Photos courtesy of Gamecock Photo and EN’s Instagram.
If you were hosting a cocktail party and could invite ONE (1) special guest of honor — anyone in the world — who would it be? For me, it’d be a toss-up between American eventing legend Jimmy Wofford and British fox hunting/party girl legend, the Lady Martha Sitwell. MAYBE Michelle Obama or Steve Martin coming in hot as runner up.
Lauren Sprieser of Sprieser Sporthorses must be on the same page, as she’s coaxed our beloved Jimmy into “attending” the next edition of her Virtual Cocktail Party Series, supported by the Sprieser Sporthorse Elite Club. Lauren is a great DQ friend of EN’s, a non-judgemental patron saint of strugglebus event riders — I had the honor of taking a lesson from her once, and it was illuminating. Dressage is real, yo! Like global warming, another topic that bums us out but we gotta tackle it anyway.
Soon, the two worlds collide:
From Lauren: “On Monday, May 25, I’m incredibly honored to be joined by Olympic Silver Medalist in eventing and living legend Jimmy Wofford to talk cross training for dressage riders, and moving forward in sport in a classical way. We’ll talk about the expectations of young and developing horses in their bodies and minds, and how to preserve both while still accomplishing big things.”
Feel free also, Jimmy, to engage in a little light-hearted ragging on our sandbox dwelling brethren. Tell ’em to go for a hack, just for a giggle. Or, if you really want to break the internet, advise trotting a little log or two! Nature’s cavaletti! You know we’re here for it!
Learn, ask questions, have a beverage (or not!), and most importantly just have fun. How does it work? Download the Zoom app to your phone, tablet or laptop. It’s free! But the meetings are limited to the first 100 participants, so RSVP today to receive the link via email. Meetings go live at 7 p.m. EST. Promptness is encouraged!
Items up for bid include: a pair of private lessons Leslie and Lesley Law with a night of stabling at their farm. Photo by Jenni Autry.
As we continue marching toward our fundraising goal of $500,000 for frangible fence implementation at events across the country, an online auction is underway today through Saturday to benefit the cause.
Among the items up for grabs:
Training sessions with: James Alliston, Fredrick Bouland, Rebecca Coffin-Vickery, Jon Holling, Julie Hook, LandSafe, Leslie and Lesley Law, Liz Lund, Natalia Neneman, Sharon White
Plus jump standards, a CrossFit membership, and even a week in the Florida keys!
Click here to view the auction. The auction ends Saturday, May 23, at midnight so place your bids now.
Of course, donations are welcome as well! Donations to the USEA Foundation are fully tax-deductible. Donate today by going to https://useafoundation.org/donate and selecting “Frangible Technology Fund” from the dropdown menu.
Hey guys, this auction only lasts through tomorrow! Come on and get bidding!!
Julie Richards and Things To Ponder at Stable View. Photo by Christine Rhodes.
As eventers, all of our experiences during the past couple months of lockdown have been different. Some of us haven’t gotten to ride much at all, if any, due to Covid-19 restrictions. Others have been letting up on fitness but doubling down on their “homework,” making the most of the break to refocus on the basics. Irregardless, we’ve all got a bit of rust to scrape off as we gear up to make a return to our sport.
Stable View Farm in Aiken, SC, has endured a ruthless 2020 thus far. Between tornadoes ripping through the venue in February and the cancellation of much of its spring season due to Covid-19, including its hotly anticipated March FEI event, the venue has been in crisis management mode for much of the year. Yet, they’ve dazzled us with their ability to adapt and innovate, from their “Show Must Go On” mentality in the aftermath of the tornadoes to their creation of a Virtual Dressage Show series to keep riders motivated and improving in the absence of a spring show season .
Now, in recognition of our community’s need for opportunities to rev our engines in advance of recognized events, Stable View is offering yet another incredible resource: a series of late spring and summer shows, both schooling and recognized, to get you and your horse back in the swing of things. From dressage shows to Eventing Academy events, hunter/jumper rounds to cross country schooling days and even a hunter pace, Stable View’s calendar offers a number of avenues for tuned up in all three phases.
Yesterday, Stable View kicked off its reopening with a Schooling Dressage Show that was well supported. This weekend’s Eventing Academy has record entries. We expect the warm reception to continue. Stable View’s first recognized event, its Summer Horse Trial, takes place June 19-21 and will feature Beginner Novice through Advanced divisions.
Stable View is leading the way as an exemplary example of an event that is being conscientious of the current environment (view Stable View Farm’s social distancing guidelines here) and also sensitive to the plight of competitors in these uncertain times, generously offering a full refund should their June USEA horse trials get canceled for any reason.
“We’re on our way!” says Stable View owner Barry Olliff. Indeed. See below a roster of upcoming events from May through August 2020.
Oliver Townend has held the #1 ranking since September 2019. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
There hasn’t been too much movement on the FEI Eventing World Athlete Rankings leaderboard lately, for obvious reasons — in fact that haven’t budged an inch since the March 1, 2020 update. Since none of us have been frantically refreshing the Rankings page lately, here’s a reminder of where we’re at:
FEI Eventing World Athlete Rankings (updated May 1, 2020):
Other U.S. riders inside the top 50 include Doug Payne (#19), Phillip Dutton (#20), Liz Halliday-Sharp (#35), Lynn Symansky (#37) and Tamie Smith (#40). View the complete list here.
Ordinarily, the rankings are based on the riders’ best six performances over the past 12 months. Rankings roll over for a 12-month period; i.e. at the end of each month, the points earned during that month are added to the list and the points from the same month the previous year are dropped. Only the best six scores from the season count towards the final tally.
How, then, to proceed in the face of so many canceled or postponed events?
Beginning on April 1, 2020 the period during which Ranking points remain valid will be prolonged by one month and will continue to be prolonged for an additional month with each new Ranking until the competition calendar returns to normal worldwide. Points earned in Ranking competitions at events that take place during this period will continue to count; the maximum number of results that may count for each Athlete remains the unchanged. In practical terms, this means:
The ranking established after 29 February 2020 remains unchanged (points valid for 12 months: best results at events taking place between 1 March 1, 2019 and 29 February 2020)
The ranking established after 31 March 2020 will be calculated based on the best results at events taking place between 1 March 2019 and 31 March 2020 (points valid for 13 months)
The ranking established after 30 April 2020 will be calculated based on the best results at events taking place between 1 March 2019 and 30 April 2020 (points valid for 14 months)
The ranking established after 31 May 2020 will be calculated based on the best results at events taking place between 1 March 2019 and 31 May 2020 (points valid for 15 months)
and so on until the competition calendar returns to normal.
A working group will recommend to the FEI Board at what point the competition calendar is deemed to have returned to normal worldwide. As of that date, the rankings will continue to be calculated over the extended time frames above, guaranteeing there will always be at least 12 months of normal competitions included in the calculation of the rankings.
The new system provides a level playing field for all our athletes as ranking points can still be earned in countries where the sport is able to continue, regardless of the length of time the current situation lasts, but athletes in countries where the sport is on hold will not lose points. An athlete’s ranking points can only improve, not decrease during this period, as the relevant number of best results in each discipline still applies.
Twelve months after the competition calendar is deemed to have returned to normal globally, the time frame during which ranking points remain valid will be decreased by one month with each new ranking until the standard 12-month rolling timeframe has been reached.
You can view an archive of FEI Board Resolutions & Calendar Task Force Decisions during the Covid-19 affected period here. Resolutions specific to eventing may be viewed here, and we broke them down for you on EN here.
Back together again: John Williams’ 2004 Olympic partner Carrick enjoying retirement with Sloopy, pictured here in 2015. Carrick passed away in 2017 at age 25; Sloopy joins him now, having passed last week at age 28. Photo by Allie Conrad.
