Alycia Burton of Free Riding NZ and her incredible palomino paint gelding GoldRush have gained international fame through viral videos featuring amazing tackless feats, from blazing fast beach gallops to international cross country jumping. But while it’s incredible to watch what they do, horse people know what is more impressive is how they do what they do.
Alycia and “Banjo” clearly have a remarkable partnership founded on trust and communication. Such a connection isn’t born overnight. It takes years to build and perfected only through countless hours of practice. That’s why we love Alycia’s latest video of her and Banjo schooling at home, warming up and working together to fine tune their skills and further solidify the strength of their relationship.
In the video description, Alycia says they are getting back into jump training after a month off so they are working on being “accurate, light and reactive.”
Alycia now has her own training DVD series and is touring Australia sharing her knowledge and inspiring youth to chase their dreams. Click here to learn more.
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We eventers heart our horses! I mean, like, we heart-heart them. Even though they don’t always heart us back.
Based on a true story. Graphic by Leslie Wylie.
So it’s no surprise that there are a gazillion event horses out there with sweet mushy-gushy lovey-dovey names. Here’s a word cloud created from a few we pulled up from the USEA horse registration database:
Graphic by Leslie Wylie.
Jessica Phoenix and A Little Romance, sired by A Fine Romance. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Pretty cute. But my favorite subgenre of Valentine’s Day appropropriate event horse names?
Fun fact: There are actually three horses named “Better Than a Boyfriend” in the USEA database. Nice work, ladies. Graphic by Leslie Wylie.
Enter to win a pair of Hadley Full Seat Breeches from SmartPak!
It’s February 14! Whether you celebrate Valentine’s Day, Galentine’s Day or some other version of the holiday, we have a special giveaway to treat yourself today. We’re teaming up with SmartPak to give one lucky EN reader a pair of fabulous Hadley Full Seat Breeches.
SmartPak’s Hadley breeches are made of a special 4-way stretch fabric that makes them comfortable and durable to wear all year long. I have cross country schooled in them on hot days in Florida (photo evidence!) and also ridden in them on cold, windy days in Pennsylvania, and I’ve found them equally awesome in all conditions. The stretch fabric is also stain and water resistant.
My Hadley breeches still look brand new after countless machine washes — just lay flat to dry! — and I also love that they have front and back pockets, both deep enough to hold your phone. The Hadley Full Seat Breeches come in eight colors: Black, Navy (my fave!), Charcoal with Black, French Blue with Dove, White, Dark Spruce with Navy, Ocean with Navy, and Leaf Green with Chocolate.
The Hadley Full Seat Breeches retail at $129.95, with the Hadley Knee Patch Breeches at $119.95. Use code LoveSP2018 to save 20% off all SmartPak apparel and tack through tonight. If you haven’t tried Hadley breeches yet, now is your chance to win a pair for free! Enter to win using the Rafflecopter widget below. Entries close at midnight EST tonight, and we will announce the winner in Thursday’s News & Notes. Good luck!
Disclaimer: Information given in the Rafflecopter widget, including email addresses, may be shared with the corresponding sponsor at their request. You will also be signed up for our weekly EN eNews email newsletter, if you aren’t already. Don’t worry — you’ll just wonder what you’ve been missing out on — and you can unsubscribe if you don’t want it.
Greys are a bit of gamble, especially young ones; you just never know exactly what they’re going to end up looking like! Might they stay a bit dark? Will they end up with a coat as white as a blanket of snow? Most importantly, will there be dapples? One thing is for certain: now matter how they turn out you’re going to need boatloads of purple shampoo and green-spot remover.
If you feel like taking a chance on a grey today, we picked out three lovely ones available on CANTER to feature in this week’s OTTB Wishlist:
This young guy has a long future ahead of him — but not as a racehorse! Trade the Pick has not at all been impressive at the track, running in the rear of the pack of his only two races. He is sound and still in training, but his owners are betting that he’ll click with another sport better than racing and would like to see him move on.
This big eye-catching mare is ready to be your next project! She is sound and athletic, but just isn’t competitive in the races. However, her pedigree hints that she might be a very competitive eventer. Her sire, The Pamplemousee, has already produced some horses who are eventing off the track and he is now being trained for a second career in eventing himself. Will this big lady follow in his footsteps?
This gelding is another one who is sound and healthy, but has shown in his 13 starts to just not be a competitive race horse. “Crafty” is a sweet horse to be around and his connections say he has an amateur-friendly disposition. He is a light cribber at mealtimes, but it is completely controlled with a collar.
The age of wee eventers begins! Photo via Andrea Davidson’s Instagram.
It seems like quite a lot of eventers have been procreating lately and with that comes an era of photos of wee future eventers tackling their first lead-line classes. Just look at that tiny pink Charles Owen … it almost makes me want to go buy one despite not have a child of my own!
National Holiday: Valentine’s Day! (If you do not celebrate Valentine’s, it is also National Ferris Wheel Day.)
Check out the familiar faces hanging out at WEF. Phillip and Boyd took a skeleton crew of their top horses down to WEF on the advice of Erik Duvander. With just their top horses to concentrate, they can really work on getting them adjusted to competing in atmosphere for both jumping and dressage. [Big Names in Eventing]
Those hunters all look happy in the ring, but not all of them have happy-go-lucky personalities. Hunter champion Small Affair knows how to put on a game face that helps him win but at home he’s a bit of a grump. One thing besides his job that cheers him up is a hard peppermint…but don’t try to give him a puffy one. [Behind the Stall Door]
The weekly OTTB critique is quickly becoming an interesting regular read. This week, 4* rider Jenn McFall evaluates a 2008 gelding named Symphonic Hero, a war horse with 59 starts. [ERQI Now Available]
Podcast of the Day: The roll-out of the ERQI has arrived with some confusion as to what the rating actually means for individuals. Diarm and Sam, co-founders of EquiRatings, join the USEA for a Q&A on how best to interpret the scale. [Introducing ERQI Podcast]
SmartPak Product of the Day: For Valentine’s Day, it’s 20% off all SmartPak brand merchandise, which means it’s a perfect time to re-stock your schooling pad collection. [SmartPak]
Boyd Martin spent the last week underneath the palm trees, but he wasn’t on vacation! He spent last week in Wellington, Florida, splitting his time between the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) and the Adequan Global Dressage Festival (AGDF), really cracking down on his homework before the season gets fully underway. He brought along his upper level string including Shamwari, Steady Eddie, Tsetserleg, Long Island T and Contessa.
“The last ten days I’ve spent in Wellington, Florida with five of my upper-level horses. Phillip Dutton and I were encouraged to do this exercise from our new High Performance coach Eric Duvander and I must say it’s been a humbling experience jumping against the pros and competing at the AGDF 5* dressage show among some of the best in the world but I’m also inspired, and it’s going very well,” Boyd said in a blog post.
“Phillip and I have been working with dressage trainer Scott Hassler from Maryland for the past year. We’ve been training with Scott monthly up north and daily down here in Florida. Our jumping coach Richard Picken also made the trip with us and has been schooling us at our stable and coaching us in the classes at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF).”
He worked through second and third level tests, earning 71% twice with Long Island T on third level test 3. Here’s what his week looked like:
Jump racing’s elite will congregate in Gloucestershire for four days of fantastic racing next month, as Prestbury Park welcomes hundreds of thousands of fans through its gate during the 2018 Cheltenham Festival. Twenty-eight prestigious prizes will be awarded as the best horses in the land look to establish their dominance in their respective disciplines and earn their places in the annals of sporting history.
Over the past six months, racecourses around Britain and Ireland have hosted important meetings, giving everyone plenty of clues heading into Festival season. There are still four weeks for horses to run their way into contention and injury problems to arise, but experts have already started tipping horses they expect to triumph at the Cheltenham Festival.
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is the most prestigious contest of the week and the name on everyone’s lips when discussing this historic chase is Might Bite. Nicky Henderson’s enigmatic charge rallied after some late wanderings to claim his first Cheltenham victory in the RSA Novices’ Chase last season.
Three wins have followed since, with his most recent triumph coming in the King George VI Chase. Might Bite was very cautious over his fences and didn’t enjoy the softer ground, but still had enough class to put the race to bed – an ominous sign for his Cheltenham Festival rivals.
Stablemate Buveur D’Air was rerouted from life over fences to have a crack at the Champion Hurdle last season. Nicky Henderson’s gamble paid off tenfold, as the JP McManus-owned gelding scorched to a tremendous victory. While many of his potential Champion Hurdle rivals have failed to fire, Buveur D’Air has won all three of his starts this season without breaking a sweat and looks set to join an illustrious list of winners who have been able to retain their Cheltenham crown.
Footpad has been the most impressive novice chaser in the sport this season. Willie Mullins’ charge romped to victory in a beginners’ contest before comfortably winning Grade Ones at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting and the Dublin Racing Festival earlier this month. Owners Simon Munir & Isaac Suoede have enjoyed their most successful season to date and Footpad will be their leading light at the Festival.
Gigginstown Stud have ruled the roost over in Ireland once again and connections will look on expectantly as Apple’s Jade tries to retain her Mares’ Hurdle crown. Since defeating two of Willie Mullins’ best mares at last year’s meeting, Gordon Elliott’s golden girl has gone from strength to strength. Her most recent triumph in a three mile Grade One at Leopardstown saw the Stayers’ Hurdle become a genuine option, but it’s highly likely Elliott will send Apple’s Jade back to the race she won last year and another routine victory is expected.
She could be joined in the winners’ circle by full sister Apple’s Shakira, who has won three times around Cheltenham already during this campaign. Nicky Henderson’s youngster has won all three of her starts with the minimum of fuss and, while the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle remains open to her, she seems destined to claim victory in the Triumph Hurdle.
Ten-year-old Un De Sceaux has looked as good as ever this season, cruising to a history-making hat-trick in the Clarence House Chase at Ascot. He powered to victory from the front of the field in last years’ Ryanair Chase and many experts are tipping Willie Mullins’ dual-Festival hero to repeat that fantastic feat.
While there are other Cheltenham contenders who have had their credentials highlighted over recent weeks, the undisputed hot-pot heading into this year’s Festival is the sensational Samcro. Gordon Elliott’s imposing youngster has run roughshod through the novice hurdling ranks, sauntering to victory in all three of his appearances without jockey Jack Kennedy even entertaining the urge to draw for his whip.
Last week, Elliott dropped Samcro back to two miles at the Dublin Racing Festival and the five-year-old passed that speed test with flying colours. Phrases like “the best horse I’ve ever seen” and “a future Gold Cup winner” have been thrown into the media during the first half of the season. Those soundbites may seem a little premature, but one thing everyone seems to agree on, is that Samcro will enter the winners’ enclosure at the 2018 Cheltenham Festival.
Who will be in this stadium this year? Photo via EN’s Instagram.
With the Advanced season set to begin at Rocking Horse Winter II Horse Trials this week, anticipation will begin to build for what is currently the biggest event in North America — the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event. The possibilities are thrilling at the beginning of the competition season, and EN is here to offer you a preview of which horses are qualified to compete at Kentucky each spring.
Currently, there are 65 horses fully qualified and at least 14 who have achieved qualification but need to renew their 12-month requirement with a CIC3* in the spring. Additionally, 12 Canadian horses are qualified but must achieve their National Federation requirements within three months of the competition date. Finally, there are 15 horses that have obtained the necessary CCI3* qualifications to compete at a four-star, but need additional CIC3* qualifications.
We make no claims that this is a complete list. Only horses that competed at least once at the Advanced, three-star or four-star levels in North America in 2017 or were listed on the 2018 USEF Winter High Performance Training Lists were evaluated for qualifications. Additionally, American riders based overseas are on this list, but not other nationalities.
If anyone knows of a horse who is aimed at Kentucky but has not competed at these levels since 2016 or before, please let us know so we can properly update the list by emailing [email protected]. Similarly, if you know of a horse on this list that has been retired, sold or is otherwise not competing at this level anymore, please update us. We have updated the list with news as it has come in during the off-season.
For a full explanation of what constitutes a qualified pair for the four-star level, read EN’s guide Know Your Qualifications: CCI4* 2017 Redux for more details, along with a handy tutorial on how to check your FEI qualifications for any level with any rider, or any horse. Along with FEI requirements of completing the qualifying shows, National Federations may add their own requirements, which apply to their riders no matter where they are based.
For instance, US Equestrian requires that one of the qualifying results be within a year of the desired competition date. Equestrian Canada requires the completion of a qualifying Advanced or three-star within three months of the competition. Other National Federations have no additional requirements, like New Zealand. Horses are subject to the rules of the National Federation of their rider.
Riders with the following nationalities are based in the U.S. and currently competing at the Advanced and 3* levels:
Australia: Horses must have another Advanced or CI3* MER in addition to FEI requirements if not ridden by a Category A rider. Category A riders must have two additional Advanced or CI3* MER in addition to the FEI required CCI3*.
Brazil: No additional NF requirements. (Rules document from 2017, 2018 not available.)
Canada: Must have one MER at an Advanced or CIC3* within three months of competition date.
Great Britain: Horses ridden by Category C, D, or uncategorized riders need an additional Advanced or CI3*. Horses ridden by A riders need an additional CI3* as well as another Advanced or CI3*. Category B riders have no extra BEF requirements.
Ireland: Horses ridden by Category B, C, D, or uncategorized riders need an additional Advanced or CI3*. Horses ridden by A riders need an additional CI3* as well as another Advanced or CI3*. (Rules document from 2017, 2018 not available.)
New Zealand: No additional NF requirements. (Rules document went into effect August 1, 2017.)
Riders representing Ecuador, Mexico, Netherlands and Puerto Rico are also based in the U.S., but their National Federation requirements are not published online. If anyone has information regarding qualifications for these federations, please feel free to email us at [email protected].
Many of the pairs listed below have more than sufficient qualifying results. We have listed only the most recent shows that achieve qualification for them, plus the date of the show that most recently satisfies the 12-month requirement. One asterisk before the show name indicates one stop on cross country. Two asterisks indicates a frangible penalty. When possible, we used shows with clear cross country rounds.
As noted in the above Know Your Qualifications link, FEI Category A and B riders do not need to satisfy the full gamut of qualifications, and may take advantage of modified paths to qualification. These pairs are still listed below and denoted with a (B) or (A) next to the rider name to denote that the horse is qualified due to the rider categorization. If the rider does not have the (B) or (A) next to their name but is a B or A rider, that indicates that the horse is fully qualified through the traditional pathway.
Also, all of the horses listed below are qualified with their current rider. If a rider change occurs, the new rider will not be able to compete the horse at Kentucky this spring.
For a review of what entails an MER up through 2016, please revisit Know Your Qualifications for a complete explanation. For 2017, MER requirements became stricter and can be viewed in the Know Your Qualifications: CCI4* 2017 Redux link. Beginning in 2017, the MER requirements remain the same as 2017 but the 1.5 coefficient for dressage is dropped, making a dressage score of 45.0 or below the required mark to achieve for an MER.
Horses and Riders Fully Qualified to Compete at Rolex 2017
Anna Bella
Rider: Kurt Martin
2017 Ocala Jockey Club CIC3*
2017 Great Meadow CICO3*
2014 Fair Hill CCI3*
2014 Jersey Fresh CCI3*
Back to Business
Rider: Katherine Coleman (B)
2017 Tattersalls CCI3*
2017 Chatsworth CIC3*
2017 Burnham Market CIC3*
2017 Belton Park CIC3*
Ballylaffin Bracken
Rider: Kristen Schmolze
2017 Kentucky CCI4*
2017 Chattahoochee Hills CIC3*
2015 Kentucky CCI4*
2014 Kentucky CCI4*
Bonito
Rider: Boyd Martin (A)
2017 Bromont CCI3*
2017 Jersey Fresh CIC3*
2017 Fair Hill CIC3*
2017 Red Hills CIC3*
Boris O’Hara
Rider: Will Coleman (B)
2017 Plantation Field CIC3*
2017 Richland Park CIC3*
2017 Bromont CCI3*
2017 Jersey Fresh CIC3*
Cambalda
Rider: Jennie Brannigan*
2017 Plantation Field CIC3*
2017 Great Meadow CIC3*
2014 Fair Hill CCI3*
2012 Boekelo CCIO3*
Captain Jack
Rider: Savannah Fulton
2017 Great Meadow CICO3*
2017 Kentucky CCI4*
2017 Carolina CIC3*
2016 Fair Hill CCI3*
Carlevo
Rider: Buck Davidson
2017 Fair Hill CCI3*
2017 Plantation Field CIC3*
2017 Richland Park CIC3*
2017 Tattersalls CCI3*
Castle Larchfield Purdy (PUR)
Rider: Lauren Billys
2016 Great Meadow CICO3*
2016 Twin Rivers CIC3*
2015 Galway Downs CCI3*
2015 Jersey Fresh CCI3*
Cecelia (MEX)
Rider: Daniela Moguel
2017 Fair Hill CCI3*
2017 Plantation Field CIC3*
2017 The Fork CIC3*
2016 Kentucky CCI4*
Clip Clop (NZL)
Rider: Joe Meyer
2017 Ocala Jockey Club CIC3*
2017 Richland Park CIC3*
2016 Fair Hill CCI3*
2015 Fair Hill CCI3*
Cooley Cross Border
Rider: Kim Severson
2017 Blenheim CCI3*
2017 Cappoquin CIC3*
2017 Millstreet CIC3*
2016 Fair Hill CCI3*
Cooley On Show
Rider: Sharon White
2017 Luhmühlen CCI4*
2017 The Fork CIC3*
2017 Carolina CIC3*
2016 Fair Hill CCI3*
Copper Beach
Rider: Buck Davidson
2017 Plantation Field CIC3*
2017 Chattahoochee Hills CIC3*
2016 Rebecca Farm CCI3*
2016 Kentucky CCI4*
Covert Rights
Rider: Colleen Rutledge
2017 Fair Hill CCI3*
2017 Morven Park CIC3*
2017 Richland Park CIC3*
2015 Burghley CCI4*
D.A. Duras
Rider: Lauren Kieffer (A)
2017 Hartpury CIC3*
2017 Barbury Castle CIC3*
2017 Carolina CIC3*
2016 Fair Hill CCI3*
DeLux Z
Rider: Kurt Martin
2017 Fair Hill CCI3*
2017 Plantation Field CIC3*
2017 Kentucky CCI4*
2017 Carolina CIC3*
Donner
Rider: Lynn Symansky
2017 Burghley CCI4*
2017 Great Meadow CICO3*
2017 Badminton CCI4*
2017 Carolina CIC3*
Fernhill By Night
Rider: Liz Halliday-Sharp (B)
2017 Blenheim CIC3*
2016 Burnham Market CIC3*
2015 Hartpury CIC3*
2014 Boekelo CCIO3*
Fernhill Classic (AUS)
Rider: Ryan Wood
2016 Fair Hill CCI3*
2016 Plantation Field CIC3*
2016 Kentucky CCI4*
2015 Fair Hill CCI3*
Fernhill Fortitude
Rider: Jenny Caras
2017 Richland Park CIC3*
2017 Carolina CIC3*
2016 Fair Hill CCI3*
2016 Bramham CCI3*
Fernhill Revelation
Rider: Phillip Dutton (A)
2017 Tattersalls CCI3*
2017 The Fork CIC3*
2017 Red Hills CIC3*
Happenstance (GBR)
Rider: James Alliston (A)
2017 Galway Downs CCI3*
2017 Woodside CIC3*
2017 Galway Downs CIC3*
Harbour Pilot
Rider: Hannah Sue Burnett*
2017 Ocala Jockey Club CIC3*
2017 Luhmühlen CCI4*
2017 Millstreet CIC3*
2016 Blenheim CCI3*
High Times
Rider: Jennifer McFall
2017 Kentucky CCI4*
2017 Chattahoochee Hills CIC3*
2016 Fair Hill CCI3*
2016 Rebecca Farm CIC3*
Houdini
Rider: Katie Ruppel (B)
2017 Ocala Jockey Club CIC3*
2017 Richland Park CIC3*
2016 Ocala Jockey Club CIC3*
2013 Jersey Fresh CCI3*
I’m Sew Ready
Rider: Phillip Dutton
2017 Ocala Jockey Club CIC3*
2017 Great Meadow CICO3*
2017 Kentucky CCI4*
2016 Fair Hill CCI3*
Indy 500
Rider: Andrea Baxter
2017 Blenheim CCI3*
2017 Rebecca Farm CCI3*
2016 Jersey Fresh CCI3*
2016 Galway Downs CIC3*
Inmidair
Rider: Jan Byyny
2017 Great Meadow CICO3*
2014 Kentucky CCI4*
2014 Carolina CIC3*
2013 Fair Hill CCI3*
Landioso
Rider: Mackenna Shea
2017 *Burghley CCI4*
2017 Twin Rivers CIC3*
2017 Galway Downs CIC3*
2016 Fair Hill CCI3*
Landmark’s Monte Carlo
Rider: Lauren Kieffer
2017 Hartpury CIC3*
2016 Fair Hill CCI3*
2016 Red Hills CIC3*
2015 Boekelo CCIO3*
LCC Barnaby
Rider: Lillian Heard
2017 Great Meadow CICO3*
2017 Kentucky CCI4*
