Classic Eventing Nation

Monday News & Notes from FutureTrack

By on Aug 22, 2022 7:17 am -

It’s been a huge year for top-level retirements, but I’m not sure any of us were prepared to bid farewell to the fierce and feisty legend that is Bolytair B, who will hang up his horseshoes after jumping successfully around several of the world’s biggest tracks with Dom Schramm in the irons. Kudos to Dom, though, for making a sage call for his horse, and for sharing the words of wisdom that “there’s no trophy for squeezing the last drop out of a horse”. That’s something we could all do with remembering.

National Holiday: It’s National Pamela Day. All hail our lord and saviour, Ms Anderson.

US Weekend Action:

The Event at Archer and Area IX Championships (Cheyenne, WY): [Website] [Results]

Caber Farm H.T. (Onalaska, WA): [Website] [Results]

Genesee Valley Riding & Driving Club H.T. (Geneseo, NY): [Website] [Results]

Huntington Farm H.T. (South Strafford, VT): [Website] [Results]

Ocala Summer H.T. II (Ocala, FL): [Website] [Results]

Waredaca Farm H.T. (Gaithersburg, MD): [Website] [Results]

UK Weekend Results:

Blindley Heath: [Results]

Frickley Park International Horse Trials and Area Festival: [Results]

Solihull (2): [Results]

Global Eventing Round-up:

It’s been a double-dip weekend of Nations Cup action, with legs in both Canada and Belgium over the last couple of days. Here’s some highlights from each:

FEI Eventing Nations Cup CCIO4*-S + International H.T. (Bromont, Canada): [Website] [Results] [EN’s Coverage]

 

 

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Team USA took top honours in the three-team competition in Bromont, while Liz Halliday-Sharp and Miks Master C were victorious on the individual leaderboard after a seriously tough day of cross-country.

 

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FEI Eventing Nations Cup CCIO4*-S + International H.T. (Arville, Belgium): [Results]

Meanwhile, over in Belgium, the home team was successful in both the Nations Cup competition and on the individual leaderboard: they beat Germany by an impressive margin of 17.3 penalties, while Italy took third place. Tine Magnus became the Belgian National Champion after winning the CCIO4*-S with Champagne Pia Z, who climbed from 13th after dressage after adding just 5.6 time penalties across the country and tipping a rail in showjumping – such was the intensity and influence of this competition. The top six placings went to Belgian riders, with Manon Minner taking second aboard Cool Dancer and Laura Loge finishing the weekend in third with Absolut Allegro. Just two of the 59 competitors went clear inside the time: fourth-placed Lara de Liedekerke-Meier, who’s based at Arville, managed it with Ducati d’Arville, as did Germany’s Anna-Katarina Vogel and DSP Quintana P, who finished seventh.

Your Morning Reading List:

When it comes to producing young horses for future success and longevity in the sport, there’s no one set way to do things. Some riders prefer to take all the pressure off in the formative years, while others factor in plenty of outings to help their baby horses realise that leaving the farm is no big deal, and I always find it fascinating to dive into the philosophies behind each decision — and all the other decisions that go into plotting out an education. In this piece, Tamie Smith goes through her general plan for hitting the ground running with a youngster — and how that worked for some of the horses who would go on to be stars of her stable. [How to train your dragon — erm, event horse]

We’re calling this one as a member of the 2035 British Pony Europeans team right now. Dressage supremo Charlotte Dujardin has announced that she’s pregnant with her first child, and is looking forward to welcoming her daughter to the world early next year. No word yet on whether the little one has been practicing the flying change aids in the womb. [Talk about a performance pedigree]

If you’ve had a bad day out eventing, it can be incredibly hard to put that aside on your next trip out. That’s particularly true if you’re a one-horse rider, because you might have weeks between competitions to dwell on what went wrong — but it can affect the pros, too, who need to be able to compartmentalise and get straight on the next horse with an unblemished frame of mind. In any case, learning to take control of your own thoughts will lead to some of the biggest gains you’ll experience as a rider. [Here’s how to get started]

The FutureTrack Follow:

 

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I’m really enjoying following the journey of Sarah Clark, who’s made the long trip over from Australia to tackle her first Burghley with five-star partner LV Balou Jeanz. Give her a follow for some fascinating insights into her biggest adventure yet.

