Classic Eventing Nation

Sunday Videos: Boekelo CCIO3* Helmet Cam + Live Stream Playback

By on Oct 13, 2013 3:54 am -

Paul Tapner and Wickstead Didgeridoo

If you missed the live stream and have been antsy to see footage of the muddy cross-country course from Boekelo, you’re in luck. Thanks to Boekelo TV and RTVOost, we have this great helmet cam of Julia Krajewski and Lost Prophecy and FULL live stream playback of all the action. Julia and Lost Prophecy were actually one of the first pairs to go out on course, so the mud was still under control at this point, but you’ll get a bird’s eye view of just how bad the going got by watching the live stream playback. Note that Julia had a runout at 10D and expressed her frustration in a rather colorful way — gotta love helmet cams!

I spoke to Liz Halliday-Sharp yesterday about the course, which was once again designed by Sue Benson. It’s the sixth time Liz has ridden around Boekelo, and she said she liked the flow of the course this year, as she thought riders didn’t need to sit up and pull to make their lines as much as they needed to for Sue’s courses in the past. Liz thought it rode very well, and I agree it allowed horses to get into a nice rhythm. Pay special attention to the bank complex at fence 21, as that’s where Liz had her runout — at the C element — and Lauren Kieffer had her fall — at the A element.

The final horse inspection is underway now, and all countries are jogging in the same order as Wednesday, so Team USA won’t trot up until later in the morning. All reports coming from the barn are that Trading Aces and Fernhill By Night were sound and happy after their cross-country trips, so it should be smooth sailing through the jog. Of course, it’s raining here at Boekelo, not that this should surprise anyone at this point. Show jumping starts at 11 a.m. local time, or 5 a.m. EST.

Boekelo Links: [Homepage] [Jog Order] [Results] [Boekelo TV] [Live Stream]

Sunday Links from ERS-Eventing.com

By on Oct 13, 2013 12:01 am -

Colleen Rutledge has been discharged from the hospital. Photo from Colleen Rutledge Eventing's Facebook page

Happy Sunday, EN!  Colleen Rutledge, who fell at Morven Park, is recovering well after surgery and was discharged from the hospital over the weekend.  She expects to be non-weight bearing for a number of weeks, but predicts that she’ll be back in the tack after the first of the year.  Way to go Colleen!

Boekelo Update: 

A full third of the field was eliminated during Cross Country, including overnight leaders Niklas Lindbäck and Cendrillon.  Show Jumping should be interesting to watch as there is no way the arena will dry out before they get going today.  It seriously looks like someone plopped an Event in the middle of Woodstock 94.  (Seriously, do you remember how muddy that concert was?)  Team USA sends two riders in to Show Jumping as unfortunately, Lauren Kieffer took a fall at fence 21.

Boekelo Links: [Homepage] [XC Start Times] [Results] [Boekelo TV] [Live Stream]

Events This Weekend:

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

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

Radnor Hunt H.T. [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

The Maryland H.T. at Loch Moy Farm [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

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] [Live Scores]

Sunday Links:

Colleen Rutledge is recovering at home

More on ultra cute lead liner Harry Edwards-Brady

Six officers arrested in illegal horse-racing ring

Shiekh Joaan Al Thani drops a cool 8mil on a filly

Accused horse killer free on bond

Horse ownership dispute heads to court

 

Sunday Video: Lets go hit the track with John Velazquez.

Erin Riley: The College Equestrian

By on Oct 12, 2013 4:15 pm -

Erin Riley is a young adult finding her way through college while still managing to keep horses anchored in her life.  Taking your horse to school is a decision many students face, and while it’s not for everyone, it can be very rewarding and beneficial for some students.  Read Erin’s story about how she tries to balance school and eventing– it requires sacrificing some “college life,” but for her the benefits are worth it.  Thanks to Erin for writing, and thank you for reading.

 

Erin Riley and Jewels at Loch Moy. Photo by Alec Thayer.

 

From Erin:

I know a good amount of you can relate to the statement “college is a struggle.” For most college students attending class while nursing their hangover from Thirsty Thursday festivities the night before, while trying to achieve good grades, is the hardest thing they’ll do in their college career. For us equestrians however, our responsibilities are much greater.

I am a junior Kinesiology major with a concentration in Exercise Science at Longwood University in little Farmville, Virginia. I am also an active competitor in the heart of Area 2. I have a young warmblood mare named Jewels that I packed up and brought with me to school last year and haven’t looked back since. Jewels was 4 going on 5 when I brought her to school last year and had not yet started competing until April of this year. We spent a short time on our school’s dressage team before I decided it was time to buckle down and start prepping for the 2013 event season.

