Classic Eventing Nation

Boyd Martin and Commando 3 Take Charge of Morven Park CCI4*-L

By on Oct 13, 2023 4:42 pm -

Boyd Martin and Commando 3. Photo by Sally Spickard.

It’s an exciting time to be a part of Boyd Martin‘s team these days, with a full slate of top-quality horses steadily rising through the ranks in search of future team and 5* success. Among the top of Boyd’s ones-to-watch is the 10-year-old Commando 3 (Connor 48 – R-Adelgunde, by Amigo xx), previously produced and campaigned to the Advanced level by Swedish Olympian Louise Romeike and now owned for Boyd by Yankee Creek Ranch LLC.

Full disclosure: I’m refraining from making too many gone Commando jokes in this report, but if Boyd manages to win, it’s game on.

Back to the serious news, Commando 3 was seriously impressive today, showing the growing strength and development of partnership on the flat that comes from more time spent together. Barely a year into their partnership, Boyd says he’s excited for the future with “Connor”, who continues to show his prowess for these top levels. This is evident today in the 5.3 point differential between his first 4*-L with Boyd at Tryon earlier this year and the 26.2 he earned today.

“For for so many years I’ve always tried to take ‘average’ horses and make them better, and now it’s the opposite where he’s just a phenomenally talented animal. Now it’s more just a matter of presenting him well, and showing him off to the judges.”

Boyd Martin and Commando 3. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Boyd noted the flying changes as the mark to hone in on, as they’re still a bit green as the horse gains more strength for this phase. With dressage guru-in-residence Silva Martin temporarily out of the saddle ahead of welcoming the couple’s third son, Koa, Boyd jokes Connor has had to “put up with” his flying change practice. “My secret weapon Silva’s not been able to ride him at home, so poor old Connor has been stuck with me trying to figure out the changes! And, you know, the last couple events we’ve started to really get consistent there so I think next year when we take him five-star, he’ll be solid.”

Pan American Games-bound Caroline Pamukcu sits second with Redfield King’s HX Group King’s Especiale (Connect – Cha Cha Cha Special by Vittoro), sitting just behind Boyd on a score of 28.2 after the first phase of competition. The 18-hand “King”, Caroline describes, is a sensitive type who likes things *just so* — down to how you post the trot during trot sets — so it’s been a tale of getting him to feel his best, relaxed self in these atmospheres. Here, Caroline gives much credit to one of her assistant riders at home, Mason Reidy, for his help achieving this state of zen with King.

Caroline Pamukcu and King’s Especiale. Photo by Sally Spickard.

“[Mason is] a really, really good rider, and he’s helped me a lot a lot with the relaxation,” Caroline explained. “It’s just just keeping King happy; he gets so upset if he doesn’t do exactly what you want right away. So everyday when we ride him, it’s just telling him, ‘you’re doing a good job. You’re a good boy, everything’s okay. Just take a breath.'”

Caroline opted for this 4*-L with her two younger horses, She’s the One (currently inside the top 5 on a score of 31.3) and King’s Especiale, because of the quality track and designing by Derek di Grazia. For her, this is an educational run — but she’s not planning to hang about tomorrow, either. “I would say they’re here to win. I believe in them, and they’re high percentage Thoroughbred like She’s the One I think is 75% or 80%, and she did Le Lion with [French rider Gaspard Maksud], so I know she’s ready. My first goal on cross country is make sure I give them a good ride, so if I need to take a half-halt somewhere I’m going to do that, but I’m not planning on going with going out there for 30 or 40 time faults!”

Preferring to produce her horses from a young age, King is a perfect example of relationship building, having joined Caroline at the start of his eventing career as a five-year-old.

Caroline Pamukcu and King’s Especiale.

“It makes such a difference producing them since young horses,” Caroline elaborated. “I really try and make an effort to get them as four- and five-year-olds with my business partner Kelley Hutchinson. You just know them inside and out and they know you inside and out, and when I make a mistake they’re okay with it because they’ve known me since day one.”

Great Britain’s Lucienne Bellissimo took the early lead today with a picture-perfect ride aboard Horse Scout Eventing LLC’s Dyri (Diarado – La Calera, by King Milford xx), who is contesting his first 4*-L this weekend with extensive experience at the 4*-S and Advanced level prior. Lucienne and Dyri earned a 4* personal best 28.5 and will take third place into cross country tomorrow.

Lucienne Bellissimo and Dyri. Photo by Sally Spickard.

“Overall, I was pleased with the relaxation of the test,” Lucienne reflected. “At home he’s really starting to gain the confidence in his lateral work. I’ve certainly had a lot more of the ‘wow factor’ in practice and warm-up, but for this season I really want him to learn to breathe and be rideable.”

Mission accomplished today, I’d say. Looking ahead, Lucienne describes Derek di Grazia’s cross country as “beautiful, big, and bold (dare I say British!). I will learn a lot about where his brain is by tomorrow afternoon. This is his first time at four-star Long, and my goal is to keep him confident for now and I’ll step up the pressure in 2024.”

Liz Halliday and Deniro Z. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Liz Halliday and Deniro Z (Zapatero – Zonne-Trend, by French Buffett xx), owned by Ocala Horse Properties and Deborah Palmer, will sit fourth overnight on a score of 29.8. For Liz, there were a few points left on the board, including a bobble in the medium canter that resulted in an accidental lead change. “I was happy with how good he felt,” Liz said. “I was disappointed with the score — there was a mistake in the medium canter, so that was disappointing. But otherwise, I was pretty happy with him.”

Liz has said several times this year that she feels she has her horse back, after feeling she didn’t quite have the same horse she did a few years ago. Here she credits the use of a new product, Strydaflex from Hilltop Bio, for helping him get back into his top form. Now, she’s opted for Morven’s 4*-L to allow him to get in a good run without the additional ask of a five-star this fall. “I wanted him to do a really good four-Long again, and just feel good about himself,” she explained. “Because he’s not really been himself for two years, and I think he is feeling so much better. I just didn’t want to blast him straight to another five-star. He really doesn’t owe me anything, if I’m honest, and he’s always tried his guts out for me. And I’ve never been here [to Morven Park] before — I heard it was great track, and it is a great track. It’s a very serious four-star. So I think it’ll be a really good test.”

Will Coleman and Chin Tonic HS. Photo by Sally Spickard.

There’s also a strong CCI4*-S running this weekend, currently led after day one by Liz Halliday and The Nutcracker Syndicate’s Cooley Nutcracker, who earned a 22.6 as one of the last of the day to overtake Will Coleman and Chin Tonic HS (23.1). Liz is also in third with Ocala Horse Properties’ Shanroe Cooley (26.8).

Here’s a look at the rest of the leaders from the divisions that began competition today:

CCI3*-S: Lucienne Bellissimo and Caitane Z (26.7)
CCI3*-S Young Horse: Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Connor (28.1)
CCI2*-S: Sherry Pound and Carnaby (26.5)
CCI2*-S Young Horse: Tim Bourke and Electric Quality (26.6)

Tomorrow, we’ll see cross country beginning with the CCI4*-L, followed by the CCI4*-S and CCI3*-S divisions. The National divisions will begin their weekend with dressage and show jumping, and the CCI2* divisions will also show jump.

The weather forecast currently calls for rain throughout the day, though there’s a chance we’ll escape the bulk of it, which is currently forecasted to hit town later in the afternoon.

I’ll be back first thing tomorrow with a cross country course preview (but you can preview the course below!), and don’t forget you’ll be able to see the action live thanks to a complimentary live feed provided by RNS Videomedia. Click here to bookmark the live feed page.

Morven Park International & Fall H.T.: [Website] [Schedule] [Competitor Info Hub] [Live Stream] [Volunteer] [EN’s Coverage]

EN’s coverage of Morven Park International & Fall H.T. is sponsored by Kentucky Performance Products, home to 5*-caliber supplements for horses from all walks of life.

Preliminary Competition Concludes at the 2023 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium

By on Oct 13, 2023 3:00 pm -


Preliminary competition in all ten offered disciplines at the 2023 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America, is now complete, giving us our winners who will be honored at tomorrow evening’s Awards Party as well as the top five in each discipline who will proceed now to the Finale Championships on Saturday.

Horses will compete in Saturday’s Finale on a clean slate score, with winners of each discipline eligible to be named the Thoroughbred Makeover Champion by a panel of judges from all disciplines. Friday night’s Awards Party will honor preliminary round discipline winners, as well as first place in juniors, amateurs and teams. Additionally, special awards, sponsored by various breeder and aftercare organizations as well as individuals, will be awarded based on preliminary placings.

Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.) Western and Central Dressage Championships began turning over into Makeover competition spaces today, with competition in those classes continuing through Saturday.

Additional activities on Thursday included the Barrels & Brews event, sponsored by 1/ST Racing, which invited all attendees to grab a beer from West Sixth Brewery and enjoy the crowning of the T.I.P. Barrel Racing Championship winners. This afternoon’s seminar, sponsored by Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, invited attendees to get hands-on with body condition scoring, featuring Dr. David Alexander of Rood & Riddle. Refreshments were sponsored by Taylor, Harris Insurance Services.

Let’s get to know our preliminary round winners. Full results and scores for each round can be found at TheRRP.org/makeover-results.

Barrel Racing: Dance Money and Lauren Clark (Professional)

Majestic Harbor – Cactusa, by Cactus Ridge

2018 mare bred in Indiana by Anthony Wolfe & Julie Mudman

22-2-2-1, $77,934 in earnings

Lauren Clark did not plan to compete in the Thoroughbred Makeover when she purchased Dance Money: her mother had just purchased Saint Commissaire and encouraged her to come out and take a look at a mare available. Once Clark saw Dance Money, she had to have her, and over the winter, she looked into the Thoroughbred Makeover, realized both horses were eligible, and decided to get involved, anticipating it would be a bucket list event. Clark scored in the middle of the pack in the horsemanship test, but ran two smooth, fast runs both nights to move into the lead.

“I thought I was going to end up behind, but I did my research on previous winners and their training methods,” said Clark. “I did slow work until the end of August. It felt like I was going to be rushed, but I knew I was on the right track with these horses.”


Competitive Trail: Adios Dee Dee and Haley Castleberry (Amateur)

Adios Charlie – Queen of Style, by Suave
2018 mare bred in Florida by Bob Carlson

8-1-1-0, $17,782 in earnings

Haley Castleberry’s primary discipline of choice at the Thoroughbred Makeover this year with Adios Dee Dee was show jumper (in which she finished seventh in preliminary competition). Competitive trail may have been a secondary goal, but that didn’t stop Castleberry from preparing just as hard for that discipline as for show jumper. Castleberry credits her method of preparation as well as Adios Dee Dee’s excellent mind.

“My plan was to get her out as much as I could,” said Castleberry. “I have two kids and I work, so every opportunity I had to get her out, I took it. I also made a lot of obstacles at home. Once she got something, I never had to ask again – she got everything very quickly. I work with a trainer for the show jumping, but to prep for Competitive Trail, I just looked at as many videos as I could find from past Makeovers to see what she would be faced with, and got her as ready as I could. I wanted to come as prepared as I could be, and did what I could with the time and the finances that I had.”

Dressage: Knockemdown and Alison O’Dwyer (Professional)

American Pharoah – Ancient Goddess (FR), by Iffraaj (GB)

2019 gelding bred in Kentucky by Fifth Avenue Bloodstock

Unraced

As a professional, Alison O’Dwyer tends to seek a particular type of horse for eventual resale: big, flashy horses with eye-catching movement that work well in the dressage ring. Knockemdown doesn’t check any of those boxes: she describes him as a fairly small, fairly plain bay gelding. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have his own unique strengths for the dressage arena.

“He’s definitely naturally uphill, but he’s not a big mover,” said O’Dwyer. His first test, the judge’s comment said ‘he needs to cover more ground,’ but if you come after him with your leg, he wants to come up and ball up. He doesn’t have the most visually impressive trot. But because he’s so short backed and small, he’s very maneuverable. You have time to prepare for movements. That what makes him really fun – you can be so accurate. That can be a huge scoring advantage.”

Eventing: Smokeonthehorizon and Jhett Jenkins (Professional)

Mizzen Mast – Jersey Tango, by Jersey Town

2019 gelding bred in Minnesota by Pam Davis

3-0-0-0, $685 in earnings

The Thoroughbred Makeover is not the only major show on Jhett Jenkins’ calendar for Smokeonthehorizon: if all goes well, this pair will be headed to the Young Event Horse Championships at Fair Hill in Maryland next weekend. Jenkins is quick to credit the horse’s progress to his easy trainability and his strong conformation.

“I rode him for the first time off the track in February,” said Jenkins. “He came to his owner Dionne Benson in October and had a bit of downtime first. Right off the bat, he’s been a really agreeable, trainable horse and I’ve really had a lot of fun with him. We went down for two weeks in Florida and got a head start to our season by doing our first event down there with just a month and a half of retraining. He’s been out quite a few times now in the area and has really taken to the eventing – lovely on the flat, and I think he’s a really neat horse.”

Field Hunter: Arklow and Gina Gans (Amateur)

Arch – Unbridled Empire, by Empire Maker

2014 gelding bred in Kentucky by John R. Penn & Frank Penn

39-9-9-2, $3,025,996 in earnings

Multiple graded stakes winner

Three-time Breeders’ Cup participant

Arklow is already one of the most accomplished horses competing at the 2023 Thoroughbred Makeover: he has earned over $3 million in a racing career that included multiple graded stakes wins and three runs in the Breeders’ Cup Turf. Now, he’s adding another achievement to his resume: winning the Field Hunter preliminary round under amateur rider Gina Gans, after turning in three relaxed rides over two days of competition.

“He’s just so fun,” said Gans. “When we had the big gallop up the hill today [in the Mock Hunt], he really took a big hold of me… but when we got to the top of the hill, he stopped in the check and just looked around. I think that’s really hard for a lot of Thoroughbreds to be able to turn it on and switch it off – you show him something and he gets it and he’s calm and cool. The biggest difference is the brain on him. His brain being so good makes such a difference – he could do anything.”

Freestyle: Burl and Hamby’s Rockin’ H Ranch (Team)

Daaher – Happy Henrietta, by Supremo

2017 gelding bred in Illinois by Barr Three LLC, Cherrywood Racing II & Oak Rock Racing LLC

6-1-1-2, $26,530 in earnings

Hamby’s Rockin’ H Ranch team is headed by Monique Cameron, no stranger to the winner’s circle in Freestyle after winning both preliminary and Finale honors in the discipline last year with her memorable Wizard of Oz-themed routine. This year, the team has nonetheless raised the bar with a firefighting-themed routine with props including dragging weight and a smoke machine. Cameron credits some unique training opportunities with some of Burl’s success.

