Classic Eventing Nation

Rebecca Howard, Caroline Martin Shine at Tattersalls

By on May 29, 2015 4:00 pm -
Caroline Martin and Quantum Solace. Photo by Libby Law Photography. Caroline Martin and Quantum Solace. Photo by Libby Law Photography.

It was a super day for our U.S. and Canadian competitors at Tattersalls International Horse Trials in Ireland, where Rebecca Howard and Riddle Master made an exciting return to FEI competition and Caroline Martin and Quantum Solace delivered their personal best dressage score in their overseas debut.

Flora Harris said she is “a bit gobsmacked” to be leading the strong George Mernagh Memorial CIC3* field with Cesano H, a 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding (by Cesano II out of Lacapo, by Landfraf). Their score of 35.9 gives them little room to breathe over Mark Todd and NZB Campino, who scored 36.9 to sit in second, followed by Paul Tapner and Yogi Bear in third on 40.0.

Rebecca Howard and Blithe Hill Farm’s Riddle Master scored 42.0 to round out the top five, and she was all smiles after the test. The 14-year-old Canadian Sport Horse gelding is making his triumphant return to the top levels after suffering an injury at Badminton last year, and its fantastic to see “Rupert” back out and in such good form.

Rebecca Howard and Riddle Master. Photo by Libby Law Photography.

Rebecca Howard and Riddle Master. Photo by Libby Law Photography.

Caroline Martin and her own and Sherrie Martin’s Quantum Solace made their international debut today, and it was one to remember thanks to a personal best score of 47.9 to sit in 22nd place in the CIC3*. Jane Thompson of Eventing NZ kindly spoke to Caroline and Buck Davidson after the test, and Buck said it was the best test the 10-year-old Argentinian Thoroughbred gelding has ever done. Go Nacho!

British-based American Katherine Coleman and Courage Under Fire, a 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare she owns, scored 52.0 to sit in 30th place in the CIC3*. She’s also competing in the Eventing Ireland CCI2* with Longwood, a 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding she owns; they scored 56.6 to sit in 31st place. Harry Meade and Anne Chapman’s Vrolijk lead the CCI2* on 38.2.

Irish-based American Brianne Stanley and Eleanor Hadden’s Bit of Business had a clear cross country trip with time today in the horse’s first one-star; they’re sitting in 55th place in the Cooley Farm CCIYH* for 6 and 7 year olds. William Fox-Pitt and Catherine Witt’s The Soapdodger are leading that division on 37.6.

Buck Davidson and Caroline Martin celebrate after her test. Photo by Libby Law Photography.

Buck Davidson and Caroline Martin celebrate after her test. Photo by Libby Law Photography.

Don’t forget that you can follow along with Tattersalls on the event’s fantastic free live stream, which continues tomorrow with CCI2* and CCI3* cross country. You can preview each of Ian Stark’s cross country courses at this link. CCI2* cross country will stream live starting at 5 a.m. EST, followed by CCI3* cross country at 9:30 a.m. EST. Buck Davidson and Copper Beach, who are sitting in 21st in the CCI3*, leave the start box at 10:57 a.m. EST.

We are excited to be partnering with Libby Law Photography at Tattersalls, and she’s been bringing us lots of fantastic behind the scenes shots to help us capture the flavor of this event; check out her full photo gallery below. If you’re not already following @EventingConsult and @EquiRatings on Twitter, be sure to do so to access excellent commentary from Tatts. Go Eventing.

Tattersalls Links: Website, Entries, Ride Times, Live Scores, Schedule, Live Stream, @Tatts2015

Weekly OTTB Wishlist from Cosequin

By on May 29, 2015 2:12 pm -

Oh hey, fellow OTTB lovers of the world! We’re wrapping up three of our favorite listings from around the interwebs this week, and we can’t wait to see where these lovely horses end up next. We’d also like to take a moment to thank the organizations responsible for helping these horses by allowing us to share their photos and listings. The more people we can share these horses with, the better chance they have of finding an excellent new home.

Photo courtesy of Finger Lakes Finest.