I think I spent more time with my horse at the barn then I ever did with any of my college friends. My days consisted of getting up for my 8ams where I would stay in class until 12-1 then it was off to the barn. After hours of mindless grooming and grazing on top of time in the saddle every week, I wouldn’t get back to campus until well after the sun went down only to spend the rest of the night doing homework or studying. As much as I was a social butterfly in high school, in college I chose to lead a very anti-social lifestyle; my non-horsey college friends now fondly refer me to as the “crazy horse lady.” I choose not to drink and party with my friends on weekends, as I tend to go to bed at ridiculously early hours just to wake up at ridiculously early hours to go to the barn. On top of competing my own mare, I travel to compete 2-3 horses under Susan Aiken on weekends. So on top of maintaining a 3.5 GPA I spend most weekends on the road travelling around Virginia to compete.

As hard as juggling homework, studying, riding, and competing I find a way to make it happen and wouldn’t have it any other way. So here’s to all you eventers out there also juggling school or work while maintaining a full competition schedule– kick on and study hard!

How To Show Your Human

By on Oct 12, 2013 2:30 pm -

While we often have articles on here written by horse enthusiasts for horse enthusiasts, we don’t regularly get the point of view of the horse himself. This week, I’m introducing a new blogger for Eventing Nation. He’s French (which makes him both prissy and fancy), he’s larger than life, and he has way more opinions than any of the regular writers for EN. His name is Nyls (pronounced “Nilz”) and he’s here to tell you all the ways in which you can succeed at being a really B.A. event horse, and also a colossal pain the butt. Without further ado, I present it straight from the horse’s mouth.

"Win Picture" for Warmbloods

After my first installment on Eventing Nation (Spooking and Other Ways to Excel at Annoying Your Human) was received so well in both the equine and human world, I felt that it was my duty to continue in my education of my fellow equines. The purpose of my literary series is to enlighten all of you on ways in which you can handle your humans, and train them as you wish. Obviously, this is a daunting task with no real graduation date in sight, as humans tend to be both slow learners and stubbornly independent in some ways.

One of the ways in which our humans like to spend their time with us is to throw us on the moving metal boxes, rattle us down the road and then spend a few days at something they call a “show”. These things can be varying degrees of interest to us horses, and sometimes even fun. However, shows are the times when humans become the most bossy, requiring you to behave yourself for extended periods of time, and sometimes multiple times in one day! Here are my favorite ways of handling this situation, from beginning to end, all of which are tried and true methods by yours truly.

  1. When you realize that the trailer is being packed with all of the usual accoutrements, quickly dirty yourself. If you are in a stall, roll in some poop the best way you can (I know, distasteful….but this is imperative) or even better if you are in a field, dig up a dirt/mud hole and scrounge your skin in it. When your human comes to fetch you for the traveling, be sure to look adorable and innocent. After all, a dumb animal like you couldn’t have known better!
  2. As for the travel itself, well, nobody really likes it, so be sure to let your human know in some way. Pretending that you’ve never been on a horse trailer and have completely forgotten how to load works in a pinch. At stoplights, use the opportunity to kick with varying degrees of strength, just to stretch your legs. When you arrive at the event and unload, showing off your Arabian ancestry with a flagged tail and some passage is always a nice touch. Entrance is everything.
  3. For the next few days, if you are stabled at the competition, your human is your personal slave. Let them know this unequivocally. Expect that poops will be cleaned from your stall within minutes of being dropped. Your hay and water should never run low, and if it does you should feel free to harass the horse next to you for his, thereby creating a fun reason for your human to apologize talk to the human next door.
  4. When you hear the trumpet of “LOOSE HORSE!!!” throughout the stables, this is nothing if not a call to action. Imagine all the mustang movies you’ve seen of herds of horses galloping away in a cloud of dust….this could be you! Those “stall guards” that your human attaches to the door of your room are attached by flimsy string that pop with just the slightest lean of a chest…and you’re off! If you can gallop around the dressage arenas, all the better.
  5. When it comes to the actual competition part, I like to vary my routine between behaving and acting like I’m a fresh two year old. I’m sure that each and every one of you have your own personal flair here to add, and I will only add one caution: If you are naughty on the show grounds, you must behave under tack, or visa versa. There cannot be too much naughty or too much nice, because that just makes everything boring. Pick your battles!
  6. When your human is preparing to take you out into the competition, they are generally wearing their best, cleanest clothing. White pants?! HA! Who thought that one up!? This is an invitation to sneeze, rub, or blow slime on any part of your human that you can reach. Upper thigh of the white pants before dressage + green mouth slime = perfection.
  7. If your human is genuinely nervous about something, this is the time to bring out your professional side. We must, in some ways, consider ourselves babysitters for the lesser species, but they do in fact have the key to the feed room so……

At the end of the day (or weekend) it is important to remember to indulge your human in some way, no matter how small. Whether you choose to nicker slightly when you see them (which we know as the call to breakfast) or allow some snuggling after rides, you must allow the human to continue in their illusion that they are in charge. After many years of mental challenges, your human will eventually come to accept you as the superior being in both physical and mental realms, and then you will know that you have trained them properly. Constant vigilance!

