Classic Eventing Nation

University of Alabama Launches Eventing Team

By on Oct 2, 2013 6:00 pm -

EN has closely followed the rise of collegiate eventing in the U.S., we’re very excited to announce that the University of Alabama has launched an eventing team. Mackenzie Spaes, UA’s team vice president, wrote in to tell us all about the new program. She rode for nine years with Carrie Barrick before moving to Tuscaloosa to start her freshman year. Take it away, Mackenzie!

Mackenzie Spaes and Ripple Effect representing Area VIII at the 2012 NAJYRC. Photo by Brant Gamma.

 

From Mackenzie:

Growing up in Louisville, Ky., I was always surrounded by horses and knew that I wanted them to be a part of my life. What I loved most about the sport was the strong sense of family and community that defined eventing. Whether it was at horse shows or just at home, I always felt a bond with my fellow eventers. Everyone looked out for one another. As I packed up to leave my home of 18 years for college, I just knew I had to find this community in Alabama.

Collegiate Eventing is not a well known organized sport when it comes from the perspective of the university. I struggled with picking a college because I knew I was going to have to stay in the saddle. There was absolutely no question of attending school and not riding. I know any eventer out there will agree with me when I say once you pick up the reins you never really let go.

Something about Tuscaloosa captured my heart, and I knew this was where I belonged for the next four years. The only thing that Alabama did not have to offer to me was eventing. If I learned anything from Carrie, it was that if I set my mind to something, I could achieve it. I knew I could always come to her with some outrageous goal and she would say, “You want it, go get it.” I took this advice the minute I stepped on campus. I knew I wanted collegiate eventing to become a recognized sport at Alabama.

I had absolutely know idea where to start. I was an out-of-state student in a brand new city who was trying to get settled into college. Where in the world was I going to find time to start an event team? Luckily, I did not have to look very hard. Lizzie Walters, a junior at UA, contacted me one night, and to say I was excited was an understatement. I scared my roommate have to death when I jumped out of bed screaming that I found fellow eventers, and I could not wait to be reunited with my horse family.

Lizzie, who is now our team’s president, had almost everything organized. She had contacted the University of Georgia’s event team, which thankfully gave us a ton of information and support; we are very thankful for their help. I finally felt like I found my calling. Lizzie was ready to start this team, and I was right behind her. Over the next week, both of us blew up social media and tried to find fellow eventers throughout campus who were ready to jump on board.

Anyone who has owned a horse knows that all you do on Facebook is post adorable pictures of your horse. It’s just inevitable that the only pictures all over your page are selfies of you and your horse or your competition photos. That made it easy to scout out our potential new members. Everything seemed to be coming together. I tried to help Lizzie as much as I could scheduling meetings; meeting with members; and, of course, marketing our idea everywhere.

I’m proud to say that we have almost 20 members for our upcoming team, and this is such an accomplishment. I could not even imagine this happening without the hard work of our board members and our team members. And this is just the beginning. I have to say our biggest inspiration is the event team at UGA. They have done amazing things with their program, and I hope one day that UA will be on the same level as them.

The program UGA has created is outstanding, and they have set a standard for us. I know with the dedication of Lizzie, myself and the rest of the UA event team that we can achieve the same recognition as UGA. This is just the start for UA Eventing, and I promise you that we are ready to get the ball rolling. We hope to compete as a team for the first time at FENCE Horse Trials in the Collegiate Series. We plan to attend Chattahoochee Hills Horse Trials in October just to market ourselves and try to meet people.

As eventers, we get things done. Always. This saying has been close to my heart ever since I left that start box for the first time. This is my next conquest. Welcome to UA Eventing. And, of course, Roll Tide! If you have any questions or want to get involved in the new UA Event Team, contact Lizzie Walters, president, at [email protected] or Mackenzie Spaes, vice president, at [email protected].

