The Cloud 11 Watership Down at Carolina International. Photo by Kate Samuels.
Carolina International Horse Trials announced this morning that Ian Stark has been named the new cross country course designer for the event. Ian also currently designs the cross country courses at Galway Downs and Woodside in California, Richland in Michigan and Rebecca Farm in Montana.
“We are looking forward to seeing Ian’s vision for the Carolina International and are confident he will design a course that will prepare and challenge riders in the lead up to spring CCIs and, ultimately, the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio,” Carolina International Organizer Marc Donovan said.
“We are so grateful to Hugh Lochore for his great course design in our first two years and are happy to have him continuing to design the upper level courses at the Five Points Horse Trials. Everyone at the Carolina Horse Park is looking forward to the design developments that both Ian and Hugh will bring to our outstanding cross country facility.”
Ian has also designed tracks in Europe at Bramham, Tattersalls and Blair Castle and brings a wealth of experience to the Carolina Horse Park. He will make his first site visit to Raeford, North Carolina, this summer to begin planning the new course, which will be unveiled next March.
“I am delighted to be selected as the Carolina International’s next cross country course designer and to make my first site visit to the Carolina Horse Park in the coming months,” Ian said. “I look forward to presenting a track that will test North America’s best horses and riders at the outset of the 2016 season and provide a great weekend of sport for everyone involved.”
Maren Engelhardt attended Marbach International Horse Trials in Germany this past weekend, where everybody showed up to compete but Michael Jung won anyway. No surprise there! Many thanks to Maren for submitting this report and to EN's good friends at buschreiter.de for the beautiful photos.
Michael Jung and Halunke FBW. Photo by Thomas Hartig/Marbach.
Traditionally, the spring season in Germany only really opens with the Marbach International Horse Trials, a venue that is just as breathtaking for horses (literally!) as it is for their human companions. Staged on the grounds of one of the oldest stud farms in the world, the Marbach State Stud (founded in 1514), horses and riders have to conquer a demanding cross that stretches across hills in this Swabian Alb location.
The main barn at Marbach. Photo copyright. Marbach – Hube.
Since it is an early season event, jumps are very inviting while the galloping effort is quite significant. After the first course walk, course designer Gerd Haiber (GER) received praise from all sides for the extremely forward-thinking design that really invited horses to get confidence on the first big course of the year.
It may be noteworthy to mention that not a single pair in the three-star finished in optimum time — testament both to the demanding conditional effort on this course as well as the season opener character of the event.
Because of its design and perfect organization, Marbach attracts a large group of European top eventers every year, despite the fact it usually happens on the weekend of that other event in the UK called Badminton. And so in 2015, 48 pairs tackled the CIC3* (including the entire German high performance team with the exception of Ingrid Klimke and Bettina Hoy; they rode at that other event), 113 pairs ran the CIC* (which was divided into Junior/Young Riders and Seniors), and another 42 pairs entered the CCIP2* (for ponies).
Michael Jung and Halunk FBW. Photo courtesy of buschreiter.de
And what can I say … the tale of these times seems to be that everybody shows up to ride and Michael Jung wins anyway. He nailed the CIC3* on his current European Champion Halunke FBW (by Heraldik xx out of Jolanda by Jugol) starting from second position after dressage (33.8), with 10 time faults from cross country and none from stadium for a total of 48.4. This year marks Halunke’s return to competition — he was not seen for the entire 2014 season. Great to have him back!
Sandra Auffarth and Ispo. Photo by Thomas Hartig/Marbach.
He was hunted by Sandra Auffarth on the late Ben Winter’s Ispo (by It’s me du Mesnil out of Peppermint Petty by Polydor). Ispo is still owned by Ben’s family and the German Equestrian Olympic Committee (DOKR) and was placed in Sandra’s care last year. The two had a formidable first outing just a few weeks ago and ran their first three-star together in Marbach. Sandra and Ispo started from third position after dressage (41.3), with time faults in cross country putting them on a 50.9 finish.
