Don't worry — this horse was saved! Photo via Colorado Flood Relief's Facebook page.
As everyone is aware at this point, Colorado has been suffering through some of the worst flood damage on record when the state received well over their yearly rain allotment in a few short days, resulting in massive floods affecting hundreds of humans as well as livestock. We’ve had reports from eventers in areas that are completely underwater — and now awaiting a plague of locusts — as well as testimonies from equestrians who haven’t fared as badly.
Now, the USEF has set up an Equine Disaster Fund in order to help the horse owners in the flooded areas who have been devastated by the damage of the water. Thousands of horses are stranded across the 4,500 square miles of ruined terrain. Many horse owners and farms have a great need for hay and feed for the horses that they have rescued thus far, and this must be air lifted in to them.
From the USEF:
Having originated during the aftermath of Hurricanes Rita and Katrina, the USEF Equine Disaster Relief Fund was formed to help ensure the safety and well-being of horses during trying times. Money donated to the USEF Equine Disaster Relief Fund is used to prepare for disasters and assists equids of any breed who are victims of disasters including but not restricted to hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, blizzards and fires.
Money donated to the fund is held by the USEF in an account restricted for this purpose. “It is important to understand this fund is a dollar in and a dollar out,” says USEF Chief Executive Officer John Long. “Nothing is withheld.” Any donation to the USEF Equine Disaster Relief Fund is a timely and efficient benefit for horses and horse owners.
Donations can be made to the Equine Disaster Relief Fund by visiting the USEF website. [Equine Disaster Relief Fund]
Win the War and I into the water. I have my game face on to scare away the water gremlin. Photo by the amazing Amy Dragoo.
Bug and I made the trek up to beautiful Unionville, Pa., for our first visit to the Plantation Field Horse Trials in 2008. I was excited for us to run our first CIC* together in prep for the full format CCI* at MidSouth later that fall. This was the last year that the CCI* full format counted in the FEI, and I was excited to be a part of history.
Bug and I put in one of our better dressage tests, and then he rocked around the cross-country course, adding only a handful of time penalties to our score. We were sitting in ninth going into show jumping. I was beyond elated. About an hour and a half after we completed cross country, Bug started acting funny. He had always been a super healthy horse with no issues, so I knew immediately that something was wrong. His vitals were all normal, so the vets didn’t believe that there was anything wrong, but I keep reiterating to them that I knew my horse very well and he was colicky.
Due to the strictness of the FEI rules, there was only so much we could do legally to treat him. Nothing seemed to work, so I decided to withdraw him to be able to give him the treatment he needed to help. I was praying that once we gave him Banamine, everything would be fine. Unfortunately, it didn’t end up that way.
That afternoon, Bug and I took the short drive from Plantation to New Bolton. Again, when I got there, the vets did not believe that he had anything major going on. They kept him there and sent me on my way with the hope that it was something medical, as they did not think he was a surgical case.
Bug through the keyhole. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Again, no such luck. After I left, his vitals started to change a bit, and the vets decided exploratory surgery was the answer. It turns out that Bug had a displacement of his colon. It was as minor as colic surgery can be, but without the surgery, he would not have made it. The vets complimented me over and over for knowing my horse so well and ignoring what everyone else was telling me.
My first weekend at Plantation was one of the most traumatic experiences of my life. After this experience, I had been avoiding Plantation like the plague. I do not tend to be a superstitious person, but I found it very hard to take Bug back there. Finally, this year, I decided enough was enough, and I was going back. I am very glad that I did!
Though there was controversy surrounding the cross country on the CIC3*, I thought the rest of the event was pretty super. I couldn’t believe how much it had changed since I had been there five years ago — what a gorgeous venue and well-run event.
Bug and I did not put in our best dressage test. There was nothing horrendous about it; it just wasn’t up to par. I left a lot of points on the table that I could easily have picked up, which was very frustrating to me. However, I quickly forgot about Friday when Saturday morning rolled around. I had come to take back my missing jumping mojo.
Marc Donovan always designs very influential show jumping courses. One really has to ride forward in good balance to get them done. I walked the course and I had a plan. I had my game face on, and I was ready to “Win the War”!
Bug and I jumped around double clear to a round of applause. The course felt amazing. Bug was jumping great, and I was on top of the world. We ended up being one of 12 double clears in the 51 horse division. It felt so great to have so many people come up and compliment us on our round, as I have been working so hard at home to put all of the pieces together.
Going into Sunday, I knew that I had to ride forward to the fences, and I was determined to shoot for the time. I was going to take my game face from yesterday along for the ride. Bug flew around that course like it was child’s play. He answered each question with ease, and I just kept kicking.
I had an idea that people were having issues at the water. I decided that once I was on my line in, I was just going to keep Bug in front of my leg, but let him sort out how to drop in. He sailed through the whole thing with no problem. We ended up going clear and only six seconds over the time. I was elated. In fact, I am still having problems wiping the silly grin off my face when I start thinking of our jump rounds this past weekend.
We ended up finishing 18th out of 51 in the divison, moving up from 45th after dressage. I am pretty proud of a top-20 finish in such a competitive CIC3*. This horse of mine is truly a phenomenon. I must also say that I am pretty proud of myself for putting on my big girl britches and riding like I know I can.
The newest in the "Forget the Battle, Win the War" line of fundraising T-shirts. Order through the end of September!
Also, for those that have been looking for more Win the War wear, I am selling a new long sleeved T-shirt this fall to help support all of Bug’s upkeep for the competition season. If you are interested in ordering, you can do so with PayPal here on my site. I am taking orders through the end of September. I would love to see Bug fans in his shirts scattered around Fair Hill this year! We will be working hard between now and Fair Hill. Bring on the CCI3*.
The USEA has arrived! Photo courtesy of the USEA Facebook.
Alright everyone, the countdown is almost over: ONE MORE DAY until competition kicks off at the Texas Rose Horse Park for this year’s American Eventing Championships. If you missed Sally’s excellent preview post titled “Top 10 Reasons to Get Pumped for AECs” make sure to check it out to find out about all the cool things that will be happening this week (besides the competition, which we already know will be fierce). One cool perk that bears repeating is that AEC (and EN!) sponsor FLAIR will be handing out free nasal strips in each competitor packet this weekend. The USEA has put together a great resource webpage that has all things AEC in one place, and make sure to keep checking EN for the latest reports and competition updates. Go (American) eventing.
Calling all Area II eventers: Morven Park needs more volunteers to jump judge at its October 5-6 event. This is a huge event that is the traditional final run before Fair Hill International for many pairs, and most of the East Coast’s top riders have already entered. Volunteer and snag a front row seat for the intense competition! [Morven Park]
There has been a schedule change for the October 5-6 Roebke’s Run Horse Trials. Originally it had been posted that all dressage would run on Friday, however now only CIC1* dressage will run on Friday afternoon. All other competitors will now do dressage on Saturday. In addition, the organizer has waived late fees and will accept entries until Monday, September 30. [Roebke’s Run]
William Fox-Pitt is backing Jock Paget to win the Rolex Grand Slam after Paget’s Burghley victory. According to Yahoo Sport, Fox-Pitt said “He needs to enjoy the moment. It doesn’t happen for many riders but he has brought that horse on so well and I take my hat off to him.” Paget is the first rider to win Burghley and Badminton in the same year on the same horse in 24 years. [Yahoo Sport UK]
Daniel Stewart’s sports psychology tip of the month: Get comfortable outside your comfort zone. Daniel notes that our greatest learning opportunities may lie outside of what we feel comfortable with, and we should embrace the feeling of moving outside what we are familiar with. Mistakes will happen, but they should be seen as learning opportunities. Click to read his full explanation. [US Eventing]
The Supreme Court in Connecticut will soon issue a ruling declaring whether or not horses are a “naturally vicious” species. A lower court found that horses are naturally dangerous, and the case is now on appeal to the highest state authority. The appeal stems from a 2006 case that arose after a horse at a farm bit a young child on the cheek. If the “naturally vicious” opinion is upheld, there could be serious consequences for the state’s horse industry and on the ability of equine owners to procure insurance. [Horsetalk]
This week on the Eventing Radio Show: Boyd and Sinead join Samantha and Jess for a Plantation Field wrap-up. In addition Jess weighs in on Clark’s exciting win with Universe in the Advanced division in Allerton last weekend. The pair is gearing up for the Pau CCI4* later this fall. [Eventing Radio Show]
Today on the SmartPak Blog: A multivitamin makeover. One of SmartPak’s signature supplements, SmartVites, has been completely revamped and released in four different formulas better tailored to individual horses. Click to read more about the supplement’s content and new makeup. [SmartPak Blog]
Bonus AEC Fun: Remember Elisa Wallace’s amazing freestyle performance with her mustang Fledge which won them the grand prize at last year’s Extreme Mustang Makeover? AEC attendees will have the chance to see her perform a new freestyle with her new mustang partner, Rune, on Thursday evening. And as if that isn’t enough, Elisa will also be riding Corteo and Ultimate Decision in the actual competition this weekend. Check out a preview of her freestyle below.
Allison Springer and Copycat Chloe. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Hot on the heels of the USEF’s announcement of the US team for Boekelo, the fall Land Rover travel grants have also been announced. The fall travel grants will send the recipients to either the Fair Hill International CCI*** or the Galway Downs International CCI***. The following pairs have been awarded the Land Rover Competition Grants:
Fair Hill International CCI***
Katherine Groesbeck and her own 16 year old Anglo-Arab, Oz the Tin Man
Ellen Doughty and her own 11 year old Holsteiner-Thoroughbred, Sir Oberon
Galway Downs International CCI***
Buck Davidson and Sharon Will’s 10 year old Oldenburg, Absolute Liberty, or Sergio Rios and Caroline Martin’s 11 year old Thoroughbred, Petite Flower
Allison Springer and the Copycat Chloe Syndicate LLC’s 10 year old Trakehner-Thoroughbred, Copycat Chloe
Lauren Kieffer and Veronica at Richland. Photo by Jenni Autry
The USEF has named four combinations to represent the U.S. in FEI Nations Cup competition at the Military Boekelo CCIO3*, October 10-13, 2013 in Boekelo, The Netherlands.
The following horse-and-rider combinations have been awarded Land Rover Competition Grants to compete at the Military Boekelo CCIO3*:
Elizabeth Halliday-Sharp (East Sussex, United Kingdom) on her own Fernhill By Night or HHS Cooley Fernhill By Night is a 2003 Irish Sport Horse gelding HHS Cooley is a 2004 Irish Sport Horse gelding
Lauren Kieffer (Middleburg, VA) on Team Rebecca, LLC’s Veronica Veronica is 2002 Dutch Warmblood mare
Marilyn Little (Frederick, Maryland) on Team Tabasco’s RF Tabasco RF Tabasco is a 2000 Trakehner gelding
Boyd Martin (Cochranville, Pennsylvania) on Trading Aces, LLC’s Trading Aces Trading Aces is a 2004 Irish Sport Horse gelding
The following horse-and-rider combinations have withdrawn from the Military Boekelo CCIO3*;
Will Coleman (Charlottesville, Virginia) and Four Star Eventing Group’s OBOS O’Reilly
Buck Davidson (Ocala, Florida) and Debbie Adams’ DA Adirmo
Caitlin Silliman (Chestertown, Maryland) and her own Catch A Star
Learn more about the Military Boekelo CCIO3* here.
Ryan Wood was kind enough to send in a blog about his weekend at Plantation Field, where he rode three horses in the CIC2* and two of his youngsters in the CIC*. He also shares his thoughts on the controversial CIC3* water complex at the bottom of the post. Many thanks to Ryan for writing, and Go Woodstock Eventing!
Woodstock Bennett. Photo by Lisa Thomas.
From Ryan:
Once again Plantation Field International put on a spectacular show this past weekend, being graciously hosted by our friends Katie and Cuyler Walker, who continue to set the bar with attracting fabulous sponsors, prizes and a record number of entrants. Woodstock had five horses competing this weekend, with three in the CIC2*, Frankie, Dday and Classic, and two in the CIC*, Wallaby and Bennett. All the horses rose to the occasion this weekend, scoring in the 40s in dressage and jumping like stars.
The CIC2* was a hotly contested division with a record number of 70 entries. Fernhill Classic, owned by the Fernhill Classic Syndicate, had his best dressage to date scoring a 44, and ultimately finishing in 15th, proving his competitiveness at the international level. Dday, owned by Curran and Margy Simpson, stepped back up to the CIC2* level, laying down a nice dressage test and cruising around the stadium and cross country very consistently to finish just in front of Classic in 14th place.
Frankie, owned by Steve and Karri Guy, continues to prove his reliability at the two-star level, jumping like a cat around cross country, where I allowed him to pick his pace and run without pressure, saving the accelerator for our next challenge at Fair Hill International. He finished 11th, wrapping up a very successful weekend in the CIC2*.
Our younger horses stepped up to their first run at the CIC* level and did not disappoint. Woodstock Wallaby, a 6-year-old Irish Sport Horse owned by Mark and Linda Ledray, scored an impressive 42 in dressage at his first one-star. He jumped around a very technical show jumping track designed by Marc Donovan before adding just a few time penalties to his cross country to finish 12th out of 56 competitors.
Woodstock Bennett, owned by Curran and Margy Simpson, stepped up to his first CIC* like a seasoned campaigner, finishing second on his dressage score of a 40.10, proving that at the age of 6, he has a real upper level future. The record number of entrants and increasing sponsor and spectator presence at Plantation is a reflection of the efforts of everyone involved. I want to thank again all of my owners, sponsors and team members who rallied to make this another great event for Team Woodstock.
I feel it’s necessary that I comment on the problems the CIC3* division experienced at the water complex, which eventually resulted in the removal of that question from the course. Twelve horses and/or riders fell in the CIC3*, which was over 25 percent of the starters on cross country. Something should have been done after the second fall; the hesitation to react was a failure on behalf of the ground jury and the technical delegate. The horses that fell at the water were punished for doing their job. The FEI Code of Conduct — “the welfare of the horse is paramount” — failed both the horses and riders in the 3* division.
Willie McCarthy and Ibella clear 6'1" to win the PRO Bareback Puissance. All photos by Jenni Autry.
The PRO Bareback Puissance has become a spectator favorite at Plantation Field, and you wouldn’t believe the number of people who crowded around the main arena to watch Tik Maynard, Willie McCarthy and Elizabeth Stewart take on the high-jump wall. While Tik and Elizabeth’s horses jumped well, it became clear that no one was going to catch Willie and Ibella, a stunning mare owned by Tim and Nina Gardner. The mare was absolutely jumping out of her skin, and she and Willie ultimately cleared 6’1″ to win the Puissance and take home $2,000 in prize money.
That sets a new height record in the PRO Bareback Puissance, as Caroline Martin and Quantum Solace cleared 5’10” last year to win. Willie also competed on the winning steeplechase jockey team in the Mechanical Bull Challenge on Friday night, and he took home a chunk of the $1,000 in prize money. I’d say Willie had quite a successful weekend! Many thanks to Samantha Lendl and PRO for putting on the Puissance and submitting this video. Go Plantation Field!
Willie McCarthy clinched the PRO Bareback Puissance last year with Ibella. Photo by Jenni Autry.
We’ve been lucky enough to enjoy some coverage of this past weekend’s event at Schenefeld due to the diligence of some Marilyn Little fans, and now thanks to the wonders and pure speed of media around the world, we get a closer look at some of the other competitors. Ingrid Klimke is unarguably one of the classiest riders in the world, and certainly one of my favorites. As a rider, she competes at Grand Prix Dressage, Grand Prix Show Jumping AND 4* Eventing, which is not something a lot of equestrians can say. Today we bring you not only her personal helmet cam (which is narrated by Ingrid and I can’t tell what she is saying but it’s good nonetheless!) but also a video with clips of her performances with Hale Bob in all three phases. Ingrid and Hale Bob finished in 3rd place!
Ingrid & Bob in all 3 phases:
Cross Country Helmet Cam:
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It’s Super Bowl AEC week! I hope you all have your tack trunks packed and your game face on, because it’s going to be a great week of eventing down in the great state of Texas. I will be on site bringing you all of the latest news this weekend, and I wish everyone the best of luck in their divisions. Here are just a few reasons why you should be (even more) pumped up for AECs.
1. Prizes, prizes and more prizes.
The USEA never fails to put on a great event, and the prize list this year is second to none. There is $90,000 in prize money up for grabs this weekend — definitely not a small chunk of change! Aside from that, there are some great prizes, such as custom portraits from Julie Lawther and gift certificates galore.
2. Plenty of big names will be on hand strutting their stuff.
The divisions are positively stacked with riders who I for one will have a hard time not stalking all weekend for autographs and photo ops with their various horses. Check out the entry list here for the latest entries.
3. Texas Rose Horse Park is a gorgeous facility that promises to host a great event this year.
I’ve been chowing down on as much information as I can get about the facilities, and it seems like the perfect place to hold a large scale event such as the AECs. The space is huge, there is plenty of stabling and the weather looks like it will be perfect.
4. EN will be running a Twitter contest for all of you who are in attendance this weekend.
More details are coming, but for those of you who have joined the dark side Twitterverse, this contest should be right up your alley. Get ready to practice those Instagram skills and look for more information coming soon.
5. The USEA is also running a great photo contest right now.
Send in a photo of the state signs that you pass as you make your trek to Texas and you will be entered to win some fantastic prizes plus get your photo on the USEA website.
I for one will never pass up an opportunity for a good party, and the competitor party at the AECs is no exception. The party will take place immediately following the Advanced awards ceremony on Saturday. One ticket is included with each entry, and additional tickets are available on site.
7. Are you competing your OTTB this weekend?
The Thoroughbred Incentive Program is supporting the AECs with more prizes for all Jockey Club-registered Thoroughbreds competing. Make sure that your horse has his or her TIP number and then go for the gold.
You know what that means? Yep, you guessed it — a free FLAIR strip in your competitor welcome bag. Don’t mind me if you see me sporting one this weekend; I feel the need the fit in, so since I will be horseless I can at least represent FLAIR in my own way.
9. What else is there to do in Tyler, Texas anyway?
Well, good thing you checked EN first. Not that you will want to tear yourself away from the eventing action, but in case you do, here is a handy list of some area attractions that Tyler has to offer.
10. Last but certainly not least — have FUN!
This may be one of the biggest events in the country, but let’s face it, at the end of the day the AECs are a chance for everyone to show what they’ve worked so hard for this year. For all of you competing, be very proud of yourselves. And for those of you who will be following along with the action at home, help us cheer on our eventing family as they show off their best moves all weekend.
Much has been said over the last couple days about the now infamous water complex at Plantation Field. To me, a well run competition is built with the welfare of the horse and the general well-being of the competitor in mind. I like the stabling to be organized nicely, with water and trailers convenient to the location. I want the warm up to be good footing, but more importantly I likethe warm up to be on the same footing as the competition ring. And we all have our favorite cross country course designers, and each of those individuals have their own style, but I do enjoy when an event listens and responds to rider concerns about questions on course.
After competing for several years at various different levels, I consider myself quite well versed in the ways of the official USEA competition. I’m also lucky enough to compete on the East Coast, which has some of the most prestigious and well heeled events in North America, and I’ve been to almost all of them as a competitor, and the rest as a groom or spectator in the very least. Each location has its own benefits and drawbacks, and there is no perfect competition that pleases every last rider with all of the factors.
The controversial CIC3* jump at Plantation
The controversy surrounding the CIC3* water jump made me realize there’s a need to shuttle concerns and questions into a positive place of influence. Obviously, we all have our unique needs and desires when attending a competition. Inevitably, there are grumblings about this or that after an event has concluded, but what of it? Amongst the riders, there might be a general consensus that the food was terrible, the barn aisles were 3 feet wide, and the course design made absolutely no sense at all, but the organizers may not hear these voices.
Enter the Event Evaluation Form from the USEA. This is literally a five-minute process that can greatly enhance both your experience at a competition and the potential for positive change in your greater area. If you have experienced either negative or positive aspects of an event, fill one out! No, this is not a tool to bring all your gripes and pains about how your horse didn’t do well in the dressage because the judge has a personal issue with you, but it is a place to list constructive criticism and thoughtful praise. The form asks about each of the phases, including the course design. You can say it all. [USEA Event Evaluation Form]
Not only is this extraordinarily easy, but you don’t even have to be a rider to send a form in to the USEA. There is a need for perspectives of grooms, spectators, horse owners and even volunteers. So next time you have a concern, dissatisfaction or especially an admiration for a job well done, take a moment to fill out an Event Evaluation Form and spur some positive change for the future.
