Classic Eventing Nation

#EventerFailFriday: A Foolish Consistency

By on Sep 29, 2017 12:00 pm -

“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds,” said American transcendentalist philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson in his 1841 essay “Self Reliance.”

I’m not sure what a hobgoblin is (event horse says: a frightening creature that dwells in the bottom of trakehners), but what old Ralph was trying to say is that a person does not have to think and act consistently from one day to the next. It’s important to stay open to new ideas and ways of doing things, even if it means contradicting previous thoughts and actions. The world changes, and we change with it.

It’s a great guiding principle for life, but when it comes to the sport of eventing … maybe not so much. I’ll take a little foolish consistency over the horse that suddenly is terrified of the flower pot it’s walked past a thousand times, who decides to spontaneously rage against the machine in a dressage test when things have been going so well, or after six perfect jumps decides to slam on the brakes at the seventh.

Exhibit A:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZD_gJDFJdd/

How was your test today? All of the above. #eventerproblems #eventing #graceful

A post shared by Brittany DesCotes Eventing (@bdescotes) on

#epicfail #eventerproblems #thatsanope #jumpcrewhatesme #didntfalloff @chronofhorse photo cred to @chloegirlk

A post shared by Emily Francis (@emmyofdeath) on

That would be a HARD no. #shesaB #eventerproblems

A post shared by WhenISayJump (@sarasiglerfiegen) on

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZV1d8ghjd8/

I miss this horse #eventerproblems #dirtmustache #goodtimes

A post shared by K Stein (@definitely_not_katie) on

Got an #EventerFailFriday photo to share? Tag it on Instagram for inclusion in next week’s edition!

Go Eventing.

By the Numbers: Stable View Advanced

By on Sep 29, 2017 7:10 am -

Stable View is in just its second year of running the Advanced Oktoberfest Horse Trials, but already the venue has established itself as the place to be on the first weekend of October. With $65,000 in prize money on the line alongside a huge investment in the course and footing, competitors are flocking from north, south and west to what has quickly established itself as a premier event.

The Advanced division starts today with dressage at 8 a.m. EST, followed by show jumping on Saturday at noon EST and cross country on Sunday at noon EST. Both jumping phases for the Advanced and Intermediate divisions will stream live on EQTV starting at 10:20 a.m. Saturday and 10:20 a.m. Sunday with commentary from our own Jenni Autry, plus special guests.

Stable View Links: Website, Omnibus, Ride Times, Live Scores, Live Stream

Photo courtesy of Stable View.

The Event

  • Boyd Martin was the only rider last year to not only finish inside the time across the country, but also finish on his dressage score with Steady Eddie. The eventual winners, Phillip Dutton and Z, came close, adding only 0.4 time penalties to their dressage score.
  • Only 48% of those who started cross country last year completed without jump penalties on Capt. Mark Phillips’ cross country course. That is significantly lower than the Advanced level clear completion rate of 61% for 2016 in the U.S.
  • Three riders scored in the 20s in dressage last year but only Phillip Dutton and Z completed on a score in the 20s.

Katie Ruppel and Houdini. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

Dressage Divas

  • Katie Ruppel and Houdini have scored in the 20s (or the FEI equivalent) in their last five Advanced and three-star starts together. These two very consistently hover near their two-year average of 28.6 for the first phase.
  • Charlie Tango and Heather Morris are no strangers to winning the dressage phase, having led the field in their last four consecutive starts after day one. An average of 29.9 at this level should have them challenging for the lead.
  • Boyd Martin has a top prospects for day one in Shamwari 4. While his three-star/Advanced record is sparse over the past couple of years, a look back reveals an average dressage score of 30.8 over the past three calendar years.
  • Tamie Smith has brought the talented gray Fleeceworks Royal to the East Coast this fall, and while lightly competed at this level, she’s most recently demonstrated that she’s a horse who can strike into the 20s. Her most recent start at the Rebecca Farm CIC3* yielded the FEI equivalent of a 28.4.

Heather Morris and Charlie Tango. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

Show Jumping Powerhouses

  • Crackerjack continues to impress in the show jumping phase, particularly when the phase is held prior to cross country. Throughout his entire career at this level, when show jumping runs first, Crackerjack has jumped clear in 13 of 14 starts with Boyd Martin in the irons.

Joe Meyer and Clip Clop. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

Cross Country Machines

  • Charlie Tango is another who runs fast when he runs clean, with an average pace of fifteen seconds over optimum when running clear at this level. Consistency in this phase will be the bigger question, but this pair have finished in the top two of the nine Advanced and three-star competitions they’ve completed.
  • If you’re noticing a trend with Crackerjack, it’s because we think he is the horse to beat this weekend. An average of 7.2 time penalties on cross country at this level over the past two seasons makes him one of the fastest horses in the field with Boyd Martin, who was also the only rider to make the time in the Advanced at this event last year.
  • Joe Meyer is an exceptionally fast cross country rider, and partnered with pocket rocket Clip Clop they make a speedy combination in this phase. An average of 7.6 time penalties at this level will see them climb the leaderboard in the final phase.

PREDICTED WINNER: Boyd Martin and Crackerjack

Boyd Martin and Crackerjack. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

Potential Spoiler:

  • Heather Morris and Charlie Tango

Keep Your Eye On:

  • Katie Ruppel and Houdini
  • Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg
  • Tamie Smith and Wembley

Friday News & Notes from Kentucky Equine Research

By on Sep 29, 2017 12:03 am -

Photo via Morning Feed FB.

They say you can pick your friends, you can pick your nose, but you can’t pick your friend’s nose…..or can you? I’ve definitely been that little kid before, prodding ponies in every way imaginable. Oh wait, I’m still that little kid.

National Holiday: NATIONAL COFFEE DAY

U.S. Weekend Preview:

University of New Hampshire H.T.  [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

Larkin Hill H.T. [Website]

Morven Park CIC & H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

ESDCTA H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Stable View Advanced Oktoberfest H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Stream]

Woodland Stallion Station H.T. [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

Spokane Sport Horse Farm H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Jump Start H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

News From Around the Globe:

Copper Meadows Horse Trials in Ramona, California (Area VI), runs three USEA recognized events a year in March, June, and September, offering Intro through Advanced level competition. In September, Copper Meadows also hosts CIC*, CIC2* and CIC3* divisions. Run and owned by Taren Hoffos, the event is in it’s 17th year of operation. [USEA Events A-Z]

Non-horse person Marcus Zahn parked his ridiculously expensive sports car next to a donkey paddock, and paid the price. Literally. Inquisitive donkey, Vitus, decided to have a taste of the car’s fender, costing the owner about $50k in damages. Hilariously, both local police and Marcus are suggesting that perhaps Vitus mistook the car for a carrot due to it’s heinous orange color. [Donkey Attacks Car]

Even show jump riders understand flat work. Responsiveness to the leg is critical to effective riding, says 2012 World Cup Champion Rich Fellers of Wilsonville, Oregon. And it starts with walk–trot transitions.“Flat work is the biggest focus of my whole program,” says the US Olympian. [Calibrating to Leg Pressure with Rich Fellers]

Hot on Horse Nation: 9 Equestrian Things That Need to Come in Pumpkin Spice 

H&H Question of the Week: My Horse is Very One Sided, How Do I Fix This?

In honor of National Coffee Day:

KER Product of the Week – Synovate HA®

Event horses put a lot of strain on their legs as they rack up miles and jump on varied terrain and footing conditions, producing wear and tear on joint structures over time. To maximize the longevity of your event horse’s career, consider using a joint supplement.

Developed by Kentucky Equine Research (KER), Synovate HA proactively helps to manage horse joint health by preventing the loss of hyaluronic acid, an essential component of joint cartilage that maintains healthy connective tissue and optimizes normal joint function. Shop now.

Are you wondering which supplements would best suit your horse’s diet? Contact a KER nutrition advisor today!

US Equestrian Names Nations Cup Team for Boekelo CCIO3*

By on Sep 28, 2017 4:56 pm -

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

US Equestrian announced this afternoon that the three American riders entered to compete at Military Boekelo CCIO3* next week, Oct. 4-8, in Enschede, Netherlands, will comprise Team USA in the FEI Nations Cup Final. Leslie Law will serve as Chef d’Equipe for the team.

We’ll be cheering loudly for:

  • Katherine Coleman and Back to Business, Kalai LLC’s 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare
  • Liz Halliday-Sharp and Deniro Z, the Deniro Z Syndicate’s 9-year-old KWPN gelding
  • Caroline Martin and Pebbly Maximus, her own and Sherrie Martin’s 2003 Irish Sport Horse gelding.

Katherine and Liz are making the trip to the Netherlands from their bases in England, while Caroline is traveling from the USA thanks in part to funding from the USET Foundation’s Jacqueline B. Mars Developing Rider Grant.

You can read more about the American entries at Boekelo and check out the full list of horses and riders competing in EN’s entry list preview.

[U.S. Equestrian Announces Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team for FEI Nations Cup Military Boekelo-Enschede CCIO3*]

10 Questions with Ian Stark: Cross Country Designer & Adviser Extraordinaire

By on Sep 28, 2017 4:36 pm -

Ian Stark at Carolina International, one of many courses he designs at around the world. Photo by Allie Conrad Photography.

Ian Stark has a lengthy riding resume, including multiple medals at Olympic and World Equestrian Games. Following his success in the saddle, he began designing cross country courses, leaving his mark on some of the most impressive three-star venues in the world.

Ian has now stepped up this fall into a temporary advising role for the United States at international competitions. He began at Burghley Horse Trials, where two Americans finished in the top 10, and continued at Blenheim, where our own Kim Severson took the prestigious win. We took a few moments to chat with Ian about the position.

EN: Can you tell us about your new role with U.S. riders overseas this fall?

Ian Stark: “There’s three of us. There’s Derek di Grazia on the West Coast of America, Phillip Dutton on the East Coast and me in Europe. We’re working as a team with the riders. We’re cross country advisors or coaches. We’re mentoring the elite riders for the rest of the year. For the moment it’s only short term until the end of the season.

EN: How has the season been going so far?

Ian: “Burghley was my first one. I’ve known the riders for quite a number of years, but I’ve never really worked with them. We were straight into the heat of it all at a big four-star, and it was great. As far as I know the riders were positive. They’re a great bunch of people with some lovely horses.”

EN: What have your responsibilities in this position included?

Ian: “My job at the moment is to walk the courses and give them some ideas about lines and get to know them. As a course designer and as an ex-rider, I hope that I know what the designer is looking for, so I can discuss with each rider individually what’s going to work best for them and their horses.”

EN: How have you managed advising riders without knowing them very well?

Ian: “I’m just getting to know the riders and their horses. We’ve done a lots of chatting and walking courses. I’ve looked at lots of videos, but I haven’t been helping them on a one-to-one basis jumping cross country fences, so I don’t want to weigh in straight away. They’re all very top riders, they’ve got their own ideas, so if I can say, ‘I would think about this line,’ and explain it and discuss it.”

EN: Has this strategy seemed successful to you? 

Ian: “I feel the riders are very switched onto it. They’re very open to ideas and suggestions, and then they’re all good enough that they can work it out for themselves what they think will suit themselves and their horses best.”

EN: You sounded a bit relieved when you spoke on the live stream at Burghley and told listeners that Boyd Martin followed your advice and ended up with a top finish. What did that feel like?

Ian: [Laughter] “He was incredibly receptive because we walked the course and he kept telling me his lines and I’m going, ‘Why? Why are you doing that?’ And we discussed it.

“I felt a lot of pressure, but Boyd rode every line as I suggested. He rode quite brilliantly and took all the ideas on board.”

EN: Have you enjoyed the position?

Ian: “I have to say I’m loving it. There’s a lot of talent in America, and if I can do a little bit to help then I’m delighted. America has been incredibly good to me with teaching clinics and with course designing, so it’s great for me to feel as though I’m giving something back in return. I’d love it to continue, but obviously the role might be filled with a more permanent person.”

EN: And what if it did continue?

Ian: “If this continues, then I hope to be doing more cross country clinics with the American riders both in Europe and America, as when you get to know the combinations then you can have more influence.”

EN: How would you describe the U.S. performances you’ve seen so far?

Ian: “At Burghley we had two in the top 10, and at Blenheim we had the win and there was another three within the top 12, which was fantastic really. For so few competitors to have that many in the top brackets was excellent. I just hope they continue to build in confidence.

“They certainly have the ability. I’ve said all along, the talent of horses and riders in America is not in doubt, it’s just a question of self belief as much as anything. I think for me over the last couple of events just getting to know them, I feel as though they’re all very punch and positive and heading in the right direction and that’s a great sign.

EN: You had pelvic surgery recently. How has your recovery gone? 

Ian: “It’s been seven weeks since the operation. I’m still on crutches for another five weeks, but I’m getting around. I’m doing everything. I’m now allowed to drive again, so I’m not too restricted. They just don’t want me doing long haul flights until January to lessen the risk of blood clots and thrombosis because it was a pretty major operation to my pelvis. I’m in great form now and no pain, which is the big plus.”

The Hardest Season of My Life Turned out to Be the Best

By on Sep 28, 2017 1:10 pm -

Kelly Bailey is an adult amateur based in northern New Jersey who has trained with Meg Kepferle for the last seven years. She works full-time as a home health aide in an assisted living facility. She writes, "This year I saw a change in my riding and all my hard work come out, but this year was different because I lost my loving mother in January to cancer. On her final days she told me this was going be my year. My story honors her and proves that a mother is always right, and most of all for us to never give up!"

Kelly Bailey, left, with her mom, Melanie, and dad, Pat.

Imagine you are a 26-year-old amateur event rider. You ride with the one and only Meg Kepferle. It’s the fall of 2016 and your trusty mount is spending a few weeks with her for a tune-up. Cross country has always been a bit of a struggle throughout your eventing career. For some odd reason you keep pushing through.

It was the end of September last year when Meg said, “Kelly, I’m sorry, but right now it’s not safe for you to event.” Your heart shatters because your life outside of horses includes a mom who’s fighting pancreatic cancer. You have the whole fall season entered and planned. You scratch from every event.

One thing my mom made me promise during her two-year journey of fighting cancer was that I would still ride. When she told me about her diagnosis in January 2015, one of the first things she said was, “Kelly, you will continue to ride and event.” This cancer was not going to stop our normal family life, which greatly involved my eventer Poe and our two senior citizen horses.

She made sure she was at the first combined test of the year that April. I can still hear her on the bench telling my dad to look at Poe. “He’s being a handful!” which wasn’t like him. My dad laughed and said, “Melanie, it’s the first show of the year after a long and cold winter.” She was my number one fan and always a phone call away when not at shows.

Now you’re probably wondering why I had to miss out on the fall season in 2016. It was due to the fact that Poe had developed a bit of anxiety on cross country. A combination of horse and rider both having anxiety out there was not safe. So Meg and my mom made a plan that in the long run would benefit me and Poe in so many ways.

Kelly, left, with Meg after a successful show day with friends.

Meg recommended that I call Charity Paashaus, who is an amazing natural horsemanship trainer in Area II. I also started working with a sports psychologist to help me walk through some of the mental blocks I face. My mom agreed it was a good idea. She knew I had developed some fear issues over the years with jumping.

So Poe and I began to work with Charity. We first started with a session at my family’s farm, which was a huge success. We then spent the rest of the fall season working out on the cross country field. Charity was great for videoing and capturing pictures of my sessions with her, which helped me to see our progress.

I remember one of the sessions was on a cold, windy day in October. Dad and I drove down to meet with Charity. Mom was in the hospital at the time. I remember sending her a video clip of me riding out there on cross country and going clear over a very large ditch. I knew it would bring the biggest smile to her face.

Fast forward to New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2016. I went to work for a few hours. Everyone was asking, “How’s mom doing?” My response: “She’s hanging on and fighting.” On the way to the hospital to visit her that night, I received the news: My mother was officially terminal ill with less than three weeks to live.

I can still remember texting my dad that it wasn’t true. His response: “I’m sorry, kiddo, but it is. Know that I have comfort that Meg and Katie, your two longtime trainers who lost a parent, are going to help you through this.” He told me later in the waiting room that mom had made him promise to make sure I stayed riding and competing.

Then there was the day we were all at the hospital to bring mom home to our farm. My mom took my hand and told me it was going to be my year. I said, “Mom, I hope it is, but you know I have the worst luck.” My last four years with Poe had been a battle of Lyme disease, EPM and an old injury reappearing that ended our season early in 2015. My mom replied, “You keep kicking on until you make it to Rolex.”

My mom told me 2017 was going be the year I achieved my long-term goal of qualifying for the American Eventing Championships. And she was right. I did it. I would be lying if I said I didn’t doubt that at times.

I think back to my first event at Plantation Field in April, where I attempted to ride with a case of bronchitis. Let’s say the nerves and not being 100% ended in retirement after fence six on cross country. I remember there being a woman that looked identical to my grandmother, who passed away six years ago. She was a complete stranger, but she watched me warm up for stadium and cross country. She was also the first person to approach me when I jumped off of Poe and said I couldn’t breathe.

I remember standing at the trailer looking at Meg, saying, “How am I going to do this season? I miss mom way too much.” Meg said, “I know you do, Kel. I miss her too. We have got to keep on kicking. That’s what mom would want you to do.”

Kelly and Poe. Photo by Philip Cummings.

Two weeks later I headed up to Grindstone Mountain with my dad. He looked at me in the hotel room and said it was going to be hard not having mom there. Poe and I finished the day in third place. Dad turned to me with tears in his eyes and said, “Mom was just with us.”

I remember being at Essex Horse Trials and telling dad, “I know she’s here today.” My mom was ecstatic that there was going be an event in New Jersey. She had high hopes of attending it. I remember galloping through the finish and my dad being the first one I saw. He high-fived me and said, “Way to ride in the big leagues!”

The second person I saw was Meg, who I stopped to hug. She turned to my dad and said, “She finally galloped, Pat!” I can still hear them both laughing about how I finally went fast. I remember being out there on cross country feeling like I was in the galloping lanes of Kentucky. Most of all I know my mom and grandmother were with me on either side, running with me along that course.

A tear came to my eye when I remembered going through the water complex and hearing a spectator say, “She rode that beautifully.” It made me think of my mom, as I know if she had been there in person she would have told everyone, “That’s my kiddo!”

Two weeks later I competed at Riga Meadow — another double clear. (We did give my father a major scare of “is my daughter’s horse going to stop?” as Poe came across the finish ready to go run again.) We earned our first purple ribbon of the year. That ribbon meant everything to me, as purple represents pancreatic cancer awareness.

Although we qualified, we unfortunately had to miss the American Eventing Championships due to Poe being kicked in his right hind leg. (Also due to the fact that this young amateur is on her way to the altar next May. Any true horse lover gets married on Kentucky Derby day!)

We opted to run at the Area I Championships at Town Hill Farm instead. Unfortunately, it wasn’t my weekend and ended in elimination. To say I was crushed would be an understatement. I was devastated.

My sports psychologist helped me get my head back in the game. She has reminded me all season that no matter what happens, no one can take away the successes I’ve had. I’ve constantly reminded myself that I’m not the rider I was two years ago.

During my dressage lesson the other day it dawned on me: I was having the most fun this season. Yes, I was finally having fun! My USEA record may show four retires, one elimination and four double clears, but I can tell you one thing: No matter how hard it gets, don’t ever give up. Most of all, just have fun and enjoy it!

When my mom passed away exactly three weeks from the time the doctor gave her, I didn’t think I would be able to do it. Once again, those horses saved me. I know my mom may not be here in person, but I know for sure she would be ecstatic at all the triumphs I have had this year.

So my words of advice to all of us young amateurs out there who are working hard: Keep on kicking. A huge thank you to my village that has stood behind me. It took the loss of a parent for me to finally put it all together. I call it the year I got my head out of the clouds and rode.

Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation Hay Drive to Aid Puerto Rican Horses

By on Sep 28, 2017 10:20 am -

Immortal Wink, who was running in Puerto Rico last year, enjoys retirement in his home state of Florida.

The Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation is using its annual Hay Drive to assist efforts to feed nearly 900 horses at Camarero racetrack in Canovanas, Puerto Rico. The track, which is located about 15 miles southeast of San Juan, was devastated by Hurricane Maria, leaving the horses stranded in barns where the roofs had been ripped off, without access to sufficient food and fresh water.

“In the spirit of horse organizations helping each other,” TRF will give 50 percent of Hay Drive donations received between now and Sunday, Oct. 1, to Caribbean Thoroughbred Aftercare Inc.

Diana Pikulski, TRF’s national director of major giving, said the group decided to work with the CTA because the two organizations have partnered before. In June 2016, TRF and CTA joined forces to bring home Immortal Wink, a 10-year-old Florida-bred gelding running in Puerto Rico, and retire him to a TRF facility in the United States.

“We worked with them before and we know how hard they work and we know what they’re up against on a good day in the Caribbean, with the number of horses that are down there and the circumstances for keeping horses there,” Diana explained. “We know how hard it is and how incredibly expensive it is and how little land there is to keep horses. It’s amazing the job they do.”

Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico on Sept. 20, causing catastrophic destruction and leaving the entire island without power and communications.

Shelley Blodgett, CTA co-founder, told Thoroughbred Daily News, “There are 864 U.S. Thoroughbreds (all Jockey Club registered) stabled at Hipodromo Camarero Racetrack. … The racetrack, including the barns, was heavily damaged during Hurricane Maria. Further, the horses cannot leave their stalls due to debris, downed fencing and flooding.”

Having worked with CTA before, Pikulski and the TRF knew that the best and fastest way to get help to the horses in Puerto Rico would be to utilize the fundraising mechanism of its own annual hay drive, which was already underway, and to reach out to those who were already well acquainted with the problems of horse care in the Caribbean.

“We thought having somebody who was there, knowing exactly what the logistics are — horse people on the ground — seemed like the best option for us,” she said. “And that was also why we felt lucky that we had a partnership there already, because from our end we wouldn’t know what to do.”

This is the ninth year of the TRF’s Hay Drive, which began on Sept. 11. Donations for horses in Puerto Rico will be accepted through Oct. 1, but overall fundraising efforts will continue until the organization’s original goal of $300,000 to provide wintertime forage for its own herd of nearly 800 horses, at 24 retirement facilities spread across nine states, is met.

This year’s drive kicked off with an announcement that every donation up to a total of $50,000 would be matched by the Geoffrey Hughes Foundation, a charitable organization based in New York City.

Besides the TRF, other horse welfare organizations and industry groups are working tirelessly to help the horses in Puerto Rico and other parts of the Caribbean that also suffered the disastrous impact of this month’s series of hurricanes.

Keith Klein, the director of industry relations for the American Association of Equine Practitioners, told Daily Racing Form that the AAEP was coordinating with the United States Department of Agriculture to provide supplies to horses in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, where three other racetracks suffered heavy damage. However, efforts have been hampered by the widespread power outages and communications problems that have complicated general relief efforts for residents.

Other organizations providing funds and assistance include The Jockey Club and the United States Equestrian Federation. Daily Racing Form reported that The Jockey Club will be making its own donation to the AAEP. Meanwhile, the USEF announced that it is extending the appeals for contributions to its Equine Disaster Relief Fund, which recently received more than $400,000 for victims of Hurricane Harvey.

Pikulski said that Immortal Wink, a war horse who ran 142 times and earned just over $110,000, is now at Lowell Correctional Institution, the TRF’s facility in Ocala, and is “one of our all-time favorites.”

“We just thought, ‘Wow, the horses that are still down there really, really need some help and we have a great story, we have a great following, we have a connection with this organization that does incredible work in the Caribbean, so here’s an opportunity for us to help.’”

Click here to buy a bale of hay (or two! or more!) to aid Puerto Rican horses impacted by the devastation of Hurricane Maria.

Find Your Next Eventer at Presque Isle Downs CANTER Showcase

By on Sep 28, 2017 8:56 am -

Are you searching for your next eventing prospect? You’re in luck! CANTER PA is hosting the Presque Isle Downs End of Meet Showcase this Saturday, Sept. 30, at Presque Isle Downs & Casino in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Retiring racehorses in need of good homes will be available for purchase during the showcase, which will be held 10 a.m.-2 p.m. EST. Thanks to CANTER, we have an exclusive preview to bring you of the Thoroughbreds right here on EN.

Scroll down to view photos, stats, race records, descriptions and prices. All horses will be presented in hand at the showcase and available for purchase the day of the event. All are priced at $3,500 or less and will be sold with a no-slaughter contract. A vet will be on the grounds if you are interested in a pre-purchase exam.

You’ll notice that names for the horses are not listed. CANTER explains: “This year we are not posting Jockey Club names or videos. To be fair to those attending the event, we are doing our best to be sure that they get first shot at these horses. With racing, there is no guarantee that all horses will be available Saturday, but we also expect new ones to be added the day of the event, so come on out to see these horses for yourself.”

After the showcase, all the additional information will be posted on horses that do not sell the day of the showcase and will be sold as standard CANTER listings. For more information, please feel free to e-mail [email protected] or ask a question on the showcase Facebook event.

PRESQUE ISLE DOWNS SHOWCASE HORSES

All photos © CANTER PA

2009 bay 15.3 gelding by El Corredor

Race record: 50-8-8-3 $124,006

Athletic and cat-like, this guy could be a fun jumper or eventer type. He has minor ankle rounding on his left front ankle and a small amount of filling in the right front ankle. Best suited to an experienced rider.

Price: $2,000

2007 chestnut gelding by Kingmambo 

Race record: 76-3-12-9 $152,395

No known issues or vices, this wonderful campaigner is ready for a new career. Fancy!

Price: $2,500

2014 chestnut 15.1 gelding owned by Even the Score

Race record: 6-0-1-1 $5,955

No known issues or vices. Retired from racing last year, has been ridden off the track and was intended to be used as a pony horse. W/T/C, schooled over fences, through water and has been trail ridden. Very sensible and willing learner, this guy looks .great in the tack

 Price: $3,000

2012 chestnut 16.3 gelding by Benny the Bull

Race record: 21-3-6-0 $47,586

Powerhouse with size. This guy has old, superficial pin-fire marks and he does make a breathing
sound when he gallops. He scopes clean, we’re told he isn’t affected by the sound but it is audible.

Price: $2,000

2014 chestnut 16.1 mare by Kitten’s Joy

Race record: 18-0-1-2 $8,500

No known physical issues. Second dam is a multiple graded stakes producer, including multiple G1 winner. Please note, we’re told that she has slight weaving tendencies on race days.

Price: $2,500

2014 chestnut 15.1 1/2 gelding by Proud Citizen

Race record: 9-1-2-2 $25,075

This guy is being retired from racing with an old knee chip, diagnostics are available. Super cute and friendly!

Price: $1,000

2005 grey 16.1 gelding

Needs experienced rider, not suitable for kids or beginner riders. A pony horse on the track, this guy is spooky and somewhat unpredictable but sweet on the ground. He has scarring, splints and swelling on his front legs and roars when ridden.

Price: $500

2014 grey 16.1 mare by Zensational

Race record: 6-0-0-0 $3,040

No known issues or vices. Leggy, quiet and easy to handle. Nice eventer type, this girl is elegant!

Price: $3,000

2010 bay 16.0 gelding by Freefourinternet

Race record: 34-2-3-5 $36,075

No known issues or vices, this sweet guy should be an ideal amateur choice.

Price: $2,000

2013 chestnut 15.3 gelding by Five Star Day

Race record: 22-2-2-4 $48,340

No known issues or vices. Very charismatic, quiet to ride and handle.

Price: $3,500

2012 bay gelding by Christine’s Outlaw

Race record: 24-4-3-3 $39,363

No known issues or vices. We’re told he is an absolute sweetheart and could be a good kid’s horse or stash him away for yourself. (No photo available)

 Price: $2,500

2014 bay 16.2 gelding by J P’s Gusto

Race record: 6-0-0-0 $1,300

No known issues or vices. Super athletic eventer type with natural suspension, this one could go far.

 Price: $2,500

2012 bay 15.3 hand mare by Full Mandate

Race record: 15-1-1-4 $15,125

No known issues or vices, this girl is a beautiful hunter type. Very quiet and kind, she’s sure to turn heads.

Price: $2,500

2011 bay 15.1 mare by Singing Saint

Race record: 29-2-3-2 $29,109

No known issues or vices, this girl is sweet and athletic. Her trainer is fond of her and describes her as being very well broke.

Price: $1,000

2013 bay 15.2 gelding by Catienus

Race record: 12-0-0-0 $2,420

EASY ride! Sweet and pleasant to be around, this guy has already been ridden on the trails and would be a fun amateur choice. No known issues or vices other than a tiny popped splint inside his right front leg.

Price: $2,500

2010 bay 16.2 gelding by Teofilo (IRE)

Race record: 38-3-9-7 $48,314

No known issues or vices. Former steeplechaser, Mizyen was imported from Ireland and has foxhunted in the off season. Very appealing type for eventers and fox hunters, trainer states that he is powerful to gallop but well-behaved.

Price: $2,000

2012 bay 15.1 1/2 mare by Henrythenavigator

Race record: 39-2-11-7 $58,195

No known issues or vices. Polo size, we’re told she’s the “soundest horse in the barn” and good for everything but doesn’t volunteer for the vet. Loves to train and is strong under tack.

Price: $2,000

2010 bay 16.0 mare by High Fly

Race record: 33-4-5-5 $47,214

No known issues or vices, this girl would be suitable for any discipline. She has been trail ridden in large open fields and may enjoy loving a kid of her own.

Price: $2,000

2009 bay 15.1 gelding by Wilko

Race record: 69-5-12-8 $86,539

Saintly! A super sweet, sensible fellow who seems like a solid citizen. He has an osselet on his left front ankle and seemed to have a hair of puffiness on the right front ankle. Seems like a great all-arounder or family horse.

 Price: $1,500

2010 bay 15.3 mare by Suave

Race record: 32-2-2-1 $27,844

Big, curvy girl who has a warmblood look about her, this one could be nice for sport or breeding. Has been trail ridden. She does have an old ankle that is larger than the other, but hasn’t been an issue. Very pretty!

Price: $2,000

2008 chestnut 15.3 gelding by Distorted Humor

Race record: 60-7-7-10 $152,213

No known issues or vices. Cool campaigner, barn mascot and most recently a pony horse. Good for everything but sometimes grumpy in front of his stall.

Price: $500

2011 bay 16.2 mare by Louis Quatorze

Race record: 24-0-3-3 $17,602

No known issues or vices, this girl is a knockout! Athletic for any endeavor, nice to be around, ready to take on the world.

Price: $3,500

2009 bay 16.0 mare by Sharp Humor

Race record: 52-3-3-5 $46,146

No known issues or vices other than old small ankle rounding, which doesn’t affect her. She has been hacked out cross country and her trainer states that she has a very well rounded education.

Price: $2,000

2012 grey 15.3 mare by Marino Marini

Race record: 23-2-5-3 $50,501

Has a right knee issue, possibly a knee chip. Jogged evenly but we’re told the knee is slightly reactive for a few days after racing. No stable vices.

Price: $2,500

2013 bay 15.2 1/2 gelding by Kiss the Kid

Race record: 7-0-0-0 $1,400

No known issues, leggy, fun and forward moving. Superficial scar on left front leg.

Price: $1,000

2009 chestnut 15.2 mare by Sharp Humor

Race record: 44-4-4-9 $106,655

No known issues or vices. Lovely mare, pleasant to be around with trail miles we enjoyed meeting this girl. Currently on the farm and can be turned out with others.

Price: $2,000

2014 bay 16.0 gelding by Hacker

Race record: 7-0-0-0 $1,760

No known issues or vices, this guy has a small bump on his right hind leg which is old. Lightly raced, he has been ridden on the farm, trail ridden and even started jumping.

Price: $3,500

2013 bay 15.2 mare by Silver Mountain

Race record: 6-0-1-1 $5,955

No known issues or vices. Solid ride, this girl has been trail ridden and is not spooky. Trains off the farm and is regularly turned out.

Price: $2,500

2012 bay 15.2 mare by Arch

Race record: 31-0-2-5 $25,899

No known issues or vices, this girl is a stunning hunter mover. We’re told she is very good to handle and ride with just enough sass to be fun. Word to the wise, this princess prefers a soft grooming.

Price: $1,000

Thursday News & Notes from Nupafeed

By on Sep 28, 2017 12:03 am -

WHY CAN’T I WEAR SWEATERS YET. It’s supposed to be sweater weather right now, and yet here I am. Wearing tank tops. Sweating. I know talking about the weather is boring, but guys, the time of year when I can wear jeans out in public and it’s totally normal is the best time of the year. I can finally hide my ghostly pale legs, and pretend to be normal again for several months. Get it together Indian Summer, I’m over you!

National Holiday: Drink Beer Day (I can get behind this)

U.S. Weekend Preview:

University of New Hampshire H.T.  [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

Larkin Hill H.T. [Website]

Morven Park CIC & H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

ESDCTA H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Stable View Advanced Oktoberfest H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Woodland Stallion Station H.T. [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

Spokane Sport Horse Farm H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Jump Start H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

News From Around the Globe:

Over the past five years, Rebecca Farm’s effort help fight breast cancer has contributed more than $400,000 to national breast cancer research and to help local people fighting their own battles against the disease. Applications for this year’s round of local grants are due Monday, Oct. 2. [Halt Canter at X]

Susan Coert and Eneya Jenkins were awarded the Charles Owen Technical Merit Adult Amateur and Junior awards for their display of safe and appropriate riding across the country. The Shepherd Ranch SYVPC Horse Trials, held at Shepherd Ranch in Santa Ynez, Calif. on August 25-27, 2017, hosted the Area VI leg of the Charles Owen Technical Merit Award. Coert piloted Lauren Smith and Penny Russell-Smith’s 14-year-old Hanoverian gelding to a second-place finish in the Senior Training Rider division on a score of 34.8, adding just 3.6 cross-country time penalties to their dressage score. Jenkins and her own Americana, a 9-year-old Holsteiner mare, picked up 6.8 time penalties on cross-country to finish in fourth place on a score of 47.5. [Charles Owen Technical Merit Award Winners]

What’s it like trying to get horses to model for a photo shoot? In my experience, it involves a lot of waving your hands and throwing grass in the air to get their ears up, but these photographers had a bit more going on. Top British riders Laura Wenwick and Spencer Wilton used some of their top horses to shoot photos and video for an Olympia 2017 promotion, and the behind the scenes video is fascinating. [Top British Riders Photoshoot]

Jumper Nation Jamz: Who Jumped it Best: Creepy Roman Artifact

Hot on Horse Nation: Just 6 Cows Jumping Like Horses

*Hearts In Eyes*

 

 

 

 

Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: South Peace Helmet Cam

By on Sep 27, 2017 5:40 pm -

Take a spin around the Preliminary course with Jessica Kerschbaumer and her Thoroughbred mare Like A Girl at a very muddy South Peace Horse Trials earlier this month in Grand Prairie, Alberta. “Twig,” an 8-year-old Canadian Thoroughbred mare (Desktop X Toppers Happy), added 4 cross country time penalties to finish sixth in her division.

We are longtime fans of Jessica’s helmet cams, both because she is a fantastic horsewoman and also because she is always analyzing her rides looking for ways to improve. “We all have those runs we wish we could do over,” she says, “and no one is perfect all the time, especially not me, so hopefully instead of being critical we can all sympathize with those moments and learn from them and move forward.”

Well said, Jessica! Shout out to the organizers at South Peace for enduring heavy rains at their event. (I’d love to have some of that rain in the Pennsylvania area and surrounding states right now. With not a drop of rain in the forecast and unseasonably warm temperatures, we are set to have a very dry Morven Park this weekend!)

Need to support sound bones?

Ask your vet about BoneWise.

BoneWise:

  • Maintains optimal levels of bone density when horses are most at risk for bone loss
  •  Delivers a readily digestible, natural source of calcium and trace minerals
  • Supports enhanced bone mineral content and bone turnover that encourages the swift repair of microdamage
  • Supplies yeast cultures that support improved mineral and vitamin digestibility
  • Sustains vitamin D at levels necessary for healthy bone development

For more information, visit KPPvet.com.