Morning Viewing:

Rewind to 1991 with this vintage footage of Mr Stickability tackling Blenheim’s CCI4*-L aboard Park Grove.

 

Sunday Links

By on Aug 21, 2022 12:03 am -

Ema Klugman and Bronte Beach. Photo by Abby Powell.

Just here today on Sunday to say we are super proud of our fellow EN girl Ema Klugman for kicking butt this weekend as the only finishing member of the Australian Team at the CCIO-4* Nations Cup up in Bromont. Ema and her super cool mare Bronte Beach finished in 5th place with just a few time penalties added to their dressage score. Brains and skills!! Go Ema!

U.S. Weekend Preview

The Event at Archer and Area IX Championships (Cheyenne, WY): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]

Caber Farm H.T. (Onalaska, WA): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]

Genesee Valley Riding & Driving Club H.T. (Geneseo, NY): [Website] [Entry Status] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Huntington Farm H.T. (South Strafford, VT): [Website] [Entry Status] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Ocala Summer H.T. II (Ocala, FL): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Waredaca Farm H.T. (Gaithersburg, MD): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Major International Events

FEI Eventing Nations Cup CCIO4*-S + International H.T. (Bromont, Canada): [Website] [Results]

Sunday Links:

Teaching Horses True Self Carriage & The Importance of Strengthening the Thoracic Sling

From 4* Eventing to Green Incentive Championship Hunters

All About Feeding Horses Alfalfa

Blown Up By Petrol Covered Bonfire, Begins Riding Career

Grazing with a Bridle: The Controversy Continues

 

Just some more Ema fandom:

Team USA Triumphs at FEI Nations Cup at Bromont; Liz Halliday-Sharp Takes Individual Win

By on Aug 20, 2022 8:38 pm -

Photo by Amber Heintzberger.

Team USA secured the win with three clear cross country rounds today at the FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ at the 2022 Bromont CCI-S Horse Trials in Quebec, Canada.

Trailblazer Lillian Heard laid down a clear and fast round riding the 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Dasset Olympus (Lancelot x Cushlamochree), adding just 1.2 time faults to the overall team score. Andrew McConnon riding his and Caroline Martin and Jeanne Shigo’s 10-year-old Warmblood gelding Ferrie’s Cello (Chello III VDL x Karelza) and Liz Halliday-Sharp riding Deborah Palmer and Ocala Horse Properties LLC’s 10-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding Miks Master C (Mighty Magic x Qui Luma CBF) both subsequently went double clear and clinched the top placing for the team on a score of 138.6001.

“Going first worked out fine, my horse doesn’t always do what other horses do, so not knowing is fine; he did the beginning part well but the waters were a little sticky – they weren’t unfair, but they were almost five-star-esque,” she said. “My horse fought hard to stay between the flags. The jumps were big and technical; sometimes at the four-star you’ll get one or the other, and they were both … but I think it’s good, if you do that hard of a question, you go on and the next one’s not that hard.”

Colleen Loach and Vermont. Photo by Amber Heintzberger.

The host country Canada finished second overall, with Colleen Loach and Kendal Lehari posting double clear rounds and Jessica Phoenix finishing just outside the time allowed. Jamie Kellock parted ways with Summer Bay, but with four riders the team was able to drop her score to finish on a final score of 158.3002.

Team Australia finished third with a whopping 2050.3003 penalties. Yesterday Dom Schramm withdrew his wife Jimmie’s mare Eclaire after dressage, and today Ryan Wood withdrew before cross country after suffering from stomach flu. He was still game enough to cheer on his new bride Lillian Heard from the sidelines, but not up to the task of riding around the challenging four-star course. That left Ema Klugman as the last Australian standing, and did her country proud with a clear round and just 1.6 time faults riding Bronte Beach Z.

Liz Halliday-Sharp and Miks Master C. Photo by Amber Heintzberger.