Start-Box Jams of the Day: Reader Submissions II

By on Oct 2, 2013 4:30 pm -

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

Photo courtesy of Helen Davis

Our picture of the day and first jam comes to us from Helen Davis. Helen evented through Intermediate before switching over to Combined Driving. I see vests, red on the right and plenty of insanity in the middle. Helen wrote in to say that when she hears Audioslave’s “Cochise” she’s ready to go!

Susan Pinkney shared an artist that I was previously unfamiliar with, Corb Lund, who now seems to have found his way in to my iTunes library.Funny how that happens! Corb Lund has an album named “Horse Soldier! Horse Soldier!” on which nearly all of the songs are horse-related in some way. Susan related a tale  about seeing Corb Lund live, where he got drunk enough on stage that the crowd had to remind him of some lyrics. Can we book him for the AECs next year?

Our final submission comes from a mother of three, who we’ll only refer to as EM. Her go-to song is Eminem’s “Lose Yourself.” She says that the image of one shot and opportunity only coming once gets her fired up and in the mindset to ride her best with no regrets. She thinks her kids would laugh, but I bet they’d say, “Whoa, mom’s kind of bad ass.”

Kristi Nunnink: A Fantastic Trip to the AECs

By on Oct 2, 2013 3:00 pm -

Kristi Nunnink and R-Star just returned home to California after a fantastic performance at the AECs. Rosie romped around Texas to finish with the Reserve Champion Advanced Gold Cup title, and she’ll soon be hopping on a plane to France to contest the Pau CCI4*. Many thanks to Kristi for writing. Go West Coast Eventing!

Kristi Nunnink and R-Star at the AECs. Photo by Liz Hall.

From Kristi:

So we are finally home from the great AEC adventure, and it did seem like an adventure. Getting there was the easiest part. When we arrived, we were greeted by a beautiful facility. The infrastructure was amazing. All of the horses had huge stalls that were well protected from the elements, luckily. The arenas had lovely footing that held up quite well to the different weather conditions, and there was tons of room for everyone to ride.

The cross-country course was indeed at a championship level. Capt. Mark Phillips designed a perfect course that was both big and technical and very tightly metered. It separated the boys from the men while remaining safe for the horses and riders. Show jumping was delayed at times by monsoon-like rain, and the Advanced was actually postponed a day, which was fortunate, as the footing had gotten quite a bit better by Sunday morning.

The West Coast had a strong group of riders and trainers that participated this year, and I think we did quite well, especially if you remember that Gold Cup winner Laine Ashker is originally from California.

Our trip home was a little bit tedious; it felt like we kept going in circles. Our new trailer blew a tire early Monday morning, and we discovered that our old lug wrench did not fit the new lug nuts. Luckily, USRider came to our rescue. All in all it was a wonderful experience and I can hardly wait to go back next year. Rosie is not happy with her Reserve Champion title and would like a rematch with Al.

Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: A Camel Pas de Deux

By on Oct 2, 2013 1:30 pm -

I have certainly seen some interesting pas de deux competitions in my lifetime, and they usually involve crazy costumes and painted horses. However, this video is a first: a camel and a horse in unison completing dressage movements! This camel does shoulder-in; he does half pass; he seems to have a leg yield and a haunches-in. And if you wait until 1:40, you’ll see that he even has clean changes! Now … if only I could train him to gallop fast and jump big tables, we’d be set to compete at Advanced!

 

Ain’t Nobody Got Cash For That: Hoof Pick Edition

By on Oct 2, 2013 12:00 pm -

Welcome to Ain’t Nobody Got Cash For That, the new series in which we cash-poor eventers marvel at all the things the rich people buy with their endless supply of dollars. Today EN reader Emily Beaver laments the apparent rise of designer hoof picks, and I offer my best guess as to how Hermes priced this Clou de Selle at such an outrageous price. Have an absurdly priced horsey item you’d like us to break down? Email [email protected].

Photo courtesy of www.usa.hermes.com

From Emily:

“I was online shopping the other day — dreaming of all the things I could buy if I didn’t spend all my money on horses — and I stumbled upon the Hermes website. I know — only crazy rich people shop at this store, but a girl can dream, right? I was looking at all the beautiful saddles that they had, and then I got to looking at the grooming supplies.

