Classic Eventing Nation

Follow Along with Joe Meyer and Harbin This Week at Blenheim

By on Sep 12, 2023 11:30 am -

Joe Meyer and Harbin. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

It’s been nearly 14 years since Joe Meyer last competed at the popular stop on the British FEI fall calendar, Blenheim Palace International. In 2009, Joe contested what’s now known as a CCI4*-L at Blenheim Palace, which takes place on one of the most beautiful and historic pieces of eventing property in England, with the New Zealand Thoroughbred gelding, Sanskrit. The pair finished 16th individually that year.

This year, Joe’s back on the other side of the pond, this time with Irish Thoroughbred gelding Harbin (Verglas – Rainbow City, by Rainbow Quest). The 13-year-old gelding owned by the Meyer family as well as Theresa Foote raced in Ireland to begin his career before making his way to the U.S. At first, Harbin was sold to fellow eventer Rebecca Brown, who campaigned him for about three years.

“It turned out he wasn’t [Rebeccca’s] exact ride,” Joe recalled. He took Harbin out for a couple of rides and competed him at two events before purchasing him from Rebecca. “I think I was maybe going to do that anyway! I always loved the horse, the timing just hadn’t been right for us to buy him.”

Here, Joe credits Rebecca with the producing she did with the Thoroughbred, installing good groundwork and flatwork to build upon. As a result, Harbin was basically ready to step up the levels with Joe right away. The pair finished seventh in the tough 3*-L at Maryland 5 Star in 2021 and followed that with several successful placings at the Advanced level in 2022. A nearly-top 10 finish in the pair’s first 4*-L at Bromont last year solidified Joe’s notion that this would be a horse for the future — and then it all came crashing down, literally, at Morven Park’s 4*-L in October. Joe and Harbin fell, hard, and while the gelding was uninjured, Joe broke several ribs and all in all describes the experience as “that’s when I got really beaten up.”

Joe Meyer and Harbin. Photo by Shelby Allen.

Somewhat luckily, the fall came at the tail end of the 2022 season, giving Joe the winter to “rest up” and heal. This year, Harbin’s come out swinging, finishing inside the top 10 in the 4*-L at Tryon this spring.

“So he’s been great, and we’ve kind of been thinking, what are we going to do next?” Joe mused. “Do we stay home and do [Maryland 5 Star], or what do we do?”

The pair initially had aimed for Kentucky’s Lexington 4*-S this spring, but having missed that goal a new one emerged: the 4*-L at Blenheim.

“I’m very, very lucky,” Joe continued. “Theresa [Foote, Harbin’s co-owner] was keen to go for a trip. I know a lot of people there. I’m basing with my old dressage trainer, Richard Barrett, for the first few weeks. He will crucify me, I know it — in a good way! Lucienne Elms has kindly lent me her horse truck. A lot of it is who you know, and know what! So I’m very lucky.”

Joe’s making the most of this trip, planning to stay in England for some time. A handful of younger horses that the Meyers have had in training in Ireland will join Joe for some competitions in addition to Harbin’s schedule.

“He’s a lot like Snip,” Joe says when asked to describe Harbin. Snip, you may recall, was Joe’s globe-galloping partner of many years, completing eight 5* events and representing the Kiwis at the 2008 Olympics. To be compared to this legend of a horse is no small compliment. “He’s little, he’s nippy, he’s fast, he’s hot. He’s not as easy on the ground, but I just love him. He’s my kind of horse. He’s all go, but he’s not strong and I also don’t have to kick. He’s a lot like Snip in so many ways, and I think that’s why I like him so much.”

Joe Meyer and Harbin. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Joe will use Blenheim and its challenging course to determine where he aims next with Harbin. He’d love to keep himself in contention to make some squads for New Zealand High Performance in the future — “I’d love to go to more Championships, but the small about of New Zealand riders we have at that Championship level are very good. We don’t have a huge amount, but what we do have are very, very good and I’m going to have to go well against the younger riders as well!” — and he’s got the 5* level in his sights with his horse in which he sees so much of partners past.

“I think the idea is we take it one step at a time, but also enjoy ourselves along the way and maybe win some prizes,” Joe said. “For my family and Theresa and Ruthie and our staff here, that’s what keeps us ticking along.”

Joe’s #supergroom, Danielle Platt, will be taking over EN’s Instagram throughout this week to keep us up to speed with Joe and Harbin. You can preview the full entry list for Blenheim Palace — which also features appearances from other North American-based riders such as Bec Braitling, Hanna Bundy, as well as U.S. riders Hallie Coon (4*S), Katherine Coleman (4*S), Tiana Coudray (4*L), Katie Malensek (4*S), and Rowain Laird (4*S) — by clicking here. The action will also be carried live on Horse & Country (subscription or one-time viewing pass required) here.

Blenheim Palace International: [Website] [Entries] [Live Stream]

Between the Ears with Courtney Cooper

By on Sep 12, 2023 9:30 am -

It seems like these days we look at each other’s lives through the lens of a highlight reel. We get to see the incredible trips, the best jumps, and the moments that we’re proud enough of to put on social media. What we don’t talk about is how much pressure this adds to athletes on both ends of the news feed.

Riders, whether professional or not, are made to feel like they ‘have to’ post something that makes them look cool and successful. Then, as we consume this content, we are stuck with the disillusioned perception that the sport is easy and that if you’re not succeeding, then maybe you aren’t cut out for it. I would like to take this opportunity to go ‘between the ears’ of some of the riders that make up our Eventing Nation and work to understand some of the real challenges this industry presents.

To read more from the Between the Ears series, click here.

Courtney Cooper and Who’s A Star. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

On this edition of Between the Ears, I spoke with Courtney Cooper, owner of C Square Farm and the USA partner of Excel Star Sporthorses. A 5* rider in her own right, Courtney has also made a life and business of selling horses, which I think we can all agree is no easy feat. If you are shopping for a new partner, there is a pretty good chance someone has told you to “see what Courtney has”, given that she can have up to 20 quality horses for sale in her barn at any time.

I had the chance to talk to Courtney about how she manages to balance sales with her career and some of the hurdles that she has faced in this side of the industry.

Can you tell me about how you started your career in eventing and how you decided to make sales the focus of your business?

I started riding when I was 12 at NCMT, New Canaan Mounted Troop, in New Canaan, CT, which was based on the tenets of the Calvary system; similar to Pony Club. The focus at NCMT was Eventing, so that’s how I got into the sport.

When I got to college, I wanted to keep riding but my parents said ‘no’ unless I paid for it and maintained a ‘B+’ average in school, so that’s what I did; I attended Rice University in Houston and started a career in sales to pay for horses. I sold Cutco knives throughout college and was very successful at it, and when I graduated I started selling insurance for Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance.

Horses continued to be a part of my life at the amateur level, and I was riding with Bruce Davidson Sr., living in Georgia, and Bruce told me if I wanted to do horses full time, I needed to move to Unionville or Middleburg. I didn’t know anyone in Middleburg, so that’s how I ended up where I am now.

In the beginning, I was sort of just buying and selling horses myself, and my business grew naturally from there. I imported horses from Ireland, did consignment sales, and even started breeding. In 2016, I was able to take my very first homebred, Who’s A Star (Tag), to complete the Kentucky 5*. The next year, I took Tag back to Kentucky, and we weren’t as successful. Sitting around after cross country, I started to think a bit more about how to make this sport work.

I’ve never really been in a position to have owners and sponsors who are paying the bills on a competition horse. So I went back to Ireland, where I’ve always felt comfortable, to try to figure out something sustainable. 18 months later, Excel Star Sport Horses was created with my overseas partners. Now we import about 40 to 50 Irish horses a year to sell and compete, and I can have a few horses to compete myself as well.

Courtney Cooper and Who’s A Star. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

How has your business model affected your confidence in your riding throughout the years?

When I first started my consignment business, I would pretty much take anything as long as it wasn’t dangerous or lame, because I truly believe that every horse has a place. That being said, taking in horses where you feel like you are just fixing problems is tough. You can use the same methods of training you’ve been successful with for many other horses, and sometimes it just doesn’t work because of the baggage that the horse carries with it.

Now that my business is focused more on young Irish horses than consignments, I struggle with the lack of consistency that is inherent with a young horse. Some days, things click into place, and it feels amazing. Then the next day, on the same horse, it feels like the wheels are falling off the bus, and you don’t know what you’re doing.

I am lucky to have good partners that I work with overseas, and if they have a horse that isn’t suited to my market, they won’t put the horse on a plane to come over; unfortunately horses are horses so we occasionally, run into problems. Sometimes horses don’t ship well, and as a result, they regress in their training before you can make any progress. So some horses take longer to produce than others.

I’ve also had my fair share of injuries, but for me, the biggest knock to my confidence is when my training methods ‘should’ be working, but the results just aren’t showing in our performance.

I feel like a lot of people stray away from sales because they find it difficult to sell a horse after developing a relationship with the animal. Do you ever deal with these feelings?

The hardest horses for me to sell are my personal horses. For instance, right now, I have a very competitive eight-year-old, Excel Star Tick Tock. She’s a winner through the preliminary level and will likely continue to move up, and we adore her. She’s been in my program since she was a four-year-old. And, so, when someone comes and tries a horse like her, I take things a little more personally because I have done all the work to get her where she is today, and she is a member of the family.

There have certainly been times when I wish I had someone like me that I could send my horse on to and have them sell the horse for me, because it’s hard, when there are emotions involved. That being said, most of the horses that I have in, specifically to sell, I don’t have for very long, so I don’t struggle so much with finding them homes on an emotional level. I do, however, keep up with the horses I sell, regardless of how short a time they are in my barn. I created a private Facebook page for my clients to keep up with me and each other, to celebrate successes on the horses, share their journey, and also get support for any roadblocks that they may face in horse ownership.

Courtney Cooper and Excel Star First Class. Photo by Shelby Allen.

What do you think is the hardest challenge that you face in the industry?

I think the hard thing is that a lot of people choose to not use a dealer or someone who sells a lot of horses because of the risk of being scammed. I always thought that the fact that I sell a lot of horses was a benefit to use someone like me. I have an incentive to want to sell quality horses and to be honorable in the sale.

When someone only has one horse to sell, their reputation isn’t riding on the sale of that horse. Whereas for me, my reputation is made with every horse that I sell. I am not saying there are not people who don’t take advantage of the fact that they sell a lot of horses either, and people need to do their homework.

From the early days of my consignment business, when I was taking a lot of horses that had previous bad experiences, I always made sure I was very upfront with people regarding the horses’ strengths and limitations. Honesty is always my priority. I now bring over a lot of Irish horses, and not every one of them is an upper-level prospect. A lot of them are just kind, good-quality animals that are going to bring someone a lot of joy and happiness.

I like to be open and always give vet records, and some professionals have told me they will never do business with me because of that. I want to be fair and transparent and make sure the animal goes to a place where he or she will be successful if they have limitations.

Buying and selling horses is a difficult and emotional process. I don’t think it’s my job to sugarcoat everything and make people believe that the horse they “love” when they try it is their “heart” horse. Unfortunately there are others in the industry that do that, in order to make a sale, and that’s when inappropriate partnerships may be made.

Personally, if I sell a horse that doesn’t work out, I will do my best to make the situation right and find a more appropriate match. It’s challenging to navigate an industry where everyone has a different opinion of the “right” way to do things.

Courtney Cooper and Rock Star. Photo by Amy Dragoo.

Have you ever experienced burnout and how did you work to overcome it?

I had a really hard year last year for a lot of different reasons, and I did get really burned out. Honestly, I’m just now crawling out of my little dark hole. The first horse that I was hoping to take overseas had to be euthanized, which was incredibly difficult. I also had a close family friend who had always been supportive of my business pass away. Those were the big things, but a bunch of different little things happened as well, and I was just kind of left questioning what I wanted to do with the rest of my career and life.

The horse world has so many highs and so many lows, and, you know, the game is to try not to be too high and not to be too low. I’ve always been pretty good at that, but this time, I just couldn’t seem to get out of the low. I luckily have a bunch of very good friends who encouraged me to seek some professional help, which has been great. I’ve always used a sports psychologist, but for this particular experience, I needed more than that. I think without the support, I could have been stuck in the dumps for much longer.

Throughout the process of feeling better, I worked towards enjoying all of the little successes, like people calling me and telling me how much they are enjoying their horses, how much their horses have changed their lives, and how I’ve been a part of that. That’s why I do what I do, I love making partnerships, and I think with everything that I was going through, I got disconnected from that.

I remember the weekend that I won the USEA Four-Year-Old Young Event Horse Championship with Excel Star Time to Shine. That same weekend I had a lady call me, who four months earlier, was scared to death of competing. She had bought a horse from me and was now so happy and confident. She just won a horse trial on her new horse, and that felt like more of a win than the trophy that I went home with that weekend.

As for other ways I cope with burnout, I’ve always been hard-pressed to take time off, so I probably don’t do enough for myself to help deal with burnout as I should. Connecting with my ‘why’ is a good start – ‘why’ I do what I do, and so one of the best things for me to do to manage burnout is to go to Ireland. It sounds crazy, but I’ll go for three days, and I can sleep on the way over. I get to spend some time with my partners and look at some horses. Then on the way back, I have eight uninterrupted hours to daydream and think about my goals and my priorities. It revitalizes me.

Courtney Cooper and Who’s A Star. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

What advice would you have for someone in the sport or industry in general who’s currently facing adversity?

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. It’s a little bit of a taboo thing, especially, in this industry where we’re told so often to ‘just deal with it.’ I think when you’re looking at adversity, it’s really hard to feel like you’re not in it alone. There are a lot of people who care, and there are a lot of people who see you for more than just a ‘horse person’.

When everything was happening with me last fall, I went to Fair Hill and probably had the best dressage test that I had to date with one of my young horses in the 3*. And I withdrew. I knew I was not in a mental place to make good decisions, and I would have hated myself if something had happened to that horse because I had pushed myself to get through the event.

I think some people understand exactly why I did it, some people probably thought I was crazy and some people didn’t care one way or the other. I was able to look to my friends for advice and they supported my decision. I’ve become better friends with some people because I opened up to them and said, I’ve been having this challenge, and I don’t know what to do with it. There were also a couple of people who just didn’t have the bandwidth or the ability to talk to me or listen to me at the moment, but that doesn’t mean it was wrong to share in the first place.

I ended up going to Tryon and having an amazing go, but I didn’t know that would happen when I scratched from Fair Hill. Sometimes you just have to make the right choice for your mental health and safety regardless of what it might mean for the future.

Whether you ever plan to sell a horse or not, I think we can all learn a lot from what Courtney has to say about her time spent in the industry. Shortly after our talk, Courtney sent me the Berné Brown quote, “Integrity is choosing courage over comfort; choosing what is right over what is fun, fast or easy; and choosing to practice our values rather than simply professing them.”

Whatever you choose to do, with or without horses, do it with integrity, and when things get hard, don’t let your pride get in the way of asking for the support and help that you need. Our sport is dangerous, and while some might view scratching from a horse show because ‘your head just isn’t the right place’ as weak or avoidant, it’s the rational and healthy thing to do.

There are so many things in this life that are more important than a horse show, never jeopardize that for fear of what other people may say. I think a lot of times we get stuck in a future-oriented mindset — we can’t do the next big show if we don’t get a qualifying score at this one, and so we just keep pushing.

The thing is, the future isn’t guaranteed, so don’t make today miserable hoping for good things around the corner, look for the good wherever you find yourself today.

Tuesday News & Notes from Kentucky Performance Products

By on Sep 12, 2023 7:09 am -

How’s this for a bucket-list moment? British-based Italian eventer Giovanni Ugolotti recently got a very cool opportunity to ride racehorses on a beach, and that’s hardly the first time we’ve seen cross-over between the sports — Laura Collett famously makes a big chunk of her living from riding racehorses and training them to jump for National Hunt racing; Jennie Brannigan has been vocal about the positive effect of riding out on her as an eventer, and more and more, I’m seeing friends of mine start to pick up morning shifts out galloping. It’s an incredible way to strengthen your whole body and get comfortable riding — and thinking — at speed, plus, it’s also a handy method of spotting a very good OTTB before they’re actually, you know, OT!

Events Opening Today: YEH West Coast Championships & Last Chance Qualifier, Waredaca Classic Three Day Event & H.T. Chattahoochee Hills H.T.

Events Closing Today: Tomora Horse Trials, Fleur de Leap H.T., Old Tavern Horse Trials, ESDCTA New Jersey H.T., Sundance Farm H.T., Stable View Oktoberfest 2/3/4* and H.T., Spokane Sport Horse 9th Annual Fall H.T., Jump Start H.T., Course Brook Farm Fall H.T.

Tuesday News & Notes from Around the World:

Galway Downs has a busy week coming up at the start of November. The California venue isn’t just hosting one championship — it’s hosting a whopping four of them. Get the score on what’s to come here.

The latest instalment in the does-Eric-Lamaze-actually-have-cancer serial mystery is here. The Canadian showjumper spoke to Horse&Hound, saying he’s on the brink of death and had no idea that falsified medical documents had been submitted, though he ‘has his suspicions’. He didn’t happen to bring up any of the many lawsuits currently being pursued against him for selling dodgy horses, mind you. Read it here.

We’ve been huge fans of the Equestrians of Color project since its inception. But if you haven’t yet checked it out, this is a great introduction to the photography blog, which profiles an equestrian each week and gives them a platform to tell their story, with Shelley Paulson and her colleagues’ beautiful portraiture alongside. It’s a wonderful way to ‘meet’ riders with a huge variety of stories to tell. Dive on in.

Hot on Horse Nation: The training scale gets bandied about a lot as we put solid foundations into our horses — but how does it actually translate to the challenges we’re set at different levels of competition? This week, HN dives into First Level dressage to demystify where on the scale you should be at, and how the judges want to see that expressed.

Sponsor Corner: Are you feeling the post-AEC blues? Relive some of the action and discover new stories in this roundup of 4 short stories from the American Eventing Championships. Coverage sponsored by Kentucky Performance Products.

Watch This:

Get a first glimpse of this week’s course at Blenheim!

Monday Video: A Tour of Cross Country Day at Burghley

By on Sep 11, 2023 4:30 pm -

The Defender Burghley Horse Trials are of course a very popular bucket list event for most eventing fans. If you have yet to make the pilgrimage to Britain’s premier fall five star then post-event vlogs will have to hold you over until you can make the trip.

While a vlog may not be the type of whole-competition coverage that we traditionally think of when it comes to an event, I can always appreciate the in-person look and feel that a vlog brings to the table — a handheld phone camera will give you a very different angle than the crane-operated cameras used by the livestream after all. Plus the live stream isn’t going to give you an inside look at the coffee vendors or the restroom stops like this vlog from Hordern Horses does. The coffee lovers and “toilet worriers” thank you for your service!

In Memoriam: Jessie Aikman

By on Sep 11, 2023 1:34 pm -
Jessie Aikman and Hidden Treasure. Brant Gamma photo Jessie Aikman and Hidden Treasure. Brant Gamma photo

From the United States Eventing Association:

The USEA shares its condolences with the friends and family of Area I Adult Rider Jessie Aikman. Aikman passed on September 3, 2023, from injuries received as a result of a fall at a USEA-recognized/US Equestrian licensed competition. Several of Aikman’s friends came forward to share their words of love for Aikman after her passing.

Amy Winnen, USEA Adult Rider Committee Co-Chair and Area I Adult Rider Program representative shared the following: “Jessie was an active Adult Rider Program member and always demonstrated care and support of her fellow equestrians, she always cheered on her own Virtual Team Challenge team but also celebrated everyone’s success. Even from her hospital bed, she was making sure her team got points even though she wouldn’t be able to ride at GMHA in September and didn’t want to scratch her entry for a refund because she knew GMHA needed the money. She loved the eventing community and we loved her. She will be missed.”

In addition, her dear friend and barn family member at Green Acres Stables in New Hampshire stated, ” Jessie lives in our hearts forever- in every gallop, every beautiful Green Acres Stable sunset, every rainbow across the cross-country field, and every hug we give to our horses. We are all changed by her light and love. I will never forget her saying ‘Every day is a great one when you’re with a horse!’ We will continue to ride, smile, enjoy our horses, and love one another in her honor. We love you, Jessie, forever and always.”

Julie Leblanc, friend and owner of the horse, Hidden Treasure, which Aikman competed, stated: “Jessie used to say to me at every show, ‘thank you for letting me live my childhood dreams.’ I always giggled and said you’re welcome, but she was the one who had me starry-eyed with her level of constant dedication. She jumped into everything she did, without hesitation. She learned how to properly condition a horse so that she was being fair to Treasure at every venue. She worked tirelessly on her flatwork to always best her last score. Even when she was nervous, we always said together, you can do this. What she didn’t know, is she lit a spark in me that had been missing for some time, a flame that will never go out, it stays eternal between us. The bond we shared went beyond horses. My son was like a grandchild to her, his excitement for dinners at her house, adventures while fruit picking, learning to cook new things, taking her horses for trail rides, and sledding. My son will miss every moment of the bond they had. Jessie had a way of guiding with a firm but gentle hand, that somehow just worked for my son. We talked every day, no matter the subject. Life without her will no doubt be different, but I am different because of her, I am better because of her. I love you, Jessie.”

Aikman’s official obituary is as follows:

On September 3, 2023, Jessie Aikman died from injuries she received while pursuing her lifelong dream of competitive horseback riding. She was born on July 29, 1957, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Robin and Walter Aikman and lived most of her life on the family farm in Rollinsford, New Hampshire. The oldest of six, her siblings referred to her as “The Warden” due to assertive leadership style. She was an absolute badass whose unique blend of kindness, sass, and spirited stick-to-itiveness were present throughout her life.

She loved animals from an early age. By the age of ten, when she wasn’t riding real horses, she and her sisters practiced trick riding on their bicycles, tying twine to the handlebars to use as reins. She competed in equestrian eventing in high school and worked on the family dairy farm. She attended the University of New Hampshire where she graduated with a degree in Animal Science. As an adult, she loved her many dogs and horses wholeheartedly.

Jessie had many skills and hobbies, and she excelled in all of them. Jessie was the owner of Back Channel Canvas Shop in Eliot, Maine, and was known by many to be a genius when it came to designing and crafting custom awnings, boat tops, and other structures out of canvas. She began collecting and riding antique motorcycles in the 1980s, and was the president of the Yankee Chapter of the American Antique Motorcycle Association for several years. She was a skilled knitter and pursued many other creative passions including baking quilting, photography, ceramics, and playing the flute. She was fiercely competitive and always loved to win, whether that be in a quilt show, a dog agility competition, or just a “friendly game of Cribbage.”

When she was in her mid-fifties, after a life-changing trail ride in the mountains near Telluride, Colorado and in the midst of a decades-long battle with rheumatoid arthritis, Jessie decided to bring horses back into her life and pursue her childhood dream of competitive equine eventing in earnest. She dedicated many hours to practicing, and found success both in competitions and in achieving her goals as an athlete. She became known in the horse world as a rockstar and was admired by teammates and competitors alike for her “balls,” her determination, and great sense of humor.

Jessie will be sorely missed by her husband Mike Lingley, her mother, and her siblings Lucy Putnam, William Aikman and Sophie Aikman all of Rollinsford, NH; Lorna Mehta of New York, NY and Robert Aikman of Fairbanks, AK, her beloved stepson, her extended family and her many niblings, grandchildren, and friends. We will never forget her indefatigable generosity, her miraculous ability to incorporate the “f bomb” into any sentence, or her “mile high apple pie.”

A celebration of life will be held at a later date in the future. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the following organizations:

US Eventing Association: A memorial fund has been set up in Jessie’s honor through the Area 1 USEA Adult Rider Program. Donations to the fund can be made here.

Donations to the New Hampshire SPCA in Stratham for their dog and horse rescue programs in Aikman’s memory can be made here.

The USEA would like to remind members of the US Equestrian Grief Hotline that is available to the eventing community impacted by this loss. Having partnered with the McLaughlin Young Group, US Equestrian offers free, confidential counseling services for mental health first aid with state-licensed practitioners who hold a graduate degree and at least five years of post-graduate clinical experience. You may contact these professional clinicians 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Members may reach a counselor by calling 1-800-633-3353.

Weekend Winners: Applewood, CDCTA, Five Points, Flora Lea, & Larkin Hill

By on Sep 11, 2023 1:30 pm -

East coast eventers were taking the scene by storm this weekend, with events running in New Jersey, Virginia, North Carolina, and New York.

Congrats to all pairs on successful outings, with a special shout out to these Weekend Winners! Also, let’s give a round of applause to the winner of our Unofficial Low Score Award, Finley Habenicht and Zick Zack, who scored a 22.4 in the Training Rider A division at Five Points.

Applewood Farm YEH & Mini Event (Califon, NJ) [Website] [Results]

Starter: Patti Chin and Double Entendre (34.67)
Beginner Novice: Jennifer Verrasio and Prince (33.44)

CDCTA Fall H.T. (Berryville, VA) [Website] [Results]

Open Preliminary: Shona Ensign and Emmelie (40.0)
Open Training: Abigail McGowan and Mystic Serenade (35.2)
Open Novice 1: Olivia Miller and Arden’s Noblest (34.7)
Open Novice 2: Matthew Hatcher and Rudy (34.2)
Open Beginner Novice 1: Christina McKitrick and Cooley Tiniest Dragon (32.1)
Open Beginner Novice 2: Pamela Blumberg and Axl Rose (27.4)
Open Beginner Novice 3: Mary Schwentker and Alsterone (35.0)
Intro: Susan Pettyjohn and Princess (35.7)
TIP Preliminary: Megan Hopkins and Night Moves (49.6)
TIP Training: Abby Dove and Malibu Mayhem (52.8)
TIP Novice: Coree Reuter-McNamara and Another Concerto (36.5)
TIP Beginner Novice: Erica Jones and R U Sure (33.4)
TIP Intro: Jordan Kelly and Ready to Fire (50.0)

Five Points H.T. (Raeford, NC) [Website] [Results]

Advanced CT: Skyeler Voss and Argyle (38.1)
Intermediate: Alex Reed and On Broadway (35.0)
Intermediate CT: Kate Bearer and Capability Brown (39.1)
Preliminary: Megan Loughnane and Lynton (27.7)
Modified Rider: Susanne McDaniel and Corelli WWW (26.4)
Open Modified: Benita Strini and DHI Kevin G (23.8)
Open Training A: Dana Cooke and FE Damascus (26.9)
Open Training B: Kate Brown and Kokoleka (25.5)
Training Rider A: Finley Habenicht and Zick Zack (22.4)
Training Rider B: Andrew Diemer and Keystone Silhouette (31.9)
Novice CT: Nobie Cannon and WL Lucifer R (29.2)
Novice Rider: Alison Eyth and Bella Chloe (30.3)
Novice Rider Junior: Liana Anson and Biscuit Snatcher (36.7)
Open Novice A: Rebecca Mahaffey and What the Blip (29.7)
Open Novice B: Julia Bulkeley and Royal Alyance (30.0)
Beginner Novice CT: Jasmine Hobart and Lord Lancer (29.4)
Beginner Novice Rider: Renee Wheeler and Joe Frank (25.9)
Beginner Novice Junior Rider: Alexa Pratt and Compromise Elsewhere (25.0)
Open Beginner Novice: Rebecca Barber Tyler and Gold to Blue Marcelo (27.2)
New Event Horse: Morgan Batton and Chile (74.800)
Young Event Horse – 4 Year Old: Shannon Riley and Network Latency (79.300)
Young Event Horse – 5 Year Old: Alexandra Green Kerby and Sorrano B (84.800)
Starter Horse Trial: Alex Martini and Hoosier Zip (33.3)
Starter CT: Sarah Baker and Lunar Eclipse (58.7)

Flora Lea Fall H.T. (Medford, NJ) [Website] [Results]

Open Preliminary: Caroline Pamukcu and Redfield Dexter (29.0)
Preliminary Rider: Lee Maher and HSH Henry (36.1)
Open Training: Greta Schwickert and 24 Carat Quality (28.9)
Training Rider: Mary D’Alonzo and B.E. Cruiseland (34.6)
Novice Rider: Nicole Marcantonio and Swiss Blue Topaz (28.2)
Open Novice: Lee Maher and Redfield Nibor Van T Wold (29.4)
Beginner Novice Rider: Kelly O’Brien and B.E. Never Say Never (22.5)
Open Beginner Novice: Hannah Freeman and Coyote (28.1)
YEH – Four Year Old A: Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Afterglow (85.800)
YEH – Four Year Old B: Lee Maher and HSH Untouchable (77.600)
YEH – Five Year Old A: Booli Selmayr and Uptown Girl (83.150)
YEH – Five Year Old B: Lee Maher and Cartaleyo JF (79.200)

Larkin Hill Fall H.T. (North Chatham, NY) [Website] [Results]

Preliminary: Jean van Gysel and Eiffel de L’Abbaye (31.2)
Modified/Training: Joanne Blackmore and Quintin (46.7)
Open Training: Alexander Conrad and Amore (36.2)
Open Novice A: Logan Williams and Lost Iron (38.2)
Open Novice B: Alexander Conrad and King Kong Vanoveris (29.0)
Open Novice C: Lourie Yelton and Ripleigh (30.1)
Open Beginner Novice A: Quinn Ellis and Gold Street (36.8)
Open Beginner Novice B: Amanda C Ko and Luminous CPF (32.2)
Open Beginner Novice C: Michael P. Rach and FE Lions Darco (28.1)
Open Beginner Novice D: Pamela Lyon and Madeline (29.3)
Starter A: Beatrice Gifford and Samuel Thumbprint (34.3)
Starter B: Spencer Stickles and Skippingandajumpin (26.9)
Starter C: Gloria “Pixie” Oleynek and Maroon (35.0)

‘Little Miss Perfect’ Scores at Cornbury

By on Sep 11, 2023 11:30 am -

Cornbury House Horse Trials came to a thrilling finish when world champion Yasmin Ingham, who had led the seven-year-old class of The Howden Way Young Horse Championships throughout the weekend, tipped the very last showjump to hand victory to Tom Jackson.

Tom, who made his senior British squad debut this summer, finished on his dressage score of 30.7 on Hugh and Pam Jarvis’s mare Midnight Endeavour. She was bred in Ireland by James Nash, and is by Future Trend out of a Ricardo mare.

Tom Jackson riding Midnight Endeavour (credit Peter Nixon)

“She’s called Little Miss Perfect at home, because whenever the girls in the yard ask how she was when I’ve been riding her, I say, ‘Perfect’,” said Tom. “She’s a little dinger across country – she just flies round. The showjumping wouldn’t necessarily be her strongest phase – she jumps well, but she can sometimes have four-fault-itis. Not today, though, and it is lovely to win on her.”

Yasmin Ingham had to settle for second on another mare, Gypsie Du Loir. Like Yasmin’s individual gold medallist at the 2022 World Championships, Banzai Du Loir, she is owned by Janette Chin and the Sue Davies Fund and came from the same stud – Elevage Du Loir – in France.

New Zealand’s Andrew Nicholson took third and fifth places on Filipo and Fenizio, a pair of grey geldings, both bred in Spain by Ramon Beca and both by the stallion Meneusekal.

This was the first time that Cornbury House Horse Trials has hosted the prestigious Young Horse Championships, and Yasmin said: “The cross-country track was beautifully built and designed and had a really good flow to it, I think it was super educational; young horses need to have a positive experience, and I felt my mare wanting to attack it and increasing in confidence all the time.”

Kitty King and Kantango (credit Peter Nixon)

Kitty King won The Howden Way-sponsored national six-year-old title for the third time in career, this time on Kantango, owned by Penelope Holley, Joanna Jones, Kitty’s mother Jane Boggis and Jane Tolley. By Tangelo out of a Winningmood mare, Kantango showjumped with Megan James, and Kitty bought him from Harry Horgan last winter.

“He’s a really smart young horse – this is his first season eventing and he’s taken to it like a duck to water,” said Kitty. “I’m very proud of him. This is a brilliant class and has been a great stepping-stone for my top horses in the past, so I’ve got high hopes for Kantango.”

The pair led the dressage with a mark of 22.7, and only added 0.4 of a time-penalty in the showjumping to that.

Kitty’s previous winners of this national championship were Ceylor LAN, whom she rode at the 2016 Rio Olympics, and Persimmon, with whom she won team silver at the 2015 European Championships at Blair Castle.

Second was Ireland’s Sian Coleman on the Diarado mare Diamond Mistress, and Sara Squires and Van Kaunitz – last year’s five-year-old champions – were third. Both combinations finished on their dressage scores of 26 and 26.8.

Laura Collett “Top overall rider” receiving her prize from David Howden (credit Peter Nixon)

Olympic team gold medallist Laura Collett won Cornbury’s Leading Rider prize, taking home a cheque for £2,500 and a magnificent silver trophy. Laura laid down her challenge for this title early on in the event, having won CCI3*-S section A and two British Eventing Open Intermediate sections on Thursday.

There were three classes for under-21 riders, all sponsored by The Howden Way. Ella Howard won the Pony Trial on Colemanstown Rocket, whom her parents bought six years ago when he was four and Ella was nine. Ella has produced him all the way through to this level, and today’s victory was an emotional one for the Howard family as he survived a colic operation last year.

Elizabeth Barrett took the young rider CCI3*-S on Dargun, while Ireland’s Alex Connors won the junior CCI2*-S with her family’s homebred OLS King Aragon.

Australia’s Kevin McNab took the remaining CCI2*-S section on Francesca Pollara’s Dance Monkey 7.

David Howden, founder and president of Cornbury House Horse Trials, said: “We have had the most brilliant event and I have to thank all our fantastic volunteers, officials, sponsors, riders, owners, grooms and supporters for all their very hard work. The weather has been hot, but so has the competition – it has been a real joy to see so many talented horses and riders at Cornbury this weekend.

“This is our fourth year, and it has grown so much since our first event in the Covid year of 2020. Every year we have worked hard to improve every aspect of the event, and I think the additions this time of Field Food – a showcase of delicious locally produced food and drink – Wildings, the very popular area offering lots of interactive activities for children – and the superb hospitality put on by The Pelican have allowed us to step up a level once again.”

For further information visit the Cornbury House website.

Monday News & Notes from FutureTrack

By on Sep 11, 2023 7:28 am -

 

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Horse show parents truly are a different breed, aren’t they? Even if you’ve not been lucky enough to have your own, I hope that you’ve been caught up in the positive, bonkers, supportive, snack-providing slipstream that a horsey mum or dad creates around them in the barn aisles at a competition. Those special folks make everyone in the community part of the family, and I know that my own turbulent teenage years were so positively impacted by having them around and letting them care about me and my horsey escapades. So here’s to you guys — the horse world wouldn’t work without you. (Even if you are, in fact, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.)

Day of Importance: It’s September 11.

US Weekend Action:

Applewood Farm YEH & Mini Event (Califon, NJ) [Website] [YEH Ride Times] [Mini Event Results]

CDCTA Fall H.T. (Berryville, VA) [Website] [Results]

Five Points H.T. (Raeford, NC) [Website] [Results]

Flora Lea Fall H.T. (Medford, NJ) [Website] [Results]

Larkin Hill Fall H.T. (North Chatham, NY) [Website] [Results]

UK Weekend Results:

Cornbury House International and British Young Horse Championships (Finstock, Oxon.): [Results]

West Wilts (3) (Holt, Wilts.): [Results]

Frenchfield (2) (Penrith, Cumbria): [Results]

Savills Chillington Hall Regional & 80/90 Youth Championships (Wolverhampton, Staffs.): [Results]

Burnham Market (2) (Burnham Market, Norfolk): [Results]

Your Monday Reading List:

Captain Mark Phillips is back in H&H with his latest opinion column. This week, he’s discussing the positivity that Burghley brought to the sport, the fickle nature of eventing’s ups and downs — and, briefly, Haras du Pin’s failures in putting on a European Championships this year. Check out his views here.

Some horses are just, well, total drama queens. That’s the case for recently crowned AEC Bates Preliminary Amateury Champion Excel Star Pluto, who decided to put on a really good show of a colic on the way home — but actually just wanted someone to come hang out with him in the trailer. Now, he’s home and back with his bestie, Jalapeño the donkey, and his owner, Kelly Beaver, is reminiscing on the week that was. Relive the AECs with her and fall in love with Pluto.

As a gal with a horse shaped like a city bus, and the arm muscles to prove it, I read this with great interest. It’s just a little snippet of advice, but it’s for those of you who also have heavy-fronted horses and need to lighten them up and shift all that energy to their hind ends. Let it take a literal load off for you today.

This is something that’s hit close to home for me: can horses develop dementia? It’s something that’s had so little research, comparatively, because most horses’ bodies give out long before their minds. But at my yard, we were lucky enough to enjoy the company of our free-range Shetland pony, King Pepi, until his 47th year – yes, really! – and in the last couple of years, we watched his confusion increase. We’ve got a footpath running through the farm that the public can use, and more and more frequently, we’d find him trying to follow a random family home, trit-trotting after them as fast as he could and letting out these sad, high-pitched, confused whinnies, until we fetched him back and put him back in front of his best friend, Tony the Pony. As such, I’m fascinated to read about this fledgling field of research. Here’s a Pepi photo for tax.

And finally, are you guilty of lifting your hands up over a fence? (I know there’s a few of us out there — even at the top levels!) A floating release is a pretty annoying little habit, but it’s well worth taking the time to fix it — because it’ll help your horse jump better and keep you more stable and secure if you do. Get some great tips from Beezie here.

Morning Viewing:

Catch up with Blyth Tait and the Eventing Weekly lads:

Sunday Video: Burghley 2023 Cross Country Round-Up

By on Sep 10, 2023 3:02 pm -

One of the most exciting eventing days of the year has come and gone, but that doesn’t mean we can’t keep reliving the action over and over! Our friends over at Horse & Hound have shared this compilation of interviews and moments from the top riders after cross country day at Burghley last week, including overnight leader Tim Price.

Listen in to hear the riders’ takes on Derek di Grazia’s course, their runs, and Burghley as a whole!

10 Reasons to Put Ocala on Your Bucket List

By on Sep 10, 2023 12:17 pm -

Most people’s travel bucket lists consist of far off places, like Iceland or Prague, but equestrians know that some of the most amazing places in the world are right here in the good ol’ US of A. There’s a reason why Ocala is called the “horse capital of the world.” The next time you’re looking for a fun horsey vacation, put Ocala on the top of your list.

Watch a Saturday Night Grand Prix at the World Equestrian Center

According to our Ocala insiders on the EN team, spectating a Grand Prix is the place to be on a Saturday night, even for eventers. Watch from the stands as top horses and riders battle it out for the top spot and a generous cash prize in the stadium at the World Equestrian Center. Your view will consist of stately white columns, impeccably decorated fences, and pure showjumping talent.

Gallop on the Beach at Amelia Island

It’s not often you get the opportunity to gallop on the beach. Amelia Island is a short drive away from Ocala and is home to Amelia Island Horseback Riding. This company has been offering daily beach rides on the island since 1993. Honestly, I prefer to ride someone else’s horse when it comes to beach rides. That way you know you’re on an experienced, been-there-done-that type of pony, so you can sit back, relax, and enjoy the wind in your hair. Or, if you’re visiting Ocala with your horse, you can trailer in and gallop across the sand on the back of your heart horse.

Enjoy the Gypsy Vanners

As eventers, our horses tend to be distinctly featherless. When you want your fill of horses that should be on the cover of a romance novel or featured in a Hallmark movie, take a tour of Gypsy Gold Horse Farm. Open for farm tours four days a week, you’ll be sure to get your fill of brightly colored ponies with long manes and tails flowing in the wind.

Take a Glass Bottom Boat Tour

Ocala isn’t just famous for being the horse capital of the world — it’s also home to beautiful aquatic wildlife, such as turtles, manatees, and many different types of fish. There’s no better way to experience Florida’s wildlife than with a glass bottom boat tour at Silver Springs. Available in 30-minute and 90-minute tours, you can expect to see fish, as well as historic Native American and Spanish artifacts, and underwater movie props from the days when Hollywood productions were filmed in the park.

Compete at Florida Horse Park

An aerial view of the Florida Horse Park – one of Central Florida’s major rallying points for transitory equestrians. Photo via FHP’s Facebook page.

Are you bringing your horse with you to Ocala? Consider competing at the Florida Horse Park! The venue hosts two winter horse trials, as well as the well-known Ocala International Horse Trials. For those eventers looking for more schooling opportunities, check out the Partners of the Park events for competition opportunities in a low-key environment. If you’d rather relax than bring home blue ribbons, the 500-acre park has equestrian trails that are open to riders for free!

Stay at The Equestrian Hotel

Instead of staying at an AirBnB, rest in the lap of equestrian luxury at The Equestrian Hotel. Decorated with vintage-feeling equestrian decor, this hotel actually overlooks the main arena at the World Equestrian Center, so you can watch the events from the comfort of your room. This hotel is also home to two equestrian-themed restaurants and a poolside bar.

Zip through Ocala’s Canyons

Since we all know most eventers are thrill seekers, I found the perfect excursion for those who love speed and don’t mind heights. With The Canyons, you can enjoy Florida’s only true canopy tour. Choose from several different packages ranging from one hour to three hours long. One package includes an 1100 foot zip line that crosses the beautiful Lost Spring Lake and goes through Big Cliff Canyon.

Shop for a New Home Base

Okay, or take your self on a driven tour of all the incredible horse property offerings contained in the Ocala Horse Properties portfolio. If you’re thinking about relocating, looking for an investment property, or simply want to do some real estate research, check out all the properties on offer through Ocala Horse Properties here. You can also stop by and visit the crew at their new office located right in the heart of Ocala!

School to Your Heart’s Content

Ocala is filled to the brim with a plethora of schooling opportunities. Every winter Sara Kozumplik, Will Coleman, Megan Kepferle, and others have partnered to create an ultra-affordable winter schooling show series. But that’s not all — the Florida Horse Park is also home to the Partners of the Park (POP) schooling show series, which caters to lower-level eventers, although show jumping rounds higher than 3’11” can be accommodated on request. For another three-phase schooling event, check out the series hosted by Majestic Oaks Ocala. Majestic Oaks runs schooling shows nearly all year long and offers divisions from Tadpole through Preliminary. Other venues to look at for schooling opportunities include Rocking Horse Eventing Horse Trials and Barnstaple South — plus TerraNova Equestrian Center is only 2.5 hours north.

Bonus: Go Where the People Are

Sara Kozumplik and Rubens D’ysieux. Photo by Shelby Allen.

Ocala is home to some of the most knowledgeable people in our sport. It’s a hot spot for equestrian knowledge, eventing included, which is why it’s known as “the horse capital of the world.” Local eventers include Sara Kozumplik, Will Coleman, Leslie Law, Sharon White, and more. Even Bettina Hoy and William Fox-Pitt are known to frequent the area every winter. Being in an environment saturated with experienced horse people means that there’s no shortage of clinics and learning opportunities to be had in the area.

Ocala is one of those places that everyone has to go to at least once. If you do decide to extend your visit and stay permanently, check out Ocala Horse Properties to find the farm of your dreams.

This article was sponsored by Ocala Horse Properties. Learn why the OHP team loves to live and work in Ocala on their website.