Classic Eventing Nation

Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: Gymnastic Insanity in the Middle

By on Sep 16, 2015 6:30 pm -

Gymnastieken met de Zirocco

Posted by Stefan Adamowicz on Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Holy intense gymnastic, Batman! If you’re looking for a challenging jumping exercise to wet your pants to attempt this fall, this line of verticals just might do the trick. Watch Dutch show jumper Stefan Adamowicz take a horse through this unconventional grid as cool as a cucumber. (Note: you must be logged in to Facebook in order to view the glory of this video)

No more guesswork. No more worries.

With hundreds of different supplements on the market today, trying to pick the right one for your horse can be frustrating and worrisome. Let your veterinarian and Wiser Concepts® supplements ease the uncertainty. As a team, you and your vet will choose the Wiser Concepts supplement that best meets your horse’s needs.

Wiser Concepts supplements are available only through your veterinarian. Learn more at KPPvet.com.

Michael Jung Won Burghley & Europeans With Broken Leg

By on Sep 16, 2015 5:27 pm -
Michael Jung after winning the 2015 European Eventing Championships. Photo by Tony Parkes/FEI. Michael Jung after winning the 2015 European Eventing Championships. Photo by Tony Parkes/FEI.

Michael Jung confirmed on his Facebook page this afternoon that he broke a piece off his tibia above his ankle in his fall at the first water complex with fischerRocana FST at Burghley earlier this month. He had surgery today to insert two screws to secure the bone chip.

That means Michael won Burghley with La Biosthetique Sam FBW and the FEI European Championships with fischerTakinou on back-to-back weekends … with a broken leg. We’ve often called him The Terminator here on EN, but this takes things to a whole new level.

Please join us in wishing Michael a very speedy recovery!

[Michael Jung’s Facebook page]

101 Horses, 7 for USA Pass First CCI3* Horse Inspection at Blenheim

By on Sep 16, 2015 3:52 pm -
Emily Beshear and Shame on the Moon. Photo by Shannon Brinkman. Emily Beshear and Shame on the Moon. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

As if on cue, about 10 minutes before the First Horse Inspection for marathon CCI3* division here at the Blenheim Palace Horse Trials was due to begin, sure enough the heavens opened and all the torrential rain that was up in Scotland for Blair’s cross-country day came back to revisit us.

Liz Halliday-Sharp and Fernhill by Night

Liz Halliday-Sharp and Fernhill by Night. Photo by Samantha Clark.

101 horses were presented before the Ground Jury, and all were accepted, most without any fuss, but three were sent to the holding box first; they were Katie Barber and Apollos Copywright, Paul Sims and Calador, and Kate Chadderton and VS Mccuan Civil Liberty. Kate must either be feeling like the luckiest girl in the world or the most hard put-upon depending on whether she’s a glass half-full or empty sort of person after scraping in off the wait-list today at literally the very last minute, and now this. Let’s hope her nerves can take the pressure!

Kate Chadderton and VS McCuan Civil Liberty Photo By Samantha Clark

Kate Chadderton and VS McCuan Civil Liberty. Photo By Samantha Clark.

Three horses were asked to trot twice — Kevin McNab’s Dustman, Emily Philp’s Camembert and Patricia Ryan’s Dunrath Eclipse. Alex Peternell’s two horses were probably the naughtiest behaved on the jog strip, whinnying to each other, mini rearing, refusing to stand still and showing us some nice passage and airs above the ground!

Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen

Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen. Photo by Samantha Clark.

Most riders and grooms tried to leave the horse’s rugs and rainsheets on until the very last minute, and due to the appalling conditions we weren’t treated to any amazing fashions, but props to Emily Beshear especially, Clark Montgomery, Lauren Kieffer in red, and Lissa Green.

Emily Beshear and Shame on The Moon

Emily Beshear and Shame on The Moon. Photo by Samantha Clark.

Lauren Kieffer and Veronica

Lauren Kieffer and Veronica. Photo by Samantha Clark.

Well done to the  Ground Jury, organising comittee and especially volunteers helping ferry riders in and out of the jog strip as quickly as possible in such miserable conditions and completing such an enormous number of competitors in what must be record time.

Will Coleman and Obos O'Reilly

Will Coleman and Obos O’Reilly. Photo by Samantha Clark.

The dressage starts early tomorrow with Nicky Roncoroni doing the test ride for the CCI3* on Watts Burn at 8:10 a.m. GB time and Pippa Funnell kicking off the competition proper at 8:30 a.m. on Mirage D’Elle. We have four U.S. riders to look forward to tomorrow: Liz Halliday-Sharp on Fernhill By Night at 11:45 a.m., Lauren Kieffer and Veronica at 14:30,  Jennifer McFall and High Times at 16:07, and William Coleman and Obos O’Reilly at 16:37.

Elisa Wallace and Simply Priceless

Elisa Wallace and Simply Priceless. Photo by Samantha Clark.

Stay tuned for pictures of the CCI3* cross country course, and we’ll put the rest of our trot up pictures on the Eventing Nation Facebook page and do make sure to keep checking Shannon Brinkman’s facebook page also — we’re lucky enough to have her here this weekend and her photos really are something pretty special. We’ll be featuring a few every day on Eventing Nation but keep your eyes out for more.

Shannon Kinsley, Lauren Kieffer and Veronica. Photo by Shannon Brinkman

Shannon Kinsley, Lauren Kieffer and Veronica. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

The forecast is for overnight rain and then a nice day tomorrow before more rain overnight again. Hoping everyone at Blenheim dries out, especially poor California native Jen McFall who looked completely out of sorts, and High Times who looked rather nonplussed by all the water falling from the sky but was very good-natured nonetheless! Looking forward to a busy day tomorrow, this division is completely stacked with talent, very, very exciting. Go the USA at Blenheim!

