Classic Eventing Nation

Abigail Lufkin: Wrangling our Brains

By on Oct 7, 2013 12:00 pm -

Abigail Lufkin is a former CCI4* eventer who is now a sports psychology consultant and clinical social worker based in the Los Angeles area. You may remember seeing Abigail ride around Rolex on horses such as Lighter Than Air, Cameo or Jacob Two Two. She was a member of the 1999 Pan Am Team and was shortlisted for the 1992, 2000 and 2004 Olympics. We’re pleased to bring you a series of articles from Abigail about adapting your mental game to promote success in eventing. Have a question or topic for Abigail? Please submit it to [email protected] with subject “Ask Abigail” and be sure to check out her site at www.abigaillufkin.com.

Abigail Lufkin and Jacob Two Two at Rolex 1999. Photo by Matt Simpson, used with permission.

From Abigail:

I am often asked, “If you could pick one thing that would most improve my mental game, what would it be?” It’s a difficult question, but perhaps the single thing I find myself discussing the most is: “focus on the things over which you have control.”

As humans, and particularly as driven, competitive athletes, we like to think we can control everything. Let me give you a cursory list of what you cannot control. You can’t control the weather, the footing, your ride time or ride order. You can’t control if other people think you are good or nice or important or what they say to you. You can’t control if the judging is fair or if your horse is having an off day. You can’t control that Betsy Bootstraps has five upper level horses to compete and you only have one.  And perhaps the most important: you cannot control whether or not you win.

When I first learned this concept, I felt relieved as it encouraged me to let go of thoughts that were causing me to feel anxious. But it turns out that refocusing our mind requires some effort. In meditation, a practice that more and more top athletes are using to control their minds, teachers talk about treating your mind like a new puppy or in our case, like a young horse. We all know the experience of riding the horse that one minute is focused and round and the next minute has stuck his head up and whipped around to get a better look at a monster jump standard beside the arena. With the young horse, we have to keep quietly and insistently channeling him forward and straight, essentially saying over and over, “go this way, go this way, focus here.” Your brain is that young horse and your job is not to be anxious or angry when it goes off in another direction, but instead to bring it back to the focus of what you have control over.

And just what do you have control over you may be asking? The most important thing you have control over is what you are going to do, how you are going to ride. You have control over setting a task or a goal for yourself for the weekend and following through on it. In the dressage, this might look something like, “I am going to ride forward from my legs to a connecting rein.” Close your eyes and feel what that is like. Now find a word that captures that feeling. Perhaps it is, “impulsion, impulsion” or “connection, connection.” It doesn’t matter what it is, only that when you say it, you have a clear body sensation of your goal. Use this word often in your training and in your visualizations. Then throughout the competition, whenever your mind “spooks” off in another direction, you take a breath, let it out, and repeat your word over and over, effectively wrangling your brain back to the present moment and on to what you are doing.

Monday Video from Tredstep Ireland: Morven Park Advanced

By on Oct 7, 2013 10:30 am -

Buzzterbrown was out on the scene this past weekend at Morven doing his usual awesome job videoing everything. Of course he managed to catch me at the two fences where my horse was doing his darndest to be a naughty son of a gun and run away with me, so that’s lovely. This would be the first time Buzzterbrown has attended Morven without being rained on the whole time! It was not only hard on the ground but the sun was boiling hot and very strange for this time of the year. Who knows, maybe it will be 2013 that brings the first hot and dry Fair Hill??!

10 Questions with Becky Holder

By on Oct 7, 2013 9:00 am -

Becky & Telperion

Becky was at Windridge Farm H.T. (Mooresboro, NC) this weekend competing Telperion, an up-and-coming OTTB with whom she finished third in Open Prelim. I caught up with her while she was out grazing Telperion on cross-country morning and she very graciously agreed to answer a few questions for her many fans here at Eventing Nation. 

If you could take a spin on any horse, past or present, who would it be?