In the CCI4*-S division, Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp held on to the overall lead riding Miks Master C, finishing on a final score of 37.6. Colleen Loach finished second overall on Vermont, a, 18.2h Hanoverian gelding by Van Helsing out of a Heraldik mare (32.1) and third with FE Golden Eye (Goldfever x Cascade). Halliday-Sharp also won the CCI3*-S riding Cooley Nutcracker. She was also competing Cooley HHS Calmaria in the four-star, but pulled up on cross country after the mare took a bad step while galloping and was taken for examination by the veterinarian.

“My three-star horse was awesome, he is ready for advanced now, which is exciting. Miks Master C was super, I tried to have an organized round but still quick enough, because he was very strong with me at Rebecca Farm. I’m thinking of the big picture, which is a five-star next year and hopefully Boekelo this year, so I was thinking about the big picture and still wanted to take the win, so I’m glad it worked out that way. The course was tough, it was perfect,” she said.

Andrew McConnon, who was competing in his first Nations Cup, also said this was his first trip to Bromont. “I’m thrilled to be on the team and make the trip up, and I really think it did the horse well to come up here,” he said. “He was good in the dressage; there are a couple of things I need to improve. He show jumped well and tried hard, and the cross-country was great. I’m planning to go to Morven and do the four-star long, and this was an incredible prep for that. I think the terrain and the jumps were tough, he had to work in a couple of places, but I think he’s more educated because of it.”

Colleen Rutledge, who first competed on a Nations Cup team at Aachen with Covert Rights in 2015, but didn’t complete the event due to a fall in the water, was happy to cross the finish flags today. She had a runout at the corner coming out of the second water today, where she said she rode too aggressively, but credits her horse with getting her out of the trouble she got them into. “It’s super exciting, this is only my second Nations Cup Team and it’s so cool competing with your teammates; it gives you a taste and just makes me want to do more.”

The course was big and technical, and the terrain at Bromont is hilly. The combination of all three factors caught out a number of horses and riders who were not up for the challenge today. There were falls in every CCI division, and three riders are currently in hospital for observation.

This was the first year that Bromont hosted an FEI Nations Cup™ competition and competitors and organizers alike are eager to keep the competition going into the future. Wyatt Westover, a parliamentary assistant who was attending the event from the House of Commons, said, “It’s certainly huge, I know they want to expand even more and the venue is one-of-a-kind in the area, really. We’re privileged to have it here.”

FEI Eventing Nations Cup CCIO4*-S + International H.T. (Bromont, Canada): [Website] [Scoring]

CCI4*-S Final Top 10:

CCI3*-S Final Top 10:

CCI3*-S U25 Final:

CCI2*-S Final: 

Four Weeks ‘Til Pratoni 2022: Nominated Entries Are Closed & Bursting With Talent

By on Aug 20, 2022 12:00 pm -

Julia Krajewski (GER) riding Amande de B’Neville. Photo © FEI / Christophe Taniére.

In just four weeks’ time, the FEI Eventing World Championship will be underway on September 15-18 in the beautiful surroundings of Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy, and it promises to be a thrilling competition. Nominated entries closed this week and an impressive number of nations –27 — will be represented, with 17 of them potentially fielding a team.

The complete list of nominated riders includes such well-established and famous names as Australia’s triple Olympic gold medallist Andrew Hoy, dual European champion Pippa Funnell (GBR), former world number one William Fox-Pitt (GBR), a European team gold medallist at Pratoni in 1995, Phillip Dutton (USA), who could be contesting his ninth consecutive World Championship, and Karin Donckers who has been representing Belgium at championship level for three decades.

The last three individual World Champions from 2010, 2014 and 2018 respectively are listed — Michael Jung (GER), Sandra Auffarth (GER) and Ros Canter (GBR) — plus Nicolas Touzaint (FRA), who won the European title at Pratoni in 2007, and world number one Oliver Townend (GBR), a member of the winning British team in 2007 and the reigning Olympic champion, Julia Krajewski (GER).

Alongside such legendary names are a brand-new generation, Felix Vogg, the first Swiss CCI5*-L winner for 71 years, his compatriot Robin Godel, who won the Pratoni Test Event in May, Japanese rider Kazuma Tomoto, fourth individually at Tokyo Olympic Games, and Lissa Green (AUS), whose mother, Lucinda, won the 1982 title for Great Britain.

