Classic Eventing Nation

Thursday Video from Nupafeed: Meet FEI ‘Against All Odds’ Winner Leila Malki

By on Nov 22, 2018 5:00 pm -

Photo courtesy of the FEI.

The FEI’s annual “Against All Odds” award recognizes a person who has pursued their equestrian ambitions despite a physical handicap or extremely difficult personal circumstances. In a year where global women’s solidarity has been at a premium, we were glad to see the 2018 award go to Leila Malki, a teenage girl living in Palestine who through both voice and action has stood up for women’s rights in the Middle East.

A rider since the age of five, Leila she has broken the taboo in a difficult part of the world and encouraged girls and women to enter equestrian sport. In addition to representing her country in international competition, always on a catch-ride since she has never had her own horse and with no trainer or support team, Leila is driven to share the power of horses. She has been instrumental in helping young children begin riding and volunteers to help those with special needs find strength in the saddle. She has also been vocal in promoting the sport at a national level, speaking on radio and TV about her experiences and how to overcome the challenges facing a young female rider in Palestine in reaching the international arena.

Leila’s life is proof that with passion and dedication, no obstacle is unsurmountable.

See yesterday’s feature on all 2018 FEI Award winners here.

Go Leila. Go Eventing.

EN Gives Thanks: The Horse That Built the Horseman

By on Nov 22, 2018 3:00 pm -

What are you thankful for this year? That’s the question we asked EN readers for the 2018 Thanksgiving Challenge from World Equestrian Brands, and your responses were numerous and heartfelt. Over the holiday weekend, we are honored to share your special stories. You can view an archive of them here. 

Photo courtesy of Hannah Dennehy.

Just over a year ago, on November, 18th 2017, I made the difficult decision to send my heart horse south for retirement. Echo’s incredible life story is a long one but a very heartwarming tale.

About 20 years ago, a woman named Carla had gone down to Florida for a year and was looking to find a cheap project horse off the track. Something that would keep her horse fix alive while away from her farm in Tennessee. While at the race track, a redheaded 3-year-old that was a royal failure on the track caught Carla’s eye. He came leaping out of his stall on two hind legs but he had that kind eye and Carla knew he was special. After some serious negotiations with the track trainer, Echo was purchased for $1,700 and two bottles of Crown Royal whiskey.

Not long after, a trail riding accident from stepping in a palm tree hole left Carla with a severely broken arm and a fresh three old thoroughbred in need of a job. Limited by her arm Carla decided to see if Echo could learned to drive a cart. Well drive a cart he did. Young Echo drove his cart happily around Florida farm country as if he was born to it. Who would have thought a little racehorse would learn to drive with such joy? Quickly smitten with the steady mind Echo possessed Carla decided to take him home to her farm in Tennessee.

Back in Tennessee, Carla was a member of a large fox hunting group called the Tennessee Valley Hunt Club. Echo took to fox hunting like a fish takes to water and would often lead the following of the hounds. Echo took care of his rider as if it was his sole mission and would throw his heart over every fence. Carla loved Echo more than anything but she also loved a young girl named Brooke. So, when her childhood and best friend’s daughter began looking for a special horse, they asked for Echo.

Carla, though hesitant at first, could not refuse and gave Echo to Brooke, as a sign of love for her dearest friends. The partnership of Echo and Brooke quickly grew into a special bond. Brooke decided to to take Echo on the show jumping circuit and it quickly became very clear the sky was the limit because there was no jump too high or question too technical. Echo believed he could fly, and fly he did. The partnership of Echo and Brooke inspired Carla to name her farm after the pair. Thus, Echo Brooke Farm was born.

Brooke had dreams of competing in the Grand Prix; however, a terrible accident while at a show left Echo with a torn tendon and Brooke with a broken pelvis. They returned to the farm that was their namesake to recover. Although both recovered well, after many long weeks Brooke found herself needing a break from competition and so decided to give to a trainer friend Echo with the promise of first right of refusal should she ever sell.

Unfortunately, a year later when the price for first right of refusal was about three times higher than the price they paid, Brooke could not afford her dear friend. He was lost to the people that loved him most and sold to a man in South Carolina. Carla was able to contact to man once and share part of the tale. As fate would have it less than a year later Echo again had been sold, but this time Carla had no idea where he had gone.

Carla and Brooke did their best to try to track Echo down and find their heart horse. With Echo now in his mid-teens it seemed unlikely he had found a soft landing. Echo was gone from their lives without a trace. Meanwhile, little did they know Echo was eventing around New England again helping a young girl to build castles in the sky.

I had been down in Aiken, South Carolina as a working student and was in search of a horse to show me the ropes of eventing. My trainer convinced me to try Echo even though he was twice my budget and a bit on the older side at 13. I didn’t like him at first. I had started riding originally in classical dressage and that was the one thing Echo did not do. It was like riding a llama with an incredibly stubborn attitude. We jumped him over a few cross rails and he was good but I was still less than impressed.

However, my trainer wouldn’t give up — this was the horse. She ultimately convinced me to go back and try Echo again. Thank God she did! We managed to get permission from the owner to take Echo out with a group of horses on Hitchcock Woods, a 2,000-acre land reserve with fox hunting fences. The moment I picked up a canter and we flew through the woods down a line of jumps, I knew I was riding something special. My God did this horse have heart!

Unfortunately, reality set in and I had to say no. I just could not afford this horse and I was New England bound in just two weeks. So it seemed my horse hunt was to meet an unsuccessful end. However, a few days later Echo’s owner contacted me saying, this was a special horse with a beautiful story that deserved a young girl to love him. He believed Echo would excel in eventing. The man said he would offer Echo to me for almost half his listed price and if I said no, Echo would return to his farm to live out his days. I said yes, and I am so thankful everyday that I did.

Photo courtesy of Hannah Dennehy.

Fast forward seven years later. It all started when a friend of mine contacted me out of the blue and said she wanted to write a book about Echo’s life. I knew he had a farm named after him in Tennessee and that he had a beautiful story but I didn’t know the details. I Googled the farm and sent a message via Facebook that went something like, “Hi, I think I own the horse that your farm is named after.” A late night phone call with Carla and I learned an incredible story about my courageous horse. There was laughter and there were tears. The terrible things she had imagined that had befallen her beloved friend were not to be. There he was eventing around New England making a young girl’s dreams come true all along. She told me that if Echo ever needed a home he had one with her.

Then fate came knocking again. Two weeks later I found myself in financial crisis looking for a new barn to send my horses to. There were few options I could afford and I was worried about losing both my friends and terrified about what kind of home you would find last minute for a semi-retired event horse and a half-crazy 5-year-old, off the track Thoroughbred, that would be hard to find a home for. So with options runout, I called Carla and asked if Echo would really have a lifetime home with her. Without hesitation the answer was, yes.

To give Echo up and put him on a trailer where I would not be on the other end to greet him was the hardest decision I’ve made in my life, but it was also without a doubt the right one. The night before Echo left for Tennessee I remember sitting on Echo bareback and bridleless while he happily munched his hay, out in the cow pasture gazing at the stars. I remember thinking how lucky am I ? What a journey? What a life? My heart was breaking but also so very full.

At last, Echo’s’ life has come full circle. Just a few weekends back after 10 years apart Echo and Brooke were reunited on a weekend trip, as Brooke undergoes chemotherapy and begins her battle against cancer.

This is the horse that just keeps on giving. Echo was there through the toughest times of my life. My journey and dream of learning to event to my first Preliminary horse trials. He was there for me through college, the beginning of adulthood, and the loss of our family farm. When a training accident resulted in me being kicked in the face by a young horse, Echo gave me courage to get back on, and in the death of my father, the soldier that never came home, Echo gave me strength. He was the horse that built the horseman and I am so grateful.

This year wasn’t the toughest year of my life but it was a close second and it was a year without my best friend. To love unconditionally is sometimes to let go and I wasn’t the best thing for Echo anymore. He owed me nothing and was the horse of a lifetime. He deserved the retirement of a champion. We all want our horses to live long happy lives but what happens when they grow old and can no long carry us? We owe them a soft landing, a forever home. I had never met Carla and she didn’t know me and yet a redheaded thoroughbred brought our stories together and together we are giving back to Echo the life he gave to us. I have trained many horses and ridden many more but I didn’t think I would experience another partnership like the one I shared with Echo. Echo set the bar far too high.

Again as fate would have it , that psychotic young Thoroughbred — the one I didn’t think anyone would want? Well, that fiery redhead that was borderline dangerous has wormed his way into my heart. This past year I’ve built a bond with Finn on literal blood, broken bones, sweat and tears, and it’s turning into another beautiful journey. It is all thanks to Echo. Echo taught me to have courage, grit and the patient compassion to handle a horse like Finn.

So this year I am thankful to have experienced the incredible legendary heart of a Thoroughbred. I am grateful and so very blessed that such incredible animals have been apart of my life. I think we all have that one horse that built us, changed us, made us better, or carried us when life had us on the ground. This Thanksgiving, raise a glass to that special horse and be thankful because to experience such a horse is an incredible gift. We are the lucky ones.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

EN Gives Thanks: Our #Blessed Team

By on Nov 22, 2018 1:00 pm -

We here at EN have a lot to be thankful for year-round. We get to work in the service of the sport we love and participate in it in a wholly unique way. It’s a gift that isn’t lost on us, and years like 2018, with all of its rewards and challenges, peaks and valleys, have bound our team closer together than ever before.

Here are a few of the things we’re thankful for this year:

Jenni Autry, Leslie Threlkeld, Shelby Allen and Leslie Wylie at WEG.

Shelby Allen: Thanksgiving rolling around at the end of the season is a perfectly timed opportunity reflect on the incredible year we’ve had. I’ve gone back to school and competing has taken the back burner, so I am extremely thankful to stay involved with this amazing sport through EN. I was especially thankful to spend a wild week with a few of them in Tryon for WEG. It was a long, slightly crazy week, but there’s no one else I’d rather do it with. 

I am thankful for many things this year, but finding my new horse, Derry, has to top the list. Photo by Steve Berkowitz.

Jenni Autry: A wise man once said “choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.” I’m not sure I so much as chose this job as it chose me. The people I’ve been fortunate enough to meet along the way have become dear friends and ultimately family. The doors EN has opened, not just for my career but for me personally, have greatly enriched my life. From a riding standpoint, I took a giant leap forward this year thanks to working with amazing coaches who pushed me and believed in me when I needed it most: Dom and Jimmie Schramm, James Burtwell, Liz Halliday-Sharp and Joseph Murphy. I am thankful beyond words as I look ahead to the 2019 season with a supremely talented horse and the goals I have dreamed about my entire life finally within my grasp.

Ain’t no memory like a blurry memory from a Polaroid camera — but what could be better than a brilliant first four-star performance for a brilliant friend? Tilly Berendt, Hallie Coon, Celien, and Praire StipeMaas Tobul at Pau.

Tilly Berendt: Honestly? I’m thankful that there’s only a mere 102 days until the eventing season begins again! (I joke, obviously — that is a horrendously long time to wait.) In all seriousness, I feel so, so lucky to have come to the end of another year absolutely bursting with love and pride and inspiration, all because of this mad, wonderful, occasionally infuriating sport. Every season has its ups and downs, and this one has been no different — there have been some tough times, for sure, but the highs have been something seriously special. The 2018 season brought with it some indescribable joys: I welcomed my beautiful mare, Bella, into my life this spring, and she gave me the chance to get back out competing myself. The chance to set real goals again in that realm has been such a blessing, and I have to pinch myself every day when I see her silly face hanging over her stable door. But life as EN’s resident roving Brit has been pretty incredible, too — I’ve had so many brilliant adventures this year at a plethora of three- and four-stars, and I’ve once again found myself at the beating heart of a sport that means more to me than I could possibly say. I’m enormously thankful for several things: the chance to live my dream week in and week out, the vibrant and vivacious eventing community at large, old friends and wonderful new ones, and, of course, the phenomenal EN team. I spent years reading Eventing Nation and daydreaming about being part of the madness — actually doing so has exceeded every expectation I ever had, and I feel so lucky to work alongside some of the most talented and passionate people in the business. May our paths cross far more often in 2019! /end soppiness

Photo courtesy of Meagan DeLisle.

Meagan Delisle: Once a year I sit back and am reminded of just how lucky I am to live a crazy, pony-filled life. I could go on and on about all of the things I am thankful for and never reach a dead end. That being said, I will just give a massive thank you to the team at Altamonte Show Stable for coaching me, making me laugh, helping me to realize my dreams could be a reality and convincing me that no, I would not die if I went cross country schooling. A jumper at heart, this little barn family is slowly turning me to the dark side of things. And while my plans of competing at my first recognized event were shattered not once, but twice (maybe this is a sign?!?) I am very much looking forward to finally giving eventing the ole’ college try in 2019. #JumperGoneRogue

Photo by Allison Howell

Kristen Kovatch: As Eventing Nation’s token cowgirl (insert collective gasp here) I’m so thankful this year for all of my colleagues and friends across Nation Media for reminding me what a great community we’ve built. For me, it really hit home earlier this autumn at the Retired Racehorse Project’s Thoroughbred Makeover, hacking around the Kentucky Horse Park with field hunter/competitive trail Meagan DeLisle of Jumper Nation and eventer Kate Samuels of Eventing Nation — the first time all three sites had ever been represented simultaneously in person. We had never met before face to face, but here we were riding and talking and laughing together like we had known each other all our lives. Back at home, the rest of the team was cheering us on every step of the way, regardless of discipline. That’s a special community, and one that I’m so thankful to be part of.

Photo by Mily Mallard.

Abby Powell: You know how the saying goes that this is a sport of high highs and low lows? This has been one of those years on the lower end of the spectrum for me personally, but it’s made me incredibly thankful for the friends and family that I have in my corner who somehow seem to know exactly when I need a hug and a helping hand versus when I need a kick in the pants to get back on the metaphorical (or literal in some cases) horse. I may not have been able to compete as much as I wanted to this year, but ultimately I have a healthy and happy horse and for that I certainly have to be grateful as well! Plus, I’ve gotten to spend another year contributing to EN alongside this wonderful, wacky, hard-working, and talented bunch and for that I am #blessed.

Grateful for ponies that make me smile like this mid-course. Photo by Nicole Patenaude.

Kate Samuels: I’ve never been much of a big picture person, and I mean that in a good way. I’m always grateful for tiny moments in life, like the memory of a perfect jump on a young horse, the happiness of your dog when you come home, a good laugh with friends when horses inevitably drive you insane, the unfailing pleasure of said horse running to meet you every morning when you stumble outside bundled up against the elements, the satisfaction of a freshly swept aisle at the end of the day, and everything in between. I love that I am part of an absurdly witty, supportive, badass feminine powerhouse like EN, and I’m so grateful that it continues to help me make real life friends and connections even after all these years! Also, I’m very very thankful for mashed potatoes with stuffing and gravy because it is my favorite part of this holiday, if I’m being totally honest.

A good herd can help you get you to the other side of pretty much anything. Photo by Amanda Charlton.

Leslie Wylie: I feel especially blessed this year to be surrounded by such an incredible herd of family, friends, co-workers and, of course, horses. Life is so much more fulfilling when you feel supported; the good times are better when you have loved ones to share them with, and the rough stuff is made a little smoother when you’ve got a friend to call or a horse’s neck to hug. My husband Tommy and I are excited to announce that our herd is about to grow a little bit bigger, as we’re expecting a baby boy in April. Due date: the second day of Kentucky Three-Day Event dressage, naturally! Nothing like a dressage live stream to soothe the nerves while one is in labor — that will be something to be truly thankful for, indeed.

“Uncle Bailey” showing Leslie he still knows a thing or two at 19 years young. Photo by Heather Lynn.

Leslie Threlkeld: I’m not one to wax poetic or get particularly emotional, but with all the sadness and frustration in the world, I consider myself to be a very lucky individual. I’m generally very healthy and so is my family. My husband and I live in our dream house on a farm we have big plans for in an area of the country we absolutely love. My mom just happens to live nearby and we get to ride together all the time. On top of that, my young Thoroughbred turns out to be a natural foxhunter and it’s been a thrill to ride to hounds with my mom and old reliable “Uncle Bailey”. Above all, I am lucky enough to have turned a little girl’s horse crazy obsession into an incredibly rewarding, fulfilling career working with the most talented and inspiring team of journalists. I am never bored and there is nothing better than writing about, photographing, and cheering for the incredible people and horses in this sport. I urge you all to be true to yourself, follow your dreams, treasure those close to you and enjoy life’s wild ride to the absolute fullest. We’re right there, galloping alongside you. Thanks for being part of the EN team, dear readers. Gobble, gobble.

Showing off my amazing husband, super star horse and Best Conditioned award at Midsouth. Photo by Megan Lynn.

Maggie Deatrick: I’m sitting in Belgium, writing this full of beer and spaghetti (as apparently one does in Belgium), after Jenni kindly reminded me that I’d had yet to find the time to contribute. That I can drop everything and head overseas speaks volumes as to what a fantastic support team I have in my life, not the least of which is the incredible EN team, my husband, Matt and Cecily Brown at East West, and my supportive parents. I’ve finally completed the first full competition season on a talented but difficult horse that I bought two years ago, culminating in a solid T3D. The future is bright and I couldn’t be more thankful to have ended the year with an optimistic outlook.

Go Eventing!

EN Gives Thanks: Best Horse Show Husband Ever

By on Nov 22, 2018 11:00 am -

What are you thankful for this year? That’s the question we asked EN readers for the 2018 Thanksgiving Challenge from World Equestrian Brands, and your responses were numerous and heartfelt. Over the holiday weekend, we are honored to share your special stories. You can view an archive of them here. 

Photo courtesy of Andi Burros.

My first immediate thought when reading the prompt for this contest was my horse of course. I am completely obsessed with my horse and Eventing Nation. Every night while on the couch with my husband watching television I swear he says to me, “What are you looking at?” I am trying to catch up on all the eventing news, so I say “Eventing Nation, duh!”

But the truth is I am really thankful for what I call, the best horse show husband ever. Without my husband, I definitely would not be where I am right now.

When we first met I had not ridden in years and we lived in an area where horses we not a possibility. In other words, he was not aware how horse crazy I was. I ended up going overseas with my job for two years. It was a war zone, so I went alone, at the time we were not married but when I came home for my first leave we got married. It was definitely a rough two years but I learned a lot about life, like don’t short your dreams.

When I returned I was stationed in a much more horse friendly area, thank goodness. I started riding my Mom’s old horse, retired to dressage, so boring, I only dreamed of jumping. My husband and I never really discussed buying a horse but a friend found one on her Facebook that was for sale, an OTTB. I took off from work during the week and drove to see him, almost five hours. I hadn’t ridden much just the dressage horse and had not jumped at all in years! But I sat on Magic for five minutes and was sold. We never jumped and barely cantered but I loved him. To this day I cannot describe why but I knew he was the one.

The test ride. Photo courtesy of Andi Burros.

I got off and called my husband immediately. I remember him asking, “Do you like him?.” Of course I love him — he said “then buy him.” Two weeks later we owned Magic, my first very own horse. Boy it has been a roller coaster too. I knew I wanted to event because that is what I wanted to do since I was five but I never had the opportunity or money when I was younger. I received a ton of advice, probably way too much, went to see tons of trainers and coaches until I finally settled in with Ashley Johnson in Ocala, Florida. (Ashley truly deserves her own recognition — AWESOME).

Only problem she was an hour and a half away — we still didn’t have a horse trailer, and barely had a truck. So my husband, being super awesome, bought us a brand new horse trailer. Because the truck we had wasn’t making the trips to Ocala, he bought us a brand new truck. We are two average working adults, we make decent money but I must say that every penny I earn goes directly to horses and dogs. It definitely hasn’t been easy, my husband often yells about the amount of boxes coming to the house, jokes that the UPS man knows my name and the names of the dogs and says if I order one more pair of breeches he will take my credit card, but he won’t (I think).

So my greatest horse show husband set me up with an awesome horse and set us on our way but that is not the best part. My husband goes to every lesson and every show with me. As much as he hates it, he even pays attention to the dreadful dressage lessons. He builds me cross country jumps and moves them around the field. He spent an afternoon videotaping me and yelling at me about my body position, who could ask for more than that! When I travel I never have to scoop poop, because he has already done it. He follows us around during cross country schooling with waters and Gatorades, jump starts peoples trucks, holds horses, picks up dropped poles and even saddles horses. I have to admit, if he for some reason, is not there, EVERYONE, not just me, is disappointed.

My husband has been the one to tell me I am good enough and I can do it when I am in the kitchen in tears. Now to beat all he is in the process of moving us 45 minutes closer to Ashley and Ocala and providing us with a farm so we can all be in one place. He says now you can ride at our house you don’t have to drive to the barn every day, and you will save time and you can use that time to ride. Every time we are on a trip home I think about how thankful I am for my husband who has made all my childhood dreams possible.

Currently we are competing at Beginner Novice level preparing for our move to Novice. According to my husband we will go Prelim! He seems to be able to make everything happen. I may ride but without him none of this would be happening, thank you best horse show husband ever!

World Equestrian Brands Thanksgiving Challenge: And the Winner Is…

By on Nov 22, 2018 9:00 am -

What are you thankful for this year? That’s the question we asked EN readers for the 2018 Thanksgiving Challenge from World Equestrian Brands, and your responses were numerous and heartfelt.

One entry in particular jumped out to EN’s chinchilla judging squad: Julie Howard’s “Ode to the Adult Rider Program.” The USEA Adult Rider Program, in all its various area incarnations, deserves all the praises we can sing unto it — plus we’re a sucker for a cheeky rhyme. Our winner will receive a custom E.A. Mattes Square or Eurofit Sheepskin pad in her choice of dressage or all purpose style and with two piping colors. This amazing prize (retail value: $330) is made possible thanks to our friends World Equestrian Brands.

Over the holiday weekend, we are honored to share all of your special stories of thanks. We’re thankful for YOU. Go Eventing. 

Julie Howard with Missy Alaimo volunteering at GMHA H.T. and getting points for their teams: “The ARP is all about friendship and good competitive fun!” Photo courtesy of Julie Howard.

Ode to the Adult Rider Program

‘Twas the night before Thanksgiving and all through the barn
I’m thinking of things I’m thankful for, so I’ll spin you a yarn
Yes, it’s cold up here in ol’ Area 1
But all that it means is that we pack in the fun!
It’s a short season but we love it because of our mates
Both four legged and two legged and ones behind gates
We are blessed with the Adult Rider Program for oldies like me
Suzanne Adams runs a wonderful program and we participate with glee
It starts with team selection for young and for old
We’re put with a group at random and we do as we’re told
We come up with crazy names like “James and the Js”
Or the “Lucky Lucious Ladies” and we hope that we slay
We score points for placing and for just showing up
In our quest for those bragging rights and the big first place cup
We all volunteer and get points for that too
Marge Potorski’s got that prize locked up despite what we do
We have our own Facebook page and trash talk others we will
We love to tease each other and compete just for the thrill
It just doesn’t matter if you win or you place
We get points for entering and showing our face
There are the GMHA Young and the Rest of Us challenges
And other challenges at shows
We win saddle pads and ribbons and other swag dontcha know
The prizes we love them because they are swanky
We sport our ARP saddle pads and damn they look dandy
We also have parties and challenges galore
The selfie competition when volunteering helps even the scores
Some people are funny in their rain gear when judging
And others post selfies when they’re scribing and not budging
But the RIBBONS! They’re HUGE! They go down to the floor
As for the color of them, it doesn’t really matter any more
For we are the Adult Riders and our bones they may creak
But we have so much fun, both the bold and the meek!
So yes, I am thankful for that much and more
And look out 2019 – We’ll be watching our team scores!

Many thanks to the great Adult Rider Program Coordinator for Area 1 – Suzanne Adams! It’s a
blast and we can’t wait until next year!

Thanksgiving News & Notes from Taylor Harris Insurance Services (THIS)

By on Nov 22, 2018 12:03 am -

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! It’s my favorite holiday, honestly, and I have a few main reasons. One: I think the idea of gratitude is something that we should practice more often. Two: There isn’t the same level of stress as Christmas. Three: stuffing. Four: pie. Five: mashed potatoes with gravy. See? I started out classy but then took a turn towards my real priorities … AKA food.

National Holiday:  Uhhh, duh, it’s Thanksgiving. Also happy 30th birthday to EN founder and publisher John Thier!

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Pine Top Thanksgiving H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

News From Around the Globe:

Germany’s golden girl and WEG Champion Simone Blum added the Fosun Best Athlete Award at the FEI 2018 Awards. Crowned individual world champion and winner of a team bronze medal at the WEG in September, she became the first woman in the 28-year history of the Games and only the second female athlete in 65 years of the World Jumping championship to win individual gold. [Simone Blum Crowned Best Athlete]

Hot on Horse Nation: Horses In The First Snow

This maybe isn’t the right day to talk about rider fitness, but here we are. Laura Crump Anderson has built her life around improving rider fitness, and helping equestrians from all different disciplines understand how to improve their riding through cross training. Her clientele includes NAYC silver medalist Haley Carspecken, Sharon White’s super groom Rachael Livermore, and four-star rider Jan Byyny. Ok, maybe check this out tomorrow when you’re feeling the turkey gravy regret. [Staying Fit Through the Holidays]

One of my absolute favorite things to focus on during the winter is transitions! I know, sounds boring, but seriously you guys, having really excellent transitions will change your life in all three phases. Downwards transitions can be especially challenging for lots of horses and riders, as they actually require a lot more work than just ceasing the previous gait. Check out these incredible tips from Horse & Hound on how to improve your downward transitions before your next training session! [Improve your Downward Transitions]

 

 

 

Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: Meet the 2018 FEI Awards Winners

By on Nov 21, 2018 5:00 pm -

2018 FEI Awards Winners. Photo by FEI/Liz Gregg.

Equestrians were honored last night at the 2018 FEI Awards presented by Longines in Manama, Bahrain. Congratulations to everyone for their well earned recognition for their excellence, commitment, dedication and courage. Let’s meet the winners.

World Champion Simone Blum, who became the first woman in the history of the FEI World Equestrian Games™ to win individual gold, received the Fosun Best Athlete Award.

“I am very proud to be the Fosun best athlete, I think it’s a dream of every rider,” Simone said. “A lot of really good riders got it before and to the people I want to say thank you a lot. It was a pleasure for me and I have the best fans and supporters. Thank you.”

USA’s Lee McKeever took the award for FEI Best Groom. Lee has groomed for McLain Ward for 30 years and shared some of his biggest victories including team gold at WEG in Tryon.

French eventer Victor Levecque received the Longines Rising Star Award. At only 20 years old, he already has a long list of accolades, including with European medals, including two gold medals and five French national champion titles to his name.

Ten years after winning the Rising Star Award, Alex Hua Tian of China, along with Philip Wong, accepted the FEI Solidarity Award for the Horsemanship charity programme in China.

The Against All Odds Award was presented to Leila Malki from Palestine. She is a role model to young women in her country and encourages women and girls to get involved in equestrian sport.

Go Equestrians.

[FEI Awards 2018]

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• Delivers a readily digestible, natural source of calcium and trace minerals necessary for optimal bone development.
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For more information, visit KPPvet.com.

Irish Olympian Joseph Murphy to Headline USEA Area II Annual Meeting

By on Nov 21, 2018 3:33 pm -

Joseph Murphy and Sportsfield Othello at Burghley 2018. Photo by EquusPix Photography.

Area II, the largest and busiest area in the United States Eventing Association, will welcome Irish Olympian Joseph Murphy to speak and teach for attendees at their annual meeting on Saturday, Dec. 1.

This year the meeting will take place in the morning at the Hilton Garden Inn in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, and at Kealani Farm in nearby West Grove in the afternoon to hear and see Joseph’s eventing clinic.

The annual meeting features year-end awards, special commemorations to people who served the area over the year, a luncheon, silent auction fundraiser and door prizes. The 2018 North American Youth Championship CICOY2* gold medal team from Area II — Tayler Stewart, Alexa Lapp, Ryan Keefe and Olivia Dutton — will also be honored.

