Classic Eventing Nation

Applications Open for 2024 Zara Buren Memorial Award

By on Jan 6, 2024 12:00 pm -

Zara Buren and Make My Day. Photo by Ian Woodley.

Applications are open for the 2024 Zara Buren Memorial Award, distributed each year in honor of Ontario young rider Zara Buren, who passed away in 2020 and whose horsemanship and bright spirit are remembered within the eventing community and beyond.

The Zara Buren Memorial Foundation was established with the focus on helping youth with the desire, talent, and work ethic to pursue their passion. The Memorial Foundation will support the Zara Buren Memorial Award to be given annually through the Ontario Eventing Association to a junior rider who exhibits a passion for eventing, sportsmanship and a commitment to their horse. Zara was a talented rider with an intense dedication to training and learning, always putting her horse first.

The Zara Buren Memorial Award provides financial support to a rider within the Ontario Equestrian Association, age 18 or under, who displays “horsemanship, sportsmanship and a positive attitude” as well as involvement within the community through mentorship, volunteering, etc.

You can read more about the award and the inspiration behind it in this EN article from 2021.

Applications are due by January 17. More information + the application can be found here. The award recipient will be announced around mid-February 2024.

Between the Ears with Woodge Fulton

By on Jan 6, 2024 9:30 am -

It seems like these days we look at each other’s lives through the lens of a highlight reel. We get to see the incredible trips, the best jumps, and the moments that we’re proud enough of to put on social media. What we don’t talk about is how much pressure this adds to athletes on both ends of the news feed.

Riders, whether professional or not, are made to feel like they ‘have to’ post something that makes them look cool and successful. Then, as we consume this content, we are stuck with the disillusioned perception that the sport is easy and that if you’re not succeeding, then maybe you aren’t cut out for it. I would like to take this opportunity to go ‘between the ears’ of some of the riders that make up our Eventing Nation and work to understand some of the real challenges this industry presents.

On this edition of Between the Ears, I caught up with 5* Rider, Woodge Fulton. Woodge runs FMF Equestrian with her partner David Ziegler out of Full Moon Farm in Finksburg, MD. Talking to Woodge, it was clear that she agreed with the core inspiration of this series: what you see on social media is not always what you get. Woodge grew up on a farm and has had the opportunity to travel the globe, attending competitions as both a groom and a rider. At just 28 years old, Woodge has already collected experiences and insights that are worth reading. So let’s get between the ears.

To read more “Between the Ears” interviews, click here.

Woodge Fulton and Captain Jack. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Can you tell me a little bit about how you got into horses and the sport of eventing?

I’m very lucky that both of my parents are in the business of horses. My mom started her career in zoology. She ran quite a few zoos around the country, and she ended up at the National Zoo. Missing the horses, my mom went to ride at a local barn, where she met my dad, who was managing the farm. They bought Full Moon Farm together the year before I was born, so I was lucky to be brought up on a farm.

My sister Grace and I did a ton of things with horses growing up, mostly English, but I also did a brief Western stint and went to the Quarter Horse Congress. Eventing started to be the clear path forward when I was lucky enough to get an older Advanced horse that no longer wanted to compete anywhere close to Advanced, and she helped show me how fun the sport can be.

My parents were open to both my sister and me doing other activities growing up, but I think growing up in that environment, we were both naturally attracted to horses. Having my parents to look up to and seeing the business that they built was and is incredibly inspiring and humbling. No one could shelter us from the realities that come with horses. On Christmas and snow days, Grace and I were in the barn, mucking stalls.

I think a lot of people dream of a life with horses, and I feel grateful that for me, those dreams were solidified, knowing the difficulties that come with the lifestyle and not looking through rose-colored glasses.

Woodge Fulton and Captain Jack. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

Can you tell me about a time that you lost your confidence in riding or competing?

The last time I truly lost my confidence was when I went to Burghley in 2019. I had a really scary fall close to the end of the course. Somehow, we both walked away fine, but I knew that I had come close to dying and killing my horse at the same time. He had come down on top of me, and there was a good bit of time where he was not moving and I could not feel my legs.

I was so scared, and I didn’t know what it would look like moving forward from something like that. I walked him back to the barn myself and couldn’t help thinking it was uncomfortable to have something so drastic happen without any consequences. I know that sounds strange, but when I’ve had bad falls in the past, they’ve typically come with injuries and time off to think through what happened and what could have been done better.

