Phillip Dutton and Mr. Medicott at The Fork. Photo by Jenni Autry.
It’s a beautiful day for show jumping here at The Fork, and both Advanced divisions kicked off the action first thing this morning. In the Advanced Test A division, overnight leaders Emily Beshear and Here’s to You jumped a lovely clear but picked up three time penalties, dropping them to fourth place. That moves Phillip Dutton and Mr. Medicott into first place on 29.7 thanks to their double clear, and Phillip is also now holding second place with Mighty Nice after also jumping clear. Phillip was set to make it three for three today with Trading Aces, but they had the final fence down in the triple combination at the very end of the course. Lillian Heard and Share Option also jumped one of the nine double clears in this division to move up to third place on 30.6.
Katie Frei and Houdini. Photo by Jenni Autry.
In the Test B division, Katie Frei and Houdini kept their overnight lead with one of the eight double clear trips in this division; they’ll carry their dressage score of 29.4 into the cross country tomorrow. Lauren Kieffer and RF Cosima will stay in second place on 30.3 with a very smooth and forward clear round. Sarah Dunkerton and Matapeake, who were tied for second place with Lauren and Big Mama overnight, unfortunately got a bit discombobulated coming into a combination about halfway through the course, and the horse slammed on the brakes. Lizzie Snow and Coal Creek, who were in third place coming into show jumping, pulled a rail, and Sally Cousins and Tsunami moved past them to round out the top three with their double clear trip.
Lillian Heard and Share Option. Photo by Jenni Autry.
It was a bit of a blustery day so far, and the wind definitely led to some unlucky moments in the triple combination, as multiple riders made it through without a problem only to have a pole fall seconds later after a big gust of wind. As evidenced by the number of double clear trips in the divisions, the course rode very smoothly overall, with the problems that did crop up scattered throughout the course. The track is being changed over now for the big CIC3* division, and I’ll be back early this afternoon with a full report, as well as more photos and videos. In the meantime, catch Samantha Clark’s excellent interview with Emily and Jeff Beshear over on the PRO blog here.
You’ve all been on the edge of your seats waiting for the premiere of Creepy Dance Party Volume 2, the much-anticipated sequel to Meg Kep’s viral video from The Fork in 2012. So without further ado, EN proudly presents the latest and greatest video from Team SHE. And be sure to click here to watch volume 1 for the video that started it all. Go Creepy Dance Party!
I could take a page from Meg Kep and her fellow fit friends.
Good morning! I hope your weekend is off to a fantastic start as usual. The competition is fierce at The Fork, where many riders are running their final prep for Rolex. Phillip Dutton, as only Phillip could do, is currently leading the CIC3* on Shamwari 4, one of Boyd’s horses that Phillip had not ridden before this weekend. If that isn’t impressive, I’m not sure what is. Between Buck riding 17 horses at every event and Phillip winning three-star dressage on a catch-ride, I think we have a new definition of the term “superhero” on our hands.
Today the CIC3* horses will show jump. The remainder of the competition will be stiff, as less than 20 points are spread across the entire leaderboard. To tighten that statistic up a bit more, less than 10 points separate first place from the horse in 32nd after dressage. I can’t wait to see how the next two phases affect the leaderboard, so keep it locked right here for much more from North Carolina.
Tipperary Equestrian has announced the “Dash for Cash” for riders competing at Rolex this year! This exciting contest gives riders who wear Tipperary gear at Rolex a chance to win an additional $5,000 in prize money. All three phases have a $5,000 which riders can qualify for. The winning rider must be wearing a new Tipperary 3015 Eventer Pro vest in the cross country phase of competition. In the dressage and show jumping phase, the winning rider must be wearing a Tipperary T-Series helmet to qualify for the bonus money. Be sure to read up on the full guidelines and rules here. Good luck to all Rolex riders who plan to participate!
Phillip Dutton and Shamwari 4 after their winning CIC3* test at The Fork. Photo by Jenni Autry,
It can’t be easy for Boyd Martin sitting on the sidelines at The Fork while his top horses are campaigned by another rider. But if it has to be another rider, at least it’s Phillip Dutton, who’s managed to get to know Boyd’s top horses well enough after just one ride on each to manage very good scores on all. Today, Phillip piloted Shamwari 4 to the lead in the CIC3* division on a score of 45.9, and he said in the press conference this afternoon that this is a pretty cool horse. “He’s got plenty of gears there, so whatever you want to ask for, he’ll do,” Phillip said. “It took me a little time to get used to him in the canter, and we got the break there (in the counter canter loop). It’s exciting for Boyd, and he’s going to be a good horse for him in the future.”
Since Phillip didn’t ride until later in the afternoon, he would have normally hopped on Shammie for a school in the morning, but Boyd said the horse is so quiet he didn’t need the extra ride. While they were still getting to know each other in warmup today, Phillip said David O’Connor has ridden the horse and was able to offer some helpful pointers before the test. So now that he has the lead, what’s the goal for the weekend? Simple — “not to fall off,” Phillip said. The goal is to get the horse feeling good and confident so he’s prepared for what comes in the next few weeks, which remains to be seen. Shammie is entered at both Rolex and Badminton, and it’s really a question of when Boyd will come sound as to which event we’ll see them tackle.
Will Faudree and Pawlow also had a very good day to sit in second place in the three-star on a score of 46.8. He’s been working in the training sessions with David to get Ernie more steady in the bridle, as well as experimenting a bit with different bridles. “I rode him in a double at Carolina, and the double is great when there’s a lot of atmosphere, but when there’s not a lot of atmosphere, it’s too much,” Will said. To counter that, he rode him in the double this morning and then put him in a snaffle for the test, which worked very nicely as a strategy. Will said he was very happy with the communication during the test, though not as pleased with where he left some points on the table — like the halt before the rein back, which didn’t come square, and a loss of rhythm in the first steps of the medium canter circle.
But overall he’s very pleased with Ernie, who didn’t get to run cross country at Carolina International due to tweaking a shoe in the show jumping. He’s going in frog support pads now and feeling much more comfortable, Will said. Ernie’s entered at both Rolex and Badminton, and Will said if he runs well here this weekend, he’d love to take him to England. “He’s been a horse who has surprised me with everywhere he’s gone,” Will said. “When I first got him, I thought he would max out at Intermediate. And now he’s jumped around Rolex a couple times and Luhmuhlen.” Ernie will be 15 this year, and while Will said he thinks it would be a lot of fun to take the horse to Badminton, he’s also thinking of the big picture in a WEG year, and he knows two trips to Europe might not be the best thing for the horse. So we’ll have a much more clear picture of where we’ll see them this spring after cross country on Sunday.
Will said there’s a lot to do on Tremaine Cooper’s course, which is very technical, especially in certain combinations where there’s not much time to react should something go wrong. “It all depends on how they jump at the B or the C element,” Will said. “You have to react very quickly to what you feel underneath you as to whether you bend out or go straight.” Will said he likes the course better than last year and commended the changes Tremaine has made. He did say he wished the horses going to Kentucky could have run the nice long hill on the back of the course for fitness prep, but overall he thinks it’s a very good track.
Phillip echoed the same sentiments, saying he also liked the changes Tremaine brought to the course this year. “It’s a big course but fair, which is what you need before Kentucky,” Phillip said. He’s hoping for a bit of rain, as the footing is more firm than he’d like right now. Tremaine said he’d also like to see some rain before Sunday, and the forecast does currently have thunderstorms predicted, so we’ll have to wait to see how the going looks as the weekend progresses. Phillip also said he would have liked to see a sunken road added to the course since it’s an element at Rolex that always causes trouble, but overall he thinks the course will be a very good experience for the horses.
I was glued to the three-star ring today and didn’t get to watch much of the second Advanced division. Katie Frei and Houdini were the only pair to crack the 20s on a score of 29.4, followed by Lauren Kieffer and RF Cosima and Sarah Dunkerton and Matapeake in equal second on a score of 30.3. In the CIC2*, Emily Beshear and Shame on the Moon are continuing the very good start to their new partnership with a score of 43.3 for first, followed by Lynn Symansky on Osborne 9 on 48.3 and Jennie Brannigan and Henry on 48.6. Show jumping for the Advanced divisions starts tomorrow morning at 8 a.m., and I’ll be bringing you all the photos, videos and reports I possibly can. Stay tuned for much more from The Fork.
EN loves photos shot between the ears! If you happen to be out for a hack, are riding in some obscure place or just take some cool photos aboard your mount, send them to [email protected] with a quick blurb about the photo’s story. This week’s View comes to us from Brittany Lane in Brecon Beacons, Wales.
From Brittany Lane: “I wanted to send along these photos from between the ears of King, the trusty Welsh Mountain Pony I rode while in Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales. I’m in graduate school at University College London, and our school’s equestrian team went on a wonderful riding trip in Wales in March. As an added bonus, I’ve included a picture of one of the wonderful cobs we get to ride in team practice. His name is Puzzle, he jumps beautifully, and he has the best handlebar mustache in all of England!”
Check out Puzzle’s mustache!
The view from King’s ears.
The view from King’s ears.
Editor’s Note: We have to agree. Puzzle’s handlebar mustache is pretty #fabulous.
Phillip Dutton and Shamwari 4. Photo by Jenni Autry.
It certainly proved to be a very exciting afternoon in The Fork CIC3*, with horses and riders rising to the occasion to put in some truly memorable performances. Phillip Dutton continued his trend from yesterday of producing lovely work from Boyd Martin’s mounts, and he’ll hold the overnight lead with Shamwari 4 on a score of 45.9. They had one small bobble when Shammie swapped during the counter canter loop, but aside from that, it was very accurate.
Will Faudree and Pawlow also had a very nice test to move into second place on a score of 46.8, with Ernie looking relaxed and responsive throughout. Will has this horse entered in both Rolex and Badminton, and he said he’ll make the call at the end of the weekend as to where Ernie will be headed for his spring four-star appearance.
Will Faudree and Pawlow. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Allison Springer and Arthur, who rode their test yesterday, are in third place at the end of dressage, with Hannah Sue Burnett and Harbour Pilot sitting just behind them in fourth place on a score of 47.7. This was another very consistent performance, with the only blip coming at the very end when William swapped in the extended canter down the long side before the final salute. Sharon White and Rafferty’s Rules round out the top five on a score of 48.6.
Reggie looks better and better every outing since coming back from the injury he incurred at Burghley in 2012. He’s quite the showman in the ring and seemed to really enjoy the atmosphere and crowd that gathered to watch his test — many of them sporting Team Orange colors, of course.
Hannah Sue Burnett and Harbour Pilot. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Another Reggie follows in equal sixth place, with Balleynoe Castle RM making a steady comeback of his own with Buck Davidson following a long break from a bone bruise on his stifle. We know how chill this horse is — what other top four-star horse could escort a bride to her wedding? — but it’s still impressive that he didn’t bat an eye when the entire long side of the arena from F to M blew over in the heavy winds that swept in this afternoon.
You have to watch the video below to see how Reggie takes it all in stride. Buck and Reggie’s score of 48.9 ties them with Jennie Brannigan and Cambalda, Holly Payne and Santino, and Jessica Phoenix and Patras VR. Erin Sylvester and No Boundaries round out the top 10 on their score of 49.5.
Sharon White and Rafferty’s Rules. Photo by Jenni Autry.
We also saw really lovely tests in this group from Sharon White and Under Suspection and Sinead Halpin and Manoir de Carneville, who are tied for equal 11th place with Kim Severson and Fernhill Fearless, Ruy Fonseca and Tom Bombadill Too, and Marilyn Little and RF Demeter — all on scores of 49.8. Tate’s test at Carolina International fell a bit flat, and he was much more expressive and lively today — perhaps a bit too lively at some points!
Sinead said she’s been experimenting with which bit works best for Tate at shows, so it’s just one more piece of the puzzle they’ll be working on leading up to Rolex. I shot a number of videos this afternoon, and I apologize in advance for the shaky quality. The strong winds made it difficult for both horses, riders and journalists alike. Stay tuned for much more from The Fork!
EN isn’t just your leading source for eventing news, results and commentary; it’s a community where fans of this crazy sport come together to share their war stories. We love hearing from readers and, in turn, sharing your thoughts with the world. All reader submissions are eligible for the Omega Alpha Reader Submission of the Month in which they are published. All winners will receive an Omega Alpha supplement of their choosing. Have something to share with EN? Send it to us at [email protected]!
Briggs Surratt and Hat Trick at Rocking Horse. Photo by Patricia Dileo.
There were a lot of wonderful submissions to choose from this month, but we had to give the submission of the month award to event dad Andy Surratt, who wrote the piece “A Dad’s Reflection on Red Hills” about watching his son, Briggs, compete at Red Hills earlier this year. Briggs trains with Rick Wallace and has been eventing for about two years. Andy wrote in about the feeling of pride he felt while he and his family watched Briggs compete in the CIC*:
“Once we heard he finished with no jump penalties, a sense of pride hit us. The overwhelming pride made it very hard to button our jackets. As Briggs made his way over to the sponsor tent, shaking hands as family, friends and colleagues congratulated him, I realized I watched my little boy turn into a young man overnight.”
Andy (or perhaps Briggs?) will receive a free supply of an Omega Alpha supplement of his choosing. Want to win an Omega Alpha supplement? Send in your story, clinic report, video or other article to [email protected]. If it’s published this month, it will be eligible for April’s giveaway. (Month to be determined by date of publishing, not date of submission.) Many thanks to Andy for writing and to Omega Alpha for supporting Eventing Nation. Go eventing!
Here are a few of our other favorite reader submissions from March:
“As we approach a decade of taking in horses after their racing careers and finding them new homes and lives, please take a minute to thank this wonderful horse, thank the universe for bringing him and Allie together, and also to think about the horses who have changed your own lives for the better. May they all stroll through fields like these forever.”
“Can horses heal a broken heart and make you relish life once again? ABSOLUTELY! Taylor started her life on the back of a Tennessee Walker, running dogs with her father, watching him compete in field trials and scouting for him when he trained. Taylor was blessed to have ridden on some of the most exquisite plantations in the South. If she wasn’t fishing in the Gulf with her father, she was on the back of a horse.”
“The outdoor had not been plowed since we had the indoor available to us. There were now 8 inches of ice out there. Even the plowed farm paths were too icy. My trailer was at home, down my 500 foot driveway which we had not plowed all winter. So yet another break in work…and another comeback. I hitched rides to trailer to a nearby indoor twice and when the weather broke this week I was ready to work. The ring was still partially icy. On a couple of the warm days the barn had a snow stomping rides.”
“I have learned to work quickly and efficiently and how to be precise and not leave anything left untouched. There is not a moment in my day where I am sitting still or don’t have anything to do. I have learned that there is always work to be done and how to do it well and with a smile on my face.”
We hear all the time about horses at the top of the sport, but what about the next generation of equine talent? EN’s Got Talent introduces the future superstars of the sport, interviewing riders about how they’re tackling training with these youngsters. Have you spotted a spectacular young horse at an event you think should be highlighted in this column? Tip me at [email protected].
Kate Samuels and Absaluut Annabelle. Photo by Carrie Meehan.
Jane Dudinsky has been a longtime supporter of eventers, owning several horses, both past and present, ridden by the likes of Bruce Davidson Sr., Doug Payne, Kim Severson and our very own Kate Samuels. Kate acquired the ride on Absaluut Annabelle in December 2013 and has been nothing short of thrilled with the mare’s progress so far.
Absaluut Annabelle is a 5-year-old Holsteiner mare by Saluut out of Larkspur (Merano). Jane bred the mare herself, and the dam, Larkspur, was actually Jane’s favorite hunt mare. “Anna,” as she is known around the barn, took to eventing quickly and competed through Training level before coming to Kate’s barn. “I just started riding her in December, and she’s come a long way,” Kate said. “She is certainly a horse that needs to know and trust her rider before she can relax.”
One of Kate’s favorite attributes about this mare is that she is a genuinely hard worker. “She comes out of the barn every day and goes to work,” Kate said. “She can, however, be a bit reactive and tends to over think things in a way that gets her a bit worried and worked up.” Kate worked with Anna on the ground as much as possible to establish and build upon their relationship. Her goal with the groundwork is to help teach Anna that, while it’s acceptable to be worried or scared, there is a way to work through it and move on. “She is incredibly smart and wants to please so much that it’s relatively easy to teach her new techniques for managing her state of mind.”
Kate and Anna survey the scene at Sporting Days. Photo by Carrie Meehan.
When it comes to flatwork, Anna displays excellent movement and potential. Her tendency to get worried and tense carries over into the dressage ring, though, and Kate has worked with the mare to teach her how to relax more, especially at the canter. “When I got her, she struggled immensely with cantering to the left; she tends to jackknife her body when she gets tight through her back, making it impossible to relax through her topline,” Kate said.
To alleviate this, Kate began introducing more lateral work into Anna’s training and has also utilized the services of Keelin Redmond of Avoca Equine for chiropractic help. “She’s learned quite a lot in a small amount of time, really, and she’s much steadier in the bridle and is figuring out how the leg and the hand connect the whole body. She finally put it together at Carolina International, scoring a 29.6, which is her personal best.”
Next week on EN’s Got Talent: We will learn more about Absaluut Annabelle’s eventing career with Kate, including more information on her recent weekend full of improvement’s at Carolina International.
Jessica Phoenix and Patras VR. Photo by Jenni Autry.
The morning group in the CIC3* couldn’t catch Allison Springer and Arthur’s score of 47.1 from yesterday, and they’ll continue to hold the lead through the lunch break here at The Fork. Jessica Phoenix and Patras VR were the best we saw this morning, scoring 48.9 for equal second with Holly Payne and Santino and Jennie Brannigan and Cambalda. This horse is coming off a win two weeks ago in the CIC3* at Poplar Place, and he looked very impressive again today. He’s a striking mover and has a wonderful presence in the arena. Combine that with Jessie’s accurate riding in the dressage and you have a pair that’s going to be very exciting to watch in the future.
Erin Sylvester and No Boundaries. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Erin Sylvester and No Boundaries were one of the last to go before the lunch break, and Bucky looked very good for a score of 49.5, which puts them in fifth place at this point in the class. Bucky’s tension issues have been dormant for an extended period of time now, which has to be a big relief for Erin with Rolex just a few weeks away. They’re always a threat in the dressage, and if they can perform in Kentucky like they did today, we should see a competitive score. Ruy Fonseca and Tom Bombadill Too are sitting just behind Erin in Bucky on a score of 49.8, which ties them for sixth place with Marilyn Little and RF Demeter. Ruy and Tom are here in the States preparing for WEG, and they’re another pair we’ll see at Rolex in a couple weeks. The judges clearly favored this horse’s big way of going.
Ruy Fonseca and Tom Bombadill Too. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Marilyn and Demi, the big winners at Carolina International CIC3* two weeks ago, had another very nice test here today, with the mare looking relaxed and workmanlike about the job at hand throughout. That’s the only test I managed to get video of — which you can watch below — because a certain fearless leader showed up unannounced this morning and proceeded to gab away while I was trying to work. Yes, EN — John lives! Here’s photo proof that he was here. Note that he’s too cool to look at the camera. He has to get back home to clean the chinchilla cages before dinner, so he won’t be here for long. The chinchillas wait for no one! But it’s always a good thing to confirm that he is in fact still alive and breathing.
Marilyn Little and RF Demeter. Photo by Jenni Autry.
The VIP tent right by the CIC3* ring is buzzing today, which likely affected some of the more sensitive horses. Allison did the best she could with a very tense Copycat Chloe, and F.I.S. Prince Charming also seemed to be bothered by the noise. RF Smoke on the Water came undone for Marilyn, which is rather unlike him. While we saw some nice tests this morning, there wasn’t any one performance that really wowed, and there’s definitely room for the afternoon group to step up and challenge Allison and Arthur for the lead. We still have Kim Severson and Fernhill Fearless, Sharon White and Under Suspection, Sinead Halpin and Manoir de Carneville, Phillip Dutton and Shamwari 4, Buck Davidson and Ballynoe Castle RM, and Hannah Sue Burnett and Harbour Pilot still to come. Stay tuned for much more from The Fork.
It's that time of year again: spring flowers, warm weather and, most importantly, Rolex Kentucky. This year, we will be highlighting riders who are making their first appearance in North America's only CCI4* event. We recently touched base with Rolex Rookie Dana Widstrand and got to know a bit more about her OTTB, Relentless Pursuit. Thank you for your time, Dana, and thank you for reading.
Dana Widstrand and Relentless Pursuit at Fair Hill. Photo by Jenni Autry.
In order to succeed at any level in this sport, you must be hard-working, dedicated, and a tad bit crazy. They don’t call it “insanity in the middle” for nothing, do they? Sometimes, the most inspiring stories are those of people who have really had to make things work on their own, with little to no assistance from others. While she is certainly not the only one in this situation, Dana Widstrand is still a shining example of what it means to fulfill your own destiny.
Dana and her 17-year-old OTTB, Relentless Pursuit, are headed to their first CCI4* in Kentucky this year in a culmination of many years of preparation and work. Dana bought “Rover” as a 3-year-old off the track, where he raced under the name Super Rover, and can count how many people other than herself have been on his back. Together, Dana and Rover began their trek to the Bluegrass, running everything from their first Novice to their first Advanced together.
In 2008, Dana was a full time barn manager, groom, and working student while campaigning Rover at the upper levels. The pair qualified to compete at Rolex in 2008, and unfortunately the bay gelding suffered an injury that kept them out of competition that year. “In 2008, I kind of re-evaluated my life,” Dana said. “I decided I couldn’t be a working student forever. My parents helped me out when they could, but the reality was I couldn’t afford to do what I was doing any longer. For the last six years, I’ve been trying to find a balance of having a job that will allow me to afford the horse and the spare time to allow me to actually ride the horse. Fortunately, I now hold a position that has allowed me to achieve that balance.”
Dana shows Rover a copy of the USCTA magazine previewing the 2000 Rolex. Rover’s response? “Consider it done, mom!”
While Rover recovered from his injury and Dana tried to find the right solution for her career, the pair took some time off from actively competing. “I didn’t have a trainer who I worked with at all from 2008 through 2011 because it was not financially feasible and the trainers were all over an hour away from me,” Dana said. “I had to figure out my professional life before I could even think about returning to compete at the upper levels. I did a lot of self-education; watched a lot of videos, read a lot of books, and basically tried to learn as much as I could while I didn’t have a trainer who knew me or Rover very well.”
Dana and Rover came back out in 2011, starting slowly and finishing at the two-star level by the spring of that year. The pair had previously competed at Young Riders, which was Dana’s original goal. “He was never supposed to be a Rolex horse. I was looking for a Young Riders horse, and we were successful in 2003 and 2004,” she recalled. “After we moved up to Advanced, people began telling me that he was my Rolex horse. I laughed it off at first, but after he finished third in his first Advanced, it started to become a reality for me.”
Coming back from her hiatus from competition was more challenging that Dana originally thought it would be. “When I was a working student, I lived, ate, slept, and breathed horses. Now, I only have the one horse to ride, and I am also a bit older so coming back I was perhaps not as brave. It’s been a mixture of him getting older and not wanting to run him too much, even though he’s just been perfect.” Dana began working with Heather Gillette as she set her focus on Rolex once again, and Heather has been extremely helpful in Dana and Rover’s preparations.
Rover’s 18th birthday falls on the day of the first trot-ups in Kentucky this year. Dana is focusing on keeping Rover calm and focused in the dressage and is confident in their abilities to rock around the jumping phases. “If I can show him the way, we can get it done,” Dana said.
As far as future plans are concerned, Dana isn’t looking past Rolex quite yet. “I’m not unrealistic about his age. Even though people are usually in disbelief when I tell them how old he is, I still don’t want to overdo it. I will let him tell me what he wants to do. I would love to take him overseas to compete, but at this point it’s going to be all up to him.”
For those of you who are old or new fans of this Rolex-bound pair, Dana would like to remind you that she will be using the hashtag “#superrover” while she is in Kentucky, and she would love to get her horse’s racing name and nickname trending on social media while they power around their first four-star.
Many thanks to The Horse Pesterer for this footage of Dana and Rover at Fair Hill in 2013.
Phillip Dutton and Mr. Medicott at The Fork. Photo by Jenni Autry.