Our condolences to those whose lives were touched by Sloopy, the OTTB best known as John Williams’ five-star partner, who also went on to partner successfully with Lizzie Snow and enjoyed a happy retirement with Ellen Chaney. He passed away on Friday at age 28.
Ellen shared:
“Goodbye to my little Thoroughbred with the biggest heart. A big heart that had him racing, and winning, for three years, then finding a new path as an event horse. A heart that powered his spooky self over the biggest cross country courses in the world with only a single run-out at his very first Prelim. Burghley and Kentucky twice, as well as Fair Hill and Foxhall where he won the Fitness Awards, all with a big heart with a big leaky valve discovered when he was 8 years old. Long formats, short formats, he could do them all. A heart that finally gave out suddenly, and hopefully painlessly, on a beautiful May morning in his paddock. I am grateful that he was happy, healthy, beautiful and full of cookies to the very last moment. I will miss him terribly, but so happy to have shared so very many years with him. Carrick is in charge of him now. xoxo Super.”
Always overshadowed by Carrick, who served as the selectors’ first choice when it came time to choose horses for teams, Sloopy quietly accumulated solid placings with John at major events like Kentucky and Burghley during his career, earning himself the 19th spot on the USEA’s most recent High Scoring Horses list. While he never truly stood alone in the spotlight, Sloopy made a name for himself in his own right, serving as a textbook example of just how suited an off-track Thoroughbred can be to a second career in eventing.
Allie Conrad, a talented photographer and dedicated OTTB advocate, said after the photo session: “I had the honor of photographing two legends yesterday, and it was honestly standing in the light of greatness. This face galloped over countless long-format [five]-stars after having a racing career. He was a character and a half! Demanding of attention and loved the camera.” Photo by Allie Conrad.
Sloopy raced 43 times under the Jockey Club name Sloopy’s David (Two Davids X Nearly Sloopy, by Military Bearing), accumulating eight wins and more than $50,000 in earnings. John and Ellen purchased him in 1999 in partnership with Bob Boeckman and Mary Delton as a 7-year-old from Jan Byyny, who had him for several months after he came off the track in Tampa Bay. “John clicked with him as soon as he met him,” Ellen recalled in an EN interview some years ago. “I was not as sure about him at the start, but John was. I don’t think Sloopy would ever have done what he did without John. They just had such an incredible partnership. Sloopy would do anything for him.”
Just one year after John and Sloopy began their partnership, Sloopy stumbled in the Intermediate water complex at Stuart Horse Trials in 2000. “He went down and completely removed the front of his knee,” Ellen said. “It was like someone took an ice cream scoop out of the flesh down to the bone. I remember thinking when I saw the injury that he was not going to survive, and if he did, he would certainly never compete again.” But Sloopy recovered beautifully from what appeared to be a career-ending injury, coming back mere months later to win the Camino Real CCI2*.
Photo courtesy of Ellen Chaney.
Sloopy and Carrick having a graze. Photo courtesy of Ellen Chaney.
Sloopy continued to persevere through the knee injury, piloting John to 18th-place finishes at Burghley in both 2003 and 2004, as well as a 10th-place finish at Kentucky in 2006. The injury ultimately triggered arthritic changes in Sloopy’s knee, and he underwent surgery after Fair Hill in 2007 to remove bone chips. “The surgeon said we might have a pasture sound horse after that if we were lucky, but he couldn’t promise anything else,” Ellen said. In typical Sloopy fashion, he rallied back to compete again, this time with Lizzie Snow in the irons for her first Intermediate at Lumber River Horse Trials in 2008, which they won. The pair went on to finish 4th at Young Riders in 2009, and Lizzie kept continuing up the levels, jumping clear with time around Kentucky with another Thoroughbred, Coal Creek, in 2015.
Lizzie Snow and Sloopy. Photo courtesy of Diane Snow.
Sloopy concluded his eventing career one year later, going out on a high note with a win at Five Points Horse Trials with Lizzie in the fall of 2009. In his retirement he lived the good life in Southern Pines, getting “fat and happy” and becoming “absolutely feral,” as Ellen fondly described him. “He has little interest in doing anything civilized.” But after all he accomplished, Sloopy deserved a grand retirement. “The number of [four- and five-stars] he did — many of them long format — was impressive,” Ellen said. “He also won Best Conditioned at Fair Hill and Foxhall, all with a heart murmur. He never quit trying even in awful conditions, which is probably a Thoroughbred trait.”
L: Dom Schramm and Bolytair B. Photo by William Carey. R: Tik Maynard and Dutch Times. Photo by Jenni Autry.
We’ve been loving Retired Racehorse Project’s “Five-Minute Clinic” YouTube series, in which trainers representing several disciplines share insight in a bite-sized format.
Here are two video from eventers Dom Schramm and Tik Maynard — you can view the complete “Five-Minute Clinic” playlist, plus webinars and other helpful resources for OTTB owners, on the RRP YouTube channel here,
Dom Schramm of Schramm Equestrian has been using the COVID-19 downtime to hack his horses out of the ring more, and likely many riders all over the world are looking to do the same! But how do you introduce your horse safely to hacking out if you’ve been spending most of your time in the ring? Dom shares three tips for making your first out-of-arena adventure positive and safe.
Tik Maynard, past Thoroughbred Makeover discipline champion, eventer/horsemanship trainer and clinician, and author of In the Middle Are the Horsemen, shares three steps towards creating clearer, horse-centered communication with your horse.
For more information on the Retired Racehorse Project, visit the website here.
In the market for a new four-legged partner? You may find your unicorn on our sister site, Sport Horse Nation. To help with the search, we’re going to feature a selection of current listings here on EN. We include the ad copy provided; click the links for videos, pricing and contact information.
Are you eyeing the green numbers? This week we’re featuring three horses whose owners describe them as “Prelim Packers,” who have the experience and ability to help you reach your Prelim goal.
Are you looking for a horse to take you confidently from BN-Intermediate? Look no further. Busy Bea or “Busy” (2007 Clydesdale/Hanoverian/TB) has experience up to the Intermediate level. She has taken her kid off of a pony, helping her win her first Area Championship at Preliminary, and will soon be helping her complete her first Intermediate. At 15.3 hands, Busy is the perfect manageable size, but still takes up your leg. She is great on the ground, clips, loads, ties to the trailer at horse shows, and is a very easy keeper. She can take a joke in the jumping, and doesn’t bat an eye at a bad distance. If you’re looking for a safe first horse, or something that is just plain old fun to jump around, this is your horse. Pretty, smart, and an absolute blast— Busy is one of a kind. Priced in the mid/upper five figures (reasonable offers considered), and located in Lexington, KY. Contact Alexa Ehlers (940)597-0747 with any questions.
Spartan Strength is an 8 old Thoroughbred gelding who has an extensive record with a young rider. He would make a super preliminary packer for any Young Rider or Adult looking to gain great experience and have fun! Ready to go intermediate. Winner of the Open Preliminary at Fresno County Horse Park in October 2019! He is easy in the barn and clips, ties, stands for farrier. Located at Chocolate Horse Farm in Petaluma.
✨Super Prelim packer for sale ✨
Dandy Longlegs is a 14 year old 17 hand chestnut TB gelding (Tahkodha Hills- Shamrock Dancer, by Chief’s Reward) He’s had numerous top placings at the CCI2* level. “Lion” has been ridden by a young rider for the last several years and helped her move safely up the levels. She’s headed to college in the fall so he’s sadly for sale. Would make an excellent NAYRC mount! Located in Carroll County, MD.
Drombane Dynamite is a 7 year old, 16.1 ISH Gelding who has successfully competed through Preliminary with all the scope and talent for more! Dyno was produced by a college student and is offered for sale as she is heading off to pursue higher education. Dyno is bold and honest on xc, fancy and uncomplicated on the flat, and an extremely careful show jumper. He would be incredibly well suited for a young rider/amateur looking for their upper level mount but would also suit a professional to take up the levels. Priced in the mid five figures. Contact Megan for more pictures and videos! Located in Ocala, FL for the winter.
