Classic Eventing Nation

Rolex Entry Update: Veronica Returns to Kentucky

By on Mar 13, 2015 9:00 am -
Lauren Kieffer and Veronica. Photo by Jenni Autry. Lauren Kieffer and Veronica. Photo by Jenni Autry.

We’re still refreshing the Rolex entry list like crazy, as more names will continue to be added to the list as each day passes. Entries close on March 26, so we’ll be updating the entry list as often as we can to bring you the latest additions.

Today, we have the addition of reigning USEF National Champions Lauren Kieffer and Veronica. This pair finished second in 2014, just behind winners William Fox-Pitt and Bay My Hero, and will be looking to put in another very competitive performance. Perhaps it’s time for a Rolex watch for this pair?

Lauren and Veronica also represented the U.S. at Pau last year, coming home with a ninth place finish in a strong showing for Team USA. Veronica will have her final prep in the Advanced at The Fork next month.

Also slated to have another go are fan favorites Allison Springer and Arthur. This pair is making their astonishing 11th four-star and seventh Rolex start this year. Known for their prowess in the sandbox, Allison and Arthur will surely be close to, if not at, the top of the board after the first phase.

Our Rolex Rookies are also continuing to pile in, with Lisa Barry and F.I.S. Prince Charming along with Angela Gryzwinski and Novelle entered in the latest round.

Lisa Barry and F.I.S. Prince Charming capped off their 2014 with a top-20 finish in the CCI3* at the Dutta Corp Fair Hill International. Most recently, the pair picked up a fourth place finish in the Advanced at Red Hills and are looking ready to contest their first four-star in six weeks time. They’re entered in the CIC3* at The Fork, where many Rolex hopefuls are slated to have their final prep run.

Angela Gryzwinski and the lovely Novelle will also be making the trek to Kentucky this year for their first appearance. Novelle finished 10th in her first CCI3* at Galway Downs last year and most recently finished in 10th place in the Advanced division at Twin Rivers.

James Alliston and both Tivoli and Parker will be returning to Kentucky this year. This will be Tivoli’s second attempt at Rolex, having been spun in 2013 in the final horse inspection. Parker will be making his fourth appearance in Kentucky, most recently finishing 22nd in 2014.

Jordan Linstedt and RevitaVet Capato left their home base in Washington yesterday to begin the trip east. They’re entered in the CIC3* at The Fork at the beginning of April as their final prep, having most recently finished sixth in the CCI3* at Galway Downs last fall.

Jordan will be returning for her second run around Kentucky, having given Tullibard’s Hawkwind a very classy ride around in 2012 for a top 30 finish. This will be the first CCI4* start for RevitaVet Capato, a 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding.

Also returning for a second time are Dana Widstrand and Relentless Pursuit. Dana and “Rover” didn’t have the weekend they wanted last year and will return with a vengeance. This pair had a great run around Red Hills, finishing ninth in the CIC3*. An OTTB, Relentless Pursuit turned 19 this year, though you wouldn’t know it watching him run cross country.

Stay tuned for more entry updates, as we’ll be posting them as they come in. Go Rolex!

[Entry List]

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Friday News & Notes from FLAIR Nasal Strips

By on Mar 13, 2015 12:03 am -
How did I get so lucky as to have this ridiculously good looking horse as my main man for so many years?

I made him do a photo shoot yesterday. He rolled in mud right after this.

I’ve been late to the competition game this season, as I didn’t go south at all, but stayed in Virginia to keep working and doing long slow fitness and flatwork hours with my horses. I have my two actively competing this season, a bunch of greenies, and a group of great students. Outside of the horrible snow of February, it really hasn’t been bad at all. In fact, I want to say that it’s almost been a nice relief to not have to go south and go crazy competing all over the place and return home to a depleted bank account and a trailer full of sand. However, my horses are looking fit and “slick as onions” (as my farrier said the other day) and I’m excited to get going competing next weekend at Carolina International!