New Zealand, the country that dominated the last World Championship at Pratoni, in 1998, through Blyth Tait, Mark Todd, Vaughn Jefferis and Andrew Nicholson, now has a new generation of riders headed by power couple Jonelle and Tim Price, number two and three on the FEI World Rankings for Eventing, plus Amanda Pottinger, whose mother, Tinks, competed in the 1986 World Championships.

Tim Price (NZL) riding Falco. Photo by Massimo Argenziano.

Great Britain, who won both FEI European Eventing Championships at Pratoni, in 1995 and 2007, also has new names in the form of Olympic gold medallists Tom McEwen and Laura Collett, plus Yasmin Ingham, second on her CCI5*-L debut this year.

“With such an incredible range of talent this promises to be a very competitive World Championship which will result in some truly deserving medallists,” commented Giuseppe Della Chiesa, Event Director and Course Designer for cross country. “It is very exciting to see so many nations competing and I think we are all intrigued to see who will be standing on the podium at the end.”

Definite entries are due on September 5. At this stage, the following nations could enter teams: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Great Britain, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden and USA.

Ten nations will be represented by individual riders: China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Hungary, India, Lithuania, Mexico, the Netherlands and Thailand.

You can view the full list of Nominated Entries here — and keep an eye out on EN for updates as #Pratoni2022 inches closer. The action begins on September 14, and you can get up to speed on all the information you need (and a lot you didn’t) in our Ultimate Guide to FEI World Championships here.

The FEI Eventing World Championships have been held every four years since they started in 1966. This will be the 15th running. Pratoni del Vivaro hosted the championships in 1998, as part of the FEI World Equestrian Games in Rome, and has also hosted the FEI Eventing European Championships in 1995 and 2007.
 
For details of tickets and timetabling, visit www.pratoni2022.it

2023 Carolina International Welcomes New Title Sponsor: Setters’ Run Farm

By on Aug 20, 2022 9:00 am -

Photo courtesy of Carolina Horse Park.

The Carolina International CCI and HT Organizing Committee is delighted to announce that Setters’ Run Farm has committed to the Title Sponsorship of the event starting in 2023. As the event enters its 10th year, Setters’ Run Farm is poised to take the competition to the next level. The 2023 date is set for March 16th -19th.

For the past 9 years, Setters’ Run Farm generously supported the Carolina International as the CCI4*-S Sponsor. When the opportunity arose to increase their involvement as the Title Sponsor, Annie Eldridge, owner of Setters’ Run Farm, did not hesitate to step up.

“To be a part of the Carolina Horse Park’s premier event, the Carolina International CCI and HT, as the Title Sponsor is an ideal way for Setters’ Run Farm to support the event, the Park, and the sport of eventing. The Carolina International is an important event on competitors’ schedules as they prepare their horses for the upcoming 4*-L and 5* events later in the year. I’m so proud to be affiliated with the Carolina International, which provides riders with a safe, but significant challenge to prepare their horses for the future,” says Eldridge.

“Setters’ Run Farm has been a longtime friend and supporter of the Carolina Horse Park as well as an avid supporter of the Carolina International. We are fortunate to have them take the lead as the Title Sponsor in 2023. The Organizing Committee looks forward to a successful year,” states Marc Donovan, Event Director for the Carolina International CCI and HT and Carolina Horse Park Program Director.

The Carolina International Organizing Committee would like to thank Jennifer Mosing and Cloud 11 ~ Gavilan North LLC for their many years of support from the inception of the Carolina International CCI and HT.

For more information visit the Carolina Horse Park website here.

Saturday Links Presented by World Equestrian Brands

By on Aug 20, 2022 12:03 am -

Just a cute moment of kisses. Photo by JJ Sillman.

I never thought I would even be able to say this, but I’m ready for the rain to stop this summer. Usually all the grass is fried and brown by now, and I’m sunburnt to the next dimension. This summer, my ring is flooded every day, the grass won’t stop growing, I can’t stop mowing, and I’m not even that tan! What is this world coming to, honestly, the one thing that was predictable was the horrible desert like heat of Virginia summer.

