Dutch Olympian and 2016 Boekelo competitor Tim Lips had no intention of making a big fuss over the fact that today is his 31st birthday — even his teammates were in the dark.
But when word got out in the press room, someone devised a plan to rope Tim inside after his dressage test, whereupon he was bombarded with a Dutch rendition of “Happy Birthday” and double-cheek smooched within an inch of his life by every woman in the room.
The song is called “Lang Zal Hij Leven” (translation: “Long Shall He Live”) and ends with a charming triple cheer of “hip, hip, hip, hurrah!” I caught the tail end of it on camera.
Tim is competing two horses this week, Keyflow and Brent.
Tim Lips and Brent. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
From all of us here at Eventing Nation: Happy Boekelo Birthday, Tim, and best of luck cross country tomorrow!
You won’t see any carved wooden animals or fake turquoise water complexes at Boekelo. This is straight-up cross-country — no frills, no cutesy distractions, nothing except you and your horse and 28 questions you’re going to need to answer in timed-quiz fashion.
(Oh, and also 60,000 spectators partying it up on the sidelines. But if you’re doing it right, they’ll just be a blur as you gallop past. And you’ll definitely be a blur to many of them.)
It’s a twisty, at-times claustrophobic track with lots of dips in and out of the woods, which will make time a big factor. Last year there were only four double-clear rounds out of 85 starters. Riders looking to beat the clock will need to keep their foot on the gas throughout.
Tree! Photo courtesy of Cross Country App.
There are also plenty of surprises along the way. Several jumps come up suddenly off turns, and the horses won’t have much time to get their eye on the fence before willing their feet to leave the ground. Mercifully there are a number of happy-go-lucky galloping fences tucked in there as well to give everybody a quick mental breather and confidence booster in between the more technical questions.
The carnival atmosphere is another consideration. Last year I had a hard time just walking from jump to jump, the crowd was packed so tightly in places. Boekelo is a party event and cross country day is the fever pitch of festivity — there are makeshift bars set up beside the galloping lanes throughout the course. (The joke is that riders who don’t make it around can stop for a drink during their long walk back to the barn.)
Military Boekelo – Enschede 2016 komt alweer héél dichtbij.
Dit jaar kun je met het ** Military VIP Plaza & Walking…
The soirée gets rowdier as the day wears on, and all of our riders go in the afternoon, with second-placed Lauren Kieffer being the very last to leave the box.
I’m not worried about Lauren, though — in 2015 she neatly found the finish flags on two horses, including Landmark Monte Carlo who made a massive leap up the scoreboard from 46th after dressage into the top 10 thanks to a swift, efficient cross country round that accrued only 1.2 time. She’s got a 44-place lead on herself over last year, and I don’t expect a little atmosphere to distract this seasoned partnership.
Lauren Kieffer and Landmark’s Monte Carlo on their way to a near double-clear finish at Boekelo 2015. Can we all just take a moment to appreciate the fact that there was a bounce house full of squealing kids just a few meters before this fence? Photo by Leslie Wylie.
And, to turn lemons into spiked lemonade: Every U.S. horse who competes at Boekelo this weekend will come away with the invaluable experience of competing in an atmosphere that will serve them well in future international competition.
Some thoughts from Coach David O’Connor and our U.S. contingent:
Ellie MacPhail: “I think it looks good. It think it will really suit [RF Eloquence] because it has a bunch of galloping tables at the beginning, which really helps him — when the questions come really fast in the beginning I have a hard time getting him settled in. He’s definitely easier at CCIs because he has time to kind of get his energy out at the beginning when there’s more galloping. There are a lot of accuracy questions on the course that will keep him thinking.”
Tamie Smith: “It’s very twisty — there aren’t many straight gallops — and the crowds here are very large and you don’t really know what to expect when you haven’t had a horse here before or a horse that has been in large crowds. My horses are typically very bold and brave so I know they want to jump the jumps — if they can see the jumps then they’ll be good.
“You just take one combination at a time and try to go for it as much as you can and have a good go and see what you get. I don’t think it walks really tough but knowing all the elements involved I think it is, actually, very tough, so I think there will be problems all throughout the course.”
Here’s a course preview from our friends at Cross Country App, with photos from all angles and insights from course designer Sue Benson. Many thanks to Willy Leysen for the recording!
Cross country gets underway Saturday morning at 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. EST) with 9th placed Oliver Townend and Cooley SRS leading off — check out our feature on Oliver from earlier today here.
U.S. Cross Country Ride Times
12:20 p.m. local time/6:20 a.m. EST: Kylie Lyman and Lup the Loop (32nd place after dressage)
12:51 p.m. local time/6:51 a.m. EST: Tamie Smith and Dempsey (69th place after dressage)
2:28 p.m. local time/8:28 a.m. EST: Ellie MacPhail and RF Eloquence (21st place after dressage)
2:32 p.m. local time/8:32 a.m. EST: Tamie Smith and Twizted Syster (49th place after dressage)
4:04 p.m. local time/10:04 a.m. EST: Lauren Kieffer and Meadowbrook’s Scarlett (2nd place after dressage)
Lauren Kieffer and Meadowbrook's Scarlett. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Gefeliciteerd/congrats to Lauren Kieffer and Meadowbrook’s Scarlett, who swept into second place at the 11th hour of Military Boekelo CCI3* dressage. They were the very last of 94 entries but closed out the day with a fierce challenge to leader Isabella Innes Ker, who set the bar at 42.0 Thursday morning.
No one could quite catch the 22-year-old Brit, who is making her CCI3* debut with the Duchess of Roxburghe’s 12-year-old Hannoverian mare Carolyn, but Lauren and Scarlett came the closest with their impressive 42.1.
