Classic Eventing Nation

From the Bloodhorse: The Joy of Kittens

By on Oct 15, 2013 5:00 pm -

 

Steve Haskin is a phenomenal columnist for the Bloodhorse, and he turned out yet another great article this week, this time about Kitten’s Joy.  Anyone who follows racing has probably noticed a “Kitten”-named horse running in some stakes race…Big Blue Kitten, Stephanie’s Kitten, Kitten’s Dumplings, Admiral Kitten, Kitten Kaboodle…and that horse was sired by Ken and Sarah Ramsey’s Kitten’s Joy.  Kitten’s Joy was a great turf horse, by El Prado, making him a grandson of European supersire Sadler’s Wells.  Despite Kitten’s Joy’s own success on the track ($2M in earnings), stud farms were not all that excited about his stallion prospects; so Ken and Sarah Ramsey set out to prove the horse themselves, standing him at their farm and purchasing a band of mares specifically nicked for him.  And it worked.

 

While the Kittens aren’t spectacular high-dollar sales yearlings, they can definitely run.  Thanks to the Ramseys’ hard work, Kitten’s Joy is the No. 1 sire in earnings in America, the No. 1 turf sire, the No. 1 sire of grade I winners, the No. 1 sire of stakes winners, and the No. 1 sire of stakes horses.  Steve Haskin delves into the details behind this success in his article.  Ken Ramsey is very involved in his horses’ managment: from trainer selection, to the jockey’s ride, to how horses are raised on his farm…drinking only natural spring water.

From The Bloodhorse.com:

Of the 42 stakes winners Kitten’s Joy has had, Ramsey as bred and raised 39 of them on his farm.

“I have no city water for my horses here on this farm,” he said. “I experimented a few years back. I got two big tubs of city water, so the horses could smell the chlorine and all the other chemicals. I put it over beside Jessamine Creek, which runs through my farm, and I have a trough over there that has spring water – 57 degrees coming out of the side of the bank. I took 10 horses over there in a van and didn’t give them any water that morning.

“We loaded them up and took them over about 1 o’clock and turned them out in the field. These were all thirsty horses who hadn’t drank anything in four or five hours. They came to the city water first. They all sniffed it; one of them went over and started drinking out of the creek, and every one of the others went over and started drinking the 57-degree cold water coming out of the spring. So now I have spring water in nine of my fields, flowing by gravity from one field to the next. I have a 2,000-gallon holding tank that runs out of the spring and gives it enough pressure that it spouts out of each of the three troughs.”

 

The king of the Kittens, Kitten’s Joy himself enjoys a lavish life.  He’s got his own $300,000 aqua-tred to exercise five days per week.  But the rest of the Ramsey horses?  They live out 24/7, 365 days a year.

“None of my horses are put up at night,” Ramsey said. “All of them run out in the cold, rain, and snow. The only time I put them up was when we had an ice storm several years ago. All these mares and babies and yearlings run out 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. You do not want to buy a horse at a sale that was sold as a weanling, then sold as a yearling, and now they’re trying to pinhook as a 2-year-old, because he’s spent so much time in a stall in the summertime when he should have been out there stretching his legs running and eating green grass and scuffling around with his 25 or 30 buddies in the field. Instead he’s standing in a stall not getting any exercise because the consignor does not want the sun to bleach his coat out. If he takes that horse to the sale with a bleached coat, the buyers don’t want that. They want that shiny thing, just like when you go to a jewelry store and they have those special spotlights shining on the diamonds, so it knocks your eye out every time it hits one of those points.”

 

It’s great to see horses being horses…and ultimately winners in the end.  Eight horses by Kitten’s Joy are slated to run in the Breeders’ Cup, and there’s a good chance you’ll see a Kitten in the winner’s circle.  Read the full article at thebloodhorse.com.  

 

Sherri Harvey: My Weekend at Woodside

By on Oct 15, 2013 3:30 pm -
Sherri Harvey rides Rebel Yell aka Harley, a 13 year old draft/tb/qh cross and lives in Los Gatos, CA.  She also teaches writing at San Jose State University and Foothill College.  Sherri attended Woodside International HT as a volunteer and competitor, and wrote up a fantastic story about her weekend.  Thanks to Sherri for writing, and thank you for reading.

Mia Edsall, photo by Maria Morgan and Captured Moments Photo.