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Pine Top Spring H.T.  [Website] [Omnibus] [Entry Status] [Live Scores]

MeadowCreek Park H.T.  [Website] [Omnibus] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Full Gallop Farm March I H.T.  [Final Scores]

Copper Meadows H.T. [Website] [Omnibus] [Entry Status/Ride Times] [Live Scores]

News From Around The Globe:

As we all consider the fate of Eventing after yet another tragedy, it’s worth reading this article from Jimmy Wofford. Yes, it was written in 2008, but it holds just as true now. The internet is full of outrage and complaint, but Jimmy does an excellent job of condensing the concerns into logical and digestible information, forming his argument. He believes that the true problem with Eventing is that the increase in difficulty of Dressage and Show Jumping has morphed our horses into ones without initiative, and that is the cause of the increase in rotational falls. As he puts it, we have designed a sport by humans for humans, instead of a sport designed by humans for horses. [Eventing Lives in the Balance]

Nine British horses have been entered so far at Rolex, and entries don’t close for another week and a half. The British have WFP bringing two defending Rolex champions and one four-star rookie, Nicola Wilson returning for the first time since the WEG in 2010, and both Zara Phillips and Francis Whittington making their personal Rolex debuts. We love Rolex as our only CCI4* in North America, but we really love when the Europeans come over here and we can ooh and ahh at them! [British Take On Rolex]

Don’t forget to enter this week’s awesome Fab Freebie from SaddleLockers! Here’s your chance to win a prize pack of swag, courtesy of SaddleLockers, Ogilvy, and Higher Standards Leather Care. Entries close Friday at midnight EST and we’ll be announcing the winner in Saturday’s News & Notes. [Fab Freebie: SaddleLockers]

Jen McFall wrote an amazing blog for The Chronicle on how her competitive instinct got in the way of her results with High Times. Billy, as he is known, completed Rolex last year with Jen for the first time, and has already started his competition season on the west coast. Jen blogs about how she decided to really push for the results in dressage that she knew could happen, and her insistence on perfection completely backfired, but it opened her up to a new way of thinking about her relationship with Billy and the competition. [The Power of Perception: Taming the Dragon]

Nyls usually has good ground manners, but at competitions it’s basically his life goal to drag me everywhere, mostly in search of grass at inopportune times. He’s a little bit of the horse that the more you pull, the harder he pulls, and the more you up the ante by putting a chain or some other preventative gadget on him, the worse he acts. For years, I just swallowed my pride and let him drag me around, only occasionally feeling like a good horse mother. Then I discovered the Professional’s Choice rope halter, and bad leading habits disappeared! I can finally walk him around the barns and out to graze without having to fear looking like a kid skidding her heels against a fat shetland pony. #lifegoals [SmartPak Product of the Day]

Congrats to Kristen Forti, the winner of this week’s Fab Freebie giveaway for a SaddleLockers prize pack! Please email [email protected] to claim your prize. Be sure to check out SaddleLockers’ full lineup of amazing tack trunks by clicking here. Congrats to Kristen, and check back Monday for the next Fab Freebie! [Fab Freebie]

This Week in Horse Health News Presented by Absorbine

By on Mar 12, 2015 5:00 pm -
Hand cleanliness for the indecisive. Photo by Colleen Peachey. Hand cleanliness for the indecisive. Photo by Colleen Peachey.

Something that I’ll say about myself is that I’m very conscientious of the idea of cleanliness …  especially around the barn. I’m slightly obsessed with waterless sanitizer (which I affectionately call “anti-bac”). Especially those cute mini containers from Bath & Body Works, because they come in every scent imaginable. I’m not even joking — have you ever seen this display in one of their stores? So. Many. Scents. Which is a problem when you’re as indecisive as I am.

Anyway, in my head, using anti-bac qualifies as much as washing my hands for certain activities. Say I just groomed one of my horses or even mucked a stall. I wasn’t really touching anything directly, right? So using some anti-bac is good enough for me to use before I open up a bag of snacks. Any of the dirt spots on my hands would now register as “clean dirt,” riiight?

I can think of a lot of cases where it just pays to stop and sanitize your hands — whether it be by using hand sanitizer, or by going old-school and washing up with some good ‘ole soap and water. Is there a new horse in the barn that is being quarantined? Or have you been traveling with your horse or equipment – it only takes seconds to use some anti-bac (and your hands will smell great too)!

Head over to The Horse to check out an interesting article on hand sanitation and skin health for veterinarians and the impact that it can have on horse health — you can check it out here.

And then learn something new from the other headlines from this week in Horse Health News, presented by Absorbine:

What Shedding Can Tell You: One of the sure signs of the approaching spring season for equestrians is surely the tell-tale signs of our horses starting to shed, which leads to hair everywhere (and I mean everywhere). But did you know that shedding is not a response triggered by warmer temperatures, but rather by an increase in the amount of light each day? And your horse’s shedding behavior can tell you a lot more about their health then you might think. [Equus Magazine]

Post-Winter Weight Gain: Did you find yourself falling into the trap of holiday junk food? I’ll admit, I fall into the trap of snacking on anything from cookies to cold weather comfort food. As spring approaches, I’ve reinstated my daily 5 a.m. runs to counteract the effects, but horses can have the opposite problem during winter. Hard keepers or senior horses can have difficulty maintaining their weight over winter. Check out this article to help you assess the situation and make a plan to help put weight on your horse. [The Horse]

Stable Air Bad for Workers? While static air in the barn can cause any number of problems for your horse, did you ever stop to think about the effect that it has on barn workers? Researchers have recently found that stable air can be “considerably contaminated” with microorganisms that are invisible to the human eye — and these microorganisms can post hazards to workers’ health. [Horsetalk]

Scratches Season: We’ve reached that time of the year — what I like to (not so) affectionately call “mud season.” Which means that the horses will most likely be slopping around in the mud at some point, since they can’t stay cooped up in their stalls forever. And that means that it is also time to be diligently on the lookout for signs of scratches. [Equus Magazine]

Alpha Horse? Have you ever watched your horse turned out in the pasture with their buddies to see the interactions within the herd? Social interactions can be absolutely fascinating to watch because there can be a lot going on, even when it looks like a group of horses is just standing around and chilling out. How easy is it to identify the horse (or horses) that are the dominant members of the group, and what does that mean in terms of trainability? Check out this interesting commentary article. [The Horse]

Cadiz Euthanized In France After Fall at Fontainebleau

By on Mar 12, 2015 3:30 pm -
Donatien Schauly and Cadiz. Photo courtesy of FFE/DE. Donatien Schauly and Cadiz. Photo courtesy of FFE/DE.

We have just learned that Cadiz, a 15-year-old Spanish-bred gelding that completed the 2012 London Olympic Games, was euthanized Sunday, two days after suffering severe injuries while falling on cross country in a French national competition at Fontainebleau on March 6. He was euthanized due to “complications related to swelling of the spinal cord,” according to Cavadeos.

His rider, Donatien Schauly, was uninjured in the fall. Cadiz, by El Mesto out of Adonna and owned by Renaud and Marie Christine de Lauriere, completed numerous three-star events in his career, and he represented France on the world stage at the London Olympics with Aurelien Khan, finishing 45th individually.

Donatien then took over the ride on the horse, and together they finished 15th at Waragem CICO3* in 2013 and 10th at Fontainebleau CICO3* in 2014, with the highlight of their partnership coming last year, when they finished second at Saumur CCI3* on their dressage score of 48.4.

After tendinitis sidelined the horse during the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Normandy, Donatien gave the horse an extended period of time off before coming back out this year. The event at Fontainebleau was the horse’s first competition of the season.

In the horse’s entire FEI career, which stretches back to 2006, he only recorded cross country jumping penalties at one event, with a 20 on his score card from the Olympics. He will be remembered as an incredibly talented cross country horse and a stalwart competitor for France.

The accident occurred the day before Conahy’s Courage was euthanized after breaking a leg during a rotational fall in the CIC3* division at Red Hills International Horse Trials on March 7. Cadiz was euthanized the following day on March 8.

