. You can also view on-demand replays from the live stream with your H&C+ membership here.

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