U.S. Weekend Preview

The Event at Archer and Area IX Championships (Cheyenne, WY): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]

Caber Farm H.T. (Onalaska, WA): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]

Genesee Valley Riding & Driving Club H.T. (Geneseo, NY): [Website] [Entry Status] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Huntington Farm H.T. (South Strafford, VT): [Website] [Entry Status] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Ocala Summer H.T. II (Ocala, FL): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Waredaca Farm H.T. (Gaithersburg, MD): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Major International Events

FEI Eventing Nations Cup CCIO4*-S + International H.T. (Bromont, Canada): [Website] [Entry Status] [Scoring]

Links To Start Your Weekend:

Lottie Fry’s Unexpected Path to Success & Becoming The Youngest World Freestyle Champion

Eggbutt Cheekpieces Versus Loose Ring

Brown Focuses on Getting Better with the Basics on the Final Day of EA21 Clinic

The Worst Hurt: When The Best Choice for your Horse is Selling Him

Horse Movie of the Weekend: Jappeloup

World Equestrian Brands Pick of the Week:

 

 

USA Has Commanding Lead in Bromont Nations Cup After Show Jumping

By on Aug 19, 2022 11:00 pm -

Liz Halliday-Sharp and Miks Master C. Photo by Amber Heintzberger.

The FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ kicked off this morning in conjunction with the 2022 Bromont CCI-S Horse Trials in Quebec, Canada. After the event was postponed in both 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is with great excitement that riders representing the USA, Canada and Australia cantered down the centerline.

In addition to the Nations Cup CCIO4*-S, Bromont includes CCI3*-S, CCI3*-S U25, CCI2*-S, CCI2*-S U25, Preliminary, and Training level divisions.

Team USA took the early lead with in the Nations Cup on 92.0001, with Liz Halliday-Sharp riding Deborah Palmer and Ocala Horse Properties LLC’s 10-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding Miks Master C (Mighty Magic x Qui Luma CBF) scoring 29.2 to also lead the CCI4*-S overall. Even more impressive, she tied the exact same score with her other CCI4*-S entry, the Calmaria Partnership’s Irish Sport Horse mare Cooley HHS Calmaria (Cyrano x Chester Lass).

“The Miks Master horse is actually the first horse I’ve ever had in my life that’s already done a four-star,” she said. “I have always produced my own horses but right now I just happen to have a few that are new at the level right now. My mare is green, this is only her second time at this level but she jumped super. It was unfortunate that she had a rail but she just came down too early behind; that’s young horses figuring things out.”

Halliday-Sharp is also in the lead in the three-star with Cooley Nutcracker, who is owned by a syndicate. She said, “He was amazing today, I was thrilled with him. He’s a very sensitive ride and it’s taken a little while to get to know him. I feel like we’re a team now, he’s a sensitive horse and has tons of scope. I’m really pleased with all my horses.”

Looking forward to cross country she said, “I think it’s a proper track for the Nations Cup, actually both courses are good and strong and up to height. I think both water complexes are serious and will take some riding. What I like about Bromont, which I learned at the June event, is there’s all this terrain big bold galloping tracks and that’s going to suit all three of these horses. I think it’s the sort of course you jump around and say, I’ve got a five-star horse now – and I think all of these are five-star courses. I think you will come away knowing a lot more about your horse, which is useful. That’s why we’re here.”

Halliday-Sharp’s Nations Cup teammate Colleen Rutledge (USA) and her own homebred 16-year-old Thoroughbred cross gelding Covert Rights (Incognito x Let’s Get it Right) scored just slightly lower to stand third after dressage on 29.8, with Colleen Loach (CAN) and Vermont in 4th (31.2).

Nations Cup team member Lillian Heard (USA) and the 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Dasset Olympus (Lancelot x Cushlamochree), whom Heard co-owns with Debora Greenspan, stood 5th after dressage (33.0). Andrew McConnon had a few tense moments riding his and Caroline Martin and Jeanne Shigo’s 10-year-old Warmblood gelding Ferrie’s Cello (Chello III VDL x Karelza), who landed in a tie for 18th individually after the first phase on 40.8.

Team Canada finished dressage with 114.9 and Team Australia was third with 1076.2003, taking a 1000- point penalty for having fewer than three riders after Dom Schramm withdrew Eclaire after the dressage.

Andrew McKonnon and Ferrie’s Cello. Photo by Amber Heintzberger.

