Classic Eventing Nation

Sport Horse Nation Spotlight: Personality to Boot

By on Jan 3, 2018 9:30 am -

In the market for a new four-legged partner? You may find your unicorn on our sister site, Sport Horse Nation. To help with the search, we’re going to feature a selection of current listings here on EN each week. We include the ad copy provided; click the links for videos, pricing and contact information.

Everyone looks for something different in their next event horse: a competitive powerhouse, a teachable youngster, a forgiving schoolmaster. But for some riders, their horse’s personality is just as important as their talent and potential. Here are four horses for sale with a particularly fun personality, great brain or sweet demeanor.

JC Doctor Action. Photo via Sport Horse Nation.

2011 16.3hh TB Gelding **Fancy, Talented, Sane**

JC Doctor Action, 6 year old 16.3hh OTTB Gelding, Located in Trumansburg, NY. This stunning guy just came home from the 2017 Thoroughbred Makeover were he placed 5th in Dressage out of nearly 80 horses! He also put in an impressive Show Jumping round and earned a great placing!

“Wilson” is a tall, handsome gelding that just oozes quality and has a great brain. This guy has serious potential as an upper level event horse or Show Jumper. He has the scope and bravery to get you through XC and stadium and the lovely movement and finesse to earn the best dressage scores. With 3 stunning, powerful gaits, that are just being developed, he will be a knockout in the Dressage arena. He has been successful shown in 2’6 Jumpers and has schooled XC and competed in a Cross Derby without batting an eye at anything.

Wilson would be perfect mount for an ambitious rider looking for a horse to bring up the levels. He hacks out like a gentleman on trails, alone or with a group, and loves to play in and walk through puddles, ponds, and creeks. Wilson is a solid citizen; he has wonderful ground manners both on and off the farm, stands for vet and farrier, loads and rides well. Located in New York.

Doc Daneka. Photo via Sport Horse Nation.

Doc Daneka; Flashy 6 yr old OTTB. Fancy with a lovely jump

Doc daneka; aka Dan is a 16.2H Gelding with lots of flash and chrome and a personality to match.
Started in a professional training program last year in Aiken SC, Dan has spent the year getting many schooling miles. Dan is schooling well and has taught some lessons in our schooling program.

He has been very brave schooling and jumping but also enjoys the flat and could be a competitive flat horse. Priced to sell before we travel back south. Ready to start competing 2018 with the right new owner. Located in Tennessee.

FR’s Check It Out Now. Photo via Sport Horse Nation.

Solid Training Horse w Prelim Experience

FR’s Check It Out Now “Billy” is a 2009 15.3h mostly TB gelding (some KWPN) with a desire to please and a puppy dog personality. He has a solid record at training and some prelim experience. He’s been ridden by an amateur since he was 5. He could pack around the lower levels with a kid or adult amateur or be taken back up the levels by a more experienced rider. Consistently scores in the mid/low 30s. Placed in the Top 20 at AEC’s in 2016. Jumped clear around his first prelim in 2016. If I were able to keep him I’d plan on moving him back up to prelim very soon.

Plenty of scope and floaty movement makes him stand out to the judges. He has a sensitive mouth and does not get strong on cross country, easily adjustable to the fences. He’s very forgiving and won’t hold a grudge when his rider makes mistakes. Knows his job and takes you to the fences. Could be a great horse for a kid coming off a pony and looking for their first horse. Billy is an absolute sweetheart in the barn and wants to be your best friend. He loads, clips, ties, and stands for the farrier.

I would keep this horse forever if I were able to, but new job forces sale. Motivated seller but good home an absolute must. Located in Birmingham, AL.

PS Billy Allegro. Photo via Sport Horse Nation.

* Flashy & SWEET 5 Yr Imported Gelding By Billy Congo / Billy Stud!

PS Billy Allegro “Leggo” is as sweet as they come! He was imported in August of 2017 & enjoys his work and all the attention! Super easy to do in all ways. Schooling courses now and will start showing soon.

(2012) 16.2 Bright Bay AES with stripe & 4 socks by Billy Congo. Superior breeding, this fella is a love bug & super FANCY! Sweet, easy & super future ahead of him. Amazing jumper, easy to do in all ways. Snaffle mouth and loves his job! Should easily go on to 2*/3* level. Price to increase with show miles. Located in Florida.