Scarlett, a 9-year-old Thoroughbred/Holsteiner mare owned and bred in the U.S. by Marie le Menestrel, was basically perfect, as usual. If they left a sliver of a point on the table somewhere I certainly didn’t see it, as their test was a study in accuracy, obedience and elegance.
You can tell from Scarlett’s eye what a sweetheart she is, and that she’s a straight-A student who wants nothing more than to please her rider.
Listed as a reserve with Lauren for the U.S. Olympic Team this year, we look forward to seeing Scarlett shake her bridesmaid status this weekend. You’d be a fool to bet against this pair tomorrow — in 45 career starts, including seven three-star events, Scarlett has never had a cross country jump penalty — and she’s a none or maybe one rail show jumper.
Lauren Kieffer and Meadowbrook’s Scarlett. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Here’s some bad iPhone video of the homestretch of their test:
Ellie MacPhail and RF Eloquence were the first of three American pairs in the dressage ring today. This is Ellie’s first overseas event but if the 26-year-old was troubled by any nerves she certainly wasn’t showing it. The pair scored a 48.2, good for 21st place heading into cross country.
“I was really happy with our test,” Ellie said. “When we went to Plantation he was really up in the atmosphere, and to come here and have his mind in the ring and him be really good, I was really happy with him.”
The 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding (alias: “Ricky Bobby”), owned by Sally Crane, cuts quite a striking figure in the ring — you couldn’t take a bad photo of him if you tried, see below. And Ellie is a fitting match; I complimented her after her ride on her poise in the tack, “You sit up there like a princess!”
This is a return trip to Europe for Ricky Bobby, who was bred in Germany and competed through the CIC* level with Dirk Schrade. Boekelo is more or less on the Netherlands/Germany border so we’re going to call this a homecoming trip, and he certainly seems happy to be here thus far. Here’s wishing them the best of luck tomorrow — they turned in a confident performance at Plantation and completed their first four-star at Rolex before that. Shake and bake!
Ellie MacPhail and RF Eloquence. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Ellie MacPhail and RF Eloquence. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Tamie Smith has two horses here: Dempsey, who went yesterday (see our Thursday dressage report here), and Twizted Syster, who scored a 53.9 this afternoon to sit in 49th position.
Tamie reflected on her test with the 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare owned by the Twizted Systers, LLC: “Her trot work was lovely. She got a little but strong at the canter but at Blenheim she felt a little bit tired, so I tried to do less today than I did at Blenheim, and she was just a little bit tense.”
The judges here at Boekelo seem to be really marking horses down for any tension, and “Chloe” jigged at the walk, which likely had a ripple effect into her collective marks for submission. “But it is what it is, and that’s what it is today,” Tamie said.
Chloe’s Blenheim outing was followed up by a fourth-placed finish in the CIC2* at Gatcombe Park in mid-September and we’re looking forward to watching this confirmed partnership make short work of tomorrow’s course. It is so much fun to see Tamie on this side of the pond, in the mix with a huge international field, with these two talented horses. She certainly has earned her place and we wish her the best of luck!
Tamie Smith and Twizted Syster. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Tamie Smith and Twizted Syster. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Boekelo CCI3* top 20 after dressage:
Cross country gets underway tomorrow at 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. EST) with 9th placed Oliver Townend and Cooley SRS leading off — check out our feature on Oliver from earlier today here.
U.S. Cross Country Ride Times
12:20 p.m. local time/6:20 a.m. EST: Kylie Lyman and Lup the Loop (32nd place after dressage)
12:51 p.m. local time/6:51 a.m. EST: Tamie Smith and Dempsey (69th place after dressage)
2:28 p.m. local time/8:28 a.m. EST: Ellie MacPhail and RF Eloquence (21st place after dressage)
2:32 p.m. local time/8:32 a.m. EST: Tamie Smith and Twizted Syster (49th place after dressage)
4:04 p.m. local time/10:04 a.m. EST: Lauren Kieffer and Meadowbrook’s Scarlett (2nd place after dressage)
Kylie Lyman and Lup the Loop. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Imagine being at a raging bar at 2 a.m. and you’re the only sober person there. That, I imagine, is what it feels like to compete in the Military Boekelo CCI3*.
Certainly, it is an apt description for what it has been like to work all day in Boekelo’s press center, with its (all-day) open bar, rosé-pushing media hostess (bless her), loud dance music (so. much. disco. why?!) and throngs of people loitering about with drinks in hand whom I’m quite certain are not journalists (get a room, people, I’m trying to transcribe this interview).
Having said that, thank God for the open bar without which I’m pretty sure I would be losing my mind.
There’s one in every bar/press room.
Correspondingly, the Boekelo dressage ring is an electric funhouse of flapping banners, sponsor signage, superfluous cross country obstacles and in-your-face jumbotron. While the bulk of today’s spectators seemed content to seek refuge from the chilly, grey weather inside the lounges lining the main arena, the ring was still encircled by a muffled soundtrack of wind, music, laughter and voices — a recipe either for enhanced performance or eminent disaster, depending on your horse.
The two Americans who rode their dressage tests today, Kylie Lyman and Tamie Smith, were mounted on young horses relatively new to the level. Both have been based in the UK for the past couple-ish months and competed in the CIC3* 8/9-year-old division at Blenheim in September — Kylie and Lup the Loop finished 19th, and Tamie and Dempsey finished 23rd — and Boekelo marks each of the horses’ second CCI3* attempt.
That’s where the similarities end, though, as each horse responded to today’s party atmosphere in a markedly different way.
Kylie’s ride “Loopy,” an 8-year-old Irish Sport Horse, may have been born in Ireland but he is a California dude at heart. He’s not the fanciest horse in the world, but today’s competition lit a fire under his tail for the better.
Kylie Lyman and Lup the Loop. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
“I wasn’t too worried going in there,” Kylie said, explaining that she would have been surprised if Loopy lost his cool. “He took it all in and got bigger and knew it was more important instead of getting worried and put off by it.”
Kylie said of cantering around the ring before their test, “I felt like I had a horse I could ride. He was ready for his test.”
The pair scored a 50.7, good for 16th place after 47 competitors with 47 still to go on Friday.
“It was the best test we’ve done,” Kylie said. “He has an incredible brain and he went in there and did his job and picked up that little bit more. That makes everything so much easier, when you know you can count on him. I felt like he loved the atmosphere rather than getting nervous about it. The fact the fact that he’s just 8 is, I think, amazing. “
Since their European arrival in mid-July — Kylie’s husband is Irish and they’ve been based at his yard since mid-July — they’ve been soaking up the overseas experience. Prior to Blenheim they finished 7th in the Millstreet CIC3* and are excited to tackle their second CCI3* here at Boekelo.
Ashley Adams produced Lup the Loop to the one-star level and then Kylie took over the ride for Geoff and Joanie Nichols.
“This year has been such a big step up for both of us,” Kylie said. ” Looking ahead to the winter knowing there’s still so much to improve upon — that’s the most exciting part. He’s such a worker it’s so easy for him, but he can get stronger and I’m just getting that little bit more confident with the level and the work that’s required. I’m trying to keep realistic expectations but I still want to be competitive and do the best that the two of us can, and I feel like we did that today.”
Kylie explained that being based here this summer also worked to their advantage: “It’s still a big deal, but I think if I had just gotten off the plane and arrived here I would have felt more pressure.”
Kylie has also enjoyed the “vacation” experience of having just one upper-level horse to focus on. “I’ve had more time to think and focus instead of just getting on one horse and onto the next. That’s been a different perspective I didn’t have at home, and won’t have on Monday when I get back!”
Tamie Smith and Dempsey. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Tamie Smith and the two horses she is competing this weekend, Dempsey and Twizted Syster, have also been based in Europe since late summer. Dempsey did his test today to a score of 59.1, good for 34th overnight.
Dempsey, an 8-year-old Dutch horse owned by the West Coast Dempsey Syndicate, IS the fanciest horse in the world: a bright, shiny ball of talent and expression. The challenge is keeping all that bounce and brilliance in check.
Today at Boekelo Dempsey got a little tightly wound in his trot work and had a mistake in the reinback, resulting in a score of 59.1 — harsh, I thought, as the pair put in an accurate test and had some gorgeous moments especially at the canter.
Tamie Smith and Dempsey. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
“This ring is more electric than anything we’ve ever seen,” Tamie said after her test. “Ultimately he was tense, and they really marked him down for that, but the test was accurate and had some of the best trot movement he has ever had — he can get sort of up and down and carriage-like — and his walk was great, and his canter was good. I was super pleased with him. Other than the reinback he was very obedient, but he’s young and this is the first time he’s been in this sort of atmosphere.”
They had a two-point error deducted for entering the ring late, as Tamie felt Dempsey would benefit from taking an extra breath before cantering up the center line.
“The holding ring is really electric,” she said. “He was nearly going to lose it in there but as soon as I went in the ring he sort of let go.”
Dressage scoring is subjective, of course; Tamie says her CIC3* test at Blenheim was “not even half as good” and scored a 48. But her horses will leave their jaunt in European having gained invaluable experience — “You get in the thick of it with the best people,” Tamie says — and there’s no question they will be better for it in the future.
Great Britain’s Isabella Innes Ker and Carolyn, a 12-year-old Hannoverian mare owned by the Duchess of Roxburghe, lead day one Boekelo dressage on a score of 42.0, with just as many horses still to go tomorrow.
Boekelo top 20 after day one dressage:
Dressage resumes tomorrow at 9 a.m. local time. Ride times for our American contingent:
12:02 p.m. local time (6:02 a.m. EST) – Ellie MacPhail and RF Eloquence
12:09 p.m. local time (6:09 a.m. EST) – Tamie Smith and Twizted Syster
4:32 p.m. local time (10:32 EST) – Lauren Kieffer and Meadowbrook’s Scarlett
Best of luck to all! We’ll leave you with this except from tonight’s Boekelo afterparty. Because … it just seems to fit the mood of this place. They’re taking requests, though, and I am this close to dialing in some Dolly Parton just to see what happens.
The gap between Training and Prelim is regarded by many as the largest in the sport. In the past some horse trials have offered Prelim/Training divisions, featuring Prelim dressage/show jumping and Training cross country, to buffer the transition, but up until now a true hybrid of the two levels has not been available.
Beginning in 2017 a new Modified level will be making its debut at USEA recognized events, offering a true stepping stone experience for horses and riders looking for an intermediary between the two levels.
Modified level specs via the USEA:
The Modified level is open to horses 4-years-old and older. Riders must achieve two NQRs at Training level to compete at Modified. Max height of both cross-country and show jumping fences is 3’5” Cross-country course distance will be: 2200m-3000m with 22-28 jumping efforts The speed of cross-country will be 490mpm The speed of show jumping will be 325 mpm with 10-13 jumping efforts Flags will be numbered with an orange number on a blue background The fourth refusal on cross-country results in elimination The third refusal on show jumping results in elimination An ‘r’ course-designer is required for cross-country Cross-country courses can include: angled lines, corners, varied terrain and combinations with water or narrow fences. The show jumping course will include two doubles, or a double and a triple combination. The dressage test will be held in a small ring and will include leg yield, medium gaits and changes of lead through the trot. Full rules for the Modified division are available in the 2017 USEF Rules For Eventing
The only two events that have signed on to host the level thus far are Heart of the Carolinas and Coconino, but as interest in the division increases we expect to see it added to other competitions. If the Modified level is something you would support, be sure to share your interest with event organizers!
