British Equestrian and the British Eventing selectors can today confirm the 18 horse and rider combinations that will form their list of nominated entries ahead of the FEI Eventing European Championship, set to take place at Haras du Pin, France from 9–13 August this year.
Nominated entries, listed in alphabetical order by athlete surname:
Ros Canter (37) from Hallington, Lincolnshire, with Michele Saul’s Lordships Graffalo (bay, gelding, 11yrs, 17hh, Grafenstolz x Rock King, Breeder: Lordships Stud, Writtle College GBR) and Kate James and Annie Makin’s Pencos Crown Jewel (bay, mare, 14yrs, 16.1hh, Jumbo x Rock King, Breeder: Mrs Pennie Wallace GBR)
Laura Collett (33) from Salperton, Gloucestershire, with Keith Scott, Karen Bartlett and her own London 52 (bay, gelding, 14yrs, 16.3hh, Landos x Quinar, Breeder: Ocke Riewerts GER)
David Doel (30) from Chippenham, Wiltshire, with Gillian Jonas’ Galileo Nieuwmoed (dark bay, gelding, 12yrs, 17hh, Carambole x Harcos, Breeder: J. W. and A. P. Jurrius NED)
Pippa Funnell (54) from Dorking, Surrey, with Sarah Ross’ MCS Maverick (bay, gelding, 10yrs, 16.1hh, s. Mill Law, Breeder: Mrs M Watson GBR)
Yasmin Ingham (26) from Nantwich, Cheshire (originally from Isle of Man), with The Sue Davies Fund and Janette Chinn’s Banzai du Loir (chestnut, gelding, 12yrs, 16.2hh, Nouma D’Auzay x Livarot, Breeder: Pierre Gouye FRA) and The Sue Davies Fund and Janette Chinn’s Rehy DJ (bay, gelding, 13yrs, 16.1hh, Tinarana’s Inspector x Big Shot Hope, Breeder: Noel Russell IRL)
Tom Jackson (30) from Godalming, Surrey, with Patricia Davenport, Millie Simmie and Sarah Webb’s Capels Hollow Drift (grey, gelding, 12yrs, 16.2hh, Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan x Lucky Gift, Breeder: Jeanette Glynn GBR)
Kitty King (40) from Chippenham, Wiltshire, with Diana Bown, the late Sally Eyre, Samantha Wilson and Sally Lloyd-Baker’s Vendredi Biats (grey, gelding, 14yrs, Winningmood x Camelia de Ruelles, Breeder: Phillipe Briviois FRA)
Piggy March (42) from Maidwell, Northamptonshire, with John and Chloe Perry and Alison Swinburn’s Brookfield Cavalier Cruise (brown, gelding, 10yrs, 16.3hh, Cavalier Carnival x Atlantic Cruise, Breeder: Martin Ryan IRL) and James and Jo Lambert’s Coolparks Sarco (bay, gelding, 11yrs, 16.2hh, Shannondale Sarco St Ghyvan x Clarion Hotel Coolcorran Cool Diamond, Breeder: Michael Burke IRL)
Tom McEwen (32) from Stroud, Gloucestershire, with James and Jo Lambert and Deirdre Johnston’s JL Dublin (dark brown, gelding, 16.2hh, Diarado x Cantano, Breeder: Volker Göttsche-Götze GER), Martin Belsham’s Luna Mist (bay, mare, 10yrs, 16hh, Alvescot Paper Moon x Wickstead Didger I Doo) and Fred and Penny Barker, Jane Coppell and Alison McEwen’s Toledo de Kerser (bay, gelding, 16yrs, 16.1hh, Diamant de Semilly x Papillon Rouge, Breeder: Kerstin Drevet FRA)
Gemma Stevens (38) from Horsham, West Sussex, with Pru Dawes’ Flash Cooley (grey, gelding, 11yrs, 16.1hh, CSF Mr Kroon x OBOS Quality, Breeder: Jim O’Neill IRL)
Oliver Townend (40) from Ellesmere, Shropshire, with Karyn Shuter, Angela Hislop and Val Ryan’s Ballaghmor Class (grey, gelding, 16yrs, 16.2hh, s. Courage II, Breeder: Noel Hicky IRL) and Paul and Diana Ridgeon’s Swallow Springs (grey, gelding, 15yrs, 16.2hh, Chillout x Cult Hero, Breeder: Maria Keating IRL)
Bubby Upton (24) from Newmarket, Suffolk, with Rachel Upton and The Zebedee Syndicate’s Magic Roundabout (chestnut, gelding, 13yrs, 16.1hh, s. Samraan, Breeder: Sharon Shone GBR)
At the time of release, the names of the grooms for each horse have not been confirmed but will be included in the final squad announcement.
Selection decisions are subject to the athlete and horse maintaining fitness and performance, and this list may be amended at any point up to 10 July 2023. The selected squad of six combinations to travel to Haras du Pin, plus reserves, will be announced later in July.
The funding that the British Equestrian World Class Programme receives from the National Lottery and UK Sport is pivotal in preparing teams for senior championships and supporting them on the ground.
The 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games in San Salvador kicked off this past weekend, and will the running through the first week of July. While there are 37 sports competing throughout these few weeks, we see our Equestrians kicking off the Games earlier in the competition.
Eventing wraps up today, with the show jumping phase later in the afternoon. While we’re recapping Eventing action here, Equestrian events will still be representing with Dressage competitions running June 27-30th, and Show Jumping running July 2nd-5th. You can see the whole schedule of events here.
As we head into the final day of Eventing competition today, we see Rolando Gonzalez with Coin Toss leading for the Dominican Republic, after adding nothing to their dressage score of 28.20. U.S.-based Lauren Billys Shady and Can Be Sweet, riding for Puerto Rico, move down from first after adding 8.40 cross country penalties, and sit in second going into show jumping. Honduras’ Lara Gabrie and Harrison round out the top three, moving up from 8th place after dressage. Current results can be found here.
Following along with the action on social media, we also saw a familiar face coaching Team Barbados – U.S.’s very own Sara Kozumplik! Take a scroll through the action here, and keep an eye out for final results!
🌟 Wow! Last night's CAC Games #SanSalvador2023 Opening Ceremony was amazing! ✨
Did you catch the exhilarating moment when #TeamBarbados crossed the stage? It was a proud and unforgettable for us!🇧🇧🎉
The stage is now set for the competition days ahead, and we couldn't be more excited! 🏅🔥
Stay tuned as we bring you the latest updates, highlights, and stories from our amazing athletes.
When you walk into the barn in the morning and without discussing have the same outfit on as Emily Sandler-Burtness… official vet wear of the Central America Games 👯♀️🩺🏇
To wrap off the last weekend in June, we saw Eventers from Massachusetts to Minnesota to Colorado and more. Congratulations to all on successful weekends as we continue through the summer season!
Extra special shout out to the winner of our Unofficial Low Score Award winner, Eliza Klaitman with Tekkinistic! The partnership finished on a 19.4 in the Beginner Novice Rider B division at Stable View.
Stable View Summer H.T. (Aiken, South Carolina): [Website] [Results]
Advanced: Bruce Davidson Jr. and Business Class (53.8)
Open Intermediate: Lucienne Bellissimo and Dyri (23.2)
Open Preliminary: Bobby Meyerhoff and Cabin Crimson LH (26.3)
Preliminary Rider: Brooke Kahl and Nata Montada SCF (30.2)
Modified Rider: Crockett Miller and Swell Continental (28.5)
Open Modified: Kelly Prather and Ballyneety Soldier (31.2)
Open Training: Diana Craven and Fernhill St.Nick (29.2)
Training Rider: Savannah Welch and Langcaster (28.1)
Novice Rider A: April Hays and Anteros HSH (21.9)
Novice Rider B: Patricia Thompson and The dark knight (30.3)
Open Novice: Katie Cummings and Qredible Dream (28.9)
Beginner Novice Rider A: Katharina Huenermann and Q-Star (28.8)
Beginner Novice Rider B: Eliza Klaitman and Tekkinistic (19.4)
Open Beginner Novice: Jasmine Hobart and Texas Avalanche (25.9)
Intermediate/Preliminary: Alexandra Knowles and Morswood (28.1)
Open Preliminary, Div. 1: Alexandra Knowles and P.S. I Love You (32.6)
Open Preliminary, Div. 2: Tate Northrop and Harrison (23.5)
Open Training: Madison Temkin and Fernhill Bertus (29.1)
Training Horse: Rachel Miles and Cooley Keystone (30.5)
Training Rider, Div. 1: Margaret Kimmel and Garfunkel (29.7)
Training Rider, Div. 2: Riley Leibeck and 5o1 Tin Man (31.9)
Novice Horse: Ciaran Thompson and Petrossian Lass SCF (31.1)
Novice Rider, Div. 1: Eva Herbert and Bodestar (23.1)
Novice Rider, Div. 2: Emerson Padgett and MSH Giant Jac’ka (25.8)
Novice Rider, Div. 3: Zoe Schaeffer and A Twist of Twyla (29.3)
Open Novice: Pam Kimmel and Special Performance (23.3)
Beginner Novice Horse, Div. 1: Courtney Calnan and Little Red Dragon (28.4)
Beginner Novice Horse, Div. 2: Adalee Ladwig and Victoria Secret MSF (21.9)
Beginner Novice Rider, Div. 1: Claire Maloney and Read All Over (24.1)
Beginner Novice Rider, Div. 2: Jordan Heller and Royal Flush (31.3)
Beginner Novice Rider, Div. 3: Elizabeth Loh and Andenken (30.3)
Beginner Novice Rider, Div. 4: Bonnie Watkins and Qarismah (27.8)
Open Beginner Novice: Melanie Helms and Edelweiss du theil (26.3)
Open Introductory: Lynn Chater and Quigley O’Higgins (31.3)
Open Starter, Div. 1: Olivia Palmer and Sweet Serenity (22.7)
Open Starter, Div. 2: Ashley Hudson and Watson (28.0)
Open Preliminary: Caitlyn Ruud and Up to You de Lorage (33.2)
Preliminary/Training: Olivia Caspers and Carisma (73.2)
Junior Training Rider: Ava Davis and Timothy (71.7)
Open Training: Kristine Burgess and JP Warrior (35.9)
Senior Training Rider: Nicolette Adams and Total Access (26.7)
Junior Novice Rider: Jordan Scroggins and C25’s Bugatti (33.9)
Open Novice: Kristine Burgess and Pinegrove Melody (33.3)
Senior Novice Rider: Brynna Gang and Wise Guy (26.4)
Junior Beginner Novice Rider: Adilyn Cortez and American Dynamic (22.9)
Open Beginner Novice: Kristen Rozycki and Harvest Gold (29.3)
Senior Beginner Novice Rider: Rehgan Weber and Noah (28.5)
Starter: Naomi West and Piedmont Sundance (28.7)
Woodloch Stable Young Event Horse Qualifier (Hugo, Minnesota): [Website] [Results]
NEH-New Event Horse-Open: Lucille O’Brien and Lotus R (81.3)
YEH-4 Year-old-Open: Julie Penshorn and Valyrian (71.0)
YEH-5 Year-old-Open: Tatum Gray and FourFields Fire Storm (75.8)
Loudon Hunt Pony Club Summer H.T. (Leesburg, Virginia): [Website] [Results]
Open Preliminary: Erin Murphy and Cooley Cadence (41.7)
Preliminary/Training: Kaitlin Clasing anbd Maberlinus M (32.5)
Open Training – B A: Emerson Kasley and Global Venture (38.1)
Open Training – B B: Emily Beshear and Card Shark (28.3)
Junior Open Novice: Lillian Weidner and Just Keep Swimming (34.4)
Novice Rider: Rachel Narrow and Nui (30.8)
Open Novice A: Katie Lichten and Star Glitter (30.6)
Open Novice B: Joe DeSantis and Sophia Tharseo (Sophie) (33.6)
Beginner Novice Horse: Catherine Ramsey and Cakewalk (31.8)
Beginner Novice Rider A: Cathrin Weiss and Karpe Diem (34.6)
Beginner Novice Rider B: Bekah Bartley and Plain Brown Wrap (27.4)
Junior Open Beginner Novice: Nora Muckerman and So it goes (35.0)
Open Beginner Novice: Alissa Genovese and Island Fever (30.3)
Introductory A: Gina Franz and FMF Sullivan (36.5)
Introductory B: Catie Meehan and Bayberry Sparrow (29.1)
Training: Madeline Backus and Slew the Blues (21.1)
Novice: Catherine Zirker and Scenic Edge (27.9)
Beginner Novice A: Lacy Cotton and Clintos (23.1)
Beginner Novice B: Madeline Backus and P.S. Levi Wilson (30.6)
Introductory: Abigail Francesca Williams and The Sunshine Band (27.9)
Modified: Megan Tardiff and Vindakova (32.4)
Open Training A: Heidi Adam and Hussaar Sunset (30.2)
Open Training B: Devon Champlain and Champagne Event (30.8)
Novice Rider A: Bryn Lauer and Dare To Dream (30.3)
Novice Rider B: Jennifer Clapp and Sidamo de Brio (26.9)
Novice Rider C: Jenna Bunce and Remember When DDD (30.8)
Open Novice A: Jennifer Fitch and Caraway Daireing Romance (27.8)
Open Novice B: Natalie Labouchere and Hughdoneit (21.7)
Beginner Novice Rider A: Joelle Fontana and Cobble Creek (32.1)
Beginner Novice Rider B: Nancy Roche and Saphyra (27.4)
Beginner Novice Rider C: Cassidy Anthony and Ransom (29.4)
Open Beginner Novice: Kiara Ham and Steven’s Getting Even (23.8)
Starter A: Laiken Lindsey and Apollo (34.0)
Starter B: Hayley Jean Farr and Northern Quest Blue Sea (30.0)
Bucks County Horse Park H.T. (Revere, Pennsylvania): [Website] [Results]
Open Training: Ryan Wood and 24 Carat Quality (23.1)
Novice Rider: Maeve Kenny and Astaire To The Future (25.6)
Open Novice: Marilyn Payne and Rock Me Mama (23.9)
Beg Novice Rider: Anna Hendey and Bazinga (28.8)
Open BNovice: Stephanie Kleinbauer and BDF Quest (26.9)
Starter: Clara Fukano and Madaket Sunset (36.7)
I’ve just spent a week working on the press team at Hickstead,where I’m always particularly excited to see eventers infiltrating the dark side. This year’s iconic Hickstead Derby saw a huge number of them lining up, in a class where we ordinarily see one or two, perhaps, every few years. From Germany, we had entries from 2014 eventing World Champ Sandra Auffarth and veteran five-star competitor Kai Rüder; from Britain, we had ex-five-star rider Paul Sims and, of course, the debut of Gemma Steven’s (neé Tattersall) on her brilliant catch ride, Dime Bar. Imagine being this talented in multiple disciplines. Nuts.
National Holiday: It’s National Sarah Day! Take a moment to confuse a Sarah in your life with some hearty congratulations. I recommend Sarah Bullimore, Sarah Clark, or — and this still counts — Sara Kozumplik.
US Weekend Action:
Stable View Summer H.T. (Aiken, South Carolina): [Website] [Results]
Midsouth Pony Club H.T. (Lexington, Kentucky): [Website] [Results]
Fox River Valley Pony Club H.T. (Barrington Hills, Illinois): [Website] [Results]
Woodloch Stable Young Event Horse Qualifier (Hugo, Minnesota): [Website] [Results]
Loudon Hunt Pony Club Summer H.T. (Leesburg, Virginia): [Website] [Results]
As an incurable Thoroughbred addict, I’m also well-versed in dodgy hooves. One of those old adages that holds true here is that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure (and, y’know, no foot, no horse, and all that) — and so everything I can do to make my horse’s hooves robust and healthy before we start wheeling in the big guns of, say, remedial farriery is always key to the whole equation. The starting point? A diet that promotes growth and strength. Here’s what you need to know.
“You just can’t find the staff these days” — that’s a very common moan in the horse world, but even if you DO find a brilliant employee, are you doing all you can as an employer to keep them? It’s less and less likely these days that a young rider will want to work every day of the week in exchange for the odd lesson and their horse’s board (and that’s a good thing, IMO), and so employers need to take a hard look at what they’re giving back before they bemoan ‘this generation’s’ work ethics. This is an interesting and salient piece.
Morning Viewing:
Join Ellie Fredericks, daughter of the legendary Lucinda, as she tackles her first-ever four-star:
Mark your calendars for July 19-23, 2023 — The Best Event in the West is back with a entry list packed with top riders from across the country. Located in the mountains of Kalispell, Montana, Rebecca Farm is often attributed as a bucket list event by both spectators and riders from all levels of the sport — I for one can’t wait to experience all the magic planned for this year’s event.
Ride On Video will again produce a livestream and video archives of all phases at The Event at Rebecca Farm, and you can view the full schedule and more details here.
Number of Horses (as of June 25):
CCI4*-L: 9
CCI4*-S: 7
CCI3*-L: 20
CCI3*-S: 21
CCI2*-L: 41
James Alliston and Nemesis nab the 4*-L win at Rebecca Farm. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
A total of 9 combinations so far have come forward to compete for the headlining CCI4*-L in Kalispell, Montana. Highlights of the entry list include:
2022 CCI4*-L Champion James Alliston will be presenting with Karma for the mare’s debut at the level, but one who has been near-flawless thus far on the FEI stage.
The trusty team of Hawley Bennett-Awad and Jollybo, who secured a strong 4th place in last year’s 4*-S.
Buck Davidson, who we haven’t seen at Rebecca Farm since 2016, will be flying Business Class — winner of Tryon’s 3*-S last month at their first international competition together.
2022 4*-S Champion Liz Halliday-Sharp aboard The Monster Partnership and Deborah Halliday’s Cooley Moonshine, who will be hoping for their first completion together at this level.
Jennie Saville, 2019 Rebecca Farm Champion and recipient of the 2016 Rebecca Broussard International Developing Rider Grant, returns this year with Connory, adding yet another 4*-L debutant to the field. Jennie will also be piloting Pascal in the 3*-L.
Skyeler Icke-Voss will be aiming for her first 4*-L completion with long-time partner Argyle.
Also notable are Tamie Smith‘s three entries in the 4*-S with Kynan, Elliot V, and Cheers, with a fourth entry on Crafty Don in the 3*-S.
Hidden in the Intermediate waitlist is another exciting pair to keep your eye on — young rider Lizzie Hoff with Cooley On Show, Sharon White’s former 5* mount whom Lizzie acquired just last month. Crossing my fingers that the waitlist pushes them through so we can have the chance to watch Louie back at it!
Thanks to Rebecca Farm hosting the American Eventing Championships last year, the event will also for the first time be also hosting a Beginner Novice course — allowing this event to feature all divisions from Beginner Novice to Intermediate, and FEI levels from 2*-L through 4*-L. There will also be a Classic Three-Day Event Series division offered at the Novice and Training levels.
View the full entry lists, including CCI4*-L and CCI4*-S, on StartBox.The tentative schedule can be found here, with a full competition schedule set to be released in the upcoming weeks.
In addition to the Rebecca Broussard Developing Rider Grants, the Broussard Family is also providing Rebecca Farm Travel Grants this year, awarding free transport out to Montana for a rider at the CCI3*, CIC4*-S and/or CCI4*-L level — this grant will be awarded on July 1st, so stay tuned for the announcement of their recipients!
For anyone in the area who wants to help out, or for those of you visiting just to spectate at this stunning event, there are plenty of volunteering opportunities still to be had — click here to sign up. If you’re in the mood for a premier experience, you can also purchase a Patron Package to take in the event with more perks, and donations for these packages are put to support Halt Cancer at X.
Lots of pink ribbons were on display throughout the weekend to promote breast cancer awareness and Rebecca Farm’s Halt Cancer At X initiative. And yes, that bum belongs to Sandro’s Star. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
You can also follow Rebecca Farm on Instagram for more updates. We’re looking forward to bringing you much more from Montana, so stay tuned here or on our Facebook and Instagram for much more news to come from this thrilling weekend in the mountains. As always, #GoEventing!
You guys, this is an actual real photo from The Event at Rebecca Farm 2016. Photo by Leslie Wylie.
It was a good day to be sat on a good show jumper as the final phase of competition got underway in Poland at the LOTTO Strzegom Horse Trials. Strzegom’s ring is not one for the faint of heart — it gives off a sort of “fish bowl” feeling, with its low boundary fences and tightly designed track. There is much atmosphere to take in, and the time on the clock is always hard to beat — especially if your horse is prone to distraction.
To that end, just five of the 32 finishers in the CCIO4*-S FEI Nations Cup division managed clear rounds inside the time allowed. Polish designer Lukasz Szustorowski’s jumping track required finesse and attention as well as a commitment to continuing to come forward through each and every turn and related distance. It was a true test on the final day of competition, and in the end the two top spots would remain unchanged as both Lea Siegl (AUT) and van Helsing P as well as Caroline Pamukcu (USA) and HSH Blake delivered emphatic clear rounds to cement their individual podium finishes.
Lea Seigl and van Helsing P. Photo by Leszek Wójcik.
Lea moved into the lead following Saturday’s cross country with the 13-year-old DSP gelding van Helsing P (Van Gogh – Carisma P, by Carismo), who was her partner for the 2021 FEI European Eventing Championships in Avenches (SUI), thanks to a quicker trip around than dressage leader Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake (Tolan R – Doughiska Lass, by Kannan). With a 4* win in her pocket already this season, earned at Montelibretti with her Olympic mount DSP Fighting Line, Lea now finds herself well-supported for a bid at this summer’s European Championships at Haras du Pin.
The Netherlands’ Olympic bid remains alive with an important win in Nations Cup team competition this weekend, earning 100 points while current Nations Cup standings leader Belgium collects 80 points for their third place finish. This will push the Dutch into second in the points standings with a total of 285, swapping spots with the Italians who will collect 60 points for a fifth place finish today. Belgium will maintain their lead with 350 points in total. Dutch Chef Andrew Heffernan cited the upcoming Nations Cup legs at Haras de Jardy (FRA) and Avenches (SUI) as well as August’s FEI European Eventing Championships (which stand alone as another chance to earn Olympic qualification — the two top teams without existing qualification will earn their ticket) as the immediate focus for his team.
“These guys performed so well,” Andrew said in a post-event press release. “It was a really tough competition and it was really refreshing to see such a strong and forward thinking and demanding cross country course. It also gave us good pictures. There were no nasty falls or moments and that was really good for the sport. These guys performed fantastic and that is why we won. I am very proud.”
Merel Blom, who piloted the 8-year-old Chinuk R to a top-10 individual finish today, summed up the driving force behind the Dutch effort: “There is not a bigger motivator than Paris. We stand up every morning just pushing for Paris and we will keep pushing until we are there, for sure.”
Silver for Team USA
Team USA, helmed by Chef d’Equipe Leslie Law. Photo by Mariusz Chmieliński.
Caroline Pamukcu might be sitting on the most consistent horse — HSH Blake — in the U.S. at the moment, with accolades ranging back to his debut eventing season as a 5-year-old. Beneficiaries of the Holekamp/Turner Le Lion d’Angers Grant via the USEA in 2022, Caroline tested the then-7-year-old by Tolan R against the best in the world at the FEI WBFSH Breeding World Championships, finishing 10th overall and on the pair’s dressage score that week.
“Tim Holekamp really encouraged me to do Le Lion,” Caroline said earlier this week, noting that HSH Blake is a prime example of a horse that’s followed the pipeline laid out in the States for up-and-coming elite event horses. “It’s really cool for America because we’re really developing a pipeline for horses and riders, and I think we need to push for programs like this to continue. Kudos to Leslie [Law] because he’s the one who’s been fighting for this all along, and it’s really showing how much it boosts our whole sport in the end.”
Caroline is hoping to be selected for the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile this October with HSH Blake, who was purchased with the help of Caroline’s mother, Sherrie, and Mollie Hoff. With the U.S. already earning its qualification for Paris at World Championships last year, the opportunity stands to send a developing team for some additional experience and — especially with the help of a strong development program — a healthy prospect of another Pan Ams medal.
“I just feel like I was made for this sport,” Caroline commented. “This is my career. I’m very grateful for this country and for this support. I want to represent my country so badly — it’s really what I love for, and I really hope I get that chance soon.”
Long lists for the Pan American Games are expected later this summer, with the final team announcement to follow.
Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake. Photo by Leszek Wójcik.
The U.S. was helped to silver medal position by Jenny Caras and Cassie Sanger, who each contributed clear rounds with just a shade of time today to leap up in the standings, finishing just outside of the final top 10. Jenny and Trendy Fernhill, owned by Elyse Eisenberg, moved up to 11th from 18th after cross country on a final score of 52.4, followed closely by Cassie and Fernhill Zoro, who started their week in 27th and finished in 12th on a score of 54.7. Andrew McConnon and Ferrie’s Cello would be the dropped score for the team this week but nonetheless will have gained valuable experience and team exposure, finishing their weekend in 26th overall.
“I’m great!” Leslie Law said as we began our post-event debrief this morning. The British Olympian has been associated with Developing Rider programs and their various iterations since 2014, but his passion for continuing education and proper development is something that’s always been a fundamental part of his philosophy. “By nature, I’m a very competitive person and you know, I just want to give these youngsters a chance to taste what I had the opportunity to do,” he said. “It’s really rewarding to try and identify the young talent in the in the USA do your very best to mentor it and bring it through, and hopefully give us more and more depth in the end.”
Jenny Caras and Trendy Fernhill. Photo by Mariusz Chmieliński.
The USEF Development Tour is a new addition to the program pipeline in 2023, and its specific target of Strzegom (which was chosen for its location on the calendar when accounting for preparation events and travel, according to Leslie), provides a way to mirror the experience of selection, training, preparation, and competition for a major Championship on a senior squad. Whereas previous Nations Cups teams might have been a blend of Developing riders and riders not a part of the pipeline, the Development Tour — which is also supported by funding from the Karen Stives Endowment — is a specific goal for Developing riders who have participated in the Eventing Pathway Program.
“The team experiences is so important,” Leslie continued. “And you know, it’s not easy to get that back in the U.S. compared to what the European countries are able to do. They’ve got Nations Cups, I feel like almost in they’re in their back gardens. So it allows them to experiment with up and coming riders on Nations Cup teams before they’re brought up to an Olympic Games or World Championship. And I think, if that’s your first team experience that’s a lot to take on. So the more we can get our athletes into that space, they’re only going to be better for it, having experienced it in a different slightly different situation. I think the team experience is probably the most important thing, but then to take them out of their comfort zone and to even experience the whole the whole traveling part — the flying of the horses, the grooms — it just puts you ahead in the future.”
Silver for the USA! Photo by Leszek Wójcik.
To me, the responsibility of a developing team’s Chef is almost more nuanced in some ways than that of a senior squad Chef. As Leslie pointed out, he’s as competitive as anyone — “I wanted us to come here and be competitive” — but he’s also responsible for cultivating the skillsets each rider will need if they want to be successful on senior teams in the future. Here he credits the mentorship he gained from British team manager Yogi Breisner and his philosophy on team strategy.
“I think I had a great mentor Yogi Breisner. I think he used to get the strategy pretty good. I think that experience in being in and around that when I was riding on the team, I learned a lot from that the balance of being competitive, but not being reckless. Sometimes it can be hard — it was hard for Caroline to have to go the long way a fence four [on cross country] when she was in the lead after the dressage — it isn’t always easy. But in a team competition, the team does have to come first, and that’s all part of the strategy and that’s my job to make those decisions and hopefully get it right. And then you stand by it, even if you get it wrong then you take that on. You have to be strong enough to do that, and I see that as that’s what I’m here for.”
The Development Tour squad will now travel on to Germany and next week’s CHIO Aachen, where they’ll have the opportunity to observe the top-flight competition and U.S. senior squad comprised of Kentucky 5* winners Tamie Smith and Mai Baum, Kentucky third-place finishers Liz Halliday-Sharp and Miks Master C, 2021 Aachen 4*-S winners Will Coleman and Off the Record, and Tokyo Olympians Phillip Dutton and Z.
If you want to catch up on the Nations Cup action this week, I’ll drop the replays from each phase below. Thanks for following along, and Go Eventing.
If you’ve been following EN for any period of time, you’re probably familiar by now with the infamous footage of Andrew Nicholson vaulting his way out of what very well should have been a rotational fall for him and Mr. Smiffy at Burghley, circa 2000. In his honor, we often like to give out special recognitions to those riders who add a little *spice* to their rides (all for our sake, of course).
This past week has given us a few of these stellar moments to add to the trophy case — of which the grand prize for the Stickability (slash Freestyle) Awards goes to 2022 Speed Derby Champions Harriet Biddick and Silver Lift at the Hickstead Derby on Saturday. As very aptly noted by one user in the comments, “Hickstead course with no tack is like one of those nightmares I have right before I wake up.”
Barely phased by the loss of what one might typically consider a rather important piece of riding equipment, Harriet put to shame all those days I spent as a child jumping grids with my arms held out to the sides by nailing a very imposing triple plank combination with ease while bridleless. What a pair — gold stars for you.
A close Silver Stickability goes out to Austrian rider (and winner of today’s FEI Eventing Nations Cup at Strzegom) Lea Siegl at the Luhmuhlen CCI5* last week. After leaving the first FEI Eventing Nations Cup event of the season at Montelibretti in March as the winner of both the CCIO4*-S and the CCI4*-L, Lea and DSP Fighting Line apparently felt they needed just a little extra somethin’ to shake things up in the water complex at Luhmuhlen.
“Lost a stirrup? No problem” (for Lea at least, because I definitely tracked down and deleted all footage of my own less-than-graceful lost stirrup moment from my most recent horse trials — in which I looked like a fresh fish on a pony ride, and nothing like the utter core strength exhibited here on a 5* course). Keeping it real with an excellent save!
It’s one of those years when the Nations Cup events are especially stressed, thanks to the upcoming Olympic Games, and Caroline Pamukcu is holding on tight for the US this weekend! Caroline enters the final day sitting in second behind Austrian rider Lea Siegl and van Helsing P. After holding the lead after dressage, managing a stellar cross country round (on a rather fast course with nary a double-clear in sight), and just 0.1 points ahead of Dutch rider Sanne De Jong, we hope we can see Caroline and HSH Blake snag a silver medal for both herself and the USA in today’s final day of the LOTTO Strzegom Horse Trials’ FEI Eventing Nations Cup.
Caroline Pamukcu is always greeted by husband Deniz at the out gate. Photo by Leszek Wójcik.
It is also officially Aachen Week, and we’re pumped! EN will have boots on the Aachen ground, where Tilly will be bringing us ALL the news from the event. Keep up with the EN coverage and follow @goeventing for all the content you can handle.
Attention all college students! Do you love social media? Athletux is on the hunt for a social media intern! This is an incredible opportunity to work remotely for one of the longest running, most established marketing firms in the equine industry! Gain valuable hands-on experience, boast your resume, and even obtain school credit where applicable! Interested applicants should submit a cover letter and resume to [email protected] along with a sample social media reel!
Weekly Pick from SmartPak: What are you wearing this summer? We found 13 products from SmartPak to take your summer style to the next level. If you’re a #matchymatchy equestrian, this article is a must-read.
Morning Viewing: Don’t miss the final day of the FEI Eventing Nation’s Cup CCIO4*-S at Strzegom! Following this morning’s horse inspection, you’ll be able to tune in LIVE for the Nations Cup show jumping, from 14:30 local time (13:30 BST/8:30 a.m. EST), here on FEI’s YouTube channel.
Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake. Photo by Mariusz Chmieliński.
U.S. eventing followers tuning in for cross country at the LOTTO Strzegom Horse Trials in Poland were treated to a showcase of next generation skill from riders sent to Europe as a part of the new USEF European Development Tour. The efforts of the U.S. team, anchored in individual second position by Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake and bolstered by clear jumping rounds from Jenny Caras (Trendy Fernhill) and Cassie Sanger (Fernhill Zoro), saw them hang on to the silver medal position in the FEI Nations Cup competition.
Both of the other Nations Cup shifted, with the Netherlands taking over the gold position and Austria moving up into bronze. Originally holding gold, Germany’s wheels fell off with the elimination of two riders on cross country, dashing their hopes of completing a team.
Nations Cup competition carries Olympic weight this year, with the winning country earning a berth in the upcoming Paris Olympics (2024). Belgium currently holds the points lead, but the Dutch are 85 points behind in third position currently. A win this weekend, coupled with the potential of Belgium finishing off the podium — they’re currently in fourth, 11.6 penalties behind Austria — would edge the Dutch closer to securing Olympic qualification with five Nations Cup legs remaining.
The Dutch certainly have some talent to be excited about as they seek out that Olympic berth. Notably today Merel Blom showed off the promise of the 8-year-old Holsteiner gelding Chinuk R (Clarcon – Believe, by Heremes d’Auth) with a confident clear round, making marked improvement from the gelding’s first 4*-S here at this venue earlier this year. Experienced World Championships pair Sanne de Jong and Enjoy (Cartano – Next Joey, by Haarlem) also delivered a clear round to sit third overnight. Janneke Boonzaaijer and ACSI Champ de Tailleur (Quidam de Revel – Vera, by Oberon du Moulin), another pair with a long list of experience at this level, moved up from 11th into fourth individually with a strong clear. [Click here to view current FEI Nations Cup standings]
For the U.S., the weekend is not about qualification but rather team building and exposure. Led by chef d’equip and Olympic gold medalist Leslie Law, the USEF Development Tour provides a chance for developing riders to gain valuable education in both overseas competition as well as team pressure. And on a day where cross country riding was paramount and the Marcin Konarski-designed questions just kept coming, the U.S. riders rose to the occasion and provided an exciting validation of the patience-demanding process of creating a pipeline.
Under team instructions to take the long route at an early combination as well as the internal drive to ensure the 8-year-old HSH Blake‘s confidence was in tact elicited the handful of time penalties for Caroline Pamucku, ultimately causing her to yield the individual lead to Austrian Olympian Lea Siegl and van Helsing P. But taking into consideration the priority of the team’s result and the fact that she was riding a young horse who is still early in his Advanced career, Caroline was proud both of her horse and of her ability to ride well under pressure.
Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake. Photo by Leszek Wójcik.
“I think I just can’t be greedy, I have to keep thinking about the big picture,” Caroline, who owns “Blake” along with her mother Sherrie and Mollie and Lizzie Hoff said. “I’m so competitive and I want to win — but how upset would I have been if I hurt him or did something to wreck his confidence? He deserves to be produced nicely. And it’s more important for us to be in silver medal position.”
As for the growth she’s felt with HSH Blake, who was originally sourced by Caroline’s friend and business partner Kelley Hutchinson and ultimately secured for Caroline’s string thanks to the help of the Hoff family after the gelding won the 6-year-old 2*-L championship at Morven Park in 2021, Caroline can’t say enough good things. “He’s going to be a five-star horse,” she enthused. “I said all along this track was going to ride like a five-star Short, and it definitely did. Some of the things out there he hasn’t even seen, and he just looks for the flags.”
It’s a challenge, though, to balance the ambition that comes with having such a consistent and talented horse that is also still quite young in his career. Here, Caroline, gives much credit to the time she spent with British Grand Slam winner Pippa Funnell, who preached the value of low-intensity conditioning work. Caroline has spent most of “Blake’s” time building slow fitness through trot sets and road hacks rather than frequent schooling and drilling — and she says that has paid off not just in his mental wellbeing, but his physical health. After running the 3*-L at TerraNova in the spring to pick up a final MER needed to be in the running for the upcoming Pan American Games, Caroline gave the gelding a long break and a slow build-up to this trip.
“We brought him back, trotted the whole time, jumped once before Devon [Arena Eventing at the end of May], one flat school with Leslie, a Combined Test at Essex and that was it,” Caroline explained. “So I’m really excited that what Pippa told me, how much you can do with just trot sets carries over. We’re not drilling him, we’re keeping him happy. Pippa taught me a lot about road work, and so leading up to this we were trotting on the roads, up and down hills, lots of walking, for two hours. No spurs, a snaffle bit — that’s how all the horses go, which has really improved on basics. On trot sets, you do good transitions, stretching necks, lots of pats. It keeps the pressure off, and it was huge.”
Cassie Sanger and Fernhill Zoro. Photo by Mariusz Chmieliński.
Cassie Sanger sits in individual 20th place with Fernhill Zoro with a strong chance to move up on Sunday if they can jump a clear round. At 19, Cassie is the youngest member of Team USA this weekend — but the grit and maturity she showed on cross country today go well beyond her age. This weekend marks Cassie’s fourth Advanced/4* event, all of which have come with the 15-year-old “Zoro”.
“It was a huge step up for me,” Cassie said. “Doing some tough tracks — at Maryland [CCI3*-L] and I did the Chatt Hills Advanced as my second one and that was very tough — was a really good warm-up and prep for this. I also did the three-star Long at Bromont with my other horse, and that was a really tough track. It got me ready to go and because it went well, I felt confident in how my cross country riding was going.”
Despite that confidence, Cassie says she still felt herself get a bit rattled. Following her dressage test on Friday, she felt herself focusing on the mistakes she’d made — “mistakes are bigger here, when they aren’t just yours and they affect the whole team” — and feeling out of balance about her confidence for cross country. “But when I woke up this morning, I felt oddly really calm,” she continued. “We had to wait all day to go, so I stayed a little to myself and went to walk the course again with Leslie.”
Here Cassie gives much credit to the team environment at Strzegom this weekend. The support she felt from her teammates would launch her out of the start box on a mission, and she delivered a strong clear round with time to help cement the U.S’ silver position.
“The one word I would use to describe it is it’s an electric feeling,” she said. “The entire day you’re worried about yourself, your teammates — you want them to come home just as well and I think after today and after we all left cross country coming through the finish flags…the camaraderie makes me hungry to do more.”
Jenny Caras and Trendy Fernhill. Photo by Leszek Wójcik.
Also delivering a confident clear round were Jenny Caras and Elyse Eisenberg’s Trendy Fernhill, who will be in 18th position going into tomorrow’s final phase. With the course’s intense, motocross feel, Jenny knew the challenge would be stiff for “Joey”, who she calls a stronger, long-striding type that would generally prefer to have more galloping lanes and letup fences. Despite some disappointment with her time penalties, Jenny was pleased with the outcome of the day, especially considering her horse’s type.
“Joey was fantastic today — I was really pleased with him,” Jenny said. “There weren’t many letup fences or galloping lanes to let go and kick because you were always sort of seeing up for the next combination. But he’s as honest as they come and I am privileged to ride him and our partnership is so strong. I know him so well. I’m disappointed to have not been able to go faster and have less time, but I needed a clear round for the team and that was my first priority, so it was going as fast as I could while making sure I went clear.”
After watching some riders on the CCI4*-L — which went early in the day and shared several key combinations with its Short counterpart — the team opted to go under orders to take the long route at fence 4, a tricky turning question with multiple MIM-clipped obstacles. “I tried to be as efficient as possible around the long route and I don’t think there was much time in it really, and definitely much safer,” Jenny elaborated.
She echoed the strength of the team camaraderie this weekend, and how much the support bolstered her confidence in her own performance. “I’ve really enjoyed being a part of the team,” she said. “It really felt different than competing in the U.S. — it felt like a different type of course than we’re used to and I really feel like I’ve learned a lot coming out of today. I’m just really proud of everybody on the team and feel really fortunate to be a part of this whole experience.”
Andrew McConnon and Ferrie’s Cello. Photo by Leszek Wójcik.
First to go in the team rotation of riders, Andrew McConnon and Jeanne Shigo’s Ferrie’s Cello did encounter some trouble on course, breaking one of the MIM clips at fence 4D and later incurring 20 penalties at the C element of fence 21.
Lea Seigl and van Helsing P. Photo by Leszek Wójcik.
Taking over the lead individually after delivering the quickest turn of foot today are Austria’s Lea Siegl with the 13-year-old DSP gelding van Helsing P (Van Gogh – Carisma P, by Carismo). Despite being quickest of the day, they still collected 3.2 time penalties, indicating the toughness of the track in its difficulty to make up time. Lea’s score of 33.3 does not give her a rail in hand over Caroline Pamucku (35.7). Dutch rider Sanne de Jong and Enjoy also remain a strong threat to move up from their third-ranked score of 35.8.
“It was quite fun, Van Helsing was in a good mood, he was galloping very fast,” Lea commented. “Some parts were a bit difficult, and it was not an easy course. Sometimes you had to take the horse out of the rhythm and do some sharp turns, that made it demanding, but overall, I’m very happy with my horse and how he managed it. I’m very thankful for what he does for me every time I ride him in cross country.”
While this weekend’s ultimate goal isn’t necessarily to medal — the Development Tour is designed for education and experience above all — it would be silly not to think that a podium finish in Poland would be the ideal ending. The U.S. doesn’t have much room to breathe — both Austria and Belgium lay within striking distance should any rails begin to fall. The U.S. does, however, still have one score to drop, while the Netherlands, Austria, and Belgium are all left with just three scores to count after each losing one team member today.
Michael Jung and Kilcandra Ocean Power. Photo by Leszek Wójcik.
Looking to the CCI4*-L division, which fielded several riders hoping to secure points contributing to their FEI Olympic Group rankings (the top two ranked riders in each FEI Group will secure one individual berth for their country in Paris), Germany’s Michael Jung piloted Kilcandra Ocean Power (BGS Ocean View – Bonnie Dolly, Bonnie Prince) to a clear round with time to maintain the lead.
Just five of the 13 4*-L starters completed the course, with six opting to retire after incurring penalties and two eliminated (one for missing a fence, one on refusals). Rerouting from Luhmühlen, U.S. rider Matt Flynn picked up 40 time penalties and finished the day in fourth position with Wizzerd (Wizzerd – Amai, by Oklund).
Show jumping for the Nations Cup division will begin Sunday at 2:30 p.m. local time / 8:30 a.m. EST. You can watch this division jump for the win for free on the FEI TV live stream here. If you’re a ClipMyHorse.TV subscriber, you can also watch the 4*-L division stream here.
Miss the cross country action today? Never fear — there’s a replay! I’ll drop it below:
British Eventing is delighted to announce the appointment of Rosie Williams OBE as its new Chief Executive Officer. Rosie will assume her role in mid-September.
With a distinguished career spanning several decades in the sports industry, Rosie brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this position. Her achievements and exceptional leadership skills make her the ideal candidate to lead British Eventing into the next era of growth and success. Rosie’s first national governing body role was as National Sports Manager for the Australian Equestrian Federation, a role which gave her a real appreciation for equestrian sport. Most of her career has been spent in the sport of Rugby. Rosie spent 10 years as CEO of the Rugby Football Union for Women in England, delivering such outstanding success in the development of the sport that she was awarded an OBE for her contribution to Rugby.
Rosie fully understands the challenges of running major events. She took on the role of Tournament Director of the Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2010, delivering a world class athlete centred event that had a hugely positive effect on the profile of women’s rugby worldwide. Running her own consultancy business for several years gave her broad exposure to highly commercial environments. In early 2022 Rosie took up the role of CEO of Softball Australia, implementing a major change management programme transforming the organisation’s financial management, strategic direction, and operational process.
Rosie has established herself as a respected figure in the sports world. She has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to excellence and a deep understanding of the sporting landscape. Her passion for equestrian sports started early; growing up in New South Wales, Australia, Rosie competed in several equestrian disciplines include eventing, show jumping, dressage, and polocrosse.
As the newly appointed CEO, Rosie will be responsible for overseeing all strategic and operational aspects of British Eventing. Her primary focus will be to foster the continued development of eventing, promote inclusivity within the sport and enhance the overall experience for participants and spectators alike, alongside an improved value proposition to members.
Commenting on her appointment, Rosie said “I am thrilled and honoured to join British Eventing as CEO. Eventing holds a special place in my heart and I am excited to contribute to the growth and success of this incredible sport. I am committed to working closely with the talented team at British Eventing, as well as the broader eventing community to ensure that our athletes, horses and all stakeholders have the best possible experience.”
Mark Sartori, Chairman of British Eventing, expressed his enthusiasm regarding the appointment, stating “We are delighted that Rosie is joining BE as she brings successful CEO and national governing body (NGB) experience to BE. Eventing, along with all Equestrian sports faces challenges and we need a highly experienced CEO as we continue our 3 year re-structuring plan. It is vital that we unite all our stakeholders and Rosie has huge experience across a number of businesses, sports and different stakeholders. Running a NGB is not an easy role and the Board agreed that we needed someone who had a proven track record both as a CEO and working within a NGB and thus we are delighted that Rosie will be starting in September.
On behalf of all at BE we ask all our stakeholders to continue to support the sport we love and help Rosie and the team over the exciting years ahead. I am personally very positive for the future as we continue to make the changes that will allow BE to not only be sustainable but thrive and become a world leader again.”
Tom McEwen and JL Dublin. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
