Classic Eventing Nation

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!

 

Between the Ears with Laura Crump Anderson

By on Nov 18, 2023 10:51 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’re 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 Laura Crump Anderson of Hidden Heights Fitness (who also writes fitness columns here on EN — check them out here). Laura is a lifelong equestrian who is the author of Ultimate Exercise Routines for Riders: Fitness that Fits a Horse Crazy Life. You may recognize her name from the various blog posts that she has crafted on this very site. If you’ve been keeping up with the series, this edition is going to be a bit different, as Laura and I focused on the intersection between physical and mental health and the journey of managing both.

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

Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and your career?

Having an equestrian for a mom, the joke is that I started riding when I was negative nine months old. Growing up, I did hunter jumpers and a lot of trail riding and I found the sport of eventing through pony club when I was 12. By age 14, I was so much of a ‘barn rat’ that I ended up with a severe overuse injury to my back and my orthopedic surgeon told me I had the spine of a ninety-year-old.

I had to stop riding for six months but was able to find my way back in the saddle through physical therapy. That experience helped shape my life as a fitness professional and I have since made it my mission to help riders realize how important it is to treat ourselves like the athletes we expect our horses to be.

So the physical health journey started because of your injury — can you tell me about your mental health journey as well?

This is a bit of a long and convoluted story, but when I was in college, I was locked in an elevator for about 12 hours. I had forgotten my student ID to open the doors and the emergency button was disconnected. I had gone in around 8 p.m. and wasn’t let out until a janitor let me out in the morning. I was trapped, and I didn’t know when I was going to be let out. That feeling of being trapped has continued to be a mental trigger for me, even today.

Horses have always been my way out of that. Always brought me joy and quieted my mind. But the year I got trapped in the elevator, I hadn’t been able to bring my horses to school with me, and one of the biggest things that made me feel really good and really in control was exercise. I then had a two-fold perspective of fitness. I already knew I needed to cross-train to keep my body strong enough to enjoy my time in the saddle and I was beginning to learn the effect that physical activity could also have on my mind as well.

When I got back to a place where I could have my horses with me again, I realized what a hugely positive influence they could have on my mental health. Not just from the connection and getting to do what I love perspective, but also from a stabilization perspective. I did all their care, so I had a responsibility to them that was outside myself, an obligation to keep moving forward.

More recently, I’ve been struggling with some pretty intense panic attacks, usually when I’m feeling trapped or feeling like I have too much on my plate. Finances play a huge role as well. I love my horses, and when I feel like I don’t have enough money to afford them or afford the things that they need, I start to spiral.

The pandemic amplified things for me because of how unstable the face-to-face health industry was, and there were a lot of transitions going on in my life. I constantly feel stuck in this paradox where horses are a positive influence to my mental health and yet a potential trigger for panic. I don’t compete even though I want to, because I find it hard to justify the expense. I remember when I was 14 or 15 and saved up money for an entry fee just to lose the money when the event got rained out. I don’t fault organizers for not being able to provide refunds, but that uncertainty isn’t something that I’m ready to cope with.

My mental health journey has included horses and fitness, but it has also included many mental health professionals helping me find the right coping mechanisms to manage the panic that I feel. I am grateful to my horses for grounding me throughout the process and providing motivation on even the toughest days.

Photo courtesy of Laura Crump Anderson.

As an amateur equestrian and fitness professional, do you ever experience burnout?

One of the biggest times I experienced burnout was in 2019. I was working for a fitness company and it was doing very well. I had just acquired a mobile gym, so the specialized equipment that we used for strength training was able to go to the barns and work with riders. I was working easily seventy to eighty hours a week. I barely saw my husband. I had a realisation that the lifestyle was unsustainable, and I had to remove myself from that business. It was a very hard decision to make. It was the hardest decision I’ve made professionally in a long time, but I was at a point where I had to do a hard reset.

I had to step away from something that was successful in order to create something that was sustainable, which ended up working out in my favor because then the pandemic hit and I was able to have a job in health care for a bit while the personal fitness industry was unstable. Now, I’ve made my way back to my new business and I know I needed things to fall apart to get to where I am, and I realize that working hard is important, but not at the cost of being burnt out.

What advice would you give to someone in the industry that’s facing adversity?

Don’t quit, but try slowing down. Find what brings you joy. Focus on the aspects of your job or sport that make it worth it. Don’t chase the wrong things, because that’s how you end up building a life that isn’t desirable anymore. Whether you’re an equestrian professional or you’re just riding as a hobby, you ultimately need to be doing it for the right reasons, so don’t lose sight of that.

Photo courtesy of Laura Crump Anderson.

What do you what do you do on a day when you don’t feel motivated to work out?

If it’s a day where I don’t want to even get out of bed, and I’m supposed to do a workout, I make sure I at least go for a walk. I get out, I put my sneakers on, and I go walk. I commit to at least walking a short loop, and usually that will get me in the zone to walk a bit longer. The thing is, if I feel like I have to do strength on that day, I’m never going to do it. But I can always start small, and small pieces of consistency are better than nothing at all. Walking gets my body moving and gets me out of my head. I’ll either listen to some pump-up music or go with my husband and I’ll get to have a conversation with him and it becomes a connection process as well.

Mental Health is a complex subject. If you or someone you know is struggling with a mental health concern, please know that there is help available. Horses ARE a great way to relieve stress, but they are not a substitute for professional guidance. Call or text 988 for crisis support.