Sport Horse Nation features user-generated content and therefore cannot verify or make any warranty as to the validity or reliability of information.
Laura Collett and London 52, ERM winners of the 2019 Dodson & Horrell Chatsworth International Horse Trials. Photo courtesy of Event Rider Masters.
This year’s Event Rider Masters classes were canceled due to COVID-19 … but they’re still going strong, virtually, via ERM SIM Season 2020! Equirating’s new Eventing Manager App launched at ERM Leg 1, Burnham Market in April, and this weekend the party is rolling on to Leg 2 at Chatsworth.
How it works: A field of 20 ERM Riders are chosen for each competition and taking their past form statistics into account, Equiratings runs a computer simulation. Using models powered by SAP Predictive Analytics, they will create the likely results for the dressage, show jumping and cross country phases of the competition. Every competitor in the simulation has a chance of having a good or bad competition; they could have a Personal Best Dressage score, only to throw it all away with a 20 penalty refusal in the cross country phase. It really is eventing as we know it; as the exciting sport of a million variables.
The Equiratings Eventing Manager App (EM App) allows fans to play their own tactical game during each simulation, and a league table pits them up against all other EM App players around the world. With a virtual budget of $10M per competition, players “buy” a team of four riders and hope their team has success in all three phases for a chance to win merchandise prizes.
The Eventing Manager App is available to download for iOS and Android devices.
Leg 2 heavy hitters: Can 2019 ERM Chatsworth winner Laura Collett pull off another win, this time with her 2020 entry Mr Bass (82%/$4M)? The only higher-seeded combinations are Tom McEwan with Figaro van het Boekxhof (84%/$1.3M), Piggy French with Brookfield Innocent (84%/$4.4M), Gireg Le Coz and Aisprit de la Loge (84%/$2.5M), Jonelle Price with Classic Moet (86%/$3.3M), sole U.S. representative Liz Halliday-Sharp with Fernhill By Night (87%/$3.1M), and Ros Canter with Zenshara (89%/$4.2M).
How to Follow: This weekend, dressage takes place on Saturday followed by the jumping phases (AND TIME TEST!) live on Sunday night.
Saturday, May 16 at 2:30pm EST/7:30 pm UK: Tune into the EquiRatings and ERM Facebook pages for dressage phase commentary with the usual cast of Nicole, Diarm and John.
Sunday, May 17 at 2:30pm EST/7:30 pm UK: Tune in to the LIVE show jumping and cross country coverage, hosted by the usual three and aired on the EquiRatings and ERM Facebook pages.
More Updates: Have you joined a private league? In addition to private leagues and playing against your friends, you can now click on your friends’ teams within the league to see who they have selected. Know your competition.
The ERM SIM Season is part of the new #RidersConnected campaign, a joint effort between ERM, EquiRatings, Black Horse (the company behind spectator judging) and Willberry Wonder Pony Charity, brought together by SAP.
Even as the world has been on lockdown, the team at Cooley Farm has been working hard to produce and sell top quality Irish Sport Horses we’ll no doubt see performing on the international stage someday.
Since its inception over 10 years ago, Cooley horses have been sold all over the world and can be seen at the very top of the sport. Owner Richard Sheane’s aim is very simple – to source talented young horses that have the potential to go to the top and to match them to the right rider.
This video gives us a look behind the scenes of the farm in Wicklow, Ireland, from schooling sessions to a glimpse inside the barn and footage of a few five-star Cooley success stories: Oliver Townend and his two-time Kentucky winner Cooley Master Class and Badminton runner-up Cooley SRS, Georgie Strang’s Cooley Earl, Sharon White’s Cooley on Show, Chris Burton’s 2018 WEG mount Cooley Lands, William Oakden’s Cooley Ramiro, Kim Severson’s Cooley Cross Border, Sarah Way’s Dassett Cooley Dun, and more.
It’s eye candy, for sure: Irish Sport Horses cantering across emerald green pastures against the backdrop of budding spring trees … enjoy!
Screenshot from the USEA/USEF “Return to Competition” Webinar on May 13. (Not pictured, sadly: Rob’s coronabeard.)
Yesterday afternoon the USEF and USEA co-hosted a webinar on the subject of “A Safe Return to Competition.” The panelists included USEF Managing Director for Eventing Jenni Autry, USEA CEO Rob Burk, USEA President Max Corcoran, USEA Vice President of Competitions and Organizer Representative Jonathan Elliott, USEF Managing Director of Athlete and Horse Services Lisa Owens, USEF Director of Competition Licensing, Evaluation, and Safety Katlynn Sacco, and U.S. Eventing High Performance Athlete Lynn Symansky. The panelists addressed concerns about returning safely to competition from a number of perspectives before fielding questions from the audience.
The USEF and USEA have both suspended the recognition of competitions under their respective jurisdictions until May 31, 2020. As of May 13, 2020, USEA has reinstated recognizing select educational activities. All educational activities must follow the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as federal, state, and local guidelines.
You can rewatch the webinar in its entirety on demand via USEA or USEF Network. We’ve outlined some key takeaways from the discussion below:
Jenni Autry, USEF Managing Director of Eventing:
“I hope you all continue to be safe and well as we collectively weather this storm together. Eventers are a resilient bunch of individuals and we’ve had to show that resilience now more than ever before as we face one of the most difficult periods in our sport’s history.
“Risk is something we talk about all the time in eventing and it’s something we’re going to have to be particularly mindful of as we look ahead to restarting the sport. And at the same time we’re going to have to take the risk of COVID-19 extremely seriously and understand our own personal responsibility when it comes to mitigating the spread of the virus. And that means that events are going to look very different when we do go back to competing. Wearing a face mask is going to become our new normal. Staying six feet apart from each other is going to become our new normal, but accepting it and enacting these restrictions and requirements is going to be critical to ensuring a successful start of the sport.
“Everyone has to do their part to keep these competitions safe. Our goal has to be that when we look back on restarting that we can say we did everything in our power to ensure the welfare of the horses and each other.”
Rob Burke, USEA CEO:
“First and foremost, I want to thank all of our members and the members of our eventing community for doing your part to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. We’ve all made sacrifices — personal, financial, with our own health — and we are especially indebted to those that are caring for the horses of others. They are truly essential.
“We really urge everyone to educate yourself, to take a look at local state guidelines, to follow the guidance of the World Health Organization and the Center for Disease Control. And as competitions and educational activities start up this is even more relevant. In every case, state and local regulations take priority and that has to do with the sport in general, even when we’re not in the middle of a pandemic. So competition is not allowed to operate in compliance with those, then it can’t operate. And along those lines, for those areas that are lucky enough for competition and activities to get started up again, we really urge you to follow the USEF Covid-19 action plan … I’ve read it, I’ve used the risk management tool myself and they contain really excellent guidance on how to hold competitions and participate in competitions at as low risk as possible.
“As of today, the USEA is now allowing for USEA recognized educational activities to occur. That really has everything to do with safety in that we want to make sure that people are prepared to get out there for the competition season once it is up and running. But once again, even with those educational activities, we urge everyone to follow local, state, World Health Organization and CDC guidelines, and take a look at the USEF action plan where it’s applicable.
“I think honestly we are well positioned as a sport and as a community. We have been through disease before, not human disease, but equine disease. Most of the protocols involved with that, with relation to keeping your distance, reducing contact … they hold true whether it’s a human or a horse. Along those lines, I would say that as eventers, reiterating what Jenni said, we’re a strong bunch — we have to be to be involved in this sport. I know we can overcome this. It’ll take some time. But again, we thank you for everything you’re doing.”
