Hello, Eventing Nation! We’re kicking off this Monday by celebrating our Weekend Winners! We saw horses and riders out and about at Majestic Oaks, Texas Rose, and Full Gallop this weekend, and want to give a shout out to so many successful outings!
Congrats to all of our Weekend Winners, with a special shout out to the winner of our Unofficial Low Score Award, Caitlin O’Roark and Just Ducky, who scored a 21.4 in the Open Novice B at Majestic Oaks.
Open Preliminary: Jessica Phoenix and Tugce (24.8)
Preliminary Rider: Ella Spiers and Mission Complete (31.0)
Open Modified A: Selena O’Hanlon and Kilbunny Kanyou (28.8)
Open Modified B: Cindy Rawson and Fourfields Classek (22.6)
Open Training A: Hannah Hawkins and FE Unico (24.8)
Open Training B: Gabby Dickerson and Top Love (22.9)
Training Rider A: Emma Petrick and Hawthornstud Futures Bright (29.1)
Training Rider B: Emerson Padgett and MSH Giant Jac’ka (29.1)
Novice Rider A: Angie Yates and Donastar (28.1)
Novice Rider B: Liz Kast and Luftmann MWF (25.3)
Open Novice A: Elizabeth Swire and Apollo Creed (24.7)
Open Novice B: Caitlin O’Roark and Just Ducky (21.4)
Open Novice C: Abigail Mazzatta and V Power AF Z (23.6)
Beginner Novice Rider A: Lilly Dudley and Guggenheim (22.2)
Beginner Novice Rider B: Mary Bancroft and CharmKing (23.3)
Open Beginner Novice A: Cassandre Leblanc and Tiny Turbo (26.9)
Open Beginner Novice B: Madeline Backus and P.S. Sir Balinor (28.8)
Starter-Intro A: Wendy Williams and P.S. King of Hearts (26.0)
Starter-Intro B: Cathy Rotola and BKP Nick Of Time (26.3)
Open Intermediate: Ashley Hays and Cajun Quality (46.0)
Open Preliminary: Lauren Hoover and Monbeg Capricorn (39.9)
Open Modified: Camryn Chung and Carlos Santana (26.8)
Junior Training Rider: Hanna Enderlin and Buccaneer (34.4)
Open Training: Julie Wolfert and Xkuz (30.8)
Senior Training Rider: Kristi Boyd and Fenway (42.4)
Junior Novice Rider: Sarah Jackson and WHF Wangari (26.4)
Open Novice: Sarah Dawson and KIZMET (26.7)
Senior Novice Rider: Leah Cairns and Trip to Cairo (34.4)
Junior Beginner Novice Rider: Emma Crowell and Irish Jig Dancer (28.8)
Open Beginner Novice: Stephanie Martin and Sigrid’s Song (28.2)
Senior Beginner Novice Rider: Brenda Sheets and Inigo ENF (26.8)
Starter A: Donna Struke and Singing in the Wind (27.3)
Starter B: Kimberly Stafford and Charmed Night HU (23.7)
Tadpole: Eva Seargeant and Jarrito (32.7)
Preliminary: Maria Dedic and Castlefield Capri (120.0)
Modified: Larkyn Hendren and Castle’s Boy (39.4)
Training: Lucienne Bellissimo and Hermine (29.2)
Novice A: Heather Sinclair and About Time Too (30.0)
Novice B: Kristen Smith and Trident (26.7)
Training/Novice: Cheryl Morris and Swing Hard (26.4)
Beginner Novice A: Lisa Durham and Lucero (25.0)
Beginner Novice B: Jessica Schultz and Take Me To Jimmy (24.7)
Pre-Starter: Ember Heckrotte-Lyons and Holly (35.7)
Starter: Erin Furler and Shadow of Night (29.7)
Caroline Powell and Greenacres Special Cavalier. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.
It’s a big week in eventing land as we’re getting a glimpse at entries for the first two CCI5* events in the northern hemisphere at Defender Kentucky and MARS Badminton. Of course, we also have Adelaide sandwiched in between the two as the second 5* of the 2025 calendar (and we’re very excited to be sending a reporter down under for the first time in EN history this year! More on that soon).
MARS Badminton is the first entry list to drop, and we’ve got a strong field of 86 competitors representing 14 nations who’ve put their entry forward.
Emily King and Valmy Biats. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.
Featuring on the list are our 2024 Badminton winners, Caroline Powell (NZL) and Greenacres Special Cavalier as well as several other pairs that hit the top ten in last year’s running: Lucy Latta (IRL) and RCA Patron Saint finished second in their 5* debut last year, Emily King (GBR) will bring back Valmy Biats to repeat or improve on their fourth-place finish in 2024, Jonelle Price (NZL) returns with 2024 sixth-place finisher Grappa Nera, as does her husband, Tim, with 2024 eighth-place finisher Vitali, as well as Tom Rowland (GBR) and seventh-place finisher Dreamliner and Bubby Upton (GBR) with her top talent, Cola.
