Classic Eventing Nation

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]

Friday News & Notes Presented by Stable View

By on Nov 17, 2023 12:03 am -

 

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A post shared by Jonelle Price (@jonelle_price)

 

Cosby Green is looking for a partner in crime! Fresh off her first five-star-finish at Pau, young American talent Cosby is also across the pond training with literally two of the best riders in the world, none other than Tim and Jonelle Price in Dorset. Any chance to work alongside such an amazing team sounds like a really cool opportunity. Cosby is looking at Badminton and Luhmuhlen next spring, as well as other exciting FEI and local competitions. Honestly, this is one of the few times I wish I was in my 20’s again because I’d be over there in a second.

U.S. Weekend Preview

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]

News From Around the Globe:

Chris Talley was this year’s recipient Holekamp/Turner Grant to travel to the FEI WBFSH Eventing World Breeding Championships in Le Lion. After winning the Young Event Horse East Coast 5-year-old Championships in 2021 and being the highest-placed 5-year-old on both coasts that year, Corwin Sport Horses, LLC’s Hanoverian mare Gina (Gentleman x Ballerina) was a shoe-in to travel to Le Lion, and Chris was lucky enough to also take his own Irish Sport Horse mare Loughtown Cici ZA (CC Captain Clover x Castlelawn Diamond Clover) to compete in this year’s 7-year-old championships. The USEA caught up with Chris to get the low-down after he recovered from his international travel. [Reliving Le Lion]

Wellington residents will pay close attention to a particular vote in the Village Council this week. A year ago, Mark Bellissimo proposed a vision for “Wellington 3.0”, promising to build a new horse center alongside substantial residential developments, and consolidate all equine sports into one venue. However, some of the land sits on Wellington’s Equestrian Preserve, and this would be the first time that the village has ever withdrawn land from the preserve, a move some groups dislike greatly. [Wellington vs Mark Bellissimo]

The Area V Championships wrapped up on Nov. 4-5 at the Texas Rose Horse Park in Tyler, Texas. The first part of the Championships was held from Sept. 23-24 at Meadowcreek Park Fall Horse Trials in Kosse, Texas. Meet the newest champions here! [Area V Champions]

Hot on Horse Nation: Five Ways to Soothe Sore Muscles from No Stirrup November

Peighton Deitz is 16 years old, a junior in high school preparing for riding in college, and the owner and operator of Grey Horse
Equestrian Belt Co. She started making her own belts when she couldn’t find any she liked well enough at shows to pay the high price for, and it evolved into a successful and growing company. Peighton continues to hand-make all the belts herself from her New Jersey home. She sells them online, through social media, at an increasing number of tack shops and at shows, where she also rides in the 2’6” hunters with her grey horse, Squid—one of two equestrian namesakes of her company name. [Riding, Studying, & Sewing Belts]

 

Phillip, how do we say this kindly, has been around for a WHILE now, and still keeps going at the top level!

Alyssa Phillips Maintains Her Lead in The Estates at TerraNova CCI3*-L + Will Coleman Leads CCI4*-L

By on Nov 16, 2023 10:00 pm -

Alyssa Phillips (USA) and Cornelius Bo. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

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

Alyssa Phillips (USA) of Fort Worth, Texas, rode Cornelius Bo, her 16.2-hand bay Hanoverian (Concours Complet x Charlotte), to the leading dressage score of 28.0 in The Estates at TerraNova CCI3*-L, presented by Laughlin Tanner Group at Premier Sotheby’s International Realty, on the opening day of The Event at TerraNova. Caroline Pamukcu (USA) on Redfield Dexter, owned by the Dexter Syndicate, a 16.3 hand bay Dutch Warmblood gelding (Dexter R x Zyreina/Weering), scored 30.9, standing in second.

Riders from 11 nations are competing across 11 divisions (Starter, Beginner Novice, Novice, Training, Preliminary, Intermediate, Advanced, CCI1*-L, CCI2*-L, CCI3*-L and CCI4*-L).

“Riding at this beautiful facility is amazing,” said Phillips. “I am so happy to be back here.” At the TerraNova event in April, she shattered her ankle. “So I came back. I’m very eager for some redemption, and I’m going to stay on my horse this time,” she said with a laugh.

Phillips is planning to move the horse up to the 4* level in the spring. She described “Corny” or “Corn Dog,” as he is known in the barn, as “the funniest character to be around. He’s hilarious.”