Listings included in this article are randomly selected and confirmed to be current and active before inclusion. Sport Horse Nation features user-generated content and therefore cannot verify or make any warranty as to the validity or reliability of information.

Wednesday News & Notes from SmartPak

By on Jan 3, 2018 12:01 am -

Working students in the wild have been known to search out sources of warmth in the winter months. Photo via Destination Farm FB page.

For the first time in my eventing career, I will be competing at the very first horse trials of the year, which happens to be held at Stable View this year. Originally my plan was to ride through New Year’s but the arctic temps and frozen ground thwarted that. Now I’m headed down to Aiken this weekend to take a spin on my squid so we can try not to embarrass ourselves running Novice. Turning is hard when you’re 17.1 hands worth of legs.

National Holiday: Fruitcake Toss Day

U.S. Weekend Preview:

One more week…

Your Wednesday News & Notes:

Margaret Hough made history when she became the first woman to win Badminton. At a time when men still looked down on women for not just competing but daring to be competitive, Margaret Hough and Bambi V dared to take the title in 1954. Margaret passed away peacefully at the age of 86. [First Female Badminton Winner Dies]

We’ve heard from some of the American riders but the Brits have big goals too. Oliver Townend, Laura Collett, and Izzy Taylor all have promising young horses and all have a similar goal: Badminton then WEG. [New Years Resolutions]

Judges wanted! If you’ve ever thought about becoming a dressage judge (or more importantly, need to escape the cold), you can still sign up for the Dressage Session I Training Program in Ocala from January 29 to February 1. The deadline has been extended to January 10. [Deadline Extended]

SmartPak Product of the Day: I ventured out from my normal boot brand this fall after wearing out too many pairs too quickly and was extremely pleased when these Mountain Horse field boots arrived. I’ve gotten quite a few compliments on their looks so far and they had almost no break in time! [SmartPak]

Tuesday Video from SpectraVet: Skijoring at Rebecca Farm

By on Jan 2, 2018 6:00 pm -

Skijoring is the newest winter craze for adrenaline junkies. It’s the exciting combination of skiing and horseback riding. Here’s a little intro for the skijoring ignorant…

Rebecca Farm announced earlier this year that they would throw their hat in the game to host their first skijoring competition. Basically, a skier is pulled behind a hell-bend horse with the goal of navigating an obstacle course in the quickest time possible. Their competition was a huge success, and here are some exciting clips:

Next year we’re going to have our work cut out for us @randallkaarre

A post shared by Sean Keller (@doublekmustangs) on

Aside from the traditional open divisions, there was also a costume class and this adorable demonstration that seems a little more up my alley:

Have any of our northern EN readers tried skijoring? Would you give it a go? Let us know in the comments. I’m picturing a Chinch-sized pair of skis in the near future…

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Here’s to the Things That Were

By on Jan 2, 2018 5:00 pm -

In the fall of 2017, EN writer Maggie Deatrick and her long-time partner Divine Comedy, aka Dante, were set for a comeback to the 3* level after two years of rehabbing a tendon injury. After feeling something wasn’t quite right with him, she went down the rabbit hole of treating and diagnosing for what she hoped would be manageable arthritic changes. Ultimately a CT scan revealed a career-ending issue instead. Dante has now happily been transitioned into a pasture puff for the next couple of years, with hopes of a career as a lower level schoolmaster in the future.

Photos courtesy of Jenni Autry, Dapple Bay, Michelle Parker, and Maggie Deatrick.

Today is the first day of our second decade together. Today, things are different.

For ten years, you have been my brother in arms, my kindred spirit. You’ve given me strength, courage, and confidence. You’ve given me speed and you’ve given me wings.

But this year, things change. Our relationship as we’ve known it is over. We will never go out together again to face life and death. We have to be something else to each other now.

Your heart of a lion has outgrown your long-backed, upright-pasterned body. It can’t do what you want it to do, but you’ll keep trying, because that’s the sort you are. But I know you better than I know myself, and I knew something was wrong.

I’m devastated I found it.

I’m so grateful I found it.

It’s been hard. Ending the relationship we’ve had has been both the easiest and hardest decision I’ve ever had to make, but I know that in order to protect you, I had to make the call.

For a while, I couldn’t stop thinking about the things that would never be.

