Classic Eventing Nation

Laine Ashker Announces Retirement of Anthony Patch

By on Mar 27, 2017 8:23 pm -

Big hugs for a 17-year-old going on 5-year-old. Photo by Sally Spickard.

It’s the end of an era for Laine Ashker and her fan favorite off-track Thoroughbred, Anthony Patch, as Laine announced the retirement of her veteran partner today on her social media.

“Al”, who is 18 this year, boasts five CCI4* completions on his record, including a 14th place finish at Rolex in 2010, his first trip around. This came after a racing career under the name Alex’s Castledream (Castle Guard – Aimee Alexis, by Right Mind), racing 10 times.

Laine and Al hopped on a plane to contest the Olympic Test Event in advance of the 2008 Olympics in Hong Kong. They won the 2013 Adequan/USEA Gold Cup at the Nutrena American Eventing Championships at Texas Rose Horse Park, one of the most prestigious eventing prizes in North America.  Later, Laine and Al also traveled to the UK to tackle Burghley in 2015, earning them another completion. In all, this pair completed 21 FEI events and 22 Advanced Horse Trials.

We will miss seeing this pair with the ultimate partnership rock around cross country courses all over the country. We here at EN wish Al the happiest of retirements, where he has truly earned all of the broom scratches he could ever want. #GoAlGo

Monday Video from Tredstep Ireland: Carolina CIC3*/Advanced Water

By on Mar 27, 2017 5:00 pm -

Just in time to help cure your horse show hangover, we’ve got just what the doctor ordered! Check out this fresh footage with CIC3* and Advanced pairs mixed in from the tricky water combination at Carolina International, thanks to our friends at RNS Video.

Don’t miss the thrills, the spills, and a very limber Maya Studenmand hanging on for dear life (and somehow almost completing the rest of the course!) after both of her stirrups broke on her jump in around minute marker 5:04.

Many thanks to RNS Video for continuing to put together these awesome montage videos. Enjoy!

Weekend Instagram Roundup: Show Us Your Ribbons!

By on Mar 27, 2017 3:00 pm -

It might be “just” a $3 ribbon, but when it’s hanging off your horse’s bridle after a job well done it sure does feel like a million bucks.

Here are your proudest Instagram pics from the weekend that was!

Carolina International CIC and H.T.: Results

Poplar Place Farm March H.T.: Results

i’m just glad to go through it all with you as a friend #onestar #goteddy

A post shared by Liz ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ (@lizzie_massa) on

We finished 5th !! It was an awesome weekend 🙂 #besthorseever #ottb #secondstride

A post shared by Phylena Babbitt (@fire_phyllie) on

Absolutely over joyed with Maggie’s performance today as she finished on her dressage score moving up 20 places finishing 5th out of 30 in the Prelim Rider division at Carolina Horse Park! She tackled the BIG course designed by Ian Stark with her usual bold attitude! I feel so confident in my recent decision of joining the @hollypayneequestrian team as I think it was one of the best decisions that I’ve made in awhile. A big thank you to @elenahengel for her recommendation. I have brought Maggie up through the levels myself but if it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be at this level at all. I have so much still to learn before I feel that I can call myself an upper level rider but Maggie is more than willing to learn with me. I know deep down she loves me just as much as I adore her and my heart feels full when I look at her. What joy she brings me, even when it takes over 60 pictures to get one with her ears up ✨❤️ #carolina #carolinainternational #faitheventing #c4equestrianteam #maggie #burnedyoutoo #faitheventing #pinkribbon #crosscountry #ianstark #xc

A post shared by Genevieve Faith (@faitheventing) on

Hates her life even after our successful Preliminary move-up #RideTideRide

A post shared by Caitlin Cobb (@call__me__caitlin) on

Go Eventing.

Weekly OTTB Wishlist From Cosequin

By on Mar 27, 2017 1:30 pm -

Did you catch Arrogate’s astonishing win in the $10 million Dubai World Cup on Saturday? Trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Mike Smith, the colt had a bad break from the gate and started the race in dead last amid the 13-horse field. The rest … you’ve just got to see it to believe it — check out the full story on our sister site Horse Nation.

Speaking of Thoroughbred athleticism, here are our three event prospect OTTB picks for this week:

Photo via CANTER PA.

Reeves Hill (Bernardini – Kingsland, by Mr. Prospector): 2010 16-hh Kentucky bred gelding

Fancy schmancy! This boy has a beautiful way of going and a great personality, appreciated by all in the barn. A Bernardini son with over $125,000 in earnings, this guy oozes athleticism. With a balanced, rhythmic way of moving, his connections imagine riders from dressage to eventing and everything in between swoon at this one.

This guy is retiring with no known issues or vices. You will notice that his right front leg has been clipped; Reeves had a minute amount of filling in the leg a few months ago so he was ultrasounded and found to not have bowed or have had any real injury. His trainer stopped on it before he truly strained it and his vet gave him an excellent prognosis. He’s ready to go right to work and has a great brain, making his connections think he will transition easily into his next career. Must see to appreciate!

View Reeves Hill on CANTER PA.

Photo via CANTER Southern California.

Storm Bid (Jet West – Love Storm, by Illinois Storm): 2010 16.2-hh California bred gelding

Storm Bid has been off the track for just a little over one year and has been in retraining since January 2017. “Norman” has a good start on his retraining, started over crossrails, has been hauled out to new places and even taken out on trails and thorough water.

He is a very special guy who is a one-person type horse. Good steering, good brakes and the biggest heart of them all. Gets along great with other horses, very easy to load and haul out and is super in new places. This is a one of a kind horse who will steal your heart away. He’s not looking for a beginner rider, but a partner and friend who can bring along his training. The perfect fit and home is a must! He has old osselets that are set and cold.

View Storm Bid on CANTER Southern California.

Photo via CANTER Chicago.

Bluegrass Jet (Bluegrass Cat – License Free, by Miswaki): 2008 16.2-hand Kentucky bred gelding

Bluegrass Jet sold for $100,000 as a 2 year old and once you meet him, you’ll understand why. Looks. Brains. Presence. Movement. Work ethic. All around stunning sport horse prospect.

Bluegrass Jet recently celebrated his ninth birthday and is retiring sound after a successful racing career. This chestnut gelding will get you noticed in the show ring — and with his workmanlike attitude, he will welcome a second career.

CANTER’s volunteers took his listing on a cold, rainy day and Bluegrass Jet was professional and well-behaved. To say they were impressed with this guy is an understatement. Located at Hawthorne Race Course and for sale directly from his racing trainer.

View Bluegrass Jet on CANTER Chicago.

Eventing Shorts: Fear Breeds Fear

By on Mar 27, 2017 11:34 am -

We are excited to welcome Amy Nelson as an EN guest blogger! Look for more of her “Eventing Shorts” series in the future on Blogger’s Row. 

Photo courtesy of Amy Nelson.

Fear breeds fear. Confidence builds confidence.

All too often I see a combination of a fearful horse and a fearful rider. Why? Why is this such a common occurrence? I’m pretty sure a nervous rider doesn’t go out and look for the spookiest, flightiest horse. Just as a confident experienced rider does not need to look for a quiet deadhead mount. So why do they tend to end up this way?

Because they feed off of each other. It doesn’t matter which came first, the chicken or the egg. It doesn’t matter which came first, the spooky horse or the scared rider. The problem is that they build and build. When one is fire and one is gasoline that partnership is not going to work.

I tell students all the time, “If your horse is going to be fire you need to be water.” And if you can’t be water then be an actress so he thinks you’re water. And if you can’t be an actress … then he is not the horse for you.

Why then is it so much easier for a young rider or a teenager? Because they are still “invincible.” They aren’t necessarily the best riders nor do they have as much experience as we do 25 years later. But they ride around confidently and the horse feels confident because of it.

I remember when I was 20 and had no fear and nothing could hurt me. When I was a teenager and I would ride my bike down the hill in the snow with no hands to visit my friends. Nothing could stop me. Now at 36 when I fall things hurt. I remember and don’t want to fall again. I’m not invincible.

Many times people cling to those horses that are not a good fit because of guilt, or love, for whatever reason in spite of it not being a healthy relationship. Just like maybe you have dated or married someone that wasn’t a good fit but you held on for whatever reason. There’s no shame in realizing that horse is not a good match.

Even though it’s hard to see it at the time, you will both be happier in the long run. Because a fearful horse with a fearful rider will just escalate, only instead of dividing the furniture and fine china, you will wonder why you’re bruised and sad in a sport that is supposed to be fun.

Amy Nelson has been riding hunter/jumpers and eventers for 25 years and is based in Rochester, IL.  She retrains OTTBs, problem horses, and trains eventers at her own show barn, Hummingbird Stables.  She competes with OTTBs in upper level eventing, has qualified for the AECs at many levels, and has competed in the RRP Thoroughbred Makeover.  Her goals are to compete at the one-star level this year, and eventually four-star. You can follow Amy on Facebook here and on Instagram at @amynelsoneventer.

 

Bobby Meyerhoff Tips His Hat to Dunlavin’s Token

By on Mar 27, 2017 9:00 am -
Bobby Meyerhoff and Dunlavin's Token. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld. Bobby Meyerhoff and Dunlavin's Token. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

2017 is a bit of a swan song for Bobby Meyerhoff, who has elected to retire his partner, Dunlavin’s Token, from upper level competition following Rolex Kentucky next month. Wanting to have a happy and sound horse in his barn, Bobby has nothing but the utmost respect and appreciation for “Token,” who carried him to his first CCI4* completion in 2015.

“I feel like the horse has given us his all every time,” Bobby said. “(Competing at the upper levels) is challenging for him physically, even though he’s got all of the heart and mind to do it. He’s perfectly sound, and honestly this year he’s come out feeling better than he ever has, but we want a sound horse at the end of the day.”

Token, who is 17 this year, is a special member of the Meyerhoff clan, having helped both Bobby and his wife, Danica, achieve many firsts. It was Danica who first competed Token in FEI competition, and they eventually tackled their first-three star events together in 2010 and 2011. Bobby took over the reins shortly after and has since completed Rolex twice.

Bobby Meyerhoff and Dunlavin’s Token. Photo by Jenni Autry.

“I think one of our biggest achievements has definitely been doing our first four-star together,” Bobby said. “To date, our record low dressage score was at Rolex last year, which was huge for us. But more than anything, I’m proud of the fact that we were able to put the work in to get him to fully use his potential. He thinks he’s superman.”

Bobby doesn’t have concrete plans for Token just yet upon retirement, but he knows that the horse would prefer not to retire to a big grass field just yet. He told EN that Danica might play in the jumper ring a bit or perhaps they will find another rider to learn the ropes on their special boy.

“I think right now the goal is to get to Kentucky,” Bobby said. “He’ll have a break afterward like normal and then we’ll see what he wants to do. We just want him to enjoy his years to come.”

Certainly, the best way to thank a horse who has truly been a once in a lifetime ride is to ensure their health and soundness as their careers wind down. For Bobby, this spring has been about enjoying the ride, knowing that the days are numbered.

Bobby Meyerhoff and Dunlavin’s Token. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

“When I sit on him now, I treat it as if it’s the last ride,” he said. “It makes it that much more enjoyable. I don’t feel a lot of pressure. I know what we’re both capable of, and I’m just soaking it all in.”

Bobby and Token finished in the top 25 in the CIC3* at Carolina over the weekend, and now they’ll set their sights for their final curtain call in about a month’s time. Bobby has some younger horses progressing through the levels who are ready to step up and become his next top rides, but he’s the first to admit that Token is irreplaceable.

“He’s one of a kind. I’ve had some really amazing rides on this horse, and I definitely won’t forget any of them.”

Monday News and Notes from Fleeceworks

By on Mar 27, 2017 12:40 am -
Maya Simmons (stirrup-less!) and Archie Rocks. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld. Maya Simmons (stirrup-less!) and Archie Rocks. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

Maya Simmons and her 9-year-old Thoroughbred Archie Rocks were having a good round on their first Advanced cross country course at Carolina International, but after they dropped into the first water complex, something unusual happened. Look closely and you’ll see in the above photo that Maya has lost both of her stirrups, which will in a few strides fall completely away from her saddle and land with a thud in the galloping lane.

In an awesome display of determination and athleticism, Maya chose to continue on anyway. To the wild cheers of the onlookers, they made it most of the way around the course until Maya popped out of the tack at the tricky coffin combination, but it gave us all a great thrill and was the ultimate inspiration for strengthening that lower leg by practicing regularly without stirrups.

U.S. Weekend Action:

Carolina International CIC and H.T.: [Website] [Live Stream] [Results] [EN’s Coverage] [EN’s Twitter] [EN’s Instagram]

Poplar Place Farm March H.T.: [Website] [Results]

Monday News and Notes:

To better understand how contact patterns may contribute to the spread of disease, researchers have attached small radio frequency identification tags to horses and their handlers at several equine facilities in Canada. The tags record who comes in contact with who and for how long. The detailed contact pattern data gathered from the study will be useful in many areas of equine research. [Study Tracks Real Time Contact Between Horses and Humans]

The organizers and officials at the Burgham International Horse Trials in the UK made the difficult decision to cancel the weekend’s competition, which included a CIC3* and CIC2*, due to weather conditions that made the footing inadequate. Patricia Clifton, the FEI Technical Delegate, said, ‘…their whole approach has been so wonderfully positive with nothing but the interests of the athletes, horses and owners at heart. How lucky we are to have organising teams like this.” [Burgham International Cancelled]

Thoroughbred racehorse trainer Bob Baffert once believed that if he could make it to Rillito Park on the “on the grits-and-hard-toast circuit,” he’d be set for life. Now 64, he’s a Hall of Fame trainer whose many victories include the World Cup in Dubai and a sweep of the Triple Crown of racing with American Pharoah. He has a new star student in his barn, Arrogate, the heavy favorite for this year’s World Cup. [Hard Work, Failure and Passion: How a Horse Trainer Made It]

Monday Video:

 

It was a great wrap-up to a fabulous 2017 Carolina International, enjoy highlights from the CIC3* cross country!

Posted by EQSportsNet on Saturday, March 25, 2017

Lizzy Jahnke and Princeton Jump to Victory in Poplar Place CIC3*

By on Mar 26, 2017 5:00 pm -
Lizzy Jahnke and Princeton. Photo by Jenni Autry. Lizzy Jahnke and Princeton. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Poplar Place Farm hosted a Beginner Novice through Advanced horse trials plus CIC*, CIC2* and CIC3* competition this weekend in Hamilton, Ga., and Lizzy Jahnke and Princeton, an 11-year-old Thoroughbred owned by Light Speed Equestrian, were the ultimate winners of the CIC3*, finishing on their dressage score of 57.1. They were second after the first phase, but they delivered a fault-free show jumping round and went clear and fast on cross country, finishing three seconds under optimum time, to secure their first FEI win.

“He is an incredible horse with a captivating personality and the biggest heart,” Lizzie said. “I’ve been working really hard on the dressage and it’s been getting better and better. There’s still lots of places to make improvements but I was really happy with the test overall. The show jumping was fantastic. I had a forward smooth round. He just went in the ring and jumped out of his skin.

“The cross country was great as well. I was a little worried about the first water as we had a bounce of two houses going in and that’s something I hadn’t done before, but everything rode really well. He’s a really fast horse and he’s incredibly rideable, so I knew if I let him go I could be close to the time.”

Princeton, also known as “Kiwi” had been previously campaigned by another Lizzie (Green) of New Zealand. Lizzy Jahnke partnered with the gelding with the help of Joe (also a Kiwi) and Ruthie Meyer. In the last year-and-a-half Lizzy and Princeton have made their way up the levels. In two weeks they will head to The Fork followed by the Jersey Fresh CCI3* in May with the ultimate goal of competing in the USEF CCI3* Championship at Fair Hill International in October.

“Overall it was a great weekend,” Lizzy summarized. “The weather was perfect and we even got a little rain overnight which helped soften up the footing. Poplar Place does a great job having everything organized and it’s a beautiful venue with lots of terrain.”

Joe Meyer and Clip Clop. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

Joe Meyer and Clip Clop, a 14-year-old Irish Sport Horse owned by Joe and Madison and Theresa Foote, are entered for Rolex Kentucky next month and had a good prep run at Poplar. A 59.3 positioned them in third place after dressage. They show jumped double clear over Jan Brodkin’s course and added 5.2 time penalties on the Tremaine Cooper designed cross country course to finish in second over all.

Joe and Chantil Ruud’s Johnny Royale finished fifth in the 8-year-old New Zealand Thoroughbred’s first CIC3* appearance, adding a rail and 6.8 cross country time penalties to their dressage score of 65.2.

Chelsea Kolman and Dauntless Courage moved up from sixth after dressage, adding no jumping or time penalties to their initial score of 66.8 in their very first CIC3*. EN has followed Chelsea and “Dante’s” special partnership as they progressed up the levels. Click here to read more about Chelsea and her 18-hand Thoroughbred/Percheron cross.

Jennie Jarnstrom and her 10-year-old Swedish Warmblood mare Penelope were first after dressage, but a rail and some time penalties on cross country dropped them down to a fourth place finish overall. William Hoos and the Harpeth Valley Equestrian Team’s 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare Celtic Rhythm finished sixth.

Karl Slezak and Fernhill Wishes. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

Karl Slezak picked up two big wins this weekend. He and Katlyn Hewson’s 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse Fernhill Cascum Marco were the only pair in the CIC2* to finish on their dressage score to win on 55.6. Karl also won the Advanced division with a final score of 54.9 riding his own 8-year-old Irish Sport Horse Fernhill Wishes in the gelding’s first Advanced competition.

Ashley Hays and her 9-year-old Holsteiner Call It Courage were sixth after dressage in the CIC2*, scoring 59.8. They moved up to third after show jumping and added 3.6 time penalties on cross country to finish second overall on 67.4 in their very first two-star. Jackie LeMastus and the very experienced Tatton Winter round out the top three, moving up from eighth with a final score of 82.9.

In the CIC*, Autumn Schweiss and her 8-year-old Belgium Warmblood Jive About Wonderland finished on their dressage score to win on 49.9. They were the only pair to show jump double-clear, and a clear and fast round on cross country gave them the win with nearly 10 points to spare.

Denise Goyea and her 9-year-old Oldenburg mare Highlife’s Je T’aime took the early lead on 49.4. While they didn’t add any jumping penalties on show jumping or cross country, time faults in both phases resulted in a second place overall finish in the pair’s first FEI appearance.

Elissa Gibbs and A Proper Gentleman, Kathleen Fitzgerald’s 12-year-old Sport Horse, were ninth after dressage, but a one rail show jump round and double-clear cross country moved them well up the standings to finish in third place.

Congratulations to all the horses and riders at Poplar Place. Click the link below for complete scores. Go Eventing.

Poplar Place Farm March H.T.: [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Best of JN: Jessica Springsteen Jumps the Arena Decor to Take CSI 5* Win at WEF

By on Mar 26, 2017 3:00 pm -

Jessica Springsteen and Davendy S. PC: Sportfot

Jessica Springsteen and current top partner Davendy S slayed in the $35,000 Douglas Elliman 1.45m CSI 5* earlier this week at WEF by pulling out a bit of a stunt, much to the crowd’s delight. Jessica noticed in her course walk that a clever line which crossed a decorative pool could get her a better spot to the second half of the jump-off.

(You can watch Jessica’s winning round by clicking here and then clicking the “play” button beside the name of the competitor.)

The round was set by Guilherme Jorge of Brazil – a course filled with related distances and sharp corners. Of the 54 starters, 22 saw double-clear rounds. Besides Jessica and Davendy S, the other top six combinations were all within one second of each other, proving what a competitive round it was.

Jessica and Davendy just edged out Amanda Derbyshire and Lady Maria BH, who nabbed second by cutting out a stride in the final line that no one was brave or forward enough to attempt. Kristin Vanderveen and Bull Run’s Faustino also gave a gusty ride to claim third.

“I knew if I jumped the water, it would give me a better line to start the second phase,” explained Jessica after her round. “The other area I focused on was taking my time back to the last line because it was a really tight turn and a lot of people ran into problems there. I wanted to make sure she got her eye on it.”

Jessica and Davendy S have gained a reputation for being strong contenders in the speed classes and won the same class during week seven of the 2017 winter circuit.

Photo by Sportfot

Glowing as she spoke of her mare and top mount of three years, Jessica said, “She was so good! She always shines in these speed classes, so I was definitely planning on going for it. She was really with me in every turn and at every fence, so I’m really happy with her. Every time she goes in the ring she wants to win and loves to go fast. I just try to keep her confidence up and make her happy!”

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Peter Barry in Stable Condition After Being Hospitalized

By on Mar 26, 2017 12:00 pm -
Peter Barry and Kilrodan Abbott. Photo by Jenni Autry. Peter Barry and Kilrodan Abbott. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Canadian Olympian Peter Barry is in stable condition after being hospitalized due to suffering a stroke yesterday afternoon at the Carolina Horse Park.

Sue Ockendon confirmed to EN that Peter is resting comfortably at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital in Pinehurst, North Carolina, with his wife, Susan, and son, Dylan, by his side.

The family will release more information soon but wanted the eventing community to know that Peter is stable. We wish him all the best for a speedy recovery, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family.

Update: Monday, March 27 — Peter remains in stable condition.