Classic Eventing Nation

Thursday News & Notes Presented by Stable View

By on Oct 6, 2022 12:03 am -

Adriaan Smeulders’ Ekow was feeling it yesterday. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Ah October, the month that literally never stops giving. Morven Park and Boekelo this weekend, Fair Hill next weekend, Le Lion soon after that….the action quite literally never gives up the ghost! We’re about to see a lot more of these funky fresh jog photos (my personal favorite) and of course some lovely fall foliage to compliment the sparkling coats of fighting fit ponies. Let it commence!

U.S. Weekend Preview

Morven Park Fall International CCI4*-L (Leesburg, VA): [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Erin Gilmore Photography] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Heritage Park H.T. (Olathe, KS): [Website] [Entries] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Hitching Post Farm H.T. (South Royalton, VT): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]

Middle Tennessee Pony Club H.T. (Nashville, TN): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring]

Ocala Fall H.T. (Ocala, FL): [Website] [Entries] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Radnor Hunt H.T. (Malvern, PA): [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

WindRidge Farm Fall H.T. (Mooresboro, NC): [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring]

Woodside Fall H.T. (Woodside, CA): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]

Major International Events

Military Boekelo CCIO4*-L: [Website] [Entries] [Leaderboard] [Schedule] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage]

News From Around the Globe:

Speaking of Boekelo, we all want to know more about Fedarman B, Boyd’s flashy mount for the event this weekend. Boyd and Bruno canter down the centerline today, and their performance will carry the memory of Annie Goodwin for each step. The Goodwin family has entrusted the ride to Boyd, who helped Annie with her jump training as she was bringing Bruno along, and they seem to be a good fit. However, the quirky gelding definitely took some convincing when it came to changing riders. [Behind Stable Doors: Fedarman B]

Have you signed up for our course walk with Ride iQ at Maryland 5 Star? Even if you aren’t able to attend the walk, you’ll still want to sign up as we’ll be kicking off daily giveaways with World Equestrian Brands as well as Horse & Rider Books on Thursday, October 13! [Sign up here]

An unforgettable extended canter, two-time tempis and a passage which had the 11 thousand-strong crowd clapping in time… Glamourdale was present at the FEI Dressage World Championships and oh so correct. The KWPN Dutch black stallion radiated power under the petite and elegant frame of Charlotte Fry, who has proved to be the perfect partner for this new Dressage World champion. A title he was born for – ‘Glammy’ has come of age on a global stage and boy did he deserve it. [FEI Horse of the Month: Glamourdale]

The MARS Bromont Rising U25 program has announced it’s first-ever West Coast location, the 2022 Galway Downs International event held November 2-6, 2022 in Temecula, California. Ten applicants will receive grants of up to $2,500 to assist with travel expenses and entry fees for the West Coast event. Expert instruction will be provided by German Olympian Bettina Hoy both in dressage and show jumping, as well as a cross-country course walk. In addition, a Centerline Workshop will be provided by Gray where riders will discuss ringmanship and Dr. Mark Hart and Jim Wildasin, both previous owners of horses representing Team USA internationally, will give a presentation on how young riders can attract owners and sponsors. [MARS U25 Grants Go West]

Best of Blogs: Amateur is a Word Worthy of Respect

Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: Go Eventing (in Germany!)

By on Oct 5, 2022 6:10 pm -

My favourite helmet cam videos are the ones that almost feel like travel blogs – that is, they take me eventing in a far-off land (or, at the very least, across a country border or two). The latest in my digital tourism exploits comes from Germany’s Juliane Barth, also known as Julia Eventer, who’s a real tour de force in German eventing media and vlogs her own exploits with her two horses, too. This super helmet cam video from Hamburg, taken aboard young horse Casper, doesn’t involve any German commentary, so there’s no stress if you’re not fluent in the language, but it does include a pair of very happy ears, a seriously fun looking course, and a bunch of fascinating on-screen performance data that shows the chances in pace that occur throughout a course, shown in both kilometres per hour and meters per minute. It’s enormously interesting stuff, and you’ll want to steal Casper, too!