Photo courtesy of Finger Lakes Finest.

Our first listing this week comes to us from Finger Lakes Finest in New York. Warrior From Above (A. P. Warrior – Mooncoin, by Conquistador Cielo) is a 2008 gelding standing 16 hands tall. He raced 51 times, most recently on May 22, earning $62,846 in his career. According to his listing, Warrior From Above’s trainer has nothing but great things to say about his athletic ability. He’s said to be a barn favorite and will surely excel in a worthy new home.

Warrior From Above on Finger Lakes Finest

Photo used with permission from CANTER Texas.

Photo used with permission from CANTER Texas.

Calling all gray fans! If only they could find a way to make those dapples permament, eh? Mister Ricky (Air Commander – Sal’s My Gal, by Empire Glory) is a 2010 17 hand gelding offered through CANTER Texas. This guy raced 22 times and won once, also hitting the board on eight other occasions.

Mister Ricky is said to have a great mind and is sound for his next career. Don’t let this one be the one that got away!

Mister Ricky on CANTER Texas

Photo courtesy of CANTER Illinois.

Photo courtesy of CANTER Illinois.

Finally this week is a listing from CANTER Illinois by the name of Bullet Bob (Good Reward – Dart, by Farma Way). Bullet Bob is a 2011 model standing 16 hands and ready for you to take him to his new home. Bullet Bob raced 16 times and is advertised as very sweet to handle. We think he makes quite the athletic looking package!

Bullet Bob on CANTER Illinois

Matt Brown: ‘Don’t Be Afraid of Change’

By on May 29, 2015 1:00 pm -

Matt Brown was named as an alternate on the U.S. Pan American Games Team with Blossom Creek Foundation's BCF Belicoso last week, and now he has another big piece of news to share. Many thanks to Matt for writing, and thanks for reading.

Matt Brown and Super Socks BCF. Photo by Jenni Autry. Matt Brown and Super Socks BCF. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Change is always difficult. We don’t always have a choice about when and how changes will happen in our lives, but we do control how we choose to face those changes.

Will we face them with a positive mindset while thinking about how this change may help us? Or will we let the changes drag us down and overwhelm us?

I have to constantly remind myself to not be afraid of it, to the point where I tattooed it to my wrists — the Japanese character for change on one wrist and the character for courage on the other.

It is in this effort to not shrink away from change that my wife Cecily and I have made a difficult decision. We have lived in Sonoma County, California, our entire lives and spent our working lives up to this point building an amazing business there, with an incredible client base and barn family that we are truly proud of.

The new owner of Primo Cavallo, the awesome facility we’ve called home for many years, has decided to convert the facility into a wholesale nursery a bit sooner than we had originally thought.

We’ve been on the East Coast pursuing some dreams, and this new development in terms of Primo Cavallo has made it clear to us that instead of trying to scramble to find a new facility to work out of while we’re remote that we should stay east for a time in order to continue to improve my riding and stay close to some of the biggest competitions.

We hope to someday be back in California and will miss our Bay Area family a great deal. We are so thankful to all of our clients over the years who have made it possible for us to build an incredibly wonderful thing that was unique thanks to the supportive and big-hearted people that have made up our clientele. We know they will all have great success with their horses in this next step, and we wish them all the best! We will keep in touch!

So many people have been helpful in welcoming us to Pennsylvania. Thank you to Boyd and Silva for helping to get us settled here and for allowing us to train out of Windurra, a wonderful place to ride every day. Thanks also to Erica Nessler and to Cindy and Doug Howe for so generously letting us take over your barn. Thanks to John Taylor for helping us to find a place to live and for making us feel so welcome.

Cecily and I are currently looking for a more permanent place to call home for ourselves as well as our horses and a new East Coast based business. For those of you who might know of a facility that we could train out of or if you are interested in training or clinics, you can message us via Facebook or email us at [email protected].

Thank you to everyone for the support. Here’s to the future!