The stage is set for Military Boekelo CCI3* dressage. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Boekelo CCI3* dressage is underway! We know it’s early, you haven’t had your coffee yet and the struggle of decoding info from a Dutch website is real, so we’ve embedded the live stream player and converted ride times for you.
There’s a six hour time difference between EST and Netherlandia, and if you’re watching the livestream it’s still way too early to do math, so here’s a handy time zone converter:
And because even clicking a mouse seems hard before your body has been properly caffeinated, here are the Americans’ dressage rides in Dutch/EST time. They kindly put us in the afternoon, making watching from home seem like a much less sleep-depriving proposition:
Thursday
2:47 p.m. local time (8:47 a.m. EST) – Kylie Lyman and Lup the Loop
4:11 p.m. local time (10:11 a.m. EST) – Tamie Smith and Dempsey
Friday
12:02 p.m. local time (6:02 a.m. EST) – Ellie MacPhail and RF Eloquence
12:09 p.m. local time (6:09 a.m. EST) – Tamie Smith and Twizted Syster
4:32 p.m. local time (10:32 EST) – Lauren Kieffer and Meadowbrook’s Scarlett
“I could do that Leaf Pit… with a ladder,” said videographer Buzzterbrown of one of Morven Park’s signature cross country fences last weekend.
“I was so excited to see the return of the Leaf Pit and Coffin to Morven Park’s CIC3* and Advanced Horse Trials after last year’s cancellation due to terrible weather,” he said. “Rain on the days leading up to today left the ground too soft for most and more than half scratched; indeed nobody finished the Advanced class.”
Pretty depressing.
The Leaf Pit has been on Morven’s cross country course, in one form or another, since the beginning. With its roller-coaster terrain and natural ditch, it feels like a real throwback fence and has cost many a rider a good night’s sleep over the years — including but not limited to the jump’s creator, Tremaine Cooper.
“The night before the first time I did it I don’t think I slept a wink,” Tremaine told EN during an interview back in 2011.
Check out EN’s Morven Park coverage here and view complete Morven results here. Go Eventing!
Equi-Jewel’s high-fat, low-starch formula safely increases the calories needed to fuel optimal performance. Research shows that when fat is utilized as an energy source, performance horses have more stamina and recover faster from intense exercise.
America’s five-horse strong, lady-powered Boekelo CCI3* contingent made short work of the first inspection catwalk today.
From Ellie MacPhail’s Vogue-ready presence …
Ellie MacPhail and RF Eloquence. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
… to Lauren Kieffer’s windswept, hair commercial calibur locks …
Lauren Kieffer and Meadowbrook’s Scarlett. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
… to arm candy Tamie Smith and her handsome equine ménage à trois …
Tamie Smith and Twizted Syster. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Tamie Smith and Dempsey. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
… to Kylie Lyman, who simply owned those leggings …
Kylie Lyman and Lup the Loop. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
… our girls brought it out there today in the Dutch countryside, bigtime.
Of course, eventing is no beauty contest, and make no mistake: these women could just as easily break your arm as enchant your camera. We’re looking forward to seeing them all tackle the tough tests that lie ahead.
All horses presented at today’s inspection passed. The 2016 entry list is a stocked pond of heavy hitters: Sam Griffiths, Paul Tapner, Maxime Livio, Izzy Taylor, Sarah Bullimore, Oliver Townend, Flora Harris, Laura Collett, Ben Hobday, Andreas Dibowski, Dirk Schrade, Jonelle Price, Mark Todd, Ludwig Svennerstal … the list goes on, and there’s no telling how the leaderboard will shake out.
Dressage begins on Thursday at 9 a.m. local time and the competition will be live streamed at this link.
Dressage ride times for the American combinations:
Thursday
2:47 p.m. local time (8:47 a.m. EST) – Kylie Lyman and Lup the Loop
4:11 p.m. local time (10:11 a.m. EST) – Tamie Smith and Dempsey
Friday
12:02 p.m. local time (6:02 a.m. EST) – Ellie MacPhail and RF Eloquence
12:09 p.m. local time (6:09 a.m. EST) – Tamie Smith and Twizted Syster
4:32 p.m. local time (10:32 EST) – Lauren Kieffer and Meadowbrook’s Scarlett
All systems are go for an action-packed week of international eventing and (judging from the minor-planet sized disco ball I spotted in a nearby pavilion) raucous partying, and EN is on the scene bringing it to you live.
No kidding, when I got married four years ago someone offered to give me an ex-racer as a wedding present. My spouse-to-be put his foot down, and I had to agree that the timing wasn’t quite right, but it never hurts to dream, am I right ladies?
Swoon. Well, at least we can browse the OTTB listings together here on EN each week. Here is this week’s batch of eligible eventer prospects!
Photo courtesy of New Vocations.
Peppermint Pete, a 2012 15.3-hand gelding (Pacific Waves – Mrs. Obvious, by Afternoon Deelites), is everybody’s friend!
“Peter” is happy go lucky and enjoys working. He is taking well to his new life and has filled out beautifully. He greatly enjoys his turnout time and thinks there is nothing better than a good game of halter tag with his buddies — a game he must be pretty good at because it is not uncommon to find his halter missing in the morning! Peter is currently on night turnout with a group of five other geldings and happy to be lower down in the group. He does not have any stall vices.
Under saddle, Peter is very consistent. Noises and objects around the arena don’t seem to bother him and he is happy to do whatever task is at hand for the day. Peter can sometimes find himself off in lala land but as long as his rider keeps him engaged, he goes around and does his job very well. He is suitable for an intermediate rider. Peter was winless in 15 tries and retired without any apparent injuries. He is suitable for all levels of all disciplines!
Harry Potter fans, here is your horse! Meet Azkaban (A. P. Warrior – Quick and Golden, by Medaglia d’Oro), a 2013 15.3-hand gelding. Although we are not sure why this guy is named after an island prison, what we can tell you is that he will make a fantastic project horse.
This 3-year-old baby has a great head on his shoulders and is well on his way to developing three lovely gaits. He is intelligent, athletic and tries very hard for his rider. “Az” is cleared for all disciplines, goes out in a group and has no vices. He would be best suited for someone with experience bringing along young horses. He is still a bit physically immature so his connections believe he has some growing left to do.
Aluminum Shoes (Gio Ponti – Big Shoes, by Petionville) is a flashy 2013 chestnut gelding with beautiful coloring and lots of chrome!
Aluminum Shoes is a big boy — almost 17 hands and still growing. He was in training but is unraced and sound! He has a great work ethic, no vices and is eager to please. His CANTER connections describe him as very personable and playful, and they note that he gets along with other horses in a herd setting.
He has been started under saddle at the walk, trot and canter and is quickly learning the basics of balance and contact. He has three quality gaits that are constantly improving and has the potential to go in any direction! This horse gets better each time he is ridden, making him a great one to grow with. He does need an experienced rider and handler because he is still very much a youngster both mentally and physically.
His connections think he will go far with the right person and is destined to bring home lots of ribbons with his flashy good looks and willing disposition. Aluminum Shoes is located in Georgetown, KY.
Please join us in congratulating our good friends at Horse Radio Network, who are celebrating their 5,000th published podcast episode as we speak. Coincidentally, it just so happens to be International Podcast Day as well — well played!
HRN has come a long way since its launch in August 2008. What began as a single show, The Stable Scoop Radio Show, with two hosts and one sponsor has since expanded into a vast network of fun, fresh, educational podcasts spanning every walk of equestrian life. Today, HRN features 10 shows, 27 hosts, 32 sponsors and thousands of listeners, including the popular Eventing Radio Show.[pp
We here at Nation Media are proud to have been taken in as part of the HRN family as a media partner, regularly guesting on the wildly popular Horses in the Morning show and hanging out with the crew at every opportunity. Mark your calendars for Cyber Monday, Nov. 28, 2016, when EN’s own Jenni, Leslie and friends will be once again hosting the final hour of HRN’s annual 12 Hour Live Holiday Radiothon — we’re already getting excited!
HRN Founder and CEO Glenn the Geek, says, “I am so proud of my team, who have worked endless hours to make this happen. We are highly respected in the podcasting world because of our dedication to making this technology the leading new media platform in the world.”
“Most of all”, Glenn says, “having a partner you can trust and rely on is invaluable for the success of any small business. In this case, it is my wife, Jennifer, who has devoted her time, energy and incredible knowledge to this endeavor. For that, I am truly grateful.”
Helena Bee, host of the Stable Scoop show, added: “As Glenn’s first co-host at HRN, I had no idea what kind of adventure we were embarking on. Neither of us knew where this journey would take us, but we had big visions for where it could go. Our listeners have been a huge part of our success. We cannot thank them enough for joining us on this journey, and for being such great traveling companions.”
Listening to shows on the Horse Radio Network is so easy — if you’re not already in the habit of doing so, you should be! Listeners can stream or download episodes at their convenience on iTunes, any podcast player, the HRN website, or by downloading the FREE Horse Radio app for iOS or Android.
Go Horse Radio Network! You can tell them “congrats” yourselves by calling in during today’s episode of Horses in the Morning, 9-10:30 a.m. EST.
2004: the year W was re-elected to office, a social network called Facebook was launched, Mary-Kate and Ashley turned 18, Friends and Sex in the City ended (RIP), Lance Armstrong won his 6th consecutive Tour de France title, the CIA admitted there were no weapons of mass destruction, Britney Spears got married twice and …
#ThrowbackThursday! Since it’s #MPFallHorseTrials week, we’re throwing it back twelve years to 2004 to look at some Horse Trials photos from that year’s event! See if you recognize any of these riders and obstacles…
Posted by Morven Park on Thursday, September 29, 2016
Pop quiz, Eventing Nation: Can you help Morven Park ID these horses and riders from 2004? Go.
The 40th annual Morven Park event is coming up this weekend — Maggie Deatrick called her “By the Numbers” picks earlier today. Click here to view entries, ride times and the schedule. Best of luck to all!
The inaugural Stable View Advanced Oktoberfest Horse Trials takes place this weekend in Aiken, and everyone’s been looking forward to the unveiling of the new Captain Mark Phillips’ designed Advanced course.
A preview of what lies in store for all the tracks (Beginner Novice – Prelim and Advanced) popped up on Stable View’s Facebook page this morning, and they kindly granted us permission to share the photos on EN.
Have a look:
Photo courtesy of Stable View.
Photo courtesy of Stable View.
Photo courtesy of Stable View.
Photo courtesy of Stable View.
Photo courtesy of Stable View.
Photo courtesy of Stable View.
Photo courtesy of Stable View.
Photo courtesy of Stable View.
Photo courtesy of Stable View.
Photo courtesy of Stable View.
Photo courtesy of Stable View.
Photo courtesy of Stable View.
Photo courtesy of Stable View.
Photo courtesy of Stable View.
It looks great, and we can’t wait to see how it rides! Lisa Thomas notes that there are some fun and educational opportunities to discover the new track. Take it away, Lisa!
Course Walks
In celebration of the first Advanced horse trials, Stable View is hosting several course walks throughout the morning of the Advanced and Preliminary competition on Saturday, Oct. 1. If you plan to attend the event in Aiken, please plan to register that morning for course walks.