[Full: Accidental Death of Cadiz]

[Disparition de Cadiz]

It Is Time to Scrutinize Every Aspect of This Sport

By on Mar 12, 2015 1:30 pm -
Francisco Seabra and Zarthago at WEG. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Francisco Seabra and Zarthago at WEG. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Following the ongoing debate about safety in eventing is not unlike being stuck on a carousel. Whenever a horse or human dies on cross country, the same cyclical series of events inevitably unfold.

Social media lights up with outraged comments from people asking why one more horse or human has to die while competing in this sport. Various organizations then release statements of condolence and commit to work toward bolstering safety. No real change actually takes place, and we all go back to the status quo, bracing for the next fatal accident.

It’s an infuriating reality that has gone on far too long and one for which there is currently no end in sight.

It’s been six months since Burghley and Blenheim, when there were eight total horse falls and one horse fatality between those two events alone. Ben Winter and Jordan McDonald died several months before that. We ran the following editorials after those events, and every single word is still applicable to where we are six months later:

Time to Start Asking the Tough Questions: “When we publish videos and photos of horse falls on Eventing Nation, readers leave comments saying they wish we would post a warning so they could know to look away or skip over that post. And while we respect that, the rest of the world isn’t looking away.”

Newsflash: Eventing Doesn’t Have To Be This Way: “Maybe we stay silent because we are scared to step on toes, maybe because we don’t believe we have the credibility to have a worthwhile opinion, maybe because we lack solutions to the issues we see. But it’s time to talk and to act.”

I do not have the answers for how to prevent or at least significantly lower the rate at which horses and riders are suffering serious injuries and dying on course, and, for that matter, we don’t even have an accurate picture of the rate at which these accidents are occurring.

I contacted the FEI last October asking for statistics on horse fatalities and injuries at FEI events. This is what I received in response: “The FEI Veterinary Department is currently working on horse injuries and fatalities statistics, however these are not available yet.”

The FEI publishes a comprehensive report on rider fatalities and injuries going back to 2004, yet there is no information currently available to the public — and perhaps not even compiled — on horses that suffer the same fate. That is extremely disconcerting.

The fact remains there is currently no comprehensive database for globally tracking fatalities and injuries for both horses and riders at non-FEI events around the world. Each national governing body tracks this information independently for their own events; the USEA just released a report going back to 2009 for rider injuries only. The FEI tracks the data for FEI events only.

Until there is some sort of global database to compile this information from the FEI and every national governing body, we have a very incomplete picture of horse and rider injuries and fatalities occurring around the world.

Horsetalk does publish a list, but it is not complete. In addition to the fatalities from 2015, there are three horse fatalities from recent years missing from the list: San Calido, broken leg, Osberton CCI* 2014; Happy Go Lucky, cardiac episode, Saumur CCI3* 2014; Visionary Patriarch, critical injuries, Poplar Place Prelim 2013. There are likely others missing.

If no one will cough up the cash to fund a study on something as simple as the safety of helmet cameras, I hold out little hope for any kind of comprehensive report or database that gives us an accurate picture of the sheer size and scope of this uphill battle we are facing worldwide.

But it is a battle that must be fought, and we refuse to stand idly by as the death toll continues to rise. One more fatality is simply one too many.

In just the last month since the 2015 eventing season started, we have lost Francisco Seabra in Spain, Dream Girl at Full Gallop, Conahy’s Courage at Red Hills and Cadiz at Fontainebleau. A number of media outlets have released commentary since, and if you haven’t yet read these links, please take the time to do so:

Deaths Are Not Acceptable, by Oliver Townend for Horse & Hound: “I struggle with how some riders react to fatalities — almost as if it’s expected. Deaths are not acceptable, they must never be the norm and we must examine every solution to eliminate them.”

Can Eventing Be Safer? Formula One Says It Can, by Lisa Slade for The Chronicle of the Horse: “I’d like to take ‘inherently dangerous’ out of the discussion about eventing for now. At this point, it’s just an excuse to not take a harder look at our sport.”

Save Eventing From Itself, by Denny Emerson for Horse Collaborative: “Bring in experts from car racing and ski racing, create strict protocols which trigger hearings after accidents of a certain severity, create protocols for changes of speed in case of rain or bad footing … “

EN will continue to link to any news articles and commentary that take a hard look at eventing. If we miss any, you can send them to [email protected]. We will also publish the continued findings from the USEA’s Cross Country Safety Task Force.

It is time to scrutinize every aspect of this sport. Upper-level riders: We implore you to follow Oliver Townend’s lead and speak out, ask the hard questions and let your voice be heard. EN will publish any guest commentary sent to us on how to improve safety in eventing.

David O’Connor once said we are “one sport.” Let us unite together now as one sport — professional riders, amateurs, officials, grooms, owners, fans, organizers, journalists and beyond — and tirelessly pursue the day when we never have to say goodbye to one more horse or rider on a cross country course.

More Than One Way to Define Success, Presented by OCD

By on Mar 12, 2015 11:00 am -

Last month, we launched a contest from our sponsor, OCD and Doc’s Products Inc., inviting you to share your rehabilitation stories with us. We’ve had some wonderful entries so far, and we’ve decided to start sharing them this week. Entries are still open, so don’t forget to send your story to [email protected] for your chance at a great prize pack from OCD!

Photo courtesy of Anne Schmid.

Photo courtesy of Anne Schmid.

Success can be defined in many ways. Most people tend to think of success in terms of “rags to riches” stories, getting that big promotion or perhaps winning the lottery. In the case of rehabbing horses, success usually comes in very small increments. Victory can be found in the smallest improvement. Such is the case with my horse Tommy.

Tommy is a 16-year-old off track Thoroughbred who I have had for five years. He was raced and in overall good health when he came to me to be my event horse. We started out at Beginner Novice, and he had all the right stuff to enable him to move up to Novice rather quickly. In fact, he was doing so well, it was my plan to move him up to Training level the summer of 2013. That’s when the issues started.

In March of 2013, Tommy showed some mild lameness that we couldn’t pinpoint. My vet thought it was his front end and injected his coffin joints. The lameness continued and in May, I had another vet look at him. He pinpointed the left hind and, with several blocks, isolated the left hind fetlock.

An X-ray revealed a large bone chip. Arrangements were made, and on July 1, Tommy was taken to Rood and Riddle Veterinary Hospital in Lexington, Ky. for removal of the chip. That procedure was done arthroscopically to keep any potential damage to a minimum.

The surgery went well, as did his recovery. He was on stall rest initially but progressed to hand walking, then minimal turnout, then light work. By September, Tommy was fully under saddle and doing some work over ground poles. I was thrilled to have my horse back after six months of down time and rehabilitation. Success!

As any horse owner knows, often after the highs, come the lows. One month after returning to work and getting stronger each day, Tommy suffered a stifle injury. Two steps forward and now one back. The ultrasound showed the basic structure was okay, but was thickened. The diagnosis was synovitis and thinning cartilage.

Tommy in the hospital. Photo courtesy of Anne Schmid.

Tommy in the hospital. Photo courtesy of Anne Schmid.

 

Over the winter, we did PRP and shock wave therapy and once again, Tommy was having a good recovery. It was a bullet dodged and another success to celebrate. Tommy returned to almost full work. He wasn’t jumping, but that was soon to follow.

You can probably guess what happened next. In April of 2014, Tommy kicked himself in his left front fetlock. Initial X-rays showed nothing structural, but his pain got increasingly worse, so I worked with the vet to find a source and a solution. Both of us were frustrated.

It got to a point where I discussed euthanizing him due to his pain level. The vet wanted to try one last approach, so we sent Tommy to Virginia Tech for an MRI. It was at Virginia Tech that they discovered Tommy had suffered a structural defect to the medial sesamoid. A section of his sesamoid had died and he needed surgery.

Once again, Tommy went under the knife and the procedure left us with more rehab ahead. The vets said his surgery was a success — I was grateful. Once again, we faced a period of rehabilitation where the outcome was uncertain. Tommy was becoming an old hand at stall rest and knew the protocol, so he was a good patient. Given the 14 months he had, we had no idea what his future held, but I was in for whatever long haul we were faced with.

By September, Tommy was miraculously back under saddle and rehabbing well. Each day, each week and each month showed improvements but some were so minor they were almost undetectable to those around him. He was like the “Little Engine That Could”. The smallest actions could generate the biggest victories, and I saw him start to return to his former self. His last treatments were in December, when we did PRP for the stifle and Tildren for the fetlock.

Today Tommy is back to work and we are starting to do raised cavaletti. While that may not seem to be a big deal to most, it is huge for us. Rehabilitation doesn’t involve overnight success. It is a slow, often painful process that requires hope and faith.

So when you talk about rehab success stories, what you really are celebrating is the sheer determination of both horse and owner, with a major dollop of veterinary skill. My success story ends with the hope and faith that Tommy will one day return to eventing.

I have not used OCD but am willing to try anything that can help my best friend!

Rolex Rookies: Zach Brandt and Cavallino Cocktail

By on Mar 12, 2015 9:00 am -

Welcome to our second annual Rolex Rookies series! We're thrilled to be profiling the new faces on the entry list for Rolex this year, and we couldn't be more excited for these riders taking their first crack at Kentucky. We'll be bringing you exclusive profiles on each Rookie pair, so keep checking back to learn more about the competitors you'll see in Kentucky this year. Go Rolex!

Zach Brandt and Cavallino Cocktail. Photo by Jenni Autry. Zach Brandt and Cavallino Cocktail. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Zach Brandt experienced his first Rolex in 2005, 12 years old and a fresh new rider. “My mom took me, and I’d only been riding for about a year,” Zach recalled. “I remember hoping I’d make it there someday; it just seemed like such a huge accomplishment.”

10 years later, Zach and his 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare, Cavallino Cocktail, are on the comeback tour of their lives, and their first trip around Rolex is rapidly approaching. Zach’s trying his best to keep a lid on his excitement with many preparations still to come.

After spending 2014 rehabbing “Skotty” from a tendon injury, Zach has put his beloved mare’s welfare ahead of his own goals in an effort to bring her back to work correctly. After moving to Jon Holling’s barn in Ocala last July, Zach and Skotty began the long road of comeback from an injury that kept the mare sidelined.

With the long process of rehab, Skotty has returned to work in the best form she’s ever been in. “I can’t thank Jon enough for all of the work and support he’s put into us,” Zach said. “Where she is now, the fact that Rolex is even a though, is due in large part to him. I can’t thank him enough for everything he’s done for me.”

“When we moved down here, she was just trotting maybe 20 minutes a day. She wasn’t doing any flat work. Originally, I wanted to have her back for Fair Hill last fall, but it turned out to be a bit too soon, and it was a substantial enough risk that we decided it would be better to hold off.”

Coming out in 2015 with a fresh horse, Zach originally marked Jersey Fresh on his calendar as his main goal. “That’s obviously still a possibility,” Zach said. “It’s how we started the season. But then she came out in the Advanced at Rocking Horse, and she was just on fire. It was as if she hadn’t missed a beat, and she felt better than she ever has.“

“She certainly picked up where she left off; I was expecting us to be a bit rusty, and she was good and took care of me in my rusty moments. I did not expect to have that ride, but I think that focusing a lot on our flatwork during the rehab really improved her rideability.”

A week after finishing 7th in the Advanced B division at Rocking Horse, Zach and Jon had a discussion about spring plans. “In my head, after having such a good run at Rocking Horse, I started to think, “Well, maybe Kentucky could actually be a goal this year,'” Zach said. “I knew myself well enough — knowing how overly cautious I can be, which isn’t a bad thing — that I felt if I was thinking about it as a possibility then I knew she was ready.”

Zach Brandt and Cavallino Cocktail. Photo by Bill Olson.

Zach Brandt and Cavallino Cocktail. Photo by Bill Olson.

Zach mentioned his idea to Jon, who said he’d sleep on the idea. Jon solicited the opinion of Leslie Law, with whom Zach had been working with in the Eventing 25 sessions, and came back the next day informing Zach that both he and Leslie felt the pair was ready to jump around their first four-star.

“Jon is fairly conservative too,” Zach said. “But he was happy with this idea, and if he is comfortable with it then it gives me confidence. I don’t want to do anything that would put her in harm’s way or that would be too much for her because of this long road we’ve been down.”

With that, Zach set about making preparations for Rolex, all the while remaining focused on his goals and not letting the excitement get the best of him. While Kentucky is just six weeks away, there’s plenty to check off the list in the meantime.

As their final prep events, Zach and Skotty will contest the Advanced at Carolina International next weekend and the CIC3* at The Fork at the beginning of April. Using those two runs as prep gallops, Zach’s also got Skotty on a fitness regimen that suits her.

“She’s naturally a very fit horse,” he said. “She’s looking exactly how I want her to look six weeks out. There’s quite a bit to do before we pack up and head to Kentucky, but she’s looking the best she has ever looked.”

Skotty will be working out on the Aquatread as well as swimming in addition to her fitness sets. All the while, Zach is confident that he and his mare are ready to take on their next challenge together.

“I’ve learned so much during this process, if nothing else then about the management of an upper level horse,” he said. “I wouldn’t call myself the most organized person, but I’ve really tried to keep track of everything with her and my young horse because it’s important to ensure they’re as well taken care of as possible.”

Zach can’t wait to get out on the cross country course at Rolex, knowing that it will be a pivotal point in he and Skotty’s partnership.

“We know each other like the back of our hands,” he said. “I’m a pretty sentimental person, and it’s just going to mean so much to be out there with her. There’s no other horse I’d rather do this with for the first time, and no matter what happens there will be so much to learn and look back on when it’s all finished.”

Thursday News & Notes from SmartPak

By on Mar 12, 2015 12:03 am -
Photo submitted by EN reader Mari Heybroek.

Photo submitted by EN reader Mari Heybroek.

What’s that? You still think all thoroughbreds are crazy? Here is example one of a million that they aren’t: the above photo is EN reader Mari Heybroek with her 19 month old son, Oscar, riding a craaazzy thoroughbred! Oscar rode OTTB Chip in his very first show, in the trot poles class (although admittedly they mostly walked), and his mother hopes he will be an eventer when he grows up. Chip and Oscar were competing at a show organized by Skyline Eventing in efforts to raise money for a new cross country course in Mount Pleasant, Utah. A great cause for eventers out there, and future eventers too!

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Pine Top Spring H.T.  [Website] [Omnibus] [Entry Status]

MeadowCreek Park H.T.  [Website] [Omnibus] [Ride Times]

Full Gallop Farm March I H.T.  [Website] [Omnibus] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

Copper Meadows H.T. [Website] [Omnibus] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

News From Around The Globe:

Don’t forget to enter this week’s awesome Fab Freebie from SaddleLockers! Here’s your chance to win a prize pack of swag, courtesy of SaddleLockers, Ogilvy, and Higher Standards Leather Care. Entries close Friday at midnight EST and we’ll be announcing the winner in Friday’s News & Notes. [Fab Freebie: SaddleLockers]

Planning on competing at a CCI3* or CCI4* this spring? Don’t forget that you might be eligible for a Spring Grant from the USEF! Entries are due on FRIDAY, so if you want to go to Rolex, Jersey Fresh, Badminton, Saumur, Bromont, Bramham or Luhmuhlen this year, get your application in on time. [USEF Spring Grant Applications]

StartBox Scoring LLC is teaming up with the U.S. Pony Clubs to deliver even more awesome instant online scores. The new system will provide support for the Pony Club Team Competitions and Horse Management scoring, enabling all new live results for competitors, spectators and parents. Eventing is leading the way as the first discipline to incorporate the new integration, beginning in the July 2015 Pony Club East and West Championships. Dressage and Hunter/Jumper shows will be following in 2016. [Pony Club & StartBox Scoring: A Match Made in Heaven]

Just in time for their event this weekend, Copper Meadows has unveiled not one, but TWO new websites! The ever popular competition has been aching for a website makeover, and now it’s finally here. There’s not a lot of things more satisfying than an easily navigated website with all your competition information at the tip of your fingers. [Copper Meadows Official Sites]

 

Drooling with Charlotte DuJardin riding this young stallion Tørveslettens Fifty-Fifty….

logo_600x100 SmartPak

Wednesday Videos from Kentucky Performance Products: Wayback Wednesday, Rolex Edition

By on Mar 11, 2015 5:30 pm -

In celebration of the Rolex entry list going live this afternoon, we’re digging through the archives and reliving the glory from Rolex years past. We can’t wait for you to join us this year in Lexington — we’ve got all sorts of insanity up our sleeves!

Enjoy this trip down Rolex memory lane, and we’ll see you in April!

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USEA Releases Statement on Safety in Eventing

By on Mar 11, 2015 4:28 pm -
Kyle Carter and Conahy's Courage at Rocking Horse. Photo by Ivegotyourpicture.com. Kyle Carter and Conahy's Courage at Rocking Horse. Photo by Ivegotyourpicture.com.

The USEA released the following statement on safety in eventing following the death of Conahy’s Courage at Red Hills Horse Trials on Saturday. Kyle Carter penned a touching tribute to Courage at this link. We are printing the statement in full in order to bolster the discussion on safety in the sport. Click here to view the statement on the USEA’s website.

The USEA’s statement:

The USEA and the staff at the Red Hills Horse Trials is deeply saddened by the accident that took the life of Conahy’s Courage owned by Imogen De Lavis and ridden by Canada’s Kyle Carter. The entire Eventing community sends deepest condolences to Imogen and Kyle on the loss of this lovely horse.

The USEA Safety Committee and the USEA’s Cross-Country Course Design and Fence Construction Task Force works continually to review all aspects of this sport, including cross-country course design, with a view to making Eventing as safe as possible for both horses and riders.

Members of these committees will spend the next few weeks investigating every aspect of this incident. This will include interviews with appropriate individuals and an analysis of the design and construction of the obstacle to determine what alterations can be made to reduce the chance of a similar accident in the future.

The accident occurred at the first element of the Hobbit House combination. Horses approach across open terrain to jump a relatively small cabin then canter down the slope and up the other side jumping a similar cabin on the way out. The combination has been on the Advanced/CIC*** course for two years and this is the only serious incident that has occurred at that obstacle.

Nevertheless, even one such incident is one too many. We will make every effort to minimize the chance of this happening in the future. We appreciate the cooperation of the entire staff of Red Hills Horse Trials in this investigation.

As should happen in any such case, this loss leads us to reflect on the sport we love and what we ask of our athletes, both human and equine. We at the USEA all welcome a healthy and open discussion, one based on the facts, not conjecture, and one free of personal attacks and hyperbole.

One fact is beyond dispute: The USEA has been at the forefront of improving safety in Eventing, and has made this issue a particular focus of our efforts over the past 10 years.

There are many ways in which USEA leadership has resulted in improvements in safety, from requiring helmets in all phases of our competitions, to tightening qualification standards, to strengthening the role of officials in monitoring (and, if necessary, intervening to stop) dangerous riding, to researching and supporting frangible technology. A review of many of our safety initiatives can be seen at www.useventing.com/rules-safety/safety.

We can all agree that Eventing is a sport that requires that our horses receive the highest level of care and attention. The USEA continually educates its members on how to improve their riding and the care, conditioning and training they give their horses.

Even though we know it will be virtually impossible to eliminate accidents altogether, the organization will leave no stone unturned as we strive daily to reduce the risk of injury to our horses and riders. The USEA works closely with the USEF to ensure that proposed safety initiatives receive the broadest support.

As we continue to review the incident at Red Hills and work to improve safety in the sport of Eventing, we will continue to invite the input of our members on ways to improve this sport, its safety and the design of cross-country courses. We will ask selected individuals to meet with the committees so we have their first-hand input and suggestions. Please do not hesitate to contact us at any time with your ideas as this process moves forward.

[USEA Statement on Safety in Eventing]