“The first thing on the list was a hoof pick, and I was incredibly excited because I thought this might be my chance at actually owning something from Hermes without going bankrupt. Then I looked at the price: $260 dollars. Yes, you read that right, and it’s not even covered in gold. Just thought everyone should know what the rich and famous horse people buy in one’s spare time.”

How Hermes Priced It:

Wow, Emily. You sure know how to find a bargain. While it’s difficult to ascertain how a company arrived at a $260 price tag for an item you can find for 99 cents at any local tack shop, here’s my best guess at how Hermes priced it:

There you have it, EN. A hoof pick can in fact be valued at $260 when you consider the appeal of a fancy French name, the equally fancy Moroccan goat who contributed to the cause, the comfort of a perfectly curved handle and the quality of a brand name like Hermes. Go eventing.

Morven Park Area II Championships: Ready to Rock

By on Oct 2, 2013 10:30 am -

My first Training at Morven Park (circa 2001?)!

Morven Park Horse Trials has always held a soft spot in my heart, and it is one of the classic Area II competitions. I competed there for my first Training on a mare I got off the track and had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I fell off, landed on my feet, and scrambled right back on and continued before the jump judge even knew what had happened (in the days before the one fall rule).

[Morven Website] [Ride Times]

This year, the event is positively chocker block full of competitors for both the regular horse trials and the championship divisions. There are more than 400 entries, and 15 of the top 25 riders in the country are coming to compete. Championship divisions from Beginner Novice to Advanced are held this weekend, and a lot of riders from the East Coast who felt that the AECs in Texas were too far away to haul are replacing that event with Morven. Competing against the best of the best on this coast, who can argue with that?

In addition to the Championships, there are many competitors who use Morven as their final run before Fair Hill, and there is even an entire division just for Advanced entries who want to only do a combined test. Keep your eye on the Intermediate and Advanced divisions, as it serves as a good preview of the action at Fair Hill in a few weeks!

If you weren’t able to get into the event or won’t be riding for another reason, you should think about taking the day to spectate and volunteer. The weather is supposed to be gorgeous (no rain for once!) and working as a dressage scribe or a jump judge can be an incredibly educational experience for any rider. Contact Sheryl Williams [email protected] for dressage volunteering and Joanna Yeomans at [email protected] for cross country volunteering.

A look back at the 2012 Advanced Championships, courtesy of the wonderful Buzzterbrown:

How Will the Government Shutdown Affect the Horse Industry?

By on Oct 2, 2013 9:00 am -

Unless you truly live under a rock, you’ve gathered from the various news sites, social media networks and radio shows that there is a government shutdown happening right now. What’s that mean? A government shutdown occurs when Congress fails to pass a spending bill and the government discontinues providing services that are not considered “essential.” Typically, essential services include police, fire fighting, armed forces, utilities and corrections. It also means that #ShutdownPickupLines is trending on Twitter.

I usually take the tactic of continuing on my merry way in Horse World and assume that all the absurd political befuddlement will resolve itself and I will remain fairly unaffected. I’m aware of the world outside the barn, but I don’t spend my energy getting as worked up about it as roughly three-fourths of the other people on Facebook. I generally learn about politics the way it is most palatable: through BuzzFeed (Why The Shut Down Is Exactly Like Mean Girls). However, this time my interest was piqued, as I realized the positively massive effect that the government shutdown was having, even upon my little equestrian microcosm.

Parks & Recreation: The National Park Service, Fish & Wildlife Service and the BLM all fall under federal jurisdiction, and thus have been closed. All the employees are off on furlough, and that means you can’t hack through their lands anymore! If you are a rider that depends on the use of a local park for your riding, you’re just out of luck.

Veterinary Testing & Disease Outbreaks: Possibly one of the scariest negative side effects for the animal industry at large is the possibility of a disease outbreak occurring during the shut down. All veterinary tests that start after the shutdown will be stored by the USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Services staff for later processing. Should something really freaky happen and a disease outbreak occur, only high-priority tests will be run on a case-by-case basis. On a less scary level, this is a huge inconvenience for our general veterinary practices with horses.

