After suffering an injury at Pau last year and retiring from the highest levels of competition, Phillip Dutton sent his Tokyo Olympic mount, Z, to Furlong’s Soundness Center to begin his treatment and rehabilitation. Z has resided there for the past three months or so and has been a model patient. Now it’s time for him to come home!
Phillip and Evie Dutton recently took a trip up to Oldwick, New Jersey to pick up their boy and bring him back to their farm in Pennsylvania for the next stage of his rehab. Before loading him up, Dr. Brendan Furlong and Dr. Aja Harvey gave them a tour of the facilities and showed them what Z had been up to.
After such a heart wrenching injury, it’s wonderful to see Z looking happy and healthy and exciting to hear that he’s been doing so well — it sounds like Phillip is hopeful that he’ll be able to eventually have a lower-level career and I envy the young rider who may eventually get to pilot his around a course! Here’s wishing Z continued health and happiness in the next stage of his rehab!
Doug Payne and Camarillo compete at the 2024 Grand-Prix Eventing Showcase (Aiken, SC). Photo by Sally Spickard.
Doug Payne isn’t a rider you often see hitting the deck, but when the now-10-year-old Camarillo (Chicardo – Rehobeth, by Riverman) was a developing youngster, this became somewhat of a daily occurrence. As the U.S.-bred DSP gelding, a product of longtime eventing supporter Elizabeth Callahan’s successful breeding program (this program also produced Doug’s current top event horse, Quantum Leap), learned the skills he would need to turn into an eventer, he certainly was not short on opinions.
Take a look at the early days of “Carl”:
“It was pretty much an every day thing,” Doug chuckles. I’m sure it’s much funnier now. “Every time you went into the canter, it would happen. Then he would do it when he first started jumping, he’d land off the first fence halted and you’d just go right over top.”
I asked Doug if he consulted his own Riding Horse Repair Manual book, and also if, in the thick of the toughest days, he questioned whether or not it was worth carrying on with a horse that had clearly demonstrated himself to be, well, “quirky”.
“Definitely it’s mostly patience,” he said, going on to describe the gray gelding as perhaps a bit misunderstood. And half of the battle when it comes to training horses is understanding them. “I think [the behavior] could have come off a little like he was angry or being belligerent, but that really wasn’t it. I’ve learned that he’s somewhat of an internalizer, and when he doesn’t quite understand something or he’s nervous, he becomes like a kid having an outburst at school.”
A staunch believer in the value of developing one’s own pipeline, Doug has learned to see potential in the prospects that come into his program, even if that involves working through some growing pains along the way. He and his wife and fellow 5* rider Jessica Payne have been vocal proponents of developing horses from a young age, making the decision to invest in babies with promise and developing them into professional rides across both eventing and show jumping. It was a decision borne of necessity — buying “going” horses is costly, and they wanted a string — but also out of a desire to retain a large share of ownership in their horses and have a hand in their development from day one. When they show potential for top sport, Doug and Jessica work to bring in part owners; Carl is co-owned with Darin and Patrice Jennings-Rado.
So the “baby horse” antics (well, as Doug tells it, Carl didn’t really begin to let go of his feral tendencies until about a year ago) are a part of the program at the Paynes, and anyway, everyone needs a bit of humbling now and then, don’t they?
Camarillo as a foal. Photo courtesy of Doug Payne.
“He certainly keeps us honest,” Doug laughs. “The biggest challenge was really learning how to stay on him, because if he learned he could dump you that creates a whole new set of challenges. And it was never about ‘getting after him’, it was just get back on, try again, set boundaries. But that is sort of what you can potentially come across when you’re developing a talented horse: the good ones are almost always weird and quirky. Fighting with them doesn’t get you anywhere.”
Fortunately for Doug, Camarillo has developed into a competitive eventing partner, aiming at his CCI5* debut at Defender Kentucky in just a few weeks’ time. Doug says it’s typical to be able to see a horse’s potential by the time they’re in their 5-year-old year, even more so once they’ve hit the CCI3* level. Carl ticked all the boxes, feral-ness forgiven.
He’s now got two solid seasons at the Advanced and 4* level in preparation for this next step up. Doug believes in the system he’s set up to produce eventers, opting to target “tougher” 4* options (“generally you’re going to get the best education, conditions, and organization when you target those bigger events. The horses learn much more when they’re presented with challenging, quality questions, and a green horse can always do the option on cross country.”) as a part of their education and preparation. His results tend to speak for themselves: he’s a rider you can generally count on for a clear round, and oftentimes one that’s up on the clock.
Doug also credits the time he splits in the show jumping arena with helping Carl mature and slow things down. “We took him to Wellington with our jumping horses this winter, and I would flat him in every arena I could when I had the chance,” he explained. “It was really good for a horse like him to be in a more ‘chaotic’ environment. I think it worked really well for him.”
Doug Payne and Camarillo. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
In terms of goal-setting for a first-time horse at a 5*, Doug says a mid-to-low 30s dressage mark, a handful of time on cross country, and at max one or two rails down would make for a great debut in his eyes. This first attempt is less about competitiveness and more about education to set a horse up for a long term career. “I would say I’m going to go as fast as I can feel comfortable [on cross country], that he is comprehending everything fully. With Quantum, now he’s done six five-stars, you can go flying into everything and he reads everything – for Carl, the most important thing is approaching a new complex that he feels he has an infinite amount of time to understand what’s being asked. So if he feels like he’s getting buzzy, I’ll slow down and give him more time.”
“Slow down and give him more time” was the mindset that got Doug to this point with this young rising star. When he posted the video of Carl dumping him on social media, he was flooded with questions: “How did you fix this?”
“Persistence is key,” he wrote back to one commenter. “Kept hopping back on. Got ready as best I could! Unfortunately no real tricks.”
It’s a demonstration in sticking with it (literally), and while certainly the biggest test still looms, Doug’s feeling confident that the “feral to five-star” journey is nearly complete. “With a horse that’s sensitive like that, the number one thing is that they have to want to fight for you and you have to understand where they’re coming from. It’s our job to show it to them in a way that they can comprehend.”
World No. 3 Boyd Martin will be many an eventing fan’s idol, but Boyd came across an idol of his own at Morven Park Spring Horse Trials last weekend – the legendary USEA Hall of Famer Bruce Davidson Sr. who was going eventing aboard homebred Chesterland’s Sunswick. The septuagenarian admitted to being held together by some hardware from surgery a few weeks ago, but he managed to jump double clear to finish on his dressage in 5th place in his division. He certainly puts forty-something-year-old me hobbling off my horse after every ride to shame. Seriously though, what a cool sport we’re involved in for athletes to have such longevity in their careers. Go eventing!
Whilst we’re on the topic of upcoming 5*s, the first top-level offering of the year on British soil draws ever closer. Despite the incessant rain here in Britain, the team at Badminton have pulled on their rubber boots, slid into their slickers, and headed out to gear up for the 75th anniversary celebrations of the great event. Entries are in, the Main Arena grandstands are up, and there’s a new-look cross country course on the way. Read all about the preparations in this month’s Director’s Blog.
Keen to get in on the OTTB thing? If you’ve got an eye for what you’re looking for, checking out the horses in their current career is one way to find the potential *add chosen second career here* of your dreams. But where to start, and what do you do when you’ve locked on to your chosen prospect? This Retired Racehorse Project article guides you through the process from admirer to OTTB owner.
Create a better connect with your horse simply by breathing better. For something as important as breathing, it’s kinda weird that so many of us put so little effort into doing it right. We train our bodies for riding, and in many cases our minds too, but it seems we neglect to give our breath the attention it deserves. From improving posture and balance, to helping us sync up with our horses, as well as being an aid in its own right, the breath is full of potential. If you’re keen to tap into this, here’s how to get started.
And finally, if you could go back and impart some sage advice on your rookie self, what would it be? Horse trainer and Gaucho Derby competitor Warwick Schiller lets us in on what he thinks are the big lessons he’s learned during his time working with horses. Some of the ideas here are potentially a bit ‘out there’ (Warwick says’ hokey’), but we’re all showing up from different places, so take what’s for you and skip what’s not, regardless, we can all get a little (or a lot of) good from this.
Move into your very own modern French chateau in Golden Ocala 🥇 This 10,600+ square foot residence is across the street from the World Equestrian Center and features a wine cellar, beautifully designed pool, and stunning kitchen. Plus, it sits next to both a lake and a golf course. Tour your dream home — mansion — here.
Video Break
If you’re 5* dreamin’ and can’t wait for 2024’s top level events to get underway, here’s something to tide you over – highlights from last year’s edition of Adelaide Equestrian Festival.