2016 Millstreet CCI3*
2016 Great Meadow CICO3*
Longwood
Rider: Katherine Coleman
2017 Houghton Hall CIC3*
2017 Burnham Market CIC3*
2017 Barroca d’Alva CCI3*
2016 Bramham CCI3*
Luckaun Quality (IRL)
Rider: Timothy Bourke
2017 Plantation Field CIC3*
2017 Kentucky CCI4*
2017 Carolina CIC3*
2016 Kentucky CCI4*
Mettraise
Rider: Erin Sylvester
2017 Ocala Jockey Club CIC3*
2017 Kentucky CCI4*
2016 Plantation Field CIC3*
2016 Bromont CCI3*
Muggle (BRA)
Rider: Nilson Moreira da Silva
2017 Richland Park CIC3*
2016 Barbury Castle CIC3*
2015 *Fair Hill CCI3*
2015 Jersey Fresh CCI3*
Never OutFoxed
Rider: Holly Payne Caravella
2017 Morven Park CIC3*
2017 Plantation Field CIC3*
2015 Rolex CCI4*
2014 Fair Hill CCI3*
OBOS O’Reilly
Rider: Will Coleman
2017 Luhmühlen CCI4*
2015 Blenheim CCI3*
2015 Richland Park CIC3*
2015 Kentucky CCI4*
P.S. Arianna
Rider: Madeline Backus
2017 Rebecca Farm CIC3*
2017 Kentucky CCI4*
2017 Red Hills CIC3*
2016 Fair Hill CCI3*
Paddy the Caddy
Rider: Erin Sylvester
2017 Fair Hill CCI3*
2017 Rebecca Farm CCI3*
2017 Fair Hill CIC3*
2016 Morven Park CIC3*
Park Trader
Rider: Buck Davidson
2017 Fair Hill CCI3*
2017 Richland Park CIC3*
2016 Fair Hill CCI3*
2014 Kentucky CCI4*
Pebbly Maximus
Rider: Caroline Martin
2017 Boekelo CCIO3*
2017 Houghton Hall CICO3*
2016 Fair Hill CCI3*
2016 Bromont CCI3*
Pfun
Rider: Will Faudree
2017 *Kentucky CCI4*
2017 Carolina CIC3*
2016 Fair Hill CCI3*
2016 Morven CIC3*
Polaris
Rider: Sara Moore
2017 Fair Hill CCI3*
2017 Plantation Field CIC3*
2016 Plantation Field CIC3*
2016 Jersey Fresh CCI3*
Powell
Rider: Ryan Wood (B)
2017 Fair Hill CCI3*
2017 Plantation Field CIC3*
2017 Bromont CCI3*
2017 Fair Hill CIC3*
RevitaVet Capato
Rider: Jordan Linstedt
2017 Fair Hill CCI3*
2017 Plantation Field CIC3*
2017 Bromont CCI3*
2017 Jersey Fresh CIC3*
RF Demeter
Rider: Hannah Sue Burnett (A)*
2017 Blenheim CCI3*
2017 Aachen CICO3*
2017 Barbury Castle CIC3*
2017 Luhmühlen CIC3*
RF Scandalous
Rider: Marilyn Little
2017 Luhmühlen CCI4*
2017 Jersey Fresh CIC3*
2017 The Fork CIC3*
2016 Fair Hill CCI3*
Rise Against
Rider: Bunnie Sexton
2017 Woodside CIC3*
2016 Rebecca Farm CIC3*
2016 Kentucky CCI4*
2015 Galway Downs CCI3*
Share Option
Rider: Lillian Heard
2017 Kentucky CCI4*
2016 Kentucky CCI4*
2015 Kentucky CCI4*
2013 Fair Hill CCI3*
Silver Night Lady
Rider: Emily Beshear (B)
2017 *Fair Hill CCI3*
2017 Plantation Field CIC3*
2017 Richland Park CIC3*
2017 Jersey Fresh CIC3*
Simply Priceless
Rider: Elisa Wallace
2017 Ocala Jockey Club CIC3*
2016 Burghley CCI4*
2016 Kentucky CCI4*
2016 Carolina CIC3*
Sir Oberon
Rider: Ellen Doughty-Hume
2017 Galway Downs CCI3*
2017 Chattahoochee Hills CIC3*
2016 Galway Downs CCI3*
2016 Richland Park CIC3*
Sound Prospect
Rider: Allie Knowles
2017 Pau CCI4*
2017 Richland Park CIC3*
2017 Great Meadow CICO3*
2016 Kentucky CCI4*
Steady Eddie
Rider: Boyd Martin
2017 Burghley CCI4*
2017 Great Meadow CICO3*
2017 Carolina CIC3*
2015 Fair Hill CCI3*
Stella Artois
Rider: Jennie Brannigan*
2017 Millstreet CCI3*
2017 Bromont CCI3*
2017 Jersey Fresh CIC3*
2017 Fair Hill CIC3*
Super Socks BCF
Rider: Matt Brown
2017 Kentucky CCI4*
2017 Pine Top CIC3*
2016 Ocala Jockey Club CIC3*
2016 Kentucky CCI4*
Tactical Manuever
Rider: Ashley Johnson
2017 Fair Hill CCI3*
2016 Ocala Jockey Club CIC3*
2016 Kentucky CCI4*
2015 Jersey Fresh CCI3*
The Apprentice
Rider: Caroline Martin (B)
2017 *Bramham CCI3*
2017 Houghton Hall CICO3*
2017 The Fork CIC3*
2017 Carolina CIC3*
Tight Lines
Rider: Will Coleman
2017 Fair Hill CCI3*
2017 Plantation Field CIC3*
2017 Richland Park CIC3*
2016 Fair Hill CCI3*
Truly Wiley
Rider: Kelly Prather
2017 *Kentucky CCI4*
2017 Carolina CIC3*
2016 Fair Hill CCI3*
2016 Jersey Fresh CCI3*
Tsetserleg
Rider: Boyd Martin
2017 Fair Hill CCI3*
2017 Richland Park CIC3*
2017 Bromont CCI3*
2017 Jersey Fresh CIC3*
Tsunami
Rider: Sally Cousins
2017 Kentucky CCI4*
2016 Kentucky CCI4*
2015 Richland Park CIC3*
2014 Fair Hill CCI3*
Under Suspection
Rider: Hannah Sue Burnett*
2017 Kentucky CCI4*
2017 Red Hills CIC3*
2016 Fair Hill CCI3*