From Sherri:
Last weekend, I had the pleasure of not only volunteering in the Woodside International Horse Trials cross country phase with the indefatigable Woodside Eventing Cross Country Volunteer Coordinators Katrina Deane, Cassie Harkins and Julie White but also riding in the competition as well.  Now, mind you, I am a baby at this game.  This is my second recognized event and my first time riding at novice level, but let me also remind you: there is nothing infantile at all about jumping around fences at any level. We all have to start somewhere.  Any rider is this competition should be proud to be out there giving it a go, because it is no small feat at all. As most beginner riders, I am struggling to find my position and stay in the back seat and wait for the fences, among a few other issues.  But after a marginal showjumping round (made it around clean with time but knocked three rails because of sloppy inconsistent hands, and inability to stay with my horse over the fence) I had a goal for xc: stay in the back seat, wait for my horse and ride the canter.  Yes easier said than done…
To add to the chaos and nervousness of riding, I also agreed to help out with the cross country phase and volunteer 1) because the coupons for volunteering help me pay for competition and 2) Katrina had a few people cancel and called me at the last minute to help out: I couldn’t say no.
So, on the day of xc before my 11:04 ride, I am out on the xc course driving the golf cart around to shuttle the extraordinary volunteers out to fences and picking up score sheets for an hour before I ride.  I was asked to train my replacement: a woman named Mia.  We were introduced (and I promptly forgot her last name) as I am driving her around telling her what to do to pick up the score sheets for Greg at StartBox Scoring, we start talking and she mentions casually that she rode Intermediate and oh by the way, won this weekend.  Oh, and she is 61 years old.  I am simply in awe of this woman and let her know that I think she is amazing after hearing this. In case you forgot, let me remind you of what an intermediate level rider has to do: they have to go over 26-34 obstacles around 3’9” or 4’5” with brush at a break-neck speed of 550 m/pm (that is a gallop, by the way, not a lollygag).
As I drive around to the volunteer jump judges, shoulder to shoulder with Mia, I introduce her as The Intermediate Champion and include her age in this introduction for a few reasons.
As a 43-year-old woman, one of the things that I find remarkable about this sport are the people who are a bit older who find the courage and strength to be superstars in the sport and continue to learn and grow with their horses.  My dear friend Jeanne Carly, who trains with my trainer, Matt Brown, won Training division at age 63 this weekend.  Another dear friend, Cynthia Wright (who rides with JM as well) is one of the most courageous women I know and rode training level this weekend.  She is 55.  A lot of the top riders fall into this age group, and I find this detail incredibly inspirational.  It gives me hope that I can ride for years to come continue to progress and learn this late in my own game.
Mia and I start talking shop and I ask her some questions about riding and courage and found out a few interesting things. She has never been overly courageous despite her jumping skills.  She did competitive skiing for a while, but did not say “OH YEA—I AM ALL COURAGE” as I would expect from a person jumping small houses and the garages as well at the intermediate level.  Mia told me her horse, Banner, had a few refusals because Mia was accustomed to the old-school style of folding over fences and needed to learn to sit tall.  Mia recommended yoga and core strength to develop this part of the body.  To fix this, she started riding with John Michael Durr who is helping her commit to the fences more strongly.  JM is also forcing her to make Banner move, despite his tendency to be a bit slow and get behind her leg.  So as Mia tells me all this, I realize that I, too, (and I imagine other newby riders) have similar struggles and am fascinated listening to her talk about these universal issues.  I tell her that I often become jelly on the back of my mount and forget to “ride” as a result.  She laughs a bit and continues.
Mia watches the Preliminary riders going on course and tells me what she sees in their position and asks me to look.  “See how solid that one is?  She half-halts there slightly before the fence.  Now watch as this one approaches: 4 strides forward and 4 strides collected:  do you see it there?”  As I try to catch these little subtleties, I feel so blessed to be right here, in this moment, listening to this amazing woman beside me.  All of this info is so helpful for me in this sport as these opportunities to talk shop this was are so rare.
So of course, since I am getting ready to ride in a few minutes, I decide to pick Mia’s brain for help and she gladly goes on talking.  This type of banter goes on for another 15 minutes or so before I have to go off and get my horse tacked up to ride.  Reluctantly but excitedly, I say my goodbyes to Mia and cheekishly tell her to look for me riding by in a bit.
After my ride, I went to look up Mia’s last name, as I remembered her horse’s name: Banner.  I find her on the roster: last name, Edsall.  (remember it, people) I go home to find Mia on Facebook so I can thank her for sitting in my golf cart that morning.  What a serendipitous gift that interaction was.  As I Facebook stalk Mia, I find out even more about her.  She is a legend, slowly making a name for herself in the eventing world, and I got a chance to rub shoulders with her and pick her brain.  How lucky can a girl be?  The humility in Mia, and in most event riders I have met, never ceases to inspire me;  the little gems of info you collect at a show help with the entire journey and I realize from my stalking, not from her telling me, that Mia does indeed train others as well as shows and knows a thing or two about this sport after all.  She is Mia Edsall, Intermediate Winner at The Event at Woodside. For some random reason, she ended up in the golf cart with me for that brief moment in time to give me some ideas to chew on for weeks to come.  Her three nuggets she imparted on me left me thinking.
  1. Before each fence, open your shoulders and tighten your core like someone is going to punch you.
  2. Put some money in your horse’s confidence bank by sitting back.
  3. You pay your horse a handsome salary: he sits around for 2o-22 hours a day in good footing with daily love and care, a roof over his head, 2 or 3 meals a day, so it’s ok to call him to task when he is on-duty.  You have Mia’s, and JM’s by proxy, permission.
Not bad pay for a day’s work, eh? Thanks, Mia, and GO EVENTING!
P.S. As I write this today, Oct 14, Mia’s horse Banner is sick and had to pull out of Galway that is happening in a few weeks.  Please send positive thoughts and love to Banner and to Mia for a speedy recovery.