Caroline Pamukcu and Redfield Dexter. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Pamukcu, who hails from Riegelsville, Pennsylvania, described her horse similarly. “If you leave anything by his stall, he’ll take it and play with it. We’re hanging up stuffed animals for him in his stall right now so he has something to play with.” She will compete Friday in the CCI4*-L dressage with another horse, HSH Vamonos, owned by herself, RAH Resources LLC and Sherrie Martin, a 16.3-hand bay Zangersheide gelding (Andiamo VH Kapelhof Z x Quasimodelle).

Pamukcu’s first impression of the cross-country course after walking it was that it is quite flat, due to the Florida terrain. “They built it up and asked a lot of questions with a lot of different types of mounds and drops. It’s a very, very cool track.”

Will Coleman and Diabolo. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Leading in the dressage phase of the Galati Yacht Sales CCI4*-L, presented by Insurance Office of America is Olympian Will Coleman (USA) with a score of 34.0 aboard Diabolo (Diarado x Roulett M), a 16.2-hand bay Holsteiner gelding owned by Diabolo Group, LLC. Coleman said it’s been a big transition for “Dab,” his stable name, who came from Australia this year. The pair has only been working together since February.

After an initial walk on the cross-country course, Coleman said he is still putting his plan together. He described the course as “well presented [for] the straight routes.” Still, he said, “Any time you’re jumping 4* jumps, it’s a stern test.”

The CCI3*-L and CCI4*-L riders rode their dressage tests for judges Gretchen Butts (USA), Robert Stevenson (USA) and Sandy Phillips (GBR).

Friday features the remainder of the remainder of the FEI dressage, plus the Horse Trials dressage.

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.

View highlights from Thursday’s action:

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

Thursday Video: Snoop Around One of the World’s Leading Dressage Barns

By on Nov 16, 2023 5:00 pm -

A couple of years ago, in the height of the pandemic, I stayed in the Netherlands for two weeks at the base of Olympian Tim Lips, helping British rider Mollie Summerland to train and prepare for a crack at Luhmühlen’s CCI5* in Germany. What happened next is history, really, but one of the things we spoke about frequently while sequestered in our peaceful little Dutch enclave was how cool it would be to find a way to visit Van Olst Horses, the base of Denmark’s Ann Van Olst and, of course, young British superstar and reigning World Champion Lottie Fry. We never did get a chance to head over — the pandemic made things like that pretty tricky — and so today, I’m making myself a massive cup of tea and curling up on the sofa to get the behind-the-scenes tour through this video. Which facilities would you take – and what would you add? — to create your dream property?

Going South? Here’s How to Afford a Winter in the Sunshine State

By on Nov 16, 2023 2:30 pm -

Going south affordably is all about the answer to one question: how much sweat equity are you willing to put in? If you’re willing to work your tail off, you can go to Ocala for the winter for virtually nothing. But, if you’re looking for a high-end, bougie, show-every-weekend, type of experience – that’ll be a bit more expensive.

Photo courtesy of Phyllis Dawson and Team Windchase.

Pick Up a Working Student Gig

There are many benefits to being a working student for the winter. Not only do you get to spend the colder months in the always sunny horse capital of the world, but you also get to learn a lot. As a former working student, I can attest to the fact that every day is the equivalent of an 8-hour riding lesson — not only do you get lots of time in the saddle, but you get to learn about farm management, how to care for horses while traveling, and the nitty-gritty of shows.

Being a working student is also great for equestrians who are in between horses. You’ll get lots of saddle time without having to pay for lessons. You may even get to catch-ride at shows, depending on the arrangement you have with the barn you’re working for.

However, being a working student isn’t all rosy. You probably won’t get many days off and you will have to work from sunup to sundown taking care of the horses. Being a working student can be so rewarding, but you have to be truly passionate about the sport. If you’re looking for a working student gig, you might have some luck on this Facebook group.

Globetrotting freelance event groom Bettina Cardi. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Groom on the Weekends

Are you organized and efficient, and do you have an eye for details? Being a groom could be the perfect gig for you — and in Ocala, there’s always someone looking for a groom. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to pick up grooming as a full-time gig. Instead, you can freelance groom on the weekends for whoever needs it.

If you’re an experienced horse person, picking up occasional grooming gigs can help offset your costs. You’ll still get to go to horse shows and be enveloped in the excitement of a showing atmosphere. Grooming can be even more fun if you groom for someone you know or are close to, like your trainer or friend.