Dirk Schrade and Hop and Skip. Photo courtesy of buschreiter.de
German Team rider Dirk Schrade and Hop and Skip (by Skippy Too out of La Sylphide by Catherston Dazzler) had the most impressive move up the ladder of them all, starting from 13th position after dressage (50.5) and ending on 52.1 with the fastest cross country time of the entire field.
Pia Münker and Louis M. Photo by Thomas Hartig/Marbach.
Fourth place went to the unlucky Pia Münker, whose homebred Louis M (by Lissabon out of Angelique M by Abanos) won the dressage very convincingly (33.8) and remained in first place after cross country, but added one rail to his record. Since the first six places were all within one rail, this cost her victory on a final score of 52.2.
Overall, nine out of 48 competitors had fence penalties, with eight of those not seeing the finish line: Pawel Spisak (POL) withdrew his Banders before show jumping, and two pairs retired on cross country after refusals. An additional five pairs were eliminated cross country with two rider falls, once at fence 4 and another at fence 14. Both riders were uninjured.
The CIC* JUN/YR division had plenty of double clear cross country runs and ultimately saw Romina Engelberth (GER) as winner with the family-owned High Speedy (by High Spirits out of Rubina by Rebel Z III). The pair never once left first place (39.7 after dressage, finished on 43.7).
Second place went to Justine Bonnet (FRA) with Newton d’Hericourt (by Erimus Black Knight out of Green de la Loisne by Leopard du Castel), who too never left second place from the get-go (finished on 43.8). Germany’s Johanna Zantop and FBW Santana’s Boy (by Grafenstolz TSF out of Santana by Senna Z) followed in 3rd position on a final score of 52.1.
The CIC* Senior division was yet another Michael show — after dressage, he led with three horses in a row: fischerIncantas (by Ibisco out of o/o Ressina by Coriano), only 6 years old, left the arena with 33.2 after a very obedient, on the spot test. Second placed was Star Connection (by Chacco-Blue out of Sunside by Star Regent xx) with 34.1 after dressage, also his final score after show jumping.
And third after dressage was Michael Jung yet again with Star Fighter CR (by Sandro Hit out of Rosengarten by Rotspon) — not necessarily your typical eventing pedigree, but what does Michael care? The stallion added 1.6 time faults after cross country, which ultimately cost him his third position — and saved us all from a very boring prize giving ceremony!
Thankfully Sandra Auffarth’s exciting young talent Thalia l’Amaurial (by Parco out of Karissia l’Amaurial by Diamant de Semilly) was able to squeeze in with a 38.2 dressage score and just 0.8 time faults from cross country for a third place finish with 39.0. A nice move up in the ranking was provided by Belgium’s Karen Donckers and her lovely Quartz de la Ferme (by Flipper d’Elle out of Idole de la Ferme by Bout d’Zan II), who was 10th after dressage (42.5) and added nothing to his score for a fifth place finish.
The jump statistics for the CIC* divisions looks as this: 26 of 112 pairs incurred fence penalties; of those 26, 12 didn’t see the finish line. Four pairs retired on course, eight were eliminated after refusals or falls (one rider fall at fence 6a, another at fence 16 just one from the finish line, one at fence 13a, and one horse fall at fence 9a). No injuries were reported for neither horses nor riders.
Emma Brüssau and Rocky. Photo courtesy of buschreiter.de
In the pony division, which was run as a two-star, some jaw-dropping little creatures attacked the course and really wowed the crowds. Germany’s Emma Brüssau and her 17-year-old Rocky (by Oosteinds Ricky out of Nawarina by Nadler) moved up from second to first after a fast, secure cross country run, finishing on their dressage score of 43.3.
Melissa Prevost and Podeenagh Aluinn. Photo courtesy of buschreiter.de
They were closely followed by France’s Melissa Prevost with Podeenagh Aluinn (by Go on du Vignault WB out of Aluinn SF by Maitre Pierre), who moved up from fifth place after dressage for a 45.0 finish. This distinctly international field with riders from seven nations then saw Rikke Nyboe Andersen (DEN) with Denver (by Desperado K out of Sandy by Brandy) in third position, with a big move up the ranks after dressage (13th) finishing on that dressage score (48.2).