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There is still time to grab your 2022 fall sticker: http://KPPusa.com/fall22.

1% Better with World Equestrian Brands: Cornelia Dorr’s Top-10 Burghley Weekend

By on Oct 5, 2022 3:45 pm -

World Equestrian Brands recently caught up with Cornelia Dorr, fresh off of her 10th place finish at Burghley, to talk about her 5* debut, her feelings throughout the competition, Daytona Beach 8 (her equine partner in crime), and how she approaches day to day training and competition.

Cornelia Dorr and Daytona Beach 8. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

WEB: What were your thoughts leading up to Burghley?

CD: I’ve been based here in England since January with Kevin and Emma McNab. I came over here with hopes to do a 5*, and after our first jump lesson with Kevin, he said, “There’s an argument for Burghley here,” and I was like, “It’s my first 5*, no way!”

You know how you can plan for something, but it doesn’t really feel like it’s going to happen? It was a little hard to trust in the lead-up that it was happening.

WEB: Tell us a little about the event itself. What were you feeling after dressage?

CD: For each phase, I had a little goal in mind. For dressage, I just didn’t want it to be a disaster! She’s really emotional about the flatwork, and it’s hard for her mentally. I didn’t know how an arena with that much atmosphere would affect her. I was thrilled with the 39. That was way more than I expected!

After that, I wasn’t thinking about a result at that point. I was just thinking about completing.

WEB: Were there any combinations that were noteworthy on cross country day?

CD: I was really nervous about the Leaf Pit because a stride away from the drop, it looks like you are literally leaping off the face of the Earth! But Daytona was so dead-on there I knew that we were going to be good. She wants this.

WEB: Going into show jumping, you had moved up from 50th to 16th place! Were you starting to have some thoughts about where you’d finish?

CD: I was just really glad to be jumping in the afternoon session in the top 20! She tried so hard!

WEB: Tell us about your relationship with Daytona. (We secretly have a mare obsession!)

CD: We are finishing four years together now! She’s been really difficult. I don’t think that’s a secret. I’ve thought a few times about selling her because of the flatwork. But I think this year abroad has been so good for us. She’s my best friend now.

Kevin really understood that we can put pressure on her in training like a normal horse. Understanding that about her has changed her idea towards life. She’s much softer towards everything. Everything has to be her choice.

Cornelia Dorr and Daytona Beach 8 impress in their first five-star. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

WEB: What’s one piece of wisdom that you can share with our audience that can help them to become 1% better?

CD: I have a couple, I think. I’m really big into sports psychology and understanding how my mindset affects the outcome and affects the people and horses that I’m around. Being aware of my mindset.

I’ve been reading this book called Mind Gym, which really talks about how you are not what your brain says you are. It’s helped me to work on separating what my brain says vs. reality.
Also, I think a lot about the horses’ physical strength. Fitness isn’t skinny; fitness is strength. A strong horse has less risk of injury, so I’m thinking about that all the time while I’m training. Where are they weak? What can I do to make them stronger? What exercise do they need for that? I try to think about that all the time while training.

WEB: That’s so helpful! Something our readers can take away for themselves. Thank you for chatting with us, Cornelia! Of course, before you go, we have to ask. What’s your favorite WEB product?

CD: My favorite product is the Vespucci Eventing Rein! I am super picky about reins and always have been. If I notice them in my hands, I don’t like them. The rubber reins with stoppers just fit perfectly in my hand and fingers! They don’t even think about slipping, even in the worst of weather!

The Pre-Performance Advantage

By on Oct 5, 2022 1:00 pm -

How do riders prepare for the mental challenges of eventing? We aim to find out. Photo by Abby Powell.

When Tiger Woods steps up to the tee, he stands behind the ball holding his club, visualizes where he wants the shot to land, BEFORE taking the shot. Once he is in position, he looks at the ball and the target one more time, and executes the shot as he saw it in his head.

When Michael Jordan shot a free throw, he would take a shoulder width stance, spin the ball in his hands, bounce the ball three times, and then spin the ball once again while fixating the rim before he finally threw the ball.

These elite athletes, like many others, are engaging in a pre-performance routine, or a set of predetermined thoughts and actions that are used before performance challenges. When used effectively, pre-performance routines have been proven to give athletes a competitive advantage.

So what does an effective pre-performance routine look like to an equestrian athlete?

Well, as with all things mental, there is no “one size fits all” answer to this question. Pre-performance routines should help prime us to be physically and mentally ready for the challenge ahead of us. As eventers, I think we can all recognize that the mental activation required of dressage is not the same as that of cross country, but I’m curious as to how athletes change their preparation approach through each phase of competition.

Next week, I will have the opportunity to be amongst some of the most elite riders at one of the most high pressure competitions of the year — the Maryland 5 Star — and I will be interviewing athletes on what they think are the most important elements of their mental preparation that helps them get “in the zone” across the three phases of competition.

Be sure to tune in to updates on Eventing Nation, and let me know what questions you have about mental readiness and performance routines — you can email me your question or post it in the comments.

Psst! Tyler is holding a silent auction of some exciting equestrian items to raise money for cancer research and support. Please be sure to check it out and get your bids in before November 1st here.

Five Horses Held, All Accepted in Boekelo’s First Horse Inspection

By on Oct 5, 2022 10:25 am -

Amanda Pottinger and Just Kidding. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Ahh, Military Boekelo, what a place you are. A place full of hyper-fresh horses, spurred on by the sudden chill in the air; a place full of competitive merriness and merry competitiveness; a place where even just making it to the first horse inspection in one piece is a high-stakes sport in itself. Every last moment of the year’s Nations Cup finale, and one of the best-loved CCI4*-L events in the calendar, is exciting and joyful and a bit bonkers, and so it’s fitting that it would start with high drama in today’s first horse inspection, really.

Five of the 75 presented horses were sent to the holding box by the assembled ground jury of president Christina Klingspor (SWE), Edith Schless-Störtenbecker (GER), and Merel Schurink (NED), making it a rather tense affair – not least because most of the folks on site had toasted the start of the world’s biggest party event with the traditional Tuesday night table-dancing session until the wee hours.

Ginny Howe and CHF Archie. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Though those green-gilled riders and grooms may have looked a little greener after being sent to the box, all were able to breathe a sigh of relief upon re-presentation, wherein all were accepted.

Maarten Boon and Gravin van Cantos. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Those held were New Zealand’s Amanda Pottinger and Just Kidding, Great Britain’s Ginny Howe and CHF Archie, Italy’s Daniele Bizzarro and Stormhill Riot, Belgium’s Maarten Boon and Gravin van Cantos, and Sweden’s Sofia Sjoborg and Targa D. Our suggestion to rename the holding box the United Nations has been met with inaction so far, but we’ll work on it.

Camilla Spiers trots a second time with BT Angelo. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

A further three horses were asked to trot again immediately: the Netherlands’ Beau Posthumus and Smokie, Belgium’s Tine Magnus and Champagne Pia Z and Ireland’s Camilla Spiers and BT Angelo each took an extra turn down the trot-up strip, but all three were subsequently accepted without making a trip to the holding box.

Tine Magnus and Champagne Pia Z. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

That means that all 75 of our entrants will continue forward into the competition proper (and this year, too, all will be relieved not to have lost one of their number to a broken leg at the Tuesday night party, as happened in 2021). Tomorrow’s first day of dressage will feature the ten teams lining up for the Nations Cup finale and series championships, while individual competitors will take centre stage on Friday.

James Alliston will take on pathfinder duties for Team USA in his debut for the country. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage begins at 10.00 a.m. local time (that’s 9.00 a.m. BST/4.00 a.m. EST), and the Netherlands will be first in the nations draw, with young rider Thierry Van Reine taking pathfinder duties with his stalwart partner ACSI Harry Belafonte. The formidable Brits sit third in the draw, while Team USA will come forward sixth, led by pathfinders James Alliston and Nemesis. Alyssa Phillips and Oskar will be second for the team, followed by Liz Halliday-Sharp and Mik’s Master C and team anchor Boyd Martin with Fedarman B. You can check out Thursday’s times here, and Friday’s here — plus, for a guide on how to watch the event in full and a preview of the field to come, click here.

Boyd Martin and Annie Goodwin’s Fedarman B. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

The full team draw is as follows:

  1. The Netherlands
  2. France
  3. Great Britain
  4. New Zealand
  5. Italy
  6. USA
  7. Belgium
  8. Germany
  9. Ireland
  10. Sweden

Three teams are currently in contention for the 2022 series title, which is awarded for points accrued through the series: Germany sits atop the leaderboard currently on 380 points, with Italy in second on 360 and reigning champions Sweden in third on 330. A maximum of 100 points can be won here, and so fourth-placed France, currently on 270, can’t catch up with the Germans.

Alyssa Phillips and Oskar. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Stay tuned for plenty more from Boekelo, including a jam-packed gallery from this afternoon’s inspection. And until then? Go Eventing — with a hair of the dog in hand if you’re currently in the Netherlands. You’ll need it.

Military Boekelo Links: Website | Entries & Live Scores | Live Stream | Schedule | EN’s Coverage

Hot on Horse & Country: Productive Flatwork, Rehearsing Your Warm-Up, and More with Hannah Sue and Matt Hollberg

By on Oct 5, 2022 9:00 am -

Photo courtesy of Horse & Country.

Did you know that Horse & Country is not only a source of frequent international live streams, it also plays host to a robust library of education and entertainment content? In an age when digital assistance is becoming more the norm (which I am 100% here for), it seems like you can really take your riding and horsemanship education to the next level with so many offerings on the menu.

One series I’ve become a big fan of recently is the Masterclass compilation, which taps the expertise of well-known riders and wraps the concepts up into a video series. U.S. 5* rider Hannah Sue Hollberg and her husband and show jumping rider Matt Hollberg paired up with MARS Equestrian to deliver the latest Masterclass, which centers on the ideas of productive flatwork, making the most of your warm-up (which includes rehearsing it!), practicing your jumping at home, and working through spooky questions.

Here are just a few bits Hannah Sue and Matt focus on in this Masterclass:

Photo courtesy of Horse & Country.

Rehearsing a Show Day Warm-Up

Hannah Sue starts out on Harbour Pilot, her Pan American partner, bred and owned by Jaqueline Mars. After some flatwork aiming for forward engagement, they jump some small fences to get warmed-up. Matt discusses that the warm-up might look different for different horses, noting “William’s” vast experience means he doesn’t need much preparation to be ready to win.

Practicing a Course

Hannah Sue jumps Harbour Pilot through a course with elements similar to what they find in the show ring. Matt explains the importance of starting on the pace you want throughout the course, riding up to the jumps and working towards a 12′-14′ stride. He also mentions they always incorporate rollbacks in their coursework to ensure the horses are looking ahead to the next fence along with the rider’s eye.

Working on a Circle

Hannah Sue switches on to J, a seven-year-old rising star, owned by Christa Schmidt. Matt talks about the difference between a younger, less experienced horse like J, and a seasoned pro like Harbour Pilot. He stresses the importance of introducing everything to the horse in a slow, thoughtful way. In their flat warm-up, Hannah Sue rides J on a circle, where Matt discusses the aim of this exercise is to get the horse’s eye to follow the rider’s eye for better focus and connection.

Photo courtesy of Horse & Country.

Breaking Down the Spookier Elements

After a few smaller fences, beginning with a cross-rail and progressing towards little verticals and oxers, Matt has Hannah Sue jump a shortened portion of the course with spookier elements. He expresses the importance of everything being introductory for a young horse. Then he supposes how J will likely react and details the best way for Hannah Sue to get his attention back on her, by continuing to incorporate the circles from the flatwork as well as downward transitions from the canter to the trot to maintain balance and connection.

Putting it All Together

Hannah Sue uses all of the elements they’ve worked on to jump through a course. Before they jump, Matt reiterates the importance of having the horse’s eye follow that of the rider– that the rider’s body language also needs to match their intention so the horse has a clear idea early on of what they are supposed to do.

You can watch the Hannah Sue & Matt Hollberg Masterclass using your H&C+ subscription here. Not an H&C+ member yet? Click here to lear more and subscribe.

