Classic Eventing Nation

Make Your Nominations: The Ride EquiSafe Crappiest Weekend Award

By on Mar 13, 2024 12:00 pm -

Every eventer, whether an amateur, professional, or heck even an Olympian, has had a bad weekend, has dealt with dashed hopes, and watched certain dreams fade away. What matters is how we respond in those moments. Do we react with respect for the horse, learn from the lesson, and look to the future? Or do we throw in the towel?


Eventing takes resilience. While our horses are talented in and out of the ring, perhaps their greatest skill is humbling us when we’re getting a little too big for our britches. And when we do eat dirt, eventers bounce back, ready to get knocked down again.

Allie Knowles perhaps said it best, “Just keep going. Keep trying. That’s literally it. Eventing is a game of consistency and determination. There’s no great rider that hasn’t broken some bones and wondered, ‘What on Earth are we doing here? Why am I trying so hard?’ and ‘What are we doing this for? How am I ever gonna be good enough to get there?’

Really, you just have to stand up and do it again. And again. And again. And again.”

 

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The Ride EquiSafe Crappiest Weekend Award was created in the name of that resilient spirit. We’re looking for the rider who has been knocked down multiple times only to stand right back up again, get back in that start box, and give it another go, no matter what. And after all, what’s life without a little sense of humor?

The winner of this contest will receive a Ride EquiSafe Fall Club Pin, a $250 gift card, and a big round of applause from the eventing community. To nominate a rider competing at Carolina this weekend, simply fill out this form before March 16th. The winner will be chosen on the last day of the Setters’ Run Farm Carolina International CCI4*.

You can also visit the Ride EquiSafe booth in the Vendor Village here at Carolina all week long!

Good luck and chin up!

EN’s Ultimate Guide to the 2024 Setters’ Run Farm Carolina International

By on Mar 13, 2024 9:42 am -

Jennie Brannigan and FE Lifestyle. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

The Schedule

There’s a lot of activity on tap starting Wednesday, when most of the competitors will arrive to the Park. At 1 pm ET, Ariel Grald will lead a 4* course walk (meet at the start box if you plan to join this walk) to show you what Ian Stark has up his sleeve for Saturday. Then this evening beginning at 4:30, there will be a Southern Pines Welcome Party sponsored by Southern Pines Equine Associates, hosted at the CDP Stables Competitors Lounge next to the admin office.

Competition begins Thursday, with Ring 1 hosting the 4* pairs beginning at 9:20 a.m., and the remainder of the FEI divisions slotted into Rings 2 and 3. At 6 p.m. Thursday, there will be a USEA Grooms Group Education Night.

Friday, the National divisions will do their dressage while the FEI divisions head over to the Twin Gates Farm Derby Field for show jumping starting at 10:00 a.m. with the 3* division. The 4* division will jump beginning at 12 p.m.

Saturday brings the conclusion of National dressage as well as some National and all FEI cross country, which will kick off at 8 a.m. with the Open Intermediate division. The 4* will start cross country at 11:46 a.m.

Sunday is cross country day for Novice through Prelim, while the Intermediate and Advanced pairs will wrap up their weekend with show jumping.

You can view the full event schedule, which is subject to change, here.

Caroline Martin and HSH Blake. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

What It’s Like to Attend This Event

It’s hard not to feel like Carolina International marks a pivotal spot on the road to Kentucky or, this year, the Olympics. We’ve written more about the implications of this weekend further down in this article, but suffice it to say that it always feels like a charged atmosphere here at the Horse Park. Whether you’re a first-time competitor doing the Novice or a seasoned 5* rider heading to Kentucky, there is something up to snuff for you here. I always enjoy seeing the family-friendly activities that abound at this event — it’s not something you see everywhere, and I feel the team here has gone above and beyond to make this an event that really attracts the local community. If you haven’t had a chance to see this venue yet, never fear! I’ll be doing a venue walk with Ariel Grald later this week, so keep an eye out for that on the Carolina International social media platforms.

The Officials

The full list of officials and rider reps for this week can be found here.

For the Yanmar America CCI4*-S division, the Ground Jury will consist of Robert Stevenson (USA) as president and Peter Gray (CAN). Ian Stark has once more designed the cross country for the 4* and Advanced divisions, while Beth Perkins has designed the remainder of the cross country courses. Marc Donovan also returns to design show jumping across divisions.

Will Faudree and Mama’s Magic Way. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

The Entries

There’s a stacked line-up in the feature CCI4*-S class, which features a number of highlights – you’ll be able to catch the entire US Pan Ams team in action, for example, with Sydney Elliott and QC Diamantaire, Liz Halliday and Miks Master C, Sharon White and Claus 63, and individual gold medallists Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake all coming forward to vie for the title here. Elsewhere in the 38-strong field, you’ll find Jennie Brannigan and FE Lifestylee, winners of the Best First-Timer award at the 2023 Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials, Will Faudree with the evergreen Pfun and the exciting Mama’s Magic Way, with whom he finished in the top twenty at Burghley last year – and the top ten here. Ariel Grald‘s Leamore Master Plan begins his 2024 season here too after sitting out much of last year, and no doubt he’ll once again use his Carolina pipe-opener as a stepping-stone to delivering yet another barnstorming clear around one of the world’s five-star courses — though which one will remain to be seen.

Fans of Liz Halliday will be kept nearly as busy as the ultra-competitive woman herself: she has four rides in this class, and beyond the aforementioned Miks Master C, she’ll also ride USEF CCI4*-L National Champion Cooley Nutcracker (top ten in his last six FEI runs), Cooley Moonshine (purveyor of a very smart 25.6 in the CCI4*-L at Rebecca last year), and Cooley Quicksilver (he’s back, baby – and needs little introduction after that Luhmühlen top-five finish in 2022!). Liz is proud to be supported by Ocala Horse Properties.

Doug Payne‘s making a pretty good effort at rivalling Liz’s busy schedule: he’s got three entered in the feature class in ten-year-old Camarillo, enormously experienced five-star machine Quantum Leap (that’s five CCI5* top tens under his belt, if you’re counting!) and the exciting nine-year-old Quiberon, who comes forward for just his third-ever four-star.

Some of the biggest fan-favorite horses and riders in the US have spent a significant amount of time globe-trotting, and so it’ll be a treat to watch them again on home soil. Those include Emily Hamel‘s seriously high-flying Corvett, who’s our EN top tip for a horse you want to catch over a fence for your Insta story (trust us!), Allie Knowles and her five-star ride Morswood, Meghan Donoghue and the much-loved ex-racehorse Palm Crescent, and young rider Cassie Sanger and her exceptionally cool Fernhill Zorro, who delivered a performance well beyond their years at last year’s Boekelo CCI4*-L.

There’s two exciting entries up to bat for Phillip Dutton: Quasi Cool, who has seven top-ten FEI finishes with Phillip under his belt, but who had much of 2023 off games, is back in action and ready to deliver a comeback king performance, while the up-and-coming talent Possante will make his hotly-anticipated stateside four-star debut, having finished fifth in his sole previous run at the level in the prestigious eight-and-nine-year-old class at Blenheim with Emily King aboard.

Will Coleman and Diabolo. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

We’ll also see last year’s champion Will Coleman, though not on his 2023 winner Chin Tonic, but rather, his exciting Aussie import Diabolo, who comes to Carolina for his first FEI run of the year, off the back of two consecutive top-three finishes at the level at the end of last season.

The CCI4*-S might be Carolina’s crown jewel, but there’s plenty going on elsewhere in the divisions, too: there’s 36 classy combinations battling out in the CCI3*-S, 28 in the CCI2*-S, and 19 contesting the CCI1*, arguably the division all of us at Team EN are keenest to sneak a catch-ride in, especially after catching up with some of its competitors last year. Plus, with national classes from Novice through Advanced, you’ll never run out of combinations to cheer on. Check out the entries in full here.

Sarah Kuhn and Mr. Cash Van De Start. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

The Implications

The Paris Olympics may still be a few months away, and there’s a lot of crucial events on the calendar between now and then, but Carolina’s CCI4*-S represents the first significant step towards booking a flight to France. The U.S. selectors will no doubt be watching these early-season performances closely, and a great run here will set horses and riders alike up for their spring long-format bids – whether that’s en route to the short list or, perhaps, a fight for the title at Kentucky.

Stories to Follow

OTTB lovers will have plenty of reasons to make their voices of support heard from the sidelines — and one pair they’ll be keen to keep close tabs on in the CCI4*-S is Rachel Lawson and High Tide. Rachel plays a key role in helping OTTBs find their person, and their career, after the track as a busy sourcer and producer, and High Tide is the horse that started that love affair for her. Find out more about their journey so far, and Rachel’s work with Thoroughbreds, in this profile.

Do pint-sized powerhouses make your heart sing? Then you’ll love watching Briggs Surratt and the teeny-weeny (but don’t tell her that!) Corture, who tops out at just 14.2hh but has yet to find a fence she thinks is too big for her. She was bred by fellow CCI4*-S competitor Elisa Wallace, who’ll be riding her 2022 USEF CCI3*-L National Champion, Renkum Corsair.

Speaking of breeding top sport horses, one rider who knows a thing or two about that is Alexa Thompson. She’s got two homebreds lined up to compete in the CCI3*-S – Parlez Clear and Clear Candidate — and while her CCI4*-S entry isn’t a homebred, there’s plenty of reason to lend her and Just To Be Clear your support. This’ll be Lexington-based Alexa’s first four-star in the US after making her debut at the level in Europe last year while based with France’s Maxime Livio. Her debut at Strzegom in October saw her finish seventh in a hot field, beating some guy called…hang on, let us check our notes…Michael Jung? IDK, maybe you’ve heard of him.

We’ve also gotten confirmation that none other than Ian Stark himself will be riding this weekend, taking part in the Lumbee River EMC Festival Pro-Am Challenge, which pairs up professional and amateur riders for some friendly competition throughout the event. Ian’s been lent a horse by Caroline Pamukcu, a 5-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding who’s a new addition to the program and ready to tackle the Open Training level with Ian riding. Don’t worry, we’ll be doing plenty of documenting for this! Ian loves to get a leg up every now and then, and this isn’t the first time he’s teamed up with Caroline for a catch-ride; he competed at the USEA Young Event Horse East Coast Championships at the Maryland 5 Star in 2022 with HSH Best Kept Secret.

Have a story tip from Carolina? We’d love to hear about it! Tip us by emailing [email protected].

Boyd Martin and Miss Lulu Herself. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

How to Watch and Follow Along

Horse & Country has the live feed for this weekend, bringing back 5* rider Holly Hudspeth and a roster of guest stars on commentary for all three phases of 4* competition (and cross country action across divisions, too!). You will need an H&C+ membership (You can save 15% on an annual membership using code EVENTINGNATION15) or a one-time event pass to gain access to this event. Click here to log in and watch or see your subscription options by clicking here.

You can see what other events are live streaming around the world by accessing our 4* and 5* Where to Watch Guide here.

Wednesday News & Notes from Ocala Horse Properties

By on Mar 13, 2024 12:01 am -

Oh Carolina!

Setters’ Run Farm is ready, the welcome party drinks are on ice, the courses are being walked, the ring familiarization is a go, and Team EN – headed up by Chinch – is geared up to bring you all of the news and action from what’s sure to be a great competition.

Here’s what’s happening, when:

Today (Wednesday) at 1pm – the complementary 4*-S course walk with Carolina International Rider Rep Ariel Grald.

The center line comes into play tomorrow (Thursday) at 9:20am EST / 6:20am PDT / 1:20pm GMT when the 4* dressage gets underway. Show jumping starts at 10am EST / 7am PDT / 2pm GMT on Friday for the 3* competitors, with the 4* going at 12 noon EST / 9am PDT / 4pm GMT. Ian Stark’s cross country course is the place to be on Saturday, with horses leaving the start box from 8am EST / 5am PDT / 12 noon GMT right through ’til 5pm EST / 2pm PDT / 9pm GMT. The 4* will be out on course from 11:46am EST / 8:46am PDT / 3:46pm GMT.

If you’re not able to be there but have Carolina on your mind, don’t fret. As well as our awesome coverage (if we do say so ourselves) via the EN website and @goeventing – including live updates from the 4* cross country – H&C+ is running a livestream (subscription required).

How many trading cards will Chinch snag? Will I finally beat my husband at Eventing Manager? Who will take home the big one and bag the 4* win? Carolina knows!

Carolina International CCI & H.T. (Raeford, NC) [Website] [Schedule] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Cross Country Maps] [Live Scores] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage]

Meanwhile, over in Europe the first leg of the FEI Nations Cup is kicking off in Montelibretti, Italy. More on this in tomorrow’s News & Notes, but if you just can’t wait, here’s some info to get you started:

FEI Eventing Nations Cup Leg 1 (Montelibretti, Italy) [Website] [Timetable] [Entries] [Live Scores] [Dressage Day 1 Live Stream] [Dressage Day 2 Live Stream] [Show Jumping Live Stream] [Cross Country Live Stream]

U.S. Weekend Preview

Carolina International CCI & H.T. (Raeford, NC) [Website] [Schedule] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Cross Country Maps] [Live Scores] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage]

Ocala Winter II (Ocala, FL) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]

Pine Top Spring H.T. (Thomson, GA) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Ram Tap National H.T. (Fresno, [Scoring]CA) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]

International Events

FEI Eventing Nations Cup Leg 1 (Montelibretti, Italy) [Website] [Timetable] [Entries] [Live Scores] [Dressage Day 1 Live Stream] [Dressage Day 2 Live Stream] [Show Jumping Live Stream] [Cross Country Live Stream]

Wednesday News and Reading

Here’s your chance to walk the Badminton course with an Olympic, World and European gold medalist. That’s right, eventing hero Tina Cook will be doing a Badminton course walk on Thursday May 9th. Find out how to ride the famous fences from someone who spent three decades doing just that. Scan the QR code on this Instagram post to book your ticket.

If you’re stepping up to International competition this season, make sure you check out these new CCI1* offerings. There are now seven opportunities for British Eventing members to compete at International 1*, including new fixtures at Alnwick Ford and Catton Park. Here’s everything you need to know.

Will you be watching the Olympic equestrian events this summer? We all know that horse sports are treading a fine line when it comes to continuing as part of the Olympics. One way you can vote for them to stay is by tuning in to the equestrian events happening in Paris. Viewing figures bear some weight when it comes to deciding which sports to include in future Games – alongside financial and environmental considerations, and the ever present social license – so if you want to play your part in keeping us in the game, make sure you’re planning on tuning in.

Will the Kiwis be on the podium in Paris? High Performance Manager Jock Paget thinks so. There’s a confident air in the Kiwi camp, according to Jock. Twelve years after winning team bronze at London 2012, they are so ready to be back in the medals this summer, and Jock says that they’re “up for it”. It’s all to play for in Paris!

Horse trainer, author and 2024 Gaucho Derby rider Warwick Schiller talks about the lessons he learned whilst undertaking the greatest test of horsemanship on earth. This year’s Gaucho Derby threw up all of the stories you would expect from a mammoth 500km trek across the Patagonian wilderness. So much more than a race, the Derby calls for survival skills, fortitude, resilience and horsemanship on an epic level. Warwick describes his experience as a “spiritual journey” and shares the life lessons he gleaned from the trip in the latest episode of his Journey On Podcast. It’s a long listen, so a perfect accompaniment for those bigger barn chores, but not as long as the Derby.

We’ll finish up with fashion news, and horsegirl chic from Bella Hadid. Spotted taking inspiration from her cowboy boyfriend, teaming sparkly sequins with a Stetson (or other brand of cowboy hat that lacks the pleasing alliteration I’ve gone with here), the fact that Bella’s bringing the horseworld to Vogue is pretty cool, no matter what she wears.

Sponsor Corner

Liz Halliday and Ocala Horse Properties‘ Cooley Quicksilver, Miks Master C, and Cooley Nutcracker shone bright at the Conceal Grand Prix Eventing Showcase! Keep an eye on the Liz Halliday and Ocala Horse Properties‘ team this weekend at the SRF Carolina International CCI4*.

Video Break

Twelve months ago Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake took third in the 3*-S at Carolina International. Fast forward to the Pan-Am Games in Santiago and they delivered an individual gold medal performance. They’re in it to win it in the 4*-S at Carolina this year. Here’s a look back at their cross country round last time they visited Setters’ Run Farm.

Tuesday Video Break: Helmet Cam! Beautiful Bouckaert Farm 2* XC

By on Mar 12, 2024 2:30 pm -

Jennarose Ortmeyer, her supermare Primrose, and their trusty helmet cam are back in action for the 2024 season! This past weekend they, along with 20 other competitors, contested the CCI2*-S at Bouckaert International. Adding just a smidge of cross country time plus a stadium rail to their dressage score saw them earn a top 10 finish in their first FEI event of the season – off to a good start! Join them as they tackle the beautiful Bouckaert cross country course in the video above!

Bouckaert Equestrian H.T. International (Fairburn, GA) [Website] [Results]

Who Jumped It Best? Twin Rivers Intermediate

By on Mar 12, 2024 10:00 am -

We’ve got a West Coast edition of Who Jumped It Best for you this week, shot at Twin Rivers (Paso Robles, CA) spring kick-off event earlier this month. You can read the full recap of the weekend here.

Today’s selection of moments in time comes from the Open Intermediate division, and was shot by Sherry Stewart. Take a look at the candidates, then cast your vote in the poll at the bottom of this article.

Happy voting, and Go Eventing!

Taren Hoffos and Regalla. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

Tamie Smith and Crafty Don. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

Erin Grandia and Hyacinth. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

Marc Grandia and Campari FFF. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

Sophie Click and Tarantino 54. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

Josie Thompson and Pistol Annie. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

Tommy Greengard and That’s Me Z. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

Jolie Wentworth and Kismet Klosterbrau. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

Julia Beauchamp Crandon and MGH Capa Vilou. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

Tuesday News & Notes from Kentucky Performance Products

By on Mar 12, 2024 9:36 am -

 

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A post shared by Lydia Heywood (@lydiaheywood)

There are two things I really enjoy about this reel from British-based Jamaican eventer Lydia Heywood. First of all, it’s an exciting reminder that winter is (kind of) over, the season has begun, and I’m just a couple of weeks away from heading to the first international of the British season. Second, though — and this is a point that you might miss unless you’re a dedicated caption reader — it serves to point out the importance of great safety equipment, and the barriers some riders may face in finding kit that fits them properly. Lydia’s natural hair fits neatly and, more importantly, safely into her Charles Owen JS1 Pro, but as she points out, it might not work for all Afro styles. It sounds like she’s got something in the pipeline for riders natural hair and protective styles, though — and she’s not alone in those movers and shakers working to make safe participation in equestrian sport more accessible. Here’s a great archive piece from The New York Times to read if you’d like more information on the subject, and another from Noelle Floyd. And, make sure to give Chanel Robbins of The Helmet Queen a follow to keep up with her work in this department.

Events Opening Today: The Event at Archer Spring Fling YEH and NEH, University of New Hampshire Spring H.T., Loudoun Hunt Pony Club Spring H.T., Horse Park of New Jersey Spring H.T.

Events Closing Today: Galway Downs International H.T., The Event at TerraNova, Bouckaert Equestrian H.T., Jumping Branch Farm Spring H.T., Morven Park Spring H.T.

Tuesday News & Notes from Around the World:

Spring officially kicks off in about a week, and in the meantime, eventing seasons around the world have pretty much all gotten started. If your own first outing of the year is coming up fast, you no doubt feel a bit rusty, despite a winter of training and goal-setting and planning. Never fear, though — USEA and STRIDER have teamed up to bring you a handy-dandy guide to making your first trip a great one, whether you’re heading out to a cross-country course or booking in a schooling show. Check out their tips here.

I read this think-piece from a therapist with interest this morning. Dr Megan Pinfield has plenty of experience working with clients on either side of the coach-student divide, and she’s been particularly put off by an increasingly divisive social media climate that she sees as pitting one against the other. Her insights into how fear responses can affect a student’s ability to retain information are particularly insightful, and well worth the read for anyone who’s ever been either the teacher or the learner. Here’s what she has to say.

When it comes to upper-level courses, we’re facing a bit of a shortage of qualified designers. The announcement of Ian Stark’s impending retirement and Captain Mark Phillips’s ramping down of involvement has only served to highlight that issue – but this interesting piece from Horse&Hound takes the investigation a little further to find out what’s being done to encourage new designers, the major challenges facing aspiring designers, and more besides. Dive on in to the details.

And finally, if you haven’t stopped thinking about that proposed LA Olympics eventing format, this one’s the read for you. COTH sat down with David O’Connor to find out more about the proposal, what it could mean for our sport, why the Olympics is so important to eventing, and what’s next on the timeline as we head towards the close of one Olympic cycle and the opening of another.

Photo via Château de Versailles on Facebook.

Sponsor Corner: Construction is well underway to erect the massive infrastructure required to host the equestrian disciplines at Château de Versailles for the upcoming Paris Olympics (July 26 through August 11), and we’ve got a peek at the progress. From bleachers to the Olympic Village, the 2024 Olympics are starting to take shape. Check it out!

Watch This:

Elisa Wallace has got a new mustang in her ranks! Join in with Zephyr’s early training:

Riding for Annie: Catching Up with Annie Goodwin Rising Star Grant Recipient Isabelle Bosley

By on Mar 12, 2024 9:00 am -

Isabelle Bosely and Night Quality. Photo by Shelby Allen.

Annie Goodwin continues to live on through the dedication of friends, family, and supporters who have paid tribute to the Aiken, SC local since her sudden passing in 2021. The creation of the Annie Goodwin Rising Star Grant as well as the annual awarding of the Annie Goodwin Sportsmanship Award at Grand-Prix Eventing (won in 2024 by Austin O’Connor) each spring are two ongoing reminders of Annie’s generosity of spirit and genuine love for the horses and people surrounding her.

Last year, it was announced that the Annie Goodwin Rising Star Grant would be awarded to an Aiken-area budding professional. The grant “provides financial support for young professional equestrians establishing the early years of their business and wishing to continue their equestrian education and competition,” according to the web page created for the program. The intent of this grant is to “foster, support and develop Aiken’s young equestrians who embody Annie’s character and dedication in their respective sports.”

The inaugural recipient of this financial award is Isabelle Bosley, who’s spent the better part of a decade working alongside 5* rider Lillian Heard as she works her way up through the levels with her personal horse, Night Quality, and explores the realm of branching off on her own.

It can certainly be daunting, the thought of hanging one’s own shingle out after years of mentorship. Isabelle considers herself fortunate to have worked with Lillian as her program grew, providing a chance for Isabelle to witness firsthand how a successful business is built. “I feel really lucky with my timing,” she explained. “When I first started, we had I think 10 horses in the barn total, so over time as our barn has grown and I’ve gotten more independent, it’s all grown at the same time. Lillian’s gotten more horses, more clients and working students, but it’s kind of worked that it’s all grown together, which has been really cool.”

Isabelle Bosley and Night Quality. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Over time, Isabelle has taken on more riding responsibilities that will eventually feed her business as she launches it. She’s picked up a supportive owner, for whom she now campaigns young horses, and also plays an important role campaigning sales horses for Lillian, which is always a strong move for making connections. She learns this side of the business while also learning the ins and outs of producing an upper level horse; the now-13-year-old Irish gelding Night Quality has been her partner for this particular venture.

“He’s been my first horse that I’ve taken past Training, so not only my first Advanced horse, I hadn’t even gone past Prelim before I had him,” Isabelle said of “Millbrook”, who came to the U.S. first as a sale horse. Isabelle had to that point been primarily riding free Thoroughbreds she’d bartered for rides on, and had sold enough project horses that she now had enough to purchase a young horse to produce. “I was riding him as a sale horse every day. He’s definitely a little quirky and funny, but I really got to liking him and he was in my budget. I thought I could re-sell him as a Prelim horse down the road.”

Famous last words, as Isabelle soon found she had a horse she felt she could move up with, giving her a world of experience and competitive mileage. In 2021, the pair stepped out at the Advanced level, collecting enough competitive results to put herself on the radar of the US Eventing Pathway Program and stamping a ticket to the UK as part of the Nations Cup team competing at Bramham in 2022.

Looking back on the experience she’s had at the Advanced and 4* level, Isabelle applies the term “learning curve”, as many riders do when first stepping up to this top level of the sport. A mixed bag of results and a heartbreaking elimination at their final UK event (Houghton Hall) sent Isabelle back to the States feeling low. Here is where her Aiken connections picked her up once more, though.

“I definitely felt pretty rock bottom when I came home from England,” she said. “I just wanted to come home and curl up in a hole and die. I kept thinking, ‘I don’t want to have to go to Boyd’s tomorrow and look everyone in the face.’ But I think Boyd was one of the first ones who came up to me when I went to the barn; they all just told me about their first international experience and how they totally bombed. ‘It’s ok, no one will remember that!’ they all said. And that made me feel really good about it. Like, ‘it’s ok, it’s not the end of your career.’

Isabelle talked more about her experiences with Dr. Tyler Held in an interview for our “Between the Ears” series. Read it here.

Isabelle Bosley and Night Quality. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

After returning home and after comparing notes — she’d felt Millbrook just wasn’t quite right during his trip overseas — it was found that the horse had come down with EPM. “I wasn’t sure, though, because they always say the horses are a little tired after a big travel, and I knew the competition over there was that much tougher — was it that, or was it something else?” she questioned.

Isabelle says it took nearly a year for her horse to begin to feel better in his body after the EPM diagnosis and treatment. She’s taken a patience-first approach with her upper-level riding, opting to scale back to a lower level and build the confidence, fine-tune the details, before asking for another go at Advanced.

“To be quite honest, it took him awhile to feel really ok in his body again. I think being under that pressure while struggling with that [EPM], it definitely knocked him out, he was totally healthy but just didn’t feel right for awhile,” Isabelle elaborated. “And it was also a mental thing; it took a lot of confidence away from him not having his body feel right and he’s so careful, I think it really scared him. I’ve had to take awhile to build him back up, just going out and jumping Novice fences again and again. All around, it’s been a pretty big learning lesson, but in hindsight we’ve both really grown from it.”

Isabelle hopes she’ll eventually be able to move back up to the Advanced and 4* level, but in the meantime she’s removed the competitive pressure from her goal-setting, aiming only to ensure she and Millbrook are safe and confident when they do choose to move up. It’s a simultaneously difficult and easy decision: it’s hard to feel like you aren’t “making it” as an Advanced or 4*/5* rider (especially when you’ve only got one horse to take you there right now), but it’s also the easiest decision in the world (or, it should be) to do what’s right for your horse.

As she prepares for the season ahead, Isabelle is eager to use the benefits of the Annie Goodwin Rising Star Grant to increase her lesson load. “I’ve already had so many lessons this winter, more than I think I ever have, and from each one you can take something new back to your program at home,” she said. “Lillian remains my main mentor, and having a great community here in Aiken to learn from is a great addition.”

Annie Goodwin and Fedarman B. Photo by Christine Quinn Photography.

At the end of the day, Isabelle says, it’s simply an honor to be chosen to represent Annie Goodwin’s spirit, expressing her gratitude to the Goodwin family, whom she was able to meet and get to know at Grand-Prix Eventing, and the supporters of the program.

“I think the whole grant is a really incredible idea and a really nice way to honor her memory, and I feel really grateful that I was the first person to get it,” she said. “At the end of the day, the grant could have been $10 and it would’ve been special to me. The money is really just the icing on the cake. Annie was the kind of the rider — the type of person — I want to grow into. I always really respected her, and was so happy she was in our community. She always made the day a bit better whenever you saw her.”

If you’d like to make a donation or otherwise support the Annie Goodwin Rising Star Grant, you can click here to obtain more information.

Weekend Winners: Bouckaert, Full Gallop, SAzEA, & Southern Pines

By on Mar 11, 2024 12:00 pm -

We’ve been following along with Bouckaert Equestrian as they’ve been running through the 4* this past weekend, but we saw plenty of other events running with Full Gallop, SAzEA, and Southern Pines bringing Eventers out this weekend as well.

Congrats to all of our Weekend Winners across all events this weekend, with a special shout out to the winner of our Unofficial Low Score Award, Amanda Vines and Redfield Lotte, who won the Open Beginner Novice at SAzEA with a 14.4!

Bouckaert Equestrian H.T. International (Fairburn, GA) [Website][Scoring]

CCI 4*S: Hannah Sue Hollberg and Capitol HIM (43.3)
CCI 3*S: Waylon Roberts and Fernhill Salt Lake (32.2)
CCI 2*S: Sherry Pound and Carnaby (29.0)
CCI 1*S: Caroline Pamukcu and Billy Be Jolly (24.1)
Advanced: Tik Maynard and SKM Lux Sonata (55.0)
Open Intermediate: Lauren Nicholson and Vermiculus (57.4)
Open Preliminary A: Jonathan Holling and Fernhill Esmerelda (40.3)
Open Preliminary B: Lisa Marie Fergusson and Trinity ThankQ (38.8)
Preliminary Rider: Eileen Galoostian and Ardeo Lord Lancelot (56.5)
Modified Rider: Kasidy McMartin and Newtown’s Llewellyn (35.1)
Open Modified A: Claire Strehlow and Seabanks Theygo (29.3)
Open Modified B: Valerie Pride and Kiss My Jambo M (31.3)
Open Training: Melanie Smith and Ballynoecastle TD (26.1)
Training Rider: Greg Ragusa and Lone Star WS (28.6)
Novice Rider: Celia White and To Infinity and Beyond DASH (24.4)
Open Novice: Valerie Pride and Excel Star Je T’Aime (26.7)

Full Gallop Farm March I H.T. (Aiken, SC) [Website][Scoring]

Starter: Stella McGuire and Lucky Clover / Clover (28.0)
Beginner Novice A: Lizzie Chamberlin and KC’s Caitriona (33.2)
Beginner Novice B: Pace Deppa and Galivantor (33.2)
Novice A: Carol Kozlowski and Elodon Zodiac (29.4)
Novice B: Emma Hartzler and Southern Charm (35.0)
Training/Novice: Molly Casey and MoonLight Crush (37.2)
Training: Paula Dupuy and Madhatter (31.1)
Preliminary: Kelly Ransom and Heart of Hollywood (35.4)
Preliminary/Training: Sierra Thomas and Chambery (41.6)

SAzEA Spring H.T. (Tucson, AZ) [Website][Scoring]

Open Preliminary: Paige Dinnie and Crown Royal (27.4)
Training Rider: Chelsea Luedke and Larimar (45.3)
Open Training: Paige Dinnie and Fine Dutch Chocolate (28.1)
Novice Rider: Heather Bogdan and Just Boo (24.7)
Open Novice: Michael Elmore and Delta Court (31.9)
Beginner Novice Rider A: Kyla Roberts and Wildflower (26.1)
Beginner Novice Rider B: Ande Bergmann and Kingdom Springs Rayne (32.1)
Open Beginner Novice: Amanda Vines and Redfield Lotte (14.4)
Open Starter A: Taylor Jensen and Sonrisa Bella (41.0)
Open Starter B: Barb Gasper and Carrick Diamond Legacy (34.7)
Pre-Competition: Jessicca Butorac and Te Amo Tiama (22.2)

Southern Pines H.T. I (Raeford, NC) [Website][Scoring]

Advanced CT A: Kimmy Cecere and Landmark’s Monaco (31.6)
Intermediate CT: Emily Beshear and Rio De Janeiro (25.5)
Open Preliminary A: Emily Beshear and Bad Moon Rising (30.8)
Open Preliminary B: Ellie van Gemeren and Excel Star Lewiston (28.0)
Preliminary CT: Dan Kreitl and Odyssey (28.9)
Modified Rider: Susanne McDaniel and Corelli WWW (26.2)
Open Modified: Mandolin Whitten and Bossanova (24.5)
Open Training A: Rick Caldwell and Izzy Leo (24.0)
Open Training B: Caitlin Silliman and NK Mirabeau (33.3)
Training CT: Cassie Sanger and Never Enough (35.9)
Training Rider A: Samantha Reinbold and Donald Drake (29.1)
Training Rider B: Ann Bower and San Rubin (23.1)
Training Rider Junior: Darcy Dean and Oy to the World (35.5)
Novice Rider A: Ariana Schimt-Chow and Little Lauries (30.0)
Novice Rider B: Siri Carr and Foxtrot Treacle (33.5)
Novice Rider Junior: Claire Nestor and A French Connexion (32.3)
Open Novice A: Emily Beshear and Ser Dantae (26.1)
Open Novice B: Martin Douzant and Johnny Walker (27.5)
Open Novice C: Susan Beebee and Bugsy Malone (19.4)
Beginner Novice CT: Madeline Moton and The Family Feud (30.9)
Beginner Novice Rider A: Amy Howes Warren and Ballymores Charisma (27.5)
Beginner Novice Rider B: Renee Wheeler and Joe Frank (30.3)
Beginner Novice Rider C: Scout Spencer and Sterling’s Bailesa (29.7)
Open Beginner Novice A: Rebecca Lee and DGE Swipe Right (26.9)
Open Beginner Novice B: Jillian Newman and Sunhill Rover (24.7)
Starter A: Elena Sparacio and Sunnyside Up (30.0)
Starter B: Alannah Mabus and Silvanus (26.0)
Starter CT: Sloane Nelson and Chillie (27.5)

Jumping into 4* Season at Bouckaert Equestrian

By on Mar 11, 2024 10:30 am -

Moving our way steadily through March, the spring season is in full swing as we jump into our big 4* season. It’s an exciting time of the year, as we see numerous horse and rider partnerships out and about, gearing up for the spring 4*-L or 5*-L events coming up, and the fast approaching Paris Olympics.

We saw some of these duos out and competing this past weekend in the 4*-S at Bouckaert Equestrian H.T. & International. The 4*-S division was packed with some impressive names, such as seven-time Olympian Phillip Dutton, individual gold medalist and USEF Emerging Athlete Coach Leslie Law, top five 5* finisher Mia Farley, and first time 4* competitor Olivia Dutton.

The crew at Bouckaert Equestrian worked tirelessly to ensure good footing and a successful weekend, despite rainy weather. “I could not be happier with the way the crew at Bouckaert Equestrian dealt with what were tricky weather conditions. They deserve a lot of credit for the work they did,” Leslie Law commented. “[It is] also worth noting how improved their two rings were that dealt incredibly well with all the water they had.”

“Hugh [Lochore] and the crew at Bouckaert really did an exceptional job considering the weather and conditions they were faced with. They redesigned the course to the highest parts of the property and rescheduled the cross country before the next bit of rain came through,” Joe Meyer reflected.

Hannah Sue Hollberg and Capitol HIM. Photo by Liz Crawley Photography.

Although these wet conditions inevitably created sticky and deep points on the course, and resulted in no 4* rider finishing within the time, some riders appreciated the opportunity to test their horses in the mud. “Hugh and all the guys there do a wonderful job making the footing great, but the rain did leave a few decently muddy spots,” Hannah Sue Hollberg, who won the 4* this weekend with Christa B. Schmidt’s Capitol HIM (Con Air – O-Heraldika, by Heraldik xx), commented. “It can actually be nice to run in the mud, as we don’t get much of a chance to run in it over here, which makes it hard to adjust to conditions overseas. They did have to modify the course, so it was a bit twisty in comparison to the original plan.”

The change in course as a result of the weather asked questions that tested the horses’ and riders’ training. “[Capitol HIM] kept answering the questions, as he always does. I put myself under pressure this weekend, and held myself accountable. I try to whenever there’s the opportunity and it’s safe for the horses,” Hannah stated. “Even though “Chito” has a huge stride, he’s easy to bring back – he’s just so responsive! There was an angled question that rode a bit harder than expected – I rode off the line, and he was just so honest and added an extra stride.”

After coming off of such an exciting fall, where Hannah and Capitol HIM were the top US pair at the Maryland 5*, this is yet another top finish that shows the consistency that the two are developing together. “I knew Maryland wasn’t a fluke,” Hannah laughed. “He had placed in the top 5 at every event he entered in 2023. But it’s nice to have a result like this that shows that.”

When asked what was next, Hannah mentioned aiming her sights towards Kentucky 5*. “I’m excited, because the show jumping has become as reliable as cross country. We’re buckling down in the dressage, and it is getting better. I’m looking forward to showing everyone what he’s made of in Kentucky.”

Even in the midst of a high point with horses, we’re reminded how challenging this lifestyle can be. The night before show jumping, Hannah received word that Harbor Pilot, her 5* partner, colicked. The 21-year-old is recovering from colic surgery, and Hannah was heading right to visit him as we spoke. Please join us in sending well wishes for a speedy recovery to “William”!

Phillip Dutton and Jewelent. Photo by Liz Crawley Photography.

Phillip Dutton also had an exciting weekend, finishing second in the 4* with his new ride, the Jewelent Group’s Jewelent (Valent – Bellaney Jewel, by Roselier). Phillip also finished 5th with Ann Lapides, Caroline Moran, Annie Jones and Neill Sites’ Denim (Dinken – Celia II, by Ibisco XX), and 7th with Caroline Moran and Anne & Michael Moran’s Azure (Omar – Cavalier Roselier, by Cavalier Royal).

“After the disappointment of Z getting hurt, I was in need of an experienced horse, and was fortunate enough to put a group together to purchase Jewelent,” Phillip commented. “Julian is a very kind, honest, and genuine horse… He’s very light mouthed and east to adjust. He went very well [this weekend] with still a lot of areas that we can improve on as we get to know each other better.”

“Denim and Azure (Sky) both had good runs,” Phillip reflected. Although Phillip had quite a busy and successful weekend himself, he was quite excited about the success of his daughter, Olivia Dutton, finishing her first 4*. “Olivia and Socs did their first 4* together, which I was really proud of.” Olivia and Sea of Clouds finished in 18th place after adding some cross country and show jumping time and three rails to their dressage score.

Joe Meyer and Harbin. Photo by Liz Crawley Photography.

Joe Meyer and the Meyer family and Theresa Foote’s Harbin (Verglas – Rainbow City, by Rainbow Quest) rode to a third place finish in the 4*, and was the culmination of efforts made over the past three years of their partnership to get to this point. “Harbin is a little superstar,” Joe stated. “Although we have only been together for a little less than three years now I feel like our partnership has really come together in the past year.” Despite a shorter partnership, Harbin is a horse Joe has known for a while as he was originally produced by his trainer in Ireland (Terry White). The Meyer’s team sourced him for their good friend Rebecca Brown, who bought him sight unseen off a video. “Rebecca had always said this was my horse and I will forever be grateful that she bent over backwards to make sure we could acquire him.”

“Harbin reminds me of Snip, my partner for the Olympics and the Worlds. He’s a small 15.3 hands, grey, feisty Thoroughbred with the heart of a lion that runs around cross country in a snaffle. In the jumping, Harbin finds the flags and does his thing,” Joe commented. “Harbin had a great finish at Tryon 4* last year, and at Blenheim. I was still struggling from broken ribs from a fall before we left for overseas and could not sit the trot at Blenheim. After Blenheim he had a very very long vacation – 3 1/2 months in the field where he turned into a feral Brumby,” Joe laughed. “I felt like he had quite the year with two long formats and overseas travel and he really needed it. He has come out this year feeling better and stronger in all three phases than ever.”

“All things going well, Harbin is headed to the 5 star at Kentucky. He will do one more 4*S at TerraNova in three weeks as his last run. It’s still early in the season and horses always throw you a curve ball when you least expect it, but right now everything is going to plan in the lead up to Kentucky.”

We also saw the return of Lesley Grant-Law and Stephen and Jackie Brown’s Lady Chatterley (Connor 48 – Jucy, by Mytens XX), who had a quiet 2023 after winning USEA Mare of the Year in 2022. She returned to the level this past weekend with Olympic gold medalist Leslie Law.

Leslie Law and Lady Chatterley. Photo by Liz Crawley Photography.

“I’m thrilled with Fleur,” Leslie commented. “We had a few bobbles, just silly little mistakes in the dressage which were disappointing. However, I was thrilled with her attitude and way of going. Cross country she was amazing really! She lost both front shoes early on and had to dig very deep to get things done, and I was amazed by how hard she tried and thought she did a very good job considering.”

“She enjoyed a nice day of suntanning back in her field, and we will look forward I hope to TerraNova next.”

Outside of the 4*, Waylon Roberts and Fernhill Salt Lake won the 3*, and Australian Sherry Pound won the 2* with Carnaby. Caroline Pamukcu saw a 1st and 2nd place finish in the 1* with Billy Be Jolly in first, and HSH Talbots Hill in second. Tik Maynard won the Advanced division with SKM Lux Sonata, heading into the final few weeks leading to the Road to the Horse Competition in Lexington, Kentucky at the end of this month.

Final results from Bouckaert Equestrian can be found here.

This report has been brought to you with support from Ocala Horse Properties.

Monday News & Notes from FutureTrack

By on Mar 11, 2024 8:23 am -

The Windurra Riding Academy for tiny feral children and tiny not-at-all-feral ponies is back in action, and today, it’s cross-country day! This one goes out to everyone who has ever been personally victimised by their horse stopping to graze midway through a schooling session. I know there’s more of us out there than any of us would like to admit to. It’s okay, it’s fine – just let the splishsplishsplish of tiny hooves in a water jump soothe what ails you.

National Holiday: It’s National Napping Day. The most sacred of days, I think.

U.S. Weekend Action:

Bouckaert Equestrian H.T. International (Fairburn, GA) [Website] [Results]

Full Gallop Farm March I H.T. (Aiken, SC) [Website] [Results]

SAzEA Spring H.T. (Tucson, AZ) [Website] [Results]

Southern Pines H.T. I (Raeford, NC)[Website] [Results]

UK Weekend Results:

Tweseldown (1) (Church Crookham, Hants.): [Results]

Oasby (1) (Grantham, Lincs.): [Results]

Your Monday Reading List:

What does your post-ride care routine look like? Maybe you give your horse a hose-off to get rid of sweat and sand; maybe it’s a full groom to check for any lumps and bumps. But how hands-on are you with his legs after a ride? Checking and caring for them properly can help you to spot any issues well before they blossom into big problems — so it’s definitely worth giving this guide a read to find out how how much icing, hosing, wrapping, and treating you should really be doing.

Following a spate of welfare abuses in dressage, a forum has been proposed for after Paris to tackle the root of the issue. But, it’s been pointed out, it would be a grave error to assume that the issues that we’ve seen in dressage are exclusive to that discipline – and any abuse of horses in any part of the industry should certainly be an issue of great importance to the industry at large. Find out more about it here.

Alexa Thompson is steadily ticking off big goals on her bucket list – and she’s doing it with two homebred. The Lexington-based rider’s foray into breeding happened almost by chance, but now, her two nine-year-olds are delivering big-time, with form at three-star and a half-season in Europe under their belts. Dive deeper into the story in this profile.

And finally, if you’ve not given this one a read yet, you’re missing out. Dr Anastasia Curwood’s thoroughly researched overview of the history of all-Black horse shows in the US during World War II is a fascinating insight into the social magnetism of showing and how an enterprising group of people carved out their own space in an often hugely exclusive world. Dive on in.

Morning Viewing:

Think you need a certain type of sport horse to enjoy success out eventing? Think again – because cobs are having their moment! Check out episode seven of Horse&Country TV’s new series, Cobs Can Go Eventing, and get the low down on how to get the most out of these cool characters with advice from 5* eventer Simon Grieve.