Classic Eventing Nation

Grab Your Tissues For Purina’s Latest Project

By on Jun 30, 2018 12:30 pm -

Remember when Purina made us all bawl around Christmas a few years ago with this emotional punch-in-the-gut of a commercial? Well, they’ve done it again. If you’re at work or in a public place, consider this your official warning. If you’re in the privacy of your home or barn or someplace where you don’t care if people are about to see you ugly cry, go forth.

Some bonds can never be broken.Reconnect with a horse from your past or help others find theirs at http://bit.ly/FindYourOldFriend.

Posted by Purina Horse Feed on Wednesday, May 30, 2018

WHY DOES IT ALWAYS HAVE TO BE A FREAKING CLYDESDALE. They should really just put in the official breed description “will star in commercials that will make adult horse girls weep like babies.” (True story: those darn Clydes figure prominently in my list of seven things that will make equestrians choke up, every time.)

Okay, Horse Nation, have you gathered yourself? Have you wiped away the tears and can read again? Okay, good. Thanks for coming back to us. Because the Find Your Old Friend service that this commercial is actually advertising from Purina is genuinely amazing, and we wanted you to get that cry out of your system before you kept reading.

The premise is beautifully simple in its execution, harnessing the power of social media to connect people to help horse lovers connect with horses from their past. It’s easy to get involved:

  • Join the Find Your Old Friend Facebook group
  • Upload some photos and information about the horse you’re trying to find
  • Purina will turn the photos into ads that will run in the horse’s last known location

The Facebook group currently has horses organized into albums by region to help horse owners get connected. Already, several hundred members are networking and sharing information about horses they’ve lost touch with, from owners along the way to original breeders wondering where their horses wound up.

For many individuals, a horse is a lifelong commitment — but the realities of life often mean that we cannot always keep a horse forever. This initiative by Purina is doing a great service to help network those connections and help reunite old friends.

Go Purina, and go crying. I mean, go riding.

Watch the Strzegom Cross Country Live Stream

By on Jun 30, 2018 8:00 am -

With no FEI events on the U.S. calendar this weekend, we turn our attention to the LOTTO Strzegom Horse Trials! The Polish event is holding an FEI Nations Cup as well as CCI*, CCI2* and CCI3* divisions.

The seven Nations Cup teams are set to start at 9:00 a.m. EST. France leads the way after dressage with Sweden following in second and Germany is third. In the individual standings, Germany’s Marie Kraack and Havana Club top the individual standings with little breathing room as Linda Algotsson and Fair Spot are close behind in second. Grab a cup of coffee and curl up for some cross country excitement!

Click here for the CICO3* starting order. You can follow EN’s coverage here.

Here’s your top 10 ahead of cross country:

Strzegom: Website, Ride Times, Schedule, Course Preview, Live Stream, CCI3* Live Scores, CICO3* Live Scores

Saturday Links from Tipperary

By on Jun 30, 2018 12:01 am -

Beginning this Saturday and throughout the month of July, eventers will be showing their support for Jonty Evans by wearing his signature green when out on course. Jonty remains unconscious and in intensive care following his fall from Cooley Rorkes Drift at Tattersalls International Horse Trials on June 3. Let’s all#WearGreenForJonty and send some good EN juju his way!

National Holiday: National Meteor Watch Day

U.S. Weekend Action:

Groton House Farm H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Horse Park of New Jersey I H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Live Scores]

Chattahoochee Hills H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

South Farm H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Saturday Links: 

Why You Should #WearGreenForJonty

Prioritizing What Matters While Chasing The Team Dream

PODCAST: The Volunteer Incentive Program: A Game Changer for Volunteers and Organizers

The British WEG eventing long-list: who’s sitting pretty and who needs to impress

The Importance of Powerful Hindquarters in Dressage Training

Saturday Video: 

Friday Video and UK Notes from World Equestrian Brands: The Cavalry On Tour

By on Jun 29, 2018 5:00 pm -

#WearGreenForJonty CALLING ALL EVENTING FAMILY PLEASE TAG AND SHARE Whilst we are all still taking in the news of @jontyeventing stable but non changing condition this week, we at Eventing Worlwide thought we would do something positive to show our support by asking all of our eventing family to please wear something green. Starting this Saturday 30th June and throughout July. Whether you are out competing XC or just out supporting the sport – put on something green and get into the Irish Spirit!! Headed up by our very own blogger Alice Dunsdon – Alice hopes that during the month of July, we all show our support for Jonty and go green on the course. “We all know the eventing community is such a close family group, and when anyone has a fall or an injury we all feel it, so when it happens to one of our Sports legends we must all get together and show our support for him and his family. Change your hat silk, change your base layer, put a green numnah or browband on, it doesnt matter what, just 'Wear Green for Jonty" Please also post up pictures so his family can feel the support with the hashtag #WearGreenForJonty

A post shared by Eventing Worldwide (@eventingworldwide) on

The plight of Irish eventer Jonty Evans is never far from anyone’s mind at the moment, and we all want to show our support in any way we can. That’s why we’re excited to join in with Eventing World Wide’s #WearGreenForJonty initiative. The idea is simple: swap your regular cross-country colours for something green while you’re out competing over the next month. Or, if you’re spectating, volunteering, or grooming, add a bit of the luck o’ the Irish into your wardrobe. We’d love to see your photos, and will have cameras at the ready at next weekend’s Barbury International to catch the movement in all its glory.

UK Weekend Preview:

Great Witchingham International [Ride Times]

Chepstow [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Aske [Ride Times] [Cross Country Videos]

Brightling Park International [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores] [Cross Country Videos]

Eland Lodge (2) [Website] [Ride Times]

Off church Bury [Ride Times]

Hopetoun [Ride Times]

Events Opening this Weekend:

30th: Skipton (2) – BE80-N – [Enter] North Yorkshire (August 4-5) *

Events Balloting this Weekend:

29th: Warwick Hall (3) – BE80-N – [Enter] Cumbria (July 21-22)

29th: Aston-le-Walls (3) – N-A – [Enter] Northamptonshire (July 20-22) *

1st: Little Downham (2) – BE80-N – [Enter] Cambridgeshire (July 21-22) *

Friday Video: Cavalry Horses on Tour

There are a few classic harbingers of summer: crisp, slightly wonky tanlines, evening drinks awash in golden light, early eventing mornings, and, if you live in the east of England, the Household Cavalry’s annual sojourn to Norfolk’s Holkham Beach.

The Household Cavalry undertakes a seriously demanding day-to-day job: stationed in central London, they take part in regimental parades, guard duties, and ceremonial processions (yes, including the Royal Wedding). This means that they have to be able to cope with busy city traffic, sudden noises, crowded streets, and the attentions of interested tourists, as well as – in some cases – genuine threats to their safety. As such, it’s incredibly important that a high level of trust and communication is fostered between the horses – known as Cavalry Blacks – and their riders.

A month-long summer trip to coastal Norfolk is the making of these relationships. Each year, horses and riders descend upon Holkham Beach – one of the UK’s most popular beaches – to ride, play, and enjoy one another’s company, on the seashore and in the waves. The trip not only builds confidence for both horse and rider, it also provides a hugely beneficial way of improving fitness without the stress of roadwork. When the troops return to London, they do so happy, healthy, and ready to tackle any challenge. If it works for them, it must work for us mere mortals!

We know you'll love this video just as much as we did when we received it this afternoon!•Visitors to the museum have been loving seeing the horses and @household_cavalry on the beaches in Norfolk•Videos like this help us inform the public about where the Cavalry are when the hordes of tourists come and expect to see the red or blue tunics and shining breast plates on duty at Horse Guards!

Posted by The Household Cavalry Museum and Shop on Thursday, June 28, 2018

 

France Leads the Pack After Dressage in Strzegom Nations Cup

By on Jun 29, 2018 3:30 pm -

Marie Kraack and Havana Bay. Photo by Mariusz Chmieliński/ LOTTO Strzegom Horse Trials.

Seven teams are in the hunt for Nations Cup victory at Poland’s LOTTO Strzegom Horse Trials, with France taking the early lead after dressage today. Sweden lies second, and Germany rounds out the top three.

The CICO3* Nations Cup individual leaderboard was topped by Marie Kraack from Germany, who scored a 26.1 with Havana Club.

“He was really super, he did what we expected from him, and he performed very well,” says Marie of the 15-year-old Polish-bred gelding (Mesandra x Nike, by Cardiff).

Linda Algotsson of Sweden and Fair Spot sit second on a dressage score of 26.3 …

… followed by Yoshiaki Oiwa of Japan with Duke of Cavan, who scored a 28.2.

“He was very good, I’m happy with the test. He was a bit tense inside, I could have done a nicer test, but otherwise I’m really pleased with him,” Yoshiaki says.

Yoshiaki Oiwa and Duke of Cavan. Photo by Mariusz Chmieliński/ LOTTO Strzegom Horse Trials.

 

The best placed Polish rider was Mateusz Kiempa with Lassban Radovix, who are currently 11th: “I think the test went alright. It is a great honor for me to compete in the Nations Cup representing Poland — I want my score to be as good as possible for our team.”

View more post-ride videos on Strzegom’s YouTube channel here.

The Nations Cup competition in Strzegom is the first test of the new Olympic format, which will be used at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Three riders compete for each team, and their added score counts for the overall classification.

In the two-star competition two riders are tied for the lead with the same score: Maxime Livio (FRA) with Ariano du Quinze and Mateusz Kiempa (POL) with Libertina. In the one-star Pia Münker (GER) with Dunkin Donut M. has taken the lead.

Strzegom continues with cross country tomorrow. Go Eventing!

Strzegom CIC03* Nations Cup Top 10 After Dressage:

Strzegom: Website, Ride Times, Schedule, Course Preview, Live Stream, CCI3* Live Scores

 

Best of HN: Texts Your Trainer Could Probably Live Without

By on Jun 29, 2018 2:00 pm -

I am a HUGE fan of text messaging, particularly because I’m always overbooked and running around like my hair is on fire. I rarely check my voicemail (and by rarely I mean “I have voicemail?”) so texting is really the best way to get ahold of me. That being said, some text messages — while quasi- convenient– are perhaps best left unsent.

Go Riding!

Presented by:

Morgane Schmidt Gabriel is a 34-year-old teacher/artist/dressage trainer/show announcer/ who still hasn’t quite decided what she wants to be when she grows up. A native Floridian, she now lives in Reno, NV, where she’s been able to confirm her suspicion that snow is utterly worthless. Though she has run the gamut of equestrian disciplines, her favorite is dressage. She was recently able to complete her USDF bronze and silver medals and is currently working on her gold. Generally speaking her life is largely ruled by Woody, a 14.2 hand beastly quarter horse, Willie, a now beastly 7-year-old Dutch gelding, and Stormy, her friend’s nearly all white paint gelding with a penchant for finding every mud hole and pee spot in existence. Visit her website at www.theideaoforder.com.

Photo (c) Tamara with the Camera

Canada Names Nations Cup Team for Great Meadow CICO3*

By on Jun 29, 2018 10:45 am -

Lisa Marie Fergusson and Honor Me at The Fork 2018. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

Equestrian Canada has named the Nations Cup team that will compete in the Brook Ledge Great Meadow International CICO3* on July 6-8 in The Plains, Virginia.

Congratulations to the following horses and riders (listed in alphabetical order by rider name):

  • Lisa Marie Fergusson (Vancouver, BC) and Honor Me, her own 12-year-old Welsh Sport Horse gelding
  • Selena O’Hanlon (Kingston, ON) and John and Judy Rumble’s Foxwood High, a 15-year-old Canadian Sport Horse gelding
  • Jessica Phoenix (Cannington, ON) and her own Pavarotti, a 16-year-old Westphalian gelding
  • Waylon Roberts (Port Perry, ON) and Anthony Connoly and L. Skye Levely’s Kelecyn Cognac, a 15-year-old Thoroughbred gelding

The following Canadian combinations will also compete at Great Meadow as individuals:

  • Shelby Brost (Red Deer, AB) and her own Crimson, a 15-year-old Thoroughbred mare
  • Jessica Phoenix (Cannington, ON) and Amara Hoppner’s Bogue Sound, an 11-year-old Thoroughbred gelding
  • Waylon Roberts (Port Perry, ON) and Michelle & John Koppin’s Lancaster, an 11-year-old Canadian Sport Horse gelding

The Canadian athletes will be supported at Great Meadow by Dr. Rob Stevenson, Chef d’Équipe; David O’Connor, Technical Advisor; Dr. Jan Henriksen, Team Veterinarian; Dr. Usha Knabe, Equine Therapist; and Fleur Tipton, EC Eventing Manager.

[Canadian Eventing Athletes Named for 2018 Brook Ledge Great Meadow International FEI Eventing Nations Cup]

‘Special Water Training’ with Michael Jung

By on Jun 29, 2018 9:00 am -

Special Water training 💪🏼💦 #eventing #watertraining #happyhorses #summer #teamjung

A post shared by MichaelJungOfficialNews (@michaeljungofficialnews) on

Hashtag “happy horses” indeed! Watch Michi Jung’s youngsters (Jungsters?) happily popping off a Prelim-sized drop into water. Between the music and Michael’s quiet, positive methodology and the clockwise lunging on repeat ad infinitum, there’s something mesmerizing about this video. If your Friday gets stressful, consider this a soft landing.

The eye-catching grey is fischerDaily Impressed, a 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Cartani 4 x Impression, by Elcaro) who has been doing quite well for himself on the jumper circuit with Michael. His cross-training paid off at this recent derby obstacle!

Go Eventing!

Friday News & Notes from Legends Horse Feeds

By on Jun 29, 2018 12:03 am -

Just a little Turkey doing some springy jumping!

Hey it’s time for your weekly update on my horses! So fun, I know. Mostly I’m just unreasonably excited about my young OTTB, Turkey, and I can’t help but tell everybody about everything that he’s doing. Maybe I should channel myself into a blog for EN instead of just bombarding strangers on the street with facts and photos about how gosh darn cute he is and how fun he is to ride and how much he loves being broomed on the face. Yeah, brooming. Lainey taught me to identify champions by brooming them and I’ll never stop because so far it’s proven accurate.

National Holiday: National Waffle Iron Day

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Groton House Farm H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Horse Park of New Jersey I H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Live Scores]

Chattahoochee Hills H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

South Farm H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

News From Around the Globe:

Volunteer recruitment is underway for the The 2018 Event at Rebecca Farm, to be held July 18-22 in Kalispell, Montana. Organizer Sarah Broussard says, “Our amazing volunteers are what make putting on one of the largest equestrian triathlons in the United States possible. I could not be more thankful for them. The Event has a strong sense of community, and that is what creates such a spectacular atmosphere.” Rebecca Farm offers a wide variety of volunteer opportunities, ranging from score running and jump judging to food service and hospitality. No prior experience is necessary to volunteer. Broussard encourages all adults and teens 16 and older to volunteer. Teens 13-15 are welcome, but must have a parent or adult guardian on site. Children ages 10-12 may volunteer alongside a parent or legal guardian. [Get Involved]

The Horse Park of New Jersey (HPNJ) is a multi-use equestrian facility in Allentown, New Jersey (Area II) that hosts two USEA recognized events each summer. With thirty years under their belt, HPNJ knows how to put on a first rate competition, and not only at Jersey Fresh. The first event offers Beginner Novice through Advanced levels as well as USEA Young, Future, and New Event Horse divisions while the second event offers Beginner Novice through Intermediate in addition to CIC* and CIC2* divisions. [USEA Events A-Z: Horse Park of New Jersey]

Best of Blogs: The Horses That Heal Us

The end of life plan for your horse isn’t something we want to talk about: but we need to. Horse Nation writer Kristen Kovatch goes through the details of how we euthanize and dispose of our horses across the country, and it’s important for any owner to understand the details within. While this isn’t a fun subject, it’s something that all horse owners should be well informed on, so when the time comes, they can make an educated decision on how to proceed. [Humane Euthanasia Needs to Be a Viable Option]

With the summer heat as bad as it is, dehydration is a serious concern for horse owners around the world. You’ll want to make sure that your horse has constant access to fresh clean water at all times to help him avoid a multitude of health complications that can arise from overexertion and dehydration in hot temperatures. Additionally, knowing how to tell if your horse is dehydrated is very important to your success through the summer months. [Battling Dehydration in Horses]

 

Throwback Thursday Video from Nupafeed: 1995 Groton House Farm

By on Jun 28, 2018 5:30 pm -

Many things have changed over the past 23 years, but one thing that has remained consistent — since 1978, in fact — is eventing in June at Groton House Farm in Hamilton, Massachusetts.

No doubt there have still been changes over the 40 year history of the GHF Horse Trials: The event began by running Novice through Preliminary levels over one weekend, to eventually including Intermediate and Advanced levels in the mid-’80s and hosting upwards of 600 competitors over two weekends, before returning to holding just one weekend of competition for Novice though Intermediate/Preliminary competitors in 2009. Over all the years of competition, the lovely organizers of the GHF Horse Trials have welcomed spectators and competitors for the traditional three-days of exciting competition.

Take a trip back to the ’90s glory-days of eventing, big helmet cover bows and all, with this throwback video from RNS Videomedia (which at the time was known as Captain Edgar’s Videoworks!) And yes, that’s one more thing that hasn’t changed over 23 years — RNS will be filming there again this weekend!