Classic Eventing Nation

Kristin Rubash and Capone, 1st, Training Rider-B. Photo by Lisa Madren.

Majestic Oaks kicked off the season in #EventingSunnyFL this weekend. These January competitions are a great opportunity to show off skills accomplished during your winter homework. Kristin Rubash and Capone (pictured above) were among the weekend winners. We saw some upper level pairs out to stretch their legs too, like Joe Meyer and Clip Clop who won the Intermediate/Preliminary division on a 34.4.

For those of you snowed in farther north, take a break from shoveling the drive to virtually enjoy the Ocala sunshine. Lisa Madren was on site, and has kindly shared her fabulous photos with EN.

Majestic Oaks H.T.: Website, Entry Status, Ride Times, Live Scores

Mayzie and Madalyn Rusinoff. Photo courtesy of Trinity Farm.

It all started with a Facebook post: 52 Thoroughbreds who needed immediate relocation. The story was spread far and wide and concluded with a happy ending as all horses were homed. But that success doesn’t stop the annual resurgence of the post across social media, much to the chagrin of the horse world.

Every year we pick back up where we left off, kindly explaining to the well-meaning pubic that these horses found homes, including one pregnant gray mare. Jockey Club registered as Gray Hot Momma (Magnificent One x Hot Plate), “Mayzie” found a soft landing with Joanne May. Joanne took the mare in and helped her deliver a healthy colt.

Once the colt was weaned, Joanne also helped Mayzie find a new career with Katherine Trimble at Trinity Farm, a non-profit therapeutic equestrian facility. Katherine visited Joanne’s barn in search of new horses for her program, but she couldn’t ignore the gray mare.

“We were going to see a couple horses at that barn that had potential and it just so happened that we fell in love with Mayzie,” she said. “She was very friendly and had great ground manners and was very inquisitive. We were drawn to her personality right away.”

Mayzie. Photo courtesy of Trinity Farm.

Mayzie settled into home at the Streetsboro, Ohio farm where she was folded into therapeutic riding program and began her eventing education.

“We have an inclusion program where we teach riders with and without special needs. Some of our eventing students have special needs, some don’t, but the upper level riders all volunteer back in the therapeutic riding program. They either ride alongside riders with special needs in the special olympics or volunteer to help at horse show or as walkers or leaders, so the program is all intertwined,” Katherine explained. 

Mayzie has taken to eventing like a fish to water, Katherine says. “Anything that we’ve ever shown her, she’s just taken in stride. It’s almost as if she’s made for it. The first time we introduced her to a water complex, she took to it naturally. She just wanted a little explanation, then she went right at it.”

While she mostly caters to the more advanced riders at Trinity Farm, including Madalyn Rusinoff, who currently leases her, Mayzie has a temperament that makes her a perfect candidate for many riders and handlers.

Mayzie. Photo courtesy of Trinity Farm.

“She loves working with all the different students. She has phenomenal ground manners and is very attentive to whoever is leading her,” Katherine said. “So if we have a brand new volunteer who hasn’t learned to lead yet, she’s very patient with them and she’ll take her time and she’ll stay right along side them. If she’s with a student that maybe has some physical disabilities with walking or having trouble holding the lead rope she’s very patient with all of that. She really meets every person where they are with their skills.”

Katherine admits they don’t typically go for green Thoroughbreds as new members of their program, but Mayzie has been an outstanding exception.

“She has been quite a unique horse to add to the program. Anybody who sees her immediately falls in love with her.”

Go Mayzie. Go eventing.

Photo by Alissa King / JN.

After being sentenced to ten years in prison for money laundering this past November, Alejandro Andrade’s string of top showjumpers are set to be sold via online auction. The horses were seized by US authorities on November 17^th after Alejandro plead guilty to money laundering. As part of his plea agreement, he agreed to forfeit $1 billion and any assets related to the corruption. Those assets included real estate, vehicles, watches, aircraft and fourteen top-notch performance horses.

The horses, previously ridden by Alejandro’s son, Olympic showjumper Emanuel Andrade, will be sold February 19^th-26^th through CWS Asset Management and Sales.

Before you get too excited thinking you might get the deal of a lifetime on some exceptional horses, there is a catch. According to an article by Horse & Hound, interested buyers must submit a deposit of $50,000 to participate in the eight-day long auction.

That makes sense when you recognize that one of the horses listed for sale is Emanuel’s 2016 Olympic mount, Hardrock Z. Another interesting listing is Clouwni, whose resume boasts several Nations Cups performances and the 2014 World Equestrian Games. Rounding out the list of available horses are Ricore Courcelle, Reus De La Nutria, Anastasia Du Park, Boy IV, Bon Jovi, Cortina 186, Dipssy, Jenni’s Chance, Joli Jumper, Leonardo RGS, Quilina VD Laarseheide Z and Tupac Van De Vrombautshoeve Z.

Registered bidders may preview the horses at the Delray Equestrian Center in Florida January 28^th-February 4^th. CWS Asset Management released a statement that the horses are currently being brought back into work by a professional and are receiving first class care.