The Team Cup was won by France. It is nothing short of inspiring to see the qualities of riding ponies (or horses just a bit too short!) during cross country, and Marbach is a prime location to witness some of the best Europe has to offer. In the statistics department, we saw 10 out of 42 competitors with fence penalties, translating to only three eliminations after refusals and two rider falls (again, no injuries were reported).
As a side note — the Club of German Event Riders, which was founded in 2010, hosted a seminar for emergency physicians, and that is more than just going over classroom material. The president of the club, Nicole Sollorz, took the 15 participants out on cross country for some hands-on training experience (No worries! Nobody was injured!). This is all in an effort to constantly improve safety in eventing, and the focus is on the specific requirements that the cross country environment presents.
All in all, this was a fun weekend to get everybody back on track with some season highlights this year coming up, including the European Championships and of course the big fall classics at the four-star level. The battle is on!
"All is well in New Jersey! Rocking the side braid heading out of the ICU tonight!!! Thanks so much for all the love and support." Photo via Phoenix Equestrian Team on Facebook.
We have super news this morning out of New Brunswick, New Jersey, where Jessica Phoenix has been recovering from injuries she sustained after her rotational fall with Exultation on Saturday, May 9, on the CCI2* cross country course at the Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event.
Jessica’s husband, Joel, confirmed to EN that she has been moved out of the Intensive Care Unit at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and is feeling better today. Dawn said they do not yet know when Jessica can leave the hospital.
“She wanted to thank everyone for all their prayers and well wishes,” Joel said. Let’s keep the healing vibes going, EN!
Jessica broke three ribs and her sacrum, the triangular bone at the base of the spine, in the fall; she also sustained damage to her liver, which was repaired Saturday afternoon in surgery. She was wearing an air vest during the fall.
It’s great to see Jessica smiling! Her resiliency is legendary, and I think we can all agree that she is one of the toughest eventers in the sport. Our thoughts are with the whole Ferguson family; Joel; and their two children, 4-year-old Jacob and 3-month-old Jordan.
After what has been the most stressful busiest spring in my recent memory, I was relieved to have a weekend without many obligations. I had the awesome opportunity to ride in a clinic with Yves Sauvignon on Saturday morning, and my mare and I enjoyed the brisk weather and bright sunshine as we practiced jumping exercises at the gorgeous Carriage House Farm. After that, I spent the rest of the weekend in a much-needed state of relaxation. I watched movies, took the dog for leisurely walks, worked on my art, spent time with family, and allowed myself to be at peace.
It felt foreign at first, and I repeatedly had to stop myself from checking my planner and email. That can wait, I told myself. Just as Yves helped my mare and I practice patience and steadiness on the approach to jumps as well as in between them, I was able to change gears and settle down from the crazy momentum that had taken over my life recently. I love it when riding lessons provide perfect parallels to “real life!”
What happens when you hitch two stallions up with a mare in heat? With the right training, it should still be a pleasant drive. Carriage driver and horse trainer Barry Hook takes viewers on a drive down an idyllic English road with his team consisting of a mare in season and two “very interested” young stallions. The purpose of this is to teach the stallions that even when distracted by a pretty mare, they must always be well-behaved in harness… in a rubber bit, no less! [Horse Collaborative: On the road with two stallions and a mare in heat. What could go wrong?]
Eventing groom killed, two riders injured in car crash: In terrible news from Dorchester, England, 25-year-old Louiza Covey was killed in a head-on collision on Friday night. Covey, who was a groom from nearby Bridport, was in the car with event riders Daniel Sibley and Aaron Millar, who both sustained injuries but are expected to make full recoveries. A 45-year-old woman who was driving the other vehicle involved in the accident also passed away. EN’s heartfelt condolences go out to Louiza’s loved ones and everyone involved in the crash. [Horse & Hound: Groom killed in car crash; event riders suffer serious injuries]
Introducing William Fox-Pitt’s legendary horses: From Chilli Morning to Chaka, Horse & Hound has compiled photos and stories of 15 of William Fox-Pitt’s best horses through the ages. Take a walk down memory lane: [Horse & Hound: Badminton winner William Fox-Pitt: 15 of his top horses]
“There is surely no excuse for inadequate care”: In the forward of a new book Horse Welfare: Use not Abuse by Christopher Hall, Princess Anne names inhumane transportation of slaughter-bound horses, doping practices, and overbreeding as some of the most terrible aspects of horse welfare today. [Daily Mail: Princess Anne attacks ‘inhumane’ suffering of horses]
Video of the Day: In case you missed it, Niklas Bschorer made the save of the day at Badminton over the weekend. When Tom Tom Go 3 stumbled out of the lake complex, it looked like Niklas was about to bite the dust. But thanks to his quick thinking and a hell of a lot of athleticism, Niklas stayed in the saddle to the cheers of support from onlookers. Check it out:
Tredstep rider Lauren Kieffer and Jacqueline Mars’ Landmark’s Monte Carlo skipped to the CIC3* win at Jersey Fresh this past weekend. This was the 9-year-old Irish/Thoroughbred cross gelding’s first CIC3*, though you wouldn’t have known it watching him make light work of the challenging questions.