Mud Holds the Overnight Lead at Boekelo

By on Oct 12, 2013 12:56 pm -

Michael Jung and fischerRocana FST

Mud, mud and more mud — that about sums up how the day went at Boekelo. Rain fell all night, and I knew when I walked by the main stadium and spotted standing water that it wasn’t going to be pretty. Course designer Sue Benson said in the press conference that she thought the footing was quite good considering how much rain we’ve had since Thursday, and I’m not sure if she was trying to be funny or optimistic. To put it simply, it was muddy in some spots and soup in others, and the terrible footing absolutely decimated the field. Thirty-three pairs either retired on course or were eliminated; that’s one-third of the 100 total starters.

Lizzie Brown and Henton Attorney General

Just four pairs made the time: Michael Jung and fischerRocana FST; Ingrid Klimke and Hale Bob 3; Elmo Jankari and Duchess Desiree; and Izzy Taylor and KBIS Starlet, who moved all the way from 70th to 19th place on the merits of that performance. Overnight leaders Niklas Lindbäck and Cendrillon had one of the scariest falls of the day when the mare left both legs at 16b, falling and pinning Niklas’s leg. That’s just one example of the carnage we saw today. There were six total horse falls and an additional six rider falls, and nine riders retired on course. Looking at the cross-country fence analysis, there really wasn’t any one tricky spot on course, and the problems were spread throughout.

Ingrid Klimke and Hale Bob 3

Lizzie Brown and Henton Attorney General jumped clear and came home with just 2.4 time penalties to lead overnight. Michael Jung and the lovely fischerRocana FST moved up from sixth to second place thanks to their double clear trip, and fellow teammate Ingrid Klimke and Hale Bob 3 moved up from ninth to third with their double clear. Elmo Jankari and Duchess Desiree jumped from 12th to fourth place with one of the other double clear rounds, and Mathieu Lemoine and Quickness had just 0.4 time penalties to move from 13th to fifth place. Alice Naber-Lozeman and Peter Parker also deserve a shout out for their very fast trip, and she’s on track to clinch her third Dutch champion title tomorrow.

The mud. Photo courtesy of Boekelo's Facebook page.

Looking at the Grolsch Nations Cup standings, Germany still holds the lead by a mile, as they added only 1.2 penalties to their team score today. Let me say that again: The Germans added ONLY 1.2 penalties today, which is just maddening. They’re now on a team score of 124.6. Great Britain still holds second place, but they’ve dropped way back on a score of 155, meaning the Germans have all but clinched their zillionth consecutive Nations Cup title. France moved up one spot in the standings to sit in third place on a team score of 210.8, but Ireland is close behind in fourth place on a score of 213.

Did I mention it was muddy? Photo courtesy of Boekelo's Facebook page.

If you didn’t follow along with my posts earlier today about how Team USA fared — click here for Liz, here for Lauren and here for Boyd — here’s a quick recap: Liz Halliday and Fernhill By Night were first out for Team USA, and they looked fantastic until fence 21c when Blackie bailed out at the last minute; they picked up 20 penalties there. Lauren Kieffer and Veronica also looked brilliant until that same combination, when Veronica glanced off 21a and Lauren fell. Thankfully, she’s OK. Boyd Martin and Trading Aces slipped and slid through the course as the second to last out, delivering a clear round but with lots of time.

Lindsey is out of the hospital! Photo courtesy of Katie Walker.

If successful team trips to Europe grew on trees, David O’Connor would be quite the gardener by now. But the fact of the matter is that there’s no magic formula to guarantee success across the pond. We just have to keep fighting. And on a happier note, I’m thrilled to report that super groom Lindsey Taylor was discharged from the hospital earlier today. She made it to Boekelo in time to watch Boyd and Oscar romp around the course, and she was in good spirits when I chatted with her this afternoon. We’re wishing her all the best for a full and speedy recovery. Go Boekelo.