“He’s got 20 hours of police training – so he’s been through actual fire and smoke. He’s gotten a certification for mounted police training!” said Cameron. “He’s just a solid citizen. He’s a super horse. He also went and show in the [T.I.P.] western pleasure today and we’ll do ranch work later this week; he does trail, he jumps and he drags. Everything we did in our routine today was a practical skill – he can drag heavy things, he can carry a dog which means he can carry a calf. His owner Joe Kirby is looking forward to bringing him back as a T.I.P. horse.”

Polo: Phlox and Buck Schott (Professional)

Dolphus – Cacahuatita, by Old Fashioned

2020 filly bred in Pennsylvania by Dede McGehee

3-0-0-1, $5,150 in earnings

Buck Schott might be accustomed to polo success at the Thoroughbred Makeover, a multiple-time winner of this discipline. But this might be the filly that he’s had the most confidence in throughout his personal history with the event – despite not having as much time to dedicate to her training due to a busy traveling schedule.

“I got her last year right before we went to Florida in November,” Schott said. “I took her to Florida but then I traveled back and forth a lot, so she didn’t get a lot of riding in the winter. Summer has been super busy too, but she’s just an awesome horse with a great brain – probably up for any discipline thrown her way. She’s super relaxed when you want her to be; you can ride her in a halter and just do anything on the farm. Of all the horses I’ve entered in the Makeover, this felt like the most ready-to-win horse – she’s put together and she felt like she wouldn’t have a moment where she wouldn’t do what I wanted or needed.”

Ranch Work: Into Magarayquaza and Amber Jacobson (Professional)

Into Mischief – Boss Barney’s Babe, by Street Boss

2017 gelding bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, LLC

12-0-0-0, $2,468 in earnings

Amber Jacobson is among the furthest traveled to get to the 2023 Thoroughbred Makeover: she traveled all the way from Longview, Alberta on a 36-hour drive back to the state where Into Magarayquaza was born. Jacobson’s last trip to the Makeover included winning the Ranch Work Finale Championship with her own homebred Silence Is Awesome, but this trip is especially meaningful: she’s prepared Into Magarayquaza to be a true working ranch horse, competing him in ranch rodeos, three-man doctoring events, and lots of ranch work including a 33-mile cattle drive with doctoring.

“I’ve gone from not being a ranch hand or not even showing horses myself four and a half years ago to winning with a horse that I completely trained myself in ranch work. He’s a true ranch horse and I think that is really cool. I want to thank Ashley Francese for connecting me with ‘Quinn’ and WinStar for breeding me a winner!”

Show Hunter: Mission Canyon and Chris Bennings (Professional)

Uncle Mo – Dreamy Maiden, by Meadowlake

2017 gelding bred in Kentucky by Sierra Farm

3-0-2-0, $8,325 in earnings

Chris Bennings followed his usual approach with preparing his Makeover horses: light riding over the winter and scaling up in training and competing over the spring and summer to prepare for the competition. This year was a bit different, however, as Bennings felt a somewhat unusual lack of confidence until a few weeks before the Makeover.

“Up until about three weeks ago I was not very confident in anything – but then it all clicked, he got really soft, he got straight, and it all came together,” said Bennings. “I’d taken him to school a few times at local shows and he just hadn’t really been ready to show until now. He is short necked and short coupled, and he can have a big buck on him – he’s got the best personality but also has a bit of an attitude. He’s really just a real character. He loves being at the Horse Park and he thrives on the energy here.”


Show Jumper: Limonata and Claudia Dollinger (Professional)

Lemon Drop Kid – Ainda Melhor (BRZ), by Elusive Quality

2018 mare bred in Kentucky by Bonne Chance Farm, LLC

29-3-3-5, $48,407 in earnings

Claudia Dollinger wasn’t sure that the 2023 Thoroughbred Makeover was in the cards for her: the two horses she was trying to bring to the event weren’t great matches nor felt that they would be ready for the ten-month retraining timeline. She connected with trainer David Boyer, who had sold her past Makeover mounts, and who suggested he come take a look at another horse he thought she would be interested in. At their first meeting, Limonata actually kicked Dollinger, but she liked what she saw and brought her home anyway.

“She was a little sore behind and needed some time off, but once I got her going, she picked up jumping so fast and she seems like she really loves it,” said Dollinger. “She is one of the sweetest, easiest horses I’ve ever had – I’ve had little kids ride her for lessons. I would love to keep her, but she is the kind of horse who could easily go on to a junior or amateur to continue.”

Thoroughbred Incentive Program Barrel Racing Championships at Thoroughbred Makeover

The Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.) Barrel Racing Championships returned to the Thoroughbred Makeover, running concurrently with the Makeover Barrel Racing discipline. Makeover entrants had the option to enter the Championships and roll their times for both standings. T.I.P. Barrel Racing Championships awarded fast times both Wednesday and Thursday evenings in a 4D format, crowning overall 4D average champions this evening at the conclusion of the second round.

Junior rider Rowan Hughes of Bell, FL cruised to a clear victory in the 1D average with last year’s 1D average champion and 2019 Thoroughbred Makeover graduate Whiskey Terms (Connecting Terms – My Doctor Knows, by My Friend Max). Owned by Liz Howell, Whiskey Terms made 13 starts and never broke his maiden, retiring with $6,100 in earnings. He was bred in Louisiana by Joseph Dauphine and last raced for owner Shellie Duhon under trainer Benjamin Zeno.