Jen McFall and High Times

Jen McFall and High Times in the downpour! Photo by Samantha Clark.

Blenheim Links: Website, Entries, EN’s Coverage, Twitter, Instagram, @samanthalclark

Large U.S. Contingent Ready to Take On Blenheim

By on Sep 16, 2015 1:30 pm -

It’s a big week for U.S. eventing as a large contingent of Americans take on the Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials. Easily recognized as one of the most prestigious and grueling events in the world, we have seven Americans (and one U.S.-based Aussie!) in the CCI3*, as well as Lauren Kieffer with two rides in the CIC3* 8/9-year-old class.

Samantha Clark will be on the grounds for EN keeping up with our Americans all weekend, so be sure to keep it locked on EN for everything you need to know from Blenheim. The first horse inspection just wrapped up with all horses passing, so stay tuned for a full report with photos.

Blenheim Links: Website, Entries, EN’s Coverage, Twitter, Instagram, @samanthalclark

Liz Halliday-Sharp and Fernhill By Night. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Liz Halliday-Sharp and Fernhill By Night at The Fork. Photo by Jenni Autry.

U.S. CCI3* Competitors

Kate Chadderton and VS McCuan Civil Liberty: U.S.-based Australian Kate Chadderton is the honorary American we’ll be following along with this weekend as she competes in her first UK event aboard VS McCuan Civil Liberty, an 11-year-old off-track Thoroughbred gelding owned by Patrick McCuan that is making his overseas debut.

Civil Liberty has had a big step up this year, completing his first CCI3* at Bromont. While this little OTTB isn’t fond of the dressage phase, he’s a consistent and fast cross country horse and has the chops to get around this big Blenheim track. Aussie Aussie Aussie!

Liz Halliday-Sharp and Fernhill By Night: Liz knows the challenge she’s up against in Blenheim, having competed in the CCI3* with her other top mount HHS Cooley in 2013. Now she’s bringing “Blackie,” a 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by Deborah Halliday, for a crack at the track, and there’s a lot to like about their chances.

These two shine in dressage and will almost certainly be one of the best-placed American combinations at the conclusion of that phase. Their scores in the little white box just keep getting better and better, and Liz and Blackie most recently delivered a personal best of 36.1 on the flat in the CIC3* at Breda. The horse has also jumped clear show jumping rounds at plenty of big CCI3* events before, so the outcome of their weekend likely comes down to cross country — kick on, Liz!

Lauren Kieffer and Veronica: Lauren and Veronica, a 13-year-old Dutch mare owned by Team Rebecca, have completed three major competitions in Europe in the past year, never finishing lower than 15th in any of their efforts. They’re most recently coming off a seventh-place finish at the Bramham CCI3*, another very imposing British track, and a 15th-place finish at Aachen, where they helped Team USA to a third-place finish in the Nations Cup.

“Troll” is nothing if consistent dressage, and we can likely expect her to score under 45 in the first phase. She also rarely pulls rails in show jumping and has jumped clear at each of her National and FEI competitions all year. So it really comes down to cross country as to how Blenheim will play out for these two. If Lauren can let the mare cruise, they’ll be very much in the hunt come Sunday.

Jen McFall and High Times. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Jen McFall and High Times at Rebecca Farm. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Jen McFall and High Times: Jen and “Billy,” her own 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding, have made the longest trek of any of our Americans at this event, traveling from California to compete in their first overseas competition. The horse has had a lighter season after a minor injury sidelined him during Rolex, so he’ll be coming in to Blenheim fresh and full of running.

Jen has been working extremely hard on her dressage this year, and the lower scores are definitely starting to hit the board. They delivered a personal best of 48.2 at the level at the Galway Downs CIC3* in March and also delivered a respectable 53.1 at Rebecca Farm following Billy’s lay-up from his injury. It will be exciting to see what they deliver at Blenheim with even more time spent honing in on the dressage this summer.

Will Coleman and OBOS O’Reilly: Will and “Oboe,” a 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by the Four Star Eventing Group, have had a very exciting season, with the horse making his four-star debut to finish sixth at Rolex Kentucky and continuing to show good form with a 13th place finish at Richland CIC3*. Oboe delivered one of his better dressage tests at Richland, and that phase continues to be the big challenge for him, as he can get tense and hot in big atmospheres.

But Will is no stranger to Blenheim, having completed the CCI3* with Nevada Bay in 2010. “Oboe” is a superb cross country horse and has the advantage of a very experienced pilot in the irons as the horse makes his overseas debut. If Will can keep the lid on in dressage, these two have the potential to finish high up the leaderboard.

Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen at Luhmühlen. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen at Luhmühlen. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

Clark Mongtomery and Loughan Glen: Clark and “Glen,” a 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by Jess Montgomery, Kathryn Kraft, and Holly and William Becker, have the most experience at Blenheim by far of any of the other U.S. combinations competing. They placed third in the CCI3* in 2013 and fifth in 2011, and Clark and Glen have a real shot at improving on those performances and winning the whole thing.

Indeed, Clark and Glen are coming in hot to start their fall season after a stellar spring and summer campaign that saw them win the massive Grantham Cup CIC3* class at Belton Park before going on to finish sixth at Luhmühlen CCI4* in June on 37.5. After a well-deserved summer break, Glen continued in his good form by winning the CIC2* at Somerford Park last month as his final prep for Blenheim. We’re expecting great things from these two this weekend.