Boekelo Links: [Homepage] [XC Start Times] [Results] [Boekelo TV] [Live Stream]

Boyd Martin Delivers Clear Round at Boekelo

By on Oct 12, 2013 11:15 am -

Boyd Martin and Trading Aces

Boyd Martin and Trading Aces slogged through the mud as the second to last pair on course, delivering a clear cross-country round to cap a tough day for Team USA here at Boekelo. The time doesn’t come easy to Oscar, and Boyd has struggled with him this year, retiring just a few fences from home at Rolex and trying to figure out exactly how to dial it in with the horse. Today, Boyd said he backed off a little when Oscar felt tired, as opposed to kicking on like he did at Rolex, and he thought it did help. Of course, the going didn’t exactly help matters, as the footing had deteriorated to soup in many parts of the course by the time Boyd and Oscar set out. They came home with 18 time penalties to sit in 35th place overnight.

If Oscar jumps well tomorrow — and Boyd said he doesn’t think that will be an issue — he’ll be qualified to compete at the World Equestrian Games next year. Boyd is no stranger to getting a heavier horse fit, as he did it very successfully with Remington XXV, and I have total faith he can do it again with Oscar. The horse has all the pieces; it’s just a matter of putting together the puzzle. When I asked Boyd to give some perspective on a tough day for Team USA, he put it very simply: We can’t give up. These trips to Europe are tough, especially when it’s a team competition and the day doesn’t go our way. There are still many bright spots to point to for the weekend, and we’ll send two Americans into the show jumping tomorrow looking for clear rounds. Kick on, Team USA.

Boekelo Links: [Homepage] [XC Start Times] [Results] [Boekelo TV] [Live Stream]

Lauren Kieffer OK After Fall at Boekelo

By on Oct 12, 2013 9:05 am -

Lauren Kieffer and Veronica

In a very similar scenario to Liz Halliday and Fernhill By Night’s cross-country trip this morning, Lauren Kieffer and Veronica had a foot-perfect round here at Boekelo … until fence 21. It seemed like Veronica locked on well to 21a but changed her mind at the last minute, slamming on the brakes and ducking out to the left. Unfortunately, that caught Lauren off guard, and she fell over Veronica’s right shoulder, landing hard on her back. She was down for quite a long time, and I’m guessing she just had the wind knocked out of her, as she got up after a few minutes and started walking back to stabling with Veronica. Thankfully, both Lauren and Veronica are OK.

It goes without saying that I’m absolutely gutted for Lauren. She had a brilliant day yesterday, scoring 47.4 in dressage to sit in a very good position going into cross country for her first competition overseas. They cruised around the course very confidently and were keeping a good pace through the messy footing, with Veronica looking very keen the whole way around. I can’t really call fence 21 a bogey combination at this point, as I’ve seen numerous lovely trips through there, although a lot of riders have also been taking the alternate route rather than face the questionable footing there. It seemed like Veronica just didn’t feel comfortable enough to take off in the slop.

We have about 20 riders left to go out on cross country. Overnight leader Niklas Lindbäck and Cendrillon had a very scary fall at fence 16b, and Lizzie Brown and Henton Attorney General delivered a clear round with just 2.4 time to take the lead. No one has a chance to catch them, so they will lead going into show jumping tomorrow, where they can’t afford a rail, as Michael Jung and fischerRocana FST are sitting close behind. Boyd Martin and Trading Aces will be the final pair out for Team USA at 3:54 p.m. local time, or 9:54 a.m. EST. Don’t forget to follow along with the live feed here, and I’ll be back after Boyd’s trip with a full report. Stay tuned for much more from Boekelo.

Boekelo Links: [Homepage] [XC Start Times] [Results] [Boekelo TV] [Live Stream]

Cross-Country Day Underway Here at Boekelo

By on Oct 12, 2013 6:52 am -

Liz Halliday and Fernhill By Night

We’ve just had our first member of Team USA come home on cross-country day here at Boekelo, and Liz Halliday and Fernhill By Night came oh so close to bringing home a clear round for America. This is Blackie’s first CCI3* event, and he just moved up to the Advanced level this year, so I was thrilled to see him looking so confident around Sue Benson’s course when I watched their trip on the big screen in the main arena. They made it all the way around to fence 21 taking all the direct routes and unfortunately had a runout at fence 21c, a skinny coming down a hill, just three fences from home. The going is very sloppy about a third of the way through the field, and the footing has already deteriorated badly in certain spots on course, especially at the skinny where Liz and Blackie picked up their runout.