The USA maintained their lead in the show jumping, with three riders posting clear jumping rounds. After some inconsistent canter work in the dressage this morning, Andrew McConnon’s horse showed that he’s a solid team member with a foot perfect show jumping round. Colleen Loach and Covert Rights had one unfortunate rail down but because theirs was a drop score, only Lillian Heard’s 1.2 time faults were added to the total for a current score of 97.2001.

Colleen Loach and Kendal Lehari both jumped double clear rounds, and Jamie Kellock added just 0.8 time faults, so Canada currently stands on 117.1002. For Australia, Ema Klugman and Bronte Beach Z jumped clear and added 1.6 time faults, and Ryan Wood’s Cooley Flight had three down, for a total of 1089.80.

Loach, who has represented Canada numerous times in team competition including at the Tokyo Olympics, is currently second overall in the CCI4*-S with Vermont, a, 18.2h Hanoverian gelding by Van Helsing out of a Heraldik mare (32.1) and fourth with FE Golden Eye (Goldfever x Cascade) (33.1).

“I think it’s really exciting that we have the Nations Cup here in Canada,” she said. “It promotes a great atmosphere between the riders and it’s a great thing to be able to practice in a team environment. I hope it continues into the future and that we can draw more teams. Jessie and I have been on a few teams together and she’s a great teammate to have, and everybody’s been great this week, we’re having a lot of fun.”

Colleen Loach and FE Golden Eye. Photo by Amber Heintzberger.

Ema Klugman (AUS) is competing on her first Nations Cup team riding Bronte Beach Z, a Zangersheide by Verdi. She said, “Wanting to be on teams in the future, this is sort of a lower-stakes version of a team environment. We have our Australian flag up in the barn. It’s a 12-hour trip for us but Bromont is an amazing place, I don’t think you get footing better than this anywhere else this time of year. That’s huge in terms of our horses staying sound. The cross country course looks great, it’s hard enough but I think it’s appropriate for the horses that are getting their first run back for the fall. We’re excited about it.”

Competition resumes Saturday morning with the cross country phase, featuring a solid course designed by Derek di Grazia (USA), who designed the Tokyo Olympics, Burghley and Kentucky courses among other major events.

For more information, start time and results please visit https://BromontCCI.com.

FEI Eventing Nations Cup CCIO4*-S + International H.T. (Bromont, Canada): [Website] [Scoring]

CCI4*-S Top 10 After Show Jumping:

CCI3*-S Top 10 After Show Jumping:

CCI3*-S U25 Top 10 After Show Jumping:

CCI2*-S/U25 Results After Show Jumping:

Friday Video: Check out Burghley’s Best-Ever Dressage Test

By on Aug 19, 2022 5:20 pm -

Just making it to Burghley as a competitor is an extraordinary accomplishment in its own right, but for those who do fulfil their entries and start their competition in a short couple of weeks, there’ll be plenty of further goals on the table: a coveted completion, of course, but also the chance to make a bit of history. One way of doing that is to set a record, which is exactly what Chris Burton did in 2016 when he and Nobilis 18 put a 30.2 (that’s a 20.1 in today’s scoring!) on the board, giving themselves such a decisive lead that even a handful of rails down on Sunday couldn’t take the win from them. Relive their performance with today’s video.

Oliver Townend Takes Pathfinder Role at Burghley (Again)

By on Aug 19, 2022 1:29 pm -

The Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials draw has been revealed ahead of this year’s renewal (August 31 – September 4), and once again, multi-horse entrant Oliver Townend will be first out of the start box. Though he’s been drawn in the first position with either 2017 winner Ballaghmor Class or former Andrew Nicholson ride As Is, the former has been named to next month’s World Championships team, and so As Is will hold the pathfinder position. Oliver has three other rides entered, and can ride a maximum of three: Tregilder takes 38th position, while Swallow Springs or Lukas will be the last horse in the line-up.

With 68 horses currently on the list, Burghley’s line-up is looking pretty stacked — reigning champion Pippa Funnell has two horses entered in Majas Hope (63) and Billy Walk On (4), while 2018 winner Tim Price brings forward Bango (3), Tokyo mount Vitali (37), and former Chris Burton ride Polystar I (66). 2019 Badminton winners Piggy March and Vanir Kamira have drawn number 22, followed closely behind by 2018 Badminton winners Jonelle Price and Classic Moet (27), which will give both Thursday dressage times.