Pat Schmidt: Roebke’s Run Horse Trials

By on Oct 15, 2013 2:07 pm -

Pat Schmidt kindly sent us this write-up from Roebke’s Run Fall Horse Trials in Hector, Minnesota. Roebke’s Run hosted a CIC*, in addition to national horse trials from starter through Preliminary.  [Results]  Many thanks to Pat for writing, and thank you for reading.

 

Lisa Borgia and Frodo of the Shire, winners of the CIC*. Photo by D&G Photography.

 

From: Pat

 

While parts of South Dakota were getting 50 inches of snow dumped on them, the weather at the annual Roebke’s Run October 4-6 horse trials in Hector, Minnesota was fine for the many riders and horses who competed here.

The CIC* cross-country course was in stellar shape and decorated with various Halloween theme jumps, and as usual, the food was awesome and the judges and volunteers who helped put this event on were outstanding.

Lisa Borgia of Minnetrista, Minnesota captured top honors earning her another win on her Thoroughbred horse Frodo of the Shire, affectionately known as Fred. Borgia has been riding since the age of 5 and now has 50 years of experience behind her. She also won the one-star earlier this year at Fox River Valley.

“I really appreciated being able to compete at Roebke’s Run. It’s always such a fantastic course. I’m  so happy they have it in Minnesota,” said Borgia.

Following close behind Lisa Borgia were second place winner, Elena Hengel, also of Minnetrista, on her horse Zipp, and Ann Bower of Hugo, MN on her horse Prospero capturing third place.

Halloween Horse Costume Contest winners were: 1st Place, Ruth Rose; 2nd Place, Laura Holen and 3rd Place Kate McGown.

Borgia said she will be competing at Midsouth Team Challenge CCI* in Lexington, Kentucky next week.

“I’m also looking forward to riding at the Two Star trials at Roebke’s Run next year. We are so lucky to have this here,” added Borgia.

Fred, now 10 years old, is pretty lucky to have Borgia, who has a PHD in Veterinary Medicine as well. He is a retired race horse who was rescue-adopted by Borgia from the Minnesota Animal Rescue Foundation.

Extensive work and challenging new jumps were added over the summer to make the Roebke’s Run cross-country course one of the best in the state. The new clock tower building is now able to stable a total of 228 horses.

Roebke’s Run coordinators, Julie Schweiss and Brook Mead are already making plans for the Roebke’s Run Summer horse trials slated for July 2014.

For more information on Magister Equitum Stables or Roebke’s Run Horse Trials, visit Facebook and their website at www.magisterequitum.com or www.SchweissStables.com.

 

 

(Please give photo credit to D&G Photography)

 

 

Nancy “Judge Judy” Russell managed to keep Bob Owen in line. Hee, Hee!

 

 

 

The Halloween Contest. Photo by D&G Photography

Winners of the Halloween Horse Costume Contest were, from right to left: 1st Place, Ruth Rose as the Headless Horseman, 2nd Place, Laura Holen as Miss America and 3rd Place, Kate McGown as The Farmer With The Cow.

Tuesday Videos from SpectraVet: Lillie Keenan Wins the 2013 Pessoa/US Hunter Seat Medal Finals

By on Oct 15, 2013 12:30 pm -

Lillie Keenan, who has already made a big name for herself in all three rings, took home yet another prestigious title over the weekend at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show. Well over 200 junior equitation finalists descended upon Harrisburg, PA this weekend to vie for the top honors in the Medal Finals. Lillie is a student of prestigious New York trainer Andre Dignelli and has an easy and natural rhythm to her riding that has brought her much success in her young career.

Riders, who qualified for the finals by based on their placings in regional competitions throughout the year, competed in a preliminary round first, with only a handful of riders making the callback to the featured final round. The top 6 riders then had to ride a no-stirrup “work out” that would make even us tough eventers quake in our boots for the final results.

Check out Lillie’s winning work out below and previous rounds. I don’t know about you, but I had to double check that she was in fact without stirrups!

Final Work Out:

Final Round:

Preliminary Round:

 

——–

 

Why SpectraVET?
Reliable. Effective. Affordable.
SpectraVET is committed to providing only the highest-quality products and services to our customers, and to educating the world in the science and art of laser therapy.
We design and manufacture the broadest range of clinically-proven veterinary therapeutic laser products, which are represented and supported worldwide by our network of specialist distributors and authorized service centers.

Pressure To Move Up

By on Oct 15, 2013 11:15 am -

Skybreaker this summer at Hitching Post Farm

Human begins are constantly dealing with pressure. We feel degrees of pressure in the office, at school, from our friends, families, enemies, and from that little annoying voice in our heads. How unnatural life would be without the reoccurring presence of pressure. As riders, we all feel a certain level of pressure, whether it’s internal or external. Some riders may agree, some might disagree, but there seems to be a certain amount pressure associated with moving up the levels in eventing.

