Classic Eventing Nation

Friday Video from World Equestrian Brands: Appreciating the Unique Talents of Horses

By on Nov 16, 2018 5:30 pm -

It’s World Horse Appreciation Day, apparently, although I only discovered this a few minutes ago (cheers to the Burghley Instagram page for enlightening me; I feel like a sufficiently dreadful equestrian journalist). Anyway, it made me feel a bit better about the full twenty minutes I spent in the feed shop earlier, debating whether or not it might be a bit much to buy my horse her own advent calendar this year. I’m just appreciating my horse, while she appreciates the (presumably) agonisingly long wait for Santa Claus, and also extra treats.

There’s plenty of reasons to appreciate the horses in our lives: they put up with us attempting to school them, after all, and they often take a hell of a lot of jokes where choosing a stride is concerned. On bad days, they’re a sweet-smelling and nonjudgmental shoulder to cry on, and on good days, they’re our very best partners in crime. Most of all, they teach us something — about riding, or about ourselves, or, at the very least, about failing graciously.

But enough with all the serious stuff. Today, I vote we appreciate horses for their rather more individualised sets of skills. Skills such as…

Weeing elegantly

Offering convenient dismounting options

One Way To Dismount 😂😂

One Way To Dismount 😂😂

Posted by Renault Master Horsebox on Tuesday, November 6, 2018

Accepting others, despite their differences

I forgot to post this picture from the Swedish Warmblood Inspection, in Colts Neck, NJ. Foals are presented with their…

Posted by Hope Hill Tack Shop on Thursday, October 4, 2018

Artistic jumping

Teamwork

(For licensing or usage, contact [email protected])

Funniest. Thing. Ever. 😂


#catridingapony

Posted by Becky Yank on Saturday, December 30, 2017

Early education

 

Today: My first trot up 😍

Posted by Arville Sporthorses on Monday, October 16, 2017

Roof

 

First snow ⛄️ President & Mini Cooper ⛄️ #capitalweather #capitalhorses #af1 #minicooperpony

Posted by Kama Godek LLC on Thursday, November 15, 2018

Has your horse got any, um, unique skills that you’re feeling extra appreciative of today? Drop the story — or, even better, a pic or video — in the comments, and let’s all appreciate these ridiculous creatures together. Go weird horses, and Go Eventing!

Walk (or Fly!) Around the Adelaide CCI4* Course

By on Nov 16, 2018 2:34 pm -

The Gillian Rolton Olympic Memorial fence at #5AB. Photo courtesy of CrossCountryApp.com.

Imagine a four-star cross country course ribboning its way through New York City’s Central Park and, less some skyscrapers, you’ll have a sense of the venue that hosts the Australian International Three-Day Event. Relocated in 1997 to the scenic East Parklands of South Australia’s cosmopolitan capital, Adelaide, the event is quite literally in the middle of the city. Among the Parkland’s gum trees and green expanses there are lakes, playgrounds and cafés, and for one week each November, it becomes a stomping ground for horses as well as people.

An urban cross country oasis. Screenshot via CrossCountryApp.com.

Thousands of spectators are expected to turn out to watch Saturday’s cross country action, and thanks to our friends at Cross Country App we can enjoy a virtual tour of Mike Etherington-Smith’s course. We have a few changes to look forward to this year, including a revamped water jump and a new track back to Stag Corner thanks to a completed road tunnel.

CCI4* dressage leader Katie Taliana, who scored a 31.0 with Trevalgar II, her own 14-year-old British Sport Horse gelding (Fleetwood Opposition x The Wexford Lady, by Fire Blade), says of the 2018 track, “The cross country course is tougher than last year, but she’s going to have to be confident and stick to her plan. Cross country is Trevalgar II’s favorite, so she’s looking forward to it.” See our dressage report here.

Many thanks Mike Etherington-Smith, assistant course designer/CIC3* course designer Sylvia Roberts, and course builder/assistant CCI2* designer Mick Pineo for the commentary. The photos are by Sylvia Roberts and Astrid Jausel, and the videos are by Helen Diacono. The CIC3* and CCI2* courses may also be viewed at Cross Country App.

Bonus! Enjoy this flyover of the course:

Adelaide Links: Website, Dressage Results, XC Order of Go, Schedule, EN’s Coverage

Ocala Jockey Club CCI3* Cross Country Course Preview

By on Nov 16, 2018 11:47 am -

Fence 11ABC – Double Log Drop to Fish. Photo by Jenni Autry.

The Ocala Jockey Club International Three-Day Event added a new CCI3* this year in Reddick, Florida, making it the fifth CCI3* offered in North America this season. Eleven combinations will take on Clayton Fredericks’s track, which is his inaugural CCI3* course as a designer. Mike Etherington-Smith, who designed the CIC3* track for the past two years, served as an advisor to Clayton this year in his freshman effort at this level.

While Ocala is notoriously flat, the Ocala Jockey Club boasts the highest elevation in Marion County. Clayton has maximized every possible bit of terrain to design a course that will test fitness. The footing feels fabulous and the course, built by the one and only Tyson Rementer, is beautifully presented.

The influential Double Corner Combination that caught out 16 pairs in the CIC3* last year is back on the course this year for both the CCI3* and CIC3*. The riders also agree that the Double Brush combination at the end of the CCI3* course will prove challenging. There is plenty to do out there, and the stage is set for a thrilling day of cross country tomorrow.

The CCI3* course has 40 total jumping efforts and 26 numbered fences set across 5,816 meters. The optimum time is 10 minutes. Scroll down for a fence-by-fence preview of the course. You can watch CCI3* cross country live on EN and on EQTV Network at 12:45 p.m. tomorrow. Go Eventing.

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

By the Numbers: Ocala Jockey Club CCI3*

By on Nov 16, 2018 7:00 am -

Ocala Jockey Club has generously moved mountains to offer the east coast a second shot at a fall CCI3*, and the competitors who held out to compete here have been rewarded with some gorgeous weather for the weekend. In contrast, much of the U.S. has gotten snow of some type in the last week (and our thoughts are with California, who has the opposite issue with wildfires). Clearly this event needs to be on everyone’s calendar for next year.

We are down to 11 entries in the CCI3* after Tamie Smith withdrew heavy favorite Mai Baum on Thursday afternoon. Here’s an analytical look at the event and the field! Check out EN’s CIC3* dressage report here.

The stunning Ocala Jockey Club in Reddick, Florida. Photo by Jenni Autry.

The Venue

  • Ocala has only held a CIC3* before; this will be its first iteration of the CCI3*.
  • In two runnings of the CIC3*, the winner was placed no higher than third after dressage.
  • Three starters thus far have managed to finish on their dressage score out of 54 total starters.

Dressage Divas

Kristen Bond and Enough Already. Photo by Jenni Autry.

  • Kristen Bond and Enough Already have been chipping away at the first phase in the horse’s first year at the level after putting in a solid mark of 28.1 in their first run at Carolina. Most recently they equaled that personal best at Morven in the Advanced Championships.
  • Jacob Fletcher has quietly been putting in solid performances on Atlantic Domino all year, scoring in the sub-32 range in three of their five outings since last year. This pair has broken into the 20s back in 2015 when they won the American Eventing Championships with a dressage personal best of 27.6 but haven’t quite cracked that mark since the horse returned to the top levels.
  • Voltaire de Tre has had a solid first year at the level under the tutelage of Leslie Law, with an average score of 32.6. Although they’ve flirted with scores above 70%, they’ve only cracked the mark once, in an Advanced division at The Fork earlier this spring.

Cross Country Machines

Erin Sylvester and Paddy the Caddy. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

  • Paddy the Caddy can certainly push the clock under Erin Sylvester; in three starts at the CCI3/4* level, he’s finished inside the time in two of them, while clocking in only eight seconds over in the third.
  • Atlantic Domino is a speedster at this level, who up until his most recent starts had never finished more than 10 seconds over optimum with a clear round under Jacob Fletcher. Although his pace slowed considerably in the last two starts, he can generally be depended on to finish within 10 seconds of the fastest pace of the day.

Show Jumping Powerhouses

Jacob Fletcher and Atlantic Domino. Photo by Jenni Autry.

  • Jacob Fletcher and Atlantic Domino are one of the strongest pairs at the final phase; overall they’ve jumped clear in 10 of their 13 show jumping rounds at the level and they’ve never had a rail in five rounds when stadium was last, including two previous CCI3* completions.
  • Leslie Law and Voltaire de Tre have jumped clear in seven of nine rounds at the level, all this year. In five results where cross country was first, they’ve had only one rail down in total.
  • Erin Sylvester also has a strong record with Paddy the Caddy, clocking in seven of eight clear rounds when cross country is before stadium, including two CCI3* completions. However, they’ve had one rail in three of their four rounds this year, leaving the door open on the final day for others.

PREDICTED WINNER: Erin Sylvester and Paddy the Caddy

Erin Sylvester and Paddy the Caddy. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

Keep Your Eye On:

  • Jacob Fletcher and Atlantic Domino
  • Leslie Law and Voltaire de Tre
  • Lauren Kieffer and Paramount Importance

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

Australian Ladies Get in Formation Atop Adelaide Dressage Leaderboard

By on Nov 16, 2018 6:54 am -

Katie Taliana and Trevalgar II. Photo courtesy of the Australian International Three-Day Event.

One and a third point separate the top three after the Australian International Three-Day Event’s dressage phase. Leading the way are Katie Taliana and Trevalgar II, her own 14-year-old British Sport Horse gelding (Fleetwood Opposition x The Wexford Lady, by Fire Blade), on a score of 31.0.

“He is amazing,” Katie says. “He is such a good boy and will do anything I ask of him. He’s been a bit tricky over the last 12 months, but he was back to his normal self today.”

2018 marks this pair’s second crack at the Adelaide CCI4*, having finished in the top 10 last year. The 31-year-old Aussie has been hard at work at it since then, having been named to Equestrian Australia’s Generation Next High Performance Eventing Squad and securing a couple top finishes at the three-star level. While working for Zara Phillips in the UK several years ago, Katie purchased the horse for £1,000 and later brought him back to Australia, developing him from the one-star level forward.

Asked how she feels about sitting in the top position after day one, Katie says, “I’m a bit excited — I’m stoked actually! The first time I came here, I really wanted to do well in the dressage and I came fourth. This year he has just gotten better and better, and I’m really excited.”

Looking ahead to cross country, she says, “The cross country course is tougher than last year, but she’s going to have to be confident and stick to her plan. Cross country is Trevalgar II’s favorite, so she’s looking forward to it.”

In second place on a score of 31.5 is another Aussie lady, Emma Bishop, with CP Issey Miyake, her own 10-year-old Australian bred Thoroughbred/warmblood cross mare (Staccato x Isabella Rossellini). Named after a brand of perfume (stable name: “Rose”), this is her first outing at the four-star level.

Emma is also a member of the EA Generation Next High Performance Eventing Squad. She first competed at Adelaide in 2002 when it was a three-star and won the Adelaide CCI2* in 2017 on Warrego Marco Polo. Her last Adelaide CCI4* outing was 10 years ago in 2008, and we’re happy to see her back at the tip-top of the game.

Rounding out the top three on a 32.3 is Lauren Brown with Skys Da Limit, and off-track Thoroughbred gelding (Hurricane Sky x Our Cutey, by Carry A Smile).

Lauren says the horse had a checkered past before hitting his stride as an eventer. “He was skinny and useless as a race horse,” she says. “He came 25 lengths last in his first trial and just got worse from there. But I just had a connection with him — it has never happened with any other horse, but I thought, he is going to be good. Everyone thought I was crazy as he was skinny and out of proportion, but I knew he was going to be good.”

We’ll be back later today with a preview of Mike Etherington-Smith’s cross country track, which winds through the picturesque East Parklands.

[Fresh faces in Top 3 after Day 1 of the CCI4*]

Top 10 After Dressage: 

Adelaide Links: Website, Dressage Results, XC Order of Go, Schedule

Friday News & Notes from SmartPak

By on Nov 16, 2018 12:03 am -

“Take this photo and title it ‘Mother Mucker.'” As seen on the Humans of Eventing Facebook page. 

If you haven’t been to the Humans of Eventing Facebook page yet, you’re missing out. A play on the very popular blog and photography project Humans of New York, it features frequent hilarious and heartwarming photos of riders, horses, dads, moms, dogs, volunteers, grooms, and everyone in between. These are the kinds of photos that remind us why we love eventing, and show us the wonderful backstage of our sport.

National Holiday: National Fast Food Day

Major Weekend Events:

Ocala Jockey Club CIC & CCI: Website, Entry Status, Schedule, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Fresno County Horse Park H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

News From Around the Globe:

Um, did you see Ingrid Klimke win the Stuttgart German Masters this week? If you missed this video, I’m bringing it to your attention again because holy cow is she the master. She made it look so incredibly easy, and I assure you that it wasn’t. Her pure training abilities continue to astonish me. [Queen Ingrid Wins Stuttgart]

The Mystic Valley Hunt Club Horse Trials runs once yearly at the end of May in Gales Ferry, Connecticut (Area I), offering Starter through Training/Novice level horse trials with combined tests at the Beginner Novice, Novice and Training level. Mystic Valley Hunt Club is a year-round boarding and training facility that hosts dressage and hunter/jumper shows, horse trials, and summer camps. [USEA Events A-Z: Mystic Valley Hunt Club]

Does your horse get strong while on cross country or excited for jumping phases? Four star rider Coral Keen gives some advice to a Horse & Hound forum user who has some troubles keeping her Welsh cross horse taking off with her while in a variety of situations. [Help! My Horse Gets Strong!]

Tis the season to … receive totally weird horse gifts from your non horsey friends and family! Let’s face it, when they don’t know what to get you, because they don’t understand your lifestyle, they just get you something weird with a horse on it. What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever received from a well meaning but mistaken friend or family member? [Let’s Discuss: Horse Nation]

Video of the leader of the CIC3* courtesy of The Horse Pesterer

Thursday Video from Nupafeed: The Stuttgart Side Show

By on Nov 15, 2018 4:51 pm -

Stuttgart German Masters is a massive, multi-discipline event. In addition to eventing (check out our report from last night’s indoor eventing derby class here), the competition features FEI World Cup dressage, show jumping, driving AND a heaping side dish of equestrian entertainment ranging from a massive expo to exhibition acts and nightly DJ parties.

I can’t 100% decipher what is going on in these exhibitions from thus far at Stuttgart 2018, but certainly it’s interesting — keep your eyes peeled for lederhosen!

Go Eventing.

Stuttgart German Masters: Website, Livestream, Results

Liz Halliday-Sharp Shoots to Top of Ocala Jockey Club CIC3* Leaderboard

By on Nov 15, 2018 4:38 pm -

Liz Halliday-Sharp and Fernhill By Night. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Liz Halliday-Sharp and Deborah Halliday’s Fernhill By Night scored 27.7 to lead the Ocala Jockey Club International Three-Day Event CIC3* at the conclusion of dressage here in Reddick, Florida.

This is the first competition back in the U.S. for “Blackie,” a 15-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, after spending the summer based in England with the rest of Liz’s string. Her horses arrived at her winter base, Horsepower Equestrian in Ocala, on Nov. 4 for the winter season, and Liz said Blackie is in flying form following the trip overseas.

“We did our typical no warm-up and got him as hot as possible, and he did drop me a little bit in the ring and was very lazy like he can be, but it was still a fairly tidy test,” Liz said. “He did go in and try, and he’s feeling really well and really excited to be at the party — that’s where we want him whenever we’re at a show like this.”

Liz has run a lighter competition schedule with Blackie this year to keep him feeling his best as he gets older, and she said the strategy has really paid off — “that makes him fresh when he comes to the party.”

Liz is on the hunt for redemption at Ocala this year after her bid to win the CIC3* went awry last year. After leading with Blackie following the first two phases, the influential corner combination caught them out on cross country. The corners are back on Mike Etherington-Smith’s course this year for both the CIC3* and the new CCI3* — stay tuned for EN’s full course preview.

“We’re lucky to have such a great cross country course at our place, so he’s had a bit of a tune-up over there,” Liz said. “I think the ground should be perfect. Every year this event gets better. It’s like a mini European event, and we always try to make sure we can be here.”

Phillip Dutton and Fernhill Fugitive. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Phillip Dutton won the CIC3* at the Ocala Jockey Club last year with Z and has two rides in the division this year. He is sitting second after dressage on 29.9 with Fernhill Fugitive, a 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Phillip competed to the CCI4* level and rode on the gold medal 2015 Pan American Games team.

After the horse’s owners, Tom Tierney and Annie Jones, decided to retire “Jack” from the upper levels last year, he spent time competing with Tom’s daughter, Caitlin, at the Preliminary and Intermediate levels. With Caitlin’s college schedule giving her limited time to compete, they ultimately decided to sell Jack, and Phillip got the ride back temporarily.

Phillip confirmed Jack was sold to Michael Willham this week, and Michael still wanted him to compete the horse in the CIC3*. “I’m a big fan of the event and the footing and the course, so I’m excited to be able to go around it twice. We are excited for Michael and wish him all the best going forward with Jack.”

Felix Vogg and Colero. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Felix Vogg and Jürgen Vogg’s Colero, a 10-year-old Westphalian gelding, round out the top three in the CIC3* after dressage on 30.8. This is the horse’s first competition back since representing Switzerland at the 2018 World Equestrian Games at Tryon.

Liz Halliday-Sharp has two rides in the top five in the CIC3*, with The Deniro Syndicate’s Deniro Z sitting in fourth place on 31.9. Liz confirmed “Niro,” a 10-year-old KWPN gelding, will not run cross country, but she wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to run a combined test at such a world-class event.

Jon Holling and Team Rebecca’s Avoca Druid scored 32.4 to round out the top five after dressage. “Avocado,” a 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, stepped up to the CIC3* level at Stable View last month and is making his second CIC3* appearance this weekend.

Doug Payne and Starr Witness. Photo by Jenni Autry.

The first half of the CCI2* also did dressage today, and Doug Payne leads with Starr Witness on 29.6. “Gin,” a 7-year-old KWPN mare Doug owns with Catherine Winter and Laurie McRee, finished ninth in her first CIC2* at Stable View last month and is making her CCI2* debut here at the Ocala Jockey Club.

Leslie Law and Beatrice Rey-Herme’s JKF Vogue scored 29.7 to sit in second place in the horse’s CCI2* debut. Gabrielle Ruane and Lismakeera Brewski sit third on 29.9.

Looking to the CCI*, Maya Black and Laurie Cameron’s Miks Master C lead on 27.7 after the first half of the 71-horse field went down centerline today. Waylon Roberts and Aletta Martin’s Wil Celtic Charlie sit in second on 27.7. Liz Halliday-Sharp and Pru Dawes’s Flash Cooley and Andrew McConnon and Elizabeth Aboody’s Ballyorney Mullach Abu are tied for third on 28.1.

Click here to view full scores in all divisions after dressage.

The second day of dressage kicks off tomorrow at 9 a.m. for both the CCI2* and CCI*. CCI3* dressage starts at 1 p.m. and will stream live here on EN and on EQTV Network. The full competition schedule for the event is on the front page of the event website. Click here for dressage start times.

We are down to 11 entries in the CCI3* after Tamie Smith withdrew heavy favorite Mai Baum this afternoon. “He is just not quite right after getting a close nail after being shod. We have been working diligently with a superior team, but I feel like it just isn’t in the cards. It is so disappointing to have made such a huge effort to come all of this way for it not to go to plan. Unfortunately, the stars are just not aligning and it is in his best interest to save him for another day.”

Stay tuned for much more from #OJC3DE. Go Eventing.

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

‘150 Seconds of Pure Fun’: Ingrid Klimke Bests Indoor Derby at Stuttgart German Masters

By on Nov 15, 2018 11:00 am -

Photo courtesy of Stuttgart German Masters.

Quick thinking and fast feet are the name of the game when it comes to indoor eventing, and nowhere is the competition speedier than at the Stuttgart German Masters. Top event riders from seven different countries contested yesterday evening’s class before a roaring crowd of 7,500 spectators, marking the start of the European indoor season. The final rider to enter the arena, Germany’s Ingrid Klimke, stepped on the petrol with just a smidge more conviction than anyone else to walk away with the top prize.

Tryon double world champion Ros Canter of Great Britain had the edge up until the very end, riding her own three-star horse Las Vegas, a 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding (Glock’s Lightning x M-Salome, by Chamonix). But Ingrid and Parmenides, a 14-year-old Trakehner gelding (Sir Chamberlain x Praedestina, by Habicht) owned by his breeders Marion and Eric Gottschalk, stopped the clock a fraction of a second sooner to win. 2018 marks the second time Ingrid has taken the title, the other being in 2012.

Photo courtesy of Stuttgart German Masters.

Not unlike Ingrid, who just two weeks ago swept two top-three finishes in Grand Prix dressage classes and regularly holds her own in high-level show jumping competition, Parmenides is an equine jack-of-all-trades. The horse has been with Ingrid since the age of 4, excelling in young horse competition and eventually eventing through the three-star level. After an injury and subsequent retirement from eventing, the horse has spent his past couple years as a show jumper. The pair has competed through the Grand Prix level, even cracking the 6’5″ mark in six-bar competition, and have shined in indoor eventing as well which naturally combines the horses’ two talents.

Both horse and rider seemed to be having a blast on the Stuttgart course. “I’m so happy,” says Ingrid. “That was 150 seconds of pure fun today. It’s such a joy to ride here — the support you get from the crowd is incredible.”

Photo courtesy of Stuttgart German Masters.

Rounding out the top three, just a couple seconds behind Ros, was New Zealander Jesse Campbell riding his own two-star mount Diachello, an 8-year-old Holsteiner gelding (Diarado x Visser Cholin, by Chello I). Germany’s Dorothee Schmid was fourth with Nikko Brown, a 9-year-old Thoroughbred (Rakti x Our Nickers, by Ali Royal) owned by Ellen Schmid. Brazil’s Marcio Carvalho Jorge was fifth with JCR Winner, a 10-year-old gelding (Winter VDL x Jcr Quiqueta, by Quidam) owned by Bruno de Godoy Ribeiro.

Less than five seconds separated the top five finishers.

We were excited to see Britain-based American Tiana Coudray paired up with her London Olympic mount Ringwood Magister, now 17 years young, and the pair looked on form before “Finn” pulled up lame after negotiating the triple. The horse was attended to by veterinarians and Tiana reports that he is OK and has been cleared for travel home.

“Sadly Finian sustained a soft tissue injury tonight,” she updated via Facebook. “He was having a fantastic round, jumping and galloping amazingly, and most importantly, he was having the time of his life. The vets gave him the very best attention immediately in the arena and thankfully he is now resting comfortably back in his stable.”

You can rewatch the Stuttgart livestream here. Here’s a replay of Ingrid’s winning round:

Ingrid Klimke gewinnt mit Parmenides das Indoor Derby

Unglaublich! Was eine Stimmung🙌🏻
Ingrid Klimke gewinnt mit Parmenides das Indoor Derby bei den Stuttgart German Masters 2018!😍
▶️Watch.clipmyhorse.tv/StuttgartGermanMasters2018

Posted by ClipMyHorse.TV Deutschland on Wednesday, November 14, 2018

[Last to Go But First in the End: Second Home Win for Ingrid Klimke Ahead of Double World Champ Rosalind Canter]

Stuttgart German Masters: Website, Livestream, Results

Adelaide 2018 to Celebrate Life of Australian Eventing Icon Gillian Rolton

By on Nov 15, 2018 8:00 am -

Gillian Rolton and Peppermint Grove. Photo courtesy of the Australian International Three-Day Event.

On cross country day of the 2017 Australian International Three-Day Event in Adelaide, Gillian Rolton passed away at the age of 61 following a battle with cancer. On the one-year anniversary of her loss, this year’s event aims to honor the memory of this Olympic dual gold medalist and former Adelaide event director.

Gillian, the first Australian woman to win Olympic and world championship equestrian events, is remembered as a trailblazer whose tenacity  sparked interest amongst a generation of riders in Australia and worldwide.

“Gillian was an inspiration to so many people across the world and has had such a huge impact on the Australian International Three-Day Event,” says Adelaide event director Belinda Lindh. “In honour of her impact and love for the Aus3DE, we will be celebrating her life throughout the event.”

Tributes include the establishment of fence #5AB on the CCI4* cross country course, the Gillian Rolton Olympic Memorial Fence; a tribute luncheon on Friday with fellow Olympians Rachael Sport, Julliet Haslam and Wendy Schaeffer, who will speak to Gill’s role as a pioneer of women in sport; and a fundraiser created by Gillian’s husband Greg of “Peppermint Fred” plush toys, which will be sold throughout the event to benefit Cancer Council SA. Peppermint Fred is a nod to Gillian’s beloved dual Olympic gold medal winning partner Peppermint Grove, whose stable name was Fred.

Gillian’s favorite discipline was always the cross country phase, reflected by the Gillian Rolton Olympic Memorial fence at #5AB in Victoria Park. Photo courtesy of CrossCountryApp.com.

“Gill has left a lasting legacy in Adelaide’s Australian International Three-Day Event, and she will be fondly remembered for her tenacity and dedication towards all that she did. She would have loved ‘Peppermint Fred’ and would have been proud to see cancer research being supported this way at the Aus3DE,” Belinda says.

Prior to serving as Adelaide’s event director for a decade, Gillian competed in two Olympic Games, at Barcelona in 1992 and Atlanta in 1996. She helped Australia to team gold at both Games riding Peppermint Grove. Her first gold at Barcelona was a milestone in Australian eventing as she became the first Aussie female to medal at any Olympic Games or World Championships. Memorably, in the 1996 Games, she broke her collarbone and ribs when Peppermint Grove fell cross country but remounted and completed the course.

Gillian was a member of the Equestrian Australia Hall of Fame, in 2000 was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame, and was one of eight flag bearers at the opening ceremony of the 20000 Sydney Olympics. After retiring from competition, her dedication to the sport continued as a coach and official, serving on the ground jury at the 2012 London Olympics and heading the jury at the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Normandy. She has also been active as the EFA National Young Eventing Rider Squad coach as well as an Australian eventing team selector.

Michael Jung accepts his ribbon from Gillian Rolton at Luhmühlen 2014. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Gillian had been battling endometrial cancer for the past two years. When the cancer was discovered to be terminal two months prior to the 2017 Australian International 3DE in September 2017, she was admitted to the hospital and continued her work on the organization of the event from her hospital bed. We were all glad to see that she lived to see the event successfully and happily underway.

We thank Gillian for all of her contributions to the sport. Go Eventing.

[Anniversary of a legend’s passing — a tribute to Gillian Rolton’s life achievements and vision]

 

Adelaide Links: Website, Entries, Schedule, Start Lists & Scoring, EN’s Coverage