While you groom on the weekends, you can spend your time during the week doing whatever you’d like to do. Trail riding through Florida’s state parks, taking lessons with some of the biggest names in the business, going out to Ocala’s restaurants — you’ll be able to experience everything Ocala has to offer, despite grooming on the weekends. The only catch is that this could impact your own ability to show, as you could be too busy grooming to compete yourself.

Start your grooming career by checking out jobs available for freelance grooms here.

William Fox-Pitt teaches at Liz Halliday-Sharp’s winter base, Horsepower Equestrian in Ocala. Photo by Lisa Madren.

Tag Along with Your Trainer

Nothing’s better than going to Ocala with your barn family! If your trainer is already heading down to Florida, you may be able to work out a deal where you can work off some of your expenses. For example, it’s often mutually beneficial for both you and your trainer if you offer to take care of the horses and barn several days a week in exchange for discounted board or lessons.

This method of going to Ocala is really the best of both worlds– you’ll get to learn about barn management and get your dream experience in Ocala without having to groom on the weekends or work 24/7 as a working student. You’ll also get to be with your barn family. Is there anything better than getting to explore Florida with some of your favorite people from the back of your favorite horse? (The only right answer here is no, there’s not.)

Leslie Law and Countess Cooley. Photo by Shelby Allen.

Go for a Short Getaway

Unfortunately, being an adult means you have to work for a living. Often, the most expensive part of going down to Florida is taking the time off work. I don’t know about your boss, but most employers don’t appreciate it when their employees take off for three months every winter. If you’re lucky enough to work remotely and you can work from Florida over the winter, more power to you! But, if your boss isn’t really happy about you taking a sabbatical every year, you can go for a short trip, no longer than your average vacation.

Going to Ocala for a week or a long weekend is a particularly great option if your trainer is already wintering in the Sunshine State. You may be able to stay with your trainer, and you’ll have someone to take lessons with and who can show you the ropes while you’re down there. Plus, if your trainer has a spare horse you can ride, you won’t have to worry about the costs of bringing your own horse south.

Photo by Alison Green for Shannon Brinkman Photo, shared via Ocala Jockey Club International Three-Day Event on Facebook.

Rent a Stall, Not a Barn

Going solo or just with a few friends? Instead of footing the bill to rent an entire barn that you don’t really need, rent a stall at a nice facility. Many places in Ocala are set up to accommodate the large influx of seasonal equestrians, and that includes having short-term rental stalls available. However, there are a few things you need to consider before going this route.

Many of these places are self-care only, so you have to be comfortable caring for your horse yourself. It also means that you’ll need to be cognizant of when you need to be back at the barn to finish the day’s chores and feed. You’ll need to be comfortable, too, with taking on the risk of the spread of disease that can happen when there are lots of horses from different areas going in and out of the barn.

At the end of the day, there are lots of different ways you can creatively approach going to Ocala for the winter with your horse. If you’re willing to invest some of your own sweat equity, then heading south for the winter can become surprisingly affordable. Plus, going to Ocala isn’t an all or nothing situation. You can balance how much work you want to put in with how much relaxing you want to do on your trip to create the perfect situation for you.

If you decide to rent a stall, or a few, check out this Facebook group for resources.

Have more tips we didn’t mention? Be sure to comment on this post on social media to share your advice for us to share!

This article was sponsored by Ocala Horse Properties, your go-to resource for finding your dream farm in the horse capital of the world. Explore all the farms Ocala has to offer right from your laptop. Shop their selection of homes and horse farms on their website.

The 2023 OBP League Winners: British Eventing Delivers Financial Rewards for Grassroots Consistency

By on Nov 16, 2023 12:00 pm -

BE100 League winners Sam Lees and Linkswood Rowen. Photo courtesy of Action Replay Photography/British Eventing.

The end of the season signals the completion of British Eventing’s Opposition Beaten Percentage (OBP) Leagues. With a whopping £10K prize pot, riders have eagerly awaited this moment to find out where they finished in the placings and whether they have won a share of the prize money. The wait is now over and we are delighted to announce the bumper final pay-out Top 3, alongside the September/October bonus pay out recipients.

The Leagues are designed around the concept of the Opposition Beaten Percentage (OBP), and acknowledge how competitive a combination was in a particular class – the greater the number of fellow competitors that they finished ahead of, the better the score. Some of our League Champions have finished on a strike rate of an incredible 100%!

Congratulations to our winners of the September/October bonus pay-out and the Top 3 from the bumper final pay-out:

Newcomers League

Our overall winner in the Newcomers League is Ollie Rowlands and 19-year-old Connemara gelding Nimbus Blaise. They won all three of their BE80s this season including Norton Disney (1), Stafford and Little Gatcombe (2) leaving them on an OBP of 100% and rewarding them with a fabulous £500!