I was feeling very good about their ability to bring home a clear round until Felix Vogg and Onfire, who were sitting in 10th place overnight and went out on course just before Liz and Blackie, had a runout at the same fence just minutes before she came through. Onfire slipped a bit on take off and bailed out, and it looked like Blackie also slipped and just wasn’t feeling secure enough to take off. He actually locked on beautifully, and I thought he was going to go, but he just changed his mind at the last minute. Liz is understandably very bummed, and she told me after her ride that she likely would have taken the alternate route at fence 21 had she not been in a team scenario, but she promised she would go for it, and she did. It really was a brilliant trip up until that point, with Blackie looking very confident and locked on to his lines.

Today was a big ask for Blackie, and despite the runout, I still think he rose to the occasion; he definitely grew up out there on course, and we’re surely looking at a horse for the future. Lauren Kieffer and Veronica are next out for Team USA at about 2:10 p.m. local time, or 8:10 a.m. EST, and Boyd Martin and Trading Aces will be third to last to go out at about 3:54 p.m. local time, or 9:54 a.m. local time. You can follow along on the live stream by clicking here. Michael Jung and fischer Rocana FST are currently leading thanks to delivering one of only two double clear cross-country trips so far. The time was already tricky to make, but all the rain we’ve had over the past 24 hours has made it even more difficult. Izzy Taylor and KBIS Starlet are the only other pair to make the time so far.

Boekelo Links: [Homepage] [XC Start Times] [Results] [Boekelo TV] [Live Stream]

Saturday Links from Tipperary

By on Oct 12, 2013 12:01 am -

 

Niklas Lindbäck and Cendrillon. Photo by Jenni Autry,

Good morning! I hope your Saturday finds you in better weather than what is forecasted in The Netherlands at Boekelo! I hope Jenni brought her Dubarrys to go sloshing around cross country today. Cross country day at Boekelo is upon us, and the American team is holding its own in a very stiff field that is stacked with talent. As I write this, the US team currently sits in sixth place on a collective score of 145.2. Being just a team of three, they are unable to drop a score as many other teams are, so the pressure is definitely on to perform well across country. These pairs are no stranger to tough cross country tracks and lots of pressure, so I have full faith in Boyd, Lauren, and Liz!

Boekelo Links: [Homepage] [XC Start Times] [Results] [Boekelo TV] [Live Stream]

Events This Weekend:

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

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

Radnor Hunt H.T. [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

The Maryland H.T. at Loch Moy Farm [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

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] [Live Scores]

Saturday Links:

This spring Tipperary Equestrian launched the GOT PINK Breast Cancer campaign in partnership with the Women’s College Hospital Foundation. Until October 31, 2013 Tipperary will donate 5% of each Tipperary Pink Sportage 8500 and Pink Eventer 1015 sold to the Women’s College Breast Cancer Research Program.

The Chronicle’s Erin Harty recaps the RRTP Thoroughbred Makeover. 

Victoria Winter has been appointed the Canadian Dressage Chef d’Equipe.

New data on horse head and neck position and how this effects muscle activity.

Are you riding at the Midsouth Team Challenge next weekend? If so, bring a costume!

ExperienceDressage now offers insight onto becoming involved as a dressage horse owner. 

Saturday Video:

Want some more Cendrillon? Me too!

 

Lindsey Taylor Hospitalized But Still Smiling

By on Oct 11, 2013 7:07 pm -

Lindsey Taylor snapped this pic from her hospital bed of all her visitors from yesterday. From left, Joanie Morris, Silva Martin, Katie Walker and David O’Connor.

In a bit of somber news from Boekelo, Boyd Martin’s super groom Lindsey Taylor has been in and out of the hospital since Wednesday here in the Netherlands. She was originally discharged Wednesday evening, but she’s been back in the hospital since Thursday morning. The good news is Lindsey told me this afternoon she’s feeling much better and hopes to be discharged for good tomorrow.

Of course, she’s gutted to have missed her grooming duties for Trading Aces, but Team USA has banded together to make sure Oscar looked fabulous for his dressage test today. Joanie Morris, our USEF Managing Director of Eventing, stepped in to personally braid Oscar, and she’s also handling feeding duties. Katie O’Neil and Gemma Jalinska have also helped tremendously, and Oscar’s in good hands.

Lindsey told me she misses everyone terribly, and the feeling is very much mutual; it’s just not the same without her here. Of course, Lindsey, who works harder than just about anyone I’ve ever met, is bored out of her mind while stuck in bed, and she’s taken to documenting the inner workings of Dutch hospitals in her spare time — like the fact that all the doctors ride through the halls on small pink bicycles. When in Holland?

Lindsey was originally scheduled to fly home with Oscar on Tuesday, but now it looks like she might be coming home with us on Monday. To all her friends, you can rest assured that she’ll receive the very best of care, and I’m sure she’ll be spoiled rotten. Please join me in sending get-well-soon wishes to Lindsey!