Elisa Wallace and Simply Priceless: Easily this year’s Cinderella story here in the U.S., Elisa Wallace and Simply Priceless, a 14-year-old Australian Thoroughbred gelding owned by David and Jill Hopcroft, have continued to impress since finishing Rolex Kentucky as the highest placed rookies in their CCI4* debut. After trying to compete at Blenheim a decade ago before an injury to her horse cut that goal short, Elisa has finally accomplished her dream of making it overseas.

Elisa and “Johnny” have been diligently training with Karen O’Connor since this spring, and the proof that their hard work is paying off is evident when looking at their ever-dropping scores. They finished the Richland CIC3* in seventh place on 51.4, improving on their previous best CIC3* finishing score by a whopping 21.9 points. These two are more than ready to make their overseas debut.

Emily Beshear and Shame on the Moon. Photo by Kasey Mueller/Rare Air Photography.

Emily Beshear and Shame on the Moon. Photo by Rare Air Photography.

Emily Beshear and Shame On The Moon: Emily and “Delta,” a 9-year-old Trakehner/Thoroughbred mare owned by Deep Purple Eventing, have been an exciting combination to watch for some time now, and it’s clear the partnership is really starting to mesh when looking at their results from these last few months. While the mare is one of the younger horses in the field, she has the added advantage of a rider who knows the event well, as Emily finished 24th at Blenheim in 2012 with Here’s To You.

This pair came oh so close to winning the Bromont CCI3* in June, with one too many rails down ultimately seeing them finish in second place to the seasoned four-star campaigner RF Demeter. Then Emily and Delta jumped their first clear FEI show jumping round in a year at Richland CIC3* and stormed around cross country to finish third in a very competitive division. All the pieces are there for this mare to deliver in her overseas debut.

U.S. CIC3* 8/9-Year-Old Competitors

Lauren Kieffer and Landmark’s Monte Carlo: It will be a busy week for Lauren as she competes Veronica in the CCI3* and two horses in the CIC3* 8/9-year-old class. Landmark’s Monte Carlo, a 9-year-old Irish/Thoroughbred cross owned by Jacqueline Mars, is one of the horses she’s been really excited about coming through the ranks, and he definitely has a lot of potential.

“Patrick” won the CIC3* at Jersey Fresh in May before completing his first CCI3* at Bromont in June. He’s only competed at the National level since then, completing two events in England to get a good feel for the type of terrain he’ll be facing this weekend. He’s had some blips on cross country this season, but Lauren has all the experience to pilot him around clear at Blenheim.

Lauren Kieffer and Vermiculus at Wellington. Photo by Spidge Photography.

Lauren Kieffer and Vermiculus at Wellington. Photo by Spidge Photography.

Lauren Kieffer and Vermiculus: This 8-year-0ld Anglo-Arab gelding owned by Jacqueline Mars is a blast to watch ping around a cross country course, and his game attitude should suit him well for Blenheim. He has already run one CIC3* since arriving in England for Lauren’s overseas fall tour, completing Wellington last month as his final prep for this event.

This horse has flown a little under the radar this season in the shadow of his stablemate and U.S. Pan Ams team gold medalist Meadowbrook’s Scarlett. Vermiculus was named as an alternate for Toronto and also followed the same team path this summer, and while he’s still green to the level, he has all the tools he needs for a good finish in this CIC3* class at Blenheim.

The Future of NAJYRC: Creating a Formula for Success

By on Sep 16, 2015 11:00 am -
The gold medal CH-J* Area II team at NAJYRC 2015. From left: Skyler Decker, Camilla Grover-Dodge, Amanda Beale Clement and Morgan Booth. Photo by Brant Gamma for the FEI. The gold medal CH-J* Area II team at NAJYRC 2015. From left: Skyler Decker, Camilla Grover-Dodge, Amanda Beale Clement and Morgan Booth. Photo by Brant Gamma for the FEI.

Since the FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships began as an eventing competition between the U.S. and Canada in 1974, competing at NAJYRC has continued to be a pinnacle goal for young eventers between the ages of 14 and 21. Numerous NAJYRC graduates go on to compete at the highest levels of the sport and ultimately represent their countries on the world stage.

While the 2015 NAJYRC showcased the top young riders in North America at the one-star level, the two-star championship ultimately had to be canceled at the last minute due to “insufficient international entries.” Under FEI rules, this year’s two-star could only run as a non-championship Under 21 division and ultimately saw just four horses and riders compete.

Why is a program that has seen so much success over the past four decades now struggling to fill entries? What other challenges is NAJYRC facing? What is the future of this important program? We’ve reached out to the riders, their trainers and their NAJYRC team coaches to take an in-depth look at NAJYRC, starting with how to create a winning formula for qualifying riders.

Camilla Grover-Dodge and Remington keep their lead going into the show-jumping in the CCI* at NAJYRC after a fast, clear XC round

Camilla Grover-Dodge and Remington XXV at NAJYRC. Photo by Samantha Clark.

Molly Kinnamon and Camilla Grover-Dodge

This year’s CH-J* individual gold medalist Camilla Grover-Dodge began training with Molly Kinnamon about two years ago, when she joined MK Equestrian’s program with her Mustang pony, Tuesday. At that point in Camilla’s riding career, she had competed up to Training level on her pony, but a bad fall at Loch Moy really rocked their confidence.

According to Camilla, she and Tuesday were scared over jumps and “awful at dressage,” so Molly had her work cut out for her with this tricky partnership. As Molly helped Camilla regain her confidence with Tuesday, a new and exciting relationship also began to form with four-star favorite and toe-flicker extraordinaire Remington XXV, who had been retired from the upper levels after competing with Boyd Martin and Caitlin Silliman.