Hughes had been intending to compete at T.I.P. Championships with her own 2022 Makeover graduate mare, but when she needed colic surgery, Howell offered Hughes the ride on Whiskey Terms. “I was lucky enough to get to ride the champ!” said Hughes. “He pulled it out of the bag again. The past few months we’ve been doing local jackpot shows and just really trying to run as muich as we can. He knows his job but I needed to figure out his buttons and getting used to him. I’ve never run a horse as well-seasoned and well-trained as him.”

Osberton International Awarded Former Rockingham Spring Fixture

By on Oct 13, 2023 12:24 pm -

Photo by Tim Wilkinson.

It was today announced that BEDE Events have been awarded an additional International fixture, due to run 3rd – 5th May.

The fixture, formally ran at Rockingham Castle, has been awarded, subject to FEI approval, to Osberton for a period of two years.

Of the appointment of the new date, BEDE Events Director Stuart Buntine commented: “We’re so excited to have the opportunity to host another international fixture at Osberton, giving those competing at short format 2 and 3* the opportunity to compete here. The addition of this fixture also gives us extra opportunity to invest in Osberton as a venue, which will be to the benefit of competitors in both the Spring and Autumn.”

BEDE Events have successfully run the Osberton International Horse Trials, which previously hosted the British Young Horse Championships, for many years, attracting thousands of local spectators. The Autumn fixture, also plays host to the Bennington Carriages Driving Trials, bringing together two equestrian disciplines in one iconic location.

A full schedule and plan for the event will be unveiled in due course, once FEI approval has been given.

 

Virginia’s Crown Jewel: How to Watch Morven Park International, Wherever You Are

By on Oct 13, 2023 9:05 am -

 

Morven Park’s iconic house and parkland play host to one of the most exciting events of the year. Photo by Valerie Durbon Photography.

Is there anything better than wall-to-wall live event coverage? Wall-to-wall FREE live event coverage, natch — and that’s exactly what’s coming out of Morven Park International this week. They’ll be bringing you 2*, 3*, and 4* action from now until Sunday afternoon, all streamable through YouTube with no account or bank details needed.

Here’s the schedule for this year’s live-stream:

Friday:
From 8:30 am – CCI4*-L and CCI4*-S dressage

Saturday:
From 9:00 am – CCI4*-L and CCI4*-S cross-country
From 12:00 pm – CCI3*-S cross-country

Sunday:
9:00 -10:10 am – CCI2*-S cross-country
From 11:00 am – CCI3*-S showjumping
From 1:15 pm – CCI4*-S showjumping
From 2:25 pm – CCI4*-L showjumping

We’ll also be bringing you in-depth reports, packed with insights, analysis, and gorgeous photos, every day here on EN — so tune in and let’s Go Eventing at Morven Park!

Morven Park International & Fall H.T.: [Website] [Schedule] [Competitor Info Hub] [Live Stream] [Volunteer] [EN’s Coverage]

EN’s coverage of Morven Park International & Fall H.T. is sponsored by Kentucky Performance Products, home to 5*-caliber supplements for horses from all walks of life.

Friday News & Notes Presented by Stable View

By on Oct 13, 2023 12:03 am -

Fall days in Virgina can hardly be beat. Photo by Kate Samuels.

The weather in Virginia has ben absolutely out of this wold nice. High forties at night, low seventies during the day, perfect lighting that makes everything look magical, and I’m honestly living my best life on horseback. My neighbors who have a few thousand acres under conservation easement and love preserving land for horseback use, they make it possible for me to enjoy parts of Virginia that otherwise nobody gets to see. I’m so lucky to have access to that, and I wish more riders had the ability to truly hack their horses out the way that I do.

U.S. Weekend Preview

Morven Park International & Fall Horse Trials (Leesburg, VA) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times][Volunteer] [Scoring]

Pine Hill Fall H.T. (Bellville, TX) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Poplar Place Farm October H.T. (Hamilton, GA) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]

Radnor Hunt H.T. (Malvern, PA) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]

Redefined Equestrian Horse Trials (Fort Collins, CO) [Website] [Entries] [Volunteer]

Coming up next week: Maryland 5 Star! We’ve go SO MUCH content coming your way, so eyes on EN 👀 and go eventing!

Maryland 5 Star: [Website] [Entries] [Live Stream] [Volunteer] [EN’s Coverage]

News From Around the Globe:

What’s it like to win a day with a five-star rider? Amateur rider Tiffany Morey and nine of her closest friends got to spend the day cross country schooling and soaking up knowledge this summer from Buck Davidson. From ponies at Beginner Novice to partners at Training level, this group got to soak up all the top tips from this rider. [12 Training Tips from Buck Davidson]

Olympic show-jumper Rich Fellers has pled guilty to felony sexual abuse and has been sentenced to 50 months in prison. Rich was initially arrested in June 2021 on four counts of felony sexual abuse of his then 17-year-old student Maggie Kehring. Maggie chose to come forward in 2021 to discuss her experience, and since then her family has become a driving force behind #WeRideTogether, an organization dedicated to stopping sexual abuse within horse sports. He changed his plea from not guilty to guilty in July as part of a deal that will allow Fellers to serve time in federal prison, which he wanted to do instead of going to state prison. [Rich Fellers Sentenced]

Alison O’Dwyer has had a remarkable string of successes in her four trips to the Thoroughbred Makeover, winning the dressage division three times. But this year, she found what she really wanted in a Makeover mount, in two very different horses. With a chestnut “mare” (more on that later) who is pushing 18 hands and was a stakes winner on the track, and a small, plain bay gelding who unexpectedly turned into a heart horse, she has quite the pair this weekend. [One to Watch: Alison O’Dwyer]

If you’re looking to prevent devastating coffin bone rotation or sinking in a horse with laminitis, researchers have reported the best option might be heart-bar shoes, based on a new study examining biomechanics of common shoeing approaches in these animals. Researchers studying cadaver forelimbs recently found that heart-bar shoes stabilize the coffin bones in laminitic horses’ feet so well that they don’t move any more than they do in healthy hooves wearing the same shoes. [Therapeutic Farrier Practices Compared]

A day in the life of Will Rawlin & company! 

 

Thursday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: That Time Doug Payne Became a Roper

By on Oct 12, 2023 4:45 pm -

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Doug Payne (@dpequestrian)

Can’t view the embedded Insta post? Click here to watch the reel in the app or through your browser.

There’s nothing better than a cheeky discipline swap — and Doug Payne, who’s already a keen moonlighter with his Grand Prix jumping outings and Hunter Derby accolades, swapped eventing for something totally different recently. He picked up a lasso and got stuck right into a roping lesson with Women’s Roping Commissioner Linsay Rosser-Sumpter, who was also game enough to give jumping a jolly good go.

I can think of few things I’d find more difficult than roping, mostly because my hand-eye coordination is, well, nonexistent, but Doug’s obviously much better than I am at just about everything, and I’d say he represents us all pretty well, all things considered. This, plus Boyd and Phillip’s Western excursion early this year, and Woods Baughman’s love for a hoedown, make me think that an EN-sponsored eventers’ rodeo should probably be in the pipeline in the not-too-distant future. Yee-haw.

Struggling to meet the nutritional needs of your easy keeper or metabolic horse without overfeeding calories? Kentucky Performance Products have the answer for you, Micro-Phase vitamin and mineral pellets.

Low calorie Micro-Phase provides the vitamins and trace minerals needed to meet nutritional requirements in horses on restricted diets. If your horse is eating a handful of grain, or no grain at all, then choose Micro-Phase to fill in the nutritional gaps.

Recommended for sugar sensitive horses. NSC 11%, ESC 2.9% Protein 14%

Learn more about Micro-Phase at https://kppusa.com/product/micro-phase/

The horse that matters to you matters to us®. KPPVet.com

Did you get your KPP sticker? Collect them all. Visit https://kppusa.com/summer23/ to grab one for your barn.

All Pass First Horse Inspection in Morven Park CCI4*-L

By on Oct 12, 2023 4:11 pm -

Ariel Grald and Diara. Photo by Sally Spickard.

We’re safely through the first jog here at the Morven Park International and Fall H.T. (Leesburg, VA), where a smaller-sized field is contesting the CCI4*-L division, added here in 2021, this weekend.

This weekend’s 4*-L Ground Jury is comprised of Peter Grey (CAN) serving as president (and very dapperly – is that a word? – dressed today, I must say), accompanied by Christina Klingspor (SWE) and Robert Stevenson (USA).

Boyd Martin and Commando 3. Photo by Sally Spickard.

There were no holds or re-presentations requested from the 15-horse field, so all will now move forward to Friday’s dressage. Sharon White and Claus 63, bound for the 2023 Pan American Games at the end of the month, will be the test riders for the 4*, and the competition itself will get underway at 8:30 am ET.

In addition to the 4*-L, there is also a robust 4*-S division competing this weekend, as well as 3*-S and 2*-S classes that are sub-sectioned to include a Young Horse division for each. We’ll also see National divisions (Novice, Training, Prelim) competing alongside the FEI classes.

A full schedule of the show can be found here. There will also be a free livestream hosted on the Morven Park YouTube channel all weekend (thanks to RNS Media and Edy Rameika for supporting this effort!) with the following schedule (subject to modification):

Friday October 13:
8:30 a.m. – CCI4*-L/-S Dressage

Saturday, October 14
9 a.m. ET: CCI4*-L/-S Cross Country
12 p.m. ET: CCI3*-S Cross Country

Sunday, October 15
9 a.m. ET: CCI2*-S Cross Country
11 a.m. ET: CCI3*-S Show Jumping
1:15 p.m. ET: CCI4*-S Show Jumping
2:24 p.m. ET: CCI4*-L Show Jumping

Click here to bookmark the Morven Park YouTube channel.

We’ll be back with much more, including a preview of Derek di Grazia’s 4*-L cross country track, as the weekend progresses. Stay tuned, and Go Eventing!

Morven Park International & Fall H.T.: [Website] [Schedule] [Competitor Info Hub] [Live Stream] [Volunteer] [EN’s Coverage]

EN’s coverage of Morven Park International & Fall H.T. is sponsored by Kentucky Performance Products, home to 5*-caliber supplements for horses from all walks of life.

The Perfect Centerline: An Excerpt from ‘Dressage School’

By on Oct 12, 2023 2:00 pm -

In this excerpt from Dressage School, rider, trainer, and judge Britta Schöffmann explains in the simplest terms why riding down the centerline is more than a start and end to a dressage test.

Photo by Gabriele Metz.

Riding Down the Centerline: What Is It?
Traveling on a straight line down the middle of the arena (from short end to short end) without changing direction.

How Is It Supposed to Look?
When executed correctly, the rider turns just before reaching the middle of the short side of the arena, enters the centerline via a quarter-volte, and rides straight down the centerline toward the middle of the opposite short side. Upon arrival there, you turn back onto the track through a quarter-volte without changing direction. Thus, if you begin the exercise tracking right, you also complete it tracking right, and vice versa. During the turn, the horse must be flexed to the inside and bent around your inside leg. When riding down the centerline, however, the horse must be perfectly straight.

Most Common Mistakes
The Horse: evades through the outside shoulder during the turn; “wanders”; sways; is on two tracks coming down the centerline.
The Rider: turns too early or too late; doesn’t ride exactly on the centerline; overshoots the centerline.

Correct Aids
Especially when riding down the centerline, it’s highly important to ride an accurate turn. This is because when the turn is ridden incorrectly, you will not be able to hit the centerline at the right spot. In order to turn onto the centerline you must, depending on the level of your horse’s training, initiate the turn before the middle of the short side while focusing on the letters “A” or “C” (depending on which end you start). Note: the letters should set the outer boundary for the turn, so give yourself ample space to begin your turn before arriving at the letter.

Shortly after initiating the first turn, look toward the middle of the opposite short side until you turn again at the end of the centerline. Focusing on the letter will help you remain in better balance, making it easier to keep the horse straight.

In order to avoid the horse evading the turn through his outside shoulder, make an effort not to overuse the inside rein and instead yield with this hand at the right moment. The outside rein and outside leg should keep the horse’s shoulder and haunches under control. If the horse still tends to evade to the outside despite these aids—perhaps because of his natural crookedness—it most often is helpful to briefly counterflex him (for one or two strides).

Goal of the Movement
Riding down the centerline is a school figure that tests the rider’s influence on his horse as well as the horse’s level of training. It requires a high degree of concentration—and a straight horse. Mistakes that occur repeatedly, such as evasion through the outside shoulder when turning or “wandering” on the centerline, are signs of incorrect aids and a lack of “straightness.” If, on the other hand, the exercise can be ridden without difficulty, it shows that the rider uses her aids correctly and the horse exhibits a certain degree of “throughness” to the aids.

Fast Facts
Basic exercise; can be ridden at all paces and basic gaits.

Pyramid Factor
This movement benefits all the elements in the Training Scale: rhythm, relaxation/suppleness, contact, impulsion, straightness, and collection.

This excerpt from Dressage School by Britta Schöffmann is reprinted with permission from Trafalgar Square Books (www.horseandriderbooks.com).

Your Dream Horse Awaits: Record Numbers of Entries for Next Month’s Monart Sale

By on Oct 12, 2023 10:53 am -

Ireland’s only elite horse sale, run by riders, for riders, once again looks to build on the success of the Covid-era hybrid virtual sale again this November. The auction dedicated to the sale of 3-year-old potential “elite” horses, run by 5* event riders Niall Griffin (IRE), Polly Jackson (GB) and Bill Levett (AUS), once again welcomes buyers from around the world to Monart Equestrian, and The Monart Spa, from 6th – 7th November, for two viewing days. The sale will then take place online during the 8th and 19th November.

In a new development for 2023, the sale will feature a wider selection of sport horses, giving the sale its “elite horse” tagline as opposed to the original “event horse” descriptor.

Sale Director Niall Griffin commented: “We’ve continuously been presented with horses with fantastic movement, great jump, and the only criticism we’ve found is they’re maybe lacking a bit of blood for the 5* level [in eventing], which would have been the only reason not to select them.

The sport is changing.  If you look at the Badminton horses, the type of horse has changed dramatically over the years, and so have the riders needs. They need to cross over more – giving them options for eventing and pure jumpers. So, we talked to vendors and decided that if these horses come forward it would be insane to turn them away.”

Karl Slezak and Monart graduate Hot Bobo. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

The Monart Sale saw record numbers of vendors enter horses for selection, requiring the organising team to add an additional selection day. The increased numbers of horses presented, the wider selection criteria and the high calibre of horses presented has resulted in a record number of horses being selected for auction. Over 170 of Ireland’s finest 3-year-old elite sport horses will be included in the auction.