Max Corcoran, USEA President:
“One of their big decisions to lift the restrictions on educational activities was mainly to focus on making sure we’re ready. We’ve been home and having lessons at home and having it pretty quiet. We need to make sure that both we and horses, mentally, we’re ready to get back to competition. It doesn’t seem like it’s been a long time, but it has — it’ll be closer than 10 weeks by the time we get back up and running. So take part in educational activities if there are some around you.
“Focusing on horsemanship, obviously that’s a big thing. Making sure you and your horses are fit enough and ready to go. Ensuring the safety and the safety of those around you … it’s our responsibility to make sure we can continue to have these competitions. So if we can do our very small part in making sure that we put ourselves in good situations, we put our staff in good situations, whether it’s grooms, trainers, parents, anything like that — just to to keep going forward so we don’t have to stop this our season again.
“Safety has been a very big part of our winter seasons so far, coming into spring. So if we’re not ready, there’s no shame entering a level below where you left off in the season before. Lots of professionals will tell you that is what they do with their horses to make sure that they’re up and running, and they’ve checked all the boxes and knocked all the dust off. So again, making good decisions for you and your horse. If you are needing to find someone to get some help from before you get going, the USEA has a really great instructor certification program. You can go on our website and find a USEA certified instructor to help you get going.
“Volunteering is so important. Anybody that’s out there, we’re going through a lot of different measures to make sure our volunteers are staying safe. In the mid-Atlantic region, we’ve got some people that are putting together some programs so dressage tests, everything will be digital. The scribes don’t need to sit next to judges. Everything will be on an iPad and things will get emailed straight out to you. So the piece of paper doesn’t have to go from the dressage scribe to the judge to the scorers to the secretary, to you. It will reduce all that — same thing with the cross country.”
Lisa Owens, USEF Managing Director of Athlete and Horse Services:
“If you haven’t had a chance to look at the USEF website, the action plan and the risk assessment tool, please take a minute to look at that toolkit. Just some of the things that are included in these resource documents — one of them is the fact that all licensed competitions must comply with the applicable federal, state and local regulations, requirements and orders as well as the World Health Organization recommendations and CDC guidelines as they relate to the mass gatherings and sporting events.
“Additionally, competition organizers must implement the USEF requirements listed in the action plan, and they’re strongly encouraged to follow the recommended best practices … The competition should be working with their local health authorities. I think it’s important that every venue considers their specific needs, their specific circumstances and what’s important for them to be able to manage and mitigate the risk for their area. So what might happen in Washington state might not be happening in Florida.”
“That risk assessment tool does not need to be sent to the Federation. That is a tool for the organizers to use to work with their local and state authorities. There’s a white paper in there for them to use to work with the authorities as well — kind of a reason why equestrian sports should be allowed to happen. A lot of these tools will help them in working through the circumstances with their local and state governments.
“We understand that there are differences everywhere in the country as far as what the requirements are. Some states and local authorities may not require a face mask or face covering, or even the monitoring of temperatures. USEF is saying that you should follow whatever the strictest requirement is. So even if your state does not require a face mask or face covering, we are suggesting that they wear face masks or face coverings if they are going to be within six feet of anyone. So if you’re not going to be within six feet and you’re on cross country, maybe you don’t wear your mask, but I would say for caution purposes, always have that mask with you.”
Katlynn Sacco, USEF Director of Competition Licensing, Evaluation, and Safety:
“I think as we get rolling back into competition again, one of the biggest and probably one of the most challenging aspects of what we’re going to be doing is practicing social distancing. It’s going to be really easy for us to kind of slip back into the habit of being close to people that we’re talking to when we’re exchanging information with our friends or our trainers. So we’re going to have to work hard to keep each other accountable and remind each other. The goal is that we can all return to competition and continue competing, but social distancing is going to be an important piece to that.
“If we have competitors at competitions where they are essentially refusing to abide by the social distancing requirements, they will be asked to leave the competition grounds by the competition manager. We’re hoping that it never has to get to that point because again, we’re all in this together. We all want to safe return to competition. The hope is for a gentle reminder and again, keeping each other accountable about this practicing of the social distancing and maintaining the guidelines and the mandatory requirements for competition. It’s just going to be a really important piece that we all pay attention to. If there’s an issue, we want it to be resolved on the competition grounds, but if someone will not comply, the competition organizer has the ability to escort that person from the competition grounds or refuse an entry and the TD will be responsible for reporting on that incident and their TD report. But again, we hope it never has to get to that, we hope everyone understands the seriousness of what we’re all facing.
“We are all learning this together and we have a way forward. And if anyone has any questions on the reporting aspect, they’re always welcomed. So reach out to the office, or if they have questions on any of the the recommended best practices. I think anyone on this call today would be glad to help walk through any of those challenges that we’re facing. We’re all in this together and we hope everyone can stay on the competition grounds and we all can keep the sport moving.”
Jonathan Elliot, USEA Vice President of Competitions and Organizer Representative:
“From an organizer’s perspective, unfortunately, we don’t have a crystal ball. We can’t predict things and there’s a lot of uncertainty even in a normal year, without a pandemic. I kind of look at it from my perspective here at Aspen Farms. We run two events a year — the first one’s in June, and the second one is in September. And we kind of have already gone through this process of should we run or shouldn’t we? As we were approaching our opening date for entries back in April, there was too much uncertainty for our comfort level to open our doors to the normal 300 competitors.
“We are looking forward to September, and this is only three weeks later, but we have so much more information now. I think that the tool kit that USEF has come up with, the action plan, I find is very reassuring to kind of walk through the different steps that are going to be involved with keeping a safe environment. Because for us, that’s paramount. And in our decision making to run the events is the safety of our volunteers, competitors, officials that are traveling to come in, and the staff that we have on site to make our competitions a success.
“Thinking through those protocols that we’re going to put in place, I think it’s important that organizers consider taking maybe a little extra time in their schedules. Which might mean they can take a few less horses, but still be able to run. I think we can have a lot of foresight into how it’s going to go, but we might have to be nimble and quick and creative in solving a problem that pops up that we just didn’t see happening. I think to that end we’re going to set up a platform with the USEA for organizers, hopefully after they’ve run, to share that same information. You know, what did they put in place that worked? What did they put in place that didn’t work? So that every weekend the next organizers are not having to reinvent the wheel. And I think that’ll help us progress through this and be more and more successful. Um, and people get used to it and try and be as a bit uniform as possible.
“We currently have about 31 in the pipeline that are in the rescheduling process and that’s gone through USEA and and starting tomorrow, the first USEF committee will look at those as well. So we boiled down a process that should have taken around 112 days to down to 16. So we’re trying to be as quick as possible and afford those people the opportunity to get back on the schedule. But I’d also stress that they need to make sure there’s some understanding. There are other events that are already scheduled on the calendar and how is this going to work with them coming in? It’s complicated, but I feel like we’ve got a good procedure in place and that that should work itself out.
“Lastly, I’d stress to competitors — help your organizers out. That opening day comes, put your entry in because that’s a huge uncertainty for us: Looking ahead to how many people are going to show up, how many people do we need to plan for as far as competitors? So if at all possible, get those entries in early because as an organizer, it’ll give us a lot of peace of mind.”
Lynn Symansky, U.S. Eventing High Performance Athlete:
“I think it’s important that we as competitors set the example. There are so many people behind the scenes, but at the end of the day, we are the ones in the forefront and in the spotlight. So everything is going to be under a microscope, especially what’s what’s being seen. And to add to Jonathan’s point, I know I’m guilty of it as well as a competitor — I’ll wait until the last minute just to feel out, if I want to send this horse here, this horse another place, and I think it’s really important now more than ever that we try as best we can to get those entries in and to have our entries complete. It’s stuff that we’re used to not fully following through on, because you get to the show and you bring the Coggins to the desk. That stuff that’s going to have to change, for our process and all of that paperwork and being organized ahead of time.