After scoring a 46.2, good for second place, in the dressage, Lauren and Landmark’s Monte Carlo went on to add just eight time penalties on cross country to move into first place, also claiming just one of a handful of double clear rounds in the show jumping.
Thanks to The Horse Pestesrer, we can get a good look at what is surely an exciting talent in Lauren’s string. We’ll be on the lookout for more from this talented young horse! Be sure to check out all of The Horse Pesterer’s videos from the weekend here.
Anna Conley is a 17-year-old eventer who is trying to make it to NAJYRC next summer. Her parents run a boarding facility in Lexington, Kentucky, and these are her not so secret confessions of life as a young eventer.
Anna and her family. Photo by Alexis Snowden.
In some ways I’m living every horse crazy little girl’s dream. I wake up in a bedroom full of horseshow ribbons, I tuck my shirt into my breeches, I wear my Dubarrys and I go to the barn. (Yes, I brush my hair and teeth too, what do you think I am, an animal?).
I probably have too many ponies and too many tack boxes, and it looks like there was a blue and green sharpie tornado throughout our house and barn, but dedication to your cross country colors is key, right? It’s honestly everything I could ever hope for. However, it’s not all fun and games. Here are nine things I’ve learned about being the barn owner’s daughter:
1.You don’t have to like everyone.
At the end of the day, money is money, no matter who’s bank account it comes from. This is my mom’s job, it’s how we pay our bills, it’s how my mom provides for us and supports our dreams. When you get one of those crazy, common sense lacking horse people that somehow work every nerve you have, you just have to deal with it. Smile when you see them and rant when you get in the car to go home.
2. Every day is a long day.
I’m in a completely different situation than a boarder; they can come at any time during the day, do their business, leave and still have time to do normal people things. When I have all my responsibilities squared away by 5 o’clock and I want to go spend time away from the barn, I still have to stay there. My mom has lessons, and the full care horses need to be taken care of for the night.
3.I am the help.
It never really hit me that I was considered the help until one of the 8-year-olds that had a pony on full care thought it was acceptable to walk up to me and lecture me for not having their stall cleaned yet. As much as I wanted to hand that kid a pitchfork and tell them they are perfectly capable of cleaning it themselves, I had to comply because it’s my job. Because I’M the owners daughter and that kid’s mommy or daddy is paying for my horse’s new shoes.
4. Don’t get too close to the new girl.
It happens every time. My mom gets a new boarder that just happens to be close to my age. She rides. She wants to compete. She’s nice, seems to be dedicated. We meet and normally we hit it off, we start competing together, then hanging out outside of the barn. We quickly become really good friends and the barn is a happy, fun place to be.
Then, one day, it all changes. Their parents get mad or something else happens, so they move out. I’ve learned that everybody leaves, whether this all happens over a couple months or you’ve had the best four years of being best friends. They can walk away like it’s nothing, and I’m stuck looking at the spot where their tack box sat, heartbroken because apparently we weren’t as good of friends as I thought. This is the hardest part of being the barn owner’s daughter.
5. Barn moms give great advice and hugs.
If I’m having a hard time and need guidance, a barn mom is usually my go-to person. They treat me like their own and tell the best stories, which hold important lessons that I can learn from. If you have a good barn mom, you know what I’m talking about.