Just yesterday I went to my last event of the year at Pirouette Farm in the lovely Norwich VT. This was a tiny little schooling show with less than 30 entries total. I took my dressage trainer’s horse to his very first three phase. As I was warming up for xc, a lady I know approached me and asked the following: I saw you and Skybreaker competing this summer. Why were you only going novice? I sort of responded, though not very in depth because I thought to myself, why do people care so much about moving up the levels? If I had been going training with Skybreaker, she would have asked why I wasn’t going Prelim. This happens repeatedly throughout the summers. I will have one of my horses at an event, and I swear to god, it doesn’t matter what level I am going, people are very concerned and curious why I am at the level I am at. Maybe it’s not just me, perhaps this happens to a lot of competitors.

I use to take this pressure to heart. I use to think the only thing on earth that mattered was going Prelim. Many riders I know are strangely obsessed with this level. Almost as if you are nobody, and your horse doesn’t exist unless you are competing at Prelim or above. Listen closely, because I am not suggesting that every single event rider feels this way. I am suggesting that there appears to be this lingering pressure to move up the levels and I am desperate to understand why?

Valonia schooling earlier this summer

As I said, I used to feel this pressure to move up. I used to feel pathetic and insignificant if I was going even training level. That pressure almost doesn’t exist anymore, and if it does it’s only because I put that pressure on myself. I would rather be one hell of an amazing training level rider than to be a nervous and totally freaked out upper level rider. I would rather be someone going Novice that people stop and watch because they think I actually look like I know what I am doing, than someone blindly galloping at a 3’9” corner only to prove they can compete at the upper levels. To me, the levels are just titles. The levels are almost irrelevant because I think people can absolutely be amazing riders without ever going Prelim. You could be one of the best event riders in the world, but not a single person would know that if you are not taking nine horses advanced at every event you go to.

For any rider going training level or below, you are not insignificant and should never feel insignificant. People can ask you once a day, every day for the rest of your life why you and your horse have not moved up yet. People can point fingers and talk behind your back, but at the end of the day it’s all about what YOU feel comfortable doing with YOUR horse. There are only two variables here and that’s you and your horse. Who cares if Will Coleman could take my mare intermediate? I sure don’t care. I have to feel confident in what I am doing with my horse at all times. Once fear enters the conversation, we are all doomed. The second we move up because we think that’s what we are supposed to do, we are also doomed.  Always stay at the level you feel the most comfortable with and never let external, or internal pressure sway your decisions.

 

Fair Hill International CCI2* Preview: Part II

By on Oct 15, 2013 9:45 am -

In honor of the 25th anniversary of Fair Hill International this year, I’m bringing you not one, not two, but THREE preview posts of all the horse and rider combinations slated to compete this coming weekend. Fair Hill is widely considered to be the toughest CCI2* and CCI3* competition in the United States, and the entries this year are enormous. Today I’ve got the second half of the CCI2* division, as there are 79 total entrants, talk about a competitive division! Without further ado:

[Fair Hill Website] [Entries by Division] [Fair Hill CCI2* Preview: Part I]

Babette Lenna & Little Oliver:  Babette and Oliver moved up to Advanced this summer at Millbrook, and were thrilled to finish their first few horse trials at that level. Oliver is a great jumper, and they have a wonderful relationship. (Oliver even has his own fan club?!) This pair was 8th this spring at the Jersey Fresh CCI2* and their new experience at Advanced will serve them well this weekend.

Wendy Lewis & Sunday’s Edition: Wendy has had a bit of a mixed bag of results coming into this weekend. They moved up to Intermediate last year and had several good results, and this spring they were 3rd at MCTA. They also completed the CIC2* at Jersey Fresh in 22nd place, but have had on and off trouble cross country since then. Hopefully their confidence has been restored after a rough tumble at Plantation Field, and I trust Wendy’s experience to pilot this horse around it’s first CCI2*.

Colleen Loach & Freespirit: While Peter Barry is over in Chantilly preparing for Pau, his groom Colleen enters this weekend with two super competitive horses. Her first mount is a smaller chestnut gelding, but he’s super catty and careful over the fences, and able to make great shortcuts on cross country that save incredible time. I think she’ll be in the top with both of her steeds.

Colleen Loach & Qorry Blue D’Argouges: Colleen’s second horse will probably be more competitive on the flat, and though he might look too large to make the time, she’s been running double clean all season, and I wouldn’t bet against her. I think this horse will easily be in the top ten.

Victoria Long & All That Jazz: This pair moved up to Intermediate last spring, but have been campaigning between that and Preliminary for the past two years. This spring they were 13th at both the Intermediate at Plantation and Fair Hill, and they finished 44th in the CIC2* this fall at Plantation Field. Their dressage has a long way to go before it becomes competitive, but they are accustomed to running double clean cross country and I expect they will be able to do the same here.

Alexandra MacLeod & Railroad Man Jim: This pair has been competing at Intermediate for two years now, and completed this event last fall, finishing in 44th place, as well as completing the CCI2* at Bromont this spring in 11th place. Alex has had a few tumbles this year however, and so she’ll need to pull it all together this weekend to improve upon her performance from last year.

Babette Lenna & Little Oliver (photo courtesy of Hoof Pix® Sport Horse Photography, LLC)

Ashley MacVaugh & Fernhill Can Do: Ashley’s had a good year with this horse, finishing 6th at the Jersey Fresh CCI2* this spring, along with several other good placings at the horse trials level.  They were also 11th at the very competitive CIC2* at Richland this summer. Their dressage is right on the brink of being competitive and I’m hoping they can pull out the stops here this weekend.

Mary Macklin & Mahogany Beauteo: I met Mary and this horse at Millbrook this summer, and they are perfectly matched. They’ve already competed here, as last year they placed 46th, so they’ll have the advantage of knowing the lay of the land already. The mare is a little chestnut thoroughbred firecracker, and while her dressage will not be in the top echelons, these two will fly through the cross country like it’s a breeze.

Boyd Martin & New Cadet: After scurrying back across the ocean following Boekelo, poor Boyd has no time to relax before driving right to Maryland to compete three horses this weekend. His first ride is Caddy, a lovely thoroughbred that moved up to Intermediate this year and will be contesting his first CCI2*. They were 11th at Millbrook and 13th in the competitive CIC2* at Richland.

Boyd Martin & Steady Eddie: Eddie is a super jumping OTTB that Boyd found in Australia while visiting one year, and tried the horse wearing shorts, flip flops and jumped him over logs. He’s the epitome of a tough TB, and has great jumping lines in his breeding too. They’ve had some really good results this year, placing 7th at the Richland CIC2* and 4th at the recent Plantation CIC2*. I think this horse will be in the top ten at the end of the weekend.

Boyd Martin & Pancho Villa: This horse is a new ride for Boyd, as he got him this spring and then promptly injured his ankle and hasn’t really been able to get the partnership going until this summer. However, once they started, they never looked back. They were 2nd at Richland in the Intermediate, won the Plantation CIC2* and went out and won the Intermediate at Morven right after that. He’s a straight Selle Francais, so he might be a little slower than Boyd’s other rides on cross country, but his dressage will make up for that. Not because I’m biased due to the Selle Francais factor, but this horse is my pick to win this division this weekend.

Chelsea Martin & Bleak House: This pair has been campaigning at the Intermediate level for four years now, so they certainly have the experience to tackle their first CCI2* together. They were recently 7th at the Poplar CIC2* and won the Advanced/Intermediate at KY Classique over the summer. They are ready to meet the challenge this weekend.

Boyd & New Cadet (photo by Samantha Clark)

Kurt Martin & Anna Bella: Another pair from EN’s Got Talent, this Holsteiner mare is a true freak of nature jumper, and although she’s relatively new to the Intermediate level, I don’t have any doubt that she’ll be in the top placings here. This pair was 2nd in both the CIC2* at Virginia and the CIC2* at Plantation leading up to this. Her dressage is consistently good, and I’m shocked if I hear that she’s had a jump penalty. This will be her first CCI2*, and she’s still quite young, but I expect her to meet the challenge easily.

Kurt Martin & DeLux Z: Kurt’s second ride is also new to the Intermediate level, having only moved up this spring, but has also had consistently good results. This pair was 7th in the Intermediate at Fair Hill and 9th at the Plantation CIC2*. This Irish gelding is also a very good jumper, and I think will place well, but might have to play second banana to his stablemate.

Tik Maynard & Sapphire: Tik and this horse have a great partnership, and already have been around this course, finishing in 20th place last year. They have the ability to jump clean in both phases, and they’ll be looking to up their game a little on the flat to just reach that new level that puts you in a more competitive spot.

Sean McIntosh & Wild T’Mater: This horse is a super jumper and quite experienced, previously campaigned by Diana Burnett before moving on to show this young rider the ropes. They were recently 7th at Richland in the Intermediate division. While I think their dressage score will keep them out of a competitive spot, the experience of their first CC2* together will be completely worth it.

Robert Meyerhoff & Utah B: This horse was previously campaigned by Bobby’s wife Danica at the 3* level, but has now become his mount. It is a very talented, experienced horse and most recently was 3rd in the competitive Richland CIC2*. I expect these two to be in the top ten at the end of the weekend.

Nilson Moreira da Silva & Muggle: This is a new ride for Nilson, having previously been campaigned by Kate Hicks at the Preliminary level. They’ve only had three runs at this level, most recently 19th at the Richland CIC2*. This will be this horse’s first CCI2*, and Nilson has years of experience to help it around with an educational feel.

Kurt Martin & Anna Bella (photo by Hoof Pix® Sport Horse Photography, LLC )

Holly Payne & Never OutFoxed: I really love this horse, he just screams athlete to me. Their dressage together has been scoring better and better, and the horse is a full thoroughbred that can whiz around the cross country like it’s nothing. This will be his first effort at the CCI2* level, and I expect Holly’s experience to bring him home easily over the finish line, and move up quite a bit on a strong jumping performance.

Alexa Kim Perkiel & Mandiba: I can’t really say anything that you don’t already know about Mandiba, as the horse has already been around the world and back at the 4* level several times. He’s a super consistent, competitive athlete and Alexa is incredibly happy to have the ride on him. They’ve only had 6 competitions together, but have been really successful this year most recently 5th at the Plantation CIC2*. I expect this pair to be in the top 10 at the end of the weekend.

Charles Plumb & Ard Denzil: This pair contested this event last year, but withdrew after a clear cross country effort. They were most recently 36th at the CIC2* at Plantation after a solid dressage effort and a slow cross country round. Charlie’s expertise will be able to easily pilot this horse around this weekend, and they could be competitive if they turn up the heat.

Caitlin Romeo & Spirit Of The Outback: Caitlin and Jake have been quietly campaigning at the Advanced level this year, after a successful move up at Pine Top in the spring. They were unfortunately one of the pairs eaten by the Plantation water complex, but I trust that both are well and ready for this weekend. This horse is a super jumper, and nice on the flat, and I think they can score well. While this isn’t their first time at the rodeo, they have not contested at CCI2* since NAJYRC in 2008, so this will be a good challenge for them.

Emily Rusinyak & Reatta HW: Emily and her mare are new to the Intermediate level, having moved up this year. They’ve had some good results at the horse trials level, recently 4th at Chattahoochee Hills and 34th in the CIC2* at Richland Park. I fear that they won’t score well enough on the first day to be competitive, but the mare is a super jumper and fully capable of getting around their first CCI2*.

Dom Schramm & Cold Harbor: Bo is a really super horse who has all the makings of a top athlete. He’s quite experienced at this level, having competed here two years ago with Boyd Martin in the irons and finishing 15th. This year, Dom has taken over the ride and the pair has been steadily improving their skills, recently placing 3th at the VA CCI*, 9th at the Richland CIC2* and 22nd at the Plantation CIC2*. This pair could be quite competitive, and I peg them in the top 15, at the very least.

Caitlin Romeo and Spirit of the Outback, The Fork Advanced (photo by Jenni Autry)

Jessica Shull & LE Font: This pair moved up to Intermediate this year, and have already had pretty good results. They were 19th at the Chattahoochee CIC2* this spring, and competed in the Intermediate AECs, but ran into some trouble on cross country. Their dressage isn’t quite in the range that will get them a good ribbon, but they should be able to jump around clean and have a good go at their first CCI2*.

Jennifer Simmons & GV Tuscany: This pair campaigned at the Intermediate and Advanced level in 2009 and 2010, and have only recently come back onto the scene in 2013. They’ve had somewhat of a mixed bag of results coming back this year, but their most recent result was 11th at Millbrook in the Advanced. Both rider and horse fully have the capability to complete this weekend, it’s just a matter of putting all the pieces together.

Jennifer Simmons & Lestaire: Jenn’s second mount is also experienced at the Intermediate level, having competed there since 2012 and last year completing this very same event in 29th place. However, they have only completed one event since that time, and I think despite both of their talents that they are bound to be a bit rusty this weekend, which will keep them out of the ribbons.

Allie Knowles & Sound Prospect: This is a very new ride for Allie, as they just got together in July of this year, ringing in their new partnership with a win at Champagne Run in the Preliminary. They were also 2nd at KY Classique in the Intermediate as their prep run for this event. This horse was previously campaigned at the Advanced level by Tessa Beckett on the west coast, and clearly has the talent for the level. This weekend will just be a matter of the two of them working together as best they can for a good finish.

Lizzie Snow & Ringfort Tinkaturk: This pair have all the right ingredients, and I believe that they can be very competitive this weekend. They were 7th this summer at the NAJYRC CCI2* and recently 18th in the Plantation CIC2*. They are consistently good on the flat, and this horse is a super jumper. Lizzie is a classy rider and I know she can get the best out of him this weekend for a good result.

 Benita Strini & Little Swift: Ellis is everybody’s dream horse, in the way that he easily skips around these big Intermediate courses with a loop in his reins. Benita got the ride on him early this year, and they’ve had success at both the Preliminary and Intermediate level. Ellis has previous experience at this level with Lauren O’Brien, so it’s been nice to see this pair getting along so well. They have all the right skills, it’s just a matter of if Benita puts her foot on the pedal on Saturday!

Lizzie Snow & Ringfort Tinkaturk (photo courtesy of Crow's Toes Photography)

Lucia Strini & Petit Filou II: Fi might be the smallest horse to compete this weekend, but her attitude makes her at least 18 hands. This little Wesphalian firecracker of a mare can seriously jump, but containing herself in the dressage is a constant challenge for Lucia. These two will thrive when the jumping gets tough, because Fi’s got it all under control and she can jump the moon.

Laura Vandervliet & Running Wolfe: This pair was 30th here last year in this division, and have spent the 2013 year trying their hand at the Advanced level with some mixed results. This horse won’t be able to be competitive on the first day, but he’s a good running jumping thoroughbred and should be able to move up a bit with solid jumping efforts in the next two phases.

Robin Walker & Freedom’s Light: This horse has been running Intermediate since last year, and has completed both the 2012 Fair Hill CCI2* and the 2013 Bromont CCI2*, finishing 48th and 9th respectively. I don’t believe their dressage will be quite competitive enough, but it’s just enough on the edge that a good performance in the two jumping phases could vault them into a reasonable finish at the end of the weekend.

William Ward & Watermill Time: Watermill Time is an excellent jumper and has been putting in decent performances all year. Despite being new to the Intermediate level, he was recently 19th at the very competitive Plantation CIC2*, jumping one of the few clear rounds in show jumping. I think this event will be a wonderful education for this horse, with perhaps a surprising competitive finish.