We’ve also got entries from Oliver Townend (GBR) and 2024 MARS Maryland 5 Star winner Ballaghmor Class, who is 18 this year but Oliver intimated last fall that he didn’t feel “Thomas” was ready to step down just yet. Oliver has also entered his 2024 Defender Kentucky winner, Cooley Rosalent, who ended her 2024 season with a top-20 finish at the very soggy Pau in southern France.
Alex Hua Tian and Jilsonne van Bareelhof. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Several smaller federations are also represented at Badminton this year, including two entries for China with Alex Hua Tian‘s Chicko as well as his most recent Olympic horse, Jilsonne Van Bareelhof, with whom he finished in the top 25 individually in Paris last summer. Japan is sending forward one entry in Tokyo Olympians Ryuzo Kitajima and Feroza Nieuwmoed, who were in the top 15 at Burghley last fall. Portugal is represented by Paris Olympian Manuel Grave and Carat de Bremoy, whose Olympic effort came to an unfortunate early end with a fall on cross country that saw Manual go home with some injuries to nurse (Carat de Bremoy was uninjured). Lithuania is anchored by longtime 5* competitor Aistis Vitkauskas and Commander VG.
Jennie Brannigan and FE Lifestyle. Photo by Sally Spickard.
For the North American-based riders, we have a handful of entries from the U.S. on the docket in Jennie Brannigan and FE Lifestyle, UK-based Americans Grace Taylor and Game Changer and Tiana Coudray with Cancaras Girl, and U.S.-based Kiwi Joe Mayer with Harbin.
Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo. Photo by Hannah Cole Photography.
Two of the three Paris Olympic team gold medalist horses for Great Britain feature on the list in Tom McEwen‘s JL Dublin as well as Ros Canter‘s Lordships Graffalo. We’ve heard Laura Collett is aiming London 52 for Luhmühlen (Germany) in June (come on Laura, we want a London 52 sighting stateside!!), but she is still well-represented on the Badminton list with her two up-and-comers, Hester and Bling.
We do know that some of the combinations listed on the Badminton entries have also entered Kentucky as an option, so this list is certain to shift a bit as we get closer to the event’s start date of May 7. Once Defender Kentucky entries are revealed, we’ll know a bit more about which pairs we can expect to see at which 5*.
Of course, this preview only scratches the surface of the full list, so be sure to check out the full roster as it stands now here. Stay tuned for much more coming your way right here on EN, your go-to source for 5* info!
EN’s coverage of MARS Badminton is supported by Kentucky Performance Products. To learn more about Kentucky Performance Products’ science-backed nutritional support products, click here.
Stuart Buntine shows the adjustment window on one of his new frangible fences.
“You wouldn’t necessarily look at this and think it’s frangible, would you?” asks Stuart Buntine, director of event organisation company BEDE Events. He’s gesturing to a wide, particularly solid-looking table, which will be placed out on course for next week’s Thoresby Spring Carnival of Eventing, BEDE’s crown jewel event. And he’s not wrong – though frangible tables are a relatively new addition to eventing’s stable of safety technology, they’re generally recognisable by their visible mechanisms and those distinctive red MIM clips that make the whole thing function.
Here, though, is a table that looks, well, like a table – and it’s not until you get much closer, and perhaps down onto your knees in the grass, that you’ll spot a little window through which you can see (and, more importantly, access) the MIM. That window is crucial: it’ll allow fence judges, who’ve been briefed on how exactly to wiggle a MIM to work out if a hard knock has weakened it, to do exactly that between horses, avoiding – as much as is possible, anyway – the ‘soft knocks’ and preventable activations that keep some competitors on the fence about this kind of technology.
So that’s phase one of Stuart’s plan: the aesthetics of safety.
“I would love to get back to traditional cross-country fences,” he confesses. “There’s some stuff I did with Mats last year that I’d love to do with natural rails, bent rails, twisted rails. We’ve nearly got them approved now. It always comes back to this: if you can build a fence, can you make it frangible? [Our ethos is] let’s try, and then we know if we can use it as a frangible or not.”
Mats – tall, smiley, and Swedish – is Mats Björnetun, the man behind the MIMS. He founded MIM Construction AB in 1986 with the automotive industry in mind; for years, he and his team created innovative products to keep people safer behind the wheel of a car. But eventing was never far from his mind, thanks to a keen interest in the sport that saw him join organising committees in his home country throughout the 90s.
Bringing safety technology, his area of expertise, to eventing, his area of interest, was a slow process, though, and it wasn’t until 2013 that the MIM clip was approved for use by the FEI, adding an extra dimension of risk-avoidance to the extant frangible pin, which had been in use on post-and-rail fences since 2002. Where frangible pins break only under vertical force, MIM clips can be activated from either vertical or horizontal impact. Both ultimately aim to do the same thing: in each use case, the deformable part of the fence will collapse under significant force, which allows for a disruption to the trajectory of a horse’s fall, allowing them to get a front leg out in front of them and stabilise themselves or, at the very least, twist in mid-air into a less injurious tumble. Either option is significantly more desirable than a true rotational fall, in which an unimpeded trajectory sees a horse’s momentum channeled into flipping it in mid-air so that it lands directly on its back, often with the rider directly beneath it and taking the full brunt of the fall.
In true rotational falls, much existing safety technology doesn’t stand a chance. Air jackets, which can provide crucial additional shock absorption in many types of falls, are reliant on a split-second moment in which the rider is separated from the saddle, which pulls the activation cord and inflates the vest. In a true rotational fall, the rider doesn’t leave the saddle at all, and is left with minimal physical defenses from the impact of 500+ kilograms of horse, plus the cruelty of inertia. The statistics around rotational falls make for grim reading: in most rider fatalities, this type of fall trajectory is the culprit, and in 1999, British Eventing’s annus horribilis, four of the five riders who lost their lives did so as the result of a rotational. But, more hearteningly, in the twelve years since the introduction of MIM technology, the number of rotational falls is in decline: in 2011, two years pre-MIM, 0.2% of starters suffered a rotational fall. In 2022, that figure went down to 0.07%, effectively making it three times less likely that a rider would have one.
The work is, of course, not even close to done, and life-changing accidents are still all-too common in eventing. While MIM clips are an increasingly common site on upper-level courses now – most airy oxers and corners will have them, with the latter sporting more sensitive yellow MIMs, introduced in 2017 – there’s still a wide swathe of fence types that aren’t collapsible.
But after the introduction of the collapsible table, which we’ve seen in action at both the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event and the MARS Badminton Horse Trials, an awful lot more innovation started to look possible. As Stuart introduces us to his new fence designs, all of which will be used at Thoresby, there’s at least one moment in which the obviousness of it all smacks us in the face: of course we could make this collapsible. Why didn’t we just try?
The underside of the hanging log fence.
His new-design fences, cooked up after plenty of time in the workshop with Mats, include a solid arrowhead, a roll-top, a sheep-feeder and, perhaps most poignantly, a hanging log, which looks formidable and untouched, but if you crawl underneath it, you’ll see that it’s completely hollowed out.
“It’s a quick job for a sawmill to do, once they’ve worked it out,” says Stuart. Effectively, the hollowing removes 50% of the log’s weight, making the physics of the horse vs fence dilemma work much more in the horse’s favour. Then, like any frangible fence, it’ll lower – the magic number, Mats tells us, is just a 20cm deformation in order to positively alter a horse’s trajectory – and, with any luck, save a life.
Its addition to the roster of MIM-equipped fences is poignant because among our small group of event organisers and journalists are Jo Williams and Debbie Strang, sister and mother, respectively, of the late Georgie Campbell. It was just in May of last year that Georgie tragically lost her life in a cross-country accident at Bicton Horse Trials, jumping just this kind of fence: a sturdy hanging log into the water, over which she and her horse had a slow rotational. The fence wasn’t frangible; at the time, no fences of this type were or ever had been, and much of the ‘old guard’ response to whether it should have been came down to a singular idea, and one that has, perhaps, been the rope around modern eventing’s neck: that just isn’t something that’s done.
Now, though, it is. By October, a frangible trakehner design had been created, tested, and approved, and was in use at the Aspen Cooling Osberton International Horse Trials, another BEDE event under Stuart’s leadership and utilising his course design skills. This kind of innovation and refusal to stick to what’s always been done is something that Georgie’s family has taken an active interest in supporting.
“In the aftermath of Georgie’s death, we started looking at how we could create a foundation in her name,” says Jo, who now helms the fledgling Georgie Campbell Foundation. “Initially, we started looking at how we could support people starting eventing businesses, and that was probably the comfortable thing to look into in those early days. Probably, we’d parked the safety question because it was a bit too painful to go there, but it’s evolved over time, and it makes a lot of sense for us to align Georgie’s story and that personal element with a push towards increased frangibles and reduced rotational falls.”
Now, as the Foundation submits its Charity Commission application and prepares to evolve from its embryonic early stages, supporting safety technology initiatives is very much part of its model. That’s no small feat: for now, Jo explains, she’s navigating the complexities of the sport’s global and national governing bodies and having conversations with other families in similar positions, including the Meheust family, whose daughter, Thaïs, died in 2019 at the age of 22. The Ride for Thaïs charity now focuses solely on fundraising for safety technology.
In researching the loose ends in safety innovation, Jo has stumbled upon a lack of cohesion between groups and countries that, if addressed, could allow for greater combined efforts to improve safety statistics across the sport.
“I personally think there’s lots of great things going on across the world in this space, but maybe they’re not as joined up as they could be at the moment,” she says. “The University of Kentucky has done a whole study in the US; there are different things going on in different countries. But it feels to me that we need to pull together so that the investment in those things can be shared globally.”
“Something I’ve definitely seen in my professional life,” she continues, “is that what gets measured, gets done. And how compelling it is to have a goal. So for me, it feels like it needs all that detail, and kind of a roadmap, or a baseline to flesh out around where we are right now. How many fences have frangibles? Where do we want to get to? What does success look like? Which types of fences, which types of events – we want to reach out to the GCF audience to ask for funds, but we want to be really clear about where that money is going, and how it could help.”
For now, it’s clear that much of that kind of forward thinking is happening in two workshops – one in Sweden, and one in the UK. Over on Scandinavian shores, Mats comes up with his own ideas, which he can then show to Stuart, who either moves ahead with them or decides to go in a different direction. Equally, he’s used to picking up the phone to his friend and co-conspirator, who rings him with thoughts and ideas – a back-and-forth of ‘what ifs’ and prototypes. It was that back-and-forth that led to the development of what Stuart calls ‘the parallelogram’ – “that might not actually be the correct word,” he says with the grin of someone who may have skipped a high school geometry class or two to ride horses – a MIM-driven foldable structure that allows these new, more complex designs to safely deploy.
The parallelogram before being deployed…
…and after.
Then, with the parallelogram perfected, course builders Will Seely and Chris Eaton were able to get on with building their own prototypes, bringing ideas from across the board to life and discovering what works and what might need to wait for the next innovative design.
“We said, ‘how can we do something different?’,” says Chris. “Stuart wanted to make a bit of a triple brush, but without the brush, and he said, ‘can we do that?’ He came to me and said, ‘right, I’ve been thinking about this overnight,’ and he got a Christmas card he’d been about to throw away, and he chopped one corner, chopped another corner, and said, ‘this is it – this is what I want.’ I was like… ‘yeah, right!’ He showed me how he wanted it to fall, and I thought, ‘not quite, Stuart!’ Will was away that weekend, and he came back to find the card on the Monday, and we both said, ‘this won’t work for XYZ reasons.’”
The collapsible arrowhead proved a challenge — but a conquerable one.
But when they came back to the parallelogram as a chassis, and figured out how to make the weights work out, there it was: a functional fence that looked as solid as Stuart had hoped, but still successfully deformed upon impact.
One of the biggest challenges, beyond accommodating the more traditional aesthetics, was ensuring that the system of having a chassis underneath and the bulk of the fence on top didn’t create an open space into which a horse’s leg could slide. But ultimately, says Chris, adding in additional panels and getting the balance right “just came down to moving forwards and back until you hit the sweet spot where you can do it. Now that we’ve figured out how to do all these different designs, we can cut the build time down from a day and a half to getting in in the morning and having it done by two in the afternoon.”
In the above video, Chris and Will demonstrate the activation and rebuild of a frangible table. Please note that these fences were not secured into the ground as they will be when used in competition — this set-up was purely for demonstrative purposes.
Thoresby, which runs international classes from CCI2*-S to CCI4*-S, and national classes from Novice to Advanced, will have frangible-heavy courses across the board next week – and Stuart is aware that that won’t necessarily be something that every competitor is happy about.
But, he says, “if we can make the sport safer, why would we not?”
Thoresby’s courses will also feature plenty of more familiar frangibles, such as this wishing well fence.
He will, he expects, learn plenty from watching his new fences in action, and plans to review footage of each of them in the aftermath of the event. He’s aware, too, of some of the associated risks – like, for example, what might happen in the event a horse banks a frangible table, which we saw happen without incident at Badminton in 2023, but which could, in theory, create a fall where one may not otherwise have happened. Ultimately, though, he stands by his primary ethos: that the push for a safer sport must be continual and ongoing, and must never stagnate.
““I had a conversation with a course designer the other day and I said, ‘my head’s in a noose – if I get it wrong, I’ll take the flack.’ But I’m prepared to do it, because I think we’ve got to move the discussion on. We will get better. All the time, I’m talking to Mats, saying ‘yes, but… let’s push back on what’s accepted today – can we challenge that to get it better?’ You’re never going to eliminate risk. Whatever we do, when we gallop a horse across country, there’s always risk. We’ve got to reduce rotational falls, because that is where the big risk is. The question is, every time we build a fence: can we do something here? What can we do?”
“If I can compare it with anything, it’s a car airbag in the steering wheel,” says Mats. “It saves three lives; it kills one. But that’s a 300% net effect, and we have to look at the net effect. It comes down to figures in the end. Can we stand with the figures? Because then we can stand with the whole project.”
Where there are frangibles, there’s also, inevitably, the question of the 11 penalties awarded for an activation – penalties that are not currently appealable, though many riders would prefer to see a more subjective view taken on them in the case of soft activations. For now, though, Stuart’s view is that scoring decisions have to reflect the limitations of developing nations – and if 11 penalties is the price to pay for the avoidance of a life-changing accident, then all things considered, we’ll all make do and adapt.
“The big thing to remember is that here in Britain, yes, we have a standard that we run to. But out in Bangladesh, for example – how do you make sure you have all the videos [at events with fewer resources]? So it’s been discussed a lot, and we always keep coming back to this: if it goes, it goes, and it’s 11 penalties. That’s ultimately where we are right now. The big question is, are we better to ask the riders to just take a little pull and take [a frangible fence] a little more carefully, or not?”
Where we are right now, though, might not be where we are in twelve months, or twenty-four, or thirty-six. And that, concludes Stuart, is no bad thing.
“This is a step on the road. It’s very much not the end result. But the more people that push barriers and expand upon ideas, the better.”
Episode 3 of The Go Eventing Podcast is coming your way TOMORROW! This episode features Aussie 5* rider (and regular EN contributor!) Ema Klugman, and you’ll hear an in-depth recap of Carolina International, a preview of the next batch of 4*-S prep events, all about ownership and syndication options, and much more!
Don’t forget to subscribe/follow us on your favorite podcast platform or here on our main podcast hub.
U.S. Weekend Results
March H.T. at Majestic Oaks (FL): [Website] [Scores]
Full Gallop Farm March II H.T. (SC): [Website] [Scores]
News & Reading
British rider Olivia Roberts is back eventing and feeling strong after suffering multiple spinal fractures, multiple broken ribs, and collapsed lungs in a cross country fall last summer in which her horse, who was uninjured, fell on her. Prior to this accident, she had never so much as broken a bone. “What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger” rings true for this brave young girl, and you can read all about her comeback here.
We toss around the word “mindset” often, but sport psychologist Daniel Stewart warns that mindset can steer us in all sorts of directions — and not all of them are useful. If you’re looking to “chart your own” mindset course, look no further than Coach Stewart’s latest “Pressure Proof” column.
Moving the lens over to show jumping for a moment, Team USA’s horses and riders secured their first-ever Longines League of Nations qualifier win on Saturday night at the World Equestrian Center – Ocala. Featuring two Paris Olympians (and one Paris horse), the thrilling competition came down to the final ride, which was none other than team stalwart Mclain Ward and his Paris partner, Ilex. Read more about how it went down and where the U.S. stands in this year-long global competition here.
This article came out last year, but since we hear Belgian Olympian Lara de Liedekerke-Meier may be making a trip stateside to Kentucky this spring, we thought this article all about eventing breeding and a very special mare to be worth a reshare.
Video Break
Stuart Buntine and Jo Williams, sister of Georgie Campbell and organiser of the Georgie Campbell Foundation, talk about the importance of on-going safety initiatives and thinking outside ‘the box’ in frangible fence design
Three cheers for eventing season being well underway! This week, we anticipate the potential of both Kentucky and Badminton entries being revealed at long last, and there’s plenty of action to follow along with all over the globe. Where are you out and about this weekend?
A new live stream option for eventing is hitting the airwaves in 2025! Galway Downs in southern California will be the first event livestreamed on Equestrian+, which will host a free livestream (membership/subscription is required for on-demand viewing) of the CCI3*-S and CCI4*-S divisions at the Galway March International Horse Trials March 27-30. Commentators for the stream will be Frankie Thieriot Stutes and Spencer Sturmey. Be sure to tune in live! Click here for more information.
Looking for a hassle-free way to help your horse post-performance? Check out the Equilibrium Hotspot Mitt. Offering targeted heat and vibration to stimulate blood flow to sore muscles, It is the perfect addition to your therapeutics routine.
Video Break
Ride around the CCI4*-S track at Carolina with Elisa Wallace and Lissavorra Quality:
It’s time for a fresh new edition of Who Jumped It Best? coming your way from Ram Tap in California! Ram Tap ran an Advanced division earlier this month, and this small but mighty field has given us plenty of decisions to make as we hand out the EN karma award of who tackled this this rolltop table in the best form. Many thanks to Sherry Stewart for providing the images!
You know the drill: cast your vote in the poll at the bottom of this post. Eternal EN karma to the winner! Good luck to all and Go Eventing.
James Alliston and Karma. Photo by Sherry Stewart.
Tamie Smith and Carlingfords He’s a Clover. Photo by Sherry Stewart.
Sophie Click and Tarantino 54. Photo by Sherry Stewart.
Helen Alliston and Call Me Rudi. Photo by Sherry Stewart.
Coach Abed sits beside one of the schools horses. Photo: Malek Shaheen
There are few sports as internationally loved as equestrian sports. Sure, the type of saddle might vary depending on what continent you live on: something sturdy and traditional for reining or working equitation, or something modern and sleek, for show jumping, polo and cross country. Across the globe, a community might prefer a heavier and stockier horse for the colder climate or slender and smaller horse in warmer climates. But no matter where on the globe an equestrian might hail from, the love and appreciation for the horse is a constant.
It makes sense then, that equestrians would also have a deep appreciation for those whose entire life is dedicated to teaching us about horses: the coaches. The coaches that teach our children good horsemanship. The coaches that believe in them. The coaches that wake up at 5am everyday to demonstrate that loving horses sits at the intersection of grit, commitment and compassion. Lots of compassion.
This is the story of how a small riding academy in the heart of Gaza City, Palestine, became a unifying force for compassionate equestrians around the globe.
The Aljawad Riding Club is…was… a children’s riding center much like the Pony Club Centers in the United Kingdom and the USA. The school offered structured lessons in show jumping and certifications for horse care knowledge, as well as horse nutrition and anatomy. This was balanced with thoughtfully coordinated horsey birthday parties, graduation celebrations, cultural gatherings and even holiday dinners.
The small facility had a constant presence of children everywhere: hanging out in the in the barn stables, laughing on the colorful playground and running about the blue pickle ball court. Not just the “horse crazy” kids though, but their siblings too, all mixed together, some playing in their tall boots and others in their sneakers. All sharing the simple joy of just being near horses and outdoors.
A young student looks up towards Coach Abed smiling while they await to hear the results of their schooling show. Photo: Ahmed Alreefi
In addition to offering lessons to more than 300 students, the school hosted the first ever FEI-sanctioned event in Gaza and was coordinating equine-facilitated therapy sessions with local medical nonprofits. Despite restrictions on equine vaccines and the heavy limitations on potable water imposed by Israel, this club and its passionate staff of 20 employees and 36 horses had become a thriving outdoor oasis for families of all sizes.
In February of 2024, five months after the failed Israeli – Palestinian hostage exchange of October 10th, I got in contact with the general manager of this unique riding school, a young man named Ahmed who had evacuated toTurkey. I learned that he had done everything he could to continue to care for the school’s 36 horses as the aggression on Gaza City progressed.
That is, until an Israeli tank blocked the entrance to the farm and would not allow anyone to approach the animals.
I learned that Ahmed and I had many things in common: we had both held down two jobs to keep horses in our lives, we both were raising toddlers, and of course, we both admitted to spending obscene amounts of time reading about horses.
What we didn’t have in common is that one of us had treated horses for shrapnel wounds and then narrowly escaped the bombing of their own home. As the daughter of immigrants to the U.S. myself, I could sympathize with being in a completely new place, but I had never had to care for my horse as bombs fell around me, much less evacuated with only the clothes on my back.
By May 2024, our weekly conversations included Ahmed sharing memories of the horses at the riding school and day dreams of what type of equine facilitated horse therapy the school might offer the thousands of traumatized child amputees in Gaza one day. Soon, we were fundraising to help his small family get on their feet in Turkey so that he could one day return to Gaza to rebuild what had been destroyed. We wrote an article and got it published! I was full of hope.
Coach Abed organizing a large meal to share with children in Northern Gaza who were sometimes eating once a day, per Amnesty International.
Until one day he came to me with dire news: his head trainer, Coach Abed Diab, was still in Gaza and had been severely injured.
Coach Abed was a beloved staff member and dedicated horseman. His family home had been partially destroyed by a missile. Ahmed shared with me that Coach Abed was now struggling with mobility from shrapnel that was lodged in his foot.
Perhaps it is the compassion that comes with being a horse person that I mentioned before – or the way the barn family can resemble a herd – which means everyone matters and no one is left behind, but it was clear that Coach Abed was a part of Ahmed’s herd because he jumped into action faster than a Thoroughbred leaving the start box.
Ahmed began to use his connections back home in Gaza to coordinate a way to get Coach Abed medical attention and later found someone else to bring him food. I felt useless by comparison but began to gather photos and set up a GoFundMe so that my family and friends here could lend a hand.
After that, the unexpected happened. People who had read the article published on The Chronicle of the Horse began to reach out to help.
Equestrians from Canada eagerly designed printable flyers that encouraged people to sell their unwanted tack and donate the proceeds. Others began to create content for social media to help direct people to Coach Abed’s fundraiser. Western riders. English Riders. Serious trainers and first-time horse owners.
Soon, his GoFundMe link was being viewed in Haiti, South Africa, Germany, Egypt and Qatar.
An equestrian illustrator donated their artwork to bring smiles to the students and remaining Alwajad Club staff. Those drawings were then made into commemoration t-shirts and used to fundraise further. People began to buy them as gifts for one another and talk to each other about this special place and the people that worked there. Money began to come in and things were looking hopeful again.
Coach Abed was slowly healing. We had even raised enough funds to obtain an old bicycle for him that would allow him to fetch water with more ease. At one point, Coach Abed joyfully sent us back photos of the soup line he coordinated to feed the starving children in his neighborhood with a portion of the funds we had sent him. Despite his dire condition, he was sharing the little he had.
Coach Abed holds Queer, a 7year old bay thoroughbred. Photo: Ahmed Alreefi
And then Ahmed got more terrible news.
Coach Abed’s home had been lit on fire by a group of bored Israeli soldiers while he slept. Coach Abed survived, but had suffered burns to his upper body and an injury to his eye.
So we sprung into action again. An equestrian jewelry maker contacted us and offered to design beautiful pins in the shape of a horse head that could be worn on a show coat to express solidarity. Other equestrians reached out to help mail the items. I shared poetry at my county forum for Human Rights and shared his story at community events.
Equestrians in California, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Iowa, Texas and South Carolina helped promote a raffle to win a Keffiyeh (a distinct scarf that is often worn in Palestine in either red or black and white). Over in Turkey, Ahmed continued to try to find people in Gaza who could help care for Coach Abed since all of the hospitals were severely understaffed and had not seen a delivery of medical supplies in months.
Finally after much effort, Coach Abed was recovering. He was underweight of course, which was delaying his recovery. He had limited access to clean water and was eating the only food being permitted into Gaza at that time: about 245 calories per person per day or about half a can of black beans per day. That’s half a flake of hay per day in relation to horses. And still, he was determined to survive.
In early December, Ahmed got a distressing call: people in Coach Abed’s neighborhood were being rounded up and forcibly disappeared. Coach Abed was one of them. Hearing this was like that time a stallion kicked me square on the spine and left me breathless. I didn’t know what we would do or what would happen next.
Image of Tack Sale Fundraiser Flyer. Photo: Martha Figueroa
As the world rallied behind demands of freedom for prominent figures that had also been taken, such as Dr.Abu Safiya, I sat wondering how we could possibly be helpful to one humble Palestinian horseman.
Ahmed had the answer: we would keep caring for the herd. The rest of the herd: Coach Abed’s wife and three small children, all under age 10, who were still counting on us.
So we expanded our circle further. A dressage trainer in the U.S. gave us a platform on her podcast. Shortly after, a positive reinforcement trainer and animal behaviour consultant in Canada invited us to her podcast as well. Then, an equestrian author illustrated a poster for the cause: an image of a small donkey wearing a Palestinian flag and carrying a basket full of fresh fruits and vegetables, encouraging contributions to a “virtual food drive”. Donations began to trickle in once more as people learned that a riding coach had been taken and that his young family was fighting to stay alive.
With Ahmed leading the way, creative and multi-talented equestrians from across the globe have come together to continue these fundraising efforts.
To date, the fundraiser has collected more than $8,000 USD and until this irreplaceable member of the Aljawad Riding Club family is free, we remain committed to making sure that his wife and children are not forgotten.
We know that soon enough, he will be reunited with them. We know that soon enough, the riding school will be rebuilt. And soon enough, we will find him back in the arena under a bright blue sky, teaching children a little bit about horses, grit, and compassion.
Author’s Note:
Since the writing of this article…
Coach Abed has been released along with 622 other Palestinian hostages in Israeli custody. On February 26th, 2025, he and others (primarily professors, poets, medical personnel, nurses and children), were a part of the last group of people to be exchanged and be reunited with their families.
He arrived in a burgundy bus, wearing a gray tracksuit, and was seen by a doctor for a health evaluation. His wife and children had not seen him since 2023, due to the Israeli military installation separating the North and South of Gaza. His evaluation has revealed the following: he has blunt force trauma to his face, six broken front teeth, two broken molars and that his upper jaw needs adjustment. He was subjected to electrocution that has left some nerve damage on his right leg and a large laceration on his right hand. Due to the missing teeth, eating has become painful and difficult. Without front teeth, he is susceptible to malnourishment and dental infection if left untreated.
You can help Coach Abed and his family directly at this link. To contribute to the rebuilding of Aljawad Riding Club, please follow this link. You can also purchase a special t-shirt benefitting Aljawad Club here.
Michael Jung and fisherChipmunk FRH. Photo by Shelby Allen.
Exciting news for all of you stalking Kentucky entries! We’ll be able to reveal the full entry list next week, we think, but in the meantime one Olympic gold medalist named Michael Jung has confirmed on his social media that his Paris and Tokyo Olympic partner (and former Kentucky winner) will be returning to the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event next month!
We’re anticipating a great showing of support from overseas-based combinations and already know of several U.S.-based pairs aiming at the 5* as well as the Cosequin Lexington 4*-S, so stay tuned for the full list reveal but in the meantime, get ready to enjoy potentially one of the last 5* competitions we’ll see from the 17 years young Chipmunk. Could there be one more Kentucky win coming from this pair? We’ll have to watch and find out!
Christoph Hess, one of the most respected voices in dressage and eventing training, dives into the importance of mastering the basics in this insightful piece from The Horse Magazine. He emphasizes that true success in training comes from correct, systematic riding—no shortcuts allowed! From developing the horse’s balance to achieving a proper connection, Hess reminds us that the foundation is everything. Read more here.
What do top Olympic dressage riders like Steffen Peters and Laura Graves have in common? A deep understanding of biomechanics. Dressage Today explores how these elite athletes fine-tune their positions and aids to create harmony with their horses. From core strength to subtle weight shifts, their insights offer valuable takeaways for riders at every level. Read more here.
The USDA has announced that there will be no changes to the Horse Protection Act for 2025, meaning ongoing efforts to strengthen regulations against soring remain stalled. While advocates continue pushing for stricter enforcement, the existing rules will stay in place for another year. The Chronicle of the Horse has the full update here.
For many amateur riders, competing at Badminton is the dream — and for one grassroots eventer, that dream is becoming reality. British Eventing shares a personal journey to the LeMieux Badminton Grassroots Championships, highlighting the dedication, challenges, and sheer determination it takes to qualify for one of the most prestigious amateur events in the sport. Read more here.
Look back on some scenes from the March Eventing Academy at Stable View! Be sure to sign up for the next edition of the Eventing Academy, coming next in July. View the full calendar here.
Video Break
Hear from William Fox-Pitt as he stops by The Jon & Rick Show!
Kareem Rosser and Lee Lee Jones. Photo courtesy of Kareem Rosser.
Cracking open a new book is always something of a religious experience for me as a lifelong bookworm. While I generally gravitate toward fiction reads, there is something special about getting inside someone’s brain in memoir format.
Having read Kareem Rosser’s first book, Crossing the Line, back in 2021, I knew I was in for a treat when his second memoir, When You’re Ready: A Love Story, was published this past February. For those unfamiliar with Kareem, he’s an exceptional human whose connection to horses came through the sport of polo and the Work To Ride program founded in his home city of Philadelphia by Lezlie Hiner. Kareem has worked hard throughout his life to not only find a path that led him away from the drugs and violence he bore witness to as a young man, but also to facilitate opportunities for others from similar backgrounds. Today, he serves as the Executive Vice President and is a board member for Work To Ride, which is undergoing some exciting transformations with new infrastructure being built and more to come.
While When You’re Ready brings readers up to speed on Kareem’s background, I recommend reading Crossing the Line to learn more about his upbringing and the experiences that shaped him into the person he is today. In this second book, Kareem focuses on the concept of love and his relationship with Lee Lee Jones. Lee Lee is a former eventer (the step-daughter of Phillip Dutton and daughter of Evie Dutton) who experienced a freak accident in 2016 that left her with a traumatic brain injury. The aftermath of the accident has been a journey in healing, acceptance, and above all, the power of love.
This love comes through in Kareem’s writing — from the way he describes Lee Lee and her magnetic energy, her dazzling smile, her tenacious athleticism — to how he describes the moment he knew he was “unbreakably in love” with her. He writes of his experience bringing Lee Lee home to meet his family in the Bottom — the neighborhood in which he had grown up — and how naturally she fit in with his family. He writes of how out of place he felt — a kid from the inner city, experiencing life through the eyes of a well-to-do white family that had things such as debutante balls on their social calendar — but how welcomed, included, and safe he was made to feel not only by Lee Lee herself but also by her family.
Kareem competes in the Philadelphia Polo Classic. Photo courtesy of Kareem Rosser.
As Kareem sat down to put pen to paper to tell the story of Lee Lee and the love between them, Kareem knew that vulnerability would be the key to telling the story authentically. ““I realized that if I was going to write any sort of memoir, I had to be vulnerable, or I don’t think it was worth writing,” he told me. “The important piece here is showing that side of me that most people tend to never really expose.”
Kareem expressed gratitude to spending time in therapy to help him navigate not only Lee Lee’s accident, but the deep depression he felt after as he navigated this new life with her. “Love isn’t static. It evolves,” he said. “When Lee Lee’s accident happened, it wasn’t like we were married, but I had envisioned a future together. And then I had to figure out — how do I continue loving her while also moving forward? That was the hardest thing to accept. One of the biggest things for me was actually finding the vocabulary to understand what I was going through. When you’re in a deep depression, you don’t always have the words for what’s wrong, and that can be the hardest part. Therapy helped me make sense of it all.”
Photo courtesy of Kareem Rosser.
Above all, Kareem insists that not allowing one’s trauma to define you — but also being vulnerable enough to express difficulty or when you’re struggling — is a key to navigating difficult and traumatic situations. “Rather than letting trauma divide you, use it as an opportunity to come together,” he elaborated. “My family, despite all our struggles, has always stayed together, and that’s what has gotten me through the darkest times.”
And that love amongst family rings true in both of Kareem’s books. His writing paints a picture of love in many shapes and forms, of the strength of family bonds, and how collectively we can all help each other heal. Throughout his journey with Lee Lee, Kareem struck up a deep friendship with her mother, Evie Dutton, that remains strong to this day. He writes often in When You’re Ready about the long conversations on the hood of his car after a visit with Lee Lee, and it was Evie who eventually encouraged Kareem to begin dating, assuring him that his love for Lee Lee would never diminish, even if he chose to move on in some ways. I won’t spoil it for those who haven’t read it yet, but this part of the book made me cry the hardest.
It is the sense of acceptance that, I believe, gives love its power. We accept those who we love where they are. This goes for our horses, our loved ones, our family members. This sense of love and acceptance permeates When You’re Ready, and I truly hope you’ll pick up a copy (and a box of tissues) and carry some pieces of it with you as you go.
To learn more about Kareem and to order a copy of his books, click here. You can also listen to a special interview with Kareem in a Mini episode of The Go Eventing Podcast here, above, or on your favorite podcast platform.