6. Jealousy is inevitable and surprisingly common.
Jealousy goes around our barn all of the time. People think my mom gives me and my sister extra special attention that she doesn’t give to her students. In actuality, she has to separate being their trainer and being our mom. I’ve noticed parents get jealous for their kids too.
Over the years we’ve had so many people get upset because my sister and I have done better than their kid at a show, or I have a nicer horse than them or nicer tack. What those parents don’t realize is it’s not even a fair comparison. My sister, Alex, and I are at the barn every day, we work, we ride and we earn what we have. A kid that rides once or twice a week isn’t going to ride as well as someone who rides multiple horses every day. That’s just the way it is.
7. I have to set the example.
One of my favorite things to hear is “I want to ride like Anna one day!”.I love that we have so many little children that look up to me as a rider and just as a person. One of my sponsors tells me all the time, “I hope my daughter grows up to be like you.” That is such a huge compliment. I really strive to be mature, hard working, dedicated, humble, polite and responsible. I have kids that look to me for guidance and inspiration; I have to be the person those kids see me as.
8. There’s nothing more gratifying than seeing a sale horse in a happy, new home.
One of my favorite things I’ve learned from being the barn owner’s daughter is that every horse is for sale, and there’s nothing more gratifying than when you see those said horses thriving in their new home with their new families. It hurts like hell when you really fall in love with one, but if I kept all the horses I fell in love with, I would need my own farm!
9. There’s no place like home.
The most important lesson of all is the barn is where I belong. It’s my safe haven. The barn has seen more of my blood, sweat and tears than anywhere else, and when I’m at the barn, I know I’m home.
Being the barn owner’s daughter has its perks, but it also has its downsides. Sometimes I look at other people my age and all I see is what I’m missing out on: proms, football games, bonfires. Then I look at Reba, and I see what all those kids are missing out on; that’s when I know I got the better end of the deal.
The 13th running of the Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event was hailed a success by competitors and spectators alike after the organizing committee pulled out all the stops to make the event an affair to remember. Here are five things you missed if you weren’t at Jersey Fresh this year:
The view at the Jersey Shore. Photo via EN’s Instagram.
1. Tailgating at the Jersey Shore
The organizers added additional tailgating spots at the famous Jersey Shore water complex this year and still sold out well before the event. Tailgaters rolled into the Horse Park of New Jersey early Saturday morning, and their spirits weren’t at all dampened by the unexpected downpour that pelted the park in the morning.
Instead, the rain only seemed to embolden everyone to have a good time, and the spectators faithfully cheered every horse and rider through the water complex all day long. The riders unanimously agreed the crowds were amazing — yelling things like, “You go, girl!” and cheering for them by name.
If you want to tailgate at the Jersey Shore next year, be sure to keep an eye on the Jersey Fresh website and book your spot early. They sell out quickly! Next year’s event will be held May 11-15, 2016, so mark your calendars now.
Kyle Carter and Sampson the Therapy Pony. Photo via EN’s Instagram.
2. Kyle Carter and Sampson the therapy pony
Fan favorite Kyle Carter was at Jersey Fresh coaching his students, and he also gave the crowd an educational preview of Sally Ike’s CCI3* show jumping course with Sampson the therapy pony by his side.
Sampson is a 16-year-old Shetland Pony who visits nursing homes and assisted living facilities in New Jersey with his owner Carol Wingerter. He’s something of a legend for giving his famous kisses, which have been featured on ABC News. Kyle doesn’t kiss and tell, so we cannot confirm if he smooched Sampson.
Sampson was inducted into the NJ Veterinary Medical Association Animal Hall of Fame in 2011, and the crowd loved getting to see him in person. Jersey Fresh also had a number of other interesting demonstrations through the weekend, including a natural horsemanship session with Tik Maynard.
That time Lauren Kieffer went to “jail.” Photo via EN’s Instagram.
3. Riders behind bars in Stall A-Rest
“Bad to the Bone” Buck Davidson, “Lawless” Lauren Kieffer, “Wayward” Tik Maynard, “Hooligan” Holly Payne and “Crooked” Kristin Schmolze all agreed to raise $1,000 to make bail for Stall A-Rest, which benefitted both the horse trials and the Horse Park of New Jersey’s Footing Refurbishment capital campaign.
Any riders who didn’t raise $1,000 by Saturday night were locked behind bars at the competitor’s party until their family and friends coughed up the cash. Bill Richey and his dog PD, who travel the world training police dogs and mounted police horses, escorted the riders to “jail.”
At the end of the night, the riders had raised the following amounts: Holly: $1,400; Tik: $1,245; Kristin: $1,211; Buck: $1,161 and Lauren: $1,000. Somehow cross country course designer John Williams also ended up behind bars and raised an additional $60. In total, $6,077 was raised. Click here to learn more about how to support the HPNJ Footing Fund.
The view from the VIP tent at Jersey Fresh. Photo via EN’s Instagram.
4. A ringside view of all three phases
Jersey Fresh’s new VIP tent gave a ringside view of the action in all three phases at Jersey Fresh. All the dressage was relocated to the Grand Prix ring this year, and what turned out to be the most influential combination on John Williams cross country course ran right through the arena.
The VIP tent was the place to be yesterday during Sunday’s show jumping finale. A tasty Mother’s Day brunch was served, and you got a bird’s eye view of Buck Davidson and Carl Segal high-fiving after Ballynoe Castle RM won the CCI3* division. The organizers expect to make the VIP tent even bigger and better next year, so plan to get your tickets early.
If you don’t want to spring for VIP tickets, the view from along the rail and on the hill overlooking the Grand Prix ring is equally excellent. Here’s a view from the top of the hill, where spectators spread out blankets and picnics and enjoyed the beautiful weather for dressage and show jumping.
The BDJ team celebrates the win. Photo via EN’s Instagram.
5. Ballynoe Castle RM’s first CCI3* win
Reggie has won many honors during his storied career, but he’d never won a CCI3* until yesterday when he jumped double clear in show jumping to take the Jersey Fresh trophy. The whole BDJ team was in attendance to celebrate the win, and Buck even had Reggie’s longtime groom Kathleen Blauth-Murray ride him into the prize giving to honor her dedication to the horse. It was a great way to end the weekend at Jersey Fresh.
Catch up on all of EN’s coverage of Jersey Fresh at this link. Go Eventing.
William Fox-PItt and Chilli Morning jump an immaculate clear to take the title. Photo by Samantha Clark.
It’s not often we see a stallion who achieves what this 15-year-old Brandenburg stallion owned by Chris Stone has, but this weekend we saw pure greatness from Chilli Morning as he neatly finished Badminton on his dressage score.
Formerly campaigned by both Mary King and Nick Gauntlett, the stallion has steadily worked his way up the ranks, finishing third individually at last year’s World Equestrian Games with William Fox-Pitt in the irons and finally this weekend winning what no other stallion has won before: Badminton Horse Trials.
With the argument that successful event horses must possess a substantial amount of Thoroughbred blood, Chilli Morning’s genetic makeup does not disappoint. He is 56.25% Thoroughbred thanks to a predominantly Thoroughbred sire line. His sire line shows much success on the racetrack, while the damsire line shows success in the Olympic show jumping arena (Kolibri show jumped at the Olympic level). You can view more details on his breeding here.
Chilli Morning has also been active in the breeding shed, utilizing his vacation time from competition to produce what many hope will be successful sport horses for the future. These exciting youngsters include two 2010 foals from Mary King’s prolific mount, King’s Temptress.
King Robert and King’s Ginger both began their eventing careers with Mary in the irons this spring. It’s no secret that these two are regally bred for success in the sport of eventing, so only time will tell just how successful they will be. You can view more information on Chilli’s progeny by clicking here.
Chilli was selected for his athletic ability as well as his temperament — more than a few comments on his calm demeanor in high pressure situations — and he demonstrated that focus perfectly in yesterday’s pressure cooker of a show jumping arena at Badminton.
The horse also played a key role for the British team at last year’s WEG, where he won individual bronze and team silver. In what many have called the worst footing they’ve seen on a cross country course, William Fox-Pitt expertly piloted Chilli around to pick up just 12.8 time penalties to add to his dressage score. The horse came back the next day still fighting fit, and though he lowered one rail it was still a memorable performance.
William also brought Chilli to Rolex in 2013 but retired the stallion on course after picking up an early runout. He went back to his daily routine of thorough preparation and went on to pick up four top-10 placings at the three-star level before being selected to the British WEG team.
It’s exceedingly rare to see a stallion have such measured success at the top levels of the sport. Windfall, the famed Trakehner stallion, is the last stallion to win an event of this magnitude when he picked up the win in the modified division of the 2004 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. These two continue to dominate the household talk when it comes to successful eventing stallions and for good reason.
Congratulations once again to Chris Stone, William Fox-Pitt and all who have had a hand in Chilli Morning’s success. It’s without a doubt exciting to see a stallion taste victory on the world stage, and we’re sure we’ve not seen the last from Chilli and his progeny.
As we return from yet another action packed weekend, we find ourselves reviewing the best moments from the events around the world. This particular moment from Badminton will not soon be forgotten, as it’s truly a display of both athleticism, determination, and more than a dash of sheer stubbornness.
German rider Niklas Bschorer was contesting his first Badminton with Tom Tom Go 3 when he encountered some trouble at the lake complex. Many pairs had this same issue, not quite making it to the bank on the correct stride, making for an awkward exit from the water and an impossible question in the bounce that followed.
Tom Tom Go 3, a 12-year-old Holsteiner gelding, knew he couldn’t make the bounce work and ducked to the side to regain his balance after all but scrambling up the bank. This motion tossed Niklas out the right door, but fortunately he was able to push off of the jump and somehow regain his position — after inflating his air vest, naturally.
Unfortunately, Niklas and Tom Tom Go 3 would retire on course, but they fought their way through this question with enough tenacity that we’re confident we’ll see them back again in no time at all.
We’re back again, bringing another Fab Freebie to try to help brighten up just another manic Monday. Since we are not so very far away from Rolex yet, I think it appropriate to chime in and mention how very happy I was to see the number of helmets worn for dressage this year. So cheers to everyone who made sure to #mindyourmelon!
So this week, one lucky reader will be able to #mindyourmelon in style when they take home a new Liberty Schooling Helmet from Troxel. Just recently, I’ve been spending time riding in the Liberty Schooling Helmet, and you can learn more about the helmet, and read all about my experience here.
When I first pulled out the Liberty Schooling Helmet from it’s box, I found it to look pleasing to the eye. And this thought continued on when I placed the helmet on my head — because it was low profile, and just looked super sleek to me – Photo by Lorraine Peachey
The Troxel Liberty is a budget-friendly, ultra low profile schooling helmet. And along with being low profile, the Liberty also features a number of mesh covered vents that have been incorporated into the design of the helmet in order to promote air circulation as you get your ride on.
The Liberty Schooling helmet also features the GPS II Dial Fit System, which includes a convenient and easy-to-use dial that is located at the base of the helmet, at the back. The soft touch dial can be easily adjusted so that the wearer can tighten or loosen the helmet, in order to get just the right fit.
The Liberty schooling helmet also features the GPS II Dial Fit System — which includes a convenient dial at the base of the helmet at the back. The soft touch dial can be easily adjusted to get just the right fit – Photo by Lorraine Peachey
There are also a wide variety of colors available to choose from when selecting a Liberty Schooling Helmet. With choices ranging from traditional and conservative, to bright and bold, every rider can find a color to match their preference. And certain color choice are offered in matte shades, while others are offered with a high gloss finish.
And if you find yourself gravitating towards the bold color choices that the Liberty helmet is offered in, get ready for another fun twist – because some of the color options are now offered with fun animal print liners. The animal print liners help to infuse an extra dose of fun into the personality of the Liberty Schooling Helmet!
The Liberty Schooling Helmet from Troxel retails for $54.94, and you can find it here. A special thanks goes out to Troxel for providing this week’s prize!
Please note that this week’s Fab Freebie Giveaway is open to residents of the United States.
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The Cloud 11 Watership Down at Carolina International. Photo by Kate Samuels.