Wednesday News & Notes from Haygain

By on Oct 5, 2022 12:01 am -

The Equestrians of Color Photography Project is going strong, with new riders from a rich tapestry of backgrounds featured regularly on their platforms. The idea behind the project is multi-fold: amplify the voices of minority and marginalized riders, create art that celebrates the diversity of the love of horses, and draw attention to issues that face this demographic of riders. You can follow along with EOC on Instagram here and on the website, where the full features are housed, here.

U.S. Weekend Preview

Morven Park Fall International CCI4*-L (Leesburg, VA): [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Erin Gilmore Photography] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Heritage Park H.T. (Olathe, KS): [Website] [Entries] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Hitching Post Farm H.T. (South Royalton, VT): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]

Middle Tennessee Pony Club H.T. (Nashville, TN): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring]

Ocala Fall H.T. (Ocala, FL): [Website] [Entries] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Radnor Hunt H.T. (Malvern, PA): [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

WindRidge Farm Fall H.T. (Mooresboro, NC): [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring]

Woodside Fall H.T. (Woodside, CA): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]

Major International Events

Military Boekelo CCIO4*-L: [Website] [Entries] [Leaderboard] [Schedule] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage]

Wednesday News & Reading

Have you signed up for our course walk with Ride iQ at Maryland 5 Star? Even if you aren’t able to attend the walk, you’ll still want to sign up as we’ll be kicking off daily giveaways with World Equestrian Brands as well as Horse & Rider Books on Thursday, October 13! [Sign up here]

Nominations for the 2022 USEA Hall of Fame class are trickling out, and the latest to receive an invitation for the honor is the great Eagle Lion. Partnered with Bruce Davidson, Sr., at the height of his career, Eagle Lion became the first American horse (and one of just two ever) to win Badminton. He is also the horse we’ve all taken a photo with at Kentucky Horse Park, as he’s the horse that’s been made into the Bruce Davidson Sr. statue at Rolex Stadium. [Eagle Lion Invited to Join Hall of Fame]

Itching for a custom item from World Equestrian Items on your holiday list? Yes, it’s that time already — I know, I can’t believe it either. But if you’re planning ahead and anticipating needing a custom order from Amerigo via World Equestrian Brands, the order must be placed by October 7 to guarantee a delivery in time for the holidays. All other custom orders must be placed by October 10. [It’s Custom Season at World Equestrian Brands]

It’s nearly time for the 2022 Retired Racehorse Project Thoroughbred Makeover! The super bowl of Thoroughbred re-training is a popular event that I have GOT to make it to one of these days, and it’s held annually for a multitude of disciplines at Kentucky Horse Park. [The Need-to-Know on Thoroughbred Makeover]

David Taylor took a moment of frustration and tried to make it into something actionable. Thus began his journey to obtaining his cross country course designer’s license. Now, his courses can be found popping up all over the country, and he isn’t done yet! [David Taylor’s Journey to Becoming a USEF Course Designer]

We love our #supergrooms! Fresh off the plane from Pratoni with their charges, USEF caught up with each U.S. eventing groom that traveled to Italy for FEI World Championships last month. [#supergrooms Reflect on Pratoni]

Tack Facts with Sterling Essentials: If you learn one thing about leather care today, let this be it. It’s all about two little letters: pH. One of the very best ways to protect your leather tack and your investment is to ensure that you care for your leather using products that support the natural pH of the leather. How? Read more here.

Sponsor Corner

Managing equine asthma with Haygain:

Wednesday Video Break

Loved this tip from Ride iQ and Lauren Sprieser on developing following elbows:

#TrainingTipTuesday Video: Does Your Horse Invert or Curl? Watch This

By on Oct 4, 2022 5:00 pm -

We’re big fans of Amelia Newcomb’s dressage trainings, which are applicable across disciplines and easily available on her YouTube channel. With the rise in digital teaching and training, it’s important to be shrewd when finding someone to learn from. Not all solutions are good fits, but one thing about Amelia’s content is it is universally useful for riders of varying levels.