2016 Rebecca Farm CCI3*
Vandiver
Rider: Doug Payne
2017 Blenheim CCI3*
2017 The Fork CIC3*
2017 Carolina CIC3*
2016 Kentucky CCI4*
Vermiculus
Rider: Lauren Kieffer
2017 Ocala Jockey Club CIC3*
2017 Chattahoochee Hills CIC3*
2016 Bromont CCI3*
2016 Boekelo CCIO3*
Veronica
Rider: Lauren Kieffer
2017 Burghley CCI4*
2017 Badminton CCI4*
2017 Chattahoochee Hills CIC3*
2016 Rolex CCI4*
Vilas County (NED)
Rider: Werner Geven
2016 Poplar Place CIC3*
2016 Jersey Fresh CCI3*
2016 Poplar Place CIC3*
2013 Fair Hill CCI3*
Wundermaske (ECU)
Rider: Ronald Zabala
2017 Galway Downs CCI3*
2017 Rebecca Farm CIC3*
2016 Jersey Fresh CCI3*
2016 Quillota CIC3*
Z
Rider: Phillip Dutton
2017 Ocala Jockey Club CIC3*
2017 Plantation Field CIC3*
2017 Tattersalls CCI3*
2016 Jersey Fresh CCI3*
Canadian Horses Fully Qualified (Need a CIC3* or Advanced within three months)
A Little Romance (CAN)
Rider: Jessica Phoenix
2016 Great Meadow CICO3*
2016 Jersey Fresh CIC3*
2015 Galway Downs CCI3*
2014 Bromont CCI3*
Abbey GS (CAN)
Rider: Jessica Phoenix (A)
2017 The Fork CIC3*
2016 Richland Park CIC3*
2016 Jersey Fresh CIC3*
2015 Galway Downs CCI3*
Bentley’s Best (CAN)
Rider: Jessica Phoenix (A)
2017 Red Hills CIC3*
2016 Great Meadow CICO3*
2016 Jersey Fresh CCI3*
2016 Chattahoochee Hills CIC3*
Bogue Sound (CAN)
Rider: Jessica Phoenix
2017 Fair Hill CCI3*
2017 Richland Park CIC3*
2017 Bromont CCI3*
2017 Red Hills CIC3*
Dr. Sheldon Cooper
Rider: Jessica Phoenix (A)
2017 Fair Hill CCI3*
2017 Plantation Field CIC3*
Foxwood High (CAN)
Rider: Selena O’Hanlon
2017 Fair Hill CCI3*
2017 Plantation Field CIC3*
2014 Great Meadow CICO3*
2017 Kentucky CCI4*
Honor Me (CAN)
Rider: Lisa Marie Fergusson
2017 Galway Downs CCI3*
2017 Plantation Field CIC3*
2017 Great Meadow CIC3*
2017 Kentucky CCI4*
Irish Rhythm (CAN)
Rider: Rachel McDonough
2017 Great Meadow CICO3*
2017 Pine Top CIC3*
2016 Bromont CCI3*
2015 Galway Downs CCI3*
Jollybo (CAN)
Rider: Hawley Bennett-Awad
2017 Rebecca Farm CIC3*
2017 Kentucky CCI4*
2016 Fair Hill CCI3*
2016 Rebecca Farm CCI3*
Kelecyn Cognac (CAN)
Rider: Waylon Roberts
2017 Fair Hill CCI3*
2017 Plantation Field CIC3*
2017 Richland Park CIC3*
2016 Bromont CCI3*
More Inspiration (CAN)
Rider: Holly Jacks-Smither
2017 Great Meadow CICO3*
2016 Bromont CCI3*
2015 Plantation Field CIC3*
2015 Jersey Fresh CCI3*
Pavarotti (CAN)
Rider: Jessica Phoenix
2017 Fair Hill CCI3*
2017 Plantation Field CIC3*
2017 Great Meadow CICO3*
2017 Kentucky CCI4*
Qorry Blue d’Argouges
Rider: Colleen Loach
2017 Fair Hill CCI3*
2017 Plantation Field CIC3*
2017 Richland Park CIC3*
2016 Jersey Fresh CCI3*
Horses Needing Additional CIC3* To Complete Qualifications
BCF Belicoso
Rider: Matt Brown (B)
2015 Jersey Fresh CCI3*
2015 Twin Rivers CIC3*
Campground
Rider: Erin Sylvester (B)
2016 Fair Hill CCI3*
2016 Plantation Field CIC3*
Cool As Ice
Rider: Jennie Brannigan (B)*
2017 Plantation Field CIC3*
2017 Bromont CCI3*
2017 Jersey Fresh CIC3*
Danger Mouse
Rider: Caroline Martin (B)
2017 The Fork CIC3*
2017 Fair Hill CCI3*
Deniro Z
Rider: Liz Halliday-Sharp (B)
2017 Boekelo CCIO3*
2017 Blenheim CIC3*
Fleeceworks Royal
Rider: Tamie Smith (B)
2017 Fair Hill CCI3*
2017 Rebecca Farm CIC3*
2017 Twin Rivers CIC3*
Jak My Style
Rider: Buck Davidson (B)
2017 Fair Hill CCI3*
2017 Morven Park CIC3*
2017 Plantation Field CIC3*
Johnny Royale (NZL)
Rider: Joe Meyer (B)
2017 Fair Hill CCI3*
2017 Poplar Place CIC3*
No Remorse
Rider: Buck Davidson
2017 Jersey Fresh CCI3*
2016 *Jersey Fresh CCI3*
2016 Pine Top CIC3*
Parker (GBR)
Rider: James Alliston
2016 Galway Downs CCI3*
2016 Woodside CIC3*
2016 Rebecca Farm CCI3*
2016 Kentucky CCI4*
Rubens D’Ysieux
Rider: Sara Kozumplik-Murphy (B)
2017 Bromont CCI3*
2017 The Fork CIC3*
Wembley
Rider: Tamie Smith
2017 Fair Hill CCI3*
2017 *Bromont CCI3*
2017 Twin Rivers CIC3*
U.S. Horses Qualified But Need a CIC3* within 12 months
On Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018, USEF Managing Director of Eventing and lifelong Patriots fan Joanie Morris lost a Super Bowl bet to lifelong Eagles fan Buck Davidson.