“In terms of setting the example, I think it’s really important that we try and do that and have it be customary everyday in our barns. I know a lot of people are already following a lot of these protocols, and some more than others and some are stricter about certain things and some aren’t. It’s going to feel very awkward, and as a rider I have thought it through, having to show up to the competition and put your face mask on when you get right out of the car and have it on until you get on the horse. It’s going to be something you really have to try hard to think about. But it’s so important that we are really obsessive about getting it right because we may not have a second chance if we get it wrong.
“Also to that note, of personal responsibility, I think we need to be very careful to be go out of our way to be gracious to all these organizers, the volunteers that are all going to step up so we can go out and compete these horses. It is easy sometimes when you are competing at the heat of the moment and something’s going wrong to take your frustration out on a volunteer or passer-by. And I just really encourage everyone to be gracious and appreciative and mindful of everybody out there doing their best. It’s a very awkward, uncertain time. But I think if anything good comes out of it, it’s that maybe it makes us all as a whole, a better group, a unit, to really showing our appreciation to all of those volunteers and those organizers.”
“And the other thing is that I don’t think we’re going to get it right. I don’t think the riders will get everything right … there may be some kinks along the way, but be patient with that process, especially when it first kicks off. And I would encourage that if you do have any concerns or any questions, reach out either to USEF or USEA and don’t just sit silently and let your frustration boil up.
“I think the other thing is that a lot of us feel like we really need to get back out there cause we’ve lost a lot of time. Everyone’s done this process a little bit differently in terms of how much they’ve been training or how much they’ve backed off. And I don’t think there is a right or wrong answer. I think if you’re ready to get out and you’re comfortable to compete starting in the beginning of June, then absolutely just make sure you’re responsible and ready. But if you’re not feeling that way, if you have some students or horses that just aren’t quite right and aren’t ready to get back, don’t feel like you’re in a rush because if you really think of it, we’re just in the beginning of May. We have the whole rest of the year. So we were sitting, sitting, sitting and all of a sudden it’s like a big rush to get back to it, but just take a breath and realize you’re not forced to get back there just because everybody else is.”
A generous Q&A session followed, which you can watch on demand via USEA or USEF Network.
Questions? Please contact USEF Director of Competition Licensing, Evaluation, and Safety Katlynn Sacco at [email protected], USEF Director of Compliance Debbie Saliling at [email protected], or [email protected].
It’s been a bit too quiet at Aiken Horse Park this spring. Whereas the venue would usually be bustling with horses and their people, the COVID-19 pandemic has cast a long shadow on its normally vibrant calendar of activities.
In the face of this adversity, Aiken Horse Park is doing what it an to make a difference in its community in this difficult moment, and at the same time looking forward to the future. A few notes from the Park:
Supporting the Aiken Community During COVID-19
Bruce Duchossois, Aiken Horse Park’s late founder, was well known for his kindness and generosity. His legacy was honored this week by The Duchossois Family Foundation, which awarded $50,000 in grant money to two Aiken County organizations that are working on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. The United Way of Aiken County received $25,000 with a portion designated to the Meals on Wheels program and the remainder of the funds to their COVID-19 Emergency Fund, and another $25,000 grant was sent to The Salvation Army of Aiken, Allendale, Barnwell, and Edgefield counties. Both organizations have taken huge leadership roles to help Aiken’s most vulnerable citizens.
Ashley Duchossois Joyce, President of The Duchossois Family Foundation said, “We are delighted to support the Aiken community in this time of need. Aiken is truly a beautiful place, and holds a warm place in all of our hearts. Aiken was so meaningful to Bruce in his lifetime and still to his partner Jack.”
Jack Wetzel, President of the Aiken Horse Park Foundation, said, “All of us at The Aiken Horse Park Foundation are delighted with The Duchossois Family Foundation’s thoughtful initiative to help make a difference to those in Aiken most in need. We hope their efforts stimulate others in the community to support these and other similar activities.”
Bruce’s legacy of paying it forward remains strong, and we thank board member Bobby Hottensen and Mayor Rick Osbon for their initiative in getting the grants off the ground. If you are in a position to give to an organization that is supporting individuals affected by COVID-19 please consider making a gift — every dollar makes a difference.
Looking Ahead to the Future
Dressage in the Spring at Bruce’s Field, a USEF/USDF Level 3 competition (May 16-17, 2020), has been rescheduled. The new date is July 22-23, 2020. For more information please contact show manager Teresa Uddo.
AHP hopes that conditions will be favorable to run the Classic Company’s Aiken Summer Classics I & II (June 10-21, 2020). Please visit The Classic Company Ltd. for more information.
Equus Events’ Fall Festivals are scheduled for Sept. 2-13, 2020. This year both shows will be held at the Premier AA level. The December Classic I will take place Dec. 3-6, 2020. For more information on those shows please visit Equus Events Inc.
The Split Rock Jumping Tour is coming to Aiken (Nov. 4-8, 2020)! Bruce’s Field will be the site of Aiken’s very first FEI Show Jumping event featuring a $100,000 Grand-Prix. For more information visit Aiken International CSI2*.
Grand Prix Eventing at Bruce’s Field is a highlight of the spring eventing calendar, and it’s coming back around next year March 5-6, 2021, so mark your calendar! Joanie Morris has assumed the role as event director — she will oversee the overall “spectacular” and assist Shelley Page with the running of the competition.
The Tidworth style fence, says course builder Jon Wells, “is one I haven’t seen in decades.” This one at Penrose Farm (Knoxville, TN) was built approximately 1988-89. Photo by Jon Wells.
Yesterday while attempting to locate my pony in the 65-acre field she lives in (yes, have considered investing in GPS tracker), I noticed a man in the distance roaming around seemingly aimlessly. I assumed it was some boarder’s hapless dad or husband trying to find the elusive herd, which I finally discovered hiding out in a side-pocket meadow. “Do you need help?” I yelled when he came within earshot.
He laughed and I immediately recognized him as course builder Jon Wells — who ironically knows this property as well as if not better than anybody. Jon played a big role in building the cross country course that runs through Penrose Farm way back in the day, as early as the ’80s when it ran a recognized event. The jumps are a time capsule of the era: lots of timber and some mini old-school Badminton stuff.
Typical ’80s post & rails. Photo by Jon Wells.
A lot of the course has, incredibly, withstood the test of time and there are some nifty new-ish complexes, but some parts are in need of an update. The bulk of it was built well before the modern era of technical cross country, so we’ve got jumps the length of a school bus but nary a skinny or corner outside of the arena. Back then, Jon reminded me, competitors would just pile into a hay wagon and that was the “course walk” — there weren’t really any distances to consider or lines to contemplate, it was more like “just keep kicking until you get to the other side.” And then there’s the issue of safety: Jon tells me that some of the vintage Penrose fences are basically frangible now because the rope holding them together is so rotted, but only if you jump them from a certain direction. Noted, next time I go tackling that bounce of fixed vertical rails!
The old “Coke Float” fence, circa 1991-92, ingeniously fashioned with two outhouses. These days the rusty metal roofs discourage run-outs at least (JK, JK — this one has been out of commission for … a long time). Photo by Jon Wells.
Now Penrose owner Erika Adams is hiring Jon back to spruce things up. Jon, who was always ahead of his time (even encouraging the use of newfangled portables in the early ’90s — scandalous!), has watched course design evolve from ground zero and went on to build a number of courses around the country, so he’s well-equipped to give our old girl a facelift. And now is the perfect time: Jon travels extensively but with competitions on pause he’s been quarantining at home for the past couple months, keeping his power tools exercised with some non-horsey projects … like, this house for his goat Minnie:
You could have a real side hustle here, Jon.
Other out-of-work builders are tackling projects they wouldn’t normally, that (nothing against goats) are frankly an underutilization of their specialized skill set and experience. If you’re considering updating your course or commissioning a specialty jump(s), seize this quiet moment for our sport to put these guys to work.