Take a Virtual Walk Around Ian Stark’s Tattersalls Cross Country Courses

By on May 29, 2015 11:00 am -
Photo courtesy of CrossCountry App Photo courtesy of CrossCountry App

We’re very excited to partner with our friends at CrossCountry App to bring you previews of Ian Stark’s cross country courses at Tattersalls International Horse Trials in Ireland right here on EN! We have a full North American contingent competing at this event:

  • Buck Davidson and Carl and Cassie Segal and Sherrie Martin’s Copper Beach in the CCI3*
  • Katherine Coleman and her own Courage Under Fire in the CIC3*
  • Rebecca Howard and Blithe Hill Farm’s Riddle Master in the CIC3*
  • Caroline Martin and her own and Sherrie Martin’s Quantum Solace in the CIC3*
  • Katherine Coleman and her own Longwood in the CCI2*
  • Brianne Stanley and Eleanor Hadden’s Bit of Business in the CCIYH*

Keep scrolling to preview the CCI3*, CIC3*, CCI2* and CCI* cross country courses; view in full screen mode to scroll through all the fences. You can also click here to view them on CrossCountry App’s website. Be sure to download CrossCountry App to access more maps like these from events all around the world. Go Eventing.

Tattersalls Links: Website, Entries, Ride Times, Live Scores, Schedule, Live Stream, @Tatts2015

 

 

 

Because of Seema

By on May 29, 2015 9:00 am -
Seema and Henry at our wedding in New Orleans, May 2010. Seema and Henry at our wedding in New Orleans, May 2010.

Seema would be so mad at me right now. Instead of going for a run or riding my horse, I’m sitting here shedding tears and writing about her. She would hate that! She would brush it off and tell me to get my ass outside. But for once, I’m not going to listen to her advice. I want to tell you what I know because of Seema.

I didn’t know Seema the longest, and I certainly didn’t know her the best, but she has had a profound impact on my life, and I still have not begun to comprehend a world without her in it. I met Seema through my husband, Jeff, who knew her well from when they both lived and rode in Michigan.

She was a “horse world” friend who became much more than that. My first introduction to Seema was over a good glass of wine (is there any other kind, in Seema’s world?), but I didn’t really come to know her until she offered, with the generosity that was so characteristic of Seema, to let Jeff and me live in her house in Philadelphia while I was in vet school.

As Seema and Henry’s neighbors and tenants, Jeff and I learned many things. The terms of our extremely generous rental agreement included the use of our living room for Monday night ballroom dance lessons, which I frequently watched and, on several occasions, in which Jeff and I participated. Because of Seema, we learned to ballroom dance for our wedding.

While we were neighbors, Seema showed me the best routes to run in Philly, the spots to avoid, and encouraged me, by word and example, to run my first half marathon. She introduced me to the fact that there are people (herself included) with the goal of running such races in every state, and she was well on her way to becoming a member of that prestigious club. Because of Seema, I have run three half marathons and have 47 to go.

The basement of our rental home included an impressive collection of Henry’s movies and Seema’s paperbacks. There must have been thousands of books there! One weekend Jeff and I helped her sort through and re-home many of them, and I was just amazed. She was a voracious reader and she remembered the plots of every book I held up for her that weekend. I was dismayed at myself — I couldn’t remember the last book I had read that wasn’t a textbook or something for work, and I vowed to change that. Because of Seema, I read for pleasure.

When I received my white coat in vet school, my family all came to town for the ceremony and to celebrate. I was proud to have Seema in the audience with them and happy that they all enjoyed the restaurant Seema had recommended, a delicious Center City BYO.

For the occasion she brought “Henry wine” (not be confused with “pony wine,” which was still nicer wine than anything else I’d had in my life before meeting Seema and Henry), and we had one of the loveliest evenings I can remember. Because of Seema, I know that life is too short to drink bad wine or eat bad food!

In the years after graduation, as I navigated the changes in my career and personal life, Seema was always in the back of my mind, and she was always happy to offer advice if I was doubting my choices. She managed to have a full career and an even fuller personal life, and the balance and success she achieved in both are what I have and will continue to strive for. Because of Seema, I learned to work hard and play harder.

From the time I have known Seema, she has been the ultimate volunteer. Capable, cool under pressure, sharp as a tack and always with a smile on her face, she could run a warm-up ring, an in-gate or a cross country control radio better than anyone around, and she did so regularly. As a competitor, I never considered volunteering for events at which I was showing, but Seema showed me that it could be, and was, done, and that every little bit helps. Because of Seema, I will always volunteer.

Last winter around the holidays, I walked into the tack room at Blue Hill and Seema was wearing a big, fuzzy, very colorful hat. It looked warm, super soft, and, honestly, a little ridiculous, but so, just, Seema. I loved it, and I told her so. She smiled and thanked me and we went about our business — me getting ready to ride, her finishing up.

As she was leaving, she told me she left Christmas presents for me, Jeff and Rusty (Seema would never forget a four-legged!) in the tack room and buzzed out in her sassy Fiat before I could even finish saying thank you. Seema was never one to enjoy being fussed over for her generosity.

Wouldn’t you know that in my bag was the same fuzzy hat? Mine had more blues and greens than the orange and pink hers sported, but the character was there, and it kept a smile on my face all winter long. Because of Seema, I know that kindness and generosity don’t have to cost much, but they are what mean the most to people.

There are so many things in my life that are because of Seema.

Because of Seema, I know that chocolate is best left unadulterated.

Because of Seema, I know that a new friend is only a smile away wherever I go.

Because of Seema, I always carry a tea bag with me when I travel.

Because of Seema, I firmly believe that you can never have too many pairs of TOMS.

Because of Seema, I put extra cardamom in my Christmas cookies.

Because of Seema, I know that if you have a goal or a vision, the details will work themselves out.

Because of Seema, I learned that it’s best to have a dog biscuit in your pocket at all times, just in case.

Because of Seema, I know that life is just too short, so make the most of it.

Like I said, I know I didn’t know her the best or the longest, but I feel so lucky to have known her at all. I’m sure that for every Seema story of my own, there are hundreds of thousands of others like it. Please share your own stories of how your life is different … because of Seema.

Friday News & Notes from FLAIR Nasal Strips

By on May 29, 2015 12:03 am -
A Thoroughbred enjoying a hose on a hot day. Photo courtesy of Allie Conrad.

A Thoroughbred enjoying a hose on a hot day. Photo courtesy of Allie Conrad.

I saw this picture that Allie Conrad posted yesterday, and I just had to share it. I thought that we could all use a little cheering up, as a pall has fallen over the eventing community at the sudden loss of Seema Sonnad. I met Seema a few times, and always had pleasant and friendly interactions with her, but I knew her more from the glowing stories I heard from all her friends. Seema helped so many in a multitude of ways, and always did it with a smile. There are simply no words to express the loss that we all feel, and how many of us will still look for her in the warmup arena, clipboard and smile ready to go.

In the spirit of Seema, we encourage you all to put forth her energy as you go about your days, and try to give back whenever and wherever you can. We hope that her good heart will continue to benefit the world for a long time to come. [In Memoriam: Seema Sonnad]

U.S. Weekend Preview:

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

Poplar Place Farm H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

IEA H.T, T3D & N3D  [Website] [Entry Status]

Colorado Horse Park H.T.  [Website] [Entry Status]

Tattersalls is streaming live world-wide all weekend. Tattersalls is holding a CCI3* and CIC3* this weekend, and the entire thing is being streamed live from start to finish. Buck Davidson will be contesting the CCI3* while Caroline Martin, Katherine Coleman and Rebecca Howard are all entered in the CIC3*. Brianne Stanley is also in the CIC1* YH. The streaming does require a one time log-in process. [CCI3* Leaderboard] [CIC3* Leaderboard] [Live Streaming Schedule]

Magnetic therapy….yay or neigh? Dr. David Ramey has a special way of writing things with no nonsense added, and his most recent article is on the topic of magnetic blankets and such. If you use magnetic therapy on your horse, do you know why you do it? Do you know where the therapy theories came from? Regardless of where you stand on the efficacy and use of such therapies, this is worth a read. [Magnets Are For Refrigerators]