Per the terms of the bet, Joanie had to tell EN why the Eagles are the best football team. If the Patriots had won, Buck would have had to do the same for the Patriots in a press conference at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event.
This is not the first time Joanie has lost a football bet. Exhibit A:
Without further ado, take it away, Joanie!
5 Reasons Why the Eagles Are the Best Football Team
By Joanie Morris
1. Because the Eagles have the most creative rally cry in football, the one where they spell their own name. E-A-G-L-E-S
2. Because aside from Buck Davidson, Phillip Dutton and possibly one or two other people — everyone else told me that the only team they like less than the Eagles is the Patriots.
CC: Jonathan Elliott
3. Because they represent a city and not a six state piece of heaven in the North East.
4. Because their victory exposed the fact that Jon Holling bet on a team other than the Green Bay Packers.
5. Because Buck Davidson is so overjoyed by this victory after a lifetime of pain and suffering as an Eagles fan that he won’t even mind paying Jon Holling the $50 that Jon made betting me on a team other than the Packers (!!!).
Joseph Murphy is returning to Horsepower Equestrian in Ocala in March, likely mid-month, for another cross country clinic. Dates will be confirmed soon. All levels welcome! Email [email protected] or WhatsApp +44 7799 096204 to reserve a spot.
Lisa Hickey thanking Joseph after riding in the clinic with her 11-year-old Thoroughbred No Pips. Photo by Jenni Autry.
“You must think very strong in yourself as a rider. Think you can do it, and if you can’t, find a way to make it happen.” That is just one of many memorable quotes from Irish Olympian Joseph Murphy during his cross country clinic at Horsepower Equestrian in Ocala last week, and it captures the key theme that emerged over the three days: Internal confidence is king.
Joseph taught groups with experience ranging from Beginner Novice to Advanced level. After watching them jump through warm-up exercises, he quickly pinpointed strengths and weaknesses. He then coaxed each rider to challenge their own perceived limits of their ability, methodically preparing them to tackle more complex combinations and intricate questions as the lesson progressed.
The number of riders who jumped a certain type of fence or combination for the first time — and came away with beaming smiles — made this clinic a smashing success. I watched riders competing at Novice level jump through Preliminary combinations like total pros. I watched young horses grow up considerably over the course of one hour and mature by leaps and bounds when they returned for multiple days.
There is a bit of magic in the way the Irish ride cross country, and after auditing and riding in Joseph’s clinic, I can certainly say that extends to the way he teaches. Horses and riders consistently walked away from the clinic with an incredible confidence boost thanks to riding with one of Ireland’s best.
Joseph has an intriguing background. He grew up in Mullingar playing GAA football and only started riding when he was 16 years old. He cut his teeth catch riding for the Westmeath Fox Hounds, later earning his jockey license and winning at point-to-points. It was only when he met Danish event rider Dot Love that he started eventing, and he competed in his first three-day event at 23 years of age.
He has represented Ireland at the last four European Championships, as well as competed at the 2012 London Olympics and 2014 World Equestrian Games. He competed in his first CCI4* in 2011 and has since completed 19 four-stars, with multiple top-15 finishes at Badminton, Burghley, Luhmühlen and Pau.
Watch the video above of him riding Sportsfield Othello at Tattersalls CCI3*. Joseph is balanced, light and allowing in the way he rides cross country. His style is bold, and he expects riders to come into his clinics ready to rise to the occasion. A word to the wise: Do not ride in a clinic with Joseph if you don’t want to be pushed out of your comfort zone, and in some cases way out of your comfort zone.
Using myself as an example, I rode in a Training group aboard Jimmie Schramm’s former Advanced horse Bellamy, who at 18 years old is no longer competing at the upper levels and now enjoys taking off with me out of the start box at the lower levels. We had completed one recognized Training prior to Joseph’s clinic.
I’m extremely lucky to be riding this horse, and in my excitement over talking about Bellamy with Joseph, I made the grave mistake of telling him the horse was an experienced campaigner that had gone around Kentucky CCI4*.
My lesson was the last of the day, and I spent the morning auditing other lessons so I knew what to expect. After watching him send the Novice group through a combination of sizable tables, I started getting a bit nervous. When he started sending the Training group that rode before me over an Intermediate table with a sharp left-hand turn to a triple brush, I was expecting him to have constructed an exact replica of Becher’s Brook by the time I got on for my lesson.
Joseph showing me the line to ride down the mound to the angled brushes. Photo by Grace Foster.
Joseph made it clear from the start that he expected us to ride accurate, straight lines at the correct pace. After riding around like a headless chicken through the first few warm-up exercises — all I could think about was where on the course he’d constructed that Becher’s Brook replica — I started seeing good distances and things clicked into gear. And that is when Joseph decided to let the former Advanced horse relive the glory days.
He explained each line he wanted me to ride through different tricky combinations with almost clinical precision. “Find the line, hold the line” had become our mantra for the clinic by this point. Joseph made me believe I could do it, and the stars aligned for what was easily the most educational cross country lesson I have ever had.