Imports & Exports: The USDA is in charge of all equine import/export quarantine facilities. Border inspection is currently listed under the essential category, and these facilities operate on personal fees, so you actually won’t see much of a disruption here.

Horse Slaughter: Here’s an actual benefit of the government shutdown. The USDA controls and regulates the transport program for slaughter-bound horses, so the whole program will remain completely closed for as long as the government is as well.

Visas & Temporary Workers: All processing of applications for temporary agricultural workers and non-agricultural workers have come to a grinding halt. This will totally prevent any influx of valuable workers for a number of equestrian jobs throughout the disciplines. Visas for foreign competitors at U.S. events could also be delayed, so it’s a good thing we aren’t anywhere near Rolex!

Let’s all just hope that this is resolved in an expedient manner, and we can get on with our lives and continue riding in the parks. I encourage the continuation of freebies for furloughed workers (free barbecue!) and also approaching the matter with a sense of humor and not a sense of apocalyptical panic. Get on your horses, and continue on your merry way!

Wednesday News and Notes from MDBarnmaster

By on Oct 1, 2013 11:59 pm -

The water complex built for the Polo International Horse Trials.

So while all of our American riders are gearing up for the big fall CCIs this weekend, another fall CCI is making its inaugural debut: The Polo International Horse Trials in Kyalami, South Africa.  Polo South Africa is the title sponsor of the event, which will feature a three star and a two star officiated by well-known FEI officials Andy Bowles and Harry Payne. Clayton Fredericks will also be on hand to host course walks and share his Olympic experiences with the South African riders, who are aiming to qualify for the 2014 WEGs. Billing eventing as the “Iron-Man of Equestrian sport,” the marketing team is working hard to draw the big crowds and based on the photos on the event’s Facebook page it looks as if they have built quite a course. Click to read more about the festivities and see photos of the course under construction. Good luck to all of the South African eventers who will be competing this weekend! [Polo International Horse Trials Facebook] [Event Website] [Provisional Schedule]

Weekend Preview:

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

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

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

ESDCTA New Jersey H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

WindRidge Farm Fall H.T. [Website]

Kent School Fall H.T. [Website]

Australian eventer Chris Burton won the CIC* at Ardingly Horse Trials on Nobilis last weekend in South England. The pair finished on their dressage score of 41.4, moving up from third to first over the course of the weekend. American Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp led the division after dressage, after riding a “cracking dressage test” aboard Endymion Entrechat and earning a 38.5. Unfortunately her weekend did not end well and she finished in 44th position, but here’s to hoping the pair’s dressage performance foreshadows future success. [Weekly Times Now]

Zara Phillips has not stepped out of the horse world completely during her pregnancy. Last weekend she came out to support protégée Aimee Aspinall, who rode Zara’s mount Disarm at a horse trials held at Warwick College. Zara sported a good-looking Musto vest, as Musto is an equestrian clothing company she helped launch. If you would like more info about what Zara wore to watch the ride and see photos, you can click the link to the gossip site this story came from. [Hello Magazine]

Looking to refresh your fall wardrobe? SmartPak blogger Melissa Hamlet put together a list of her fall fashion picks. From new boots to under-layers to fleece coolers, SmartPak clearly has you covered (get it??) through the changing seasons. My favorite is the Rhino Fleece Dress Sheet, both because it looks snazzy and is on sale. Also did you know SmartPak now sells Under Armour products embroidered with the SmartPak logo? [SmartPak Fall Fashion]

In light of the recent Colorado flooding, the USEA posted a timely press release about preparing for natural disasters as horse owners. Put together by American Horse Publications, it recommends making sure every horse is permanently identified with a microchip, tattoo, brands, or photographs and that a luggage tag should be placed on a halter reserved for emergencies. It includes other helpful tips about evacuation plans and preparation, and is a good read in the spirit of preparation. [USEA]