Derek di Grazia needs little introduction as the longstanding designer-in-residence for the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event. He’s also designed an Olympic Games and recently also took up designing for the Defender Burghley Horse Trials (UK) at the tail end of the summer.
Kentucky holds a special place for Derek, who won the event itself in 1985 aboard Sasquatch (who was a Thoroughbred/Appaloosa cross, if you can believe it!) before eventually turning his primary attention to course design. You can read more about Derek’s career in this US Equestrian profile from 2017.
Ahead of the 2024 Defender Kentucky 5*, the team on the ground in Kentucky caught up with Derek as his visions for the track — the 14th he has designed here — begin to take shape. This video is just a short teaser of much more content yet to come, but it’s certainly got us hankering for more! Click here if the embedded video above does not display in your browser.
Boyd Martin and Commando 3. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
It seems like just yesterday was the Tokyo Olympics. However, now the Paris Olympics are a few short months away. With the United States eventing team yet to be named, there is a lot at stake for competitors this Spring. In addition to the team being named, there are two CCI5*s on the horizon making this a talent-packed entry list.
There are currently 47 riders entered for the CCI4*S at Stable View (April 5-7). The U.S. Tokyo Team riders are all on the roster with different mounts from their Olympic partners. Boyd Martin is entered with Fedarman B and Commando 3. Fedarman B or “Bruno” as he is known in the barn is recently coming off a third-place finish at the Conceal Grand-Prix Eventing Showcase at Bruce’s Field only adding some cross-country time to his dressage score.
Doug Payne and Camarillo. Photo by Shelby Allen.
Doug Payne will bring forward three mounts: Quantum Leap, Carmarillo, and Quiberon. “Quantum” is the most experienced of them all and Doug will be looking for a successful run to make his bid for the Paris Team. Phillip Dutton is entered with five mounts. He is entered with Azure, Denim, Jewelent, Possante, and Quasi Cool. Phillip and Z were the winners of the Stable View Oktoberfest Four-Star and Phillip will no doubt be looking to defend his title. His daughter, Olivia, is also entered with Sea of Clouds.
Liz Halliday is no stranger to winning at the Four-Star level. She recently won at Carolina International. She also placed fifth with entered horse, Cooley Nutcracker. In addition to Cooley Nutcracker, she is also entered with Shanroe Cooley. Will Coleman also has three entries for his chance to win some of the prize money. He and Chin Tonic HS are coming fresh off their Eventing Showcase win at Bruce’s Field. Stablemate, Off The Record, wasn’t far behind coming in second. Will is also entered with Diabolo. Buck Davidson has two horses entered: Irish Sport Horse, Cooley Candyman and Holsteiner, Erroll Gobey.
Year-round Stable View resident, Nilson Moreira Da Silva, has his gelding, Elmo, entered for his chance for a home-base win. Andre Parro has two horses entered with both, Carin L and Watusi. Georgia-based, Mary Bess Davis brings forward Imperio Magic. The pair placed sixth at Oktoberfest last fall and will be hoping to only better their placing. Law student, Ema Klugman, also brings forward two mounts with Bronte Beach Z and Slieve Callan Alpha.
Julie Wolfert and SSH Playboy. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
The four-star line-up is full of riders who are no strangers to being adventurous. Julie Wolfert competed in the Mongol Derby in 2022 and is entered with her horse, SSH Playboy, next weekend. Elisa Wallace is entered with Renkum Corsair and is known for training Mustangs. Briggs Surratt brings forward Corture for his chance for a piece of the prize money.
Canadian riders are also working to get spots on their Paris team. Dana Cooke is entered with her mount, FE Quattro. Colleen Loach is also entered with two of her long-time mounts: Vermont and FE Golden Eye. Representing Great Britain, Lucienne Bellissimo, has two horses entered: Dyri and Tremanton. Irish event rider, Tim Bourke, is also entered with Monbeg Libertine.
Caroline Martin and She’s The One. Photo by Shelby Allen.
2023 Pan American Gold Medalist, Caroline Pamukcu, is signed up with She’s the One. Kentucky-based, Alexandra Knowles, has two shots for the top prize with Morswood and Leo Santos. Sydney Elliot and QC Diamantaire were on the Pan American team last fall and the World Equestrian Games team the year before. No stranger to representing the United States, they will be hoping for some solid results this Spring.