I’ve had time to grieve and process. In this case, I was ending my time overseas, so I went home and was immediately back out competing. I took five horses to a local show without a break. I knew I was scared and didn’t want to have another fall, but of course, when you ride scared, you don’t ride that well.

So I had these young horses, luckily all going training and below that, I gave bad rides to. I was trying double as hard and double as fast, and that wasn’t going to bring my confidence back.

Luckily, though, it was the end of the season, and I was able to reset my confidence through the natural progression of the off-season: jumping cavalleti, taking the horses out at lower levels to knock the dust off, and that kind of thing.

That being said, this is probably the first show season that I haven’t come out of the start box at the first show worried about making the mistake again. It takes time and discipline to regain confidence.

Woodge Fulton and Captain Jack. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

Can you tell me a little bit about how you experience and deal with burnout?

There are a lot of things that trigger burnout for me. My mom is like superwoman, and she always has a buzz of energy. It seems like she thrives in chaos, and I am not that type of person.

It’s taken me a long time to realize that it’s okay that I’m not that kind of person. I love a schedule, and I love when things are planned. Obviously, with horses, things don’t always go to plan, and I know that, but I find that I get stressed out and burnt out when I’m not in control. I’ve been working on being more adaptable to changes in the plan, and that’s been helping.

I also struggle in the winter when I don’t have as much daylight to get things done. It’s stressful trying to find out what you can trim out of your day to make it all happen, and ultimately, that can be draining, not to mention the lack of sunlight. After spending so much time working in a strict program, I find it hard to give myself a break. You want all the horses to get all the things, but I think part of managing burnout is realizing that on some occasions, it’s OK if a horse only gets a 20-minute hack instead of an hour-long one.

Woodge Fulton and Captain Jack. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

What advice would you have for someone in the sport who’s currently facing adversity?

If you’re facing adversity, I think the best thing to do is to take the time to be sad about it and process how much it upsets you and why it upsets you. I don’t think I would have said the same thing even just a few years ago, but it’s OK to feel sad.

It’s the equestrian culture to love the struggles and the hustle. If your horse breaks, you’re told to start looking for the next one. If you get injured, you’re supposed to find what you can do to stay fit enough so that you can get right back out and compete as soon as possible. I’ve done both of those things and found myself set back further because I had to deal with unprocessed and complicated emotions.

I think it is equally important to make sure that the people you have in your corner and the people who are advising you and helping you are also giving you the time and space to process.

There comes a time in a place when you need someone to give you a kick in the pants and say, “Okay, now it’s time to get over it and move on.” But that shouldn’t be the first thing that your coach, your parents, or your owner say to you; they should be there to comfort you while you feel all the negative emotions that come with adversity.

Savannah Fulton and Captain Jack. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

Is there anything else that you’d like to share with readers?

As a young person coming up in the sport, I wish I had been more aware that no one is perfect. You can love a musician’s music without loving them as a person, and the same thing applies to the stars of any industry. It’s really easy to idolize people without understanding the whole picture of who they are or what their life is actually like. No one is perfect, and we need to allow grace for that, but we also can’t put someone up on a pedestal and take everything they say as gospel.

As a kid, I wanted to do whatever it took to get to the top and be the best, and I still do, but it’s just as important for me to be a good person, love my horses, and make sure they feel good. I don’t think that means I’m not competitive, and I’m willing to make sacrifices, but I’m not willing to ruin my relationships or ignore my mental health. Medals and awards don’t do anything for me on a daily basis.

I think that if more people in this sport change their perspectives, it will lead to healthier careers and healthier workplaces. I know for a fact that thirteen-year-old me would read this and think, “She’s given up.” But as I’ve matured, I’ve come to realize that it’s so much harder to work on those relationships and to train your horses well while being a good person and a good boss than it is to just try to be the best at winning.

Saturday Links from World Equestrian Brands

By on Jan 6, 2024 12:01 am -

Madeline Blackman and Gordonstown at Rolex 2013. Photo by Jenni Autry.

We are saddened to share the news of the passing of the great Gordonstown at the age of 26. “Gordy” and Maddie Blackman’s story is one of those “dreams come true” tales; they become a partnership at the young ages of 6- and 15-years-old and went on to contest the Kentucky Three-Day event three times and even traveled overseas for a shot at Blenheim. Reacquaint yourself with their story by re-reading Maddie’s retirement tribute to her best friend. EN’s thoughts are with you Maddie, and all of Gordy’s connections!

U.S. Weekend Preview

Sporting Days Farm January Horse Trials I (Aiken, SC) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Links to Start Your Weekend:

Area 1 Annual Meeting Canceled and to be Rescheduled Virtually

No More Cattle at Pine Top Farm

He eats the tack, licks cars and loves a cuddle – meet Ros Canter’s Badminton winner and European champion Lordships Graffalo

Creating Ringcraft on Day 3 of EA21 National Camp

Less Is More On Day 1 Of Robert Dover Horsemastership Clinic Week

Sponsor Corner: I will never not be obsessed with World Equestrian Brands beautiful Mattes pads 😍

Morning Viewing: Flashback to Gordy and Maddie at Blenheim in 2010.

A Happy Anniversary Indeed: Badminton Prize Money Increased to £425,000 for 2024

By on Jan 5, 2024 12:00 pm -

Laura Collett and London 52 prove their class over a tough Badminton track to win in 2022. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

This year’s MARS Badminton Horse Trials marks a very special occasion indeed: it’ll be the 75th anniversary of the world’s first five-star, which began in 1949 as a way to build strength in depth in British eventing. Not only that, but it’s also the first year that we’ll see equestrian benefactor behemoth MARS Equestrian in the title sponsorship role – and already, the positive effects of this appointment are in evidence. This year, we’ll see the prize pot increase by a chunky 12%, making the total purse an impressive £425,000 – the richest in eventing. For the winner, that’s excellent news; they’ll take home £117,600, and we’ll see prize money increases throughout the line-up, too.

The spring five-star season in an Olympic year is always particularly interesting: for those horses and riders who have something to prove for selection, events like Badminton become even more important, while many of the ‘shoo-ins’ for selection will be notable in absentia as they keep their horses on ice for Paris. That means that the competition is particularly fierce as competitors vie for selector attention, and it can also mean that the horses and riders that may have snuck under the radar previously get their opportunity to take the spotlight and swing upwards into superstardom.

And, of course, it’s particularly fitting to have an anniversary year of this special event tie in so neatly with the Olympics – after all, it was the 1948 London Olympics that inspired the formation of the Gloucestershire fixture. That Olympics marked Britain’s first-ever three-day event, but the home nation didn’t cover itself in glory – and Henry Somerset, the 10th Duke of Beaufort, offered forth his estate as a way to improve upon their performance by creating an event at home in England that would provide all the experience necessary to compete on the world stage. It’s pretty safe to say that the job was done, and admirably: in 1956, the British team took the Olympic gold in Stockholm, and since then, they’ve been one of the most formidable nations in the sport. They’ll head into Paris as the reigning team champions, and no doubt we’ll see some previous winners of Badminton among the line-up.

 

“Badminton is the competition all riders aim for and competing there has undoubtedly played a big part in my career,” says the 2023 winner Ros Canter, who a few months later went on to become the European champion riding Lordships Graffalo. “I think we are all really excited to be part of its history this year.”

“We are very much looking forward to welcoming everyone—riders, owners, officials, spectators, sponsors, tradestand holders and contractors — to Badminton’s big birthday,” says Event Director Jane Tuckwell. “We are delighted to be able to increase the prize money across the board, as befits such a prestigious occasion. We have some exciting plans to make this a really memorable occasion and are particularly delighted that it coincides with Mars’s first event as title sponsor.”

Badminton TV will be screening plenty of historic and preview material in the run-up to the event as well as livestreaming all the action. All details can be found here.

Priority booking for the event is open and 10th January will see the general release of tickets. All tickets for the event must be purchased in advance – there will be no tickets available on the day at the gate.

We’ll be bringing you plenty of extra content in the run-up to Badminton this year, including in-depth insights into the history – and the impact – of one of our favourite events. Keep it locked on EN, and join us for all the action.

Meet Galway Downs Fundraiser Clinician Ian Stark

By on Jan 5, 2024 9:30 am -

Ian Stark teaches at Galway Downs. Photo by Kim Miller / The West Equestrian.

As a six-time Olympic silver medalist and renowned international course designer, Ian Stark has seen a lot. One thing he hasn’t seen is another equestrian venue stage a clinic anything like the Galway Downs fundraising affair set for Jan. 19-21.

“It’s quite brilliant,” he says. “All these clinicians putting something back to help develop the sport and its venues.”

This year’s gathering marks the 26th year and Ian’s been there from the beginning. In fact, his connection to Galway Downs pre-dates the clinic because he’d flown over the year before to coach riders here. Most of all, he explains, he loves the knowledge ripple effect of the clinic.

“Some of the riders are giving instruction themselves, and then I have them riding with me, too. Everybody benefits from that. It’s all encompassing and very positive. I think nearly all the more experienced riders are very keen to help all the young riders – to give some information and share their experiences,” Ian continues. “Our sport has always been great from that point of view and the Galway Downs clinic epitomizes that.”

Galway Downs’ Growth

Photo by Tina Fitch Photography.

Visiting every January and designing Galway Downs’ cross-country tracks for many years, Ian has had a front-row seat for the venue’s evolution.

“Galway Downs has grown beyond all recognition,” he observes. “The whole venue is quite impressive.” Ian first came long before Ken Smith purchased the property and began investing in it as a multi-faceted special events site. While community soccer fields now occupy some of the original space for cross-country, Ian sees positives in that.

“There are so many great things going on out there now. With the soccer pitches being on grass, it does mean the footings changes a little bit for the horses. And that means the riders have got to ride accordingly – their horses might react differently.” It’s an opportunity, he explains, for competitors to develop the adaptability required in eventing.

Galway Downs’ evolution parallels the evolution of the talent pool preparing in the West. “The quality of the horses and riders has always been reasonably good, and it’s gone into another stratosphere now,” Ian says. “The riders have so many more opportunities and now the West Coast can compete very competitively on the East Coast and against those based in the East. In the beginning, they were quite behind on that. I think a lot of that comes down to the dedication of people like Robert Kellerhouse and the other great organizers of West Coast competitions.”

One consequence of riders’ progress is that Ian has fewer opportunities to playfully admonish people for counting strides on cross-country. Early on, that was an obsession for many, not just at Galway Downs but among American riders in general, Ian recalls. “I’d ask them to jump certain jumps on cross-country and they’d ask me ‘how many strides?’ I’d say, ‘I have no idea! Go and ride it and react to what you’ve got’.”

Walking courses is useful for knowing whether a combination is a forward or holding distance, and evaluating terrain that affects that, he says, “but I’d much rather people rode from feel. You have to react to however the horse jumps into a combination, then make it happen for the rest of the combination. I like to tease American riders about being hellbent on knowing and riding for certain striding, but there’s a lot less of that now.”

Ian’s approach draws on his own training system. “My training has always been to ride around the farm, go out hunting, jump everything, get on with it and react.” He acknowledges, however, that “there is a lot to be said for both approaches. Instinct and feel are, for me, more important than the number of strides. But when you walk a course, you’ve got to know whether it’s an open or short distance, then have the feel to react if your horse jumps in too boldly or a bit backward and be able to make happen what needs to happen.”

As a competitor and a course designer, Ian has seen the whole sport of eventing evolve. “It’s a different sport, to be honest,” he says. “When I was competing, we still had roads and tracks and steeplechase and the courses at Badminton and Burghley were 13 minutes long. We don’t get courses that long anymore. Cross country day was speed and endurance. It’s still difficult to make the time and gallop clean around many of our courses, but it’s not quite the stamina affair it used to be.

Course Design Finish Line

Ian Stark taking a dip in the water complex on a warm day in Rio. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

“Everything evolves,” Ian concludes – and that includes his course designing career. Fair Hill International this October will be his last course designing assignment. He’s facing the reality with mixed thoughts and emotions.

Until a few years ago, the International Equestrian Federation, the FEI, mandated that officials retire at age 70. That extended to 72, then the limit was removed all together. Yet, Ian had geared this life plan toward retiring at 70 and he’s sticking to that despite considerable pressure to continue.

“I think it’s a good decision. I’ve always been very aware of and anxious about hanging on to something for too long,” he says. “Knowing when to quit is never easy. If you hang on too long you could lose your edge and stop younger people from coming through. I’d rather go when people still want me!” He acknowledges there are different perspectives on this question but feels good about his own.

His family’s Ian Stark Equestrian Centre, and his adult children and four young grandchildren, tilt him toward the original retirement timing. Plus, he’ll keep a hand in course design’s future as a mentor to younger designers.

Ian hopes the pipeline of younger designers will get fuller. Since the FEI implemented more levels of course designer certifications and requirements, “it’s become even more difficult for young ones to get to the top levels,” Ian observes. “It worries me that it takes too long to move up to the higher levels and I hope there will become a way for the very talented ones to be fast tracked.”

Course design is not a track for the faint of heart, he cautions. “When you’re riding, you get a knot in your stomach until you get on and get that adrenaline going. As a designer, you don’t get that release of pressure. And the pressure is enormous.”

The work’s rewards come at day’s end. “The most gratifying aspect of course design is when a rider comes up at the end of the day and says their horse was a bit green at the beginning, but it improved throughout the round and finished with a smile on its face.”

Busy “Retirement” & A Brilliant Career

Ian Stark discusses frangible technology. Photo by Erin Tomson.

Even without designing around the world, Ian has plenty to keep him busy. Run by his wife, Jenny, the Ian Stark Equestrian Centre is located on 500 acres in the Scottish Borders’ town of Selkirk. It offers lessons and a full calendar of competitions and events.

Helping Great Britain earn team silver at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics was a launch point for Ian’s international riding career. His resume includes six Olympic silver medals; World Championships team gold and silver and individual silver; and six team golds, plus individual gold and silver, at the European Championships. He is a three-time Badminton winner and remains the only rider to have finished 1st and 2nd in the same year, which he did in 1988.

Ian retired from team riding in 2000 and “mostly” retired from riding in 2007. The allure of the saddle, however, is such that Californians have seen him campaign or school a horse or two over here in the years since.

Snow skiing fulfills Ian’s free time these days, making up for the years when he abstained because of its injury risks.

His many honorifics include MBE from the Queen of England in 1989 and OBE in 2000; Honorary Fellowship of the British Horse Society and induction into the Halls of Fame of Sporting Scotland, Sporting Scottish Borders, the British Horse Society and the Event Riders’ Association.

In short, he’s a living legend in our sport and the wisdom and wit he’ll share at the Galway Downs fundraising clinic is not to be missed.

Want more stories like this? Sign up for the Galway Downs Gazette, delivered to your email inbox each month, here. 

Friday News & Notes from Stable View

By on Jan 5, 2024 5:30 am -

A new baby eventer is on the way! Many happy returns to Cornelia Dorr Fletcher and Jacob Fletcher on the news of an incoming family member. We’ll be looking out for that kiddo at Kentucky in about 18 years.

U.S. Weekend Preview

Sporting Days Farm January Horse Trials I (Aiken, SC) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Friday News & Reading:

We know Elisa Wallace not only as an eventer, but also as a pro mustang trainer. It was actually a bucket list item of Elisa’s to train a mustang, and the path she started led her to some pretty amazing experiences and horses. [Elisa Wallace on Mustangs]

Boyd Martin has made an annual trip to Japan to teach a clinic put on by the JRA, the National Riding Club Association of Japan and Godolphin, and the focal point is always on former racehorses. With this year’s clinic in the books, there are lessons to be learned from all. [Boyd Martin Gets Back to His Roots]

USEA EA 21 National Camp is well underway, and the rest of us who aren’t still enjoying our youthful years can live vicariously thanks to some excellent reports from on the ground. In Temecula, CA, West coast riders are honing in on their fundamentals, something that rings true no matter what type of riding you do. [Fundamentals Have Their Moment]

Video Break:

I polled our team to find out who would try this with their horse, and it’s a pretty even split on “100% would do” and “would probably get kicked in the head”.

Thursday Video: Learning with Laura and Dickie at the London International Horse Show

By on Jan 4, 2024 5:03 pm -

December’s London International Horse Show isn’t just the destination for festive vibes, great shopping, and top-class showjumping – it’s also a seriously cool opportunity to learn a thing or two from some stars across the disciplines, an endeavour that’s growing year on year. One of those learning opportunities in the showcase arena, which is tucked into the shopping village, came from British eventing team Performance Manager Dickie Waygood, who spearheaded a fascinating demo that criss-crossed the levels. One of his riders, Olympic gold medallist and three-time five-star winner Laura Collett, showed off how to produce and school a top-level horse — in this case, the handsome Dacapo — while seasoned vlogger Meg Elphick showed how to translate those exercises to the lower levels, riding her Badminton grassroots partner, Jam. So many masterclasses feature riders and horses with heaps of international experience, so this rare opportunity was a very welcome one indeed. Relive the whole shebang with this great video, posted by Meg, and take plenty of inspiration for your next jumping session.

MERs in the Sunshine: Early-Season Portuguese Spring Tour Returns for 2024

By on Jan 4, 2024 4:15 pm -

Fun in the sun: early-season eventing in Portugal returns for 2024. Photo courtesy of Shadow Film/Mato do Duque.

Up until its final running in 2022, Portugal’s Barroca d’Alva was the place to be for eventers looking to gain early-season runs and qualifications – and almost legendary communal barbecues ahead of the year to come, too. It’s been a much-missed fixture, but now, the team at Mata do Duque is bringing this multi-week tour back for 2024, offering riders the chance to nail down their Paris qualifiers nice and early, and give their less experienced horses valuable exposure and runs, too.

Mata do Duque is set in Canha, close to Lisbon – and close to Barroca’s venue, too. While this is its first time hosting the season starter, it’s not a totally new event: we saw it run successfully last October most recently, and, in fact, its history within Portugal’s eventing season goes back way further than that, too. It was the host of Portugal’s first-ever FEI three-day event back in 2000, and continued on the next year, too, before passing the reins to Barroca.

Now, with a new team of organisers, several of whom are international competitors themselves, the event marks an exciting start to a busy season. The first week of the Portuguese Spring Tour will run February 17–20, with international classes held at CCI1*, CCI2*-S, and CCI3*, while the second week, which runs from February 28 to March 3, will host CCI1*, CCI2*-L, CCI3*-L, and CCI4*-S classes, the latter of which is the first Northern hemisphere Olympic qualifier of the 2024 season and a useful opportunity for picking up a ‘confirmation’ result, required at this level or above, to tick the final boxes for Paris, or to solidify the list of MER results required for selection.

To take a closer look at the venue and get a taster of the event to come, check out this preview video – and for more information on the event itself, head over to the Portuguese Eventing Association’s Facebook page.

 

Badminton Box Office Opens for 2024 Priority Tickets

By on Jan 4, 2024 12:00 pm -

Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo: your 2023 Badminton champions. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

Off-season blues, be gone: the start of the international season might still be a little ways away, but it’s never too early to start planning the highlights of your year. And if that includes a trip to the MARS Badminton Horse Trials – which, let’s be real, we highly recommend – then you’re in luck this week. The box office is now open for priority bookings for this year’s event, which is set to take place from Wednesday, May 8, to Sunday, May 12 at the incomparably beautiful Gloucestershire estate.

Though Badminton, the world’s longest-standing five-star event, is always well worth the trip, this year is particularly exciting for a couple of reasons. The first of those? Simple logistics: while we’ve gotten used to seeing Kentucky and Badminton run on back-to-back, truly helter skelter weeks, this year, we’ve got a week off between the two events, which means you could feasibly recover from one, get yourself across the pond, and be fully energised to take in the next, too – and the same holds true for riders, who’ll find it easier to enter horses in both competitions this year. The other, of course, is the Olympics. While some of the very obvious Paris candidates probably won’t come forward – we’re likely to see, for example, Ros Canter’s 2023 champ Lordships Graffalo kept on ice, rather than running again – there’ll be plenty of riders who know they need a super spring result to make themselves frontrunners for selection, and so the tension and the excitement will be at a fever pitch.

Priority ticketing, which opened yesterday, is available for anyone who has previously purchased Badminton tickets and, as such, created an account on the event’s ticketing server. If that’s not you, don’t worry – general sales will open on January 10 (that’s next Wednesday!) and you’ll be able to get your mitts on a number of different access options, from daily general admission passes to week-long members’ badges, reserved grandstand seating, and much, much more. We like to think that after last year’s wet weekend, we might be treated to a bit of glorious sunshine this year. Perhaps. And if not: Badminton truly is every bit as fun in the rain. Just pack your waterproofs, and get your tickets here.

The Debrief: Taylor McFall Recaps Her 2023 Season

By on Jan 4, 2024 9:30 am -

Welcome to The Debrief, where we’ll recap the experience of a rider following a big result or otherwise memorable competition/season. Click here to read more editions of The Debrief. This week, we catch up with young rider Taylor McFall, who hails from northern California out of her family’s Dragonfire Farm. This edition of The Debrief is brought to you in collaboration with Athletux’s Young Professionals program.

Photo by Sherry Stewart.

What was your number one goal for this event/season?

My main goal in 2023 was to make the Area VI eventing team.

What did you practice the most in the weeks leading up to the event/season?

I worked most on my dressage and show jumping, with a big focus on my posture. I’ve had to work specifically on how I carry my shoulders as I had an old habit of rounding my back and being too giving in my reins.

I was lucky to have the chance to compete on my mother’s horse, Hallelujah DF, who taught me alot about riding on the flat since she has a beautiful range of movement. She gave a different feel that really allowed me to push for better movements, where the other Thoroughbreds I ride would become more tense. Being more bold in my flat at home really helped me work up to more confident dressage performances at the shows.

Photo by Richard Bogach.

Describe your feelings after finishing cross country in three words:

Out of breath.

What do you do after a big event? Do you spend a lot of time rewatching your rides? Do you go back and watch any of the live stream?

My favorite thing to do after a particularly difficult show is to reset the courses or parts of the courses to practice at home. After most shows last season my parents and I would re-set the show jump courses jump for jump or recreate a difficult cross country line in our cross country field. It helps me process my ride to feel how I could have ridden things better or differently.

While I do like looking back at my footage from every event, I personally don’t like to re-watch old rides too much since I like to look ahead and focus on what I’m doing next.

What is the number one thing you learned about yourself this season? What about what you learned about your horse?

I learned that I’m too passive of a rider, leaving things up to the horse when I should (and do) know better. I’ve learned that all my horses at the moment are really quite tough and brave — so one of us needs to be the brains of the operation and reel things in a bit…

What would you say has been the biggest thing you’ve overcome en route to having the season you did?

I’d say the biggest thing I’ve overcome was learning to ride a new mount after the injury of my main horse Stoneman. My original plan was to ride him on the Area VI CCI3* team at Galway in November, but after a trailering injury midway through the year I was left without a horse. I could still then have a shot at the CCI2* team if I could learn to ride Hallelujah DF who is nearly a polar opposite of Stoney. She required a lot stronger, more confident ride, being both a warmblood and a young horse.

I’d say this has been one of the biggest learning curves in my riding career. In the end, I went from being so outside my comfort zone to having a partner I knew I could perform well with at NAYC.

Taylor McFall and Stoneman. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

What is a piece of advice you would give to yourself, 5 years ago, now?

5 years ago was when I started my career as an FEI rider and my advice to that Taylor would just be to stay brave and stay hungry. Keep having big goals and keep fighting to reach them. Just because you don’t win a show doesn’t diminish any personal victory you may have achieved, and just because you win a show doesn’t mean you’re perfect and have nothing left to learn.

How do you plan to spend your off season? What do you like to do when you’re not riding and competing all the time?

When I’m not riding or showing I’m often catching up on my college school work or creating art. I like to draw and paint both traditionally and digitally. Throughout the year I work on painting requests for personal portraits I receive and make cartoons or animate on my ipad to help me fall asleep. Since it’s the off season I should be able to get a lot more personal stuff done and hope to keep improving my art.

Describe your history with your horse:

I started riding my horse Stoneman in 2021 just before the West Coast NAYC and was lucky to have such an awesome partnership with this horse. We were super confident together 2* and then continued to have great rides at Intermediate and 3*. He was an off the track Thoroughbred my mom bought at 4 years old from a friend and then re-trained for eventing.

My 2* horse, Hallelujah DF, is a 8-year-old homebred mare that I’ve known since birth. Produced out of my family farm at Dragonfire, we are all so proud of her and what she’s done so far. While I only started riding her half way through the 2023 season, she has taught me so much and I feel lucky to have both my amazing mounts.

Anything else you’d like to share with us?

I’m looking forward to 2024 with Halle, Stoney, and several more exciting young prospects. I hope to apply what I’ve learned this season and help my horses be the best they can be.