I enjoyed this video on this commonly-seen method of bit and contact evasion: inverting or curling behind the bit. I know I’ve dealt with this many times due to gaps in my own riding, and I find videos like this to be really useful as they call to attention the rider’s aids and intentions.

Dressage training is useful for eventers — that’s a known fact. Help us sort out what content you’d like to see on EN the most in the coming months by filling out the poll below.

Want more from Amelia Newcomb? Click here to learn about her program!

Ukrainian Veterinarians Receive $100,000 Medical Supply Donation

By on Oct 4, 2022 2:00 pm -

Photo courtesy of Ukraine Equestrian Federation.

Following a call for aid coordinated by the Ukrainian Equestrian Federation Charity Foundation (UEF-CF), the FEI Solidarity Relief Fund with financial help from the United States Equestrian Federation purchased equine medicines and veterinary supplies for distribution to Ukrainian veterinarians. The total value of the donated medical supplies is $100,000 and includes aid for emergency cases, including colic, infections, lameness, and other common diseases.

As of the end of August 2022 all donated medicines have been delivered to Ukraine and distributed to equine veterinarians and taken into use. The generous donation helps equine veterinarians treat horses with quality and free-of-charge drugs and supplies.

Prior to the launch of the project in Ukraine, the UEF-CF reached out to almost all the equine veterinarians from Ukrainian regions to map the situation of horse welfare and help required. Several problem areas were highlighted, including lack of medicines, such as painkillers, anaesthetics, sedatives, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs etc, a general lack of equipment, including portable x-rays, ultrasound, endoscope machines, and the very limited financial resources of horse owners to pay for treatment.

Photo courtesy of Ukraine Equestrian Federation.

The FEI Solidarity Relief Fund in cooperation with the USEF Foundation stepped in to help – the most needed medicines and supplies were commissioned in Europe and delivered to Ukraine.

“Following the invasion by Russian military forces, the FEI set aside a Solidarity Relief Fund of one million Swiss francs for the equestrian community in Ukraine,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said.

“In addition, the USEF joined forces with the FEI Solidarity Relief Fund, establishing the USEF Ukraine Relief Fund to support Ukrainian horses and equestrians, with 100% of funds raised going to the FEI Solidarity Relief Fund to be distributed by the FEI for specific projects approved by the USEF. Thanks to the generosity and dedication of equestrians and National Federations worldwide, veterinary equipment and supplies have been purchased and donated to the Ukrainian equestrian community to address their most pressing needs. We work hand in hand with the Charity Foundation of the Ukrainian Equestrian Federation to address the most pressing needs. Our efforts are ongoing and the welfare of Ukrainian athletes, both human and equine, remains our absolute priority.”

Photo courtesy of Ukraine Equestrian Federation.

In Ukraine, the UEF-CF coordinated the distribution of donated medicine. This was done in a collaborative and inclusive manner with the Ukrainian FEI’s accredited veterinarians who chose the distribution principles and distribution plan. The main objective was to increase accessibility and quality of veterinary services for horses in Ukraine. All donated medicines were distributed to equine veterinarians to the eight regions with the largest number of horses – Kyiv, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Odessa, Sumy, Vinnytsia, Cherkassy and Lviv.

“Assistance for veterinarians is extremely important in Ukraine. For many horse owners, even simple veterinary care is out of reach now, and veterinarians often work on a volunteer basis. Free medicines will make it possible to save and help many horses in this difficult time. We are very grateful to our colleagues at the United States Equestrian Federation and the FEI Solidarity Foundation for responding to our request and providing our veterinarians with the medical supplies they need now and in sufficient quantities.” — Mykhaylo Parkhomchuk, founder of the Ukrainian Equestrian Federation Charity Foundation.

Photo courtesy of Ukraine Equestrian Federation.

As a follow-up, the FEI veterinary department plans to hold a seminar to provide general information about the sent medical supplies and to discuss specific use cases and difficult situations that Ukrainian veterinarians face when treating horses.