International Velvet…almost as good as National Velvet? I had no idea that Tatum O’Neal (playing the main character Sarah Brown) had to learn to jump 3’6 in two months! That’s pretty impressive. Horse Nation found an excellent documentary on the making of International Velvet, and how they got Bill Steinkraus to coach the actress. Love the authenticity! [Making of International Velvet]

The flies have gotten so bad already this summer that I’m having to use bonnets just to work my horses on a daily basis.  I like my super fancy custom bonnets for competitions, but it’s important to have a smart looking durable bonnet for home and lessons and such. This is where the SmartPak Custom Crochet Ear Net comes in, because you can still get your colors (or just some bling!) and don’t have to worry about spending a pretty penny. [SmartPak Bonnet of the Day]

Congrats to Tiffany Morey, the winner of EN’s giveaway for a Sportz-Vibe Massage Therapy Blanket courtesy of our awesome sponsor Horseware Ireland! We hope Simon and Lilly enjoy their new massage blanket. You can read all about Sportz-Vibe in our extensive product review at this link. [Sportz-Vibe]

FlairBuck Horizontal

Sam Griffiths Leads, Buck Davidson Just Outside of Tattersalls CCI3* Top 20

By on May 28, 2015 1:30 pm -
Tattersalls CCI3* leaders Sam Griffiths and Favorit Z. Photo by Libby Law Photography. Tattersalls CCI3* leaders Sam Griffiths and Favorit Z. Photo by Libby Law Photography.

It was a stiff day of competition in the CCI3* at Tattersalls in Ireland today. North American riders are represented in nearly every division this weekend, and Buck Davidson with Carl and Cassie Segal and Sherrie Martin’s Copper Beach represents the U.S. in the CCI3*.

Sam Griffiths and Favorit Z will take the lead in the CCI3* after the dressage, scoring a 36.1. Favorit Z is a 10-year-old Zangersheide gelding owned by Sam as well as Sue Brendish. Favorit Z achieved his personal best FEI dressage score today and was one of just two horses to crack into the 30s.

The next few positions on the board belong to British riders, with Flora Harris and Bayano scoring a 37.4 for second and Nick Gauntlett and Crown Talisman in third on a 41.3.

Crown Talisman, as you may recall, was sold to Nick Gauntlett after campaigning to the three-star level with U.S. rider Doug Payne. This is the first CCI3* competition for Nick and “Tali”, who most recently completed the CIC3* at Belton.

Buck Davidson and Copper Beach. Photo by Libby Law Photography.

Buck Davidson and Copper Beach. Photo by Libby Law Photography.

Buck Davidson and Copper Beach had a nice, consistent test. A bobble in one of the flying changes cost them some marks, but this was a very nice debut for this horse in his first overseas start. Buck and Sean scored a 50.1 to sit just outside of the top 20 going into cross country.

This is Buck’s first time competing in Ireland, and it’s also the first trip to an Irish event for the Segals. Sherrie Martin is also supporting her daughter, Caroline, who is prepping for Bramham in the CIC3* with Quantum Solace.

U.S. coach David O'Connor is all smiles. Photo by Libby Law Photography.

U.S. coach David O’Connor is all smiles. Photo by Libby Law Photography.

The remainder of the North American riders will compete tomorrow in the dressage. You can read more background information on the North Americans at Tattersalls this weekend here.

As always, we’d like to thank Niamh Flynn of the Tattersalls press team, Libby Law Photography and the Eventing Consultant himself Diarm Byrne of EquiRatings for giving us behind the scenes access this weekend at #Tatts2015. Stay tuned from much more from Ireland.

Tattersalls Links: Website, Entries, Ride Times, Live Scores, Schedule, Live Stream, @Tatts2015

Eventing Community Mourns the Loss of Seema Sonnad

By on May 28, 2015 10:15 am -
Seema Sonnad in her element. Photo by Cynthia Gilbert/Gazworks Inc.

Seema Sonnad in her element. Photo by Cynthia Gilbert/Gazworks Inc.

The eventing community mourns the loss of Seema Sonnad, a rider, volunteer, owner, official and rock of the Area II family, who passed away last night after suffering a fatal cardiac arrhythmia while running an ultramarathon in Seattle; she was 52 years old. Blue Hill Farm, where Seema boarded her horse and trained with Jessica and Missy Ransehousen in Unionville, Pennsylvania, confirmed the news this morning:

“We want to ask everyone to remember her amazing spirit, determination and generosity to all the people who were graced by her presence. Seema embodied philanthropic spirit, and her infectious ‘can do’ personality will forever be part of our family at Blue Hill Farm. Our love goes out to Henry and all of Seema’s extended family, which was enormous. The entire eventing community grieves today.”

A USEF ‘r’ Eventing Technical Delegate, Seema was a stalwart of eventing in the U.S., where she dedicated countless hours to volunteering and was a very familiar face at major events, from the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event to Plantation Field International Horse Trials. In her quest to encourage more eventers to volunteer, she sat on USEA committees and worked with the Professional Riders Organization to increase volunteer recognition.

A longtime owner in the sport, she was a member of syndicates for Sally Cousins and Caitlin Silliman and supported riders like David Ziegler and countless other young eventers, whom she both mentored and helped compete when they didn’t have the means to do so. Exceedingly generous and resourceful, she believed that ownership was possible on a budget and dug deep into her own pockets to prove it was true.

An accomplished rider and well known on the circuit, she had competed through the Intermediate level and in more recent years enjoyed re-training Thoroughbreds off the track. She had been competing her OTTB Keegan at the Preliminary level while managing her extremely busy schedule, which included a passion for marathon running.

A graduate of Stanford University and the University of Washington, she earned her Ph.D. at the University of California, Berkeley. Originally from Kalamazoo, Michigan, she started her career in medicine in the state and later became the Director of Health Service Research for the Christiana Care Health System. She was a well-known and respected part of the greater Philadelphia medical community and beyond.

There are simply not enough words to explain how much Seema meant to the Area II and Area V eventing communities and how much she will be missed. Today our thoughts and prayers are with Henry and her extended family, her barn families at Blue Hill and Cobblestone farms, and the countless people who were lucky enough to call Seema a friend.

Update: The American Journal of Managed Care, for which Seema served as an associate editor, published a very touching tribute that expands on her numerous personal and professional achievements. You can read it at this link. She will be missed by so many.

Jumper Rider Ali Boone Acquires the Ride on Otis Barbotiere

By on May 28, 2015 9:00 am -
Boyd Martin and Otis Barbotiere at Luhmühlen. Photo by Jenni Autry. Boyd Martin and Otis Barbotiere at Luhmühlen. Photo by Jenni Autry.

After sending Otis Barbotiere to Florida earlier this year to be tried as a jumper mount, Boyd Martin confirmed that Ali Boone, a young jumper rider from Kentucky, has acquired the ride on his London Olympic mount. The news comes several months after Trading Aces, another of Boyd’s four-star mounts, was sold as an equitation horse to young rider Alexandra Pielet.

Otis, a 13-year-old Selle Francais gelding owned by the Otis Barbotiere Syndicate, most recently competed with Boyd at Luhmühlen CCI4* last year, where they finished 15th. After that competition, Boyd and his syndicate members made the decision to seek a new home for Otis, as they felt that upper level eventing was not ideal for his longterm soundness.

“He still loves competing, and he’s a high energy horse that likes to be in on the action,” Boyd said. “We made plans to redirect his career. We originally paired him with Lauren Hough down in Florida, who would take him and show him in some jumper classes.”

Lauren then searched for a rider she thought would be a good match for Otis in a jumper career. “Lauren wouldn’t let him go to just anyone,” Boyd said. “She did a wonderful job and found him an excellent rider in Ali Boone, who takes excellent care of her horses.”

With Otis’ longterm soundness in mind, Boyd and Lauren wanted to find a rider who competes on a lighter schedule. “We didn’t want someone who would use him up too much — Ali shows him maybe twice a month. She wintered in Palm Beach and will spend some time in Kentucky before heading up to Calgary to compete at Spruce Meadows,” Boyd said.

Otis, who is by Quidam de Revel out of Java Barbotiere, by Veneur de Baugy, is well bred to be a pure show jumper, and he began his competition career as a jumper in France before coming over to the U.S. to event with Boyd.

Boyd said he is happy to see his horses move on to homes where they can thrive. He’s grateful to the Otis Barbotiere Syndicate members who have provided their support, and he hopes that eventually his next “needle in a haystack horse” will come along as his next eventing superstar.

“Now that two of my big syndicated horses have gone on to other careers, I’m not necessarily actively looking, but special horses come along once in a blue moon. I am hopeful that when the next special horse comes around, the syndicate members will be ready to have another go,” Boyd said.

“Otis really completed a dream of mine to compete at the Olympics. It’s something I’ll always be indebted to him for. I can proudly call myself an Olympian, and I will never forget riding around Greenwich Park — a very testing course — and he showed wonderful grit and determination. He tries so hard, and it’s my duty to make sure he’s looked after for the rest of his life.”

We wish Otis the best of luck with his new rider, and we’ll be looking for updates from Spruce Meadows soon!

Thursday News & Notes from SmartPak

By on May 28, 2015 12:03 am -
Caroline Martin and the infamous Nacho all bundled up at Tattersalls in Ireland.

Caroline Martin and the infamous Nacho all bundled up at Tattersalls in Ireland. Photo courtesy of Caroline.

This weekend, I’m becoming a girl for a whole night and doing an incredibly not-horsey thing: going to my college roommate’s black tie wedding! All I ever do is have my hair in a messy bun or stacked inside my helmet, and all I ever wear is a variety of riding pants with shirts that are sweat proof and a sports bra. This weekend I’m treating myself to the full girl situation: hair did, nails did, fancy dress, and I even made an effort to tan my ghostly legs. I might even pass for a “normal” girl!

U.S. Weekend Preview:

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

Poplar Place Farm H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

IEA H.T, T3D & N3D  [Website] [Entry Status]

Colorado Horse Park H.T.  [Website] [Entry Status]

Tattersalls is streaming live world-wide starting today. Tattersalls is holding a CCI3* and CIC3* this weekend, and the entire thing is being streamed live from start to finish. Buck Davidson will be contesting the CCI3* while Caroline Martin, Katherine Coleman and Rebecca Howard are all entered in the CIC3*. Brianne Stanley is also in the CIC1* YH. The streaming does require a one time log-in process. [CCI3* Leaderboard] [CIC3* Leaderboard] [Live Streaming Schedule]

There is almost nothing better than an awesome view from the back of your horse. We are not alone in our desire for “between the ears” photos, as the British have taken up the idea as well. Horse and Hound discusses the best places for hacking and soaking in views in England, and shows us the pictures! [Best Hacking in England]

Could American Pharoah win the Triple Crown, misspelled name and all? Despite the fact that somebody bungled the Jockey Club naming process for this colt, he’s looking surprisingly good coming off the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness. He had his first work this week, running an easy 1/2 mile in 48 seconds. Trainer Bob Baffert thinks he’s looking fine, and the colt with ship out on Tuesday if all goes well. [American Pharoah Impressive In First Work]

Oh, the things horses can get themselves into….Intrepid four-year-old gelding Archie thought that perhaps he wanted to jump out of the horse section of the horse box, and into the storage section. Little did Archie know that this was a terrible plan, and he would become stuck halfway between both sides. The fire brigade had to be called to cut Archie loose! [Gelding Gets Stuck in Horsebox]

This is incredibly cool, to watch the speed of the horse and the heartbeat of the rider along with the helmet cam!

Video Content AnalyticsNow we can capture and analyse key statistics, combing video and data logging. Here’s our latest project from the National Three Day in Taupo, New Zealand. A big thanks to the guys involved: Nik Eliadis, Samantha Felton Samantha Felton Eventing , Andrew Leiataua, Rainer Hagspihl. (Click HD for best quality.)

Posted by Equestrian Live NZ on Monday, May 25, 2015

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