Maybe it’s a replica of that bogey fence that tripped you up on course last season — Michael Jung, on the rare occasion that he runs into trouble cross country, goes home and replicates the question, schooling it until he and his horse have the riddle solved. Or maybe it’s a custom obstacle that you’ve imagined for your schooling field … if you can dream it, they can build it. And, like so many of us right now, you can bet they’ll appreciate the work.
Tyson Rementer, whom I would fully trust to commission my dream water complex/mermaid lagoon with a rainbow waterfall drop in (think LED lights behind the waterfall that make it look multicolored) and a carved unicorn skinny out (unicorn horn = another strong incentive to hold your line) put together this video. Note the end credits — cute!
For all the moms out there in the Eventing Nation, here’s to you! Thanks for driving us to the barn, supporting our horsey habits, being our biggest fans, building us up when we’re down and giving us a kick in the pants when we need one. Happy Mother’s Day!
Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there, including my best friend and wife, you deserve some sort of award for all that you do for us and our little girl ❤️❤️
Happy Mother’s Day to these two beautiful women! I think my mom’s picture is the best interpretation of what it was like to raise me! Jessica Montgomery Carol Clark Montgomery
And last but not least I’ve got to give a shout-out to my own mom,who had the misfortune of raising three eventing-crazed daughters, none of whom were particularly gifted at the sport. At any given event, chances were good that at least one of us would fall off. VHS tapes document the all-too-frequent spectacle of my mom dropping the camera and curse-sprinting across the course to scrape us off the ground and give us a leg back up. But she never ceased encouraging us to pursue our passion, even if it meant working overtime and trading in beach vacations for camping trips at the Kentucky Horse Park. All with a smile on her face, because our happiness was her happiness, and she knew that horses made us happy.
Photo by Leslie Wylie
The Wylie triple-threat, circa 1994. Photo by Patricia Wylie.
To my mom, and eventing moms around the world, Happy Mothers Day! Go Eventing.
This week, in lieu of hanging out in a field in Gloucestershire ourselves, we’re going to be sharing some of our favourite Badminton content of years gone by, as well as some new pieces to keep the nostalgia train going strong. Today, we remember Libby Head and Sir Rockstar’s Badminton journey, originally published on May 8, 2016.
Libby Head and Sir Rockstar have now fully completed the story arc of their forthcoming Lifetime Original Movie.
The plot: shy, teenage girl meets small, rogue, down-on-its-luck off-track Thoroughbred that nobody else wants to ride for several very legitimate reasons. There’s a montage of the girl getting bucked off, repeatedly, and close-up shots of a horrified dressage judge’s face when the pair comes jigging up the centerline sideways.
But over fences the horse is a natural talent, and the girl is undeterred by his antics. With the help of her trainer, a crusty, washed-up eventing version of The Black Stallion‘s Henry Dailey, she gradually earns the horse’s respect. Suggested soundtrack: the Rocky theme song.
To the astonishment of cranky old dressage judges everywhere they begin successfully advancing up the levels. Eight years into their hard-earned relationship, the girl and her horse are faced with the biggest challenge of their life: the legendary Badminton Horse Trials, where they’ll go toe-to-toe with the best eventers in the world.
Libby Head and Sir Rockstar. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.
Because it wouldn’t be as powerful a story if they just waltzed overseas and blew Badminton off the map — the climax has to have a bit of suspense — they find themselves near the bottom of the scoreboard after dressage, like the good old days. (Read more.)
Libby Head and Sir Rockstar. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
The cross country course is a monster, and the girl’s terror grows as she watches it swallow up competitor after competitor. But with her trusty coach at her side, she turns her attention away from the carnage: she knows what she has to do.
They leave the start box and never look back. It’s the ride of their lives, and they come home clear, a big grin on her face as they clear the final jump. Thanks to their gutsy performance they make a huge jump up the leaderboard, from 73rd to 33rd place heading into show jumping. (Read more.)
Libby Head and Sir Rockstar. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.
On the final day of the competition, all eyes are them as the girl and her horse trot onto the world stage. Cue dramatic music as the camera pans the crowd, hovering for a moment on an American journalist in the stands who is nervously biting her nails.
The girl gazes out upon the sea of colorful jumps as the horse picks up a canter, his dark chocolate coat glistening beneath the bright sun. They begin leaping the fences, the 18-year-old horse looking spryer than ever.
No. 1, no. 2… then a gasp from the crowd as they lose a bit of rhythm, taking down the front rail of the no. 3 oxer.
Undeterred, the pair doubles down on their effort. The horse is now jumping his heart out; the girl’s determination is written all over her face.
Libby Head and Sir Rockstar. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.
There’s a tense split second when they have a rub, but the pole stays in its cups, and jump by jump they make their way around the course. As they cross the finish flags a huge cheer goes up from the crowd, almost as big as the smile on the girl’s face.
Libby Head and Sir Rockstar. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.
Just before the credits roll there’s a teaser for the sequel. Working title: “Burghley 2016.”
Pretty great plot for a movie, right? By the way, it’s based on a true story.
We talk to Libby Head, who has just completed Badminton with her phenomenal partner Sir Rockstar, about her weekend and her plans for the future:
Libby’s crusty, washed-up trainer took a moment to recap the weekend with us well. (Just kidding! Kyle Carter is a well-groomed person who just ran a four-star himself last week at Rolex. We’re currently in negotiations with Robert Pattinson to play his role in the movie.)
Here’s Kyle after Libby’s ride:
Best of luck to Libby and Rocky as they embark upon the next chapter in their already epic story, which includes staying in Europe for the next six months and aiming for Burghley! See you guys in September.
Libby Head and Sir Rockstar, Badminton Horse Trial graduates, class of 2016. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
End-of-the-day update: Libby and Rocky’s final score of 89.4 was good for 31st place overall. They also won a saddle from Worshipful Company of Saddlers for being the top placed 25 and under rider.
The global market has collapsed, the economy is in shambles and bad news is flooding the front page of your newspaper. What better time to buy a horse?
The New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program is scratching its chin at why, in the face of a pandemic that is wreaking havoc on the human race, OTTB adoptions have suddenly shot through the roof. The organization sent 60 retired Standardbred and Thoroughbred racehorses into new and loving homes last month, the largest number of April adoptions the program has ever accomplished since its inception in 1992. The program also received 225 applications from potential adopters, which is a 100 percent increase from months prior.
“I’m very proud of our entire team for pulling together to ensure our mission is moving forward during the lockdown,” said Thoroughbred Program Director Anna Ford. “This has been a very stressful time for all of us, as there are concerns that funding will decrease due to the long-term effects of COVID-19. However, seeing the uptick in adoptions has given us great hope and we continue to have faith that the funding needed to keep our doors open will come.”
The reason for the increase in adoptions is still being reviewed, but the program has seen a major increase in viewership on all their social media platforms as a result of many people staying home across the country. New Vocations noticed the trend early on and turned their attend to finding creative ways to showcase adoptable horses, like offering daily Facebook Live meet-and-greets with available horses. Adopting a horse sight unseen is not a new concept for the program, as nearly half of New Vocation’s adoptions are done this way.
With most racetracks closed entirely or open only for training, the program anticipates there will be a significant increase in horses needing their aftercare services soon. Currently, New Vocations is not at full capacity; the program only received 25 new retirees in April, which is a rare scenario. More horses are scheduled to arrive in May.
“The increase in adoptions puts us in a good position to take in more horses,” Anna says. “For the first time in years, we have open stalls, so we’re well prepared for our intake to increase. We are here to serve the racing industry and the true stars of the show, the horses. We plan to do as much as we can with the resources we have.”
For information on adopting a horse, donating a retired racehorse or supporting this important mission, visit newvocations.org.