Capt. Mark Phillips will lead a cross country course walk at 9:30 a.m., with Olympian Boyd Martin also leading a course walk at 10:30 a.m.; both will leave promptly from the start box at that scheduled time. You can see the new Advanced course firsthand, featuring ETB Jumps on the irrigated grass track, derby field and new galloping lanes.
There will also be stadium course walks hosted by leading industry course designer Richard Jeffery throughout the morning in the outdoor stadium arena from 9 a.m.-noon. A donation of $10 is suggested to join in the course walks, with proceeds supporting a wonderful organization in the Cumbee Center to Assist Abused Persons.
Finally, a ribbon cutting ceremony to present the new Advanced level cross country course will be held at noon at the Offset Combination at fence 20. Please join us for this celebration.
The weekend is certain to be action-packed with incredible horse sport and plenty of entertainment with local vendors, sponsor parties and a bit of non-equestrian horse power as well, and we hope to see you there. Check out all of the Advanced Oktoberfest horse trials event on the Stable View website here.
When Yankee Candle set up a page to let you create your own personalized labels, EN’s sister site Horse Nation wasted no time in designing a new line of equestrian-scented candles featuring familiar scents like Morning Thrush, Urine Soaked Shavings, Digested Hay Breeze and, my sentimental favorite …
Creative Commons photo.
HN’s olfactory experiment got us to thinking: What would a line of eventing-themed Yankee Candles look like? Maybe something like this:
All photos by Leslie Wylie.
What scents would you add to the list? Tell us in the comments or create your own candle here!
“Hilly,” warns the Omnibus description of Tryon Riding & Hunt Club H.T.’s cross country course. “Horses must be fit!”
Indeed, the course is run on a sort of horse trial Heartbreak Hill; the first half literally just goes up and up and up. Emily Cox’s helmet cam video from last weekend’s event offers a great perspective …
… and she and FR’s Check It Out Now look to have had a great trip. The pair finished 6th in the Open Prelim division — congrats, Emily and “Billy”! Check out this video of their round:
“This was Billy’s first prelim and my third,” says Emily, one of several University of Georgia Event Team riders we spotted at TR&HC H.T. “The previous two attempts I’ve made at this level did not end well, so for Billy to jump clean in cross country and stadium exceeded all my expectations for him. He’s such a cool horse with the best attitude and, as you can tell by his ears, he truly loves his job.”
This was Emily’s first time using a helmet cam and it slipped her mind to turn it on until after fence #4. She walks us through the rest of the course:
“Billy only had one green moment on the course at fence 7A and B. He was going a little too forward at A and I couldn’t quite get him back for the turn to B. However, I was able to get him back and make some quick maneuvering to avoid crossing my path. The rest of the course he was perfectly on point to every fence. His greenest moment on course was when he spooked hard at the tent at the finish flags and I nearly came off, but I’m not too concerned with that.”
Emily Cox and FR’s Check It Out Now.
At this same show last year, Emily and Billy completed their last Novice, placing fourth in a large division.
“I really enjoyed the course and the facility so I was excited to come back at another level,” Emily says. “Billy has progressed so quickly since last year. His did his first Training in March and six total and jumped clean on cross country at every one of them, with the last few seeming a little too easy for him.
Emily Cox and FR’s Check It Out Now.
“It was a no brainer to move him up this weekend, and I’m glad I did. He hit every fence out of stride in stadium and cross country and I couldn’t be more proud of him. At Training and Novice, stadium was our least favorite phase — he would often get nervous and distracted in the ring and not quite pay attention, making it a little bit of a struggle to keep him together and picking up his feet.
“However, our stadium this weekend was by far our best and he was 100% on in the ring. He’s got quite a bit of work to do to be more competitive in the dressage at this level, but we’ve got a few weeks before our next outing at Paradise Farm to try and get a lower score.”
Emily Cox and FR’s Check It Out Now.
Emily has owned Billy for two years now, having purchased him from Kyle Carter in 2014 (hence the Five Rings prefix). Emily says that while it took a while to figure one another out, it feels like they are now officially a team.
“This weekend solidified my faith in Billy that he’s really got what it takes to do this job,” she says. “For now we’ll keep building up his prelim experience and hopefully qualify for Red Hills and Virginia in the spring.”
Best of luck to Emily and Billy! Go Eventing.
Equi-Jewel’s high-fat, low-starch formula safely increases the calories needed to fuel optimal performance. Research shows that when fat is utilized as an energy source, performance horses have more stamina and recover faster from intense exercise.
In the market for an OTTB? You’re in luck. This Saturday’s Presque Isle Downs Showcase in Erie, PA, is to OTTB shopping what Black Friday at Wal-Mart is to doorbuster deal-hunters (hopefully without all the hair-pulling, fistfights and human stampedes. Although, if the right OTTB at the right price came along I can see things getting a bit ugly….)
Just kidding. Everybody wants the best for these ex-racers, who instead of returning to the track next season will be looking for new homes and new careers. Could one be your next event horse?
Somebody PLEASE go snatch up this guy, Succesful Brothers (Invasor (ARG) – Contagious (GB), by Polar Falcon). Ooh la la! Photo via CANTER PA.
The showcase is organized by CANTER PA, which released a preliminary preview of 27 available horses earlier this week — you can check it out here. CANTER notes, “This is our current list but we will continue to work with trainers leading up to the event so we expect some additions and possibly a few retractions. This is just a taste of the event we planned — hope to see you there!”
If you’re not in the area, take heart: contact info on the horses will be released the day of the showcase to accommodate out-of-state buyers while still being fair to those traveling to the event.
Here’s a sneak preview (for larger photos, video links and more information on each more, have a look at the preview):
Gimme a Double – 2008 bay gelding. $800
Stricks Fast Gun – 2009 bay gelding, 15.2 hands. $1500
Yerald – 2012 bay gelding, 16.3 hands. $3000
Sounds Elusive – 2011 bay gelding, 16.1 hands. $2500
Socksonfire – 2013 chestnut gelding, 16.1 ½ hands. $2500
Shacked Up – 5yr old dark bay gelding. $1200.
Seven Day Fool – 2009 bay gelding, 16.1 hands. $3000
Safety Valve – 2006 bay gelding, 15.3 hands. $3000
The event takes place Saturday, Oct. 1 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Presque Isle Downs & Casino (8199 Perry Hwy, Erie, Pennsylvania 16509). For more info email [email protected] and check in with the event’s Facebook page for all the latest updates.
What’s in Your Ring? is a new EN series in which riders share their favorite jumping exercises. It’s easy to get stuck in a training rut, and we hope this will inspire you with fresh ideas that you can take home and incorporate into your own programs.
Leah Snowden and Ormolu. Photo by Vics Pics.
It’s easy to spot Leah Snowden on a cross country course in her signature pink gear. I’m always envious of this Kentucky gal’s get-up and impressed by her riding — she brought both her Prelim horse, Ormolu, and her Intermediate horse, Ivy League, up the levels herself and has had success with them both.
Most recently Leah won the Open Prelim division at Flying Cross Farm earlier this month on Ormolu. “Lou Lou” is a Selle Francais by Baloubet Du Rouet out of a Dutch Grand Prix show jumper named Charmed.
In addition to eventing — their fall plan is to do Jumpstart H.T. and Hagyard Midsouth H.T. then a one-star — the pair has been moonlighting in the show jumping ring, where they’ve been quite prone to winning!
“She is a very careful jumper,” Leah says of Lou Lou. “Very smart and brave and she figures out jump exercises quickly. She also loves cross county and is quick thinking and is the perfect size for me.”
Her Intermediate horse, Ivy League, recently finished 3rd at the River Glen Summer H.T. and also won the Thoroughbred Initiative Program (TIP) award at Champagne Run H.T. in July. Both horses are owned by her husband, Bill.
Leah Snowden and Ivy League. Photo courtesy of Leah Snowden.
Leah trains out of Valley View Farm in Midway, KY, and Split Rock Farm in Paris, KY. The exercise she shares with us today is courtesy of four-star rider Allie Knowles, who you’ll recognize as the trainer in the videos.
What’s in Leah’s ring? “Eight-foot canter poles to 21-foot one-strides with tall crossrails to encourage straightness.”
Photo courtesy of Leah Snowden.
Photo courtesy of Leah Snowden.
How to ride it: “This exercise will back off the horse at first so the rider will need to send the horse through forward while staying relaxed. Once the horse is comfortable going through the grid off both reins we add in the oxer three-stride to vertical off the left rein after going through the grid. Make sure the rider keeps his or her hips to the inside and turns the horse off the outside leg (not by pulling the horse with the inside rein, which could make the horse crooked).
Then add: vertical two-stride to oxer two-stride to vertical.
Then add: oxer bending line to three-stride to vertical.
Then add: triple-bar three-stride to vertical two-stride to vertical.
All combined:
What she likes about it: “The exercise works in turning horse from outside aids and making sure the rider keeps his or her hips to inside. Don’t pull on the inside rein. Work on riding forward out of turns and the straightness of the horse.
“The exercise really builds confidence in both horse and rider and also will help with a horse that needs to be more careful. My horse is the opposite — he’s very careful but over-jumps — but it helped by having me be able to put leg on and push through and lengthen her stride to help cover distances.”
Many thanks to Leah and Allie for sharing, and best of luck!
Do you have an exercise to share or is there an eventer you would like to nominate for the series? Email me at [email protected].
Saturday Night Lights at Tryon International Equestrian Center. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
Tryon International Equestrian Center‘s Saturday Night Lights series is a pretty neat deal. Being a free event with loads to do for the whole family, there’s always a big community turnout, including but not limited to the centerpiece Grand Prix.
I skipped over there on Saturday in time for the tail-end of this week’s showdown, just missing Doug Payne’s 8th place round on Courtney Alston’s 10-year-old KWPN mare Botanja. Luckily he posted a helmet cam video!
Anja, owned by Courtney Alston, jumped great to finish 8th in the Tryon International Equestrian Center $25k #grandprix #helmetcam by Cambox ISI USA #jumper #showjumping #tiec #amazing #underthelights
In addition to jumping the monster jumps with Anja, Doug used the Tryon Fall I as a final show jumping prep before Stable View Oktoberfest Horse Trials this weekend. Lysander, who will be making his Advanced debut at the event, demonstrated that he is up for the challenge, finishing 1st and 2nd in his two 1.20 meter jumper classes.
Big Leo’s winning 1.20m jump off from @tryonresort this morning #showjumping #tiec #jumper Looking great ahead of his first advanced next weekend!
Having evacuating his own saddle for a brief moment, he also coached student Catherine Winter and Coquette to a 3rd-place finish in the $2,500 USHJA National Hunter Derby.
Huge congrats to Catherine Winter & Strudel 3rd place in the Tryon International Equestrian Center $2,500 National Hunter Derby!! #hunter #showhunter #notbadfornotridingforamonth
Doug, you sure are a man of many hats (er, helmets?). He has a whopping eight horses entered at Stable View, a hometown event for this Aiken local, and we wish him and Jess the best of luck!
This is the hashtag that never ends / Yes it goes on and on my friend / Some eventers started griping on social media / and they’ll continue complaining forever just because / this is the hashtag that never ends …
Here a fresh batch of reader-submitted troubles that only eventers will understand.