Saturday Links from World Equestrian Brands

By on Nov 18, 2023 12:01 am -

I keep seeing a meme floating around Facebook and Instagram that just says “How is Thanksgiving next week when November just started two days ago” and honestly I feel that in my bones. Actually, I feel that about this entire year too, not just this month! That said, I’m savoring every last bit of the US eventing season and am tuning into some of the last live streaming of the year from Terranova. Here’s everything you need to know to watch along too.

U.S. Weekend Action

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

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

Links to Start Your Weekend:

Judge Rules Lamaze Owes $1.4M For Fraud

Retired Racehorse Project Discontinues Publication of Off-Track Thoroughbred Magazine

Interscholastic Eventing Competition Heats Up in 2023

An Equine Affaire to Remember

Most US owners not too worried about disease risk at horse shows – study

Sponsor Corner: Are you subscribed to the World Equestrian Brands‘ email list? If not, sign up ASAP! Their biggest sale of the year only goes to their email subscribers. 👉 Sign up here.

Morning Viewing: If you’re not at Terranova, you’re missing quite the party!

Lucienne Bellissimo and Tremanton Lead after Dressage in CCI4*-L at TerraNova

By on Nov 17, 2023 4:00 pm -

Lucienne Bellissimo and Tremanton. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

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

Lucienne Bellissimo (GBR) of Campobello, South Carolina, took the lead as the dressage phase wrapped up Friday in the Galati Yacht Sales CCI4*-L, presented by Insurance Office of America at The Event at TerraNova. With a score of 31.5 on Tremanton (Graffentolz x Trevia), owned by Horse Scout Eventing LLC, a Thoroughbred cross mare, she blazed past Will Coleman (USA) of Ocala, Florida. He had held the lead since his ride on Thursday, when he scored 34.0 with Diabolo, owned by the Diabolo Group, a Holsteiner gelding (Diarado x Roulett M).

Tied for third with 34.9 were Buck Davidson (USA) of Unionville, Pennsylvania, on Erroll Gobey (Cassini II x Ulla II) owned by Cassandra Segal, and Jenny Caras (USA) of Cartersville, Georgia, on Trendy Fernhill (ARS Vivendi x Cruisings Girl), owned by Elyse Eisenberg.

This was Tremantons’s first 4*-L. “She seems to like this venue. She performs well and actually breathes in the ring,” said Bellissimo. The horse is “quite high in Thoroughbred blood on the dam side. Although she’s a naturally moving nice horse, she can almost become a little too tense in her test.” Bellissimo said she plans to do more 4*-Ls in the spring and “would like to have a crack at a 5* later in the season.”

Will Coleman and Diabolo. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Coleman said his horse feels good going into Saturday’s cross country, “He’s up to it. Some people think it’s easier on a flat course like we have here, but for the horse, it can actually be more tiring.” After walking the cross-country course several times, Coleman said he’s confident about it but noted that there are “some sneaky places where you could get caught on runoffs.”

Buck Davidson and Erroll Gobey. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Davidson said he was very happy with his ride, adding that his horse “doesn’t always find dressage that easy.” He described him as complicated. “There are never two days that are the same. This is the first time in my career that I’ve felt confident of him in all three phases.” Davidson said the pair always crave the win, a trait that can be an advantage and a disadvantage. “One of us has to chill out and not want the win so intensely.”

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

Caras said that she can always count on Trendy Fernhill. “He’s a good boy, but he can be spooky and reactive,” she said. She has had the horse since he was 4 years old. “He can be a little sharp, but we know each other so well that we can anticipate each other.” She is looking forward to cross country, which she feels presents some good course questions.

The Galati Yacht Sales CCI4*-L, presented by Insurance Office of America, and all the FEI divisions move to the cross-country phase on Saturday. The course was designed by Capt. Mark Phillips has and includes many obstacles inspired by area wildlife and landmarks.

Watch The Event at TerraNova livestream from home or the barn! Catch the exciting action of the Galati Yacht Sales CCI4*-L, presented by Insurance Office of America, as well as The Estates at TerraNova CCI3*-L, presented by Laughlin Tanner Group at Premier Sotheby’s International Realty.

Take a walk around the cross country track below (or here on Instagram):

And preview the track on CrossCountryApp here.

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

Preview The Event at TerraNova’s CCI4*-L Cross Country

By on Nov 17, 2023 12:00 pm -

 

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A post shared by Sara Kozumplik (@sarakm_overlookf)

We’re all set to watch some season finale eventing action this weekend at The Event at TerraNova, which will play host to both National and FEI divisions up through the headlining CCI4*-L. For this effort, Capt. Mark Phillips has designed a cross country course consisting of 30 numbered fences set on an optimum time of 10 minutes, 16 seconds.

Following two days of dressage, the 4*-L riders will tackle cross country beginning at 12:30 p.m. EST. You can view the event all weekend thanks to a free live stream that can be accessed here. We’ll be sharing press releases from the event, as well as a final recap report from Shelby Allen once the event concludes.

Take a gander at the course for the 4*-L below — and you can view the other FEI tracks on CrossCountryApp here.

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You can also view the course, including fence photos, here if you can’t see the map embedded above.

The Event at TerraNova: [Website] [Ride Times] [Schedule] [Live Stream] [FEI XC Maps] [All Course Maps] [Volunteer]