Phillip Dutton and I’m Sew Ready. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.
Thirty-eight CIC3* horse and rider combinations presented to the ground jury of Andrew Bennie (NZL) and Jane Hamlin (USA) and FEI Veterinary Delegate Dr. Jennifer Hall (GBR) this afternoon at The Fork Horse Trials and FEI World Equestrian Games Test Event for Eventing. The first horse inspection was relatively uneventful despite practically gale force winds bending trees and blowing sand into our faces.
Two horses were sent to the hold box. Carolina International CIC3* winner Vandiver, owned by Debi Crowley and Doug and Jessica Payne, was held and ultimately withdrawn from the hold box. Kehoe Enterprises, LLC’s Kiltealy Toss Up was held but accepted upon reinspection.
There is much construction and activity going on at Tryon International Equestrian Center in preparation for WEG in September. We’re going to have not one, not two but three EN reporters on grounds this weekend to bring you as much coverage as you can handle and more.
You know that feeling you get when you walk into a posh hotel room? Everything feels clean and fresh, and part of you wants to preserve its sanctity: tuck your luggage out of sight, talk in whispered tones, leave that little triangle fold on the toilet paper intact. But if you are a 10-year-old trapped in an adult body like me, you also experience a weird compulsion to mess it all up: jump on the perfectly-made bed, raid the mini-fridge, and blast Lana Del Rey way too loud during a three-hour bubble bath. Knock-knock. “Did someone order room service?” Oh yeah! This girl! Bring me that side of black truffle pommes frites! And ketchup! “I am sorry to tell you, m’am, that your credit card did not go through.” Hmmmm.
This is why I cannot stay in posh hotels.
There’s something similar in the air in the preamble to an event at Tryon International Equestrian Center. The rings are perfectly dragged, the fancy restaurants are nearly empty, and fit, eagle-eyed horses are all around, slinking about on hacks or grazing on bright green patches of grass. Everything is quiet, but there’s an anticipation in the air of a fast-paced, wildly-exciting competition to come.
So it is in advance of The Fork at TIEC. Let’s have a glance around at the calm before the storm! And remember to keep it locked on EN for live coverage throughout the weekend.
Everyone is beginning to arrive at the Tryon International Equestrian Center for the Fork Horse Trials and Tryon2018…
Alexander Whewall and Chakiris Star. Photo by Lucy Hall.
Alexander Whewall, 31, from Easton-in- Gordano in North Somerset, is set to make his debut appearance at the world famous Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials in May. Riding Lisa Coward’s 11-year-old bay gelding, Chakiris Star, the local rider has his sights set on a strong Badminton completion following a top-20 finish at Les Etoiles de Pau in October 2017, their first CCI4* competition.
“I’m really excited to get to Badminton, and just hope we will both be on form!” Alex says.
The former British Eventing Intermediate Champion and 2016 Bridging The Gap Scholar has his final preparations underway. Despite numerous cancellations and abandonments Chakiris Star was entered in the Advanced class at Burnham Market International which ran prior to the event having to be abandoned.
He reports, “Chakiris Star went really well at Burnham Market and made the tough cross country feel very easy! This was a really good confidence giving run for him and even better to finish in the top 10.”
Alexander Whewall and Chakiris Star. Photo by Lucy Hall.
In the spirit of getting to know Alex, we asked him five quick-fire questions:
1. What made you want to event and become a professional rider?
“I loved jumping and the idea of jumping and going fast around the cross country thrilled me. I did my first event when I was 16. I was still at school and I knew I didn’t want to do anything else but work/ride with horses! I started working at a local event yard and never looked back.”
2. What’s been your biggest challenge faced during your career so far?
“I’ve never had a ready-made horse. I’ve always had to make and produce the horses I ride. However, I think this has worked for the better I the long run as it has made me understand and work with different horses.”
3. What advice would you give someone starting their eventing career?
“There are lots of highs and lows, you will work long hours, but it’s worth it when your horses go out and go well! The more you put in the more you get out.”
4. What do you do for fun?
“I go for dinner with friends and occasional wild nights on the tiles!”