Gemma Tattersall stops to chat with German team coach Chris Bartle. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Chris Bartle, who coaches the German Eventing Team alongside Hans Melzer, has announced his intent to succeed Yogi Breisner as head coach of the British Eventing Team. He is one of several candidates applying for the position, with initial discussions to take place next month.
German Olympic Committee for Equestrian CEO Dr. Dennis Sounder responded: “We are very surprised and saddened by his decision to apply for this position. In particular because we agreed early on that Chris Bartle and Hans Melzer would go until the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2020 as a coaching team. But we will respect the decision, sit down quickly and think through alternatives for the future, to prepare for the worst-case scenario.”
Since British-born Bartle joined Hans as co-coach in 2001 the German team has achieved many successes at major championships, including multiple gold medals at the Olympics Games, World Equestrian Games and European Championships.
“That was a very difficult decision for me. I feel a tremendous bond with the team, the riders, the support team in Warendorf and especially with Hans Melzer, with whom I have for 16 years been working successfully,” Bartle said. “That I would like to apply for this interesting and challenging position that might keep me well over the next four years to come closer to my home is also in the interest of my family.”
Combined driving is basically eventing on wheels. There are three phases — dressage, marathon and cones — and like our sport it’s a real test of athletic well-roundedness.
The marathon phase is the combined driving equivalent of eventing’s cross country, testing competitors’ speed, agility and skill over a series of obstacles of “hazards.” Drivers are scored on how quickly they are able to navigate the course, with penalties points given if too much time is spent at an obstacle or if the team finishes outside optimum time.
If there was a co-efficient for cuteness, however, this duo who competed at the recent Shady Oaks Combined Driving Event, held Sept. 16-18 in Lodi, CA, would have had it in the bag.
Bonnie MacLeod, of Marble City Minis, competed in the Prelim Single VSE division with “Kix,” who is off-the-charts adorable (and also clearly a straight baller — he didn’t bat an eyelash at the cross country hazards).
Here’s a replay of their weekend from our friends at Ride On Video:
Talk about OTTB pride! A recent thread on the OTTB Connect Facebook group turned into a show-and-tell of tattoos featuring Jockey Club numbers.
Charline Pinkel
Charline Pinkel: “On my ribs with the RRP logo.”
Macy Crawford-Roberts: “On my thigh in his horseshoe.”
Alix Kinsey: “It’s my favorite tattoo!”
Ashleigh Dino Cline: “Ignore the red lines, it’s on my hip!”
Maria LeBrun: “I recently lost my mare. Here is how I chose to remember her.”
Kaitlynn Wallace
Bethany Skelton: “Matching with my best friend Narina Simmons. Mines the Tan leg (LOL) I have the number of one we lost, and sadly have another number to add for one we put down.”
Bethany Skelton: “Says OTTB and has his number below it, below his nose, kinda around my wrist.”
Kayla Allar: “Mines on my shoulder, love it so!”
Janice Denman
Morgan Mackenzie Ross
Jenrette Romberg: “I have mine on my left side! I love it!”
You guys are the best (and craziest). In the market for a Jockey Club number with tattoo potential of your own? Here are three OTTBs that caught our eye this week.
Photo by Tracey Buyce courtesy of New Vocations.
Jacob’s Here (Roman Ruler – Borrowing Base, by Personal Flag), or “Mulligan” as he is called at the barn, is just about as easy-going as they come. This 2011 16.3-hand gelding’s race career ended when he sustained an injury to his pastern during a race. The cut is all healed now though, and Mulligan is ready for a job and a forever home. He transitioned seamlessly to his post-racing lifestyle and could play in turnout all day with his buddies.
Under saddle Mulligan is eager to please and hard-working — praise goes a long way with this guy! He enjoys being ridden both outside and in the covered arena, and confronts new situations boldly. He would excel in any discipline with the right rider.
Mulligan comes from exceptional athletic bloodlines, too. He was sired by Roman Ruler (2002), who earned $1,220,800 in just 10 career starts and won a Grade-1 stakes race.
Photo courtesy of Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center.
If you’re someone who loves teaching equine preschoolers, this irresistible 3-year-old is for you! This 16.3-hand baby gelding Tizn’t a Saint (Tiznow – Evil, by Hennessy) is innocent and a tad uncoordinated still with his big body and long legs, but makes his trainers smile every time they work with him because of his “try” and his desire to please.
Although he started in two races Saint is learning at the Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center where to place his feet, how to be mannerly, and how to speak English (“walk,” “trot,” “canter,” “woah,” “back” and of course “good boy!”). When he matures physically and mentally he will be a real head turner of a horse, but for now he is in his adorable horse “toddler” phase.
Photo by Stephanie Moon courtesy of New Vocations.
Take a Bow (Utopia (JPN) – Cherokee Lady, by Cherokee Run) is a 2012 16.0-hand mare who is described as “just a nice mare to work with and have in the barn.”
She is kind with a little bit of baby curiosity to her personality, loves attention and just does her job under saddle. Despite answering her friends while she was working, she didn’t miss a beat. She has a forward trot and a very nice rhythmical canter that is lovely to ride and she seems to just do her job always with a pleasant attitude. Turn out with her two pasture buddies is uneventful and she has no vices.
“Bow” came to New Vocations after torquing her ankle in her last race, but her x-rays were clean. It was suggested that she be given 30-60 days off before going back to the track. At that time the decision was made for her not to return to the track since she was not competitive enough to continue racing her and she came to New Vocations for a few months of down time. She has been back to work for a month now and she will be suitable for any discipline for an intermediate level rider and up.
Photo by Leslie Wylie.
