Classic Eventing Nation

Gemma Stevens and Jalapeno’s Long Road to Badminton

By on Jun 14, 2023 1:30 pm -

Gemma Stevens and Jalapeño. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

Many people know of Gemma Stevens’ most recent accomplishment, finishing in sixth place with her powerhouse mare, Jalapeno, at Badminton this spring.

Few know of the long, long road that she took to get there.

In 2019, Jalapeno, Christopher Stone’s mare, by 5*-winning stallion Chilli Morning out of a mare by Shaab, suffered an injury to her tendon at Pau. “Unfortunately, she had a really quite serious injury to her tendon,” Gemma said. “To the point where we weren’t sure, to be totally honest with you, whether she would be able to come back to eventing again.”

Jalapeno, barn name “Jala,” has beaten the odds not once, not twice, but many many times as Gemma has slowly and carefully nursed her back to health and back to winning status at the CCI5* level. After Jala’s 2019 tendon injury, Gemma took full advantage of the break COVID provided to really bring her beloved mare back slowly and carefully. Jala got an entire year, plus another winter, off before Gemma brought her back into work.

And then, with the type of luck that seems to plague horses everywhere, Jala fractured her splint bone in 2021.

“She came in the following year, and then unfortunately she managed to bash her leg, her other front leg, and fractured her splint bone,” Gemma said. “We were actually at a Nations Cup at the time and I had worked her on the flat the day before and she was beautiful, going so well and it felt amazing. And then my poor groom got her out in the morning and she was limping, and she’d fractured her splint bone in the stall overnight.”

After coming back into work at the end of 2021, Gemma and Jala competed in the Blenheim CCI4*-L and finished on her dressage score of 28.7, which earned them fourth place. After a wonderful performance at Blenheim, Gemma decided to play it safe and aim for Luhmühlen in 2022 instead of Badminton, as the venue’s track would place far less strain on Jala. Jala, apparently, had other plans.

“About four weeks before Luhmühlen, she was getting pretty fit. She’d gone really well. We’d just had a prep run and all of that,” Gemma said. “And then my groom found her in the middle of the night in her stall, laid out on her back. Jala had actually split her spleen and her spleen was bleeding. Luckily, my groom found her and basically put her in the lorry and drove her straight to the emergency hospital and they saved her life.”

So, all competition plans were put on hold, while Jala recovered from her near-death experience. For the rest of the 2022 competition season, Gemma decided to let Jala plan her own season. “So now in 2022, we thought okay, we’ll go back to Blenheim instead of Luhmühlen because we know you like Blenheim,” Gemma said, laughing. “We’ll do that again. And we know you don’t need too much stress and prep to get to Blenheim and we know we can manage you for that. We know it’s very within your capability.”

Gemma Stevens and Jalapeno. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Gemma’s plan worked. While Jala had one rail on the last day that dropped her from second place to seventh, she came out of the competition stronger than ever before. “She came out of Blenheim bouncing. And when I say bouncing, she went out in the field and she ran around, rolled, and stood up and kicked out her front legs and she was so happy.”

Because Jala came out of Blenheim with flying colors, Gemma set her sights on Badminton in 2023. However, she didn’t take a single thing for granted due to the mare’s complicated history. She started preparing for the event extremely early and thoroughly. No detail was missed.

Starting in December, Gemma started preparing Jala for Badminton in May. “She did a whole month of strengthening work, hacking and gentle lunging and schooling. Then we started fitness work in the middle of January,” Gemma said. “So she had actually done six weeks of prep work before we started any sort of fitness work, if that makes sense. From there on, she galloped once a week and she swam in a pool once a week, since the middle of January. She also did two water treadmills per week. She pretty much didn’t miss a beat.”

While Jala was excellent for her prep work, the weather was not. Due to the extremely rainy English spring, Gemma was not able to ride in nearly as many events as she had hoped. “We didn’t get to do an Intermediate run at all. We didn’t get to just have a nice canter around an Open Intermediate to get your eye in. Then we had every intention of running her in the four-star Short at Thoresby. But I just felt that it was too risky for her,” Gemma said. Indeed, the weather at Thoresby had plenty of other plans, prompting multiple other pairs to pull out of what would have been their sole major prep for a spring 5*.

Because they missed all of their Intermediate opportunities, Gemma said she had to get her “brave pants” on and go straight to the CCI4*-S at Burnham Market. Luckily, despite the shortened spring season, Gemma and Jala had a wonderful run at Burnham Market. “We had a really good run there and she felt really fit, really up for it, and really focused.”

Gemma had Jala’s leg scanned after their run at Burnham Market, even though the horse looked spectacular. The scan showed no problems, leaving Jala clear for the homestretch to Badminton. Wanting to avoid any additional pounding on Jala’s legs, Gemma opted to gallop her as little as possible in the last three weeks before Badminton. “She doesn’t mind the gallops, but she’s not in love with it,” Gemma said. “Instead of pounding up the gallops, we took her for nice long hacks and did lots of trotting up hills and fun stuff that she enjoys doing.”

Gemma Stevens and Jalapeño. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

Gemma also wanted to avoid overdoing it on the flat. “She’s beautiful on the flat and I didn’t want to overdo that too much. So instead of putting on a dressage saddle and doing flatwork, I put on a jump saddle and I’d have some poles and stuff up in the school and we just do loads of nice stretching and pole work.”

As Gemma explains it, the last thing she wanted to do was to make Jala’s body sore. So, instead of trying to cram in more fitness work, she focused on keeping Jala happy and keeping her body relaxed and strong. At the same time, Jala was also receiving top notch day-to-day management and was certainly keeping her groom, Charlotte Overton, busy. “At home she gets iced in the morning after going on the walker, and always after work, and then again in the evening,” Gemma said. “So at a minimum she gets it three times a day.”

Wanting to disrupt the sensitive mare’s routine as little as possible, Gemma maintained the same icing schedule for Jala during Badminton itself. Each day of the competition, Jala was iced at least four times. She also spent a significant amount of time walking around and using a magnetic rug. Gemma also had a “fantastic” physio, Sam Daplyn, come to work on Jala every day.

In terms of her riding schedule during the event, Gemma was quite brave. She got on Jala a mere 15 minutes before it was her time to ride on cross country day. “I’m not going to lie — I only got on her 15 minutes before my time,” Gemma remembers. “She actually had a really, really, good walk. She was kept out of her stall and then she got tacked up and walked in hand, like marching-walking, for 15 minutes. Then I got on her literally 15 minutes before my time and I jumped two jumps just to kind of remind me and then off we went.”

Throughout the entire event, Gemma’s priority was to keep Jala “fresh and happy.” Her approach paid off. Not only did Jalapeno come in sixth place, but she and Gemma broke their personal record to get their best dressage score yet, and Jala was also the highest-placed mare at the event.

Gemma said that her and Jala’s achievements at Badminton have inspired her to “crack on and carry on.” “It was just the best feeling and then to actually then go on and compete the way that she did so confidently, and so soundly was amazing,” Gemma said. “She’s amazing. The scans are amazing. She looks fantastic. Honestly, the sense of achievement was through the roof.”

When asked if mares required a different approach to success than geldings, Gemma had a humorous take on what mares need to succeed. “She’s a gritty, gutsy mare. And she’s really got her own mind,” Gemma said. “I think mares do get a little bit pissed off with kind of galloping constantly. Whereas with a gelding, you can kind of say, ‘Come on, you’ve got to put your back into it a bit,’ and they say, ‘oh, okay.’ I think with a mare that if you do that, you just piss them off. I absolutely love my girls, but you do have to find ways of getting them fit without making them unhappy. So I think doing different things with them, like swimming and hacking, is so important to keep them sweet and happy.”

Gemma Stevens and Jalapeno. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Gemma’s dedication to Jala is really the epitome of what this sport is about. At the end of the day, the best horse(wo)men put their horse’s health and happiness first. Gemma’s dedication to keeping Jala healthy and happy, at the expense of opportunities to win and compete, not to mention the financial expense, is the only reason that this powerhouse mare is back to eventing and winning.

“If we get her to a big show in one piece and feeling good, the horse is going to be right up there every time because she’s so consistent and she’s got such a good brain,” she elaborated.

Gemma also notes that she could not have gotten Jala to Badminton successfully on her own. “I’m so thankful for my whole team, from my other girls at home who work endlessly to support me and then my home vet Ed Lysall, farrier Jim Cooper, and my home osteopath Liz Oakenfold,” Gemma said. “Without all these people taking such good care of Jala we would never have accomplished what we have. It takes a village!”

For a horse that was never supposed to event again, Jala is looking pretty good out there.

This article was sponsored by Achieve Equine, creator of FLAIR Strips. Gemma and Jala’s journey to Badminton embodies Achieve Equine’s slogan, “It’s All About the Horse.” Gemma has had personal experience using FLAIR Strips, and uses them in both show jumping and cross country. “When she gets tense, she actually makes a little bit of a noise,” Gemma said. “We have had her looked at and she has had a little bit of a little wind operation, but I find that when she’s got the FLAIR strips on, she actually stays relaxed and doesn’t make any noise.”

Learn more about FLAIR strips here.

Three Held; ‘Auf Wiedersehen’ to One Competitor in the Luhmühlen First Horse Inspection

By on Jun 14, 2023 1:30 pm -

Pippa Funnell and British team Performance Manager Dickie Waygood. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Welcome to sunny Lower Saxony, in the north of Germany, where an exceptional batch of horses and riders representing twelve nations — and featuring three previous CCI5* winners in Felix Vogg and Colero (here, last year), Pippa Funnell and MGH Grafton Street (Burghley, 2019), and Laura Collett and London 52 (Pau 2020 and Badminton 2022) — have convened to do battle at the Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials, featuring the fourth five-star of the 2023 season. It all began this afternoon in the shadow of the capacious main arena grandstand when the 41 entrants came forward for the first horse inspection in front of the ground jury, and also a very large pizza vendor.

This week, that ground jury — though not the pizza vendor, alas — is helmed by President Nick Burton of Great Britain, ably assisted by Joachim Dimmek of Germany, who’ll be sitting at M for the dressage tests, and Dr. Katrin Eichinger-Kniely of Austria, who’ll be based at E.

Nicolai Aldinger and Timmo. Photo by Alex Jeffery.

Three horses were sent to the holding box through the course of proceedings, and one of them came very early on indeed: with three horses entered this week, including his Badminton ride Swallow Springs, Oliver Townend was the pathfinder for the trot-up, as he will be on Saturday’s cross-country course. Two of his three horses sailed through without a hitch — Swallow Springs and the exciting five-star debutant, Cooley Rosalent — but with the established Tregilder, he was first asked to trot again, and then sent for further examination. The same thing happened to France’s Florian Ganneval and Blue Bird de Beaufour, who will be contesting their third five-star this week — and while both horses were ultimately accepted into the competition upon re-presentation, it wasn’t to be the same story for Germany’s Nicolai Aldinger, who opted instead to withdraw his five-star debutant Timmo from the holding box.

Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

That means our list of starters is now down to 40, and we’ll see the first twenty of those take to the main arena tomorrow afternoon from 13.45 p.m. local time — that’s 12.45 p.m. British time, or 7.45 a.m. Eastern time. Our first to go — after the guinea pig test, which will be performed by Germany’s Malin Hansen-Hotopp and her reigning Blenheim CCI4*-L champion Carlitos Quidditch K — will be Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent. He’ll be followed into the ring by Boyd Martin on the first of his own three rides, Tokyo and Pratoni mount Tsetserleg (13:52 local/12:52 BST/7.52 a.m. EST), and Laura Collett will look to make an early bid for the lead as third in the ring with Dacapo (14:00/13:00/8:00 a.m.).

Kitty King and Vendredi Biats. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

It’s a stacked day of sport throughout the afternoon, with further highlights including last year’s Burghley dressage leaders Kitty King and Vendredi Biats (14:37/13:37/8:37 am), who’ve put two unlucky five-star trips behind them and will be looking to make the third a charm; US partnership Sydney Elliott and QC Diamantaire (14:30/13:30/8:30 a.m.), who are adding to their impressive roster of international trips this week; 2019 Burghley champs Pippa Funnell and MGH Grafton Street (15:15/14:15/9:15 a.m.); British-based US competitors in Katherine Coleman and RLE Limbo Kaiser (15:22/14:22/9:22 a.m.) and Hallie Coon and Global Ex (15:37/14:37/9:37 a.m.); and second rides apiece for Oliver Townend (he’ll ride Tregilder at 16:15/15:15/10:15 a.m.) and Boyd Martin (he’ll close out the day with a hotly-anticipated 5* debut for Annie Goodwin’s Fedarman B at 16:22/15:22/10:22 a.m.). Check out tomorrow’s five-star times in full at this link.

And that’s not all, folks: the day begins with the CCI4*-S, which will start at 9.30 a.m. local time (8.30 a.m. British/3.30 a.m. EST). You can find tomorrow’s starting order for this class here. 

Gireg Le Coz and Caramel d’Orchis. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Want to keep your eyes on the prize while the competition’s ongoing? Every minute of the action from both classes will be streamed via Horse & Country TV, and if you’ve been on the fence about committing to a streaming service, we’ve got a sneaky little deal for you: if you aren’t already an H&C+ subscriber, you can save 15% on an annual membership using code EVENTINGNATION15. The platform also has pay-monthly subscription options or one-off pay-per-view options if you just fancy tuning in for the week. Head over to our viewing guide for more info, and to keep tabs on the week’s timetable.

We’ll be bringing you full coverage from both the CCI4*-S, incorporating the German National Championships, which kicks off from 9.30 a.m. local time/8.30 a.m. BST/3.30 a.m. EST tomorrow, and the CCI5* — including deep-dives into the technical, academic cross-country course, designed once again by Mike Etherington-Smith. So fill your stein, manhandle your dinner sausages, and let’s Go Eventing – German style!

Longines Luhmühlen: [Website] [Entries] [Timing & Scoring] [How to Watch] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage] [EN’s Form Guide]

EN’s coverage of Longines Luhmühlen is brought to you by Kentucky Performance Products and Ocala Horse Properties.

Wednesday News & Notes from Ocala Horse Properties

By on Jun 14, 2023 12:01 am -
Happy Flag Day! Also International Bath Day… Boyd Martin (Olympian and ice-bath lover) will be one of the riders flying the flag for the USA in Luhmuhlen. Boyd with Tstetserleg TSF. Photo by Abby Powell. Happy Flag Day! Also International Bath Day… Boyd Martin (Olympian and ice-bath lover) will be one of the riders flying the flag for the USA in Luhmuhlen. Boyd with Tstetserleg TSF. Photo by Abby Powell.

It’s 5* time once more! We’re off to Germany this time to live it large in Luhmuhlen.

Flying the flag for the US in the 5* are Kentucky champion and World No. 5 Tamie Smith, who brings forward Solaguayre California, Bromont hat-tricker Boyd Martin (appropriately) has three rides – Fedarman B, Luke 140 and Tsetserleg TSF, and keep your eyes peeled for Katherine Coleman (RLE Limbo Kaiser), Hallie Coon (Global Ex), Sydney Elliott (QC Diamantaire), and Matthew Flynn (Wizzerd).

In the 4* Dan Kreitl comes forward with Carmango and Hallie Coon rides Cute Girl.

There’s a healthy British interest in the 5* with World Champion Yasmin Ingham bringing Rehy DJ, Badminton 2022 winner Laura Collett comes forward with two rides – London 52 and Decapo, and Pippa Funnell will be flying high after her win in the Bramham 4*-L at the weekend – she brings MGH Grafton Street. They’re joined by David Doel (Ferro Point), Tom Jackson (Farndon), Fiona Kashel (Creevagh Silver de Haar), Emily King (Valmy Biats), Kitty King (Vendredi Biats), Harry Meade (Tenereze), Imogen Murray (Roheryn Ruby), Will Rawlin (The Partner), Kyle Roddy (Carden Earl Grey), Izzy Taylor (Happy Days and Monkeying Around), and Oliver Townend (Swallow Springs, Cooley Rosalent and Tregilder).

We’ll also get to see World No. 1 Tim Price coming forward with Happy Boy for New Zealand and 2022 winner Felix Vogg with Colero for Switzerland.

Read all about all of the 5* horses and riders in EN’s form guide – coming soon!

In the 4* (which is also used as the German National Championship) we have German superstar Ingrid Klimke with EQUISTRO’s Siena Just Do It, reigning Olympic champion Julia Krajewski with Nickel and Ero de Cantraie, and Britain’s Mollie Summerland with Charly van ter Heiden.

The 5* action trots off today (Wednesday) with the Horse Inspection at 4pm local time (that’s 10am EDT / 3pm BST). Then we have two days of dressage (Thursday and Friday) with the first horses up the center line at 1:30pm (7:30am EDT / 12:30pm BST). Saturday – yay! – is cross country day, when competitors will get the chance to take on the Mike Etherington-Smith (assisted by Kai-Steffen Meier) track. The galloping gets going at 9am (3am EDT / 8am BST). Sunday’s Horse Inspection begins at 8am (2am EDT / 7am BST), followed by the show jumping at 10am (4am EDT / 9am BST).

And then we’ll know who’s joining Shane Rose (Adelaide), Tamie Smith (Kentucky) and Ros Canter (Badminton) as 2023 5* winners!

You can follow along with the live stream on H&C+ with a subscription or a one-time viewing pass. If you choose to purchase an annual H&C+ subscription, you can save 15% if you use the code EVENTINGNATION15. And if you just can’t wait ‘til Saturday to see the cross country course, you can check out the route and fences here. We’ll be bringing you live updates of all three 5* phases, so keep it locked onto EN to read about all the action as it happens.

EN will have boots on the Luhmuhlen ground, where Tilly will be bringing us ALL the news from the event. Keep up with the EN coverage and follow @goeventing for all the 5* – and 4* – content you can handle.

Longines Luhmühlen: [Website] [Entries] [Timing & Scoring] [How to Watch] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage] []

Let’s go eventing in Luhmuhlen!

U.S. Weekend Preview

Aspen Farm H.T (Yelm, WA) [Website] [Volunteer] [Entries / Ride Times / Scoring]

Full Gallop Farm June H.T (Aiken, SC) [Website] [Volunteer]

Honey Run H.T. (Ann Arbor, MI) [Website] [Volunteer]

Horse Park of New Jersey H.T. I (Allentown, NJ) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]

Seneca Valley Pony Club H.T. (Poolesville, MD) [Website] [Entries] [Scoring]

Shepherd Ranch Pony Club H.T. I (Santa Ynez, CA) [Website] [Entries / Ride Times / Scoring]

Silverwood Farm Spring H.T. (Trevor, WI) [Website] [Ride Times] [Scoring]

Wednesday News and Reading

Got an opinion on the recommendations made by The Equine Ethics and Wellbeing Commission to the FEI? A survey has been launched to find out what those involved with horses think of the 24 proposed recommendations. It’s available in English, French and Spanish and is directed at anyone involved with horses. There are 10 questions covering topics such as horses in sport, how well the recommendations meet the needs of improving welfare in horse sport, and the responsibility we have to respect the horse “as a sentient creature capable of feeling both positive and negative emotions”. The survey is open until June 22nd. [Have Your Say]

Eventing power couple Tim and Jonelle Price are giving their first Eventing Masterclass together. They’ll give an insight into their training philosophy and show demonstrations across the levels – from young horses and riders to 5*. Tickets are available now and they’re also accepting applications for demo riders. [The Masters at Work]

A comprehensive look at bitting in relation to social license. Dr Robert Cook, Professor of Veterinary Surgery Emeritus at Tufts University in Massachusetts, argues that a change in equipment is necessary for the future of horse sport – in particular embracing a bit-free approach. [A Fair Bit About the Bit]

How much horsepower does a horse have? The term ’horsepower’ doesn’t actually have anything to do with horses – huh. It’s actually just a unit of measurement. The name comes from the time when horses were used for tasks which vehicles later took on – think plowing and the like. This blog post is full of fun facts like how much horsepower a horse has (hint – it’s not one horse = one horsepower), how much more powerful horses are than humans (a lot), and which vehicle has the most horsepower (FYI it’s not a horse trailer). [The Power of the Horse]

If there was a race between a human and a horse, who would win? We don’t have to surmise, or hypothesize, do complicated calculations or guess, thanks to the annual Man V Horse race which happened last weekend in Wales. A bunch of runners took on some horses in a 22.5 mile race across the mountainous Welsh terrain, and for the second year running, the result was somewhat of a surprise. [Who’s Your Money On?]

Eventing legend Mary King has swapped four legs for two wheels and completed an epic journey. She’s been cycling from John O’Groats at the very top of the UK to Land’s End at the very bottom – 874 miles in total! I feel for her bottom – equestrian saddles are MUCH more comfy than bicycle ones! She’s been raising money for her local dementia charity along the way – what a truly impressive woman she is! (But we already knew that, didn’t we?) [Read about Mary’s adventures on her Facebook page]

Sponsor Corner

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The main courtyard barn has 20 matted, Loddon stalls and provides a comfortable, peaceful environment for your horses. Thoughtfully laid out 10 bedroom staff housing including a separate manager’s apartment. Horse amenities include: a 60′ covered walker, a 150’x250′ Bermuda mix grass jumping field and a 120’x270′ sand arena with exceptional drainage.

Offered for sale for the first time, you could have a farm of your very own just 2/10ths of a mile from the PBIEC showgrounds.

See more here.

Video Break

Get pumped for Luhmühlen with this promo video:

Tuesday Video: #GoAlGo Takes on Novice

By on Jun 13, 2023 4:00 pm -

 

#GoAlGo demonstrating that some experiences are worth far more than prize money, accolades or neck ribbons. After a seven year hiatus from eventing, Al had a last minute entry in the Open Novice division at Middleburg HT where he scored a 26.4 in the flat adding nothing to that score for the jumping phases to finish 🥈 (behind another impressive OTTB). Felt like only yesterday we were cantering down the centerline at Kentucky❤️❤️❤️ #GoAlGoforever

Posted by Lainey Ashker on Sunday, June 11, 2023

It’s been a few years since we last saw Laine Ashker’s well-known 5* OTTB, Anthony Patch, out competing. After retiring “Al” from top competition in 2017, Laine has generously given the reins over to students in the intervening years for lessons. At 24 years young, Anthony Patch loves to be ridden still and has remained in work in Laine’s program to keep him healthy and happy.

After Laine had to pull out of the Novice competition at Middleburg H.T. over the weekend, she found herself looking for a sub. With some encouragement from mom Val, Laine decided that Al would come out of retirement for a special engagement only: a fun romp around a horse trial for the first time in nearly six years!

Laine and Al finished second in their Novice division, but seeing Al relish the sport once more was worth more than any ribbon. We’ll be waiting for the cross country GoPro!

5 Affordable Schooling Events to Attend This Summer

By on Jun 13, 2023 1:30 pm -

This article is brought to you with support from Blue Horse Entries.

Boyd Martin and Laura Healy. Photo courtesy of Laura Healy.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I’m frugal to a fault. Paying for things like horse shows and clinics makes me gulp. That being said, I still want to get out and have fun with my (very) green OTTB/dragon. Schooling trials and mini horse trials are perfect for me, because they’re low cost, there’s usually an emphasis on fun, and it’s a great way to get more miles on my Thoroughbred and build my own confidence in a low pressure atmosphere.

I scrolled through the Blue Horse Entries website to find five affordable horse trials all over the country, plus one more expensive, but very exciting, clinic. If one of these shows is local to you, consider adding it to your summer schedule for some low-cost fun with your horse.

Hitching Post Farm Schooling Trial 3: $120 – 140, Vermont

The Hitching Post Farm Schooling Trial is part of an unrecognized series in Royalton, Vermont. Presented by Hitching Post Farm, this horse trial is geared towards beginner eventers. Because everything is close together and the entire cross country course is visible, it’s a great event for parents with kids who are just starting to event. You’ll be able to see their entire ride without having to sprint around the entire cross country course! Available levels range from Starter to Training.

This one-day show takes place on Saturday, July 22nd. Registration opens on June 20th and closes on July 15th. If you do attend, let us know if the venue’s claim to have “the BEST food” around holds water!

Hackamore Farm Mini Trial: $75 – $85, Ohio

Ohio-ans! Is the Hackamore Farm Mini Trial in North Jackson, Ohio near you? This unique event has an interesting format that reminds me of the Eventing Academy hosted by Stable View. You can sign up to take your horse cross country schooling at the venue on the Thursday and Friday before the show. Then, when you compete, your green horse or rider will have already built some confidence with, or at least be familiar with, the cross country course.

As this is a low-key competition that’s designed to introduce young horses and new riders to eventing, available levels range from Intro to Novice. Take note of the “Very Green” level. Very Green riders will ride Intro Test B in the dressage phase.

The event takes place on July 2nd. Registration is currently open, but you may want to hurry to sign up– doors close on June 14th.

Flying Cross Farm July Mini Trial I&II: $75 – $140, Kentucky

The Flying Cross Farm July Mini Trial really gives you the most bang for your buck. Flying Cross Farm is actually hosting two separate horse shows in one weekend. You can choose to compete on either Saturday, Sunday, or both days. On either day, you can choose to compete in dressage only, event, or both.

This show is truly geared towards young eventers and green horses. They even have leadline classes available– I hope those parents bring their running shoes, because they’re really going to get their steps in. As a matter of fact, those leadliners owe their parents a big hug at the end of the day. Other levels available include grasshopper (ground poles only), baby starter (18” fences with a mix of logs and poles on cross country), starter, and beginner novice.

Attend the Flying Cross Farm July Mini Trial on July 1st and 2nd. Registration is currently open and closes on June 23rd.

Juniper Hill Stables Mini-Event Derby and Dressage Show: $30 – $75, Montana

The middle of the country doesn’t have a ton of opportunities to attend horse trials, so when I saw the Juniper Hill Stables Mini-Event Derby, I knew I had to include it in this list. Similar to the Flying Cross Farm Horse Trial, this event has two competitions going on in one weekend. Dressage-only riders can come ride three tests of their choice in the afternoons, while eventers will attend in the morning.

This show is particularly affordable for young riders, as formal attire is not required. The only stipulations are that helmets are required for all three phases and a protective vest must be worn on the cross country course. You’re in luck, you won’t have to invest in an expensive show coat just yet.

Available levels range from Intro to Modified for eventers, while dressage riders have the option to ride any USDF test of their choice. The event takes place on July 1st and registration is currently open. Doors close on June 26th.

Chagrin Valley Farms July Mini Trial: $25 – $85, Ohio

The Chagrin Valley Farms July Mini Trial lets you pick a phase to work on or go all-in and tackle all three phases in one day. You can sign up to compete in just the dressage phase, take on a combined training test, or event. Either way, there are plenty of schooling options available for both the show jumping and cross country phase on Friday from 12 to 6pm or on Saturday after the end of the competition.

Combined training and dressage-only riders have the option to sign up for Intro through Preliminary levels, while eventers can compete in Intro through Novice, including a Very Green class. The event takes place on July 22nd and 23rd. Keep in mind when you sign up that Intro, Very Green, and Starter Divisions run on Saturday, while Beginner Novice, Novice, Training CT, and Preliminary CT run on Sunday.

The event is currently open for entries; the last day to sign up without a late fee is July 11th.

Bonus Learning Opportunity for the West Coast: Boyd Martin XC Clinic, $350 – $700, California

Alright California, I have a very cool, but definitely not as affordable, opportunity for you. Boyd Martin is teaching a cross country clinic at RamTap in Fresno, California. Presented by Sunfire Equestrian, this clinic is open to ALL levels. Everyone is welcome, from Intro through Advanced.

The cost of the clinic includes lesson and facility fees. Stabling your horse at the venue is an additional $35 per night. If you’re looking for a more affordable way to learn from Boyd Martin, consider auditing! You can audit one or both days of the clinic starting at $50. The clinic is on June 26th and 27th, but there’s still time to sign up. Doors close on June 24th!

Between the Ears with Hannah Sue Hollberg

By on Jun 13, 2023 11:30 am -

It seems like these days we look at each other’s lives through the lens of a highlight reel. We get to see the incredible trips, the best jumps, and the moments that we’re proud enough of to put on social media. What we don’t talk about is how much pressure this adds to athletes on both ends of the news feed.

Riders, whether professional or not, are made to feel like they ‘have to’ post something that makes them look cool and successful. Then, as we consume this content, we are stuck with the disillusioned perception that the sport is easy and that if you’re not succeeding, then maybe you aren’t cut out for it. I would like to take this opportunity to go ‘between the ears’ of some of the riders that make up our Eventing Nation and work to understand some of the real challenges this industry presents.

To read more from the Between the Ears series, click here.

Hannah Sue Hollberg grew up on the back of a horse. Her mom had a lesson program in Kentucky, so as a young rider, she got exposed to anything and everything- from Polo to working at Churchill Downs and of course, eventing. When she was old enough, Hannah made her way to Karen and David O’Connor’s, where she was a working student and where she met her long-time sponsor, Ms. Jacqueline Mars.

Hannah has had an exciting career in eventing, including being a member of the 2011 Pan Am Gold Medal team, multiple trips overseas representing Team USA, plenty of 5* experiences, and a recent third place finish in the MARS Bromont CCI4*-L. Amidst the success, Hannah shares that there have been plenty of setbacks and challenges along the way. So let’s dig in and go between the ears.

Hannah Sue Hollberg and Harbour Pilot. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Can you tell me about a time in your career when your confidence was the lowest and how you navigated through it?

“I think sometimes you don’t even know you’ve lost your confidence until you’ve found it again. At least, that was the case for me. At one point, I had a couple of horses that really made me doubt my eye to a fence. I was finding a distance that I thought was right and I would commit to it and it wouldn’t work out, and I ended up having some pretty bad falls that way.

Despite that, I was still getting sent overseas and I kept making mistakes on cross country and I couldn’t figure out why. In hindsight, I know I lacked the knowledge and experience to make changes but at the time, I didn’t know what to do but to blame myself.

That starts to weigh on you, and so I ended up in about a six-year period where I just didn’t think I was any good at eventing, or at least cross country. I was just terrified, and not even terrified of falling, just terrified of making a mistake. So instead of focusing on the changes I needed to make to ride more productively, I was focusing on all the stuff that I could mess up. It wasn’t a very healthy mindset to be in.

When I started to realize that my confidence really was an issue, getting it back was a bit of a two-fold process. On the riding and training side of things, I needed to break the cycle of just making mistakes and being frustrated about them.

I started riding with my now husband, Matt Hollberg and he changed the way I viewed the process. Every problem I would run into, he would help me find the answer and every mistake had a reason and a way to improve it. He was so systematic and nonjudgemental about it, that I started to be less judgemental and more solutions-focused myself. I don’t think there was anything wrong with the programs that I was in, but sometimes when you’re stuck in a cycle like that, it just takes someone saying the same things in a different way to help you get through it.

Then on the other side of things, I started working with a mindset coach, Natalie Hummel. I’ve known her since we were kids living in Kentucky, but we had lost contact for a while. I started seeing some of her posts on Instagram, and I felt a strong pull to contact her. I fought the urge for over six months, but finally, I realized that I needed to reach out and I’m so glad I did.

I had my first meeting with her while I was at the AECs about three years ago, and I was sitting in a chair in the cross-country field while they were running the Advanced and we just started talking through some stuff. When the subject of my suspension came up, I started crying — like really crying. And all these people were walking by, but that was the very first step to healing my trauma of being suspended and starting to heal my brokenness and all these things that I had told myself about myself that weren’t true.

I’ve been working with her ever since and she comes to the big events with me and she has completely changed my life. I feel like I can train my horses better, I’m not so hard on myself and I’ve learned how to manage my mind productively. I’ve learned that having a run out on cross country doesn’t define who you are and it doesn’t have to affect your confidence in the way that it does when you feel as if everything (including your self-worth) is riding on the results of an event.

It’s crazy how it had changed the way I focus. For the longest time, I was so afraid of all my mistakes and I was just hoping that I wasn’t going to make them, and then I would end up making more mistakes because I couldn’t think about the things I was supposed to be doing. Now I have the mental freedom to think and react to what’s happening in the present moment, which has made a world of difference in my recent results. The mind is so strong, it’s such a huge player in sports and life and if you’re not on top of it, it does have the power to ruin your experiences.”

Hannah Sue Hollberg and Capitol HIM. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Have you ever experienced burnout? How did you overcome it?

“I love horses so much, and I don’t think I could find anything else that I would want to do, but at the same time, going through all the low points in my career, I was miserable. Sometimes I would be successful randomly, but there was so much negativity that I was putting on myself it was a real challenge. For me, getting over the burnout went hand in hand with rebuilding my confidence and recruiting the help of Matt and Natalie, and countless other members of my team who have helped pull me out of the slump.”

Hannah Sue Burnett and Harbour Pilot. Photo by Abby Powell.

How do you handle the loss of a partnership due to injury or retirement?

“I had a horse get injured this winter that I’ve worked so hard on and just got going well at the Advanced level. Luckily enough, I haven’t had an injury such as that in a while, so I almost forgot the sting of it. And it is disheartening because you put so much time and effort and thought into the constant care of these horses and there’s so much emotion that goes into it. And then you have to see your partner locked up in a stall because you don’t want them to get worse, and it’s just hard to see. I don’t have a ton of horses, and there’s no easy answer for dealing with injuries, but, you kind of have to just roll with the punches. When I’m upset, I let myself feel upset and then channel the energy that I would have put into that horse into something that I can improve on.

As far as retirement goes, I know I’m lucky that I got to retire William after a very full career. I knew before I ran him at Maryland that it would be his last event because he didn’t owe anything else to me- and he was sound and happy. It’s strange not having him at the shows after such a long career together but at the same time, it’s now a little bit like I’m starting over without the baggage of the experiences that I had with him.

I think for any of these kinds of setbacks, it’s important that I allow myself to feel how I feel and don’t judge myself for it. Then I try to focus on something positive and go from there. For a long time, I would classically bury all emotions but then I’d be heading to the start box at a huge event and all the negative emotions would creep up on me out of nowhere.”

Hannah Sue Burnett and Harbour Pilot. Photo by Shelby Allen.

What about advice for dealing with injuries yourself?

“It takes a long time for your mind to let go of the possibility of feeling and being hurt so you have to give yourself a lot of time. I’ve gotten hurt a few times and every time I’ve had to go through this process of healing my brain along with my body. So many people try to rush back into the saddle or back to their next event and I think that hurts them in the long run.

When you come back from injury and you feel hesitancy towards riding, it’s a completely normal response. That’s your brain trying to protect you. I had to learn to switch from trying to bottle those feelings up to kind of marveling at my mind instead of being judgemental of it. It’s OK to feel a little off or uncertain when you’re coming back from injury because it’s just your brain trying to keep you alive. So give yourself as much time as you need to get back to feeling good and do it progressively instead of just expecting to be right back to normal because that’s not realistic.”

Hannah Sue Burnett and Capitol HIM. Photo by Abby Powell.

What advice would you have for someone in the sport that’s currently facing adversity?

“I mean, I think we’re all facing adversity at all times in this sport. So this goes for everyone. You have to find a good team and surround yourself with people that understand you and allow you to make mistakes and are supportive.

If you feel like you can’t make mistakes or that you’re worried about making mistakes all the time, I think you need to change your team. It’s not easy to do, but I think in looking around at all the people that are successful around me, especially recently, we’re starting to figure out you’ll be more successful when you’re with someone who brings out the best in you. And it’s multiple people. You might have the best boyfriend in the world, but if he stresses you out during a high-pressure situation, maybe he shouldn’t be in the barns when you’re getting ready for cross country. If you have a groom or help with your horse they should be someone that you enjoy being around.

You have to respect each other completely and complement each other. And I think it’s important to realize that even if a team or a coach or an environment is awesome, it still might not be awesome for you — so you have to go out and find the right fit!”

Hannah is working towards the opportunity to represent Team USA this year at the Pan Ams, with her new mindset on board. Freeing up the focus from past mistakes to new opportunities.

I think the biggest lesson here is that you make mistakes, mistakes don’t make you. When you can separate who you are from how you do, be patient, nonjudgemental, and self-aware, you will grow at a much faster rate than if you get stuck in a loop of negativity and fear.

Dr. Tyler Held EdD CMPC is a professional groom and Certified Mental Performance Consultant. You may have seen her over the last few years working for International 5* Jennie Brannigan or listened to an episode of her podcast, The Whole Equestrian.

Tyler started riding in summer camp at the age of 5 and essentially never looked back. She obtained her Undergraduate degrees in Animal Science and Equine Business Management from the University of Findlay in 2014. During this time, she spent her summers doing her first working student job at an eventing barn and quickly became obsessed with the sport. After experiencing some mental blocks in her own riding, she decided to focus more on grooming and learning more about Sport Psychology. In 2017 she moved to Chester County, PA to work as a Vet Tech and groom for Dr. Kevin Keane, which opened a lot of doors in the eventing community.

Just as she finished her Master’s Degree in Sport and Performance Psychology, she took the reins at Brannigan Eventing as head groom. Now partially retired from grooming, Tyler is focusing on growing her consulting business, Thought Quest Mental Performance Solutions, and helping Equestrian athletes navigate the mental challenges that come with the sport.

Australian Eventing Team Announced for CHIO Aachen

By on Jun 13, 2023 9:00 am -

Bec Braitling and Caravaggio II. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Equestrian Australia is pleased to announce the Eventing Team for the CCIO4*-S competition to be held at Aachen CHIO, Germany from 30 June – 1 July 2023.

Congratulations to the team selected — and many congratulations to Paso Robles, CA-based Bec Braitling, who received her squad call up this week and will be heading over to Germany with “Ernie” this week!

  • Rebecca Braitling and Caravaggio (Owner: Arnell Sporthorses, Lauren Burnell)
  • Bill Levett and Sligo Candy Cane (Owner: Elizabeth Murdoch and Bill Levett. Groom: Lucy Whitehead)
  • Shenae Lowings and Bold Venture (Owner: Leanne Lowings, Mark Lowings and Shenae Lowings. Groom: Charlotte Andrews)
  • Kevin McNab and Miss Pepperpot (Owner: Rebecca Stones and Toby Duthie. Groom: Lucy Hartley)
  • Reserve Combination: Sarah Clark and LV Balou Jeanz (Owner: Colin Clark, Gill Clark, Linda Clark and Sarah Clark. Groom: Kirsten Poulsom)

Andrew Hoy and Cadet de Beliard, owned by Odaria and Shane Finemore and groomed by Clémentine Girardeau will contest the MERKUR CUP Jump & Drive on Saturday night. This class is a team relay combining jumping, eventing and driving competitions.

Full entries for CHIO Aachen will be coming soon, and competition will begin on June 30 with dressage and show jumping. You can find out more from Aachen here.

Tuesday News & Notes from Kentucky Performance Products

By on Jun 13, 2023 12:01 am -

Low quality pic of a high quality adventure embarking. Photo via Dan Kreitl on Facebook.

It’s time to start prepping once more for a CCI5* event, which this week takes place in Germany at Longines Luhmühlen. We’ll be following along with action from both the headlining CCI5* division, as well as a highly competitive CCI4*-S division, which is also used as the Germany National Championship.

Several U.S. riders feature on this year’s entry list across both divisions, including last year’s Dutta. Corp flight winner (a result of winning the USEF 4*-L National Championship at Tryon) Dan Kreitl with Kay Dixon’s Carmango. Dan and “Fritz” have been basing at Arville ahead of competing in the 4*-S division at Luhmühlen this week, and they began their trip to the show grounds yesterday.

All unpacked and settled for an exciting week in Luhmühlen!

Posted by Matt Flynn on Monday, June 12, 2023

We also have been keeping up with Tamie Smith, who is competing Julianne Guariglia’s Solaguayre California in her first 5* event this week, as well as Boyd Martin with three horses (Tsetserleg TSF, Luke 140, Fedarman B), Matt Flynn with Wizzard, Hallie Coon with two horses (Cute Girl in the 4*-S and Global Ex in the 5*), Katherine Coleman with RLE Limbo Kaiser and Sydney Elliott and QC Diamantaire in the 5* as they begin their respective travels.

Boyd Martin and Luke 140 with jump coach Peter Wylde, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and her daughter, Brianne. Photo via Boyd on Instagram.

You’ll be getting much more info from Luhmühlen from us in the coming days as Tilly Berendt will be our boots on the ground. We’ll be dropping our Form Guide to the 5* entries very soon, and we’ll also have live updates from cross country on Saturday. You can follow along live using Horse & Country — you will need a H&C+ subscription or a one-time viewing pass to watch this event. You can save 15% if you use code EVENTINGNATION15 to purchase an annual H&C+ subscription.

Events Opening Today

Millbrook H.T. (Millbrook, NY) — Don’t forget to send in your entry today for a chance to win your money back!

Tuesday News & Notes

Recently named to the Aussie squad for CHIO Aachen later this month, Bec Braitling has had herself a busy few weeks. She’s just finished up the first of this season’s USEA EA21 clinics, held at Holly Hill in Louisiana. [Read the clinic recap]

Buck Davidson has responded to a recent suspension following a positive drug text at LRK3DE. Buck describes the incident as a clerical error that he hopes will be rectified in due time; he has previously had a Temporary Use Exemption (TUE) for an unnamed medication prescribed to him since 2013. [The Chronicle of the Horse Reports]

Bahrain has been relieved of its FEI Endurance World Championship title after a tribunal decided a widespread anti-doping case. The case involved one specific horse and rider, who has also been given an 18-month suspension from competition. This results in France moving up to claim the team gold spot. [Read more]

15 new cases of vesicular stomachhitis have been reported in California, including one in LA county. Vesicular stomatitis is a viral disease of horses, donkeys, mules, cattle, swine and New World camelids that occurs in the Western Hemisphere. It is named for the characteristic vesicular lesions it causes in the form of blisters, crusts and ulceration of the lips, muzzle, nose, tongue, ears, sheath, teats and/or coronary band. The virus is transmitted by biting midges and therefore is seasonal. [Vesicular Stomatitis in California]

Sponsor Corner:

Kentucky Performance Products sticker

Kentucky Performance Products has come out with a brand new sticker for the summer! This horse is ready for a day at the beach 🏖 — get yours here and add to your collection!

#TrainingTipTuesday Video Break:

Some quick tips for leaving the start box primed for success, pulled from David Doel’s “Back to Basics” series on Horse & Country:

Monday Video: Millbrook Horse Trials Returns for 2023 + How You Can Win a Free Entry

By on Jun 12, 2023 3:32 pm -

We sorely missed New York’s Millbrook Horse Trials last year, but we are delighted to welcome them back to the calendar for 2023!

Frequently a fall season kick-off event for some of the East Coast’s top horses and riders, the Millbrook entry list is often chock full of upper-level riders beginning to prep their horses for some big things in a few month’s time. That makes it an extra exciting event to participate in and follow along with, but don’t go thinking that Millbrook is just for the big time pros, oh no!

Millbrook is the only Area I event that offers a full complement of levels from Beginner Novice through Advanced (excepting the Modified level) and lower-level competitors enjoy the same beautiful venue, courses, and a traditional three-day competition format. Simply put, Millbrook is for everyone! Enjoy these gorgeous videos produced by local Millbrook videographer Marion de Vogel to help get you extra excited for the event’s return.

Now speaking of entries … opening day is tomorrow, June 13th, and we all know there’s hardly anything that our beloved event organizers love more than than entries coming in sooner rather than later! The Millbrook organizers are showing their appreciation for early entries by reimbursing the entry fee of one lucky opening day entrant. Get that paperwork together and get those entries in tomorrow for a chance to win!

Best of Bramham: Social Roundup

By on Jun 12, 2023 2:30 pm -

In the next leg of our Monday procrastination efforts, we’re looking back at Bramham this past weekend, and wishing we were still spending the day enjoying some cross country action. I guess a good social roundup is a close second as we relive the event…