“The US Equestrian community, and notably Brooke USA, were important contributors to this incredible effort to rally around the needs of horses in Ukraine where help is needed so desperately. The global equestrian community is powerful and cohesive and demonstrates how much can be accomplished when people come together. We would like to thank you, our members, for once again stepping up with your generosity,” said Tom O’Mara, President of USEF.

The UEF Charity Foundation is one of the youngest and rapidly growing organisations in Ukraine, that focuses on helping equestrians and their horses during the war in Ukraine. Founded on the 4th day of the conflict, the foundation has provided help to more than 5000 horses in 200 stable yards in Ukraine, assisted in evacuation and relocation of more than 300 horses and established 2 free evacuation stable yards (100 boxes) for relocated horses in safe areas, provided food and bedding for their inhabitants. Currently over 1200 tonnes of food and bedding have been distributed in Ukraine through the transparent system of help requests, strong logistics and the tireless work of 30 volunteers. UEF-CF is registered in Belgium and its mission is to help the Ukrainian equestrian community during the crisis. The Foundation works closely with the FEI, EEF and National Equestrian Federations. For all the latest information and activities visit https://helpukrainehorses.eu/.

Boekelo Beckons: Previewing the Netherlands FEI Nations Cup Leg + How to Watch

By on Oct 4, 2022 11:30 am -

Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Team USA will look to pile on its collection of medals as a Nations Cup team heads to this week’s Netherlands leg at Boekelo; competition begins Wednesday, October 5 with the first horse inspection and will be followed by two days of dressage Thursday and Friday, cross country on Saturday, and show jumping on Sunday.

Graphic via US Equestrian.

This year’s Nations Cup team for the U.S., which claimed silver at this event in 2021, features:

  • James Alliston and Nemesis
  • Liz Halliday-Sharp and Miks Master C
  • Boyd Martin and Fedarman B
  • Alyssa Phillips and Oskar

In addition to the Americans, a field of 78 competitors will tackle the CCIO4*-L competition. The Nations Cup field includes teams for Germany, which currently holds the highest number of Nations Cup points, Belgium, France, Great Britain, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Sweden.

Daniela Moguel and Cecelia. Photo by Shelby Allen.

Notable entries include:

  • Mexico’s Daniela Moguel has aimed Cecelia here after the pair saw their World Championships trip cut short due to a poorly-timed bout of cellulitis
  • Competing as an individual for the U.S. will be Katherine Coleman with Monbeg Senna
  • Great Britain’s Tom McEwen will pilot Nicola Wilson’s 2019 European Championships winner JL Dublin
  • Belgium’s Lara de Liedekerke Meier has re-routed Hermione d’Arville after a very ill-timed parting of ways early on cross country at Pratoni
  • After retiring early at Burghley, Great Britain’s Zara Tindall brings forward Class Affair
  • One of our favorite riders from Pratoni, Italy’s Giovanni Ugolotti, will compete with the delightfully-named Swirly Temptress, who did happen to win her first 4*-L at Ballindenisk this spring

Officials this weekend include Ground Jury President Christina Klingspor (SWE) and members Edith Schless-Störtenbecker (GER) and Merel Schurink (NED). Adrian Ditcham (GBR) is the cross country designer, while Kris van Gelder (NED) will design the show jumping.

All phases of competition at Boekelo will be live streamed on FEI TV/ClipMyHorse.TV — if you signed up for a subscription during Pratoni, here’s another great use for it! — here. The broadcast schedule is as follows:

Thursday, October 6 – Dressage: 3:00 a.m. EST / 8:00 a.m. BST / 9:00 a.m. local
Friday, October 7 – Dressage: 3:00 a.m. EST / 8:00 a.m. BST / 9:00 a.m. local
Saturday, October 8 – Cross Country: 3:00 a.m. EST / 8:00 a.m. BST / 9:00 a.m. local
Sunday, October 9 – Show Jumping: 4:30 a.m. EST / 9:30 a.m. BST / 10:30 a.m. local

Tilly Berendt will be our eyes on the ground all week at Boekelo, and you can of course find everything you need to know on Boekelo right here on EN. Go Eventing!

Military Boekelo CCIO4*-L: [Website] [Entries] [Leaderboard] [Schedule] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage]