Classic Eventing Nation

Live Stream Replays: Relive All the Action from Ocala Jockey Club

By on Nov 19, 2018 1:00 pm -

Karen O’Connor and EN’s own Jenni Autry on the mic on cross country day at Ocala Jockey Club. Photo courtesy of Jenni Autry.

Didn’t have time to watch the Ocala Jockey Club International Three-Day Event in realtime over the weekend? No worries — while you might know how the story ends, it’s still a thrilling one to watch. And, #protip, watching a live stream out of the corner of your eye makes for great pre-Thanksgiving multitasking. I know I’m not the only eventer out there who always has a laptop open on the counter while cooking! Just don’t burn the pumpkin pie because you got distracted by the cross country action, m’kay?

All three phases of the CCI3* were live streamed on EQTV Network, as well as cross country and show jumping for the CCI2* and CCI*. You can watch live at this link and right here on EN. All replays are also on Facebook.

We’ve been proud to have EN’s own Jenni Autry doing commentary on a number of event live streams this year. The girl is a straight-up encyclopedia of the sport and its players, and she’s always got something smart and perceptive to say. At Ocala Jockey Club she shared the mic with a number of expert co-hosts — Karen O’Connor, Sinead Halpin, Lynn Symansky, Laine Ashker and Danny Warrington. And of course you can read her EN coverage of the event here.

CCI3* Dressage

CCI3* Cross Country

CCI3* Show Jumping

Go Eventing.

#OJC3DE Links: Website, Live Scores, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

How to Follow the 2018 FEI General Assembly + Eventing Updates

By on Nov 19, 2018 11:00 am -

After a season of thrill-a-minute event live streams, following the FEI General Assembly in real time might seem like a drag. But you just never know what sort of madness the FEI thinktank will cook up when you gather them up from all round the world and stuff them into a room together (who can forget their proposed rebranding of eventing to “equestrian triathlon,” “equestrathon” or “tri-equathlon” in 2015) …

… so it’s best to keep a close eye on their proceedings. We appreciate that they make that easy via transparent coverage, including a live stream of the sessions and rolling online updates.

This 2018 General Assembly takes place on Tuesday, Nov. 20 at the Gulf Hotel in Manama, the capital of Bahrain often mistaken for this Muppets song. You can watch it live from 9 a.m. local time, which shakes out to 1 a.m. EST, right here or via the FEI website … or not and just catch up via the live blog or sit tight for EN’s breakdown later in the day.

This go-round the FEI Bureau is on fire already, on Saturday acknowledging that the seven-discipline World Equestrian Games format might need to get scrapped since literally nobody wants to host the next one in 2022, and agreeing to open a bidding process for individual world championships in all divisions. See EN’s report on that here.

An outline of this year’s agenda can be viewed here. FEI officials have actually already been at it for three days with regional group meetings, bureau meetings, dressage judging and rules sessions, and a number of lunch buffets and poolside dinners. The 2018 Awards Gala, presented by Longines, takes place at on Tuesday evening.

A synopsis of  main decisions thus far can be viewed here. Those which pertain to eventing:

  • The Olympic Eventing test event (CCI3*-S) will be held at the Tokyo 2020 venues Aug. 10-12, 2019.
  • The Chair of the Eventing Committee provided an update to the Bureau on the latest developments and ongoing progress of the FEI Eventing Risk management program, including the development of predictive analysis tools for risk management. The improved quality of the information being analyzed will be further enhanced when the online reporting is introduced for officials at FEI Events.
  • The Bureau approved the rules for the Event Rider Masters (ERM) 2019 series and the 2019 TriStar Eventing Grand Slam. The approval of the 2019 Eventing Nations Cup calendar was postponed to the second Bureau meeting after the General Assembly. The Bureau agreed to a gradual implementation of the Eventing Committees’ rule proposal of increasing the prize money for the Eventing Nations Cup for 2020.
  • Geoff Sinclair (AUS) was appointed as a member of the FEI Eventing Committee for the four-year term 2018-2022 replacing the outgoing member Patricia Clifton (GBR).

FEI Ordinary General Assembly 2018 – Morning Session

FEI Ordinary General Assembly 2018 – Afternoon Session

Go Eventing.

Weekend Winners: Ocala Jockey Club, Fresno County Horse Park

By on Nov 19, 2018 9:00 am -

It would take you 37 hours to drive non-stop from one of this weekend’s U.S. horse trials to the other, which were separated by over 2,500 miles. The eventing spirit was alive on both coasts, with Ocala Jockey Club International H.T. wrapping up the 2018 FEI season in Florida and Fresno County Horse Park H.T. giving it a last hurrah for the year on the West Coast.

Before we recognize this week’s blue ribbon winners, joining us in high-fiving Tamie Smith and Ruth Bley’s Danito, our lowest scoring finishers in the country this weekend. The pair topped the CCI* division at Ocala Jockey Club on their dressage score of 22.6.

And now, your weekend winners!

Ocala Jockey Club International H.T.: Website, Results, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram
CCI*: Tamra Smith & Danito (22.6)
CCI2*: Alexander O’Neal & Fury H (29.5)
CCI3*: Katherine Coleman & Monte Classico (39.5)
CIC3*: Liz Halliday-Sharp & Fernhill By Night (30.0)

Fresno County Horse Park H.T.: Website, Results
Open Intermediate: Andrea Baxter & Enfinity (37.9)
Open Preliminary: Lauren Billys & Caletina (30.5)
Preliminary Rider: Meg Pellegrini & RF Eloquence (29.0)
Open Training: Lisa Sabo & Aida (34.9)
Sr. Training Rider: Haley Abbett & Csongor (34.0)
Y.R. Training Rider: Avery Hughes & Bijou (34.6)
Jr. Novice Rider: Hailey Dahlstrom & Stetson (31.2)
Open Novice: Erin Serafini & Bellatrix L’Strange (29.1)
Sr. Novice Rider: Hailey Tyra & Good Friday (34.8)
Jr. Beg. Novice Rider: Sophia Merz & Bird Is The Word (29.0)
Open Beg. Novice: Toora Nolan & Ironman (29.3)
Sr. Beg. Novice Rider: Adrienne Blair & Monkey Business (37.3)
Jr. Introductory Rider: Lyndsey Januszewski & Philly Slew (37.8)
Open Introductory: MaryBeth Young & Sweet William (29.2)
Sr. Introductory Rider: Dori Anderson & Sportsfield Condi (32.2)

Congrats to all. Go Eventing!

Monday News and Notes from Fleeceworks

By on Nov 19, 2018 12:24 am -

Is it ever too early to get into the Christmas spirit? Nah. But let’s all take a second and admire the fact that Lainey Ashker’s lipstick matches her bowtie. We expect no less. Happy holidays!

National Holiday: Equal Opportunity Day

Major Weekend Events:

Ocala Jockey Club: Website, Results, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

U.S. Weekend Action:

Fresno County Horse Park H.T. [Website] [Results]

Monday News and Notes:

Eventer Mackenzie Rollins and the team at Mill Creek Equestrian Center in Topanga, Calif. were faced with evacuating 70 horses due to raging wildfires. Jane Arrasmith Duggan was in Kentucky at the USDF Finals while the barn she works out of, Ironhorse Ranch, burned down. These riders and many others have stayed strong in the wake of tragedy thanks in large part to the support of their community. [‘It Restores Your Faith In Humanity’: How Equestrians Showed Up For California Wildfire Evacuees]

Erm, okay. I know horses do dumb stuff. But eating wire? Apparently that’s a thing. An action once considered a death sentence, researchers now say that if caught early and treated surgically, horses who ingest wire could survive the ordeal. The question I suppose then is, how do you stop a horse who ate wire from doing it again? [Surgery Can Save Horses That Eat Wire]

Sarah goes to the barn, loves on her horse, grooms him, picks his feet, sits down to enjoy a lunchtime sandwich while watching her horse graze in the field. But wait! Sarah forgot to wash her hands. Does she care? Nope. Have you probably done the same? Yep. [Girl Picks Out Horse’s Hooves…]

It’s the thick of foxhunting season, and while we all like to think the winter months will be full of tallyhos, stirrup cups and hearty post-hunt breakfast (arguably my favorite part), inevitably foxchasers experience a few, err, inconveniences as penance for playing hooky to go hunt on a Thursday morning. [7 Problems We All Encounter Hunting]

The Horse Radio Network Radiothon is one week away. Tune in on Monday Nov. 26 from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. EST. You can listen live here  or on the free Horse Radio Network Phone App — just search Horse Radio Network in the IOS or Google Play store. Call in for a chance to win over $4,000 in Prizes on Radiothon Day: 435-272-1997. [HRN Radiothon]

Monday Video: Looking for something else fun to do this winter ?

Horse racing, on skis, on a frozen lake

Horse racing on skis. On a frozen lake. http://cnn.it/2mfEQy2

Posted by CNN International on Thursday, February 23, 2017

Coleman, O’Neal and Smith Crowned Ocala Jockey Club CCI Winners

By on Nov 18, 2018 9:12 pm -

Katherine Coleman and Monte Classic. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Katherine Coleman clinched the first three-star win of her career today aboard Monte Classico in his own debut at the CCI3* level here at the Ocala Jockey Club International Three-Day Event, leaving all the poles in the cups and adding 5.0 time penalties today to top the leaderboard on 39.5.

Katherine has produced “Monte,” a 9-year-old German Sport Horse gelding (Monte Bellini X W-Sally, by Saami xx) she owns, from a 6-year-old after he was originally sourced through Bettina Hoy in Germany. While she had originally considered taking him to Boekelo for his first CCI3*, she opted to wait until she returned to the U.S. for the winter season.”

“I could not be happier with this horse. This season he’s consistently showing up in every phase, and I think he’s a horse of a lifetime and I’m grateful to have the ride on him,” Katherine said. “He’s a pleasure to ride, and he really jumps. He moved up to three-star this season and he hasn’t had a pole all season. That’s a really nice feeling going into a phase like this, especially when you don’t have a rail in hand.”

Erin Sylvester and Frank McEntee’s Paddy the Caddy, an 11-year-old Irish Thoroughbred gelding (Azamore x Slamy), have yet to add a rail to their CCI show jumping record, jumping clear with just 1.0 time penalty to move up and finish second on a final score of 44.8.

Lauren Kieffer and Jacqueline Mars’s Paramount Importance, an 11-year-old Holsteiner (Pasco X Gesche II, by Louis) owned by Jacqueline Mars, had two rails down in their first CCI3* as a combination to finish in third place on 45.1.

Only two pairs delivered clear rounds inside the time on Chris Barnard’s CCI3* show jumping course: Leslie Law with Voltaire de Tre and Jacob Fletcher with Atlantic Domino. You can rewatch all the action on EQTV Network’s Facebook page and catch up on all the live scoring here.

Alex O’Neal and Fury H. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Looking to the CCI2*, Alex O’Neal and Fury H, an 8-year-old KWPN gelding owned by Sally Cox, delivered a clear show jumping round to take a wire-to-wire victory in the CCI2* — his first win at the level.

“I thought he felt really fresh. He gave the jumps a few taps, but he really tried in there. It was a great feeling. I thought he would jump clear all the way,” Alex said. “It’s definitely the biggest win I’ve had, and to do it at home five minutes from my house with my family here is really incredible.

“And with my wife (Ellie) here — she picked the horse and produced him, so I feel really lucky that she’s helped me bring him along after she decided she was willing to give me a shot at him. She’s helped me come a lot way with him. I’ve learned a lot from her.”

Alex said “Marvin” will now enjoy a long break, and then he plans to spend the rest of the winter season honing their show jumping in preparation for a move up to the Advanced level next year.

“I think he’s ready — on cross country he’s a machine. My show jumping coach, Richard Picken, has helped me a lot with that horse. I’ll keep ticking away with him and get him up to the next level. Richard has been a huge change in my riding in the last year. He’s just a great coach and a great supporter, so I feel really confident with him in the warm-up.”

Doug Payne and Starr Witness, a 7-year-old KWPN mare Doug owns with Catherine Winter and Laurie McRee, jumped a super clear round in the mare’s CCI2* debut to finish in second place on a score of 29.6.

Allie Knowles and Casarino, an 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by Katherine O’Brien, also delivered a clear round to move up to third place in the CCI2* on a final score of 30.6.

Looking to the CCI*, Tamie Smith and Ruth Bley’s Danito also jumped clear to take a wire-to-wire win on their dressage score of 22.6. Liz Halliday-Sharp and Pru Dawes’s Gorsehill Cooley finished second on 26.9. Will Zuschlag and Quintana K jumped a lovely clear to finish third on 27.2.

You can rewatch SO MUCH OF THE ACTION on the EQTV Network Facebook page, so we strongly recommend clicking over there immediately. We had an absolutely fabulous competition here in Florida this weekend, and we sincerely thank everyone who followed along with our coverage this weekend. Go Eventing.

#OJC3DE Links: Website, Live Scores, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

Redemption Is Sweet: Liz Halliday-Sharp Takes Ocala Jockey Club CIC3* Win

By on Nov 18, 2018 6:52 pm -

Liz Halliday-Sharp and Fernhill By Night. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Liz Halliday-Sharp and Fernhill By Night led after the first two phases in the CIC3* at the Ocala Jockey Club International Three-Day Event last year before a runout on cross country stymied their chance at taking the win. She returned one year later to seal the deal, leading wire-to-wire in a decisive victory and adding just 2.8 time penalties on cross country to win on 30.0.

“I was nearly more nervous here than I have been at all the events that I’ve done with him in Europe, which were probably collectively harder courses throughout,” Liz said. “I suppose having a mistake last year, and being back home again — it’s hard to go out when you’re in the lead.”

Liz clinched the first CIC3* win of her career today and her 19th career international win. It is also the first season in which “Blackie,” a 15-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by her lovely mother Deborah Halliday, has finished the year without a cross country jumping penalty.

“Blackie has been amazing this season. He’s really been brilliant everywhere he’s been. I kept thinking to myself, ‘he’s done a lot of hard questions this year, and he’s good enough to do this.’ He was absolutely fantastic through all the tough questions like the corners and the angled hedges. He got a little bit tired and sleepy toward the end because he hasn’t run in 12 weeks,” Liz said.

“I had not-our-best jump into the last water, which is untypical for him, but I think a year ago he wouldn’t have even fought for me there, and he actually just kept going and got it done. The horse deserves this. We’ve had a long time together and he’s never won a three-star, so this is his time to win. I’m very happy for him.”

Jon Holling and Avoca Druid. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Jon Holling and Team Rebecca’s Avoca Druid were on their own redemption trail after the horse’s CIC3* debut at Stable View last month, when the 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding picked up 40 jumping penalties on cross country.

“Avocado” — can we all agree that’s the best stable name ever for a horse? — was foot perfect all weekend in his second attempt at the level, adding just 4.8 time penalties on cross country today to finish in second place on 37.2.

(We also have to send a special shoutout to Jon and his fabulous wife Jenn, who are celebrating their wedding anniversary today — cheers, you two!)

Jacob Fletcher had a day of highs and lows, falling from Van Gough on cross country but battling back with Bacardi W to rise up from 11th place after dressage and finish third on a final score of 41.6. Bacardi W, a 12-year-old KWPN gelding owned by Fletcher Farms, delivered the fastest round of the day, adding just 2.4 time penalties.

Jacob Fletcher and Bacardi W. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Phillip Dutton finished both of his rides in the top five. Fernhill Singapore, owned by Sue and Shawn Foley, Tom Tierney and Annie Jones, had a steady run in his CIC3* debut, adding 13.2 time penalties to finish fourth on on 46.7. Fernhill Fugitive, who has been sold to Michael Willham and had one last hurrah with his former rider, added 9.2 time penalties to finish fifth on 47.1.

No pairs caught the optimum time of 6 minutes, 42 seconds on Clayton Fredericks’s CIC3* cross country, which caused its fair share of trouble. There were two more rider falls in the division, with Joe Meyer parting ways with Buccaneer and Grace Fulton also falling from Wild Orange. No major injuries were reported.

Click here to view final scores in the CIC3*. You can watch a live stream of the CIC3* clubhouse water complex below courtesy of R.N.S. Video:

Click here to catch up on all of EN’s coverage from #OJC3DE. Go Eventing.

#OJC3DE Links: Website, Live Scores, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

Sunday Video from Total Saddle Fit: OCJ CIC3* Clubhouse Water Complex

By on Nov 18, 2018 2:40 pm -

It’s been a marathon weekend at the Ocala Jockey Club with CCI*, CCI2* CCI3* and CIC3* divisions all running. While the three-day competitors show jumped today, the CIC3* riders left the start box for cross country, and RNS Video streamed it live. Liz Halliday-Sharp sealed the deal on a wire-to-wire win with Fernhill By Night. We will have a full report later today, but in the meantime relive the action from the Clubhouse water complex!

Specifically for eventers, the StretchTec Shoulder Relief Girth now comes in two shades of brown to match monoflap jump saddles! Let your horse move more freely and breathe easier by using the same girth as Tamra Smith. See them all here: totalsaddlefit.com

Best of HN: In Defense of the Square Cooler

By on Nov 18, 2018 12:30 pm -

BELGIANS IN BATHROBES. That’s all. Photo by Kristen Kovatch

Not too long ago I was trawling my Facebook timeline (as you do) and saw someone hating on that barn staple, the square cooler. “No one uses those anymore,” sneered this individual, insinuating that somehow, the square cooler had become retro and outdated, set aside as the trend-seekers turn their attention to the next big thing (fitted coolers? Dress sheets? I have no idea what the cool kids are doing these days).

As someone who wouldn’t know what’s trending if it flew by and hit her in the face, let me tell you that at least as far as my barn is considered, the square cooler is king. This is a hill I will gladly die on, defending these oversize fleecey monsters until they’re pried from my cold fingers.

1. One size fits all.

Why would anyone turn down the opportunity to buy a few giant coolers that fit literally all of their horses, rather than sizing individual fitted fleece sheets for every horse? I also realize that not every equestrian has small horses and drafts co-mingling together in one happy pasture, and this may not be as big of an issue, but for goons like me who need to have one in every size, I can’t beat a blanket rack draped with square coolers ready to go just an arm’s length away when someone needs to dry off and warm up.

2. They cover the entire horse.

The point of a cooler is to allow a horse to dry while preventing him from getting chilled… right? So what on earth is the point of leaving the neck uncovered, steaming away on a cold day? Yeah, okay, I have a fitted fleece sheet to use on those days where it’s not quite warm enough to air-dry after a bath but the horse isn’t steaming into the atmosphere… but if I’m trying to dry off a sweaty horse or warm up a chilled one who’s been outside in the cold rain, I obviously want to cover as much of the horse as possible.

3. They wash easy.

As far as smuggling it home into my home washer so that my husband won’t notice, you can’t beat a square cooler with its subtle nylon tie straps — there are no metal buckles to clank and clatter like a rock polisher as they turn endlessly over and over again in the machine. In a world in which literally every other thing with horses has to be complicated, isn’t it nice to embrace one simplicity?

4. They’re versatile as heck.

If you haven’t worn a square cooler as a hooded cape at least once in your life, are you even an equestrian? I’ve wrapped them around me at cold indoor horse shows in the dead of winter; I’ve worn them as lap robes while driving my draft horses. While hacking out bareback on our 27-year-old senior horse in the snow last winter, I definitely wore it like a giant quarter sheet-cum-dress, and while I’m not saying it was the safest thing in the world, it also made me feel like Lady Stark of Winterfell as I ambled around the pasture and some things are worth it.

I might look slightly like No Face from Spirited Away but whatever, it was cold out. Photo by Chloe Petry

Square coolers, don’t ever let anyone dim your shine. Go riding!

All Horses Accepted at Ocala Jockey Club CCI Final Inspection

By on Nov 18, 2018 9:54 am -

CCI2* leaders Alex O’Neal and Fury H. Photo by Jenni Autry.

All pairs that presented in the CCI3*, CCI2* and CCI* at the final horse inspection were accepted this morning at the Ocala Jockey Club International Three-Day Event here in Reddick, Florida.

Laura VanderVliet’s CCI* mount Lady Colina was the only horse sent to the holding box during the inspection and was accepted after re-presenting.

Nilson Moreira Da Silva withdrew RF Nouveau Riche from the CCI* prior to the inspection. Briggs Surratt did not present Bright Water in the CCI2*. Alexis Helffrich did not present London Town in the CCI3*.

Show jumping starts at 10:30 a.m. EST with the CCI*, followed by the CCI3* at 1:30 p.m. and the CCI2* at 2:30 p.m. All show jumping will stream live here on EN and on EQTV Network’s Facebook page.

#OJC3DE Links: Website, Live Scores, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

Watch the Ocala Jockey Club CCI Live Stream + Replays

By on Nov 18, 2018 9:52 am -

 

CIC3* Clubhouse Water:

Action is underway the Ocala Jockey Club International Three-Day Event in Reddick, Florida. EN is on the grounds to bring you wall-to-wall coverage, and we also have the scoop on the live stream.

All three phases of the CCI3* will be live streamed on EQTV Network, as well as cross country and show jumping for the CCI2* and CCI*. You can watch live at this link and right here on EN. The live stream and all replays are also on Facebook.

Friday, Nov. 16
1-3 p.m. EST: CCI3* dressage

Saturday, Nov. 17
8:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. EST: CCI* cross country
12:55-1:33 p.m. EST: CCI3* cross country
2:10-4:10 p.m. CCI2* cross country

Sunday, Nov. 18

10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. EST: CCI* show jumping
1:30-1:56 p.m. EST: CCI3* show jumping
2:26-3:52 p.m. EST: CCI2* show jumping

#OJC3DE Links: Website, Live Scores, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram