Classic Eventing Nation

Thursday Reader from Devoucoux

By on Oct 10, 2013 12:03 am -

Happy Thursday, Eventing Nation! Today marks the official beginning of Boekelo CCI3* in Enschede, The Netherlands. Jenni is on the scene and will be bringing us news updates and photos as soon as they happen, which is what Eventing Nation is all about: coverage you can’t get anywhere else!  Elizabeth Halliday-Sharp and Fernhill By Night will be the first U.S. pair to perform their dressage test, going today at 2:49pm local time (8:49am ET). Lauren Kieffer and Veronica will go on Friday at 11:55am local time, followed by Martin and Trading Aces at 4:18pm local time.

Boekelo Links: [Homepage] [Entries] [Schedule] [Results]

Events This Weekend:

Greenwood Farm Inc. Fall H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

Colorado Horse Park Fall H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

Grass Ridge H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

Radnor Hunt H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

The Maryland H.T. at Loch Moy Farm [Website] [Entry Status]

Middle Tennessee Pony Club H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

Course Brook Farm Fall H.T. [Website] [

Fall Horse Trials at the Ark [Website]

Pine Top October HT [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

News From Around The Globe:

Incredible artist Beth Munnings-Winter has donated a personalized oil painting to raise funds for Amy Barrington. You can purchase a $5 raffle ticket (or 6 for $20) to be entered in the drawing for a 16×20 oil painting on canvas of one of your animals. All proceeds will go directly to Amy’s medical bills. [Munnings Art Donation]

Ireland just opened a new National Horse Sport Arena, to be enjoyed by all Irish equestrians.  The arena will give Irish equestrian athletes access to world-class facilities which have been developed in accordance with the High Performance training needs of equestrian riders and under the technical guidance of Horse Sport Ireland and its affiliate bodies. [Irish National Horse Sport Arena]

British Eventing reports that rising costs of production are requiring increased entry fees. Luckily, they are also looking into ways to increase prize money to help riders cope with the bigger bills. BE is also considering a refund policy, one which I personally wish the USEA would also think about. [BE Entry Costs Rising]

There’s a new craze in London: horse bikes! It’s a horse…it’s a bike….it’s a rocking chair?? It’s all three, in fact. Combine your fuzzy rocking horse with your best bike for beating the traffic, and you’re right in style in the British capitol. [Horse Bikes Are The Wheel Deal]

I pulled out one of my blankets yesterday to use in the newly chilly weather, and UGH it smelled SO BAD. I thought I had diligently washed all of my turnout blankets last spring when I put them all away, but I guess this one didn’t get it’s due time in the washing machine. Luckily, I was able to throw it in there with some Rambo Blanket Wash, specially formulated to clean but not remove the water resistant qualities of your turnouts. My SmartPak pick of the week is this stuff….can’t live without it! [Rambo Blanket Wash]

 

 

 

Start Box Jams of the Day: Reader Submissions III

By on Oct 9, 2013 5:15 pm -

Just as everyone has diverse taste in music, riders have different taste in pump-up music. Start-Box Jams plays homage to the songs that give us the courage to tackle cross country. Do you have some favorite start-box jams you’d like to share with EN? Email me at [email protected]

Sydney CCI3* 2012 Start Box, photo by John Lechner

This week has seemed to just drag on endlessly.  I don’t know if it’s that I’ve been utterly unmotivated or that I’ve stumbled in to some sort of time warp, but the weekend seems impossibly far away.  Earlier this morning, I found myself struggling to tear myself away from cozy dent I’d created on my couch and the soothing familiarity of The Price Is Right.  I knew I had to take some serious action or I’d later be cursing myself for wasting the day.  That’s when I peeked in to the mailbag and found some more jams to share with you.

Lisa Cheney wrote in to share Rodrigo y Gabriela’s Diablo Rojo.  Rodrigo y Gabriela transform the typically soft tones of acoustic guitars in to an energetic and rich frenzy of sound.  You may recognize some of their other work from the soundtracks for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and the Shrek prequel Puss In Boots.  Diablo Rojo is a great track, especially if you’re about to go the box on a little red mare.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUibjcu2L_s

Josh Hoos had a great suggestion as well, Linkin Park’s A Light That Never Comes.  This track features Steve Aoki and touches on some themes that all eventers should find familiar.  The road to success is not only what you do on course, but the journey that got you there.

For those of you looking to add something to your 550mpm playlist, Erin Kimmer shared Motörhead’s Ace Of Spades.  She said her horse’s gallop rhythm matched the beat pretty well and it is a good song to help her check her pace!

Culture Shock Part V: The Ring Bucket

By on Oct 9, 2013 3:00 pm -

Apparently, I have a lot of anxiety issues if there isn't any of this present at the back-gate.

At Woodside this past weekend I finally figured out what has always made the pre-Stadium back-gate experience feel so odd to me.  For a long time I had thought it was the ride times that felt weird.  In Hunter/Jumper land, there are no ride times.  This means you can spend a long time waiting at the back-gate to go jump a handful of jumps.  Sometimes you get stuck waiting for what feels like a decade because someone’s trainer is on the other side of the show grounds, in the other ring with some other client and it’s very rare that someone will go in to the ring without the trainer there to observe.  In contrast, at the Events I’ve been to the back-gate is quite efficient and riders are generally on time.  It isn’t overly crowded with people milling about in a perpetual state of waiting.

Stephanie and I had come to Woodside to cheer on Team DF and were lucky to arrive just a few minutes before Mia headed in to Stadium.  She warmed up well and was called to the gate.  As Mia trotted in to the ring a wave of guilt and anxiety hit me, like I’d failed to do something mission critical.  I twirled my keys in my fingers to try and soothe the weird discomfort and watched as Mia put down a spectacular round – one that would have been at home in any Medal or Equitation class.  As she came out of the ring, she was beaming.  My anxiety passed before I was able to figure out what had sparked it.

Amanda’s trip came a short while later and as she headed in to the ring I noticed that same anxious-guilt come washing over me.  She also laid down an incredible trip and left the ring all smiles.  As we were walking back to our stalls I noticed another horse heading in to the ring, his mouth lined with a soft green foam.  Some of the foam had blown back to land on his shoulder and his rider’s boot.  I blinked at this a few times and it finally clicked in my mind what was throwing me off – the absence of “the ring-bucket.”

At a Hunter/Jumper show you’ll generally have a legion of friends, family members, grooms and barn-mates milling about at the back gate with rags, hoof polish, spare spurs, extra gloves, maybe a crop and a bottle of water.  Before you head in to the ring, even if it’s for a Jumper round, your boots will get a once-over, your horse’s nose and mouth will be wiped clean and his hooves given another coat of Fiebing’s.  This little ritual often happens without any request, an automatic process that is almost impossible to avoid and it is generally viewed as a high-crime to go in to the ring having skipped it.

Now, this is not to say that Eventers don’t care about appearances – because we most certainly do, helmet covers and cross country colors any one?  It is more to highlight that the generally more time efficient process of posted-ride times eliminates a good portion of the stand-around-and-wait that leads to this obsessive ritual of last minute fiddling and primping.

Much like my feelings about hunter braids vs button braids, I suspect that it may take a while longer before I feel comfortable without a ring-bucket.  I have to admit that I was rather thrilled when Stephanie’s Dressage test at Camelot came back with the comment ‘nice turn-out!’ as I’d been the one to braid Owen and I kind of maybe made a fuss and would not let her go in to the test without the boot-nose-hoof ritual.  I love the ritual, it soothes me.  It’s part of what puts me in the right frame of mind whether I’m the one heading in to the ring or there to support a friend.

Then again, hoof polish doesn’t make the trip – the planning and the preparation does.  Besides, have you ever tried to get Fiebing’s out of white breeches?

Go Team DF. Go Little Details. Go Eventing.

Making Mistakes

By on Oct 9, 2013 1:30 pm -

Nyls at Morven into the water (photo courtesy of Christine Lafreniere)

Eventing is a sport of inches, of centimeters, of tiny measurements and small moments of either brilliance or disaster. Those who pursue Eventing as more than a hobby are a certain cousin of the perfectionist, and yet somebody who understands that perfection is impossible. Mistakes are inevitable, and even those who win the biggest competitions could easily pick out multiple unintentional moments of their weekend. Our sport is both wonderful and perpetually challenging due to our quest for the impossible perfection.

I was asked recently if I was surprised at my win at Morven Park this past weekend. Well, yes and no. The idea behind competing is generally to win, although I believe the bigger picture is to be satisfied with your performance and that of your horse, and if the scores match up, all the better. I think we are all pleasantly surprised when we win an event, but we also believed it was a little possible from the start. To be able to pull all of your skills together over three days, over three separate tests, and simultaneously convince your horse to put in the best performance is a feat indeed. However, isn’t that the result that we all work for every day?

At the end of the weekend, no matter what placing I earned, I always reflect back over my performances in each phase, over each jump, and each movement in my dressage test. I read my dressage test comments and think, “How could I have ridden that better? Could I have prepared my horse better for that?”. I re-live every jump, every gallop stride and recall what I liked and what I would have changed. Inevitably, I sometimes linger on the mistakes that I made, and I hold onto those mistakes until I fully understand how not to repeat them.

 

Plantation CIC3* (photo by Jenni Autry)

Sometimes, as intense competitors, we are ashamed to admit mistakes. We search for other reasons, other variables that could have caused the undesirable result. This shame can be understood as the fear of disconnection. Is there something about me that if other people know it or see it, that I wont be worthy of connection? If I reveal the vulnerable side of my riding, my efforts, will I still be accepted? This is universal, and we all have this emotion.

In order for connection to happen, we have to allow ourselves to be really seen as we are. The best riders do not shy away from admitting weakness, vulnerability or personal mistakes. Instead, they embrace them, and utilize them as learning tools to avoid similar situations in the future. The best riders understand that the situation they find themselves in is not unique, and in fact has been experienced by every great rider alive. As humans, we cannot avoid mistakes, but the best we can hope for is to learn from them as quickly as possible.

 

Katie Walker: Greetings from Boekelo!

By on Oct 9, 2013 12:00 pm -

I’m very pleased to introduce Katie Walker as our special guest blogger for Boekelo. Katie is one of the owners in the Trading Aces Syndicate, and she’s traveled to the Netherlands this weekend to support Boyd Martin and the rest of Team USA. She’s also sits on the board for Plantation Field Equestrian Events and secures the sponsorships that keep the CIC event growing bigger and better every year. Many thanks to Katie for writing!

Boyd Martin and Katie Walker after the first horse inspection at Boekelo.

From Katie:

I’m happy to be here across the ocean with Team USA at Military Boekelo. My Boekelo blogs will focus on the owner’s perspective at a CCI3* level event and how it’s different from what we see at home. I am part of the Trading Aces Syndicate, which owns the horse Boyd Martin has here, Trading Aces. So in essence, at 10 percent, we proudly own “Oscar’s” tail — and what a lovely tail it is! I love being part of a syndicate because it takes you very top-shelf places like Rolex — which I was lucky enough to attend in the spring — and Boekelo, which otherwise I wouldn’t be able to attend.

Trading Aces’ last start was at our very own Plantation Field CIC3* in Unionville, Pa., where he finished sixth in a great prep for Boekelo. In addition, you may have heard he also competed just days later at Dressage at Devon, where he placed fourth in a Fourth Level test with Silva Martin in the saddle. This is one busy and well-traveled horse!

We arrived here just in time for the first horse inspection. As soon as we walked through the gate, I recognized and greeted Brits Ed Holloway — our infamous announcer at Plantation Field for the past five years — and soon after Rachel Wakefield and Michael Wynn of Uptown Eventing fame and their adorable daughter Lily. I saw Brian Hyslop, who is grooming for Swedish rider Anna Hilton; Nick Turner, who is coaching the Irish team; Niklas Lindback, who just rode at Plantation as one of our international guest riders; and then bumped into Silva Martin with her sister and niece. So I felt right at home in the first 10 minutes.

While I made my way over to the jog, I also saw Joanie Morris and David O’Connor as they prepared Team USA for the inspection. After all three USA horses passed with flying colors, Boyd took me over to stabling where I was bowled over by the facilities. The tent has beams on the ceilings and proper lighting down the aisle — it’s amazing. We are going to need an upgrade at Plantation!

As an owner, I was showered with gifts from Ariat, including a coat, jacket, polo shirt and hat, which was so nice. Oscar was trying to open these gifts for me, but I shooed his nose away from these highly sought after goodies. Tonight there is a party at 7 p.m. — the Military Classic Night Fair — and I look forward to having my first ever Grolsch here on the grounds adjacent to the beer factory. So far, so good! More later!

“Caption It” Contest for William Fox-Pitt

By on Oct 9, 2013 11:00 am -

WFP Himself (photo by Samantha Clark)

It’s time for another “Caption It” contest, Eventing Nation! This time, we’re asking you to come up with your best, most clever, most witty caption for the above photo. Give it your best shot, because you could very well become that girl in the jean jacket. Think, what would you do to have a chat with the real William Fox-Pitt?

What’s the prize, you ask? TWO TICKETS to audit the exclusive William Fox-Pitt Clinic on November 5th and 6th at Morningside Training Farm in Virginia. Not only do you get to hang out two days in a row (or one day with a friend) and watch the master at work, but you get to see him work with riders and horses of all different skill levels, eat delicious food and drink delicious beer! There will be vendors and fun stuff at the clinic too!

[Clinic Details] [Clinic FB Page]

All you have to do is submit your caption through the comments section on this page, and that’s it! In a week we’ll pick the top captions, and have a vote. GOOOO CAPTION!

Team USA Looking Sharp at Boekelo

By on Oct 9, 2013 9:46 am -

Super groom Lindsey Taylor prepares Trading Aces for the first horse inspection.

Hello from Boekelo! The festivities have officially kicked off here in Enschede, the Netherlands, as we saw more than 100 horses trot up this afternoon for the first horse inspection. I’ve always heard wonderful things about Boekelo, and the venue definitely doesn’t disappoint. Set in the picturesque little town of Enschede, which is right next to Boekelo, the cross-country course runs through cornfields and right past the factory that produces Grolsch, one of the leading beers here in the Netherlands. Now in its 32nd year of running, Boekelo has become a premier event on the fall calendar and holds the honors as the only CCI competition in the Nations Cup lineup.

With 21 nations competing this weekend, this is truly an international event. From Japan to Brazil and Russia to Hungary, riders from all over the globe have traveled to Boekelo to contest this event, and I’m proud that Team USA has thrown its hat into the ring this weekend. Despite seeing multiple last-minute scratches, we’ve put together a competitive team that can hold its own against the stiff competition. Team USA is Boyd Martin and Trading Aces, Lauren Kieffer and Veronica, and Elizabeth Halliday-Sharp and Fernhill By Night, and I’m pleased to report that all horses passed the jog. All our horses and riders looked fantastic in the jog, with the horses all wearing matching Team USA coolers and the riders wearing patriotic colors.

I have to give a big shoutout to the grooms for turning out the horses so nicely. The women behind the horses this weekend are Lindsey Taylor for Trading Aces, Katie O’Neil for Veronica, and Gemma Jalinska for Fernhill By Night. I’ve never seen Fernhill By Night in person, and this Irish Sport Horse gelding is seriously to die for. Since Liz is based in the UK, we haven’t covered her much here on EN, and I’m excited to meet her, Gemma and Fernhill By Night this weekend and help you all to get to know her better. As is always my goal with major European competitions, I’ll be shadowing all of our Team USA riders and their grooms to bring you all the behind-the-scenes action.

And speaking of behind the scenes, I’m very excited to introduce Katie Walker as our official guest blogger for Boekelo. Katie is a member of the Trading Aces Syndicate, and she’ll be blogging about the experience of attending a major international event as an owner. I’ll also be bringing you much more from Team USA, who all went straight into a meeting with Coach David O’Connor following the first horse inspection. I’m hoping to catch up with our riders later this afternoon. As is EN tradition, the weather is gloomy here in the Netherlands, with temperatures in the 50s and clouds rolling in. The forecast isn’t looking promising for the rest of the event, but maybe EN karma will smile on us. Go Boekelo!

Boekelo Links: [Homepage] [Entries] [Schedule] [Results]

 

RRTP: The Multi-Talented Thoroughbred

By on Oct 9, 2013 9:30 am -

The RRTP Makeover and Symposium took place at Pimlico by the finish line. Photo by Gary Bortner

Being a thoroughbred lover for most of my life, I have always found it easy to love and admire the great breed.  I have often had people asking me about the breed’s sanity, and it surprises me a bit every time.  There are always cases in every breed where there is a horse here or there that has a screw loose.  Yes, thoroughbreds tend to come off the track on a “high,” but for most, that is not their true nature, and they change very quickly with some letdown time.

Popular Makeover trainer, Elissa Ogburn, and the beautiful Governor Jack Photo by Gary Bortner

I hope that the horses this weekend put an end to that thought process for many.  In between riding and taking care of my two, I got to watch quite a bit of the symposium, and the thoroughbreds never ceased to delight.  Of course, the normal English show disciplines were well-represented with eventers, hunter/jumpers, fox hunters, and dressage riders.  Our disciplines have been using thoroughbreds for years, though many have dropped off in the recent years in favor of the warmblood breeds.  Though I own some non-OTTBs, the OTTB will always be my go to breed, and I am hoping that others will go back to them as well.

Patti Fieldler and Hapaheart showed that an OTTB can be a police horse Photo by Gary Bortner

What I loved most about the whole weekend was the addition of disciplines that may not immediately be associated with OTTBs.  My favorite to watch was Dale Simanton with Duck.  Dale is a cowboy from out west that uses OTTBs for cattle and ranch work.  When asked to speak about Duck, Dale got choked up.  His love for his horses was very evident, and I was so impressed with him for using OTTBs in a world where the Quarter Horse rules.

The US Polo Association did a very cool demo. Photo by Gary Bortner

The weekend seemed to be a huge success.  The semiars were packed, and I believe that everyone took at least one new piece of knowledge home with them.  Unfortunately, Pimlico has quite a bit of seating, so though the grandstand looked sparse, there was a good crowd there to watch the horses go.

Hotty and I at the Opening Ceremony Photo by Gary Bortner

As far as my own horses, I was THRILLED with how well Hotty handled the situation.  The Opening Ceremony worked her up the most, as we led them out without tack but in a bridle.  I think they were all looking for the paddock.  However, when I rode her out to the track, and she saw the jumps, she immediately took a deep breath and relaxed.  She handled everything beatuifully and went really well in her presentation.  She got quite a few compliments.

Hotty jumping a XC fence in her part of the Makeover. Photo by Gary Bortner

Bug’s weekend was also pretty awesome.  I took him out Saturday morning to gallop on the track.  It was early and things hadn’t really started rolling yet.  It was surreal galloping where so many of the greats had run.  Bugs footprints were settled in those of the greats.   Bug doesn’t get too excited about much other than jumping, but he definitely knew he was on the track.  He ate it up and loved every minute of it.

Bug showing off in the USEA Demo. I love that you can see him up close and on the jumbotron. Photo by Niamh O'Connell

For the USEA Demo, Erin Sylvester on Paddy the Caddy and I showed a bit of flatwork then jumped show jumps and cross country fences.  Paddy is one of Erin’s Prelim horses, and is quite a nice looking boy.  He handled everything great and jumped well.  In typical Bug fashion, he ate up the crowd and jumped extra high for everyone, finishing his turn with a brush chevron that seemed to please the crowd.

Chatting up Chris McCarron in the warmup. Photo by Gary Bortner

I must say, as well, that I was pretty awed to get to chat up famous jockey, Chris McCarron, in the warmup area.  He was very interested in how the OTTBs are being used in eventing and said that he goes to Rolex every year to watch.  He seems truly invested in the breed and helping them to find homes after.  Saturday evening, he sorted cattle for the first time in his life on a horse that had raced his last race only a month before.

Steuart Pittman and the rest of the Retired Racehorse Training Project should be applauded for this awesome event.  They showcased this breed in a way that showed the thoroughbred’s ability to do anything.  I think I can speak for all of the 26 trainers by sending them a HUGE thank you for allowing us to be a part of this event.  I loved every minute of it, and I am excited to see what is in store for the future.

I would also like to send out a huge thanks to my sponsors: Snider’s Elevator, Stubben North America, ThinLine, ADM Nutrition, Pad Perfect, Ultimate Side Reins, Omega Alpha Supplements, Wilson College and From the Blind Side Jewelry for all of their support.  They fuel my passion and help things like this to be a success.  It doesn’t matter how good you are as a trainer, if you don’t have the right nutrition, tack, etc, you can’t be 100% successful.  Many of my personal sponsors were also sponsors of the RRTP Makeover, which shows their dedication to this great breed.

 

Entry List for 2014 Pau CCI4*

By on Oct 9, 2013 8:49 am -

Phillip Dutton and Mr. Medicott will take on their first CCI4* together at Pau. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Hot off the presses (err, pixels?) the entry list has been released for Les Etoiles de Pau CCI4* coming up October 23-27 in Pau, France.  North America is represented by a good contingent, with top riders from Canada and the USA entered.

[Full Entry List – PDF]

Canada:

  • Peter Barry – Kilrodan Abbot
  • Hawley Bennett-Awad – Gin and Juice
  • Shandiss McDonald – Rockfield Grant Juan
  • Kathryn Robinson – Let It Bee
USA:
  • Hannah Sue Burnett – Harbour Pilot
  • Phillip Dutton – Mr. Medicott
  • Marilyn Little – RF Demeter
  • Clark Montgomery – Universe
  • Kristi Nunnink – R Star
  • Michael Pollard – Mensa G
  • Lynn Symansky – Donner