Owned by Camilla’s grandparents, Ron and Densey Juvonen, “Remi” wasn’t quite ready to spend the rest of his days turned out in a field in Unionville, so the next horse for Camilla was obvious. Camilla and Remington began to get to know each other in June 2014 with the goal of competing at Training and ultimately the Preliminary level.

Area VI at NAJYRC in 1998! From left, Suzanne Andreotti and Buehler, Katie Weil, Molly Kinnamon with Sweet William, and Heather Morris and Rebel Express. Photo courtesy of Molly Kinnamon.

Area VI at NAJYRC in 1998! From left, Suzanne Andreotti and Buehler, Katie Weil, Molly Kinnamon and Sweet William, and
Heather Morris and Rebel Express. Photo courtesy of Molly Kinnamon.

Training and Preparing for NAJYRC

Once Camilla and Remi made the successful transition into Molly’s program, they designed a plan to take it slow and stay at the Training level all year, which culminated in taking the top prize at the 2014 Area II Championships for Training level.

Molly, who rode at NAJYRC in 1998, believes the best-laid plan for getting to Young Riders is to make a road map once you’re comfortable at the Preliminary level. They key is to have a short and longterm plan, she said, and not to rush the decision to aim for Young Riders.

The best case scenario in Molly’s mind is to base your competition plans off of success at the Preliminary level, and when your trainer feels it’s appropriate, then make a longterm plan to compete at NAJYRC. The recurring theme she emphasizes for both one-star and two-star level riders is to allow plenty of time to prepare and qualify.

From Camilla’s point of view: “Molly helped me through being terrified at Sporting Days and helped me with my eye a lot. I learned how to see a distance through simple exercises. Equitation and the hunters had been my thing until I was 10, and then I quit riding for a couple years. I didn’t started eventing until eighth grade. But Molly made it super fun and not scary. She helped me with my confidence.”

Molly herself rode on the Area VI NAJYRC CH-Y2* team in 1998 while working for Jil Walton, who was Area VI’s coach at the time, for three summers leading up to the event, learning about the preparation that goes into competing at a major three-day event. “NAJYRC gave me a real-life experience of being on a team and taught me that excellence comes from the whole group, not just an individual,” she said.

Molly took her own past experiences and applied them to Camilla and Remi’s training and fitness program. “The relationship between Camilla and Remi has been amazing,” she said. “Camilla’s past equitation experience gave her a lovely, well balanced and soft way of riding; Remi really appreciates that. Remi has in turn shown Camilla how to coordinate her aids for lateral work. It has been a win-win situation for both Remi and Camilla. He has flourished in his 3rd career.”

Molly and Camilla worked together to create a successful formula for qualifying for Young Riders, but even though Camilla was coming into the game with a seasoned campaigner, it was not a forgone conclusion — getting there was going to take hard work. Molly, who trains with Phillip Dutton, practices his theory of training a horse up the levels: the fastest way to get somewhere is to go slowly.

Molly sticks to Phillip’s philosophy for positive training, fitness and results. Every horse goes out on a long hack at least once a week walking hills as part of Phillip’s long, slow distance program. Once winter hits, and as long as there’s safe footing, they continue with a hack day and/or conditioning day, but build up their interval canter work as well.

As fitness progresses so does the training schedule, which typically includes two or three days of dressage work, a day of jumping/flat work over smaller fences or logs, and a day of proper jump schooling. Camilla and Remi also used this model in preparing for NAJYRC.

Molly also recognizes that beyond the trainer and student relationship, the key to successfully qualifying for Young Riders also requires hard work from a team of dedicated parents, flexible teachers, a great vet and a master farrier. “Camilla was very humble and worked very hard to reach her goals, but always made the right choices for Remi,” she said.

Camilla Grover-Dodge and Remington lead the CCI* at NAJYRC after the dressage phase at the Kentucky Horse Park.

Camilla Grover-Dodge and Remington XXV at NAJYRC. Photo by Samantha Clark.

Molly’s Tips for Young Rider Success

  1. Get in a good program and find a seasoned trainer that works well with you.
  2. Spend a summer or a few days a week as a working student.
  3. Set jumps, observe top riders training, engulf yourself in a program, work on conditioning, devote yourself as a student.
  4. Keep your horse sound and happy. Don’t be so caught up in getting qualified that you forget about your horses well-being.
  5. Use common sense in your training program to keep your horse sound.
  6. Find a role model and emulate that person!

NAJYRC exists to educate and produce riders to the top of the sport, providing a platform for young athletes to learn the ropes of preparing and competing at a major FEI championships. The goal remains for that experience to stick with them throughout their lives, both in and out of the tack.

The program clearly has been very influential on Molly’s career progression as a rider, a person and an industry professional, and she has now been able to use those experiences to help produce an NAJYRC gold medalist in Camilla. So what is the key to keeping the NAJYRC program a flourishing one so people like Molly and Camilla can continue to reap the benefits?

Join us next week when we discuss NAJYRC’s cancellation of the two-star championships this year as well as gain feedback from more NAJYRC graduates: David Ziegler, 2014 NAJYRC CH-Y2* individual gold medalist, and his coach Missy Ransehousen, who won a gold medal at the 1988 NAJYRC.

By the Numbers: Plantation Field CIC3*

By on Sep 16, 2015 9:00 am -
Jennie Brannigan and Cambalda. Photo by Rare Air Photography. Jennie Brannigan and Cambalda. Photo by Rare Air Photography.

The CIC3* at Plantation Field is a huge draw and, as it currently stands, looks to be the biggest CIC3* division held in the U.S. this year. With 67 horses currently entered, Plantation Field has begun to rival the size of the British CIC3* fields, an incredible feat for an American event.

Riders have come from as far away as California for this show, bypassing the chance to win considerable prize money with little competition at the American Eventing Championships, aiming instead to compete for the prestige of topping a large, competitive field. Oh, and there’s also prize money here.

With the entry list reading as a veritable who’s who of U.S. eventing, it’s hard to pick just 10 horses. For all that I’ve narrowed it down to 10, there’s another 10 or 15 who legitimately have a shot at a ribbon at the end of the weekend. It’s an exciting time with this much talent coming up the ranks.

The dressage test will be 2015 FEI 3*-B, which will be used at the Dutta Corp Fair Hill International later this fall as well. The cross country course designer is Mike Etherington-Smith, who will be designing for the second year here and most recently created the Great Meadow course. The show jumping course designer is Marc Donovan, who continues to build up his frequent flyer miles after doing Five Points, Richland and Millbrook recently.

TOP TEN

1. Jennie Brannigan and Cambalda: The rivalry continues between Cambalda and Ballynoe Castle RM at Plantation Field, with a toss-up as to who is better on which day. Cambalda gets the edge this time, based on previous experience with this dressage test and course designer.

Jennie has done this test twice with this horse, averaging a 43.9, which would put this pair in the top five after dressage. A habit of jumping double clear over Marc Donovan courses will move this pair up after the second phase. This pair finished 2 seconds under optimum on Mike’s cross country here last year, but finished 19 seconds over the time at Great Meadow, averaging 3.6 time penalties. They should clinch the win on a score in the mid-to-high 40s.

Kim Severson and Cooley Cross Border. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Kim Severson and Cooley Cross Border. Photo by Jenni Autry.

2. Kim Severson and Cooley Cross Border: Cooley Cross Border is doing his first CIC3* this weekend. If his two Advanced wins at Richland and Five Points in the last month are any indication, he will be pressing Cambalda for top honors here as well.

While Cooley Cross Border hasn’t performed this test, he has averaged the equivalent of a 44.7 in his past three outings. This horse has yet to have a rail at this level, including over Marc Donovan’s Richland course. An average of 4.4 time penalties over his first Mike Etherington-Smith CIC3* course will help this pair clinch second place, with a score just under 50.

3. Buck Davidson and Copper Beach: Copper Beach has a trip to the Boekelo CCIO3* looming on the horizon, and with that in mind, Buck will probably start to tighten this horse’s screws this weekend. This horse excelled at this venue last year, finishing second in the field of 52.

Copper Beach averages a score of 49.6 on this particular test, putting him in early stalking range. A careful jumper, Copper Beach has only had one rail all year at this level and averages a double clear round over Marc’s courses. Buck brought this horse home inside the time here last year over Mark Etherington-Smith’s cross country. If they can replicate that performance, they should finish third with a score only half a point behind Cooley Cross Border.

Buck Davidson and Ballynoe Castle RM. Photo by Kasey Mueller/Rare Air Photography.

Buck Davidson and Ballynoe Castle RM. Photo by Kasey Mueller/Rare Air Photography.

4. Buck Davidson and Ballynoe Castle RM: Reggie has been battling it out all year with Cambalda, but this may not be their weekend for first. Buck took his partner around the cross country slow here last year after a tough World Equestrian Games. A quicker round this year would shift these two up the ranks to battle it out at the top.

Reggie is quite consistent on the flat, and his average of 44.8 on this test is very close to his overall average. This horse has jumped over five Marc Donovan courses this year, accumulating a grand total of one rail, so look for him to jump double clear on Saturday. If this pair matches their 7.2 time penalties from last year’s Plantation, look for them in fourth with a score just over 50.

5. Caroline Martin and Center Stage: Center Stage looks to be a rising star for Caroline, a horse who can potentially finish with solid scores in all three phases. This pair recently finished fifth in a big CIC3* division at Richland in what was only the horse’s second run at this level.

Center Stage scored a 43.4 on this test at Richland, which could potentially put them in the top five after the first phase. This pair has pulled one rail in two Marc Donovan rounds, leaving the potential for them to have one down this weekend. While he hasn’t yet tackled a Mike Etherington-Smith course, Center Stage has averaged 5.2 time penalties across the country thus far. A score in the low 50s would put Caroline just behind her coach in fifth place.

Tamie Smith and Mai Baum. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Tamie Smith and Mai Baum. Photo by Sally Spickard.

6. Tamie Smith and Mai Baum: Tamie is bringing the very talented Mai Baum back to the East Coast for Plantation Field before heading on to Fair Hill. This horse has won every West Coast division he’s entered at this level and should do quite well this weekend back on the East Coast.

Mai Baum is quite proficient on the flat, averaging a 40.5 for this particular test. Look for this pair to possibly lead the division after the first phase. These two have yet to jump a Marc Donovan course, but overall average one rail in the show jumping phase. Tamie and Mai Baum accumulated 8.4 time penalties in their only run over a Mike E-S course at Great Meadow, and if they match that, they will finish just outside the top five with a score less than half a point behind Center Stage.

7. Phillip Dutton and Mr. Candyman: Mr. Candyman now has two runs under his belt at this level and thus far appears to be a very exciting prospect. This horse recently finished second in a strong Five Points Advanced division and will be stepping up to his first CIC3* here.

This horse hasn’t done a three-star test yet, but averages a 45.8 in his first two goes at the Advanced level. He has yet to have a rail in show jumping, so look for a double clear round from him on Saturday. An average of 8 time penalties across the country would put this place solidly in seventh, with a score just over a point behind Mai Baum.

Mikki Kutchka and Ruben's D'Ysieux. Photo courtesy of Kasey Mueller/Rare Air Photography.

Mikki Kutchka and Ruben’s D’Ysieux. Photo courtesy of Kasey Mueller/Rare Air Photography.

8. Mikki Kuchta and Rubens D’Ysieux: Mikki’s grey horse is another who has recently stepped up to the level and is now making an impact. Plantation Field will be the horse’s fourth start, and their numbers thus far point to consistency in all three phases.

Rubens D’Ysieux scored a 43.1 on this test at Richland, which would be good enough for the top three here. This is another horse who hasn’t yet had a rail at this level, and he jumped double clear over Marc Donovan’s courses at Millbrook and Richland. A bit slow across the country still, they average 13.6 time penalties, which will drop them down a bit. A final score in the mid-50s will put this pair in eighth place.

9. Phillip Dutton and Fernhill Cubalawn: Fernhill Cubalawn is back from his trip overseas to the Aachen CICO3*, where he finished 11th in very strong company and helped the U.S. Nations Cup team to a third-place finish. This horse has been very consistent all year and should continue to produce solid results for Phillip.

Fernhill Cubalawn averages a 50.1 on this particular test, which is a couple points above their overall average. Cubalawn has only had one rail all year, but that rail came over Marc Donovan’s Carolina International three-star course, so this horse could potentially have a rail here as well. A swift average of only 2.8 time penalties across the country would help keep this pair in the top 10 with a score only a tenth of a point behind Rubens D’Ysieux.

Selena O'Hanlon and Foxwood High. Photo by Kasey Mueller/Rare Air Photography.

Selena O’Hanlon and Foxwood High. Photo by Kasey Mueller/Rare Air Photography.

10. Selena O’Hanlon and Foxwood High: Selena has really turned a corner with this horse on the flat, with scores more than 10 points below their previous average in both of their competitions since Rolex. This pair could be potentially higher up the ranks depending on if their flat score continues to fall.

Foxwood High averages a 48.1 on this test, but recently scored a 43.3 at Richland. This pair does average one rail over Marc Donovan courses but makes up for it with a very swift average of only 4.8 time penalties across the country. Look for Selena to round out the top 10 with a score in the mid-to-high 50s.

Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous. Photo by Jenni Autry.

THE SPOILER

Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous: This mare obviously has huge potential, and has the hardware to prove it as the reigning Pan Ams individual gold medalist. An unfortunate stumble in stadium popped Marilyn out of the tack last weekend at the mare’s first CIC3* before they could even set foot on the cross country course, but it’s unlikely that will happen again. With the ability to score in the 30s each time out, jump a clear stadium round and go quick across the country, RF Scandalous could easily take the win at the end of the weekend.

Boyd Martin and Blackfoot Mystery. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Boyd Martin and Blackfoot Mystery. Photo by Jenni Autry.

THE SLEEPER

Boyd Martin and Blackfoot Mystery: Boyd Martin and his new ride are just running their second show at this level together, but they certainly had an impressive first go at Five Points. This horse won the dressage at Plantation last year with Kelly Prather in the irons, and Boyd just equaled their score from last year at Five Points.

This horse is almost always a one- or two-rail horse, so Boyd will have his work cut out for him to jump double clear come Saturday, but a double clear run on Sunday isn’t out of the realm of possibility. These two will likely crack the top 10 at the end of the weekend, and it shouldn’t be long before they are right at the top of the leaderboard.

Wednesday News and Notes from MDBarnmaster

By on Sep 16, 2015 12:01 am -
Cathy Wieschoff gives a thumbs up at Flying Cross. Photo courtesy of JJ Silliman. Cathy Wieschoff gives a thumbs up at Flying Cross. Photo courtesy of JJ Silliman.

And it’s fall! From anticipation over the fall shows at Plantation and Fair Hill, to football on TV, light jackets and hot apple cider, I love everything about fall. However, I’m still riding around in short sleeves because I am a furnace, while my trainer shows up to teach wearing at least three layers. Apparently Cathy Weischoff agrees with my own trainer that fall is a cold season, as she looks fully decked out for winter to me!

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Stoneleigh-Burnham School Fall H.T. [Website]

Plantation Field CIC & H.T.  [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Marlborough H.T.  [Website] [Entry Status]

Tryon Riding & Hunt Club H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Fleur de Leap H.T.  [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Otter Creek Fall H.T.  [Website] [Entry Status]

Twin Rivers Fall H.T.  [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

Stanton Farms H.T.  [Website] [Entry Status]

Stone Gate Farm H.T.  [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

FLAIR is offering you a chance to win some awesome books. The well-known nasal strip company is holding a contest that ends on 7 am on September 19 to win two book, ‘Modern Eventing’ by Phillip Dutton and ‘World-Class Grooming’ by Emma Ford and Cat Hill. All you need to do is follow the link and post a comment about why you love FLAIR Nasal Strips at the bottom. [Flair Strips – Win!]

Haley and her sister Amber are headed back to the AECs. Two years apart, the sisters have always been competitive according to Haley. Now 16 and 18, the girls will head to Texas from Mississippi to contest the Training divisions at the American Eventing Championships next week. Haley details their journey from beginner riders up to experienced eventers. [Curry Sisters Look to Conquer Junior Training]

This week in Horse & Hound’s Numbers: We are running our biggest CIC3* of the year over here in America, but Blenheim is sporting a staggering 104 entries…a few of which are US-based! That’s pretty par for the course for the sport over in England. [Eventing in Numbers]

Let’s learn a little about Cortes ‘C’. Beezie Madden’s World Equestrian Games mount is apparently quite the character around the barn. While he isn’t a huge fan of other horses, he loves human attention begging for Lifesavers or dragging his handlers to the ‘carrot barrel’. [Behind the Stall Door]

This week on the Eventing Radio Show: Kitty King and Pippa Roome. Kitty King drops by to talk with hosts Liz and Paul about her fantastic season thus far. Pippa Roome of  Horse & Hound drops by to talk recent hot topics in eventing. [Eventing Radio Show]

SmartPak Product of the Day: I bought these as a way to keep my saddles ‘incognito’ at horse shows, and I was super impressed with the quality. The outer fabric is durable but soft while the inner fleece is thick and luxurious. While they only come in plain black, you can order them with a monogram or even add your own. [SmartPak]

Are you EXCITED? Because I most definitely am.

Tuesday Video from SpectraVET: Helping OTTBs Transition to Second Careers

By on Sep 15, 2015 5:00 pm -

Want to learn more about OTTBs and all of the disciplines they can excel in? Canterbury Park shared this awesome promo video showing how CANTER Minnesota helps OTTBs transition to their next careers once their racing days are over.

To learn more about CANTER USA and its affiliates, including ways you can support the nonprofit and the horses it seeks to rehome, visit the CANTER USA website. If you own and love an OTTB, share their story in the comments! We love to hear about these athletes and their lives before and after the racetrack.

Why SpectraVET?

Reliable. Effective. Affordable.

SpectraVET is committed to providing only the highest-quality products and services to our customers, and to educating the world in the science and art of laser therapy.

We design and manufacture the broadest range of clinically-proven veterinary therapeutic laser products, which are represented and supported worldwide by our network of specialist distributors and authorized service centers.

The Quest to Find One Thoroughbred’s Perfect Fit

By on Sep 15, 2015 3:00 pm -

This great OTTB success story appeared in CANTER PA's most recent newsletter, and the organization has kindly allowed EN to re-print it here. Do you own an opinionated OTTB and have your own success story to share? Tell us about your horse in the comments below. Learn more about CANTER PA at their website.

Kendra Richardson and Rhinehold schooling at home. Photo by Jessica Sanders Photography. Kendra Richardson and Rhinehold schooling at home. Photo by Jessica Sanders Photography.

It was an odd decision to purchase the mischievous, unruly 5-year-old gelding that Kendra Richardson first saw listed on CANTER PA’s website. He lacked manners, a solid education and clearly had no regard for anyone handling him. But he was grey, athletic, had wonderful connections, and Kendra is an experienced horsewoman. What could go wrong?

With self-admitted strange decision-making skills, Kendra packed up an immature Rhinehold and set off for home. It took no time at all for Rhinehold’s lack of training to shine through. He pranced, pulled and twirled his way to the paddock — nearly running over Kendra in the process. He was no “instant prince” when he came off the track, but Kendra knew there was more to him than his childish ways.

“Training began with learning how to walk to the paddock in a straight line,” she says, “He was a total brat!”

Baby steps on the ground meant Kendra, and her husband Ben, would use the same technique when approaching under-saddle work. Though Rhinehold could now act somewhat behaved when being turned out, he was unable to do the same when in the ring.

Rhinehold’s athleticism and sharp brain meant he was easily distracted and hard to tire. “He doesn’t tire, ever, so my stamina became very good. He was a good boy in that he never reared or bucked, but he did this ‘dolphin’ move that, I’m not going to lie, was not fun to try and stay on,” Kendra said.

In fact, it took trickery, poles and a whole lot patience to even get Rhinehold through a flat session. The methods were limitless: serpentines, circles, change in direction and Rhinehold’s personal favorite — jumps (every few yards at that). After several small victories, life got in the way of Rhinehold’s training, and he sat out in the field through winter.

“He had obviously been practicing a lot at the ‘dolphin’ move because, let me tell you, he had perfected it by March!” Kendra said.

It appeared that Rhinehold regressed in his month without work, but it was just how he expressed boredom. Like many Thoroughbreds, Rhinehold possesses a sharp, fearless mind that craves challenges. Kendra knew he would not be an easy retraining project, but she also knew he would be great at something — she just had to unlock it.

“We basically tricked him into learning and liking flatwork. Little by little, he got better and easier, and I could go longer without entertaining. We started to do lots of grid work to shorten up his stride and teach him that he actually had a hind end to use over the jumps,” Kendra said.

It was during this time that Kendra made the pivotal decision to take Rhinehold out cross country. “I had this feeling that the ring is not where this horse was going to excel,” said said. “He is very brave — nothing bothers him, and he has a great sense of self preservation.”

While Rhinhold’s flair for dramatics nearly spoiled their first Beginner Novice event, the pair persevered and ended with an enjoyable cross country round.

After their dressage test pointed out the weaknesses on the flat, the two went back home and continued their schooling. Shortly after, Rhinehold changed — as if a light bulb went off and he suddenly knew his job. “I don’t know what it was, but my opinionated, bratty dolphin turned into a willing, amazing, incredibly fun and easy — yes, I said easy — valiant steed,” Kendra said.

Rhinehold finished fifth in his following event and is now gearing up for the highly anticipated Retired Racehorse Project Thoroughbred Makeover, where he and Kendra will proudly represent CANTER PA next month.

Kendra views the Thoroughbred Makeover as a stage to display Rhinehold’s transformation. His tough, hard-fought journey from stubborn, and sometimes dangerous, to confident and thriving is a tale Kendra is eager to share.

“I want people to know that he was NOT easy,” she says, “I feel more people need to understand how difficult the beginning can be.”

Kendra emphasizes that with patience, experience and the appropriate setting, even the most opinionated horse can thrive.

By the Numbers: Plantation Field Advanced

By on Sep 15, 2015 1:00 pm -
Lillian Heard and Share Option. Photo courtesy of Rare Air Photography. Lillian Heard and Share Option. Photo courtesy of Rare Air Photography.

Plantation Field is my absolute favorite event of the year and it has nothing to do with the fact that it is literally a five minute drive from my barn. Well, maybe a little. But it’s mostly because the organizers go absolutely all out to make this event great for riders, owners and spectators. The arenas are amazing, the course designers are top notch, and the parties are themed. This year’s theme is  “Down Under in the Aussie Outback,” which means Boyd and his accent will probably be center stage. They might even get Phillip to talk.

Plantation Field made the decision this year to almost exclusively run FEI, with an Advanced as the lone horse trials division, in order to allow everyone to do dressage in the main arena. The event filled early, with a hefty wait list forming before closing date. While the Advanced division is largely dwarfed by the three-star division, there are still some solid competitors entered.

The dressage test will be 2014 USEF A-B. The cross country course designer is Mike Etherington-Smith, who will be designing for the second year here and most recently created the Great Meadow CIC3* course. The show jumping course designer is Marc Donovan, who continues to build up his frequent flyer miles after doing Five Points, Richland and Millbrook in the last six weeks.

TOP FIVE

1. Lillian Heard and Share Option: Lillian has built herself quite a string this year, with four horses spread out over the Advanced and three-star divisions. Share Option is by far the most experienced of the lot, and a win here should set him up nicely for his trip over to Pau later this fall.

Share Option has been steadily getting better and better on the flat this year, and while his average on this test is a 37.2, he could score a good bit lower than that. This horse has yet to have a rail this year and is very likely to jump double clear over Marc Donovan’s stadium course.

A swift run across the country with only 2.4 time penalties over Mike Etherington-Smith’s course will leave Lillian in first at the end of the weekend. They should finish on a final score just under 40.

Sally Cousins and Tsunami. Photo courtesy of Rare Air Photography.

Sally Cousins and Tsunami. Photo courtesy of Rare Air Photography.

2. Sally Cousins and Tsunami III: Sally and Tsunami III are old friends and everyone knows that Tsunami is a jumping machine. One of the swiftest pairs on the circuit, Sally will use Tsunami’s turn of foot to land near the top at the end of the weekend.

While this mare is not always the most patient on the flat, she seems to favor this particular dressage test, averaging a 34.3. An average of one rail and 1 time penalty will drop them down slightly on the second day when they attempt Marc Donovan’s stadium. However, while these two haven’t run a Mike E-S course recently, they average only 3.6 time penalties across the country overall. Look for Sally and Tsunami III in second, with a score in the low 40s.

3. Boyd Martin and Steady Eddie: I’ve liked this horse of Boyd’s for quite a while, but he hasn’t quite lived up to his potential yet. An imported Australian Thoroughbred, Steady Eddie has all the components to be a top horse and could be quite competitive this weekend if Boyd helps him put all three phases together.

Steady Eddie can be quite good on the flat, but does tend to score a touch higher on this particular test, with an average of 36.3. While he can sometimes be a one rail horse, Steady Eddie seems to favor Marc Donovan courses, generally jumping double clear over his designs. Boyd brought this horse home at last year’s Plantation with 13.2 time penalties across Mike’s cross country course. If they equal that, this pair should place solidly in third, with a score just under 50.

Lillian Heard and LCC Barnaby. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Lillian Heard and LCC Barnaby. Photo by Jenni Autry.

4. Lillian Heard and LCC Barnaby: Lillian moved LCC Barnaby up to Advanced earlier this year at Carolina, and by this point the horse has become the second most experienced horse in her string. With two clean CIC3* under his belt already, Lillian will be looking for a solid run for this horse ahead of Fair Hill.

LCC Barnaby averages a 35.2 on the USEF B test, putting him near the top after the first phase. This horse does tend to have one rail down over Marc Donovan’s courses. This will be the horse’s first time across a Mike E-S course, so look for Lillian to bring him home close to his overall average of 15.6 time penalties. These two should place fourth with a score in the mid-50s.

5. Eliza Farren and Bantry Bays Dublin: This pair is fairly experienced, having been running at this level since early 2013. After taking most of the spring off, Eliza has brought out this horse for a good fall season.

Bantry Bays Dublin doesn’t have much patience on the flat, averaging a 42.5 on this particular test. An average of two rails and 1 time penalty over Marc’s stadium courses will inch him up a little on the second day. However, a swift run matching their 11.2 time penalties over last year’s Plantation course will sneak this pair into the top five, with a final score in the low 60s.

Buck Davidson and Wiley Post. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Buck Davidson and Wiley Post. Photo by Jenni Autry.

THE DARK HORSE

Buck Davidson and Wiley Post: Buck has most of his horses entered in the three-star this weekend, with the sole exception being Wiley Post. Good on the flat, Wiley Post can struggle a bit in the stadium. Still, that won’t keep him out of the top five unless Buck takes this horse around Plantation as slow as he did last year, when he accumulated more than 30 time penalties. If Buck sticks closer to the horse’s typical cross country pace, they should easily crack the top five.

Boyd Martin and SBF Cortez. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Boyd Martin and SBF Cortez. Photo by Jenni Autry.

THE SLEEPER

Boyd Martin and SBF Cortez: SBF Cortez recently moved up to Advanced at Five Points, producing solid first-time efforts in each phase. In particular, the horse jumped a clear round over a difficult stadium course. Boyd will probably knock a few points off his dressage score this weekend, and perhaps will attempt a swifter pace across the country. However, even if he just replicates the Five Points efforts, SBF Cortez could slip into the top five.