A new study has found that pastured horses stay fit. The study looked at two groups of horses over a two-week span, and found that horses on stall rest lost fitness while horses who were pastured maintained a fitness level similar to that of stalled, exercised horses and had greater bone mineral content at the end of the two weeks. The lead researcher concluded that “letting horses be horses—as in putting them in their natural setting—allows them to maintain fitness better, which may make their transition back to competition easier and likely more successful.” [The Horse]

Today’s video comes to you courtesy of Horse & Hound, and it was featured as one of Horse Nation’s “Oh Crap” Moments of the Day. After watching it, I can’t say I blame the FEI for eliminating one of the jogs from the CIC format…

 

Culture Shock Part IV: Trailers

By on Oct 1, 2013 6:00 pm -

I'm seriously becoming obsessed with trailers. Even model trailers.

Today I found myself browsing the web, daydreaming yet again about buying a horse trailer. The funny thing about this is that buying a trailer is something that I probably never would have considered if I’d stayed in Hunter/Jumper Land. My husband thinks it’s crazy to put a “prey animal with rocks for feet” in to a “metal box on wheels,” but I don’t see it that way. A trailer is something that feels more and more necessary with every passing day.

One major difference that made a trailer feel like less of a need in Hunter/Jumper Land is the length of time spent at the show.  While it’s true that at some of the bigger events you’ll have a reason to be on site by Wednesday and at the upper levels may be riding dressage on Thursday, most of the time you’re looking at a two- or three-day affair. On the other hand, a hunter/jumper show often ends up being a week-long affair, with everyone arriving Tuesday and classes getting underway Wednesday. Also, hunter/jumper shows tend to run in circuits, allowing you multiple weeks of back-to-back showing. The winter circuits like HITS run from mid-January thru mid-March.

While it’s entirely possible to show out of a trailer for two or three days, showing out of a trailer for a week or more is less enjoyable – especially if you are camping out of that trailer too. Not to say it can’t be done, but it is certainly a challenge. (As a side note, I suspect show length and the lack of ride times is why hunter/jumper shows tend to have much more elaborate end-of-row set-ups than you see at events.)

When I was younger, if you wanted to show, you’d simply attend the shows your barn was attending. If you wanted to go to a show that wasn’t on the list, you’d do your best to drum up enough interest. If you got lucky, you might be able find enough people to fill the trailer and make it happen. Going to a show alone was Just. Not. Done. This is another factor that made a trailer of my own a very low priority.

Now that I’m eventing, a trailer feels like a critical need. In addition to my Dragonfire family, I have eventer friends spread out across the West Coast. Sometimes my friends and I collectively get wild ideas to go do Stupid Things. Having my own adventures in addition to the barn’s show schedule now feels encouraged rather than viewed as odd, defiant, outsider behavior. Maybe the urge to do things in addition to the shows we’re already attending is just to make up for what feels like lost time.

Then again, maybe it’s just my compulsion to buy expensive, shiny, horse-related objects.

Go Team DF. Go Trailers. Go Eventing.

Introducing NeverWet: The Eventer’s Dream!

By on Oct 1, 2013 4:30 pm -

Wait until you see NeverWet in action!

Ok, brace yourself. This may be the most ground breaking invention that we’ve ever seen, next to helmet cams and one knot hairnets. I recently stumbled upon this neat product and just had to share it with the rest of Eventing Nation.

This is NeverWet. Basically, it’s a spray-on product that you can spray on literally any surface to protect it from the elements. Think iPhones; white shoes; and, in our case, white breeches, watch faces, glasses — you name it, you can spray it. And the best part about it? It actually works. I’ve watched several demonstrations of this product, and the demonstrators will literally pour barbecue sauce onto a sprayed surface and it just falls right off. It’s incredible.

I know what you’re thinking: Can I spray this on my gray horse to prevent those unsightly and unavoidable grass and other unmentionable stains? While I’m not sure that I would recommend spraying this onto animal or human skin, the benefits of using this to protect our show clothes are immeasurable.

Check out the video of NeverWet being demonstrated below; seeing is believing!