Meetings for Young Riders, Adult Riders, Organizers and the Area Council will also take place. Many area equine related businesses are supporting the meeting, including Antique Horsology, Maryland Saddlery, Mind-Body-Horse and Kealani Farm. The highly popular silent auction features entries from nearly every Area II event, and you can only bid while at the meeting.

Riders interested in taking part in Joseph’s clinic on Dec. 1-3 can sign up on Event Clinics or contact clinic organizer Jenni Autry at [email protected] for more information. Private lessons are also available. A portion of clinic fees will be donated to the David Foster Injured Riders Fund in support of Jonty Evans’s continued recovery from a traumatic brain injury.

Reservations for the USEA Area II Annual Meeting and luncheon will be taken online at usea2.net up to next Tuesday, Nov. 27. No tickets will be sold at the door. All luncheon/meeting attendees will receive a free ticket to Joseph Murphy’s talk and clinic at Kealani Farm.

For more information, contact Holly Covey, Annual Meeting Chair, at [email protected].

Do You Have A Moment To Talk About Our Blessed Lady Dressage?

By on Nov 21, 2018 1:02 pm -

Photo courtesy of Laura Harris.

“Hallelujah, brother, I am here to comfort the sinner and return the stray lamb to fold!”

As fall blows away, and winter peeks around the bend, the options for riding time dwindles for many of us. My day job, including commute, keeps me from riding when the sun is … anywhere. In fact, I’m not sure I know what the sun looks like, as my closet office has no windows.

The day job makes the horses possible, however. Not just for fun, not just because I love them, which I do wholeheartedly, but because I have goals and dreams. Let me be clear, I have very nagging, fixed, unshakeable goals. Not unlike a very annoying little angel or devil camped out on my shoulder, they don’t like to be ignored or put off and always have my ear and brain. I’m not driven by my goals, I am endlessly pulled by them.

But, being pulled by a goal is far more dedication that being driven by one. It is as mentally exhausting as it sounds. It is a way of life, not a choice. But when I do have to choose? Pulled by a goal means I choose my horse over all else: Her mani/pedi over mine, her nutrition over mine, her wardrobe over mine … you get the idea. (Who am I kidding, I’m a farm girl, I’ve never had a pedicure.) But, pulled by a goal also means doing what you don’t want to so in the future you can do what you want. Too hot? Too cold? Too windy? Well, horses don’t school themselves, now do they?

But here’s the rub. Much like the night, a mare is dark and full of terrors. With the cold, you can bundle up, but a light source is needed to allow the goaltug to continue. Fortunately, I do have one (1) flood light above the barn to use. It glares cock-eyed out into the pasture, casting long shadows on the edges, and peers half-heartedly into the overgrown arena and round pen. But light is light, and even walking can be productive work. Really, I have no excuse. I have lived in colder and wetter. I have all I need to get it done. So, I psyched myself up on the hour drive home. Smile, it’s an adventure!

Now, my lady is very much a quirky sort. I acquired her in a very conscientious rehoming wherein she was not the fit for where she was, and it was not the fit for her. She is bold and opinionated, but quirky is the word that best describes her. She can pass an object 239 times without incident, but that 240th  time, all bets are off. Or perhaps the 513rd time, or 1,867th . She is solid until she’s not. Her work ethic fluctuates like that, like a weakness in her focus. In the past, she has deemed a scary no-go corner in nearly every arena, especially in the night lighting. With some work, she will get over it, but tends to always keep her eye on the opportunity to create drama. Mares love drama … She has what is best described in the dog context as a ‘scoot’, wherein the butt tucks under the body, pushing the front end up, out, and sideways, rather like an imploding mid-launch rocket. Sometimes noises get her attention, sometimes not. All this suffice to say, if you do not keep her entertained, she will find a way to entertain herself. Clever girl.

Photo courtesy of Laura Harris.

Being back at my family’s farm, it was the first time to face the lighting issue again. But then again, as newly dedicated disciples of dressage, we have more important details to worry about. After our routine warm-up of stretching and lateral work at the walk, I figured, WTH. I’ve had a nice long life. Let’s see what happens when I trot. I love a good risk. Deep breath, proper posture and contact, nudge the mare forward and … Success! We were forward, on the aids, with a good connection. She trotted through shadows, into the dark, through the dark, out of the dark, around pasture mates at the fresh hay bale casting long shadows. She listened, she didn’t look; she was too busy. She was dressage-ing. She wasn’t afraid of the night, she owned it.

Dressage has helped our contact and connection. We are able to feel each other, make decisions together, and make corrections. She developed a topline that only comes from proper work. Her new focus allows us to ride into the dark without fear of scoots. Of course our jumping has improved due to the new muscling, but it has also improved as we communicate so clearly in between the sticks. Jumping just happens between the flatwork after all. Dressage has changed my free mare into a freed mare. Her gaits are bigger and more expressive, her balance is better. She likes dressage. Not as much as jumping, but I swear she knows what horsey weightlifting has done for her. For me, it has been similar. It made me go back to the gym to be the best rider I can for my horses. Dressage makes me think about every way I move, or don’t move on my horse. What can I improve? Where should the hooves fall? It has fully brought out my equestricentric Type A personality. In turn, my position, stamina, elasticity, and feel improved.

I’m a believer. A convert. My jumper heart has fully embraced dressage on my conversion to the dark side, eventing. So, forgive me if I proselytize, but I have seen the light! Dressage is beautiful and humbling. Realizing how much I don’t know about it makes me more excited to learn more. I am planning a dressage debut, contemplating medal scores, knowing that dressage is a permanent fixture in my life from here on out. The change in my mare is evidence enough for me. She is round and strong, and fearless … like Wonder Woman. The changes don’t happen overnight, but the changes make for night and day difference. But don’t take my word for it, try it. Not just for a day or a lesson, but give it time with an open mind and educated eye. I guess I should just go ahead and add that DQ behind my name. Now Testify!

Volunteering: Just Do It!

By on Nov 21, 2018 11:00 am -

I took this photograph of this banner at a ballpark in Benton, Louisiana. Photo by Michelle Wadley.

 We eventers are a pretty cool lot. We’re tough and hard-working, but we’re also friendly and fun-loving. And for the most part we love to give back to this insane sport we care so much about. So how come there is such a lack of volunteers?

I know what you’re thinking. “Oh no! Here comes another lecture on the importance of volunteering.” (Reader closes page.) Well, yes and no. Pretty much to the day that I started riding again as an adult, I started volunteering. I saw it as a way to get involved, get to know people, learn the ropes and hang out in the horse world until I was ready to actually compete. My motto then was, “If I can’t compete, then I will volunteer.” Sixteen years, one bad accident, one child, many moves involving job, barn and location changes, and countless crazy situations later, and it is still my motto. So much so that I just spent the weekend volunteering at the horse trials at Texas Rose Horse Park.

Unfortunately for me, this has been yet another one of those seasons where life interfered with my ability to compete. My horse and I were actually ready to get out there and git ‘er done, but some uncertain family health issues have kept me close to home. And it’s hard for me to stay home. I love events! I love the competition, the pretty ponies, hanging out with my horse girls, even staying in hotels. (I know! I’m weird!) But life is life, and family will always come first. But … right about the time family circumstances were stabilizing was right about the time the volunteer coordinator rang me up wanting to know if I was available. I heeded the call and headed down to Lindale, Texas. I’m so glad I did!

Here’s the thing about volunteering: Most shows are desperate not just for volunteers, but for volunteers who have some horse knowledge, better yet, event knowledge. They are super grateful for anyone who can help for any length of time, but they are especially grateful if they know you can handle a spot doing just about any job because you have evented. They will feed you, water you, give you t-shirts (and other swag), drive you around on golf carts, and just basically be extremely kind and forever thankful. It is so worth it!

I started out this weekend on Saturday by filling in for a scribe who couldn’t make it, shifted to being a score runner on cross country (double bonus here because I got a close up look at all the courses since I had to collect jump judge sheets from each jump) and finished up the weekend by being the warm up steward in cross country all day on Sunday. Yes. It was a bit chilly, but I almost didn’t notice. I was having too much fun catching up with trainers and riders I hadn’t seen all season while herding horses in out of the start box and screaming the occasional, “Woo Hoo! Go get ’em!” It was exactly the fuel injection I needed to keep me motivated through the winter into next season. It was so good for my little eventer soul, but here’s the deal: It wasn’t about me. The show needed me! They needed volunteers. The event may have fed my need to be a part of the community I love, but the event needed me just to help keep the show running. And that is truly what this article is all about.

Most events are desperate for volunteers. If they aren’t desperate, chances are they are still in need. It truly takes a village to run a show. They need scribes, and warm up stewards, and score runners and jump judges, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The bigger the event, the more volunteers it requires. I have volunteered since 2010 at the event formerly known as Rolex. That event quite literally requires tens of thousands of volunteers, enough to rival the population of a town in my home state of Arkansas! Stop and really think about that for a second. That’s a lot of folks!

The point is this: Get your butt out there and volunteer! It’s fun! Really! You get to be a social butterfly and an encourager. You get swag! You learn stuff! (Scribing can provide invaluable insight into the mind of a dressage judge.) You get free food! You get to meet new people! It’s fun!

In all seriousness it really can be a blast, and it’s always good for the soul to help out while feeling needed and appreciated at the same time. You don’t have to make an all-weekend commitment like I did. Most shows are so happy to have you, they’ll let you volunteer for a couple of hours, sometimes even ONE hour. They simply need volunteers.

So the next time you are about to complain about something at an event, ask yourself…

And go volunteer.

Go eventing.