I’d want my horse back: Courageous Comet. We had some pretty significant offers on him through the years and after much soul searching my husband finally asked me, “So, if you had all that money what what you do?”And I said I’d go out and buy my horse back. There was nothing like trotting out of the barn first thing in the morning with Comet and his happy feet. It was a long relationship. The horse before him, Highland Hogan, who was another off-the-track thoroughbred, he had a 10-year career as well.  I’ve been really lucky to partner up with one horse at a time and get married to them in a way and see how far they can go–and boy, they teach you a lot with all their quirks and strengths and weaknesses.

What is your favorite cross-country course in the world?

Just for the overall feeling of it and because I have such great memories I would have to say Rolex. I’ve been around Burghley and it is daunting and amazing and the crowds are huge, and Hong Kong had its own feel to it with the golf course and all that, but there’s nothing like galloping up those hills in Kentucky and into the crowd at the Head of the Lake. I’ll never forget the WEG where the crowd was screaming so loud for Comet that I couldn’t hear the beeping of my watch. It was an incredible, incredible feeling. I was halfway up over that island in the middle of the water and the roar of the crowd, like, levitated us up into the air. That was nuts. That was crazy.

Do you remember your very first event?

I was sort of a wild hellion of a child who got into trouble at the military stables where I was always riding. A general’s wife caught me jumping out of a paddock, down a hill into an arena and over a wheelbarrow or something ridiculous when I was 12. She threatened to suspend me from the military stables and called my parents and the whole nine yards. I dodged her for about a week and about a week later she showed up and gave me the paperwork for the then-USCTA, the United States Combined Training Association. And she said, “I think you ought to look at this paperwork because this is a sport that encourages that type of behavior.” She talked me into Pony Club and signed me up for their combined training rally. Well, then I had to enter this whole new world of dressage. I was just a wild foxhunting child and I absolutely hated it. I threw up right before I went in the ring. I had this little appaloosa who would go down the centerline and stick his head straight up in the air and gap his mouth, and that’s pretty much how our dressage test started. The cross-country was at the old Bridlespur Pony Club in St. Louis. This was before speed penalties, and I had the pride of being the fastest horse around. Then there was the whole new world of the Omnibus. From there forward, once I had an Omnibus, my world was planned–much to my parents’ chagrin.

Do you get nervous in the startbox?

I don’t so much in the startbox. My husband, who was a military pilot–flew U-2s, flew into hurricanes, flew C-I30s–he’s really funny and has a great way of wrapping things into one little sentence. He always gives us this pep talk before cross-country. He says, “You know that fence I’m worried about?” And I’m like, “Which fence is that?” And he says, “The next one.” You try to stay in the moment. The worst bit is waiting to get on, especially if you have a late in the division ride time. But then you have a job. First job: walk down to the startbox. Second job… and so on and so forth. So once you get to that that three-minute part of it and the countdown you sort of have to kind of go into a zone and believe in your plan. I’m not an innately brave person but I really believe in my training and my schooling and in being able to tackle things one jump at a time. So that’s what I think about in the box more than anything.

When you’re not riding, what are you doing?

Putzing around my farm, playing with my dog, playing with my husband who’s got a tractor on the farm and cuts all sorts of trails in this ridiculous swamp we have in the bottomlands in Georgia. We like to go into the city and see plays although we haven’t done much of that lately. Recently I’ve been dubbed a “farm potato” by my girls because if I can talk them into doing my grocery shopping for me and taking my dry cleaning then I can go weeks without leaving the farm unless it’s a horse show.

Do you have any pets?

I have an amazing dog. Scrappy Doo is a little furry Benji-type dog who is sort of the ambassador of the barn–you can’t meet him without smiling. He’s at home this weekend guarding the farm with my husband, riding on the ATV and business as usual. We got him at Fair Hill 10 years ago as a little puppy. He is an unpurposed mutt cross and he has been the best dog ever.

In the summer do you ever wish you hadn’t moved to Georgia?

Actually not at all. It’s funny–I grew up in Kansas and to be kind of on that middle line, it’s similar to when I was in Middleburg for a while. That was the coldest winter I ever spent in my life because it’s set up for the nice weather and then everybody goes south. So you’re outside, there aren’t many indoor arenas, and the ones there are aren’t attached to barns. I did Minnesota in minus-20 but the barns are heated to 32. You come in, you wear your sweater all day, the arena is insulated, nothing’s frozen. It’s a pretty sweet deal. The heat doesn’t bother me very much at all. We have a farm in North Carolina that we’ll eventually retire to, about halfway between Charlotte and Southern Pines, and it’s an awesome, awesome piece of ground–and little nicer weather.

What piece of equipment could you not live without?

I can’t live without my curry comb, my curry mitt. Massage, grooming… I’m fanatical about the curry mitt with the legs and the face and you can get away with just about anything else that way. And then probably my neck strap. Young horses and when we start the season and people send horses in training, for the first two or three weeks that thing comes in pretty handy.

If you weren’t a rider, what would you do?

I’d still be around horses. I’d probably be a crazy combined driving person or something. That’s probably what I’ll do when I’m old–pick some warmblood cross and do combined driving. I can’t image a lifestyle without horses and I wouldn’t want to do it. I will be involved with them in some capacity until the day I die.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten?

I think it might be what my husband told me that the most important fence on course is the next one. That is, when you’re landing from the previous one–not thinking about the next one on the way to the first one! And early on from Karen O’Connor and David both, that the horses are the journey and you’ve got to enjoy every step along the way. With all the ups and down in this sport if you’re in it for a business plan and success in a certain amount of years or you think you’re going to invest a certain amount of money and wait for a sponsor to come carry you, you’re not in it for the right reasons. You’ve got to be in it because you love horses and you love the process.

Many thanks to Becky for taking the time to talk to EN. Go Becky, and Go Eventing!

Monday News & Notes from Success Equestrian

By on Oct 7, 2013 12:01 am -

Husband Gamal goofs around while Hawley Bennett talks horses at the Woodside Competitor's Party, via Hawley's Facebook page

Photos like this make me kick myself for having missed the competitor’s party at Woodside on Saturday night. There is no time to rest or worry about what was missed though as this week is shaping up to be a busy one. Horses are settling in at Boekelo, and others are preparing to depart for Pau. Sadly, I don’t have enough time to learn Dutch before Boekelo kicks off but I can certainly use the next 15 days to brush up on my French for Pau! Allonz-y!

Weekend Results:

Morven Park Fall H.T.  [Final Scores]

Roebke’s Run H.T.  [Final Scores]

Woodside International H.T. [Final Scores]

ESDCTA New Jersey H.T. [Final Scores]

WindRidge Farm Fall H.T. [Final Scores]

Events Opening This Week:

MeadowCreek Park H.T – The Fall Social Event (Texas, A-5)

Monday News:

Amy Barrington Update–Friend and longtime student Leslie Patton shared some great news about Amy’s progress over the weekend. Amy was able to stand for a period of six minutes–a big improvement from two periods of two minutes a few days prior. Some of Amy’s tubes and monitoring equipment have been removed and she’s showing moments of clarity. When her husband Greg and friend Ruth were explaining about the accident, Amy asked which horse had been involved and if it was okay. When they indicated that it was Tony, Amy related some information about him that was all correct. [Amy Barrington Recovery on Facebook]

Area VI Amy Barrington Benefit Clinic–Area VI trainers have put together a fundraiser to help with Amy’s medical costs. The clinic takes place October 11-13 at Galway Downs. The clinic costs includes both days of training, use of the facility and stabling on Saturday night. While cross-country access will be reserved for riders and their horses at Preliminary and below, CCI horses entered in the Galway Downs Event and Clinic will have a special show jumping course on grass. In addition to two days of riding, there will be a silent auction and a dinner with all proceeds going to benefit Amy in her recovery. [Amy Barrington Fundraiser Eventing Clinic] [Sign Up Form]

Chesna Klimek and Solar win at the 100-Day Trainer Challenge–The Prodigious Fund sponsored event came to its conclusion at Donida Farms in Auburn, Wash., over the weekend. It was one of the featured events at the Thoroughbred and Half-Thoroughbred Horse Show. Jack Hodge’s Oak Crest Farm bred and raced Solar and as the Vice President and Treasurer of The Prodigious Fund had the honor of presenting Chesna with the first place check. I’m not sure who should be more proud, Chesna or Jack! [100 Day Trainer Challenge Results]

Cuteness Alert: Harry Edwards-Brady–He isn’t old enough to start school just yet, but that’s not stopping this three-year old from taking on the Horse Of The Year Show. If you take a peek at the pictures, you’ll notice he’s already got the eventer fist-pump down. Will we see Harry on the Olympic podium in 2028? [Seriously Cute Pictures Await At This Link]

In Case You Missed It–10 Unusual Uses for Ponies, from Horse Nation–Seriously, is there anything funnier or cuter than a pony? In celebration of all they put up with, Carla shares 10 Unusual Uses for Ponies. [HorseNation.com]

Will the WEGs return to the United States in 2018?–It’s entirely possible as there are two U.S. locations being considered: 2010 host city Lexington, Ky., and Wellington, Fla. Picking a host city is a rather complicated process it seems with more twists and turns than Days Of Our Lives. [The Long And Pot-Holed Road To WEG 2018]

Video:

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

Laura Collett to Make Her Camel Racing Debut

By on Oct 6, 2013 4:00 pm -

Laura Collett is a popular British eventer who has dabbled in several different areas of equine sport, most recently taking the ride on Kauto Star, a former steeplechase star, to retrain him as a dressage horse. She hasn’t stopped there, though, and according to Horse & Hound will soon be participating in a camel race in November.

The race, benefiting Paul’s Place, which aids disabled adults, will be held on November 21 over a distance of one furlong at Chepstow. Several other athletes and celebrities will be on hand for the race as well, so it promises to be a good time.

From H&H:

There will be heats of races where Laura will line up against other  “jockeys” including At the Races presenter Matt Chapman and actor Sean Gleeson, before the final. 

“I’ve only ridden a camel once before — on holiday in Egypt,” Laura told H&H. “So I’m not too sure about it. But hopefully the camels will know what they’re doing…”

Check out the video below for a sample of what camel racing looks like. 

How about you, Eventing Nation? Would you give camel racing a try? I rode a camel once at a local theme park. I’m not sure I feel about it, truthfully.

EN’s Got Talent: Tex Catches George’s Eye

By on Oct 6, 2013 12:00 pm -

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].

George Morris and Mellow Johnny. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Last week we met Dom Schramm and Mellow Johnny, an eye-catching 7-year-old buckskin Thoroughbred/Paint gelding who had his 15 minutes of fame on EN earlier this summer when George Morris hopped on him at a USEF High Performance Jumping Clinic at Boyd Martin’s Windurra Farm. “It’s always a bit of a treat to see a rider like George on your horse,” Dom said. “He jumped him around, which actually looked a bit sticky at first. Once George got the hang of him, he jumped really well. George said he’s a very cute horse and a quality horse. He explained that Tex has two moments in his jump because he’s so careful. Until you get the hang of riding both moments, it’s hard to get your timing perfect.”

“Tex” jumped beautifully when I saw him at the George Morris clinic, but Dom said the show jumping didn’t always come so easily to the horse. “In the beginning, he felt like he had a good, energetic jump, and he felt great in the air, but he was careless about the rails,” Dom said. “I took a clinic in Aiken with Grant Wilson, who works with the Belgian eventing team, and he said the horse had all the right ingredients. He recommended I trot him into the base of a lot of verticals over and over again. He needed to learn to lift through his withers and get those front legs in front of him. It wasn’t trying to get him to have a rail but to learn to lift in front. We did a lot of those exercises, and it really helped him in the show jumping.”

George Morris and Mellow Johnny. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Even with those problems in the show jumping, Tex has only pulled two rails in his eventing career, and he’s been very competitive at the lower levels. Dom ran him slowly at the horse’s last event at training level at Bucks Country Horse Park last month in preparation to contest the American Eventing Championships. Unfortunately, truck problems prevented Dom from making the trip to Texas, but he’s still planning to move Tex up to preliminary at Pine Top during the winter season. “He’s comfortably training at that level at home,” Dom said. “He’s very comfortable in the dressage, so the challenge is getting his show jumping to where it needs to be. He needs to see more combinations.”

For those of you who’ve enjoyed reading about Tex these past couple weeks, I have some good news: Dom has decided to sell the horse. “He’s the first horse I’ve had the opportunity to produce since I moved from Australia, and it’s great to have a horse with such natural talent because you’re in no rush and can give them a successful start in the sport. He’s a bit of a triple threat because he’s good at all three phases, so we’re just exposing him to new things at this point.” Interested in Tex? For more information on this really cool horse, visit Schramm Equestrian’s website here. Go Tex, and Go Eventing.

Woodside International CIC3* Photo Gallery

By on Oct 6, 2013 10:30 am -

Debbie Rosen and The Alchemyst on cross country at Woodside. Photo from Liz Hall.

The CIC3* at the Woodside International Horse Trials in California concluded yesterday with Debbie Rosen and The Alchemyst triumphing over overnight leaders Lauren Billys and Ballingowan Ginger.

Many thanks to Liz Hall, who generously sent us her photos. Check out the gallery below for the full field of finishers from the three star today.

Woodside International Horse Trials Links:

[Website] [Entry Status/Times] [Live Scores]

Woodside International CIC 1*,2* & 3*

By on Oct 6, 2013 9:00 am -

Debbie Rosen & The Alchemyst, winners of the CIC3* (photo by Sherry Stewart)

While all the riders on the east coast were busy at Morven Park getting ready for Fair Hill International in two weeks, most of the west coast riders were at The Event At Woodside, which hosted Beginner Novice through Advanced, in addition to three FEI divisions. The CIC1*, CIC2* and CIC3* were all well attended, and very competitive. I imagine that many of the riders were using this event as a last tune up before Galway Downs International in about a month.

[Website] [Live Scores/Results]

While I have never been to Woodside myself, I hear nothing but wonderful things about the competition.  Woodside international is considered to be one of California’s top competitions, and with beautiful facilities and a challenging set of courses designed by Derek di Grazia, it seems to always be a great experience. Many thanks to Sherry Stewart for taking all these wonderful photos and sending them our way!

Lauren Billys & Ballingowan Ginger, 2nd in the CIC3* (photo by Sherry Stewart)

In the Adequan USEA Gold Cup & PRO Tour Series CIC3* this year, 15 riders started out the weekend in a strong competitive field. Gina Miles won the dressage with her lovely mare Chanel on a 46.4, with Lauren Billys & her mare Ballingowan Ginger close behind with a 47. Unfortunately Gina & Chanel had a rough round in the show jumping, taking 4 rails and dropping to 6th place, leaving Lauren & Ginger to hop into first with only one rail down. After cross country, however, Debbie Rosen and her own The Alchemyst stole the lead with a slightly quicker round on course. Props to Helen Bouscaren who moved all the way up from 10th place to 3rd after a double clear round in the show jumping and the fastest cross country time of the day!

Matthew Brown & BCF Belicoso, winners of the CIC2* (photo by Sherry Stewart)

Matthew Brown had an amazing weekend in the CIC2*, leading from start to finish on the lovely BCF Belicoso. The pair added only a little time from both stadium and cross country to finish a few points off their dressage score of 46.3. Mat also pulled a neat 1-2 in the division, finishing second on Aida with the only double clear round of the division in both jumping phases. John Michael Durr finished in 3rd place on Esprit de la Danse with only a rail to add to their dressage score of 50.2.

Kristi Nunnink & Corner Street, winners of the CIC1* (photo by Sherry Stewart)

In the CIC1*, the dressage was extremely competitive. Lauren Billys topped the board with Jitterbug with an impressive 37.5, followed by Kristi Nunnink on her super young horse Corner Street on a 40.8. Unfortunately, Lauren was eliminated in the show jumping, and Kristi was able to stay in first place with a double clear in both jumping phases. Mat Brown was there again to take second with Happenstance, moving up from 4th after dressage with only a rail to add. Kate Lathrop riding her own Worth The Wait moved up all the way from 15th after dressage to 3rd on the strength of two double clear rounds in both jumping efforts.

 

Sunday Links from ERS-Eventing.com

By on Oct 6, 2013 12:04 am -

Debbie Rosen and The Alchemyst win the CIC3* at Woodside. Photo by Liz Hall

Woodside’s CIC 1, 2 and 3*’s completed yesterday.  Debbie Rosen and The Alchemyst took top honors in the 3*, Matthew Brown and BCF Belicoso in the 2* and Kristi Nunnink and Corner Street in the 1*.  In addition, the competitors party looks like it was an absolute blast judging by what I’ve already seen on Facebook.  I’m starting to think I should have hung around a little bit longer! Ain’t no party like a West Coast Eventer’s Party!  Woodside continues today with the Beginner Novice thru Advanced divisions moving in to their final phases.

Events This Weekend:

Morven Park Fall H.T. [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Roebke’s Run H.T [Website] [Entry Status] [Live Scores]

Woodside International H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Times] [Live Scores]

ESDCTA New Jersey H.T. [Website] [Live Scores]

WindRidge Farm Fall H.T. [Website] [Live Scores]

Kent School Fall H.T. [Website] [Ride Times]

Sunday Links

Horse Dies In Mysterious Attack In Clackmas County, Ore

Lost Parrot Found Riding Pony

Fight Brewing Over Horse’s True Owner

Horse Racing Fans In China Betting On A Longshot

Horse Farm Owner Sues Neighbor Over Motocross Track

Natasha Miller Wins BET80 British Riding Club Eventing Championships

Sunday Video

This dog is amazing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5I_QzPLEjM4

Colleen Rutledge Recovering After Fall [Update: X-rays Show Hip Fracture]

By on Oct 5, 2013 7:00 pm -

Colleen and Shiraz at Plantation Field last year. Photo by Samantha Clark.

Colleen Rutledge had several horses competing at Morven Park this weekend and appears to have suffered a fall today. A quick look over the live scores suggests that it was from Siren’s Call in the Preliminary Championships. While the fall does not appear to be serious, we hope she is recovering well and will be back in the saddle in no time.

From Colleen Rutledge Eventing’s Facebook page:

Before word gets out anywhere else on the internet. Colleen had a fall today at Morven Park and got taken out in an ambulance she is not in pain and they think she has a dislocated hip. I’ll update after X-rays are done. Just didn’t want the wrong information put out there anywhere. She was smiling and ok.

Best wishes to Colleen for a speedy recovery!

Update: Unfortunately, the X-rays showed that Colleen’s hip is fractured, and she’s now facing surgery in the next couple of days. It’s a huge blow to Colleen, as she was preparing to compete her superstar homebred Covert Rights in his first CCI3* at Fair Hill in two weeks. The EN family sends our best wishes to Colleen for a full and speedy recovery.

From her Facebook page:

Ok update after the X-Ray was done and I really wish I had better news to give. So when the hip came out of socket there was so much pressure from the horse rolling over on her it fractured some of her socket off. She is getting transferred to Inova Fairfax where she will have surgery in the next day or two. She will not be able to put pressure on her leg for the next three weeks and she will be out of the saddle for about a month and a half maybe more. Her season is over for the year so no Fairhill or Virginia 1* for her. I’ll keep everyone updated as much as I can.