5. Hot or cold holidays?
“I like both. My brother and sister live in Sydney, Australia, so I like to visit them but I also love to go skiing in the French Alps”
Allison Springer coaching Darrin Mollett riding her own Beverly’s Bebop in the warm up at Morven Park’s Spring Horse Trials last weekend. Photo courtesy of Nick Attwood.
Morven Park has been touting its new rings and top footing upgrades for a while now so I for one was curious to see them action! I had hoped to ride over them last October, but alas, it was too soon. This past weekend, competitors tested out the new top-notch Attwood Equestrian Surfaces footing and large expanded rings and goodness, do they look amazing to ride on! We have heard rave reviews from riders and trainers. Kudos to Morven and Attwood!
About 10 days ago, I was watching the Carolina live stream and blessing the anonymous volunteer who picked up the flag in Blackbeard’s Cove 50 times. Today, she’s no longer anonymous and has been revealed as Vicki Reynolds, a mainstay at the Carolina International. Not only is Vicki Reynolds the stable manager for Carolina every year it has run, she also somehow finds time to take on jump judging at one of the most difficult combinations on course. [USEA Volunteer of the Month]
Kathryn Robinson remembers her Badminton partner Let It Bee, who tragically collapsed and died between fences at Burnham Market last weekend. Originally bought as a BE100 prospect to help build Kathryn’s confidence, ‘Bee’ was the horse who just kept going and going up the levels. The pair tackled five CCI4* and Rio together, conquering some of the biggest courses in the world. [Remembering Let it Bee]
Tina Cook is hoping to be back in time for Badminton. Tiny Cook took a tumble from Billy the Red in the Advanced at Burnham Market and managed to dislocate her shoulder. With three entered for Badminton (she’ll have to pick two only), Tina is holding her breath that 10 days without moving her shoulder will pass uneventfully. [Tina Cook Dislocates Shoulder]
Attwood Footing of the Week – Eurotex
There is a common misconception in the equestrian community that sand is sand is sand. That there is no difference from one batch to another so all you have to do is combine it with an additive and you have “footing”. Nothing could be further from the truth.
At Attwood, we carefully select the sand most suited to your environment, whether it’s hot and dry, or cool and wet, or anything in between. We then create a custom mixture of the sand, felt, fiber, water and air.
Yes, water and air. And no it is not magical unicorn fairy water and air.
The amount of water and air that we mix into the footing along with the precise amount of fiber and felt creates the balance and grip of the footing giving you a truly safe surface every ride.
This custom blend perfected for your riding conditions ensures a completely balanced product every time with a cushioning component that prevents over compaction of the surface.
EuroTex is easy to install and very popular across all the disciplines.
You can find Attwood products in many of the top equestrian venues in the United States, the United Arab Empire and Europe.
Stable View
Morven Park
Great Meadow
Embassy International Riding School
Windurra USA
Carolina Horse Park
Wednesday Video: Rave reviews for the new arenas at Morven Park!
This weekend Lainey Ashker piloted Taylor Phoenix’s G through his very first event at Morven Park. After literally peeing during his dressage test…
… G showed up and took on the Beginner Novice cross country like a pro with a little verbal affirmation from Lainey. She can be heard urging him on with words of encouragement over every fence. Put a smile on your face with this Tuesday Video.
Why SpectraVET?
Reliable. Effective. Affordable.
SpectraVET is committed to providing only the highest-quality products and services to our customers, and to educating the world in the science and art of laser therapy.
We design and manufacture the broadest range of clinically-proven veterinary therapeutic laser products, which are represented and supported worldwide by our network of specialist distributors and authorized service centers.
The Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event entry list has only been out for a week, but we can already see that the OTTB will once again be well-represented amongst contenders. Last year, the Thoroughbred was the second most represented breed and over half of them were former racehorses.
What do you think — will we see even more OTTBs strut their stuff down the centerline and gallop across the bluegrass this year? We’ll find out soon! In the meantime, check out these available OTTBs. Could we see one of them at Kentucky one day?
It’s difficult to argue with the good looks of this shiny bay gelding, but despite the success of his sire, who earned over 6-million dollars, Charismic isn’t making the cut as a racehorse. After 15 starts, his connections are retiring sound with the hopes he’ll find his calling elsewhere. Charismic is described as a gentile giant with lots of potential — he’s clearly well-bred for sport and has a very athletic look.
If you’re looking for a horse on the smaller side, but still with presence, then this regal-looking mare could be for you! Goldie is a very dark, nearly black bay who’s described as having a gentle way about her. After 25 starts, she’s retiring sound and with clean legs and no stall vices.
There’s no two ways about it — Candy is a diva. She’s gorgeous and she knows it and expects her adoring fans to appreciate her good looks as well. But there’s more to her than what meets the eye — she’s also a smart mare who enjoys work. She’s already been restarted under saddle and is proving to be a quick learner. Plus, in free-jumping she’s already very bold to the fences!
Maya Black and FE Black Ice at Red Hills. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
Since returning to the East Coast over the winter season and starting a new business venture with Brian and Sara Kozumplik Murphy, Maya Black has also begun the daunting task of building her own string of horses with a goal to represent the U.S. on the world stage.
It is no secret that aspiring team riders need multiple horses to compete. For a young professional like Maya, the question of how to acquire and ultimately fund such a string is one without an easy answer.
Maya produced Doesn’t Play Fair from Novice to CCI4* level, which culminated in finishing third at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event in 2016 and being named the alternate for the U.S. Olympic team in Rio de Janeiro. An injury ultimately forced his withdrawal from Rio, and Doesn’t Play Fair returned to Washington state with his owners at the end of 2016.
Since then, Maya has worked diligently to produce another horse to the highest level of the sport. She has successfully brought her off-track Thoroughbred Mowgli from Novice to CCI2* level over the past three years, and he is stepping up to compete in his first Advanced at The Fork at Tryon this coming weekend in Mill Spring, North Carolina.
Maya Black and FE Black Ice at Red Hills. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
In looking for another horse to add to her program, Maya has found a perfect match in FE Black Ice. Now thanks to a creative fundraising strategy, Maya has the opportunity to call FE Black Ice her own and have two upper-level horses for the first time in her career.
Maya first met “Nigel,” an 8-year-old German Sporthorse (Stakkato’s Highlight X Co-Co, by Compliment), at the Murphys’ winter base, Mardanza Farms in Micanopy, Florida, where Caroline Merison had sent the horse to be sold.
“Part of my deal with Sara and Brian was to ride the sales horses, so I started riding Nigel in November,” Maya said. “I was riding him with the intention that he was for sale. I know not to let myself get very attached to the sales horses. I enjoyed riding him, but I never really thought he would be a horse for myself.”
Maya and Nigel’s partnership quickly blossomed. She took him to his first Intermediate at Rocking Horse Winter I Horse Trials in January, where he added one rail to his dressage score to finish second. At Ocala Winter I Horse Trials in February, Maya and Nigel added only cross country time penalties to finish sixth in his second Intermediate.
After she then took him to his first CIC2* at Red Hills International Horse Trials, where Nigel again added only time penalties on cross country to finish 10th in a competitive field, Maya started to wonder if it might be possible to keep him for herself.
Caroline Merison has kindly agreed to give Maya the time to raise the funds required to purchase Nigel, who will officially stay in her program.
“Over the last month we’ve been thinking maybe we could make it work out. I’ve been getting more and more excited about it and the possibility of having another horse. Nigel is the same age as Mowgli and technically more green, but they could not be more different horses,” Maya said.
“Nigel is extremely laidback and very workmanlike over the fences. He’s probably the easiest horse I’ve ever jumped because he has a longer neck and I’m tall. It’s amazing how much easier I find him to jump than Mowgli, who is a bit more short-coupled and a spitfire. It’s exciting to think about having two horses to jump around top tracks.”
In addition to offering ownership shares through the Black Ice Group, Maya has also set up a PayPal link to allow anyone interested in helping her to make a donation directly towards the purchase of the horse.
“Trying to raise the money to buy this horse is really out of my comfort zone,” Maya said, “but Sara encouraged me that I just need to do it because I need another horse.”
“Maya has built a well deserved reputation for herself. We’ve got to put a priority on having riders like her well mounted,” Sara said. “We don’t have to be millionaires to be owners of event horses. We can all come together and give to help each other out. All of us can give a little bit.”
While there are many characteristics that define the eventing family, our ability to band together in support of fellow riders is surely one of our strongest. Please consider donating through PayPal to help Maya raise the money she needs to purchase Nigel.