Danny Warrington & Will Smith: This horse has been campaigning with Danny at the Intermediate level since 2011, but has been out of commission the majority of the 2013 year, returning late this summer. They were recently 3rd in a division of Intermediate at Morven, and have the potential to score very well on a given day in the dressage and jump clean, I think it’s just a matter of putting everything together for these two this weekend.

Sharon White & Under Suspection: Pippy came from Dirk Schrade in Germany this spring to join Sharon’s fleet of horses, and has had some good results this year. They’ve been in the top 6 of every competition this year together at the Intermediate level, including a 6th place at the Richland CIC2*. While I don’t know Pippy’s previous experience, I can tell you that under Sharon’s guidance this mare could easily be in the top 10 this weekend.

Ryan Wood & Fernhill Classic (photo by Samantha Clark)

Abigail Wilson & Fernhill Flag: This pair was 11th at NAJYRC in the CCI2* this summer, 14th at the Bromont CCI2* this spring and are going for their 3rd CCI2* completion in the year. They also completed this event last year in 42nd place, and will be looking to improve upon that performance. This horse is a great jumper, and can expect to move up some after the second two phases.

Amanda Wilson & Shame On The Moon: These two are relatively new to the Intermediate level, having moved up at Fair Hill this spring. This mare is lovely and Amanda rides her well, but I think that their inexperience will keep them from being competitive this weekend. However, a successful experience at their first CCI2* is a goal within itself, and I think they can achieve that easily.

Ryan Wood & D-Day Vant Plantanenhof: While I do not envy the announcer trying to figure his tongue around this one’s name, I do think that Ryan has a really nice horse underneath him here. They have been competing on and off at the Intermediate level this year, slowly bringing this young horse along. They were recently 14th at the hotly contested Plantation CIC2*, easily conquering the jumping phases on top of a solid dressage score.

Ryan Wood & Frankie: Ryan’s second ride is also a really lovely type, who finished 11th in the Plantation CIC2* recently, while not really hitting the accelerator on cross country. This horse is really lovely on the flat and can jump with the best, and I expect he’ll find his way into the top placements.

Ryan Wood & Fernhill Classic: As is tradition now, Ryan has more rides than anybody else in this division. His final horse is an incredible competitor that has potential for the very top levels, and will get a great education here at his first CCI2*. They were recently 15th at the Plantation CIC2*, and I know Ryan has high hopes for this horse’s future, so he’s one to watch this weekend.

 

 

 

Badminton & Burghley Winner Clifton Promise Tests Positive for Banned Substance

By on Oct 15, 2013 7:54 am -

Jock Paget and Clifton Promise at Badminton (photo by Jenni Autry)

Horse & Hound has reported that Jock Paget’s Badminton & Burghley winner, Clifton Promise, has tested positive for a prohibited substance following his Burghley win in early September. As a result of that, both Jock and Promise have been suspended from all national and international competitions for two months, beginning immediately until further information can be acquired.

Promise has tested positive for Reserpine, which acts as an intense tranquilizer and is on the FEI Prohibited Substance List. According to the FEI these are: “substances that have been deemed by the FEI to have no legitimate use in equine medicine and/or have a high potential for abuse i.e. human antidepressants, antipsychotics, nervous system stimulants, etc”

H&H Reports:

H&H could not reach Jock for comment, but a statement from Equestrian Sport New Zealand (ESNZ) said: “Surrey-based Paget was understandably shocked at the finding. “He and all relevant parties state categorically that none of them have taken any actions with the intent of administering any prohibited substance. “ESNZ and Paget are establishing a likely cause of the positive test and will provide submissions to the FEI Tribunal as required.”

The FEI Tribunal’s list of pending cases also shows that Clifton Pinot, ridden by Jock’s mentor — Australian Eventer Kevin McNab — also tested positive for the same substance at Burghley.

[Full H&H Report]

Paget Eventing’s page on Facebook has released the statement below. The ESNZ statement stands behind Jock and everyone involved 100%. [ESNZ Statement]

Tuesday News & Notes from Cavalor

By on Oct 15, 2013 1:21 am -

Beginner Nervous course map

Clearly, the course map makers and folks at CourseWalkApp.com have a sense of humor. Note Fence 18, Lost, was not, in fact, misplaced. It was actually nicely decorated with a pumpkin and a scarecrow. Oddly, the next division up last weekend at the Colorado Horse Park Fall Horse Trials wasn’t Open Nervous.

Events Opening Today: Pine Top Thanksgiving H.T. (Georgia, A-3)

Events Closing Today: Full Gallop Farm H.T. ( South Carolina, A-3), Galway Downs International Three-Day Event & H.T. (California, A-6),  Pine Hill Fall H.T. (Texas, A-V), Rocking Horse H.T. (Florida, A-3), The Virginia CCI1*, CIC2* and H.T. (Virginia, A-3).

News:

Nobody likes a kid with a pony. (Pardon the irresistible “Seinfeld”  pony remark reference). Of course we love pony kids. Some of the luckier among us were pony kids. The Washington Post features a few on their kiddie page, including a fifth-grade Shetland Pony Steeplechase jockey conditioning his steed, Phunny,  and a teenaged vaulter on the road with Cavalia’s “Odyesseo.” [Washington Post].