Ollie and ‘Luis’ also won £400 when they topped both the BE80 and Newcomers leagues in the May/June period.

“Ollie and myself were completely amazed at winning such an incredible award,” said Ollie’s mum Fiona. “As a family we are fairly new to British Eventing – it was our first ever season last year. We never expected to be at the top of the league at the end of the season, it is just incredible and the perfect end to Ollie and Lui’s eventing season.

“Ollie has decided that he is going to use the prize money to treat his pony to some new things as well as some lessons over the winter to get them both ready for the 2024 season. I am not sure we can top this, but we will be looking forward to another fun season next year doing what they both love best!”

As Ollie had already received Performance Bonus pay-outs earlier in the year, the September/October Newcomer Performance Bonus pay-out goes to second-placed Faith Penn and Erwlas Jump For Gold who receive £200.

1st (£500) Ollie Rowlands and Nimbus Blaise, 100%

2nd (£350) Faith Penn and Erwlas Jump For Gold, 97.9%

3rd (£250) Sam Lees and Linkswood Rowen, 96.3%

BE80 League

The overall BE80 League winner is 16-year-old Sophia Waterer from Suffolk with 11-year-old, 14.2hh Irish pony Nico II. They delivered four winning performances at Poplar Park, Horseheath, Blindley Heath (1) and Savills Chillington Hall Regional Youth Championships to give them an OBP of 100%. They receive a total prize fund of £700.

The pair were also winners of the July/August Newcomer and BE80 OBP League with an OBP of 100% for which they won £400.

“We got him when he was five and my sister Lilly bought him on and trained him,” said Sophia. “When she outgrew him a year ago, I took him on. We went to our first event and despite having never gone cross country on him, we won it.

“This season has been so exciting, but I couldn’t have achieved any of it without my instructor and my parents, so a big thank you to them. It’s surreal to win this prize and I’m looking forward to moving up the levels and hopefully making a name for myself. Next season, here we come!”

As Sophia had already received Performance Bonus pay-outs earlier in the year, the September/October BE80 Performance Bonus pay-out goes to second placed Emily Tamblyn and Knockenpower Rory who receive £200.

1st (£500) Sophia Waterer and Nico II, 100%

2nd (£350) Emily Tamblyn and Knockenpower Rory, 100%

3rd (£250) Ollie Rowlands and Nimbus Blaise, 100%

BE90 League

Our BE90 League Champion, Faith Penn from Coventry, has had a brilliant year, delivering two wins and a third at Solihull, Moreton Morrell and Swalcliffe Park respectively, giving her an OBP of 97.9% with 17hh, 13-year-old coloured gelding Erwlas Jump For Gold. They collect £700 for winning the league, an extra £250 for the September/October BE90 Performance Bonus pay-out, £350 for finishing second in the Newcomer league, and £200 for the September/October Newcomer Performance Bonus pay-out, giving them a total prize pay-out of £1,500!

“I am absolutely over the moon!” said Faith. “Having competed for many years but only just getting into eventing properly in the past year with my special boy Nemo (Erwlas Jump For Gold), I wasn’t aware of the OBP League until recently! So, it was an amazing surprise. This is new for both Nemo and I, as Nemo had never previously evented either, only showjumped, so this is a career change for him too, and he is loving it so much! As I only got Nemo halfway into the season, we had a very successful rest of the season together, including two wins in a row! I’m so excited to carry on our journey together next season.”

1st (£700) Faith Penn and Erwlas Jump For Gold, 97.9%

2nd (£500) Clara Ellen Hubbard and Furido J, 97.5%

3rd (£300) Claire Marshall and Glencroft Magic Moments, 97.4%

BE100 League

Essex-based Sam Lees and seven-year-old Linkswood Rowen were the winners of the BE100 League with an OBP of 96.3%. Sam and Linkswood Rowen were second in their first event of 2023 in the BE100 at Burnham Market International (1), third in the BE100 at Horseheath and won the BE100open at Little Downham.

Their BE100 campaign also saw them receive £300 for winning the Performance Bonus in March/April. For topping the BE100 league, they now win a whopping £1,000, as well as £250 for finishing third in the Newcomer league. Their total prize fund is £1,250!