If you are interested in purchasing a larger ownership share in the Black Ice Group, please contact Maya at 360-320-9540 or [email protected] for more information.
There is an exciting summer on offer to anyone who joins in the journey to help Maya raise the funds to purchase Nigel. She is aiming him for the CCI2* at the Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event in May, with an aim to move up to Advanced in the autumn.
Colleen Rutledge and 20-year-old Shiraz jumping at Tryon last week. Photo by Brian Rutledge.
It has been nearly three years since Colleen Rutledge’s legendary four-star partner Shiraz completed the final horse trials of his storied career, finishing 14th at the 2015 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event.
A horse who thoroughly loves having a job, Shiraz retired sound and has remained in work ever since to keep him happy. Now 20-years-old, Shiraz recently returned to the show ring to jump the colored poles and prove that age is just a number.
John Michael “JM” Durr, whom Colleen recently started training with in show jumping, had the idea for Shiraz, better known as “Luke,” to return to jumping in a competitive atmosphere.
“JM has been helping me with Covert Rights, and he wants me show jumping at 1.30m height as much as possible,” Colleen said. “When he saw a video of Luke jumping at home, he suggested we start jumping him at shows.”
Luke officially returned to the show ring last month at the $15,000 Ocala Horse Properties Eventing Prix Invitational at Southern Cross Equestrian in Ocala, Florida, where he jumped in the $1,000 1.15m speed class.
“Luke thought it was the best day ever, so this is his retirement,” Colleen said. “He hates not having a job. He just switched from ‘we get to jump the big solid things’ to ‘now we get to jump the big colored things.’ He is loving it.”
Colleen took three horses to the Welcome Series at Tryon International Equestrian Center in Mill Spring, North Carolina last week, including Luke. He jumped in two 1.20m Open Jumper classes, as well as the 1.30m Open Jumper Stake.
Watch below for a video of Luke in the 1.30m Open Jumper Stake courtesy of Brian Rutledge. Luke had one rail down in a time of 67.007 seconds to finish fifth. (Shout out to fellow eventer Doug Payne and Vandiver, who won the class.)
“He thinks that this is the time of his life, and the best part is he doesn’t have to do dressage anymore,” Colleen laughed. “You gotta love a horse that wants to do a job 110 percent.”
Luke’s stint in the jumper ring is now his third successful career. He completed six CCI4* competitions during his eventing career, and became the first horse in history to complete every CCI4* in the Northern Hemisphere, which he did without any cross country jumping penalties.
I’d like to start by apologizing to my friends in the north. I see the photos with the snow, and I really feel for you, but I rode in a t-shirt today and it was pretty darn fantastic! Really enjoying these two weeks of spring before the weather goes straight to unbearable summer heat.
Tina Cook is racing the clock to fully recover after a fall at Burnham Market last weekend. She and Billy The Red took a tumble at fence five which dislocated her shoulder. She’s looking forward to 10 days of immobility in her arm before the training continues. We wish her luck as Badminton looms closer. [Top British rider in ‘race against time’ to be fit for Badminton after suffering injury in fall]
Tryon International Equestrian Center needs volunteers! There are many positions available for The Fork Horse Trials this week. Whether you want to serve as a jump judge with a front-row seat for cross-country competition or work behind the scenes, there’s a spot on the team for you! [Volunteer at The Fork at TIEC & WEG Eventing Test Event]
Tuesday Video: Shedding hack for all you budget friendly folks like me!
Which product does Olympic medalist Phillip Dutton trust to keep his horses calm and focused at the biggest events in the world? Chillax. Learn more.
Error, group does not exist! Check your syntax! (ID: 38)
Did you know that European and European-based eventers head south to get in early-season competitions too? C.H. Barroca d’Alva in Portugal is a favorite early FEI event that riders from many different nations use to get their feet wet for the season. One only needs to take a peek at the 2018 results to get a feel for the diversity of competitors.
The riders and their horses may have gotten their feet a little too wet this year, however, as several of the competition days saw particularly windy and rainy weather.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bgbh2BwgCWv/
But the show went on! Take a look at the video below courtesy of EquusPix Photography for a look around the C.H. Barrocca grounds and scenes from the competition:
