Classic Eventing Nation

Friday News & Notes from Kentucky Equine Research

By on Oct 6, 2017 12:01 am -

The 2017 Thoroughbred Makeover is underway at the Kentucky Horse Park! Love this photo as a reminder of how the event connects OTTBs, who not too long ago were coming off the track and facing an uncertain future, with new careers and loving homes. Abby Powell has written up a guide to this year’s Makeover and we’ll be bringing that to you first thing so check back after you’ve had your coffee for that!

National Holiday: National Get Funky Day

Major Events This Week: 

Boekelo: Website, Ride Times & Live Scoring, Friday Ride Times, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Course Brook Farm H.T.  [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Kent School Fall H.T. [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

WindRidge Farm Fall H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Maryland at Loch Moy H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Radnor Hunt H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Middle Tennessee Pony Club H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

Heritage Park H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

Willow Draw Charity H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

Woodside International CIC & H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

The Event at Skyline H.T.  [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

News From Around the Globe:

Here’s your opportunity to ride with a legend of American eventing! The American Trakehner Association is hosting a David O’Connor clinic Nov. 8-9 at Tryon International Equestrian Center. David will be teaching small groups of Beginner Novice through Advanced level riders, focusing on dressage, show jumping and show jumping exercises for cross country. On-site stabling available. $450 for two days, $275 for one, with deep discounts for ATA members. Entries close Oct. 17. [ATA]

Woodside International Horse Trials kicks off tomorrow and the USEA is on top of coverage. Between Beginner Novice through Advanced horse trial divisions, CIC*, CIC2* and CIC3* FEI divisions, and the USEA Young Event Horse West Coast Championships, there’s plenty enough going on. Keep an eye on the USEA website and Facebook page for all the latest. [Gold Cup Fast Facts: 2017 Woodside International Horse Trials]

Hot on Horse Nation: ‘Autumn Is My Favorite Color’: A Few Autumn-Inspired Equestrian Counter-Memes

KER ClockIt™ Session of the Week

The KER ClockIt Sport mobile app tracks an individual horse’s intensity and duration of exercise through speed, heart rate, and GPS, so that horse owners can assess their horse’s fitness in order to condition and feed each horse appropriately for the work they’re actually performing.

The ClockIt Sport session featured this week belongs to an eventer who competed with her horse in a training division class during an event at the Kentucky Horse Park. The graph below shows the horse’s cross-country section. He spent 2:36 minutes in the yellow heart rate zone (80-90%). His average speed was 460 m/min with an average heart rate of 175 bpm. The horse ended up finishing third in its class with 3.6 time penalties from cross-country.

The yellow heart rate zone (80-90%) is where many human athletes train to improve fitness. In this zone, there begins to be a significant level of anaerobic energy generation, and blood lactate starts to accumulate. In studies performed by KER, researchers using KER ClockIt Sport found that during the cross-country phase of events, horses exercised in heart-rate zones that are indicative of anaerobic energy generation and blood lactate accumulation.

By logging into your account on the KER ClockIt website, you will be able to see detailed reports of each session, like the one above. Once you are signed in, you can view your detailed sessions under the “Sessions” tab.

New to ClockIt? Check out our Getting Started page.

By the Numbers: Woodside CIC3*

By on Oct 5, 2017 5:00 pm -

Woodside marks the penultimate conclusion of the Advanced and three-star season for the West Coast, with only the Galway CCI3* to finish up the year. The pairs contesting this weekend are an even mix of experienced pairs looking to get a good run before their fall CCI3* and horses and riders who just moved up to the level recently and are looking to get their first international level under their belt this weekend.

Photo courtsey Sherry Stewart.

The Event

  • For the past three runnings, only one pair per year has finished on their dressage score. Those F-O-D-S pairs have finished no worse than third each year.
  • More than 25% of the field has made the time over the last three years on average, which is considerably higher than the world-wide rate at the CIC3* level of 6.57%.

Sabrina Glaser and Rembrandt. Photo by Lively Manor Photography.

Dressage Divas

  • Rembrandt and Sabrina Glaser are making their CIC3* debut together, but they’ve impressed in the first phase thus far. With an average from two Advanced starts that just squeaks under 50 when converting to FEI scores, this pair should be competitive from day one.
  • James Alliston has quickly gelled with Happenstance, dropping their dressage score with each successive start. If the trend continues, we should see a score below their mark of 49.4 (equivalent to USEF of 32.9) at their last outing in the Twin Rivers Advanced, which they led from start to finish.

Bunnie Sexton and Rise Against, 4th place. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

Show Jumping Powerhouses

  • Rise Against, with Bunnie Sexton in the irons, has never once in 29 stadium rounds at the Advanced, 3*, and 4* levels ever had more than one rail. In fact, at the CIC3* level, he has only ever had one rail.
  • Tullamore and Maris Burns have only had a few starts at this level over the past two years, but they’ve kept their stadium record fairly clean, putting in three one-or-none rounds.

James Alliston and Parker. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

Cross Country Machines

  • It’s impossible to discuss cross country machines without bringing up Parker, who is one of the best cross country horses in the nation. This horse has contested at the 3* level for seven years now with James Alliston, and averages only six seconds over optimum time at the CIC3*/A levels over the past two years.
  • James himself is no slowpoke and in his three runs with Happenstance, he’s proven that his speed isn’t limited to one horse. With James, Happenstance has averaged 13 seconds over optimum, which will keep him well in the hunt after cross country.

PREDICTED WINNER: James Alliston and Happenstance

James Alliston and Happenstance. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

Keep Your Eye On:

  • James Alliston and Parker
  • Bunnie Sexton and Rise Against
  • Rebecca Braitling and Walterstown Don

Woodside International CIC & H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

‘We Can Save a Life for as Little as 100 Euro’

By on Oct 5, 2017 3:00 pm -

An open letter regarding frangible technology has been circulating this week, written by UK course designer and builder David Morton in response to the death of Maxime Debost. The 29-year-old French eventer died as the result of a rotational fall on cross country while contesting the CCI* at Châteaubriant Horse Trials on Sept. 23. Thank you, David, for sharing. 

Maxime Debost and Qurt de Montplaisir at the Fontainebleau CICO3*. Photo by Ecurie MDG.

The eventing world has tragically lost another rider to a rotational fall. Everyone close to or involved in the sport can only imagine the pain his death has caused his family and friends. Since 1993, 67 families have also suffered the same pain of losing a loved one to eventing.

Yes, we all recognize that riding horse over cross country fences is a high risk sport, but as a result of these deaths engineers and scientists from around the world have designed devices and offered advice in how to minimise the risks and thus, reduce the potential tragedy of rotational falls.

The first device to be introduced was a ‘front pin’ in 1995. The function of the front pin is to support the rail at the front of the post and is engineered to break with vertical force. Over the last few years scientific and video evidence has proven that the ‘reverse pin’ or clips are safer.

‘Reverse pins’ or clips are fixed to the back of the post which are engineered to break with horizontal force which helps to stop the rotation before it reaches the vertical breaking point. This has been proven to be a lot safer for horse and rider. These safety devices are readily available and cost as little as a 100 Euro per fence. The devices are easily transferred from fence to fence and can be used many times for differing events thus significantly reducing the cost.

Following the 2017 FEI Safety Forum at Tattersalls the FEI made a very strong recommendation that open railed fences should be reversed pinned or clipped only. In a memorandum to stakeholders the FEI said:

“Further to the Eventing Committee meeting and the Eventing Risk Management Steering Group, we would like to share with you the very strong recommendations to be implemented by your NFs for Eventing in regard to Risk management:

“FRANGIBLE DEVICES: The use of FEI certified frangible devices releasing from horizontal force on all open rails, gates, oxers and oxer corners is strongly recommended for all national and international events.”

The fence at which Maxime Debost fell at was a sloping triple rail, which from the photograph I have seen looks straightforward and well built. BUT like all bad falls regardless of the standard of horse and rider for some reason the two of them at a crucial moment made a catastrophic mistake. However, to comply with current FEI ‘very strong recommendations’ this fence should have had a ‘reverse pin’ or clip fixed on the top rail. WHY DIDN’T IT?

There has been much debate about the use of the new safety devices; the sole reason for the introduction of these devices is to prevent all riders (regardless of ability) paying the ultimate price as a result of horse or rider failing to work in harmony at a crucial moment.

Supporters of frangible technology recognize that ‘it’ alone will not prevent all rotational falls; however statistics from the FEI and British Eventing (BE) clearly show despite the growing number of participants that rotational falls have reduced significantly over the last few years. What is as important to understand is that while the number of deaths has also gratefully been reduced that too many riders and horses continue to be seriously injured.

Following Maxime’s death the FEI issued a press release stating that ‘it is working hard to improve safety.’ Surely it is way past the time for this ‘mantra’ to end and instead that the FEI back the years of research and proven scientific results and insist that ALL cross country officials comply with ‘their very strong recommendations’ regarding safety.

I am also told that the FEI press office claim that ‘reverse pins’ or clips cannot be fitted to triple bars — this shows just how misinformed they are!

WHY would cross country officials at any event want to take the risk of not using the best possible safety standards available? Do they not have a DUTY OF CARE to the horse, families and the sport as whole to insure the safest fences possible?

Who is going to be the first cross country official to defend the fact that a fence approved by them is not compliant with FEI recommendations in a coroner’s court?

So course designers and builders at events like Chateaubriant, Burghley, Blair, Barbary and FEI TDs and the BE safety officer, please comply with the FEI’s ‘strong recommendations regarding safety’ and STOP authorising fences that don’t!

Alex Hua Tian and Don Geniro Lead Boekelo on Day 1, Katherine Coleman in 30th

By on Oct 5, 2017 12:15 pm -

Alex Hua Tian and Don Geniro. Photo by Libby Law Photography.

Alex Hua Tian and Don Geniro scored 37.3 as the final pair to go on the first day of dressage action here at Military Boekelo CCIO3* in Enschede, Netherlands, giving China the lead at the conclusion of day one.

Don Geniro, a 10-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Don Kennedy X Gina, by Giorgione) owned by Pip Higgins, Pam Dews and Sarah Higgins, is notoriously spooky in the first phase, but Alex expertly kept the lid on to claim one of the three scores we saw in the 30s today.

“He was quite a lot hotter than he was at Blenheim, where I think he probably did his best test all year. I thought he felt really relaxed and really good in the warm-up, and then he went in and just caught me out, spooking at the judge at E. But I’m delighted. I’m glad the judges were brave and gave him the marks despite his moments of tension,” Alex said.

“I don’t think it’s going to be a dressage competition. It absolutely poured this morning. We’re due more rain tomorrow and Saturday. Boekelo can often be very wet. I don’t think it will be any different this year. It’s a stiff course and is going to catch people out for sure.”

Chris Burton and Quality Purdey. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Australia’s Chris Burton scored 39.3 with Quality Purdey to sit in second place. Chris recently took over the ride on the 11-year-old Oldenburg mare owned by Claire Poole, and their new partnership started off with a bang at Le Pin au Haras in August, where they won the Nations Cup CICO3* on their dressage score of 36.7.

Chris comes forward as a strong favorite to claim victory at Boekelo, which would give Australia a win for the first time in the history of event. He is also competing Kate Walls’ Cooley Lands, who won the 8/9-year-olds CIC3* last month at Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials.

Julia Mestern and Grand Prix Iwest were the only other pair to score in the 30s today, delivering a personal best at three-star level to sit third on 39.6. This pair is coming off a win in the Nations Cup CICO3* at Waregem, and Julia is no stranger to Boekelo, having won in 2008 and 2009 with Schorsch.

There are five riders competing here at Boekelo who have previously won the event. In addition to Julia, we also have Mark Todd (1989, 1998), Blyth Tait (1994, 1997), Nicolas Touzaint (2006) and Andreas Dibowski (2000, 2011) competing.

Looking to the rest of the leaderboard at the conclusion of day one, France is occupying the next two spots, with Aurelien Leroy and his own Seashore Spring, an 11-year-old Selle Francais gelding (Erudit X Bubbles, by Jasmin), in fourth on 41.1.

Astier Nicolas is making his return to the highest level of the sport after missing a large portion of the autumn season due to breaking his knee early in the summer. He scored 41.1 with Vinci de la Vigne, an 8-year-old Selle Francais gelding owned by Philippe and Marie-José Gerard, to sit in fifth place.

Katherine Coleman and Back to Business II. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Katherine Coleman and Kalai LLC’s Back to Business II scored 51.3 as the first pair out for Team USA to sit 16th on the first day of dressage. She recently started training with British eventing team dressage coach Tracie Robinson, who Katherine said has helped immensely with the mare’s dressage.

While the mare’s flying changes are not yet confirmed, Katherine feels confident that once they get those nailed down, Back to Business will consistently be scoring in the 40s in the first phase. Their best test so far at the level came at Burnham Market in April when they scored 48.3.

“I’ve really struggled with her flying changes, and I really need another winter to work on those,” Katherine said. “She’s been really spooky about the ring, so I tried to get her in there yesterday as much as I could. I was a little bit concerned because she’s normally not a spooky horse. She held it together, but those changes are costly at this point.”

“Bizzy,” a 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare (Harlequin Du Carel X Moxella, by Quick Star), stepped up to the three-star level at Barroca d’Alva in Portugal in March and completed her first CCI3* at Tattersalls in May in flying form, adding just 2.0 show jumping time penalties to her dressage score.

“Bizzy” with her super groom Caz Hewer, center, and Caroline Martin’s groom Sally Robertson. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Katherine and Bizzy are looking for a solid run here at Boekelo after problems at their previous two international competitions, with the mare having a freak fall in their show jumping round at Millstreet CIC3* and two runouts on cross country at Blenheim.

“I hadn’t had a cross country run on her since the Open Intermediate at Aston le Walls at the end of July when we went to Blenheim. She’s green at the level, so it was a big ask to go from Intermediate at Aston to Blenheim. She got up to the top of the hill coming down to the water and was overwhelmed by all the people watching,” Katherine said.

“But after throwing her in that atmosphere I feel ready for the cross country at Boekelo with all the crowds. I’m really excited about her longterm. She’s young and has got it all. In a year or two’s time, she’ll be really competitive.”

Team USA walked Sue Benson’s cross country course with Chef d’Equipe Leslie Law this afternoon, and we’ll be bringing you their comments on the track tomorrow. In the meantime, you can check out photos of each fence on course here.

Looking to the Nations Cup leaderboard at the halfway point of dressage, Germany leads on 87.0, with New Zealand and Australia tied for second place on 90.2. Remember that only 10 points separate Great Britain and Germany on the series leaderboard. Great Britain currently sits fifth on 96.0.

If you didn’t watch the free live stream from Boekelo today, you are seriously missing out. Diarm Byrne and Nicole Brown are providing fantastic commentary, and Laura Collett, Liz Halliday-Sharp and Paul Tapner joined them in the booth throughout the day to weigh in.

We have our remaining two American combinations still to come tomorrow. Liz Halliday-Sharp and Deniro Z go at 11:41 a.m. local time/5:41 a.m. EST tomorrow, with Caroline Martin and Pebbly Maximus as one of the final pairs to go at 4:04 p.m. local time/10:04 a.m. EST.

Stay tuned for much more from Boekelo, including exclusive facts and figures on the field from EquiRatings, the official statistics provider of the event. Don’t forget to check EN’s Instagram for bonus photos! Go Eventing.

Boekelo: Website, Ride Times & Live Scoring, Thursday Ride Times, Friday Ride Times, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

Military Boekelo CCIO3* Cross Country Course Preview

By on Oct 5, 2017 9:14 am -

Sue Benson returns to Military Boekelo CCIO3* in 2017 as the cross country course designer for the 17th year. The first part of the course this year looks quite different than in the past because the event has been relocated back to the part of the venue where it all began back in 1971 in Eschede, Netherlands.

The entire venue has received a facelift, with a beautiful new arena with all-weather footing serving as a stunning centerpiece. Two fences from the course are set in the new arena at fences 3 and 4 to give spectators in the many restaurants and bars surrounding the arena a thrill as horses and riders gallop by.

Fence 3 in the new main arena at Boekelo. Photo courtesy of CrossCountry App.

“I think that giving the course a fresh look and getting the first six fences in a different place has totally changed the feel of the course,” Sue said, noting that the open corner at fence 6 is new this year.

The direct route follows the left line at the first water complex at fence 10 10 starts with a narrow brush jump at A before horses and riders jump into the water over a blue wave fence and go on to a narrow angled log at C. Riders then jump a more narrow brush wedge as both the D and E elements of the water complex.

The jump in to the first water complex at fence 10B. Photo courtesy of CrossCountry App.

“The horses burst through the green track into this area for the water complex,” Sue said. “Always the crowds have an effect, particularly on the younger horses. It does have an electric atmosphere here. This year I’ve tried to be quite kind.”

Fences 12, 13 and 14 are separately numbered, but to take the direct route riders will need to angle their line over the brush parallel at fence 13 to make the related distance work for the brush corner at fence 14.

The direct route at fences 13 and 14. Photo courtesy of CrossCountry App.

The optimum time on Sue’s 5,720 meter course is 10 minutes, 3 seconds. While six in 10 starters at Boekelo have jumped clear on cross country this decade, only 6.2% have made the optimum time, according to EquiRatings. We can expect time penalties to be very influential come Saturday.

You can hear Sue’s excellent commentary on the course by clicking through the fences below. View in full screen mode below to scroll through all the fences. Click here to view the photos on CrossCountry App’s website. Many thanks to Willy Leysen for recording the course preview! Click here to catch up on all of EN’s coverage of Boekelo. Go Eventing.

Boekelo: Website, Ride Times & Live Scoring, Friday Ride Times, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

Thursday News & Notes from Nupafeed

By on Oct 5, 2017 12:33 am -

Helen Kaiser met the man of her dreams in horse country. They were recently married and Mr. built Mrs. a show jump to serve as their altar. This one’s definitely a keeper! Congratulations and best wishes!

National Holiday: Do Something Nice Day (let’s do something nice every day, mmk?)

Major Events This Week:

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Course Brook Farm H.T.  [Website] [Live Scores]

Kent School Fall H.T. [Website] [Live Scores]

WindRidge Farm Fall H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Maryland at Loch Moy H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Live Scores]

Radnor Hunt H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Middle Tennessee Pony Club H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

Heritage Park H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

Willow Draw Charity H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

Woodside International CIC & H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

The Event at Skyline H.T.  [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

Thursday News and Notes:

Next up on the Adequan USEA Gold Cup Series calendar is the Woodside International Horse Trials in Woodside, California. This event is a qualifier for the 2018 Final at the 2018 American Eventing Championships at the Colorado Horse Park in Parker, Colorado. Here’s everything you need to know about Woodside. [Gold Cup Fast Facts]

California sounds like a great place to visit, especially in winter. If you haven’t signed up for the 2017 USEA Annual Meeting and Convention in Long Beach, get to it! The USEA has released a pack schedule for this year’s Convention, from member meetings to educational sessions to awards ceremonies. [Convention Schedule]

What if you could put all that horse poo you spend hours picking to good use? A competition in Finland has decided to power the Helsinki International Horse Show using 100% horse manure. It will take the annual poop output of 14 horses to power the entire competition. Now that’s horse power! [The power of poop]

Jessica Bortner-Harris has a new chestnut jumping bean in her barn. She recently retired her Advanced eventer and fan favorite, Win the War, from the upper levels but new edition Whoop Whoop De Do, a 4-year-old off-track Thoroughbred, is showing great promise. Jessica and “Dom” are heading to the Retired Racehorse Project’s Thoroughbred Makeover in Kentucky this weekend. [Could he be America’s Most Wanted Thoroughbred?]

Hot on Horse Nation: Equestrian Social Media: Amateurs & Brand Ambassadorship

Thursday Video: Nicolette Merle-Smith and her mom Rosemarie’s Trakehner gelding Ratatouille made the big move up to Intermediate at the Stable View Oktoberfest Advanced Horse Trials. Way to go!

Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: A ‘Sound of Silence’ Freestyle

By on Oct 4, 2017 5:00 pm -

Prepare to be mesmerized. During Dressage at Devon last week, Jacqueline Brooks and D Niro, an 18-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding owned by Mary Brooks and Brookhaven Dressage Inc., performed an FEI Grand Prix Freestyle to Disturbed’s powerful cover of the Simon and Garfunkle original, “The Sound of Silence.”

The performance earned them a 70.875 for third place. More notably, their performance was a contrast of the typical freestyle, which is often a mix of different songs or sounds spliced together to match a pattern.

Jacqueline worked with a professional to adjust the tempo of the music but otherwise performed through an entire song that spoke to the heart and soul of the audience and the performer herself.

If you’d like to know more about the development of this freestyle and the story behind it, Heels Down Magazine got the scoop: “I Think It’s the Future” Jacquie Brooks Brings Innovative Freestyle to Dressage at Devon.

The feeling you get when you hug your horse

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It is why the horse that matters to you matters to us. Not sure which horse supplement best meets your horse’s needs? We are here to help. Contact Kentucky Performance Products, LLC at 859-873-2974 or visit our website at KPPusa.com.

 

 

In Loving Memory of Roxanne Green

By on Oct 4, 2017 3:00 pm -

Roxanne and Delta Ditto competing in a Training Three-Day in 2008. Photo courtesy of Sara Kozumplik Murphy.

The eventing community lives and breathes like a family, and we are saddened to share the loss of one of our own, Roxanne Green who passed away suddenly on Sunday. Roxanne was the daughter of Edy Rameika, a longtime, avid supporter of eventing. Pulled in by her mom’s love for the sport, Roxanne found herself along for the ride from the beginning.

Edy has been a loyal owner and supporter of Sara Kozumplik Murphy for nearly two decades, and Roxanne shared her mother’s passion for horses. As a young girl, she toted Breyer horses across the country as she traveled to competitions with Sara before growing up to get in the saddle herself. She even shared the ride on some of Sara’s top horses including her four-star partner As You Like It.

Roxanne and As You Like It. Photo courtesy of Sara Kozumplik Murphy.

She evented for years before marrying Nathaniel Green in 2012, with whom she had two young children. Roxanne had just begun riding again as the children started school.

“Everyone can see how beautiful you were on the outside, Roxanne, that’s easy. What is hard to explain to people that weren’t lucky enough to know you is how truly kind, generous, and empathetic you were to everyone,” Sara shared in a tribute to Roxanne.

“Lots of us work hard to be the best version of ourselves. To be the kind of person that treats everyone with an open heart and a helping hand regardless of how frustrating or difficult it might be. You never struggled with that. It would have been impossible for you to be any other way. You are the best version of all of us.

“Watching you grow up and have two beautiful children of your own has been surreal. Seems like five minutes ago you and Nadine were traveling all over the country with me with your Breyer horses in their own little wheelie suitcase. I thought I was so grown up then. Your poor Mum just took on another kid and was kind enough to make it seem like I was steering my own destiny. You know how she is? Can’t help taking care of everyone in her world. Like mother, like daughter.”

Sara Kozumplik Murphy and Edy Rameika. Photo courtesy of Sara.

Edy has been a loyal owner and supporter of Sara’s program for nearly two decades. Together, the two created an owner’s award through the Professional Rider’s Organization (now Event Riders Association of North America) to recognized owners, like Edy, who go above and beyond. The As You Like It Owners Award has been given annually since 2006. 

Owners are the backbone of eventing. Oftentimes, it’s more than a business relationship, as the lines blur and owners become family, and this is the case for Sara. Edy and her family have become Sara’s family, and for her, they are what make it all possible.

“Trying to keep your head above water as an event rider is extremely hard day to day, never mind building a future for yourself. It is impossible to most of the world unless you have owners that are as passionate (or as foolish) as you,” Sara commented. “We owe the existence of our sport to them. Passionate event enthusiasts like Edy are an extremely rare breed, sticking through the shatteringly low times with unwavering support on every level. These people become family.”

Sara and Roxanne. Photo courtesy of Sara Kozumplik Murphy.

“A lot of event owners like Edy support programs behind the scenes, but the main way they build our sport is by supporting our horses. When riders are worrying how to pay the hay bill, they don’t have the time or energy to help others get a leg up. Our owners have a huge impact on the sport as a whole this way, not just the upper levels.”

Roxanne was a mother, a wife, a daughter, a friend and so much more. Please join us in sending condolences to Edy, Sara and all who love Roxanne Green.  

 

 

 

Team USA Sails Through First Horse Inspection at Boekelo

By on Oct 4, 2017 1:35 pm -

Katherine Coleman and Back to Business II. Photo by Libby Law Photography.

Hello from Military Boekelo CCIO3* in Enschede, Netherlands! All 99 horses presented to the ground jury of Dr. Ernst Topp (GER), Eric Lieby (FRA) and Les Smith (GBR) were accepted at the first horse inspection.

There are 13 teams in all contesting the Nations Cup Final at Boekelo this weekend. After eight legs this season, Great Britain and Germany will battle it out for the series win, sitting on 590 and 580 points, respectively.

France is well back in third place on 335 points, but the host nation of the Netherlands is within striking distance of a podium finish on 280 points if they can deliver a strong performance on home soil. Sweden sits fifth in the current standings on 210 points.

The USA is sixth in the standings on 180 points, and we have a group of three making up our team for the Nations Cup Final, with Leslie Law acting as Chef d’Equipe.

Caroline Martin and Pebbly Maximus. Photo by Libby Law Photography.

Caroline Martin is riding Pebbly Maximus, her 14-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding she already successfully campaigned overseas earlier in the summer. They had a top 15 finish in the Houghton Hall CICO3* Nations Cup and fifth place finish in the Bramham Under 25 CCI3*.

Liz Halliday-Sharp is riding Deniro Z, a 9-year-old KWPN gelding owned by the Deniro Z Syndicate, in his CCI3* debut. They are coming off a strong fifth place finish in his first three-star in the Blenheim 8/9-year-old CIC3*, have won five internationals over the past calendar year.

Katherine Coleman is riding her own Back to Business II, a 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare that already has a strong finish at CCI3* level on her record this season, finishing 12th in her debut at the level at Tattersalls in Ireland over the summer.

Liz Halliday-Sharp and Deniro Z. Photo by Libby Law Photography.

Dressage starts tomorrow at 9 a.m. local time/3 a.m. EST. Click here for Thursday ride times and here for Friday ride times. Ride times for our USA ladies are:

  • Katherine Coleman and Back to Business II: Thursday 1:51 p.m. local time/7:51 a.m. EST
  • Liz Halliday-Sharp and Deniro Z: Friday 11:41 a.m. local time/5:41 a.m. EST
  • Caroline Martin and Pebbly Maximus: Friday 4:04 p.m. local time/10:04 a.m. EST

The entire event will stream live on the Boekelo website, with the dynamic duo of Diarm Byrne and Nicole Brown providing commentary. If you’ve seen their work on Event Rider Masters, you’ll love watching them at Boekelo!

Boekelo: Website, Ride Times & Live Scoring, Thursday Dressage Order, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

Tamie Smith, Jordan Linstedt & Alexis Helffrich Receive USET Jacqueline Mars Grants

By on Oct 4, 2017 12:30 pm -

Jordan Linstedt and Revitavet Capato. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

We are excited to share the news that three west coast riders have been selected to receive Jacqueline B. Mars National Competition and Training Grants!

These grants are given to help offset travel costs for athletes who have shown potential to represent the United States in future international competition. Tamie Smith, Jordan Linstedt and Alexis Helffrich will all travel across the country to compete in the CCI3* at The Dutta Corp. Fair Hill International next week, Oct. 12-15.

Tamie Smith and Wembley. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

Fair Hill winner in 2015, Tamie Smith has three entries next weekend: Judy McSwain’s Fleeceworks Royal and Kevin Baumgardner’s Wembley will compete in the three-star and Sunsprite Warmblood’s Sunsprite Syrius in the two-star. She’s already made the trek to the east coast, competing at Stable View last weekend where she finished 8th and 15th in the Advanced with Fleeceworks Royal and Wembley, respectively.

“It’s a huge honor to be able to receive a grant like this,” she said. “It’s really beneficial because we’re away from our businesses while traveling, and to be away for a month to go to the East Coast across the country is not only financially taxing but also hard on our businesses as well.

“You feel like you’re picking the right horses and doing the right things when you get validation by receiving a grant like this so it’s really exciting. I’m very honored and very excited. Thank you to Jacqueline Mars for the investment she’s put into the sport. It really means a lot to have been a recipient of something like this.”

Jordan Linstedt and Revitavet Capato. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

Jordan Linstedt and her own & Barbara Linstedt’s Revitavet Capato are proven pairs at this level, winning the Bromont CCI3* this spring. This pair finished 7th in the Advanced at the American Eventing Championships before also completing the CIC3* at Plantation Field where they finished 14th.

Jordan has produced Capato from the beginning, and she says after Fair Hill she has plans to compete him overseas in 2018. At 25, this is her first major grant, and she sees it as a reflection of all the hard work put in.

“It’s unbelievable to get the opportunity to do what I love to do and travel. Hopefully I can utilize those funds to get the best coaching and training that I might not have been able to get before. Now I feel like I can be as best prepared as possible to have the best result at Fair Hill.”

Alexis Helffrich and London Town. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

Alexis Helffrich is an up-and-coming rider who is slated to compete in the CCI3* with Pamela William’s London Town. Originally from France, Alexis is now based in Pleasanton, California.

He and London Town finished 4th in the CIC3* at Rebecca Farm, and 8th in the Advanced at Twin Rivers two weeks ago. Fair Hill will be this pair’s first CCI3*.

We would like to wish these riders good luck next weekend! And a huge thank you goes to Jacqueline Mars and the USET Foundation for helping our riders so they can focus on the competition.

[Smith, Linstedt and Helffrich Selected for Jacqueline B. Mars National Competition and Training Grants]