Ending it meant we’d never fly over the hills of Kentucky on a Saturday in April amidst cheers from a crowd of thousands. We’d never tackle the sandy hills of Carolina, an event I tried to attend for years and never managed to get to. We’d never dominate the CCI3* course at Fair Hill, a venue I knew you loved by the way your strength swelled like the rising tide beneath me at minute eight in the two-star.

But the longer I thought about it, the more I realized that the things that we did accomplish were so much greater than the things we didn’t.

You’ve brought me further than I ever imagined I could come. You never knew your conformation was ill-suited to upper level eventing. You didn’t care that you were supposed to top out at Prelim. You weren’t done there. You dragged me up the levels, bouncing over three-star tables as if they were nothing when everyone once thought you were scoped out at 3’6″. You didn’t care how embarrassed I was after you gleefully misbehaved during dressage or jumped around show-jumping by braille. You knew you’d make it up to me on cross-country day, and you always followed through.

Before you, I’d never even run Training, never placed high enough at any event to get a ribbon. At our very first event, you rewarded me with a low twenties dressage score and led from start to finish. At the end of our second year we were running Preliminary and the following year tackling FEI events, including a third place finish at one of the last long-format CCI ever held.

Together we ran over courses from Jersey Fresh to Colorado, from Maui Jim in Chicago down to Rocking Horse in Florida. We finished on your dressage score in our very first Advanced, a weekend I will never forget. We jumped the very high side of an angled brush in our second Advanced at Poplar Place when you drifted on take-off, and yet cleared it and galloped on. We had a personal best dressage at Fair Hill CCI2*, in a field 110 strong, putting us in the top quarter of the field after phase one.

You taught me patience, over and over and over, on the flat and in the show jumping. Everything you did, you did in Capital Letters, emphatically and enthusiastically, and sometimes embarrassingly. I spent an entire decade learning to be a better rider, for you.

On cross country day, you were king. Present you to the fence perfectly, you jumped economically. Give you a challenge, like an off distance or a big spread, and you would jump the moon. The feeling of power that rose like a wave under me when you were fit and fast on course meant I knew making time would be easy that day. I had to learn not to let my confidence translate into cockiness, to not make a mistake out of complacency, simply because I was sitting on you.

I didn’t know that a lone Intermediate run this fall would be our final run together, but I’m grateful to have had one last taste of flying on your back. After two long years of patient rehab after a tendon injury, I thought that run was a taste of what would be coming, not a finale to a long career. It was easy for you, even after a long hiatus.

The tendon is strong as iron now; I’m proud it wasn’t what ended your career.

All these things we did together, you and I. These memories are the things that were. I choose not to regret anything.

Here’s to Dante, the brother of my soul. You’ve given me everything you had, and been so more to me than you were meant to be.

Thank you.

Let’s Discuss: What Are Your Goals for 2018?

By on Jan 2, 2018 3:00 pm -

Each week in “Let’s Discuss” we open a different topic up for discussion. Have a discussion starter? Email it to [email protected].

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BddITnHnmuY/?igref=ogexp

Research has shown that writing down your goals substantially increases your chances of achieving them — check out this goals research study by Dr. Gail Matthews of California’s Dominican University. We all know that horses have a knack for crashing even the most well-laid plans, but fear of failure shouldn’t stop us from trying (unless, perhaps, you’re considering a front flip off your horse).

The beginning of a New Year always feels like a fresh opportunity to identify our goals and create a path for achieving them. So what are yours, and how are you going to get there? Share in the comments section below! In writing them please know that you are supported by the EN community — this is a safe space for dreams! For inspiration, check out these New Year’s resolutions from Athletux riders here.

Your 2018 Eventing Resolutions and Majyk Equipe 4-Pack Winner!

By on Jan 2, 2018 1:00 pm -

Photos courtesy of Majyk Equipe.

Last week we challenged you to share your New Year’s resolutions for a chance to win a Boyd Martin Eventing 4-Pack from our fantastic sponsor Majyk Equipe — and you delivered!

We selected our top 10 favorites, which are as follows …

Parand Jalili
In 2018 we will practice purposefully! I’ve found that when I make weekly goal lists, we do much better and we improve more in the long run! My resolution will be to be more diligent with my goal list. I’m excited to see where 2018 will take us!

Tiffany Morey 
My goal for 2018 is simple: for my mare and I to compete in our first event. We’ve been a team for over three years now, and have stuck it out through the various roadblocks that life has thrown at us during that time (torn rider ACL, moving to a different state for grad school). 2018 is going to be the year that we finally get to event!

Sarah Kathryn Bookner
2017 was a long, life changing year for me. And somehow I ended up with a steed of my own, my first after years of catch riding and leasing. He’s incredibly talented, and I look forward to some big achievements with him in 2018. Like: not exuberantly running away with me on cross country, actually galloping through water instead of trying to stop to roll in it, and inventing a new gate lock that will keep him from escaping to eat his buddy’s grain. Every. Time. He’s my best friend, and has taught me more about riding and horsemanship in one year than I thought I knew my whole life. I am focused on some big events with him in 2018, and completing them safely and successfully. You know, along with completing those previously mentioned goals. Ha! Happy New Year, EN Team!

Ashley Harvey
I have a lot of resolutions for 2018, but it all comes down to making Philly proud. Every year since I’ve lost her, I’ve struggled to fill the hole that losing my friend and mentor has left. This winter, I’ve realized that that hole will likely always be there, and I’m going to make sure I live my best life that would keep her smiling and telling me she was proud of me. For 2018, I hope to start the journey for getting my MBA, move my young horse (who Philly found for me) up to (hopefully) Prelim in the fall, and continue to thrive pursuing my career — and not go crazy balancing those three goals.

Suzanne Vogt
I resolve to be the fittest that I can be so that I can work as hard and bring as much to the partnership as I expect of my horse. I resolve to only ask of her that which she is prepared for and able to do. I resolve to follow the mantra: Proper Prior Planning and Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance. And, of course, I resolve to keep red on the right, white on the left, and to kick on.

Caitlin Edwards
My new years resolution is to be kinder to all paths I cross, both humans and animals. Each encounter we have has the ability to teach us. I want to listen to my horse both in the ring and on the ground in hopes to improve our partnership. I want to cherish each moment I have with him.

Nicki Housley
My New Year’s resolution is to listen to my horse and pick activities/events we both enjoy. So many of us see our horses as a means to compete against others and win ribbons, year-end awards, or sponsorships. As I get older, and so does my horse, I realize the memories I love the most aren’t of us winning, but of us doing fun things together, seeing him happy and enjoying himself. If that doesn’t include competing, and instead involves trail riding through the valley, continuing our stint in mounted shooting, or trying something new like working equitation, then so be it. Every day he is sound and healthy is a blessing [am I right, OTTB owners?!] and as we get older I try to take advantage of that in a positive way!

Sara Doyon
My goals for 2018 are to have a confident, strong season at Beginner Novice with my OTTB gelding (my first ever green horse project) and hopefully move up to Novice. Ultimately I want to finish every event with a smarter, more confident, and of course sound and happy horse!

Jess Owens
For 2018, my resolution is to not puke before competition. I have the BEST horse, sweet and game, and I have worked very hard to be a better rider for her. Here’s to 2018, the year of no heaving!

Desirea Scharenbroich
My 2018 resolution is to try to not to compare myself to everyone else’s FB and IG “highlight reel.” Put in the hard work but mostly just be happy because I have been blessed with the opportunity to ride/show with a sound, willing horse.

And the winner is … Tiffany Morey!

Her prize:

The Majyk Equipe Boyd Martin Eventing 4-Pack boots were developed and tested in partnership with Boyd Martin — that’s one heck of a stamp of approval! These boots tick all the boxes: lightweight, breathable, comfortable and durable enough to go the distance on any cross country course. The boot’s features include design elements only found in much more expensive boots:

• Unique shape readily conforms to natural leg shape
• Reinforced breathable mesh outer repels dirt and moisture
• Ultra lightweight, breathable and comfortable
• Four-layer construction
• Built-in interior flexion strike plate flexes four ways for advanced impact protection
• Proprietary anti bacterial bio foam with added perforations
• Double stitched binding and finishing
• USA Velcro® brand long straps for custom adjustment

Thanks to all who entered and congrats to Tiffany. Go Eventing in 2018!

 

Weekly OTTB Wishlist from Cosequin: Birthday Edition!

By on Jan 2, 2018 9:00 am -

As the New Year rings in, thousands of Jockey Club registered thoroughbreds in the Northern Hemisphere are celebrating birthdays!

The practice of having all registered horses celebrate a birthday on the same day date – regardless of their actual foaling date – dates back to 18th century England at which time it was decreed that all racehorses would be considered one year older on the first of May. Of course, there’s lots more to the history of how it eventually came to be that New Year’s Day would be the universal birthdate for thoroughbreds, and you can learn all about it in this detailed article by Nelson Dunstan that was printed in the January 12, 1948, edition of the Daily Racing Form.

Whether it streamlines the race qualifications or makes it more confusing to racing fans (or both at the same time), the January 1st rule has been accepted for quite a while. That makes for a lot of carrot cake to go around for all the birthday colts and fillies out there, these three geldings that we present to you in our Weekly OTTB Wishlist included:

Photo via Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center.

Shopping Spree (Street Cry (IRE) – Miss Shop, by Deputy Minister): 2011 16.2-hand Kentucky bred gelding

Here’s beautifully built and bred gelding that will help you start your New Year off right. “Spree” is a good-looking guy who definitely knows he’s a looker, but is still friendly and not to uptight to act goofy. Spree has already been restarted under saddle on the flat and over cross rails, and his connections at Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center say he’s a great horse to ride. His photos and videos show a horse with a ground-covering stride who’s eager to work and do what’s asked of him. Looks like he could make a super new partner for someone!

View Shopping Spree on Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center.

Photo via CANTER MN.

Dynamite Man (Harlan’s Holiday – Delicate Dynamite, by Old Trieste): 2014 15.3-hand Kentucky bred gelding

“Gulliver” has got a serious case of the winter woolies at the moment, so we picked a more summery photo to display above and show off his athletic conformation. This young gelding only had eight starts and came off the track sound, but very body sore. After two months away from the track he’s already much better and his sweet personality has started to shine through. Gulliver has been very lightly restarted under saddle, but is still 2018 RRP eligible for anyone interested!

View Dynamite Man on CANTER MN.

Photo via Friends of Ferdinand.

Big Bright Boy (North Light (IRE) – Irish Fantasy, by Glitterman): 2011 17.0-hand Indiana bred gelding.

This gelding was aptly named! At a towering 17-hands and with an enormous shoulder to match, “Brighty” is a gentle giant. He’s six months off the track, where he had a mediocre career, and has adjusted very well to a leisurely life of turnout and naps in the sunshine. Now that he’s settled into a new routine, Brighty is ready to find his own person to take on the world with.

View Big Bright Boy on Friends of Ferdinand.

Tuesday News & Notes from Cavalor

By on Jan 2, 2018 12:01 am -

Photo by Shelby Allen.

You guys it’s been cold lately. I live in Georgia for a reason. Sure, the summers are brutal and you might melt, but this is supposed to be the time of year when we bask in mild summer sun as we enjoy regular winter rides in t-shirts. Yesterday it didn’t get above freezing and I did not sign up for this!!

In other news, my alma mater won the Rose Bowl yesterday, so consider this my obligatory GO DAWGS.

National Holiday: National Buffet Day, National Personal Trainer Awareness Day

Events Opening This Week: Rocking Horse Winter II H.T. (FL, A-3) Paradise Farm H.T. (SC, A-3) Fresno County Horse Park CIC & H.T. (CA, A-6)

Events Closing This Week: Poplar Place Farm January H.T. (GA, A-3) Grand Oaks H.T. (FL, A-3)

Tuesday News: 

Were you feeling a little… groggy doing the barn yesterday morning? Maybe dehydrated? Headaches? You weren’t the only one. [8 Things That Only Happen When You Do The Horses With A Hangover]

One of my biggest takeaways from Pony Club I still have are good bandaging skills. And consistent guilt about not cleaning my tack often enough. But bandaging can be tough, and doing it wrong can have consequences. There are many reasons you may want to wrap, so make sure you’ve got the practice down pat.  [Bandaging Fundamentals]

Horse people tend to use phrases that make absolutely no sense to the outside world. Listeners may know each word individually, but combine them and any sense of understanding is lost. Getting your horse to ‘lift through his back’ is one of these, but turns out this phrase technically doesn’t make any sense from a physiological standpoint either. [‘Lifting The Horse’s Back: Another Meaningless Equestrian Phrase]

Tuesday Video:

New Year’s Day Video from Tredstep Ireland: A Mini, a Kid and a Cat Walk into a Barn…

By on Jan 1, 2018 5:00 pm -

Screenshot via Facebook.

Move over Chalupa Batman (don’t actually though — we love you forever!), there’s a new kid and pony show in town and they’ve got one extra in tow. Today we’d like to introduce you to the terrific trio of Abigail Kitner, Gallant the mini, and Dude the cat.

Abigail is a young equestrian who just turned six years old and her trusty steed is 28-year-old Gallant the Miniature horse. This adventurous youngster is having a heck of a childhood growing up in New Jersey thanks to her mom Becky Yank, who helped her daughter start climbing into the saddle at the tender age of one and a half. Abigail is enrolled in the local 4-H chapter and is already taking the local show circuit by storm in multiple disciplines.

A couple months ago, Abigail and Becky discovered that their cat, Dude, was a budding equestrian as well.

“He gets on him self whenever they are standing still,” said Becky. “Abigail is eager to see if he likes jumping, but I told her she needs to wait until the snow melts!”

Posted by Becky Yank on Saturday, December 30, 2017

Posted by Becky Yank on Saturday, December 30, 2017

Ride like the wind, Abigail and Dude.

3, 2, 1 … Go Eventing in 2018! Top Riders Share Their Resolutions

By on Jan 1, 2018 2:00 pm -

This article is brought to you by Athletux Equine. For more Athletux articles, please click here.

With the year turning over from 2017 to 2018 many of us are thinking “OK, what’s next?” In fact, in some of the Nation, dreaming about show season is all that’s keeping us warm on these frigid winter days and nights.

If you find yourself having to imagine a gallop out of the start-box in order to get motivated, maybe some inspiration from your favorite riders would help? The top riders in the sport use the down time to reflect on horse shows past, and mentally prep for horse shows future. We asked some of our Athletux riders to let us in on their resolutions for 2018.

Earl and Jen McFall, along with their daughter Taylor of Dragonfire Farm in Wilton, CA, have had a LOT of exciting moments in 2017 to reflect on, and they have big goals for 2018. Earl’s New Year’s Resolution for 2018 is to be more like Michael Jung. He says he almost has the hairstyle down …

Photo courtesy of Dragonfire Farm.

No comment on the hair, but surely all of us could resolve to be a more Michael Jung-like in 2018. As for Jen, she’s going for something ambitious, but still attainable: “I’d really like to be one of the top three McFall riders in the world.”

I’d say she’s safe with that one.

Fellow Californian Hawley Bennet-Awad in Ramona, CA has a resolution that my organized horsey friends will appreciate: “This year I’m going to enter every event the day entries open.”

Hawley Bennett-Awad and Jollybo. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

With mounts like Jollybo and Sasha Fierce I’d be eager to enter too!

Auburn Excell-Brady of Excell Equestrian in San Juan Capistrano, CA is ready to see what 2018 has in store and she’s learned to appreciate the journey as much as the destination.

“For 2018 I really want to resolve to carry forward the attitude I’ve had in 2017,” she says. “I’m more relaxed at this point in my career than ever before, and it’s been great to watch the horses respond to that. I want to stay focused on taking my time and letting the horses enjoy the process.”

Photo courtesy of Excell Equestrian.

Matt Brown of East West Eventing in Chadds Ford, PA, also is resolving to be better overall in 2018: “For next year, I want to work every day to become better than I was last year without excuses. I also want to be there for my friends and family in 2018.”

For riders, resolutions like Auburn’s and Matt’s are always applicable. Working hard and taking the time to enjoy that hard work can make the difference between a successful year and one that leaves us feeling burnt out and defeated.

Matthew Brown and Super Socks BCF. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

For Olivia Loiacono in Bonsall, CA, December 31st isn’t the only day of the year to focus on personal improvement: “I’m not huge on resolutions. I try my very best to improve every day. Whether that be my riding, my business, or just simply being a good human.”

Olivia Loiacono and Subway at Rolex in 2011. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

And with that, we’ll let you consider what you’ll resolve to improve in 2018. Rather it be a specific goal, like getting entries in as early as possible, or an overarching resolution to simply be better, like Matt or Olivia. Whatever your resolution is, may thinking about it keep you warm as we enter a New Year!