Other highlights from among the list include 2021 European individual bronze medallists Sarah Bullimore and Corouet (30), William Fox-Pitt and Oratorio II (48), Kitty King and Vendredi Biats (60), and 2019 European individual bronze medallists Cathal Daniels and Rioghan Rua (64). A solid US contingent is entered, too: Woods Baughman will be first up to bat for the Americans with C’Est la Vie 135 in draw number 11, followed by Cornelia Dorr and Daytona Beach 8 in number 14. Draw number 23 goes to Meghan O’Donoghue and the ex-racehorse Palm Crescent, while Emily Hamel and Corvett will put a cap on their season abroad in number 29. Boyd Martin has drawn number 46 with Tsetserleg TSF, but is unlikely to run as the pair have been selected for the World Championships. British-based American Tiana Coudray will take number 57 with Cancaras Girl, who took a top-ten finish at Bramham this year, while US-based Aussie Clayton Fredericks sits pretty in draw number 10 with FE Coldplay.

Here’s the full draw:

Or, to put it simply:

Reigning World Champions Great Britain Announce Eye-Wateringly Good Team for Pratoni

By on Aug 19, 2022 12:01 pm -

Yasmin Ingham and Banzai du Loir. Photo by Abby Powell.

Few teams for Pratoni have been so hotly anticipated as that of the Brits, who currently hold most of the medals available in the sport of eventing and are, predictably, absolutely front-loaded with formidable talent ahead of this year’s World Championships. And so, without further ado, let’s take a look at who’s been picked to fly the Union Jack, in alphabetical order:

  • Ros Canter and Lordships Graffalo – 10-year-old British-bred Sport Horse gelding (Grafenstolz x Cornish Queen, by Rock King), owned by Michele Saul. Groom: Sarah Charnley
  • Laura Collett and London 52 – 13-year-old Holsteiner gelding (Landos x Vernante, by Quinar Z), owned by Keith Scott, Karen Bartlett, and the rider. Groom: Tilly Hughes
  • Yasmin Ingham and Banzai du Loir – 11-year-old Selle Français gelding (Nouma d’Auzay x Gerboise du Cochet, by Livarot), owned by Jeanette Chin and Sue Davies. Alison Bell
  • Tom McEwen and Toledo de Kerser – 15-year-old Selle Français gelding (Diamant de Semilly x Ariane du Prieure II, by Papillon Rouge), owned by Fred and Penny Barker, Jane Inns, and Ali McEwen. Groom: Francesca Gorni
  • Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class – 15-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Courage II x Kilderry Place, breeding unknown), owned by Karyn Schuter, Angela Hislop, and Val Ryan. Groom: Charlotte Holifield. Direct reserve: Swallow Springs – 14-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Chillout x Kilila, by Cult Hero), owned by Paul and Diana Ridgeon

The reserve combinations are as follows, listed in alphabetical order by athlete surname:

  • Sarah Bullimore and Corouet
  • Ros Canter and Pencos Crown Jewel
  • Kirsty Chabert and Classic VI 
  • William Fox- Pitt and Little Fire
  • Kitty King and Vendredi Biats

The British team incorporates the entirety of last year’s gold medal winning Tokyo Olympics team, and features reigning World Champion Ros Canter, though this time, aboard the exciting up-and-comer Lordships Graffalo, with whom she finished second in a tough renewal of Badminton this year. Similarly representing the young guns is eleven-year-old Banzai du Loir, who was second in his five-star debut at Kentucky this spring with 25-year-old Yasmin Ingham, who makes her Senior championship debut in Italy after representing Great Britain at the Pony and Young Rider levels.

Great Britain have previously won team gold six times, in 1970, 1982, 1986, 1994, 2010, and 2018. They’ve also claimed five of the fourteen individual gold medals awarded since the inception of the World Championships at Burghley in 1966, and will come to Pratoni as the double reigning champions. The final assignations of the four team slots and one individual place will be allocated and announced closer to the competition.