“I’m delighted to win and we’re really pleased with his performance, this year,” said Sam. “He is a homebred and is seven now He is from our first crop of foals that we bred ourselves. We broke him in and he has really come into his own this year. He did a lot of flat work over the winter and that has really helped his results.”

As our winner had already received Performance Bonus pay-outs, the Performance Bonus passes down to second-placed Millie Plumb and Curolea Mike. They receive a £300 Performance Bonus pay-out for September and October.

1st (£1000) Sam Lees and Linkswood Rowen, 96.3%

2nd (£750) Millie Plumb and Curolea Mike, 95.1%

3rd (£500) Olivia Haddock and Kilpatrick Knight, 93.4%

A (Near) Winter Warmer: Watch Along with TerraNova’s FEI Divisions, Wherever You Are

By on Nov 16, 2023 9:24 am -

Sara Kozumplik and Rock Phantom are among the CCI4*-L entrants at TerraNova this week.

Depending on where you are in the world, the 2023 season might be over — or you might be plugging along through those final hurrahs of the year before it’s time to chuck your horses in the field for a little while and go into temporary hibernation mode. I’m part of the former group — my season ended with October at Pau in France — and that means that I’m already itching to tune into a bit of sport.

Fortunately for me — and for all of you — we’ve got just the opportunity we need this week, thanks to Horse&Country TV and The Event at TerraNova, which will be broadcast throughout the week. The event’s feature class, the Galati Yacht Sales CCI4*-L, presented by Insurance Office of America, takes to the dressage ring today, as do the plethora of other divisions on offer, and you can catch all the action here or via the Horse&CountryTV page.

Ready to dive into four days of smoking hot competition? Check out the entries and ride times for each division here, and keep a tab open for live scoring can be found here. Here’s a look at how this week’s schedule will play out:

SCHEDULE – EASTERN TIME

THURSDAY
9 a.m. FEI Dressage

FRIDAY
8 a.m. FEI and Horse Trials Dressage

SATURDAY
9 a.m. FEI Cross-Country

SUNDAY
8 a.m. Horse Inspection for all FEI Long format horses.
9 a.m. All Horse Trials Cross-Country.
10 a.m. All FEI Show Jumping – Mounted awards following each division.

Go Eventing — and Go TerraNova!

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

Thursday News & Notes

By on Nov 16, 2023 12:03 am -

When your pony is just the cuuuutest. Photo by Jenna Conrades.

If you have friends who are even a little bit clever with a good camera and a nice lens, I cannot recommend enough that you have a seasonal photo shoot with your horse and/or dog. The pure joy of looking at nice photos of my silly horses, and my dog running through water, and a little good lighting and editing along the way, cannot be matched. I think because we all have cameras on us all the time how fun it is to actually fill a camera roll with one subject, but add it to your list for next year. Or even better, give a friend a photoshoot as a gift! Anyway, here is Turkey looking cute as hell in my recent photoshoot.

U.S. Weekend Preview

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]

News From Around the Globe:

Being a horse-crazy little girl is hard, but being a first-generation equine-smitten little girl is harder. Sarah Harris received a pony for her 8th birthday, and she and her sister Emily were completely in love with the mare, Allie, almost immediately. This led to a lifetime of learning about horses, and training dozens. They call themselves “unlikely” horse people. That’s not only because of their own family’s lack of horse background, but also because Black equestrians are generally underrepresented in modern horse sports. So they formed Sisters Horsing Around to be the educational resource and representation that they wish they had when they were younger. [First-Generation Black Equestrians Make A Splash Online]

Do you have an idea for the equestrian world that could really make an impact? You might want to check out this opportunity from Heels Down Mag CEO and President of EcoGold, Patricia da Silva. She’s offering a chance to foster and give back to a select few equestrian entrepreneurs, sort of like horse-themed Shark Tank, if you will. [Calling All Visionary Equestrians]

Bustin’ Myths Left and Right: Are White Hooves Really Weaker Than Dark Hooves?

I honestly thought that daylight savings was ending this year, and I cannot tell you how truly angry I was to find out that I was incorrect. Nobody wants more hours at 6 AM when it’s freezing cold. Nobody. And especially not equestrians. I want more hours in the afternoon when it’s warmed up and the footing is good! Riding when the days get shorter is a pain, but developing good technique for getting it done without hating yourself and ruining your life is possible. [Three Ways to Save Time on Short Days]

Interested in setting up a jump chute for your young horse this winter? Check out this step-by-step guide to building a chute and using it properly from Spy Coast Farm’s head trainer, Ciaran Thompson. [Free Jumping Your Young Horse]