Classic Eventing Nation

Tuesday News & Notes from Kentucky Performance Products

By on Nov 21, 2023 8:28 am -

Over the weekend, EN’s dear friends Carlos and Sam from Equestly had to face a nightmare scenario: their house burned down, leaving them with just enough time to grab their dogs and get out before the building was engulfed. Sadly, they lost one of their two beloved cats in the blaze, and all their possessions, too — but Kim Tierney has set up a GoFundMe to help them get back on their feet ahead of the holiday season. Check it out and help out, if you can, here.

Events Opening Today: Sporting Days Farm January Horse Trials I

Events Closing Today: Full Gallop Farm Jingle Bells H.T

Tuesday News & Notes from Around the World:

Are you a course designer or planner/organizer and want some better tools for your cross country courses? You might want to check out a free webinar hosted by CrossCountryApp to roll out a whole slew of new features, including ability to color-code tracks, overlay them to see how they intersect, automatic FEI reporting, and much more. The webinar is free to attend and will also be recorded. You can register in the U.S. webinar (TODAY at 6 pm EST) here and in the UK and Europe (TOMORROW 11/22 at 8 am BST time) here. You can also learn more about the new CrossCountryApp Toolkit here.

We love an unusual eventing horse — and Splash certainly fits the bill. The 15.2hh Clydesdale/Vanner cross was actually bred to be a jousting horse, but was sold as part of a divorce and I guess there weren’t that many jousting households around to snap her up. After six years in a field, she finally got a proper start under saddle — and now, she’s loving eventing at Beginner Novice.

European Champ and 2x five-star winner in 2023 Ros Canter is on tour. She and longtime trainer Caroline Moore have been travelling to venues around the UK sharing the tips and tricks of their success, and if you missed out on the live show, you can debrief on some of the most pertinent points here. 

When a group of female physicians from around the country bonded over their shared love of eventing, it was the start of a magic friendship. But when one of their own, the remarkable Val Johnson, passed away suddenly, it became an even louder rallying cry for the women in the group, who found a special way to honor their friend at this year’s AECs. Warm your heart this morning here.

And finally: we’re not the only ones rabid with excitement over Aachen 2026. Here’s how plenty of big name riders are feeling about the return of the WEG format (sort of) and a World Championship at one of equestrian sport’s most impressive venues.

Sponsor Corner: Why does Buck Davidson call Hannah Sue Burnett Smurf? Why did Bobby Meyerhoff retire his racing saddle? What was Doug Payne’s course walk strategy? Get all the behind-the-scenes tidbits you didn’t know you needed from the Maryland Five Star. Coverage sponsored by Kentucky Performance Products.

Watch This:

Ever wondered what it’s like to compete at the Cotswold Cup, the UK’s premier unaffiliated eventing series? Go behind the scenes with one rider and find out…

 

Monday Video: We Are Not Werthy!

By on Nov 20, 2023 3:30 pm -

Raise your hand if you’re bracing yourself for a winter full of flatwork! (🙋‍♀️.) Many of us who don’t flock south for the winter are bound to an arena for the off-season and I don’t know about you, but sometimes I need a little inspiration to keep me motivated through the cold months ahead. And boy do I love watching a dressage freestyle to get me geared up to work on my fancy prancing!

This latest masterpiece from German superstar Isabel Werth and 17-year-old Westphalian gelding Emilio just secured them the victory in the third leg of the FEI Dressage World Cup Western European League which took place in Stuttgart, Germany. This routine is a real toe-tapper, so bookmark this video for when you need a little jolt of energy during the bleak midwinter.

Weekend Winners: The Event at TerraNova + Ram Tap Fresno

By on Nov 20, 2023 12:00 pm -

We’re winding down the busier weekends of eventing as we look ahead to the holidays, but we’ve still got a few winners to shout out from both coasts this weekend! Let’s get right to it:

The Event at TerraNova: [Final Scores] [Live Stream Replays] [Coverage]

CCI4*-L: Jenny Caras and Trendy Fernhill (35.3)
CCI3*-L: Alyssa Phillips and Cornelius Bo (28.0)
CCI2*-L: Meg Pellegrini and Gorgeous DHI (30.1)
CCI1*-L: Lucienne Bellissimo and Duke’s Jory (28.6)
Advanced: Waylon Roberts and OKE Ruby R (36.1)
Open Intermediate: Ariel Grald and In Vogue (30.8)
Open Preliminary: Matthew Brown and Riverview Starboy (25.5)
Open Training A: Kyle Carter and Reddy For Raine (29.4)
Open Training B: Declan Bast and FE Melody (28.3)
Training Rider: Brie Murray and Fernhill Ranga Tanga (27.5)
Novice Rider: Cherye Huber and Innsbruck VDO (23.3)
Open Novice: Sinead Maynard and Lightning V/Z (22.8)
Open Beginner Novice: Pedro Gutierrez and Fuego de la Galerna (30.5)
Intro: Sydney Morrow and Heart of Gold (37.0)

Ram Tap Horse Park H.T.: [Final Scores]

Open Intermediate: Helen Alliston and Call Me Rudi (26.2)
Open Preliminary: Bec Braitling and Conlino PS (20.5)
Open Modified: James Alliston and HMR Rolan (25.2)
Open Training: Alexis Helffrich and Casanova (26.6)
Training Rider: Shelby Murray and Mannoury vd Watermolen (24.1)
Training Three-Day: Michelle Wagner and Hillview Quality Control (31.0)
Novice Rider: Kayla Vladyka and Revonne (21.7)
Open Novice: Kendra Mitchell and Russian Roulette (19.2)
Novice Three-Day: Christine Poulos and Quality Beach (18.4)
Beginner Novice Rider: Nicci Guzzetta and Little Richard (23.4)
Beginner Novice Three-Day: Kate Flaherty and Eli’s Coming (21.7)
Open Grasshopper: Maya Burke and Napoleon (20.9)
Open Intro A: Lacey LoPiccolo and Paint Me a Picture (16.3)
Open Intro B: Jessica McKendree and Lumani (28.3)

Courtney Cooper and C Square Farm/Excel Star Sporthorses Announce Amateur Training Award

By on Nov 20, 2023 9:30 am -

USEA/Meagan DeLisle photo

It’s long been a topic of conversation. Amateur riders – the many cultural definitions of that term – have long been identified as the most overlooked subset of equestrians. This is a dilemma that transcends discipline, and within the sport of eventing there remains a yawning gap between the developing rider pipeline and the professional ranks and the amateur rider.

To be fair, options for the adult amateur community do exist. The USEA also has an Adult Rider Committee dedicated to ensuring amateur riders, who make up the bulk of membership, have a voice and a seat at the table. The USEA also offers some grant opportunities for which amateurs are eligible, including the newly-formed Kim Meier “Kick On” Memorial Grant.

In the opinion of many, however, there can never be enough opportunity for everyone – and Courtney Cooper of C Square Farm and Excel Star Sport Horses agrees. Last week, Courtney sent out an exciting press release: she’s decided to offer two amateur riders the opportunity to come and train with her for 7 days throughout the upcoming year. To make the award as amateur-friendly as possible, Courtney’s offering the option to split the training up into multiple weekends or other agreeable chunks of time.

“The time can be spread into multiple long weekends, or taken all at once,” Courtney wrote in the release. This will provide an opportunity for learning and mentorship with a five-star rider. The riders will have access to all Courtney’s program and facilities have to offer, including full courses of Jump4Joy jumps, top-of-the line footing, cross country schooling, dressage training, and horse management.

Courtney knows the grind of the amateur. Sales has always been Courtney’s jam – she first started out selling Cutco knives during college, following that up with a full-time career as an insurance agent.

Courtney Cooper and Who’s A Star. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

“I know what trying to balance everything is like, because I’ve done it. I’ve done trot and gallop sets on the shoulder of the road, in the dark, with a head lamp,” she says. “I had a full time career before I did horses full time, and I can’t imagine being a mom or dad and trying to do that as well as a full time career and ride and the balance needed for all of it. A couple of my amateurs get up at 5 am to ride their horses before they go to their day jobs so they can be with their kids after work for their children’s activities. I just felt like amateurs needed a break and some support.”

Amateurs are a vital part of the sport, and supporting them should be second nature to the professionals. “They keep the sport somewhat affordable in this country. Without them, there are a lot of FEI classes that wouldn’t run because they don’t have the lower levels to protect and finance the upper levels. The amateurs may not be filling the entries of the upper FEI level classes, but they support all the upper levels with their entries and therefore support the upper level riders — not to mention they do the bulk of volunteering .”

So what’s the skinny on this opportunity?

Courtney will provide lodging for the recipients and board for one horse for a total of 7 days, taken a week at a time or over multiple shorter periods. The scholarship can take place either in Aiken, SC or Nottingham, PA The recipients will receive daily lessons from Courtney on their own horse(s), with a potential to ride some other horses if appropriate. Recipients may also compete during their time and get support at the competition

More details below.

Who’s Eligible:

Anyone who makes the majority of their living through means other than horses. We will not hold to the strict definition of an Amateur held by the USEA/USEF, so if you teach some lessons but have another career, please apply! You should be actively competing in the last 12 months at the BN level or higher.

How to Apply:

Please fill out an application at this link.

Applications should be submitted by December 15, 2023. Courtney and a panel of her Amateur clients will review applications and choose a winner by December 31, 2023.

What’s Not Included:

  • Transportation to and from C Square Farm
  • Outside facility fees
  • Entries to events

Monday News & Notes from FutureTrack

By on Nov 20, 2023 7:52 am -

Oh, to be a Swede, frolicking in the sand dunes of a beach at sunset. I’m not actually 100% sure what the Swedish Olympic pathway athletes are up to at their beachy resort — are they training? Are they simply team-building? But whatever it is, I know that I want in, and immediately. If they sweep all the medals next year, I’ll be the first to embark on a deep dive into the competitive powers of a bit of vitamin D.

National Holiday: It’s Transgender Day of Remembrance. Take a moment to reflect on the lives that have been affected or lost by violence against trans folks, and learn more about the history of the day here.

U.S. Weekend Action

The Event at TerraNova (Myakka City, FL): [Website] [Results]

Ram Tap H.T. & Classic 3-Day (Fresno, CA): [Website] [Results]

Your Monday Reading List:

Rider interviews have been added to post-fall protocol at FEI events for 2024. Now, after hitting the deck with their horses on cross country, riders will be required to speak to the ground jury, to help create a comprehensive understanding of the circumstances that lead to the horse fall in a bid to further improve safety in the sport.

The ground jury for Paris 2024 has been announced, and it’s a pretty stacked line-up, featuring a high-flying Dane, the Frenchman whose name I like more than just about anything in the world, and a representative from the US of A, too. Find out who got the coveted appointment — and the TD and stewards roles, too — here.

Speaking of Danes, did you know that they have their own spotted breed of horse? If you’ve seen some dotty horses making waves at shows in Canada recently, you may not have been watching an Appaloosa, but rather, a Knabstrupper — thanks to Tiara Equine, who have been piloting the breed across the disciplines in Ontario.

And now for something completely different: this holiday season at the London International Horse Show, jockeys will be testing their skills over a course of show jumps set by British eventing team performance manager Dickie Waygood, and with expert help from Pippa Funnell and Nick Skelton. It’s all for charity and should make for great watching if you’re heading to the show on the evening of Monday, December 18.

Morning Viewing:

Follow along with a group of grassroots riders as they tackle training sessions with some of the sport’s greats, including Joseph Murphy:

Jenny Caras and Trendy Fernhill Tip the Scales in TerraNova CCI4*-L

By on Nov 19, 2023 8:00 pm -

Jenny Caras and Trendy Fernhill. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Eventing is a sport where winners are often decided by the smallest of margins, and that rang especially true this weekend at The Event at TerraNova where the Galati Yacht Sales CCI4*-L, presented by Insurance Office of America, was decided by one second of time in the final phase.

Dressage winner Lucienne Bellissimo had maintained her leading position after Saturday’s endurance test by just two-tenths of a point, but when she completed a clear show jumping round in 74 seconds, second-placed Jenny Caras, who navigated Marc Donovan’s course in 73 seconds, stepped to the top of the podium — claiming her second career CCI4*-L victory with Trendy Fernhill.

Jenny has been partnered with Trendy Fernhill (Ars Vivendi — Cruseings Girl, by Cruising) or “Joey” since he was four, but he’s come a long way from the wild-eyed Irish gelding she met off the plane. “When I got him as a four year old I think I re-broke him like five times,” she recalled, and although he’s still known to dump Jenny during a hack from time to time, Joey found his sea legs under her care and they settled into a comfortable rhythm together climbing the levels thanks to the support of his owner Elyse Eisenberg, who is based in Maryland.

Jenny moved him up to the Advanced level in 2020 where he won his debut CCI4*-S competition at Tryon, and most recently they were awarded a Karen E. Stives Endowment Fund Grant which allowed them to participate in their first-ever Nations Cup at Stzregom where they finished 11th individually. Their summer and a few runs at the intermediate level into the fall, gave the pair an enormous amount of confidence heading into this fall three-day.

Jenny Caras and Trendy Fernhill claim the top spoils. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

A score of 34.9 tied the pair for third on the flat despite a less than ideal entrance. “I came down the centerline and I think did like one of the best halt salutes that I’ve ever had on on him and then I just turned the corner and he actually broke into the canner. So that was hard way to actually start the test, but I just, you know, had to put that behind us and keep going,” Jenny said.

She admitted that cross country may be a challenge as this year she’s set a goal for herself to be more competitive against the clock — a big ask for the strong, big-strided gelding.

“I’ve struggled with him a bit in the past with time penalties. Just because he’s quite a strong horse and he’s has a huge stride to being able to not spend forever in front of the jumps setting up for the combinations. So I just recently changed his bit and his bridle, and I think he really likes it because it helps us be much more efficient, and I wasn’t having to work so hard to set him up,” Jenny said.

She trialed the new set up — a rubber gag with a loosely fitted figure eight — for the first time at Chattahoochee Hills last month. “That was the first time that I had tried it, and that’s actually the first time that I had ever made the time at an Intermediate or Advanced level competition on him, so I knew I was kind of on the right track. Then I was just hopeful that it would be the right thing at this level as well,” she said, and it turned out to be a Cinderella fit: she and Joey were the only pair out of 23 starters to finish Captain Mark Phillips’ track double clear.

Lucienne Bellissimo and Tremanton. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

“I knew I wanted to go out there and try and make the time while having all good jumps, and he’s just such an honest horse,” she said. “I’ve had him since he was four, and so we’ve done everything together and we know each other really well. So I know when I tell him ‘We’re a little bit off this corner but you’re going,’ that he knows his job. If you get him anywhere near the jump he wants to jump in for you, so I was lucky that way.”

Marc Donovan’s show jumping test on the final day proved influential toward both rails and time with only two pairs — Sara Kozumplik with Rock Phantom and Mary Bess Davis with Imperio Magic — jumping double clear. The course relied heavily on related distances, leaving little opportunity to make up time and therefore rewarding those who kept pace.

Second overnight, Jenny and Joey were the penultimate pair in Magnolia Ring and they demonstrated a stylish clear round only one second over the optimum time of 72 seconds for a final result of 35.3.

“He’s a careful horse but he’s a big, big, slow stepping guy so you kind of have to help him off the front rail. But that being said, I don’t know that there is a horse who tries harder. He goes out there and he knows that he’s not supposed to hit the jumps, and he just digs deep and tries hard. And I mean, he was just incredible. I don’t know that he touched a single jump,” Jenny said.

That one pesky second dropped Great Britain’s Lucienne Bellisimo and Horse Scout Eventing LLC’s Tremanton, an 11-year-old British Sport Horse (Birkhof’s Grafenstolz — Trevia, by Hand In Glove), to rest in the reserve position on 35.5 after a stylish show jumping effort that left all the rails in their cups.

Will Coleman and Diabolo. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Finishing in third was Will Coleman and one of his newest rides, Diabolo, who was produced through the four-star level previously by Gemma Tinney in Australia before making his way stateside in early 2023. The 11-year-old Holsteiner (Diarado — Roulett M, by Aljano 2) had 2.8 time penalties on cross country and 1.2 in show jumping for a final score of 38.

Watch the top three discuss their show jump rounds:

Alyssa Phillips and Cornelius Bo complete the comeback. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

CCI3*-L

The Estates at TerraNova CCI3*-L, presented by Laughlin Tanner Group at Premier Sotheby’s International Realty was dominated from start to finish by Alyssa Phillips and her own Cornelius Bo.

Alyssa first met the now-9-year-old Hanoverian (Concours Complet — Charlotte, by Carismo) in German five-star eventer Anna Siemer’s stable four years ago. The pair won their first four International events together in the U.S. at the two-star level. After setting in at the Intermediate level last year, Alyssa had big plans for “Corn” this season, but a “silly mistake” here in the spring left Alyssa with a broken ankle and several weeks out of the saddle.

“I was at the same event and was clocking around the cross country and then just a stupid, silly little mistake. And then there goes my ankle. And then I’m like, well, there goes the rest of my fall plans,” she said.

Two surgeries later, Alyssa decided to aim him for the CCI2*-L at Rebecca Farm in July, which she says was only possible thanks to riding help from Alexa Lapp. Cornelius Bo went on to win that event.

Heading into the fall, Alyssa was once again optimistic about her fall plans, but then got the most fortunate interruption when she was called up as the traveling reserve for the U.S. Team at the Pan American Games with her Advanced horse, Oskar.

“I didn’t think I’d make it [to Rebecca], and then I did. then slowly that the pieces for the fall started to fall into place. And then all of a sudden they called me in, they’re like, ‘Hey, you’re gonna be the traveling reserve for the Pan American Games.’ It throws me for a loop because I wasn’t expecting that by any means, so that changed plans again, but I think everything happens for a reason,” she said.

While she was on the road for most of October, her neighbors and friends Cornelia and Jacob Fletcher stepped in to keep her other horses fit and ready for this weekend’s event. Thanks to their help, Alyssa was able to quickly get back in town and finish this CCI3*-L on her dressage score of 28.

“He felt super, super confident leading into this week, and I think he knew he was he was somewhere big because on dressage day he grew about two inches and fancy pranced around and he was very good boy. He’s becoming such a great cross country horse, too. He’s super super careful in the show jumping and I’ve had to work through some of that and across country, but anytime there’s a problem, it’s normally my fault, so I was just hoping to give him a good go around the cross country as quickly as I could. He answered everything super easily, and was very confident about it all. And then he came out out today and he just, I mean, he just jumped out of his skin,” she said.

“Some people may think this year was crazy,” Alyssa continued. “And it was but I actually really appreciate this year a lot. I’ve learned a lot. I’ve grown a lot that horses have grown a lot and we ended it on a very, very great note and great experiences involved along the way.”

Michael Nolan finished second with Carrabeg Hulla Balou on a score of 32, and Caroline Pamaucku was third with Redfield Dexter on 32.5 points.

In the CC2*-L Meg Pellegrini claimed the top spot aboard Gorgeous DHI, and Lucienne Bellissimo was the winner of the CCI*-L with Duke’s Jory.

EN’s final report on The Event at TerraNova is brought to you with support from Ocala Horse Properties, your stop for horse property in Ocala and beyond. If you’re thinking of making the move to Florida, for all or part of the year, be sure to check in with Ocala Horse Properties for your farm-finding needs.

The Event at TerraNova: [Website] [Final Scores] [Live Stream Replays] [More Coverage]

Sunday Links from Etalon Equine Genetics

By on Nov 19, 2023 12:01 am -

Today marks the end of what has felt like a very long season — welcome to Sunday at Terranova, 2023’s final 4*-L! Tune in to the live stream to see if Great Britain’s Lucienne Bellissimo will maintain her two-day lead for the win, or if the honor will be given to another! Keep an eye on EN to follow along with our last hurrah of the season.

I’ve spent this week with my trainer and some barn friends at the Las Vegas National Horse Show, which has been a fun adventure back into jumper land. After being immersed in the upper levels of eventing for the last year, and living in a state that doesn’t host any Grand Prix, it can be easy to forget that there are still much bigger jumps out there. Watching the 1.50 Grand Prix on Thursday was intense, but the 1.60 title Grand Prix on Saturday was an entire religious experience.

I’m not afraid of heights, but I’ve also never considered jumping a fence taller than me (and I am not lacking in height by any means). It’s safe to say I earned a bit more respect for our jumper compatriots this week, and continue to be impressed by the three days of endurance our horses go through (with fences not much smaller than these monstrosities). It’s also just so fun to sit back and “judge” these riders and their superstar creatures as if I could ever attempt this feat.

U.S. Weekend Action

The Event at TerraNova (Myakka City, FL) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring][Live Stream]

Ram Tap H.T. & Classic 3-Day (Fresno, CA)[Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Links to Start Your Sunday:

The 26th Annual Fundraiser Clinic at Galway Downs will welcome back Ian Stark and Jock Paget as featured clinicians

Spotted (literally) in the Show Ring

Southern Pines residents: Rachel Jurgens is handing over the reins of Red’s Corner, including Pony Espresso

This Tuesday: Saddle Up and Read!

Sponsor Corner: Elisa Wallace had her horse, Renkum Corsair, tested with Etalon Dx back in April. His results helped her navigate his fear of other horses, which was a big problem in busy warmup rings. Check out his results from Etalon Equine Genetics.

Morning Viewing: Listen… we’re all friends here. We’re close. We know. The competitive horse world has seen many unfortunate incidents resulting from the “shavings checks” we riders and grooms often resort to and normalize. The FEI is here to remind you that the up-close-and-personal investigations into the state of our shavings should probably wait until we’re back at home.

Lucienne Bellissimo Stays on Top After Cross-Country in the Galati Yacht Sales CCI4*-L at TerraNova

By on Nov 18, 2023 9:30 pm -

Lucienne Bellissimo and Tremanton. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

The following press release was provided by The Event at TerraNova.

Lucienne Bellissimo (GBR) of Campobello, South Carolina, blasted across the cross-country course in the Galati Yacht Sales CCI4*-L, presented by Insurance Office of America, at The Event at TerraNova, maintaining her status as leader on Tremanton (Graffentoltz/Trevia), a bay Thoroughbred-cross mare. Bellissimo also took the lead in the CCI1*-L with Duke’s Jory (Duke of Heart/Zajora), a bay Holsteiner gelding. Both horses are owned by Horse Scout Eventing LLC.

In the final analysis, it all came down to the clock on the cross country course. Bellissimo completed the run with a razor-thin lead of two-tenths of a second over Jenny Caras (USA) of Cartersville, Georgia, on Trendy Fernhill (ARS Vivendi/Cruising Girl), a bay Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by Elyse Eisenberg. Bellissimo scored 34.7 and Caras 34.9. Caras, the only rider to finish the course within the optimum time, also placed fourth on Sommersby (Sergeant Pepper/D’Mademoiselle), a bay Holsteiner gelding she co-owns with Jerry Hollis.

Both riders cleared all 30 fences on Capt. Mark Phillips’ 5,710-meter course, which competitors said was fair and rode well. The twisty-turny track was built progressively. The first six obstacles were straightforward, and then the technicality of the fences came up quickly.

Jenny Caras and Trendy Fernhill. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Bellissimo said her starting plan was to “just try and move a little bit on landing, and until I’ve got through the first couple of combinations, not try and get ahead of myself too much with her,” as it was Tremanton’s first 4*-L. Once the horse grew in confidence on the course and was “in a good head space,” Bellissimo said, “I started to put my foot down a little bit more and take a few more chances.” The mare stayed on task all the way through.

Caras called her two horses “complete opposites” and said they “couldn’t be more different.” While Trendy Fernhill has some mileage, this was only Sommersby’s third Advanced competition. “He tried really hard. He’s a little spooky, so you kind of have to keep him in front of you. I ended up being quick and efficient on him, which I was really pleased with.”

William Coleman, in second place going into cross-country, placed third with The Diabolo Group’s Diabolo, the gelding’s first 4*-L since coming to the U.S. from Australia earlier this year.

Will Coleman and Diabolo. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Riders in all divisions found the courses educational. “Each fence asked a question that set you up for the next one,” said Alyssa Phillips (USA) of Fort Worth, Texas, who maintained the lead on her own Cornelius Bo (Concous Complet/Charlotte) in the The Estates at TerraNova CCI3*-L, presented by Laughlin Tanner Group at Premier Sotheby’s International Realty. She said the sequence built the horses’ confidence and helped keep them mentally fresh. “The course rode fantastic.”

Alyssa Phillips and Cornelius Bo. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

The competition wraps up Sunday with the final horse inspection for the FEI divisions at 8 a.m., followed by show jumping, beginning with the 3*-L at 10:00 a.m. EST. The 4*-L will jump at 11:45, the 2*-L at 1:25 p.m., and the 1*-L at 3:30 p.m. You can view the full schedule here. And don’t forget you can watch the action free on TerraNova’s website and YouTube channel, and Horse & Country.

The Event at TerraNova: [Website] [Schedule] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Live Stream] [Volunteer]

Das Ist Soers Gut: 2026 FEI World Championships to Take Place at Aachen

By on Nov 18, 2023 6:44 pm -

Photo courtesy of CHIO Aachen.

It’s a big ‘welcome home’ for the next FEI World Championships, set to take place in 2026, as the governing body announced today that Germany’s Aachen Soers has been granted the task of hosting the multidisciplinary competition. Aachen last hosted the championships in 2006 — notably, for our sport, anyway, the first time that the modern iteration of the long format was used at a World Championship.

Five high-powered venues put forward bids to host one or several of the disciplines in 2026, which will be the second running of the FEI World Championships since the disbanding of the World Equestrian Games format that existed from 1990 to 2018. These were:

  • Aachen (GER) – Jumping, Dressage, Para Dressage, Eventing, Driving Four-in-Hand, Vaulting;
  • Boekelo (NED) – Eventing;
  • Burghley (GBR) – Eventing;
  • Al Ula (KSA) – Endurance;
  • Samorin (SVK) – Endurance

Al Ula, in Saudi Arabia, has been confirmed as the host of the FEI Endurance World Championships, while Aachen will take on jumping, dressage, para-dressage, eventing, driving, and vaulting, heralding something very close to a return to the World Equestrian Games format at a venue that, for nearly a century, has hosted the very best of each discipline every summer at the enormously popular CHIO Aachen World Equestrian Festival.

“We thank the FEI for their trust,” CHIO Aachen General Manager Michael Mronz said after the announcement, which followed a meeting of the FEI Board in Mexico City today. “We feel honoured and pleased to host, together with the German Equestrian Federation, the FEI World Championships Aachen 2026 in six disciplines: Jumping, Dressage, Eventing, Driving, Vaulting and Para Dressage. Already today we would like to invite the entire world of equestrian sport to Aachen so that we can celebrate an unforgettable event together in 2026.”

Aachen: perhaps equestrian sport’s most impressive venue. Photo courtesy of CHIO Aachen/Andreas Steindl.

“The allocation by the FEI Board of the FEI World Championships 2026 to Aachen and Al Ula is a significant decision for the future of equestrian sport,” said FEI President Ingmar De Vos. “We examined every aspect of the bids we received and especially the sporting infrastructures, the conditions for the horses, accessibility and sustainability. The FEI is delighted to have secured such outstanding hosts for our most prestigious Championships three years in advance, which allows plenty of time for preparation and planning.

“I would like to congratulate the winners, who submitted outstanding bids. We are all well aware of Aachen’s unique track record of organising extremely successful large-scale events. We were impressed with Al Ula’s proposal, which not only contains all the components of a successful event but seeks to showcase the heritage and potential of an entire region.

“And last but not least, I would like to thank all the bidders, who took part in this process for their strong bids and commitment to the sport. It was not easy to choose between such strong bids. We hope that those who didn’t get it this time will consider bidding for future events.”

The FEI World Championships at Aachen will take place from August 11–23, 2026, and the eventing is set to begin on August 13 with the first day of dressage and continue until the 16th, when the showjumping finale will play out.

Tickets will go on sale next Monday, November 20, at 9.00 a.m. CET (8.00 a.m. British time/3.00 a.m. EST). You can get your hands on them here, plus check out the full timetable of events, a site plan, and plenty more. Note: Advance tickets for Eventing, Vaulting, and Driving are not on sale at the same time and will go on sale at a date to be named. We recommend signing up for updates on aachen2026.com or keeping an eye out here for updates on ticket availability. Go Eventing – and Go Aachen!

Racing to the Top: Mark Your Calendar for the 2024 #TBMakeover!

By on Nov 18, 2023 2:54 pm -

Alison O’Dwyer and Knockemdown in the Thoroughbred Makeover Finale.

Did you, too, find yourself thoroughly inspired by last month’s Thoroughbred Makeover finale? Featuring a huge variety of disciplines, from eventing to barrel racing to polo, freestyle, field hunters, dressage — you name it, and the Thoroughbred Makeover probably offers it — it’s an incredible showcase of what off-the-track Thoroughbreds are capable of, and a seriously fun challenge for the trainers who take it on. And at the end of it all? One overall champion will be awarded $10,000 — and everyone can take home the pride of knowing they’ve contributed to advertising OTTBs as the remarkable sport horses they are. If all that sounds, well, pretty great, you’ll be thrilled to hear that it’s very nearly time to get the ball rolling again, with applications for the 2024 program opening in exactly one month.

Here are some of the key dates you’ll want to keep in mind:

  • Applications open for drafting: December 18, 2023
  • Applications open for submission: January 2, 2024 – January 19, 2024
  • Late applications open for submission: January 19, 2024 after 5 PM EST, until June 28, 2024 (late entries will be subject to an additional fee)

The 2024 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium will take place October 9-12, 2024 at the Kentucky Horse Park, and to be eligible to take part, horses must not begin training before December 1, 2023. They may be ridden up to fifteen times before that date, and since leaving racing, in order to assess for suitability — but to keep this competition fair and to truly chart each horse’s progress over nine-ish months, that December starting gate is key.

Costs for entry are as follows:

  • $200 one-time annual trainer application fee, regardless of trainer status (individual, team captain, or team member)*
  • $150 horse registration fee per horse, billed to individuals and team captains

*Late trainer applications (received after 5 PM EST January 19th, 2024) will require a $300 trainer application fee, plus the $150 per horse the trainer intends to enter.

Final Entry fees: billed at the time of final entry August 1st through 15th

  • First discipline, including schooling and drug testing fees: $150 per horse
  • Second discipline: $100 per horse
  • Stalls (horses or tack, flat rate for the week): $225 per stall
  • Ship-ins (no stall): $60 per Final Entry form
  • Non-compete horse fee: $50 per horse*
  • ASPCA Makeover Marketplace listing per horse*
    • Standard: $60
    • Featured: $95
    • Premium: $110

*All participating horses that complete a final entry will require a first discipline fee and stall (or ship-in) fee at minimum. The rest of the fees are optional.

Sounds like a great excuse to start browsing the CANTER listings, right? While you’re doing so, it’s always a smart idea to familiarise yourself with the rules of the competition and some of the frequently asked questions. We also recommend a YouTube deep dive, starting with this hugely insightful webinar on what to expect from your Makeover experience:

And this one, which takes you behind the scenes at the arrival examination:

Happy watching, and happy Makeover-ing!