Claire Lomas and Peter Atkins.
Good morning EN! Before I say anything else I want to send another big congratulations to Claire Lomas for not only completing the London Marathon but also raising over ￡86,000 for Spinal Research. If you haven’t been following the story, Claire was paralyzed from the chest down in 2007 when she collided with a tree on cross country. Since her injury, she became the first person in Britain to receive a robotic suit that allows her to walk again and hasn’t slowed down in the slightest. She began the marathon with the rest of the competitors on April 22, and though she finished 16 days after the time limit, she will be honored with this year’s Virgin Trophy for her endurance. Visionaire posted about Claire’s accomplishment earlier today, including links to Samantha’s interviews with Claire, but I couldn’t get through a news and notes without mentioning her again. I have a new hero. Go Claire. [Horsetalk]
Weekend report:
Jersey Fresh officially kicks off this week’s events today with in-barns and the jog. The CCI/CIC** do dressage on Thursday, and the three star competes on Friday. Ride times for all divisions will be posted after the jog. [Website]
Calling all PA eventers: Plantation Field needs volunteers! If you would like to help out at this weekend’s horse trials, email or call Melissa Wright at [email protected] or ((301) 437-4927. You can also sign up on their website.
Other events:
Galway Downs [Website] [Times]
Winona HT [Website]
Jubliee HT [Website]
Windridge HT [Website]
Mill Creek HT [Website] [Times]
Chatsworth International [Times]
Onto your links:
The US Equestrian Foundation has awarded the Jacqueline B. Mars Domestic Competition and Training Grant to Jolie Wentworth. From Jolie, via The Chronicle: “It is a great honor to receive the grant because I know there were a lot of people up for it. Grants like this remove the unnecessary stress that we as riders have, and we get to really focus on the riding and competing. It’s such a valuable part of the sport. I think that this is an amazing grant and the opportunities that I had to learn and to grow have been extremely valuable.” Congrats Jolie! [COTH]
As Visionaire already posted, Boyd and Neville will be feature on Brian Williams’s “Rock Center” tonight night at 9 ET/8 pm CT (NBC blog here).
Badminton’s cancellation has a big impact on the Kiwi team. Both Mark Todd and Andrew Nicholson had their backup horses entered in the event, in case they should be selected for the team. This is particularly hard on Mark, as his defending Badminton champion NZB Landvision has been sidelined due to injury, and he now must rely on his back up horses for a shot at the games. Jock Pagent and Caroline Powell also had horses entered at Badminton, Clifton Lush and Lenamore, respectively. Caroline’s Lenamore is nineteen years old and would have had to come through Badminton in top shape in ordered to be considered for the team, but since the event was cancelled it has been announced that he is still in consideration for London. If he had completed, Lenamore would have been the only horse to have completed the event eight times. Caroline has rerouted him for this weekend’s World Cup class at Chatsworth. [Marlborough Express] [Horse and Hound]
Blair Castle Horse Trials in Scotland has put in a bid to host the 2015 World Equestrian Games. Minster for sport and the Olympics, Hugh Robertson, said the bid was a “top priority” and described eventing as “an integral part of our sporting culture.” Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, and Belgium are also in contention. The FEI will announce a decision next month. [Horse & Country]
The FEI has added Carolina Gold to its list of prohibited substances. Carolina Gold contains gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) and hydroxy-gamma aminobutyric acid (Hydroxy-GABA). The USEF banned GABA in February after adverse reactions were documented in horses. Any request to administer a substance containing either drug will not be permitted after August 27. [The Horse]
US equestrian team veterinarian Rick Mitchell is to replace US Equestrian Federation president David O’Connor on the American Horse Council Board of Trustees. This summer will be Dr. Mitchell’s fifth Olympics as an attending veterinarian for the US. According to AHC president Jay Hickey, “He is a real ‘two-for’ in that he has veterinary expertise in equine diseases and international experience at the highest level of competition. As the equine show world gets smaller, that is the type of experience the AHC is fortunate to have.” [Horsetalk]
Rest in peace Chelsea Feddema, a 23-year-old trainer from West Lincoln, Ontario was killed after her horse apparently spooked sideways into the path of an oncoming truck. EN sends heartfelt condolences to her family and all parties involved. [Horsetalk]
Australia’s 1956 Olympic team has been inducted into the Equestrian Australia’s Hall of Fame. It was the first year Australia fielded an eventing team at the Olympics. The late eventing legend Bill Roycroft was also inducted. [Horsetalk]
The 9th annual Surefire is open for entries. [USEA]
Best of Blogs:
Two Horses, Three Days, Part 4.
That’s all for now EN, have a great Wednesday!
Team FLAIR Eventer and member of the USPC Board of Governors Eric Dierks takes the viewer on a course walk of the 2010 AEC XC course. In this sixth video in the FLAIR Master Class series featuring Eric Dierks, he discusses the more bending lines with a twist!
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From Horse Quencher: Anytime a horse moves to a new barn – whether to live there or just stay a few days to compete – the natural order of things is upset. And that’s enough to slow or stop water intake, especially for the new kid on the block. So get him a welcoming drink, with Horse Quencher.
As Denis O’Brien, Assistant Manager Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum’s Shadwell Stud, Norfolk, says, “We use Horse Quencher when new horses arrive at the farm, or when horses have undergone surgery and return to us from hospital. At these times the horses can be unsettled for a few days, often going off their food and water. Horse Quencher has been excellent in helping to reduce the risk of impaction colic, a very costly and distressing condition. The hydration of horses when traveling can be overlooked and Horse Quencher will assist those who reduce their fluid intake while being transported nationally and internationally. In a nutshell Horse Quencher has helped whenever the horses have a change of routine, or environment, when moving from trainers to the farm, for pre-and-post sales, for traveling and while recovering from injury and confined to the box.”