We jumped a slew of challenging questions: a double of corners followed by three strides to a sharply angled brush, an up bank out of water with two strides to a narrow triple brush followed by four strides on a bending line to a table I had sworn I would never jump about a month prior, and an angled brush combination on two strides off a mound. Here’s a video of Bellamy tackling the angled brushes:
I went on to compete at Ocala Winter I Horse Trials at the weekend, and the fences on my Training course looked considerably smaller following my afternoon spent on Joseph’s playground. When I went out of the start box on Sunday, it was with a sense of confidence that can only come when you have taken on an immense challenge and come out on the other side feeling like you can conquer the world.
I am just one of the many success stories from Joseph’s clinic. Every single horse and rider I watched came away with a new set of tools to use with their horse on cross country going forward. The clinic proved especially helpful for horses and riders struggling in a certain area.
For horses with a bad habit of stopping at fences, Joseph explained that timing is critical when it comes to encouraging them to jump. “It’s the moment of being one second faster and then giving them a kick that they’ll remember for the rest of their lives. Your timing has to be perfection.”
He stressed our responsibility as riders, especially when it comes to ensuring that you present your horse to a jump in such a way that he is able to clearly read the question. “It is really important to make sure the horse sees the fence,” Joseph said. “If he stops because he couldn’t see the fence, that’s a rider error.”
Jean Thomas rode two days with Connor, her 5-year-old Connemara/Irish Sport Horse. Photo by Jenni Autry.
When one rider got off her line to a fence, resulting in an awkward jump, she said, “That was my fault,” to which Joseph replied, “It usually is our fault, isn’t it?” He added, “Be there when he needs you to put your leg on and help him. You have to be more proactive and keep the horse’s confidence up.”
In many cases, Joseph gave riders the chance to problem solve on their own, waiting to give them a specific piece of advice to see if they could figure it out first. When riders asked about striding in a combination, he would ask them how many strides they thought it should be. He is a strong believer in riding off feel rather than a number. “Let your eye do the calculation, then make your decision. You know from feeling what it’s supposed to be.”
If riders struggled with a certain line or combination, Joseph had them repeat it until they got it right. He would not settle for mediocrity or anything less than what he knew each rider and horse capable of achieving.
“Keep doing it until you’re confident he will take you down to the fence and you have an eye to make the distance happen,” Joseph said, adding, “If you leave a box unchecked, you’re going to get found out. Go through your program and become conscientious.”
Jimmie Schramm rode Eclaire, a 7-year-old German Sport Horse mare owned by Mark and Katherine Bellissimo, ahead of the mare’s move up to Preliminary at Ocala Winter I Horse Trials, and said she found the clinic educational for both herself and the horse.
“What I appreciated and noticed about Joseph is that he did not care what level the horse and rider were going. He watched each pair and assessed them as they warmed up through certain exercises and then challenged them appropriately,” Jimmie said.
“For most people I saw the challenge was way past what they thought themselves capable of, and more often then not the pairs overcame these challenges and left the clinic extremely confident. He methodically worked with every pair as he would if he were training his own horse, ticking off the boxes of what the horse and rider were proficient at and what needed to be addressed and worked through.”
Julieann Prettyman rode Cooley Mullingar, her 6-year-old Irish Sport Horse, in my group at the clinic ahead of their move up to Training level at Ocala Winter I Horse Trials.
“I have a talented young horse and sometimes I feel like I’m afraid to challenge him and ask tougher questions since he is still fairly young. Joseph gave me the confidence to not only ask harder questions and jump bigger things but also to make mistakes and embrace them as part of the learning curve with the younger horses,” Julieann said.
“His positive, gritty, ‘get it done’ attitude and methodical teaching pushed us to do things I never thought I could do, and without a doubt we left the clinic a stronger combination as a result.”
Whether you want to build confidence on cross country for yourself or your horse, sharpen your cross country riding skills, or simply have the time of your life jumping angles and combinations you never thought possible, Joseph is your man.
Following his successful clinic in Ocala, Joseph is already planning to return to Horsepower Equestrian in March, likely mid-month. Final dates will be confirmed soon. Email [email protected] or WhatsApp +44 7799 096204 to reserve a spot. All levels welcome! He is also looking to schedule clinics in other parts of the U.S. this year, so get in touch if you’d like to host Joseph.
Learn more about Joseph on his website and be sure to follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. We wish him all the best in the 2018 season and beyond! Scroll down for more photos from the clinic. Many thanks to Al and Liz Halliday-Sharp for hosting at their stunning facility, and to Andrew McConnon for helping to organize. Go Eventing.
Jeanie Clarke and 7-year-old Famos 71 jumping into a combination, with a brush set six strides away on a sharp left bending line. Photo by Jenni Autry
The key was to not jump too open over the table so you had plenty of time to make the turn to the brush. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Linda Bammann and 7-year-old Calvin jump through a warm-up exercise of two angled logs set on three strides. Joseph wanted riders to find a straight line through both logs. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Grace Foster and Grand Cru jump in the Novice group. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Joseph showing the Novice group the correct angle for jumping a corner. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Grace Foster bang on her line for the corner combination. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Joseph showing the correct line to ride through two angled coops. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Jean Thomas all smiles after successfully tackling a combination with her 5-year-old Connemara/Irish Sport Horse Connor. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Joseph giving the riders a mini course to jump through the water complex. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Lisa Hickey jumped a keyhole for the first time in the clinic and was all smiles. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Michelline Jordan and Ryder Kay, an 8-year-old OTTB that raced until he was 5 and is a half-brother to her former Advanced horse Irish Diamonds. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Bill Barclay and Stormn Hudson KD making quick work of the drop into water. Photo by Jenni Autry.