About New Vocations:Founded in 1992, New Vocations has grown into the largest racehorse adoption program in the country. Its mission to rehabilitate, retrain and rehome retired Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorse has led to the placement of over 7,000 individuals, with 500 retirees entering the program each year. With facilities in Kentucky, Louisiana, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania, New Vocations serves over 40 racetracks, working directly with owners and trainers in need of aftercare options.
We loved cheering on runners in the Would Rather Be at a Horse Show Virtual 5k/10k, which took place last weekend via Baile Hill Farm in Sutton, MA. The concept: an all-inclusive virtual race that encouraged participants, of all speeds, to get out there and be active during this time of quarantine. There were categories for Fastest, Turtle awards, Dog Awards, and Spirit Awards, with prizes sponsored by New Balance, SmartPak, Purina, Buck Off Cancer and more.
We agreed to help select a winner for the Spirit Award, and today we’re putting it to a reader vote! The top four:
Sarah, Muffy, Andrea looking for horse
Sarah, Sparkle Unicorn, and Melissa in show clothes
I’ll take a little humor where I can get it these days, and my #1 go-to-source for a ROTFL is DressageQueen_Of_Memes Instagram account. Unlike 90% of DQs I can think of, this internet goddess, whomever she may be, is a first-class riot, often at the expense of her sandbox-dwelling brethren. Many thanks to my buddy Lisa for the introduction. I’m pulling a few of my faves here, but just go straight to her IG account for a deep dive into this beautiful abyss.
Honestly, I think Jon Holling has a gambling problem and needs to be cut off. First there was that time in 2012 when he promised to streak the Bromont sign if he won the CCI3*, which he did, with Downtown Harrison.
Then there are all the stupid football bets he’s made with Buck Davidson. Jon is for the Green Bay Packers, Buck is for the Philadelphia Eagles, and when one or the other team loses the losing party’s fan is relegated to wear the other team’s jersey throughout the weekend at an event — including but not limited to cross country. I seem to recall Jon last wearing Eagles gear at Ocala Jockey Club last year, and me being like, “Ya lost, eh? Sorry.”
It cuts both ways, sometimes. Photo courtesy of Jon Holling.
But now Jon, perhaps buoyed by the Packers’ first winning season since 2016 last year, has made his dumbest bet of all: a pledge that if we can get to the next $50,000 benchmark for frangible fence fundraising, “I will get a tattoo, #FrangibleNow, right across my ribs. But we gotta get there before the next horse leaves the startbox.”
“So the next 50 grand, I’ll get the tattoo and I’ll video it so you guys can see me cry. Alright let’s do it.”
No Jon, no. This is not OK. I know it’s a cause you care bone-deeply for but …. this is why you can’t have nice things, especially a long weekend in Vegas. Have we learned nothing from the Eagles? Have you consulted your wife, who has always presented as a very pragmatic human being, about this? What if the next horse doesn’t leave the startbox until 2023? You’ve done enough for this sport without also desecrating your body with a tattooed hashtag.
So here’s the plan, EN: Let’s raise the money, but no TOO much. Just like … an extra $49,999 m’kay? Because Jon Holling is a man of his word, and his heart is in the right place, but also I am genuinely concerned about him.
With the support of the USEA Foundation, a dedicated group of organizers, and a matching grant the fund has already raised over $200,000 of the $500,000 goal.Read up on the latest efforts here. The Frangible Technology Fundraiser was launched on March 2 in order to provide funding directly to organizers to build nearly 500 frangible tables at all USEA recognized events across the country. Can you help (a little, but not TOO much bc nobody wants to see Jon Holling cry).
In this week’s edition of “What’s Happening This Spring?” we spotlighted the Would Rather Be at a Horse Show Virtual 5k/10k taking place this weekend via Baile Hill Farm in Sutton, MA. The concept, as explained by organizer Jess Halliday:
“While COVID is keeping us from horse showing (and many of us from even riding) we encourage you all to stay in some sort of shape so when we get through this pandemic we will be on our game for the horse shows. So whether you walk, run, waddle, crawl, WHATEVER — find a way to get to that finish line.
“This is a virtual race (but really we are not speed racers here!). Participants can be riders or not! Open to ALL and ALL ages! Participants will choose to run either the 5k or 10k (or enter both!). Participants will complete their “race” on their own route (SOCIAL DISTANCED!) between 5/1 to 5/3. You pick when you are going to run. Participants MUST email secretary (Jess at [email protected]) with a screen shot of a run app (Runkeeper or anything or the like) that shows your mileage and your time. Doggos are encouraged to participate. Costumes or spirit attire (maybe your horse show gear!) is encouraged! Participants can submit a photo as well. We do not care how slow you are, we just encourage you to get out there!”
Plus prizes! The race is currently prize sponsored by New Balance, SmartPak, Purina, and Buck Off Cancer with more adding to the list as they go. There are awards for 5k Female, 5k Male, 10k Female, 10k Male, Goodest Boy-Dog awards, Spirit Awards and even Turtle Steps for those who enjoy “racing” at a more leisurely pace. We’ll look forward to putting those subjective categories to a reader vote to decide the winner right here on EN this week! All finishers will receive a medal.
Two days in with one day to go, we hear that participants are having an absolute blast — and really bringing it on the costume front as well. There have been 70 entries from around the U.S. and even Germany.
“We are SO impressed with people’s effort and all the participants seem to be so excited to get out, have some encouragement, and more!,” Jess says.
If you still wish to enter, please get your entries/results in by 8 p.m. EST tonight. The cost is $20 plus a $15 late fee — you can enter via STRIDER here. Proceeds beyond the cost of prizes/advertising will be split 50/50 between the Baile Hill Farm lesson horses who due to MA mandate cannot currently earn their keep and The Cam Neely Foundation for Cancer Care.
Jess says she envisions the virtual race as a series with year end points and awards. “I mean, I know I seriously miss neck ribbons…,” she says.
“We so miss eventing and can’t wait to be back but in the meantime we are happy to help provide a fun, active way to get the community together,” Jess says.
On Wednesday of this week, Rick Wallace shared the news that his former four-star horse, Ultimate Victory, lost an eye due to an accident in the cross ties. The 17-year-old Thoroughbred spooked, pulled back and was hit in the eye with the clip — unfortunately, the eye ruptured. It was removed an hour and a half later at Peterson-Smith Equine Hospital in Ocala.
“I am so grateful for all the incredible outpouring of support for Ultimate Victory AKA ‘Cody.’ He is truly resilient and now is the time for me to advocate for the reason it happened and how to reduce the risks of it happening to you.
“We had — and I use the word had — several cross ties made of bungee cord — BIG NO NO. Cody — 17 and been there done that — is spooky; on his accident day, in bungee cross-ties, a broom fell over and he pulled back in the cross ties.
“We use hay-string for break away but the full extent of bungee occurred. Thus it snapped and catapulted straight at him, with blunt force of metal clip hitting his left eye.
“The result was devastating. So proud of my quick acting Walter, my barn manager, and my vet team — and he is on the mend — missing his left eye.
“All cross-ties are now nylon, with hay string. Cody will, no doubt, be back out competing soon!
“Please get rid of all stretching cross-ties and reduce the risk of what happened to Cody!”
We wish Cody a swift recovery and return to the sport. He has been plenty active in recent years, most recently contesting the two-star level with Briggs Surratt and readying for a move to Intermediate. With Rick, he went Advanced and his top finishes include being in the top eight at the AEC two years in a row at Intermediate. Rick describes him as his “soul mate and confidant … He has been sold twice and came back to me after each time through some weird magnet he had inside — it seemed he only wanted to be with me.”
Rick gives credit to his veterinary team at Peak Performance Equine Services, made up of Dr. Jill Copenhagen, Dr. Lisa Casinella and Dr. Alyson Baber, as well as the ophthalmologist, Dr. Brooks, who performed the surgery.
Cody’s indomitable spirit has never been more apparent — yesterday Rick posted video of Cody chasing him for a carrot and turning to him on his blindside, and on day three post-surgery he was working on the lunge.
“My resilient four-star partner will no doubt accept this new challenge and we are hopeful he can resume his eventing career — although he owes us nothing and we owe him everything!,” Rick says.
Michael Jung, Ingrid Klimke and Cathal Daniels celebrate their individual medals at the 2019 Longines FEI European Eventing Championships. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Tiger King only gets you so far. If you’re quickly running out of video to consume during quarantine, you’re in luck: FEI.TV, the FEI’s online television platform, is providing all its coverage of past events and special equestrian features free of charge to everyone while live sport is on hold until end of June.
Under normal circumstances, FEI.TV live-streams all major FEI Series and Championships, with an extensive range of replays, special features and historic events coverage available on-demand. But with no live sport, access to FEI.TV will be free and existing subscribers will be compensated for the months of April, May and June. They will get automatically refunded on their account. All content on the platform, including VOD, will be freely available to all users who will need to register, meaning that fans can re-live all the action from past events so there’s no need to miss out on your fix of equestrian sport.
“Premium content like this usually sits behind a paywall and is normally available only to subscribers, but while there is no ‘live’ sport, we want to give equestrian fans the chance to binge-watch for free during this terrible pandemic,” FEI Commercial Director Ralph Straus says.
Among the available content:
Longines FEI European Eventing Championships
FEI European Championships for Ponies
FEI Nations Cup Eventing Series
FEI World Equestrian Games
“Our broadcast partners are struggling to fill their air-time without live sport, so this initiative has been put in place to ensure that they have access to top equestrian footage and, together, we can keep our fans around the world happy with their daily dose of equestrian content,” Straus says.
The entries ranged from legitimately helpful to downright hilarious, and we let YOU decide the winner with your Facebook “likes” — the photo with the most likes wins! And that winner is, with 133 likes is …. Nixe!!!
Bryn Anderson: “Both of these *just bathed* creatures are mine. From carrying muck buckets for me to closing and opening gates… Nixe my German Shepherd is *usually* so helpful.”
Here’s a gallery of the rest of the top 10 most-liked photos (note that a cat made the top 10 … hey, we’re equal opportunity! #topcat):
Anne-Marie Duarte: “Maizey is the best grooms dog ever… even if she is mildly savage and has to wear a muzzle.”
Amanda Petroski: “Stella is learning the ropes of being a barn assistant early, Derpy wants to know why she gets to sleep on the job”
Hannah Croteau: “#ENTopdog Scarlett halpin’ drive the tractor #tractordog❤🐶”
AnneMarie Bowen: “Maeve is always hard at work whether she is keeping track of the scrub brush, helping clean stalls, leading a trail ride, helping give hay to the horses or just monitoring the property.”
Elisa Wallace: “Pocket likes to help teach”
Gabby Newmiller: “Maui loves to drive the Mule & help with hay in the morning!”
Caitlin Schwab: “Sophie working hard at CDP Stables in Vass, NC!”
Kelly Lasher: “Dwight, Utley, and Brewski – jump crew!”
Helen Kaiser: “#ENTopDog may not be a dog. But little dude sure thinks he is. He helps by warming up my cold-backed pony.”
Good dog, Nixe. And congrats to Bryn, an equine physiotherapist and artist from Bellevue, Washington — you’ve got a set of Equilibrium Tri-Zone Impact XC Boots heading your way. This fabulous prize is valued at $275 and made possible thanks to EN’s longtime partner World Equestrian Brands.
These boots (pictured here in Azure Blue, and also available in Black, White and Flame Red) a boot that checks all the boxes — they’re breathable and don’t hold water while remaining durable and providing protection.
We heart World Equestrian Brands, which represents Amerigo, E.A. Mattes, Equilibrium and Vespucci. And they helped make last week’s Virtual Vendor Village a truly special event, with giveaways, live Facebook Q&As with five-star riders and great deals.
I don’t envy anyone trying to sort the havoc this virus has wreaked on our sport right now. The USEF, USEA — any national governing body, really — and especially not the FEI. Take the 2020 Tokyo Olympic qualification process, for instance. It was rocket-science enough …
Actual footage of Tilly Berendt deconstructing the Olympic qualification system for EN … still not unconvinced the FEI didn’t just read her articles to allot team and individual spots.
… before the coronavirus came along and burned the whole system to the ground. What now? Who’s qualified? What’s fair? Are we going to do this whole thing over again? Is poor Tilly in for a whole other year of wishing she’d traded in her liberal arts education for a degree in Advanced Calculus with a specialty in Complex Variables and Applied Probability?
Tilly, realizing that her 80-page astrophysics dissertation on 2020 Olympic eventing qualifications was for naught because there’s a whole new MER deadline now and who even knows when the next event will be anyway so whatever.
Sorry Tilly, and also sorry FEI. Olympic qualification is just one of several brain puzzles the FEI has tackled this month in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Below, we’ve outlined a timeline of major FEI resolutions passed pertaining to the sport of eventing. Also, a key to who passed them:
Board Resolution: A Resolution taken by the FEI Board. Emergency Board Resolution: Pretty much what it sounds like.
The Covid-19 outbreak has led to the cancellation or postponement of numerous international events in various regions of the world as of March 2020 and it is still uncertain when the sport will resume at a normal pace. To mitigate the impact this will have on the Longines Rankings and FEI Rankings, until the situation is stabilised the Board has approved two Mitigation Policies: the Longines Rankings and the FEI Rankings.
TOKYO 2020 QUALIFICATION SYSTEM – Board Resolution (April 15)
Based on Article 20.1 vii of the FEI Statutes, the Board agrees with the modifications of the Tokyo 2020 Qualification Systems for the three Olympic Disciplines as per the revised documents provided in Annex 7.1.
The key changes are set out below:
MER and Confirmation Result Deadline set for June 21, 2021.
Inclusion of new concept of “Confirmation Result” for the 3 disciplines for those Athlete/Horse combinations that had achieved a MER during the period January 1, 2019 – December 31, 2019).
2021 MER Events to be published in December 2020. MERs can be achieved at all 2020 Events at the relevant level to take account of the impact of Covid-19 on the FEI Calendar.
Horses Ownership/Nationality: In addition, the Board agrees to, similar to the principle that applied in 2020, set the deadline for Horses to be registered with the FEI as property of owners of the same nationality by January 15, 2021.
The Board approved the three following Emergency Board Resolutions:
Deadline by which National Federations should provide their dates for postponed Events in 2020
Until December 31, 2020 submissions for applications and/or modifications of Calendar dates for:
– CCI4* Long Format and CCI5* Long Format Events must reach the FEI Secretary General at least six weeks prior to the Event
– CCI4* Short Format Events and below must reach the FEI Secretary General at least four weeks prior to the Event
Date Clash Rules
Until December 31, 2020:
– CCI4* Short Format and below: no Date Clash Rules apply
– CCI4* Long Format and above: review of date clashes will be done on a case-by-case basis once applications and/or modifications are received from National Federations
Officials
For CCI3* Long Format, the requirement for Foreign Officials could be removed on request and will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. The relevant Articles of the FEI Eventing Rules to be interpreted accordingly.
(Deadline for NFs: Notified on April 28, NFs have until May 28, 2020 to indicate disapproval)
CCIO/Nations Cup 2020
The 2020 Calendar will be left open to encourage all possible CCI4* Minimum Eligibility Requirement (MER) opportunities. Impacted National Federations/Organisers will be consulted by the FEI.
5* Events 2020
The 2020 Calendar will be left open to allow for any postponements/rescheduling of 5* Events.
More here, including fee reimbursements (FEI TV subscribers will get a refund, since there are no events to watch; FEI calendar fees will be reimbursed for canceled events; cost of annual subscriptions for national federations to FEI reduced by 50%).