Rounding out the four-star division, Woods Baughman, will bring forward Hopak de Greenbay Z. Ariel Grald is entered with Diara. Jean van Gysel is entered with Eiffel de L’Abbaye. Sydney Solomon has her upper-level mount, Early Review C, entered. Christina Henriksen is planning to bring forward JTH Zest. Finally, Brittany Crandell is signed up with Cooley Almighty.
There will be a lot for riders to accomplish on Helen West and Mark Phillip’s track. It should make for an exciting weekend of sport.
Don’t miss out on your chance to watch this talent-packed field navigate Helen West/Mark Phillip’s Cross Country Course and Chris Barnard’s show jumping track. It is free to come spectate. If you want the VIP experience, there are still VIP Tickets for sale. These tickets are $120 and give ticket holders access to the upstairs of the pavilion with viewing access to the competition, VIP swag, catered lunch by Blue Collard, and drinks.
Here at EN, we’ve long been big followers and fans of Black cowboy and cowgirl culture – and now that Queen Bey has well and truly catapulted it into the mainstream conscious, we’re thrilled that that’s giving the work of photographer Ivan McClellan some well-deserved attention, too. He’s one of the foremost documenters of the culture, with work that carries us from the thrill and ferocity of the rodeo ring to the quiet of the stables, where woman and horse meet as equals. Fair warning: you’ll lose yourself for hours in his back catalogue of extraordinary work. But it’s well worth it.
When Kate Chadderton needed to make teaching a more prominent part of her business, she went straight to the source. That is to say, rather than simply advertising her services and drawing up business based on her good name, she signed herself up for the USEA Eventing Coaches Program in a bid to ensure that the quality of her training program is top-notch. Here’s how she found the experience of attending her first workshop.
How old is the oldest horse you know? A friend of mine has still got her childhood Pony Club partner, who’s now 32 years old and thriving – but New Years Eve has him beat. He might just be the oldest ex-racehorse in the world right now at 38 years old – and he’s still happily cantering around his field, which is either a testament to his great care or that ineffable Thoroughbred spirit, or a bit of both. Meet him here.
Sponsor Corner: Who will tackle the Defender Kentucky Three Day Event this year? We’ve got a list of 47 entries so far this year, featuring international stars 🌟 like Ros Canter and Izilot DHI, as well as an exciting rookie from Australia, Bec Braitling. Check out the full entry list here. Our competition coverage of the Best Weekend All Year is sponsored by Kentucky Performance Products, your source for high-quality supplements.
Watch This:
Occasionally, I just want to indulge in a trip down memory lane – and the FEI’s Horses of History series is such a great way to do that. Join me in reminiscing about Pippa Funnell’s brilliant Supreme Rock:
We’ve wrapped up March in style, and it’s no joke that these riders are gearing up for an exciting season ahead! Between some great results prepping for Kentucky and FEI events running at Galway and TerraNova, it was a busy weekend.
Shout out to our Weekend Winners, with a special shout out to the winner of our Unofficial Low Score Award: Susan Faulkner and HelloHello, who scored 20.0 in the Novice Rider B at Jumping Branch.
Bouckaert Equestrian offered their Advanced/Intermediate division this past weekend, offering an impressive $25,000, and the opportunity for riders to ride through the FEI 5* Dressage Test B – prime practice leading up to Kentucky later this month!
We saw two horse and rider duos entered for the Kentucky 5* out competing in the A/I division at Bouckaert – Mia Farley with Phelps, and Buck Davidson with Sorocaima. Both seem to be set up well for the 5*, as they finished first and second in the division.
Advanced/Intermediate: Mia Farley and Phelps (35.9)
Open Intermediate: Mia Farley and BGS Calculated Chaos (27.0)
Open Preliminary: Dani Sussman and RR Simple (24.7)
Modified Rider: Jebb Simpson and Matisse (31.0)
Open Modified: Mary Bess Davis and Swell Continental (33.8)
Open Training: Julie Richards and Rossmount Aldi Hero (28.9)
Training Rider: Sterling Pollard and Ultra T (26.5)
Junior Novice Rider: Madison Zgutowicz and My Valentine (23.1)
Open Novice: Erica Addison and Full Battle Rattle (34.3)
Senior Novice Rider: Caraline Cathcart and Relentless (32.8)
Junior Beginner Novice Rider: Aubrey Sabatino and Ravishing (23.8)
Open Beginner Novice: Sophia Hand and Fernhill THE WILD CARD (24.7)
Senior Beginner Novice Rider: Leaha Artalona and Portlaoise Lordano (34.7)
Starter: Grace Ambrose and Sir Donatello (34.9)
CCI 4*S: Tamra Smith and Mai Baum (27.4)
CCI 3*S: Taren Hoffos and Regalla (32.0)
Parker Equine CCI 2*S: Megan McIver and Igor B (31.7)
CCI 1*S: Fiona Holland and Joshua Tree (27.5)
Intermediate: Marc Grandia and Campari FFF (34.4)
Open Preliminary: Leah Forquer and Oakley’s Hunt SE (32.9)
Preliminary Rider: Mickayla Howard and HH Ontario (23.4)
Modified Rider: Mackenzie Davison and Lockdown JPL (27.3)
Open Modified: Tommy Greengard and I’m All In (26.3)
Open Training: Whitney Tucker Billeter and Aspen (38.6)
Training Amateur: Reese Blinks and Lowmax (42.8)
Training Horse: Amber Birtcil and Milagro (34.3)
Training Rider: Greylin Booth and Modesto RE (34.9)
Junior Novice Rider: Lauren Field and Balou’Quill (33.1)
Novice Amateur: Bari Boersma and Reverie GWF (20.3)
Novice Horse: Elsa Warble and FE Kyoto (24.2)
Open Novice: Marc Grandia and Riptide Rio (28.2)
Senior Novice Rider: Marc Grandia and Riptide Rio (35.0)
Beginner Novice Rider: Amanda Tapocik and American Quest (30.9)
Open Beginner Novice: Patience O’Neal and Chunk (26.7)
Open Preliminary: Matthew Ulmer and Metalbridge Knight (30.3)
Preliminary Rider: Brit Vegas and Slew the Zodiac (38.0)
Junior Training: Kaela Rudolph and Yarrow (31.1)
Open Training A: Logan Dickson and Cannonshot (27.8)
Open Training B: Kristine Burgess and Caliche Lane (30.8)
Training Rider A: Devon Sutherland and Mega Bucks (35.4)
Training Rider B: Sally Davis and MFF Manhattan Affair (30.9)
Novice Rider A: George Barker and Baltic Mahogany (31.1)
Novice Rider B: Susan Faulkner and HelloHello (20.0)
Open Novice A: Kristine Burgess and Excel Star Wildwood (25.6)
Open Novice B: Julia Wendell and Must Have (29.7)
Junior Novice: Chase Shumpert and Sea Artifacts (34.0)
Beginner Novice Rider A: Timothy Fitzgerald and Sirius (22.1)
Beginner Novice Rider B: Emily Hummel and What’s His Face SSH3 (32.4)
Junior Beginner Novice: Violet Hosier and Alley Angel (30.6)
Open Beginner Novice A: Claire Eiane and Shadow of Night (30.0)
Open Beginner Novice B: Madison Manley and NDR’s Mango (30.9)
Starter A: Sydney Johnson and Mae’s Racer (25.7)
Starter B: Jacqueline Cameron and Brancaster Oystercatcher (26.3)
Morven Park Spring H.T. (Leesburg, VA) [Website][Scoring]
Open Intermediate: Jan Byyny and Beautiful Storm (29.8)
Open Preliminary A: Kelsey Hoiness and Woodview Diamond Star (31.1)
Open Preliminary B: Rylie Nelson and Galloway Sunrise (30.0)
Junior Training Rider: Faith Genkinger and Nuclear Code (40.1)
Open Training A: Martin Douzant and Johnny Walker (28.8)
Open Training B: Jill Smith and Bon Vivant DSF (30.5)
Senior Training Rider A: Julie Bigham and Accomplice (33.8)
Senior Training Rider B: Julie Nelson and Mi Padrino (37.1)
Training Horse: Tim Bourke and Starfield dragonfly (34.5)
Junior Novice Rider: Shannon Zupan and Cricket (31.4)
Novice Horse: Courtney Waskiewicz and Chancellor (28.9)
Open Novice A: Tim Bourke and Quality Rox (31.9)
Open Novice B: Francesca Broggini and Cooley High Flyer (28.6)
Senior Novice Rider: Alice Fout and Cocolares (33.6)
Junior Beginner Novice Rider: Sarah West and Outstanding Alexander (27.4)
Open Beginner Novice: Rebecca Barber Tyler and Ranon (29.1)
Senior Beginner Novice Rider: Carla Abramcheck and Carrick Diamond Toome (36.7)
CCI 4*S: Alyssa Phillips and Oskar (34.1)
CCI 3*S: Lauren Nicholson and Larcot Z (28.7)
CCI 2*S: Leslie Law and Fernhill Lottery (25.5)
CCI 1*S: Ella Hubert and Ardeo Dance Monkey (23.5)
Advanced: Hannah Sue Hollberg and Carsonstown (41.6)
Open Intermediate: Sara Kozumplik and Rock Phantom (35.8)
Open Preliminary: Alyssa Phillips and Keep Calm (24.3)
Open Training: Sara Kozumplik and King Kong (27.4)
Training Rider: Ava Applebaum and FE City Boy (27.9)
Novice Rider: Elizabeth Grandos and Solaguayre La Mint (26.1)
Open Novice: Michelle Mercier and NDS Jackson (27.5)
Beginner Novice Rider: Kristen Gillespy and Over The Moon (31.6)
Open Beginner Novice: Margaret Stocker and Smilla’s Sense of Snow (26.9)
Starter: Serafina Deldon and Prince Renan (27.9)
In the latest in Paris Olympics teasers, we’ve got this short, sweet, truly tantalising glimpse of the building that’s currently underway at Versailles, getting the palatial estate ready to host the world’s best horses and riders – and several thousand of their biggest fans. My current emotional state whenever I receive even the most mundane update about Paris is pure and abject exhilaration, so these little glimpses at the building works themselves? Sensational.
National Holiday: Happy Easter Monday to all those who celebrate! It’s also the 21st day of Ramadan, which honours the Martyrdom of Imam Ali, and it’s the Assyrian New Year, too. Oh, and it’s April Fools’ Day, so don’t take anything you read on the internet as gospel today.
BEDE Events’ Thoresby Eventing Spring Carnival (Newark, Notts.): [Website][Results]
Your Monday Reading List:
Finding joy and purpose in eventing isn’t always about winning every class. For Lucy Walter, who transitioned from spending her adolescence riding lots of different barns’ horses across the disciplines, getting her own horse in her teens was part of a strict bit of bargaining – one that helped her get a handle on her anorexia, set herself on a secondary academic pathway, and find grit and gumption in tackling the training process. Here’s her story so far.
Could a mouthguard help you avoid a concussion on cross-country? Research across other high-impact sports suggests so. And while it’s unlikely that we’ll ever see them become a requirement, this could be an easy way to add additional protection to your arsenal when you’re jumping solid fences at high speed. Get those numbers in full in this report from H&H.
This is a really tough, but necessary, read. When Marlo Baird decided to get back into riding, she found the perfect partner in lease horse Nero, with his kind eyes like Ferdinand the Bull. All too soon, though, he was gone – a victim of the neurological strain of EHV, which he picked up at a show at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center, where several horses who’d been exposed to the virus at the Desert Horse Park were in attendance, their trainers flouting the rules of isolation after exposure. Prepare to shed a few tears for both sweet Nero and Marlo, but consider this one required reading across the horse world. It’s a very small minority of horse folks that would decide to go against veterinary rules and endanger other horses, but I truly hope that this reaches them.
Could be be harming your horse by lungeing him? The short, but insightful, answer to that question comes from Jec Aristotle Ballou, who explains that yes, lungeing can have a negative impact – but with some creative, clever workarounds, you can make sure you’re helping, not hindering, his body. Here’s what she suggests.
Morning Viewing:
Let’s catch up on the latest with Badminton Grassroots-bound Donut:
Alyssa Phillips (USA) and Oskar took the win of the Galati Yacht Sales CCI4*-S. Shannon Brinkman Photo
Alyssa Phillips (USA) of Fort Worth, Texas, won the Galati Yacht Sales CCI4*-S at The Event at TerraNova, presented by B&D Builders, at TerraNova Equestrian Center on Saturday aboard Oskar (Coriando x Nicole), a 15-year-old 16.2-hand bay Holsteiner gelding. She also won the Open Preliminary division with Keep Calm (Biscayo x Beauty), a 9-year-old 16.2-hand bay Dutch Warmblood gelding, and placed third in The Estates at TerraNova CCI3*-S with Cornelius Bo (Concours Complet x Charlotte), a 10-year-old 16.2 hand bay Hanoverian gelding. Phillips owns all three horses.
Jessica Phoenix (CAN) of Cannington, Ontario, finished second in the CCI4*-S with Freedom GS (Humble GS x Friedel GS), a 12-year-old 16.1-hand bay Trakehner/Oldenburg gelding.
Lauren Nicholson (USA) of Ocala, Florida, placed third in the CCI4*-S with I’ll Have Another (Gaultjers x Kameja), an 11-year-old 16.3-hand dark bay Latvian Warmblood gelding owned by Brandye Randermann. Nicholson also won the CCI3*-S with Larcot Z (L’arc de Triomphe x Kocote de la Londe), an 11-year-old 16.1-hand bay Zangersheide gelding owned by Jacqueline Mars.
The course’s 34 jumping efforts unrolled invitingly on the TerraNova terrain. Creative technical questions posed stiff challenges, but they offered options that some riders found saved the day.
FEI 3*/4* Course Designer Alec Lochore’s goal was to create a “nice galloping open start to the course.” He said he placed the first combination at fences five and six “so the course would begin with a test but on a really positive, forward stride.”
Jessica Phoenix (CAN) and Freedom GS moved up to finish in second place from fifth after a successful cross-country round in the Galati Yacht Sales CCI4*-S. Shannon Brinkman Photo
Phillips said that before setting out on the course, some riders were questioning how to ride that combination. “It was designed to be ridden in three and four [strides]. We considered that, but most of us changed our minds and did five and four. It worked out really well.”
The combination led to a big solid oxer constructed of thick logs. The route then required four committed strides on a straight line to a brush open ditch. Riders could tailor the distance by jumping to the left or the right side of a parallel there.
The middle of the course presented a brush oxer and two rails jumped on an angle. At the top of the slope, horses ran immediately down on two strides to the second element. “I wanted the slope to set the horses up so they would just pop over it, and then the riders would be able to sit up and go down to the angle. It’s just about being controlled in this environment,” said Lochore.
Lauren Nicholson (USA) and I’ll Have Another, in 19th place after stadium jumping, finished in third place after cross-country in the Galati Yacht Sales CCI4*-S. Shannon Brinkman Photo
About the last portion of the course, he said, “They’ve really got to get going. They’ve had some technical jumps, and now comes the second last of the really technical jumps. They’ve got a big spread jump at the bottom of the slope, four strides up the slope to this pretty skinny little wedge at the top. Horses can’t see where they’re going to land. They can see that the ground is running away after them, and then they land, and then there are three quite gentle strides down to the frangible rails wedge at the bottom of the hill. This is about power over the first jump, accuracy and bravery over the top jump, and control down the slope.”
Phillips called her experience at TerraNova “wonderful,” adding, “It’s always a treat to come here. Every time I’ve come, new improvements have been made, and they’re all absolutely fantastic. The turf on the cross-country course is the best that I’ve ever seen it, and it made it really fun to run across.
Lauren Nicholson (USA) and Larcot Z earned the win of The Estates at TerraNova CCI3*-S. Shannon Brinkman Photo
“I appreciate all the effort that everybody involved put into the event – the organizers, the volunteers, the TerraNova staff, the owners – everybody’s put a lot into this venue. People should make this a place they come to every year because it’s a very spectacular venue. I’ll definitely be back next year.”
Events at TerraNova thanks all the sponsors, competitors, owners, volunteers, attendees and staff for joining us for world-class equestrian eventing competition. Join us at TerraNova Equestrian Center for our next event, TerraNova Dressage I CDI4*/USEF Level 5 April 4-7.
Valmy, Salty, and Banzai, oh my — “an old winner, all over again” gave a great start to what will be a cutthroat British eventing season as Emily King and Valmy Biats took their second consecutive Grantham Cup win at Thoresby’s Spring Carnival of Eventing. Maryland’s reigning heroes Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue set themselves up nicely in second place, with current World Champions Yasmin Ingham and Banzai du Loir clinching an extremely close third.
Meanwhile, some of our U.S. faves have been conquering some 4*-S of their own on both coasts at Galway and TerraNova, where Tamie Smith and Alyssa Phillips cleaned house this weekend. If the past few months have felt like the longest winter on record for you too, you’ll probably share my enthusiasm in welcoming our world’s biggest players back into the scene!
Morning Viewing: Here’s a bit of deja vu for you on this fine Sunday morning — Emily and Valmy take to the track, but from one year ago! Catch their 2022 winning round here, and take notes to compare with this year’s epic back-to-back champion run.