Happy National Veterinary Technician Week. Surely, Hallmark makes a card. Or give yours something more substantial in appreciation as they certainly don’t get paid what they’re worth. [NAVTA]

Grim tallies grow in South Dakota. Carnage from the blizzard continues to reveal itself as members of the horse community take stock. The Quarter Horse News tells a gutwrenching story of a father and daughter riding out to count dead cattle. [Quarter Horse News] Read more about the blizzard’s effect on the horse industry on Horsenation.com. Help South Dakota ranchers and horse people here, search “Rancher Relief Fund.”

Got your flu shot? Your horse’s flu shot, that is. Wondering if your horse is at risk for equine influenza? Now there’s an app for that. The free Equine Influenza Calculator app from Zoetis uses your environmental and economic factors to determine your horse’s risk of contracting the virus. [thehorse.com]

Yearling filly breaks record. Relax, they’re not racing them that young. The filly, a daughter of 2001 Epsom Derby winner Galileo, broke the sales record when Qatari Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani paid $8.3 million for her at the annual Tattersalls bloodstock auction in the U.K. [Bloomberg]

SmartPak Product of the Day: The sun setting on your hacks?  Slap on a few fluorescent reflective bands and be sure to be seen by drivers, bikers, joggers and whoever else you wouldn’t like to run into.  Adjustable velcro means you can wear them where you’d like – arms, ankles, even around your horse’s boots.

Video of the Day:  It seemed every cross country jump at Boekelo was a short stumble from a Grolsch beer tent. Well, we Americans have our beer too. And horses to fetch it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2AMCcqxUkU

 

Noble Bestman has Pastern Surgery after Injury at Boekelo

By on Oct 14, 2013 5:01 pm -

Laura Collett and Noble Bestman. Photo by Samantha Clark.

The Horse & Hound is reporting that Noble Bestman, ridden by British eventer Laura Collett, suffered an unfortunate injury on cross-country at Boekelo.  Owned by Philip Walker, the chestnut gelding had surgery to repair a fracture in his right front pastern.  He is not yet fit to travel and must stay in the Netherlands for a bit longer, though vets are hopeful for a complete recovery.

From H&H:

Laura said: “He landed over a straightforward fence and went lame, so I pulled him up. The vets were brilliant and he was taken straight off to the clinic 10min down the road in a horse ambulance, where they X-rayed him and discovered he had fractured his off-fore pastern.

“We had to make the decision whether or not to operate, so I took the X-rays to [team vet] Liz Brown and talked to his owner [Philip Walker], and we decided to operate, which they did at 9am the following morning.

“The operation was successful — it was a clean, straight fracture and they put 3 screws in to hold it together. We were able to see him once he had come round, but he can’t travel for a couple of weeks.”

[Read full story]

Ella Rak: Lists

By on Oct 14, 2013 2:38 pm -

Ella Rak impressed us with her writing ability and fun style so much that she made it to the Final Four of EN’s 2013 Blogger Contest. We invited Ella to contribute a monthly piece to the site.  Thanks to Ella for writing, and thank you for reading.

 

From Ella:

 

Next weekend I make my grand re-entry to the eventing scene as a competitor, but it wouldn’t be complete without a multitude of lists, schedules, and reminders. I am the type of person who likes to be prepared, stocking truck, trailer, and trunk, everywhere with emergency vet-wrap, rolled gauze, halters and thermometers. In a desperate attempt to keep organized, I start making lists, so present to you my top 5 list of Event Lists.

  1. The Horse Prep List- Starting 2 weeks ahead I plan out all grooming as well as riding that needs to be done before the show. You don’t want to end up putting off clipping until the week before and be forced to show your horse covered in clipping lines (whoops…).
  2. The Packing List- Who hasn’t show up at an event and realized you left that oh so important piece of tack at home? If there is a chance you could need it, bring it. Scratch that, bring two. There is nothing worse than forgetting something, or worse, having it break, right when you need it. As someone who has suffered the humiliation of wearing duct-taped tall boots to a dressage test, it is not fun.
  3. The Trailer Checklist- This one is often left out, but arguably the most important. Stuff breaks, and you don’t want it to impact the safety of your horse or others, so check the hitch, floors, lights, and latches before you put your horse on it. I personally won’t leave without a full tank either, as when you need fuel the only station in a 60 mile radius, your rig can’t fit into. Pony club has a great list here.
  4. The Schedule- As soon as ride times are posted, I work backwards from my last ride of the day to make sure I know where I need to be and what to do at every moment. Of course as soon as you make a schedule with horses it will be broken, but I will always be the dork in the corner checking my schedule I wrote on a notecard every 5 minutes.
  5. The Before you Leave List- Events are exhausting and I am really bad about remembering to pick everything up before I leave, so I made a list for that! It is so easy to leave your whip on the wheel hub, or water buckets by the trailer, but horse trials are expensive enough without losing tack.

At the end of the day, it may not make a difference in placing, but in a game where the things we can fully control are few and far apart, why not make the most of the things we can? A less-stress rider makes a less-stressed horse, and a less stressed horse makes a safe round.