Classic Eventing Nation

Dani Sussman and Jos Bravio Prove Their Mettle at Kentucky

By on May 6, 2024 1:30 pm -

Dani Sussman and Jos Bravio. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Dani Sussman left the Kentucky Horse Park on a high.

It’s an indescribable feeling to complete any event, let alone one of the caliber that is the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event. Mix in the hours spent in the truck, shuttling back and forth from Dani’s home base in Colorado to the East coast, the time spent away from understanding and supportive clients (and husbands) and well, it’s safe to say Dani would likely have been thrilled to finish solidly on a number for her efforts.

She did one better, completing the Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S, which is run alongside the traditional Kentucky CCI5*, in 10th place overall with her own and Carol Mavrakis’ Jos Bravio, just behind U.S. high performance squad riders like Boyd Martin, Liz Halliday, Will Coleman, Sydney Elliott, and Carolina Pamukcu.

For Dani, the result is validating: she’s been chipping away with the 13-year-old “Bravi” since acquiring him from Argentina in 2020, believing in her willingness to understand her horse and adjust her riding accordingly to bring out his potential.

Dani Sussman and Jos Bravio. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

“He’s honestly just a professional through and through,” Dani described. “He comes out every day ready to work and do the job. He gives everything his all, so he’s been a really great partner in that way. The big things I’ve been working through, training-wise, are to do with the fact that he’s kind of short-coupled and short-necked. It’s a lot of working to get him soft through his neck and over his back and allowing him to open his step.”

Dani’s trusted Buck Davidson with much of her coaching (along with her dressage coach, Sue Martin, and her show jumping coach, Mariano Bedoya, who also assists her in sourcing hoses from Argentina), and she credits his philosophy of forward riding with her recent breakthroughs.

Dani Sussman and Jos Bravio. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Looking at Jos Bravio’s record leading up to Kentucky, Dani admits one might raise an eyebrow as to her level of preparation with Jos Bravio, but here she makes an interesting observation: “It’s kind of ironic. The mistakes that happened before Kentucky actually set me up perfectly for Kentucky.”

How so? I wanted to know more.

Dani went on to explain that she began the season in earnest with the Grand-Prix Eventing Festival at Bruce’s Field, where she turned in an impressive and quick-footed cross country round ahead of her other Kentucky preps. However at both attempts at Bouckaert Equestrian’s two prep events, she encountered some trouble on cross country. This prompted her to zoom out and analyze what was causing the issue. She’d to that point been riding Bravi in a nathe gag bit with a running martingale, and she decided to test the theory that lightening her equipment setup might give her horse the opportunity to move more openly and freely. This would, she hoped, translate into making the big distances on cross country come up more naturally. She opted for a loose ring snaffle, sans martingale.

She practiced with this setting at home, immediately feeling a breakthrough in her subsequent schooling rides. At Kentucky, her intuition rang true, and the new setup worked like a charm.

“He does have a big step, and I’ve kind of gotten in the way of that,” Dani said. “Each year it’s gotten a little better and a little better. Now he runs cross country basically in his dressage tack. Buck also encouraged me to feel comfortable on that more open step, allowing things to happen and trusting that when I jump into a combination the strides will be there without me having to make a huge adjustment. It was about trusting myself and trusting my horse, which is a hard thing but it’s so hugely influential.”

Indeed, Dani got the validation she’d been seeking that her theories were correct, and that the trouble she’d encountered en route to Kentucky were actually opportunities to make a positive change.

Dani Sussman and Jos Bravio. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Of course, this isn’t a story intended to persuade a reader to take a look at an imperfect record and decide they’ll fix the problems later. For Dani, the lessons learned and the intuition that follows come from a body of work, multiple years spent producing the horse to this level and with the guidance of coaches she trusts.

“It was a really great feeling to know that I’d fixed the issue and could come into Kentucky feeling rock solid,” she continued. “I needed to trust that the fix was there and that I knew it was there. So I felt actually – definitely nervous, properly nervous as you would be for an event like that, not nervous in the way I doubted whether I was ready.”

Dani and Bravi proved their mettle. Despite a couple of bobbles on the flat that prevented a stronger starting position, they clawed their way up the board, delivering a clear cross country with just a handful of time and a rare double clear show jumping on Sunday to move to 10th after starting in equal 20th.

“It was honestly pretty incredible,” Dani reflected. “I wanted to do right by him and keep his confidence up [on cross country], to go out there and do what we had practiced. That was my goal, and I think we delivered that. The double clear show jumping definitely kind of blew me away. I couldn’t be more proud of that.”

Dani Sussman and Jos Bravio. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Dani and Bravi now move ahead to their final destination of the spring before heading back to Colorado, competing in the CCI4*-L at The Fork at Tryon International this weekend (May 9-12). There, she hopes to build on what she delivered at Kentucky, knowing there are plenty of opportunities to finish even stronger in this important Long format.

“I’m definitely feeling good ahead of next week, but I also don’t want to go in taking anything for granted,” she said when we talked on the phone. “I want to put as much into next weekend as I did Kentucky – if not more – and see if I can clean up the bobbles here and there.”

Dani’s tentatively got plans for Jos Bravio to test his mettle at the CCI5* level or perhaps in overseas competition, but first things first: ensure he’s confident and competitive at the 4* level, and spend some well-earned time back at home.

Dani Sussman and Jos Bravio. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

“I’ve been gone since February,” she described. “I’ve flown back and forth a few times to do as much as I can, and I have a wonderful assistant and staff who fill in and keep the wheels on the bus while I’m gone. Our clients are incredibly supportive and excited for us.”

It’s been a grind in more ways than one to this point, but Dani seems to take everything in stride. She tells me about her husband, Jeff, who flew out to drive to Kentucky from Ocala, where Dani spent the winter, and who is “over the top supportive”, as she puts it.

Determination and grit must be balanced with empathy and patience on this journey with horses, and Dani’s result at Kentucky is demonstrative of this. Mostly, she’s enjoying the ride with a special horse she feels lucky to have formed such a strong partnership with. “He definitely has the ability and the heart. Anything we do from here will be incredible and a dream come true.”

EN’s coverage of the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event is presented by Kentucky Performance Products, your one-stop shop for science-backed nutritional support for all types of horses. Click here to learn more about Kentucky Performance Products. You can catch up on all of our stories from Kentucky here.

Don’t Miss Out: Today is the Deadline to Apply for MARS Bromont Rising

By on May 6, 2024 11:30 am -

Bromont Rising coat Bettina Hoy pins the second place ribbon on Emeline Gilbert and EWSZ Mozart. Photo by Abby Powell.

The MARS Bromont Rising U25 scholarship program, administered by the USEA Foundation, will distribute 10 grants of up to $2,500 each to talented young riders aged 25 and under aiming to compete in the MARS Bromont (Quebec, Canada) U25 CCI’s in June, 2024. Highlighting this year’s program is the return of three-time German Olympic team member Bettina Hoy, as a guest coach for 2024.

A complete training program was devised to help the riders prepare themselves and their horses for competition. The grants assist with travel and entry expenses, but the program also includes classroom sessions with course designers, high performance riders and a dressage test analysis by an 5* FEI judge. Coaching and course walks during the events are also available, in conjunction with riders own coaches.

Three-time German Olympian and former international coach for Holland, Bettina Hoy, speaks extremely highly of the program.

“Programs like Bromont Rising, the USEF and USEA’s Developing Rider Programs, Australia’s Next GEN squads, and in Germany the Stiftung Deutscher Spitzensport-supported mentorship program are very valuable, particularly if students are willing to take them on in an immersive way,” Hoy remarked. “Education goes way beyond riding instruction. In future workshops, I would like to add seminars on horse management – how to plan your season, how to structure your fitness program, and proper aftercare to really complete the cycle of looking at the big picture. And of course we need to discuss social license and the use of social media today.”

You won’t want to miss out on this awesome opportunity for some helpful funding as well as invaluable coaching insights all week at Bromont, so visit the Bromont website to apply TODAY (May 6)!

Young Superstars and Jung Superstars: Our Picks of the 2024 Marbach DSP Auktion Line-Up

By on May 6, 2024 9:45 am -

Generally speaking, when we’re about a month into the off-season and the weather is truly grim, life’s excitement levels are at an all-time low, and I’ve rewatched the entirety of both Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s magnum opus Fleabag and Natasha Lyonne’s seminal Russian Doll in their entirety for about the eighth time, you can usually find me feeding my hunger for thrills and eventing in one way: sitting in my jim-jams on my sofa, drinking cheap Sauvignon Blanc and window-shopping for the young horses I’d most like to get a sugar daddy to buy for me from any of the major sport horse auctions about to unfurl in Ireland.

And so what a special treat it is to find myself spending the weekend between Kentucky and Badminton, at the cusp of the first fever-pitch of excitement of the season, also sitting in my jim-jams on my sofa, quaffing the savvy b and casting my beady little eyes over some of the stars of tomorrow, who would look really, really, really good on my yard if anyone fancied chucking some loose change my way to make that happen.

This time, though, they’re not sequestered on the Emerald Isle, waiting for me to strike gold and come get them – they’re in Germany, that epicentre of equine excellence, and being sold through Marbach’s DSP (that’s Deutsche Sport Pferd, or German Sporthorse, for us uncultured swine) auction.

You know who’s a very good example of a DSP? Tamie Smith’s 2023 Kentucky CCI5* winner Mai Baum, that’s who, and the folks at Marbach knew exactly how to convince me to open their catalogue up by putting him right there in pride of place on the cover. Yes, I harbour delusions of grandeur! Yes, I do believe that if I were in a position to buy one of these horses, I, too, could maybe win Kentucky! No, I don’t spend much time thinking about the fact that my greatest eventing moment thus far is that I once led the dressage at a Novice (US version, too, not even the UK variety) and then got eliminated at the first fence in showjumping because I could not get my horse near it! That, I think, could be cured by shopping. Everything can be cured by shopping. I love the post-capitalist hellscape my brain has become; it’s a happy, hopeful place to be.

Anyway! Perhaps you, too, can see yourself producing the next Mai Baum, or the next La Biosthetique Sam FBW, or the next Billy the Red, or FE Lifestyle – I can go on listing high-flying DSP representatives for hours, you know – and perhaps you actually do have a budget and a more robustly backed-up faith in your own ability to do so. In which case, let me insert myself into your main character moment by helping you to pick out the horse that’ll change your life, and find yourself safe in the knowledge that when you do buy the horse, and when you do win that five-star in a few years, I will be here, writing smug articles that make it all about me and how I knew the horse was a world-beater from the first moment I saw its photo. It’s a win for everyone, right?

There are 18 horses in this year’s Marbach auction, which will take place on Saturday, May 11 (that’s Badminton cross-country day, which is a very good omen that will definitely push you over the edge and make you buy the horse you’re eyeing). Here are the five I’d most like to put my hand up for.

Lot 1 – Champ

Three-year-old stallion (Canoso x Sue, by Stan the Man). 61.62% blood.

Straight off the bat, they’re getting me where it hurts. A Stan the Man maternal grandson! Oh, lordy, I do like a Stan the Man. You know who else is a Stan the Man? La Biosthetique Sam FBW, that’s who, and he’s been quite good at this eventing malarkey. Champ is the only unridden lot in this auction, but he looks very promising loose-jumping. He’s by Canoso, a very capable jumper, whose sire, Catoki, jumped at the top level and in World Cup classes before stepping down to help educate a young rider. That’s something I like to see: it says there’s a good brain, and a willingness to take a joke, and I’d love to imagine that perhaps that’s one of those winning qualities that’s been passed down to this guy.

Lot 11 – Amadea

Five-year-old mare (Amadei-Geli x Diana, by Diamond Hit). 69.97% blood.

Straight away, I’m charmed by this plain brown wrapper who’s obviously got a tonne of talent tucked away in an unassuming exterior. She’s a tidy, careful jumper, with an expression that looks workmanlike and considered, not like a young horse who jumps high and tight because they’re worried and overcompensating. I get the impression that she’d have a great brain and would be seriously good fun to produce.

I’m also very interested in her breeding: her dam, Diana, who’s already had offspring out eventing successfully, is by dressage stallion Diamond Hit, whose own pedigree is flashy toes on top (he’s a son of Donnerhall) and jumpers on the bottom (he’s a great-grandson of Ramiro Z via Ramino, who jumped at 1.50m). Dressage breeding creeping into eventing isn’t a wholly new concept, and it’s not always something that works out, but when it does, it’s special – look, for example, to Mollie Summerland’s Luhmühlen CCI5* winner Charly van ter Heiden, who’s a son of Contendros Bube. That actually makes him sort of, kind of related to this mare, who’s got Pik Bube I, Charly’s grandsire, through her own sire’s granddam. That might be too tenuous a link to base a horse purchase off of, which is fine, but consider this, too: that example of a top-level dressage-bred eventer made the time twice at five-star, despite boasting only about 23%, while this mare is nearly 70% blood, thanks to – wait for it – her Akhal-Teke sire, Amadei-Geli. Yes, really, the golden horses from the horse breeds encyclopaedias your aunts and uncles bought you every Christmas and birthday. Can I name a single Akhal-Teke in any Olympic discipline? No, I absolutely cannot. Do I think it would be a really cool story, and one that our breeding expert here at EN, Amanda Chance, would jump on like a fly on the proverbial, if you were to take a half-bred Akhal-Teke to the top of the sport? Totally. Akhal-Tekes are a desert breed, well used for endurance, and as someone who’s obsessed with the toughness, talent, brains, and stamina of Anglo-Arabs, I think this combination could be a real sleeper hit. Be the one to set the trend.

Also, for what it’s worth, Amadei-Geli is owned and produced by Germany’s Julia Schmid, and if you don’t know that name, remember it: a lot of the very best riders in the world give her a call when they’re looking for a seriously special young horse. She knows her stuff, and if she rates this stallion, then I rate it too, by default. She only found and produced a young fischerRocana, after all.

Lot 12 – Conde

Five-year-old gelding (Casino Berlin x Stalypso’s Lady, by Stalypso). 37.45% blood. 

Look, if you’re going to shell out on a horse from Germany, you want it to look German, right? And let’s be real, this boy looks so German that I heard a faint ‘genau’ as I turned the page onto him. He’s practically shoving a schnitzel and a bucket of mustard at me through the screen. I’ve been told not to mention the war around him. (I kid, I kid, I’m sorry – I have a German passport, please don’t cancel me for my crap jokes.) Anyway, he’s very much of a type, and that type is full-bodied (like a nice glass of Bordeaux?) yet somehow still elegantly proportioned, with a continental, compact head and a set of knees that love to visit the sky. He’s a fine-looking stamp of a thing, and looks to have no shortage of scope to play with. I like his breeding, too: his sire is by Eurocommerce Berlin, also known as Caspar, who has sired excellent eventers including Clarke Johnstone’s Menlo Park, and Berlin is himself a son of the excellent Cassini I, whose knees seem to be stamped through generations. The bottom half of his sire line is no less interesting; he’s got a great-grandsire in Landor S, who has contributed, either as a parent or grandparent, to a number of serious eventers, including DSP Quintana, who competed at Badminton last year. I used to ride a Landor S who was a bit of a teenage dirtbag, actually, but he could really jump, and I did quite enjoy his antics, because he was smart and surefooted and never, ever boring.

I think, probably, you’ll need to buy a cob- or pony-sized bridle for this cute little head, but frankly, if you’re buying a smart young horse from Germany, you can cough up for a trip to the tack shop – and it’ll be worth it, anyway, because whether you keep him for the long haul or produce him as a serious young riders’ prospect, there’ll be plenty of reason to pat yourself on the back for taking this one home.

Lot 14 – Gladdys

Five-year-old mare (Icare d’Olympe AA x Gräfin Guayana, by Donauzauber). 50% blood. 

Hello! Only me again, here to tell you about how much I like Anglo-Arabs for eventing! I mean, seriously though, can you blame me? Some of the sport’s coolest, most versatile, toughest horses with the most memorable characters have made use of this savvy mix of Thoroughbred and Arabian lines, and when that recipe is folded in with a sprinkling of continental quality, it yields a delicious result. Vassily de Lassos! Tamarillo! Opgun Louvo! fischerTakinou! These are just a tiny smattering of the top-level event horses who are either themselves registered as Anglo-Arabs, or who have significant Anglo-Arab breeding. The French, who I think are the world’s leaders at finding the balance between blood and quality (sorry, Germany, you are also very, very good) are very much on the AA hype train already, and young horse master Tom Carlile loves an Anglo-Arab dam line. You don’t have to listen to me, but definitely listen to that lot, because they are well good.

Gladdys here (what a name, by the way) is by the Anglo-Arab sire Icare d’Olympe, a French Anglo-Arab who competed to Advanced himself. On the bottom, she’s Trakehner – another breed I love for similar reasons – and goes back to the great Gribaldi, so there’s some dressage influence coming through there, too. On video, she’s an interesting prospect: her trot isn’t anything to write home about at this early stage, but if you buy for a trot, you’re a silly sausage anyway. Her canter is active and balanced, her footwork to a fence is catty and clever, and, if I’m perfectly honest, every bit of her says “I’m Anglo-Arab up top and Trak down below which means you’d better sit tight and listen to a few options, buddy, before I start winning things for you.” More power to her, frankly.

Lot 9 – Vino

Four-year-old gelding (Vingino x Nastasia II, by HPH Candillo). 47.27% blood. 

Forgive me for skipping around a bit, here – I’m like a child in a sweet shop with auction catalogues, and I follow no man’s rules but my own. And one of those rules? Only ever fall in love with a grey if you’re sending it in someone else’s direction and thus won’t ever have to wash poo stains off it at four in the morning before a dressage test. And so, I present to you: Vino. What a charmingly-named chap, and what a sweet, game soul he appears to be. He’s got a lovely, active hindleg, a sunny countenance, an appealing buoyancy and balance to his paces, and a cute-as-a-button pop over a fence, and I think he’s going to make somebody very, very happy. (That somebody will not be the person holding the stain-removing spray in a few years when he really starts to fade, mind you.)

Vino’s sire line is a who’s-who of jumping tours de force, with Voltaire and Cassini I contributing to all those qualities I like in him, and on the bottom, he’s… also got Cassini I, which is quite Sweet Home Alabama of him. No Hapsburg chin to be found here, though, so we’ll consider this example of kissing cousins an acceptable one.

Plus, if you’re into damlines, Michael Jung, and great names, don’t miss…

  • Lot 2, Arocan, who’s out of a full sister to fischerRocana and by the same Akhal-Teke stallion as lot 11, mentioned above
  • Lot 18, Senorita, who’s out of a full sister to Nereo and Armada and by Ramiro B, which might make her Oliver Townend’s new favourite young horse
  • Lots 16, 17, and 18 again, who were bred by Michael Jung
  • Lot 15, who’s called… Kumquat

You can check out the Marbach DSP Eventing Auction catalogue in full here, and find videos of each lot in this playlist. The 2024 auction will take place on Saturday, May 11, and will be run in a hybrid format, so you can either bid and follow along from afar, or head to Marbach to get involved and try your dream young horse before you buy. Horses will be available to view and try from tomorrow, May 6, through Friday, May 10, and during the day on Saturday, they can be viewed on the cross-country course before the auction begins at 7.00pm local time/6.00pm GMT/1.00 pm EST. For more information, or to register as a bidder, head to the website here – and happy bidding!

Monday News & Notes from FutureTrack

By on May 6, 2024 7:52 am -

Gorgeous foal alert – and what better way to start a drizzly Badminton week, frankly? Hot Bobo, the 2023 Kentucky CCI4*-S-winning partner of Canada’s Karl Slezak, has now got a redheaded baby on the ground, and while the filly was born a month prematurely, her bloodwork’s looking promising and, as Karl’s partner Katlyn reports, she’s a little fighter like her mother. No names have been decided upon yet, but they’re thinking of ‘Hot Tamale’ for this star of the future, who was born on Cinco de Mayo. There’ll be a long journey ahead for the little one, and her devoted team of people, but we reckon we could see this one lighting up the prize giving at Kentucky 2034!

U.S. Weekend Action

Riga Meadow at Coole Park Combined Test (Millbrook, NY): [Website]  [Results]

Stable View Local Charities H.T. + USEA Interscholastic/Intercollegiate Eventing Championships (Aiken, SC): [Website] [Results]

Texas Rose Horse Park H.T. (Tyler, TX): [Website] [Results]

The Event at Skyline (Mount Pleasant, UT): [Website] [Results]

Waredaca H.T. (Laytonsville, MD): [Website] [Results]

Windridge Farm Spring H.T. (NC): [Website] [Results]

UK International Events

Osberton International I (Worksop, Notts.): [Info / Schedule] [Results]

European FEI Events

Jardy Standard Show (France): [Info / Entries]

Pratoni del Vivaro Standard Show (Italy): [Info / Entries]

Sopot Standard Show (Poland): [Info / Entries]

Your Monday Reading List:

In the world of horses in sport, often the story of those who don’t finish atop the podium is even more fascinating than that of those who do. At this year’s Kentucky Derby, the story that most piqued my interest – and I’m far from alone in that – is the tale of West Saratoga and trainer Larry Demeritte, who is just the second Black trainer to have a horse in the Derby since the ’50s. The 74-year-old is also fighting a battle with cancer and a rare heart disease, but isn’t letting anything slow his roll as he chases his dreams. Dive into the pair’s remarkable story in this piece from The Atlantic.

There are so many ways to get yourself into legal trouble in the horse world. Could a red ribbon in your horse’s tail be one of them? Tying one in has, for as long as anyone can remember, been an easy and visible way to let other riders know that their horse may kick – in effect, it’s a little sign saying ‘give me a bit of space, please’. But could acknowledging your horse’s tendency to reactiveness be the same as admitting guilt if something were to happen to another horse or rider? Horse & Hound caught up with legal experts to find out.

How does it feel when you sit the trot? Do you feel like you’re made of rubber bands, and every part of your body is on the move? Or do you feel tough and hard and still, impervious to any bouncing? And actually, which of those is the right feeling – or is it neither? Dressage pro Amelia Newcomb’s back to help you get the measure of this tough, but essential, skill.

High-flying multi-hyphenate Valerie Pride is Sideline’s newest eventing columnist, and we can’t wait to follow along with her season, her thoughts, and her stories as she continues to navigate balancing judging, coaching, and top-level competition. Here’s her debut column.

Have you got a few dollars or pounds to spare? Here’s a seriously worthy cause for you to consider sharing it with. Stepney Bank Stables, in the northern English enclave of Newcastle, has existed as a pillar of the community for many years, working as a charity to provide support and access to ponies and riding for kids from all sorts of backgrounds. It’s been a lifeline for kids from low-income households, kids struggling with school, neurodivergent kids, and anyone who has a passion and needs a bit of help to see it through. In fact, it was the starting point into horses for Adam Short, best known for being Tom McEwen’s loveable, bloody hilarious, and incredibly talented travelling groom – but now, it’s facing potential closure due to finances. Check out their story, and help them reach their fundraising goal and keep kids in the saddle, here.

Deadline alert! Applications for the 2024 MARS Bromont Rising grant program close today. Click here for all the info and to apply. 

Morning Viewing:

As we head into Badminton week, get to know reigning champ Ros Canter in the latest of LeMieux’s Journey to the Top short documentary features.

Announcing the 2024 #Supergroom Superlative Winners at the Kentucky Three Day Event

By on May 5, 2024 10:00 am -

We all know why the Defender Kentucky Three Day Event is really the best weekend all year… It’s not the top-notch riding or the amazing cross country action. It’s definitely because of the Achieve Equine #Supergroom Superlatives!

While the best riders in the country are competing for a blue ribbon, the best grooms in the country are dueling it out to see who gets nominated for which superlative. This year, we had over 100 nominations from all of you lovely eventing fans, making it a tough choice to pick the best #supergrooms for these nominations.

The superlatives in question were:

  • The Social Media Influencer (the groom that chronicles their riding journey on social media and shares all those good #groomingtipsandtricks)
  • The Hacker (The groom that’s tried all those grooming hacks you find on social media, i.e. ketchup on a white horse, etc)
  • Most Red Bull Consumed
  • Gen Z Groom (The groom anyone over 30 needs a translator to understand what they’re saying. Rider: dressed for dressage Groom: Okay, I see that drip! *After the test* On god, that test was bussin.’)
  • Shiniest Horse

And your winners are….

  • The Social Media Influencer: Alison Bell, groom for Yasmin Ingham
  • The Hacker: Ashley Dodds, groom for Waylon Roberts
  • Most Red Bull Consumed: Mia Braundel, groom for Liz Halliday
  • Gen Z Groom: Myles McLaughlin, groom for Ariel Grald
  • Shiniest Horse: Christina Curiale, groom for Will Faudree

Mia Braundel, groom for Liz Halliday (and 4* rider herself!).

According to the people nominating her, Mia Braundel absolutely needed that Red Bull this past weekend. “Mia Braundel is riding on a horse she has produced up the levels on her own. She is grooming 4 horses for Liz Halliday and her own horse Cashmere.”

Or, as another person said, “Mia Braundel for grooming the most horses annnnd competing herself! She’s AWESOME.”

Mia produced her 17 year old KWPN gelding all the way up through the FEI levels. While they did sadly retire on the cross country course, they put in a solid dressage test with a score that had them sitting in the middle of the pack prior to the jumping phases.

“Whether grooming or riding, just being a part of the event at Kentucky is amazing. It’s one of my favorite events to go to,” Mia said.”

On top of competing her own horse, Mia was also grooming for Liz Halliday and taking care of all four of Liz’s horses for the weekend. “I started working for Liz a little over a year ago, actually right before Kentucky 2023. My favorite part of grooming is definitely taking care of the horses and all of the places you get to go! I’ve gotten to travel all over to so many cool events.”

As a long-time groom for World Champion Yasmin Ingham, Alison is no stranger to coming to Kentucky. “This was my third trip to the states with Banzai and Yaz. I love coming to Kentucky for the 5* because the horses and grooms get treated fantastically and the organisers put a lot of effort into making it a great experience.”

Alison Bell, groom for Yasmin Ingham.

Sticking to the saying, ‘blonds have more fun,’ Alison has traveled all over the world with Yasmin and Banzai du Loir, from Aachen to Pratoni and, of course, to Kentucky. “Grooming for Yaz is great, she’s so easy to work with as she only wants what’s best for the horse.”

Winner of The Hacker #Supergroom Superlative, Ashley Dodds not only grooms for Waylon Roberts, but also runs her own business, Stone Creek Sporthorses. She’s also a USDF Bronze Medalist and events her own horses, WHF Lumiere and Lowland.

“Grooming at Kentucky was very inspirational, to be surrounded by the top riders, horses, and grooms of our sport. Waylon and Ruby have a pretty special partnership, so I loved getting to be a part of their journey and success at Kentucky,” Ashley said. “I enjoy working for Waylon because I am always learning and am very grateful to him for investing in educating me on the care of the horses and what it takes to be at the top of the sport.”

Myles McLaughlin appears to be our youngest groom on the list, rightfully earning the Gen Z Groom Superlative. Grooming for Ariel Grald, Myles rides his Thoroughbred, Felix, in his spare time.

“Grooming at Kentucky was an amazing experience! I grew up watching all these riders on their beautifully turned out horses and now to be behind the scenes is something really special,” Myles said. “I am very honored and appreciative to be given the opportunity to groom for Ariel! She is very understanding and so generous. Her main priority is that her horses are properly taken care of and the rest is secondary. She is someone I have learned a lot from and someone who continues to inspire me.”

Hanna Hartman from Achieve Equine with Ashley Dodds, groom for Waylon Roberts, and Myles McLaughlin, groom for Ariel Grald.

Awarded the #Supergroom Superlative for the Shiniest Horse, Christina Curiale had her work cut out for her this weekend grooming for Will Faudree’s 5* ride, Mama’s Magic Way. We’re not sure if he was inspired by Will’s hot pink suit at the jog, but Mama’s Magic Way did his best impression of a bay-version of the Barbie Dream Horse this weekend, with picture-perfect braids to boot.

Sunday Links from EcoVet

By on May 5, 2024 12:17 am -

A full day of cross country action awaits at Stable View, where alongside a full horse trial are the USEA Interscholastic and Intercollegiate Championships. The USEA is on the ground covering this competition, which makes me sorely miss being in college well before collegiate eventing existed! You can follow along with the latest in the links below. You can also view portions of the competition via Horse & Country here.

8th Annual USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championship Kicks Off With 18 Schools Represented
Camaraderie is the Common Theme that Brings IEL Teams Together
Behind the Scenes of the 2024 USEA Intercollegiate & Interscholastic Eventing Championships Opening Ceremonies

U.S. Weekend Action

Riga Meadow at Coole Park Combined Test (Millbrook, NY) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring]

Stable View Local Charities H.T. + USEA Interscholastic/Intercollegiate Eventing Championships (Aiken, SC) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Texas Rose Horse Park H.T. (Tyler, TX) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

The Event at Skyline (Mount Pleasant, UT) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Waredaca H.T. (Laytonsville, MD) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Windridge Farm Spring H.T. (NC) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring]

UK International Events

Osberton International I (Nottinghamshire) [Info / Schedule] [Entries / Scoring]

European FEI Events

Jardy Standard Show (France) [Info / Entries]

Pratoni del Vivaro Standard Show (Italy) [Info / Entries]

Sopot Standard Show (Poland) [Info / Entries]

Sunday Links

Bobby Costello: Focusing on the Future and Looking Ahead to Paris

With Delivery of Welfare Report, FEI Charts Path Forward at Sports Forum

Brian Hernandez, Ken McPeek Complete Kentucky Derby, Oaks Double In ‘Dream’ 150th Anniversary

Mai Baum is Being Inducted into the Equus Foundation Horse Stars Hall of Fame

Mischief or Malady? Pain Behaviors in Ridden Horses

Sponsor Corner

Bobby Meyerhoff and Lumumba show us how to compete bug-free thanks to Ecovet!

Video Break

In case you missed it, watch the running of the 150th Kentucky Derby, which saw a thrilling and historic three-way photo finish at the end:

Looking Ahead to the Third Edition of the DSP Eventers Auction in Marbach

By on May 4, 2024 10:00 am -

Click the catalog cover to view the full DSP Eventers Auction catalog for 2024.

DSP sales manager Norbert Freistedt can once again approach customers with an excellent collection on May 11, 2024 as the third edition of the DSP Eventers auction will take place as part of the CCI4* in Marbach, Germany.

A highlight of this event will be the auction of one of the last available straws frozen semen from Heraldik xx. The Thoroughbred of the century from the Birkhof Stud has influenced the German and worldwide sport horse breeding with his offspring like no other. Among his many successful children, double Olympic champion Butts Abraxxas, European champion FBW Halunke and the top international athletes Butts Leon, Butts Avedon and TSF Karascada stand out.

Michael Jung and La Biosthetique Sam FBW. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Furthermore, Heraldik xx is also the dam sire of the world’s most successful eventing horse of the last decades, La Biostetique Sam FBW – Michael Jung. His father, the Marbach state stud stallion Stan the Man xx, comes into play at catalog number 1: the licensed 3-year-old stallion Champ by Canoso comes from Sue by Stan the Man xx, who also has another Olympic horse and two times German national champion, Sam the Man / Bodo Battenberg. Champ also comes from an extraordinary dam line: his third dam Galatee, who was internationally successful up to 1.50m with Dirk Ahlmann and Sören von Rönne, bred Toulouse by Toulon, who was Bundeschampion in Warendorf with Hendrik von Eckermann and later had many successes up to 1.60m. The direct maternal line ends in the sixth generation with the mare Kateja III v. Vollkorn xx – Manolete xx, a full sister of the stallion Volturno, who won silver with Otto Ammermann at the Olympic Games in Montreal and the World Championships in Lexington. The 3-year-old champ made his first appearance at the Marbach free jumping competition, where he won the 3-year-old division with an excellent final score of 9.25.

Andrew Nicholson and Nereo at WEG. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Also with famous relatives is the Ramiro B daughter Senorita, whose dam, who was herself a CCI3* eventer, is a full sister to no less than four 5* horses, including Nereo, who won Badminton and Pau with Andrew Nicholson and was fourth individually at the Olympic Games in London. World champion genetics flow in the veins of the 4-year-old, highly talented black Arocan. He is a son of the Akhal-Teke stallion Amadei out of the full sister of fischerRocana, who was vice world champion in Caen with Michael Jung and the most successful eventing horse in the world three times in a row.

A total of nine four-year-old young horses are on offer in the 2024 Eventers auction, including the half-brother of last year’s top price Kronprinzessin, a son of Casskeni II and offspring of Amadei (2), Chubakko, Hickstead White, Quitoll, Vingino and Vivant. Among the 4-year-olds there is Forance v. For Romance I is also an extremely rideable and comfortable dressage offering. Some of the 5-year-old youngsters are already successful in tournaments and come from Casino Berlin, Colorit, Icare D’Olymp and Kamasutra II. The collection is rounded off by three well-supported six-year-old eventing horses, which are recommended for immediate use in eventing shows.

To view more information on the auction, including bidding information, click here. To view the full catalog of horses on offer, click here.

Saturday Links from World Equestrian Brands

By on May 4, 2024 12:01 am -

Sorocaima won $82,396 on the track and just completed his fourth CCI5* with Buck Davidson last weekend, securing their best placing yet. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

It’s another big day for horse sport in the state of Kentucky: it’s Kentucky Derby Day! Similar to Defender Kentucky cross country day, I always like to wish the athletes safe and speedy rides. It’s a big year for the Derby, too — 2024 marks its 150th running.

If you, like me, haven’t actually followed any of the lead-up races to the Derby yet still enjoys watching the most exciting two minutes in sports, don’t worry! EN’s sister site Horse Nation has the cheat sheet that we need to get up to speed and pick a favorite before post time (post time for the Derby is 6:57 p.m. ET, by the way.)

And if you, like me, also have some mixed feelings about Thoroughbred racing, you might find it heartening to read about some of the advances and research into safety measures such as footing (Yes, I did link this article earlier this week, but I found it so interesting I’m linking it again!) And of course there are the wonderful organizations such as the Retired Racehorse Project that help to get the word out and facilitate finding these ultimate equines athlete second careers that they’ll excel at. There have even been a few past Derby contenders that have gone on to have second careers not at stud, but as sport horses.

U.S. Weekend Action

Riga Meadow at Coole Park Combined Test (Millbrook, NY) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring]

Stable View Local Charities H.T. + USEA Interscholastic/Intercollegiate Eventing Championships (Aiken, SC) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Texas Rose Horse Park H.T. (Tyler, TX) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

The Event at Skyline (Mount Pleasant, UT) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Waredaca H.T. (Laytonsville, MD) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Windridge Farm Spring H.T. (NC) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring]

UK International Events

Osberton International I (Nottinghamshire) [Info / Schedule] [Entries / Scoring]

European FEI Events

Jardy Standard Show (France) [Info / Entries]

Pratoni del Vivaro Standard Show (Italy) [Info / Entries]

Sopot Standard Show (Poland) [Info / Entries]

Links to Start Your Weekend:

Myler Bits responds to elimination at Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event

Keeping Pace: What To Say To Your Friends At This Year’s Derby Party

Comfort, Connection And Compassion: Takeaways From An Extraordinary Thoroughbred

Fast Facts: 2024 USEA Intercollegiate & Interscholastic Eventing Championships

Larkin Hill Horse Trials Adds More Divisions After Kent Horse Trials’ Cancellation

What To Expect Once You’ve Made the Hardest Decision

Sponsor Corner: The World Equestrian Brands team of riders put in the work at the Kentucky Three Day Event! Check out these awesome action shots of World Equestrian Brands’ riders in action, featuring Buck Davidson, Sharon White, Andrew McConnon, Allison Springer, and Woodge Fulton. All of these riders put their trust in World Equestrian Brands’ collection of tack. Shop here.

Morning Viewing: There was a bit of a hairy moment on cross country last weekend at Defender Kentucky when Susie Berry had a little trouble steering Clever Trick after a. big jump into the Head of the Lake. Amy Dragoo captured the sequence through her lens!

Friday Video Break: Take a Tour of Chateau de Versailles

By on May 3, 2024 12:00 pm -

The famous Chateau des Versailles will be home to all equestrian events during the Olympic Games 2024. In this episode of RIDE presented by Longines on FEI TV, take a tour around the historic grounds that will connect equestrian sport with Parisian culture. It’s going to be a thrilling week in Paris later this summer, and the anticipation is building!

View more of EN’s coverage of the Paris Olympics here.

Harbin Takes It to the Next Level at Kentucky CCI5* with Joe Meyer

By on May 3, 2024 10:00 am -

Joe Meyer and Harbin. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Somewhere buried in my Facebook photos reside some exceptionally poor Sony CoolPix photos from my various trips to what we then called Rolex Kentucky. When I think back to those years and teenaged me, one moment stands out to me for no particular or obvious reason. I was standing at the start box, and New Zealand Olympian Joe Meyer was circling with the great little Thoroughbred gelding, Snip.

There weren’t many other people around, and even Joe didn’t bring an escort down to the start box with him. He quietly walked in a circle as he awaited his countdown, the traditional New Zealand silver fern brushed meticulously onto the gelding’s fleabitten gray coat.

Joe wouldn’t have noticed me on that day, too focused on the task at hand, but for one reason or another, I’ll always remember that moment as one of those “I’ve been hit with the eventing bug” memories.

Embed from Getty Images

So you can imagine my curiosity about another little gray Thoroughbred that Joe purchased a few years back from fellow eventer Rebecca Brown.

While he’s always shown the talent for the top levels and more than a few similarities to his predecessor (“He’s little, he’s nippy, he’s fast, he’s hot,” Joe described), it was last weekend at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event that Harbin would truly burst from “potential” to “confirmed” 5* horse.

Joe Meyer and Harbin finish a clear show jumping at Kentucky. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Joe describes his own and Ruthie Meyer’s, along with Theresa Foote’s Harbin (Verglas – Rainbow City, by Rainbow Quest), who raced in Ireland before coming to the U.S., as “a cross country machine”, but noted that his biggest question coming into Kentucky was whether the horse would handle the nearly-12-minute distance. It’s a question forefront in any rider’s mind as they bring a horse to the level for the first time; you don’t know until you know. Even in the mixed zone following Harbin’s dressage test, Joe was realistic.

“He gallops quite high up, a lot of knee action,” he described the 14-year-old gelding. “So it will be a question of whether that will take it out of him at all.”

He needn’t have worried. In fairness, he had tested Harbin with Long format terrain before: he traveled to the UK in 2023 to compete in the notoriously tough and terrain-heavy Blenheim Palace CCI4*-L (Harbin finished cross country clear with four time penalties there), but of course a 5* is a different animal.

Harbin delivered, though, collecting 9.2 time penalties to otherwise finish his first 5* cross country clear. He’d go on to cement his status as a 5* horse with one of just six jump penalty-free show jumping rounds on Sunday. Joe’s elation on crossing the finish was palpable.

I caught up with him shortly after, still grinning from ear to ear.

Joe Meyer and Harbin. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

“He came out feeling amazing today,” he said. “And he was jumping out of his skin, unbelievable. What a little rockstar, and for a little Thoroughbred he’s just awesome.”

Joe recalled the first moments of meeting Harbin, how the gelding did toss him some reminders of Snip. “There’s a couple of little differences, but yeah, that’s why when I had to chance to have him from Rebecca Brown I thought, ‘This could be my horse,’ because I know all about what that kind of horse is. And he’s exactly that: he’s nippy, he’s fast, and you know, he’ll spin you off and things, you always have to have a neck strap on him, but that’s what makes him special. And he tries, I don’t think he knows how to give up, and that’s really huge.”

For the Olympic and World Championship rider, the result also means more personally. Joe’s had several other horses come up the levels following Snip, but he hasn’t quite captured as competitive of 5* results as he did this weekend’s 14th place finish. I wanted to know how this felt to him.

Joe Meyer and Harbin. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

“It feels awesome, and like, you know, I’ll probably have to try a bit harder now because he’s got a few more years in him! And I feel like we’ve got a few coming up underneath as well.” Here he notes the longevity of the careers of riders such as Phillip Dutton and Matthew Grayling. “I think it’s all doable. But I do love the sport so much, and it really is inspirational to have a really nice horse and get a good result like this.”

“It’s sort of easy to fade into obscurity a little bit,” Joe continued after a moment. “I mean, you know we work away and we sell horses and we do a lot of other stuff, but it is quite nice to be doing what you want – what you came here to do.”

Harbin jumped super today around his first 5 star. A bobble after the ditch in the coffin so I opted for the long route…

Posted by Joe Meyer on Saturday, April 27, 2024

EN’s coverage of the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event is presented by Kentucky Performance Products, your one-stop shop for science-backed nutritional support for all types of horses. Click here to learn more about Kentucky Performance Products. You can catch up on all of our stories from Kentucky here.