One further new development for 2023 will see all x-rays being available to view on the horse’s sales profile. The step was taken to enable easier access to potential buyers and reduce the time taken to request x-rays for review.

Monart has attracted a plethora of notable buyers over the years including Olympic Champion Michael Jung (GER), Olympic Gold Medallists Oliver Townend (GBR), Laura Collett (GBR), Astier Nicholas (FRA), 5* Champion Caroline Powell (NZL), Karl and Katlyn Slezak (CAN) as well as UK based Irish senior team riders Austin O’Connor and Susie Berry.

The 2023 sales catalogue, with full sales videos, is now available to view via www.themonartsale.com. Prospective buyers are required to register in advance of the sale, whether they are intending to attend in person or online.

Lots 1 – 87 will perform their showcase on Monday 6th November, with the remainder scheduled for Tuesday 7th November. All showcases will be livestreamed via the sale’s website, with showcases added to horse profiles prior to the auction. Due to the volume of horses in the 2023 sale, auctions will be scheduled to close from 5pm on Wednesday 8th and Thursday 9th November. Each horse has a closing time three minutes apart and will require a five minute period free of bids in order for the auction to close.

The 2023 Monart Sale is once again presented by Sprenger Equestrian.

Morven Park Debuts New Award for Amateurs: The Rockview Mr Diamond Award

By on Oct 12, 2023 9:30 am -

Adelaide French & Rockview Mr Diamond at Morven Park in 2021. Photo by Erin Gilmore Photography.

This weekend at Morven Park International includes one very special new award: the Rockview Mr Diamond Award for Preliminary riders. This award will be given to the top placed rider in the Preliminary Rider class, and was specifically created to celebrate a horse and rider combination that has worked together to get to the preliminary level. Qualifications include a dressage score under 40; no more than 8 jumping faults and 0 time penalties in show jumping; no jumping faults on cross country; and no more than 5 time penalties. Neither horse nor rider can have competed above the preliminary level, and it’s a $250 cash prize.

Looking at those qualifications, you might think it seems fairly generous, but an award with generosity of spirit could not be more fitting. Rockview Mr Diamond, lovingly known everywhere as Huey, was the single most selfless, giving, and frankly adorable horse that any of us had ever met. This one hits close to home for me, as Huey lived right down the road from me for most of his life, and his owner is one of my oldest friends. I schooled him for her when she was out of town, and clipped him every year to save him from the monstrosity that is her barbershop “skills”. I loved him as one of my own, and everybody who ever met him would agree.

Ten years ago, when Addie French was still a young rider, her heart horse arrived in the form of a freshly imported grey Irish gelding, who nobody believed would be able to do much more than Training level. The pair traveled the east coast together, working under the tutelage of almost every top-level rider as college faded and adult life began. Through their incredible partnership, and Huey’s hard-working attitude, they landed on the Training leaderboards multiple years in a row, and moved up to Preliminary, completing almost every event within driving distance with ribbons at the level.

“Huey brought home so many ribbons,” reminisces Addie. “He was the definition of a good boy; he didn’t have a best phase, he was equally good at all of them, and he was a workman. He never had the fanciest gaits, and he just jumped exactly as high as he needed to and nothing else.”

There was no interaction with Huey without snuggles. Photo by Kate Samuels.

“He worked hard every day of his life, and he always tried really hard, and even when it was super hard for him he gave me everything.” Everyone who met him fell in love with him was because he looked like a stuffed animal and he acted like every girl’s dream of a white pony. 

Sadly, we all lost Huey from our lives in the spring of 2022 to a sudden and terrible case of colic, despite his previously unmarked medical records.

Addie was inspired by Jennie Saville’s annual award at Galway International in honor of the late great Cooper, and decided to sponsor an award at one of her local competitions, Morven Park International. One of their last competitions together was at Morven Park in 2021, and they competed there many times over the years.

“I’ve always loved Morven,” says Addie, “as it’s always had really tough cross country courses with big galloping fences, tough combinations, and plenty of terrain. I feel like it’s one of the last real ‘traditional’ events, but with the recent upgrades it has also become a destination event, and it really has everything you want from a competition facility.”

The qualifications for this award were created by looking back at Huey’s scores over his lifetime, and the emphasis is mostly on the cross country performance, as that is what sets eventing apart from all the other sports. The intention is to celebrate a horse and rider pair that have neither competed above the Preliminary level, and have come up the levels together.

The perfect dream pony. Photo by Kate Samuels.

“I wanted to celebrate the partnership, just like I had with Huey. It’s very easy to compete in the amateur divisions with an experienced horse, but it’s another thing to do it on a horse you trained yourself,” says Addie. She also wanted to make sure that the prize was sizable enough to make a dent in the entry fee, and have an impact for an amateur rider such as herself.

Any time you can win money without competing at the top levels is an excellent opportunity, and a shining example of how to keep our sport viable for all participants. The Rockview Mr Diamond award is for anybody who exemplifies the qualities that we all admired in Huey: loyalty, love, hard work, and most of all, generosity of spirit.