Classic Eventing Nation

Thursday News & Notes Presented by Stable View

By on Jul 28, 2022 12:01 am -

Boyd Martin and On Cue. Photo by Abby Powell.

Mark your calendars and set your alarms: tickets for the Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill go on sale next week on Tuesday, August 2nd at 10 AM Eastern! We seriously enjoyed covering America’s first fall five-star last year and we’re so excited to head back down to Elkton, Maryland from October 13-16 to enjoy the second annual running of this excellent event. Plus, the event will again play host to the CCI3*-L Eventing National Championships.

Check out all the ticket packages here. If you’re looking to tailgate on cross country day, those passes will go on sale the following week on Tuesday, August 9th. We’ll see you there!

U.S. Weekend Preview

Horse Park of New Jersey H.T. (Allentown, NJ): [Website] [Entry Status] [Volunteer]

Hunt Club Farms H.T. (Berryville, VA): [Website] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Major International Events

Hambro Sport Horses Burgham International CCI4*-S (Morpeth, UK): [Entries/Times/Scoring]

FEI Eventing European Championships for Young Riders (Hartpury, UK): [Website] [Entries/Times/Scoring] [Live Stream – FEI YouTube] [Live Stream – ClipMyHorse.TV]

Kilguilkey House International CCI4*-L/CCI4*-S (Cork Co, Ireland): [Website] [Entries/Times]

News From Around the Globe:

Fancy a shot at winning the chance to watch Burghley in style? All you have to do is sign up for Burghley TV before midnight on Friday, August 5th and you’ll be entered to win a VIP Tent and membership tickets for all days of competition, plus a cross country course walk from a top rider and a behind the scenes tour of the stables. You can sign up for Burghley TV here for £20/ $24.33 and learn more about the contest here.

From one adrenaline-filled sport to another, this retired bull rider has taken up eventing. Travis Atkinson rode race horses as a teenager and then spent 10 years as a professional bull rider on the rodeo circuit. Instead of riding practice bulls during the later part of his career, Travis started jumping horses bareback to stay fit. [Retired Bull Rider Builds Eventing Career In Utah]

Does your event horse’s focus feel a little scattered? That’s not necessarily a bad thing, according to a team of researchers from France. They performed a visual attention test with a group of horses and found that those trained for eventing “were characterized by more fragmentation of attention.” Now that might not sound ideal at first glance, but this fragmentation was linked to better-performing event horses and has also been a characteristic identified in elite human athletes. [Ability of horses to focus linked to their occupation, study finds]

Have your tissues handy for this story. Wendy Costello’s dream was to join The Dressage Foundation’s Century Club, which celebrates horse-and-rider pairs with a combined age of 100 or more, but sadly passed away in December 2020 after a battle with cancer, leaving her goal unfulfilled. Last month, Wendy’s husband Marty completed her goal in her honor, riding introductory level test B at the Potomac Valley Dressage Association Ride for Life benefit show. [Husband Completes Century Club Ride In Wife’s Memory]

#WaybackWednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: A Blast from the Past at Hickstead

By on Jul 27, 2022 5:00 pm -

This week sees the return of England’s iconic Royal International Horse Show at the All-England Showground at Hickstead for the first time since pre-pandemic, and one of our favourite classes of the week is on the schedule for tomorrow — that’s the Eventers’ Challenge class, which has taken a number of forms over the years and even involved a number of top show jumpers at one point. We’ll be bringing you coverage and snaps from the class tomorrow, but in the meantime, we’re whetting our whistles by looking back at how the class played out in 2000, when it still involved a long loop outside of the main arena. That year, it was won by a baby-faced Pippa Funnell aboard The Tourmaline Rose; this year, we’ll see Pippa return to try for the title aboard Billy Wonder. Stay tuned to find out if she can repeat the feat!

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Build Your Galloping Position with the Lunge (No, Not the Lunge Line!)

By on Jul 27, 2022 3:00 pm -

Lexi Scovil and Chico’s Man VDF. Photo by Abby Powell.

You might think that this is a blog post on how to ride. If you’re looking for that, please check out anything written by Jimmy Wofford — he is the master of the galloping position.

There is so much great content on how to improve your galloping position, and what it should look like. This is not that article. Rather, this article focuses on a lunge done off the horse that will improve your muscular strength — and your galloping position along with it — on the horse.

The galloping position executed correctly is not just important, it’s essential for the health of your horse. While nothing compares to getting your stirrups short enough and really dedicating the time in the tack to stop posting in the gallop, this is nonetheless a great exercise for strengthening your lower body and your core. In particular, your glute medius and glute minimus — which are also, as an added bonus, really important for the sitting trot — will see benefits from this exercise, if it’s done correctly and regularly. It is rare that a client of mine will go a week without doing the lunge.

Are you a righty or lefty?

Do you know what your dominant leg is? You might be surprised that it does not always match your dominant hand. Whichever leg you would most likely kick a soccer ball with is usually your dominant leg. Start this exercise with your non-dominant leg forward and finish with your dominant leg forward.

The Lunge

  1. Start in standing position with your feet hip-width apart
  2. Step forward with your non-dominant leg; your feet should be about as far apart as if you are measuring strides (about 3 feet). One leg should be in front of your torso, one leg behind
  3. Keep your trunk upright and bend your knees until the back knee practically touches the ground. Keep your front foot firmly on the ground, driving through your heel to properly engage your hamstrings and glutes, but raise the back heel
  4. Straighten both legs until you’re standing back up again with your feet apart
  5. Try to do this slow and controlled for two minutes. Focus on using your strength, not momentum, to go through the range of motion
  6. Switch to the other leg forward, repeat

How long should you lunge for?

The trick for a successful training session is to do the lunge longer than when your brain is telling you should quit. Set a timer and just do it for as long as you can, then push yourself to do a little bit more (about ten seconds longer than you think you can do).

Most riders can do the lunge on one leg for a minute. This is a great starting point, and you can then work up to doing each leg for two minutes. If you are able to do the lunge on one leg for longer than two minutes, great! But beware: the wear and tear is not worth the additional gains you will get, so feel free to stop at the two minute mark.

Try this out in your regular exercise routine (or use this as kindling to start a fresh one!) and pay attention to the after-effects of this added strength and muscle awareness in the saddle!

Laura Crump Anderson is an avid equestrian who realized from a young age the importance of taking care of our bodies like the athlete we expect our horses to be. Laura has competed up to Training Level in eventing on a horse she bred and started herself, and has the goal to get back out competing again on her 2019 homebred Still Stanley. She holds her degree in Kinesiology with a concentration in Exercise Science from Longwood University, is an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer and has her 200-hour yoga teacher certificate. Laura’s goal is to help riders be connected with their horse and be fit sound and ready to ride. Laura works with riders across disciplines from weekend warriors to Olympic athletes. She is the Owner and Founder of Hidden Heights Fitness, where clients can participate in one-on-one Virtual Personal Training via a virtual platform for which all that’s necessary is an internet connection, the space the size of a yoga mat, and a dash of determination.

Save the Date: Paris 2024 Announces Schedule for Equestrian Disciplines

By on Jul 27, 2022 1:00 pm -

Rendering via Paris 2024.

Reignite your Versailles daydreams for just a moment, because we’ve got some exciting new fuel for them: the International Olympic Committee has released its schedule of sport for the 2024 Paris Games, which will see the equestrians living it up like royalty in the grounds of the iconic gilded palace.

The eventers will lead the way for the equestrian disciplines, kicking off in earnest on Saturday, July 27th with the dressage phase. Interestingly, we’ll see just one day of eventing dressage for the first time ever at an Olympics; all assembled horses and riders will perform their tests between 10.00 a.m. and 6.40 p.m. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, folks.

Here’s how the full equestrian calendar will look across the disciplines:

Saturday, July 27:

10.00 a.m. – 6.40 p.m. CEST: Eventing dressage (team and individual)

Sunday, July 28:

10.30 a.m. – 3.00 p.m. CEST: Eventing cross-country

Monday, July 29:

11.00 a.m. – 4.30 p.m. CEST: Eventing showjumping (team and individual)

Tuesday, July 30: 

11.00 a.m. – 4.00 p.m. CEST: Dressage Grand Prix team and individual qualifier, day one

Wednesday, July 31:

11.00 a.m. – 4.00 p.m. CEST: Dressage Grand Prix team and individual qualifier, day two

Thursday, August 1:

10.00 a.m. – 3.45 p.m. CEST: Dressage team Grand Prix special*

Friday, August 2:

2.00 p.m. – 5.45 p.m. CEST: Jumping individual qualifier*

Saturday, August 3: 

10.00 a.m. – 12.30 p.m. CEST: Jumping individual qualifier*

Sunday, August 4:

11.00 a.m. – 3.30 p.m. CEST: Dressage Grand Prix Freestyle (individual)

Monday, August 5:

11.00 a.m. – 1.45 p.m. CEST: Jumping team qualifier*

Tuesday, August 6:

2.00 p.m. – 4.30 p.m. CEST: Jumping team final*

(* denotes that the scheduling is still under discussion with the FEI.)

A floating orchestra will add some extra ambience to the Opening Ceremony. Image courtesy of Paris 2024/IOC.

The Paris Olympics will begin the day before the start of the eventing — so, on trot-up day — with the Opening Ceremony, which is set for July 26 and will take place along the Seine, ending at the Eiffel Tower in the west end of the city. The Games will wrap up on August 11 with the final medal deciders and a closing ceremony. We’ll be bringing you more Olympic info as we get it, so keep it locked on EN and faire du concours complet!

Get Ready for Great Meadow! Team USA’s Final Outing Ahead of Pratoni + H&C+ Returns as Live Stream Provider

By on Jul 27, 2022 11:00 am -

Kurt Martin and D.A. Lifetime. Photo by Erin Gilmore Photography.

Before too long, we’ll finally know who will represent Team USA for this year’s FEI World Championships for Eventing, held just to the east of Rome in Rocca di Papa, Italy. While the identity of the teams remains unknown for now, we do know that the U.S. team will have its final Mandatory Outing in the 4*-S at MARS Great Meadow International, happening in The Plains, VA August 24-28.

MARS Great Meadow is one of those summertime events that’s always on the calendar, offering top-quality competition at a class venue with plenty of opportunity to come and take in the sport from all angles. Offering Preliminary as well as CCI2* through CCI4*-level divisions, it’s a proper tune-up for horses coming back into fitness ahead of the fall or looking for a leg stretch ahead of something as important as Pratoni.

Entries are already looking stacked for this year’s event, featuring 37 entries to date in the 4*-S. And while we of course don’t know who will be named to the four team spots and one individual spot for Pratoni, some heavy hitters spotted on the list include:

  • Will Coleman with Off the Record, Chin Tonic HS, and DonDante
  • Phillip Dutton with Z, Sea of Clouds, and Carlchen
  • Sydney Elliott with QC Diamantaire
  • Will Faudree with Mama’s Magic Way and Pfun
  • Ariel Grald with Leamore Master Plan
  • Liz Halliday-Sharp with Deniro Z
  • Boyd Martin with Tsetserleg and Fedarman B
  • Lauren Nicholson with Vermiculus and Landmark’s Monte Carlo
  • Doug Payne and Quantum Leap

Great Meadow also affords a chance to see some combinations who are likely aiming for the 3*-L at Maryland 5 Star in October, and there are currently 41 entries in the 3*-S division ahead of the August 9 closing date.

Our friends at Horse & Country will once again provide the live stream coverage from MARS Great Meadow, and you can purchase an H&C+ subscription for the low price of $9.99 (it’s a monthly subscription, but there is no commitment. New members are also eligible for a free 30-day trial).

“We are honored to provide exclusive coverage of the MARS Great Meadow International to our viewers around the world for the fourth year,”
H&C Executive Producer David Qualls said. “The MARS Great Meadow International is one of the premier eventing competitions in the U.S., and the 2022 event will complement our extensive broadcast schedule and on-demand library.”

If you anticipate attending this event, you can also sign up for a volunteer position, which always helps the Volunteer Coordinator plan ahead! Click here to sign up on EventingVolunteers.com.

I’ll be your eyes on the ground for MARS Great Meadow this year, my chance to get some facetime in with the team before they head to Italy — sadly I am not traveling to Pratoni this year as I happen to be moving during the week of competition, but Tilly Berendt and Shelby Allen will be our reporters from World Championships so you can expect a full slate of ridiculousness coming your way in the next few weeks. Buckle in, and Go Eventing!

MARS Great Meadow International: [Website] [Entry Status] [Live Stream] [Volunteer]

From the Ground Up: Managing Expectations

By on Jul 27, 2022 9:00 am -

Most of my time is spent working with young and inexperienced horses, which means every single day is different — new challenges arise, new equine opinions develop, and there’s a constant feeling of two steps forward, one step back.

As a serial planner, I like to know what I’m going to do and when I’m going to do it. I have to fight that urge to have everything mapped out, as when working with horses, almost nothing goes ‘to plan’.

Many times, when working with young or inexperienced horses, I’ve had to remain both consistent and open-minded, in order to explore communication methods that help me be clearer for the horse.

There are days when I fully intend to back a horse, only to realize they’re exceptionally cranky that day, or an unusually tense horse as a result of a windy day interferes with our goal of developing a flying change.

Of course, learning to work despite challenges that arise is critical — no atmosphere will ever be perfect, and you certainly can’t control what’s going to happen. I am a firm believer in helping horses develop emotional control as a way to ensure continued progress despite challenges. (You can read more about the concept of emotional control in my previous article!) That said, it’s just as important to set yourself — and very importantly, your horse — up for success. Forcing a tense or unwilling horse to learn something new will only hinder the learning process itself, making the work unproductive… or destructive.

Waiting for a “good” day – where distractions are limited, the weather is cooperative, and you and the horse are communicating well – to try something new is important. Here, waiting for the “right” time paid off with a successful first ride on Abbey.

My students can confirm that I frequently talk about managing expectations. Considering the larger environment in which you’re working and keeping the bigger picture — of your progress, and steps towards your goals — in mind will allow you to remain flexible on the days when things don’t click in the way you anticipate.

Instead of forcing that new flying change on a spooky day, try to set a new goal for the day. Maybe you aim to instead find relaxation in a flat ride. Setting a more realistic goal for that particular day allows the horse to find success, even if it’s not the expectation you first had. The ride is still a productive win, while continuing to move forward towards what you originally had in mind. Rewarding and celebrating the horse overcoming something that they perceive as difficult will further develop the partnership in a way where they learn they can (and want to!) cooperate even when other factors aren’t ideal. This will help you nail that flying change the next time, with or without distractions.

Listening to your horse keeps your efforts centered on their well being and success, allowing for their curiosity, softness, and willingness to participate to shine through.

Progress is not linear. It’s a long and windy path, especially when working with animals. Learning to allow myself to be comfortable with changing plans in order to productively work with horses in training has allowed me to meet my horses where they are that day. Meeting my horses where they’re at has allowed me to come into and out of each training session positively, while still moving in the direction we’d like to go without compromising the horses’ curiosity, softness, and willingness to participate.

Wednesday News & Notes from Haygain

By on Jul 27, 2022 12:01 am -

Will there be a return of #RaveHorse?? Steffen Peters (USA) and Suppenkasper will compete in Denmark for Team USA. Photo by FEI/Christophe Taniere.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the fact that the concept of “WEG” really isn’t a thing this cycle, and I’m a little sad about it.

If you missed it — and honestly, I wouldn’t blame you if you had — there are three major World Championship sites hosting what would otherwise be known as World Equestrian Games disciplines for the 2022 cycle. You’ll recall that the World Equestrian Games/World Championships run on a four-year cycle, and qualifying berths for the next Olympics are on the line, among many other titles and bragging rights.

Due to the FEI’s decision that there would not be a single venue to host every discipline — eventing, show jumping, dressage, driving, para dressage, endurance, vaulting — this year’s Championships were split. Herning, Denmark will host show jumping, dressage, and para dressage August 6-15, Rocca di Papa, Italy will host eventing and driving September 15-25, and Verona, Italy will host the endurance championships October 19-23.

“When we opened the process for the FEI World Championships 2022 to single and multi-discipline bids, our intention was to have events that were more manageable and sustainable at proven venues,” FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez said at the time of the decision.

Personally, I think I’d prefer the whole shebang: a real World Equestrian Games as we’re used to. Aachen, which hosted the 2006 WEG, comes to mind as an ideal venue that can sustainably support a multi-discipline effort — and already does with its annual CHIO Aachen World Equestrian Festival. And don’t forget that Bromont is now under new ownership — this venue lost out on its bid to host the 2018 WEG after funding could not be secured, and the new ownership group has major plans to grow equestrian sport and play homage to the park’s Olympic roots. Ocala, FL could also be a major contender for a World Championships with the recent purchase of the Ocala Jockey Club by the owners of the World Equestrian Center, however the master plans for the Jockey Club are still facing contention from county commissioners and community members.

At any rate, I’ll still be tuning in for the ECCO FEI World Championships in Denmark. Entries were just released, so you can go stalking here.

What about you, EN? Where would you love to see the next World Equestrian Games land?

U.S. Weekend Preview

Horse Park of New Jersey H.T. (Allentown, NJ): [Website] [Entry Status] [Volunteer]

Hunt Club Farms H.T. (Berryville, VA): [Website] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Major International Events

Hambro Sport Horses Burgham International CCI4*-S (Morpeth, UK): [Entries/Times/Scoring]

FEI Eventing European Championships for Young Riders (Hartpury, UK): [Website] [Entries/Times/Scoring] [Live Stream – FEI YouTube] [Live Stream – ClipMyHorse.TV]

Kilguilkey House International CCI4*-L/CCI4*-S (Cork Co, Ireland): [Website] [Entries/Times]

Wednesday News & Reading

The newest education program at the USEA, Emerging Athletes 21, has kicked off a series of regional clinics featuring ICP-certified coaches. It’s an opportunity to obtain some intensive training without having to travel to the other side of the country — a huge benefit for nurturing rising talent! You can keep up with the action from around the country here — you might even spot a familiar byline!

Ashlynn Meuchel jokes that her 5* partner, Emporium, was affordable because he was feral. That’s how you know it’s a great story, honestly. Read more about Ashlynn and Emporium here.

Speaking of the other World Championships happening this year, I always enjoy a good peek behind the curtain of upper level programs in other disciplines. This Haygain spotlight on show jumper and Denmark-bound Brian Moggre highlights some key aspects of care at home that play into success on the international circuit.

Tack Facts from Sterling Essentials:

It’s hot and humid in most parts of the country these days (or, in a lot of areas, raining buckets), which means the risk of funky, moldy, gunky tack is higher than ever. And that’s never ideal when you think about how much we invest in our tack and how important it is for our horses’ comfort. Check out these tips from Sterling Essentials:

Wednesday Video Break

A cool spotlight on equine assisted learning at Urban Horse Project in Vancouver, Canada:

Tuesday Video: How to Train Your Thoroughbred with Elisa Wallace

By on Jul 26, 2022 3:00 pm -

I’ve been enjoying following Elisa Wallace’s vlog for a few years now, as there is never an absence of new material that is both entertaining and educational. Her latest Thoroughbred project, Dobby (love the name), is just learning to work under tack, and Elisa has brought us along for the ride as she works to teach Dobby the ropes.

ICYMI, here’s part one:

Dobby is three this year, and he’s been with Elisa since he was a yearling, so it’s safe to say he already knows her language and communication style quite well. But training young horses is always a challenge that requires patience, and it’s really interesting to see how Elisa tackles the next task: riding under saddle.

Patience is paramount with any horse, but Elisa shows us how she’s able to make progress at the horse’s pace, setting him up for success with positive experiences and using confident horses as fellow educators.

Want more from Elisa? Be sure to give her channel a follow here for more like this!

Just a Few More Mongol Derby Snaps from 4 Days on the Steppe

By on Jul 26, 2022 11:30 am -

The return of the world’s toughest horse race was marked by the thundering hooves of nearly 50 Mongolian horses charging across the Steppe as the 2022 Mongol Derby released its competitors into the wild this past Saturday. Now four days in to their journey, which will take them across 1000 km/600 mi of Mongolian wilderness, we’re dot-watching with the rest of the world and keeping up with snaps on social media:

Each day, the team over at The Equestrianists keeps us up-to-speed on the happenings via blog posts (catch up on the latest, day 3, here). The Mongol Derby is run with rules that will be familiar to anyone who has competed in endurance, with compulsory veterinary checks at Horse Stations along the course and penalties assessed if a horse exhibits signs of lameness, dehydration, or respiratory distress, for example. Riders also have the option to hitch a ride on the “Mongol Derby blood wagon”, which removes them from the competition but allows riders who have had trouble or health issues to catch respite without losing hope of finishing the race.

Mongol Derby Day 1 Blog
Mongol Derby Day 2 Blog
Mongol Derby Day 3 Blog

If you want to join us in dot-watching, you can do so here. Each rider carries a GPS chip that allows race organizers and fans to follow their positioning in real time. There are quite a few eventers from around the globe contesting the Mongol Derby this year, and you can pick out your favorites to keep track of here.

Meanwhile, enjoy a few more snaps from out on the Steppe — every time I follow the Mongol Derby, I wonder if I’d be tough enough to do it. The answer is probably a definitive no, but it sure is fun to follow!

Flashback Day 3: Renee Senter & Julie Wolfert between HS7 & HS8.

Photo credit: Bayarsaihan Ochiroo

Өдөр 3: 7 болон…

Posted by Mongol Derby on Monday, July 25, 2022

Tiffany Atteberry leading for most of the leg,"she said, her horse is the rocket of the steppe".

Photo credit: Shari…

Posted by Mongol Derby on Monday, July 25, 2022

An Extra Set of Wings and an Epic Montana Weekend for Jules Batters, Brittany Crandall

By on Jul 26, 2022 9:00 am -

Ocala Horse Properties Flight Grant Recipient Brittany Crandall navigates a clear round with Cooley Almighty. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Two competitors at Rebecca Farm this weekend got there thanks to an extra set of wings from Ocala Horse Properties: Jules Ennis Batters and Brittany Crandall competed with support from the inaugural Ocala Horse Properties Rebecca Farm Flight Grants.

Chris and Rob Desino, twin brothers who founded Ocala Horse Properties in 2007, announced the grants at the 2021 USEA Annual Meeting & Convention in Albuquerque. The decision came after the Desinos made their first trip to the Kalispell, MT venue to support Liz Halliday-Sharp, for whom they own several horses. It was an event more riders should experience, the Desinos desicded — and the Flight Grant was born.

I caught up with Jules and Brittany during the weekend to find out more about the flight process and their experience in Montana this year.

Jules and her 14-year-old Irish Sport Horse, Cooley O, competed in the CCI4*-S, finishing their weekend in 12th place on a final score of 90.9, adding one stop — “We both got a little tired towards the end and I ended up pulling him to a stop at a table. Ooops!” Jules wrote after her ride — and some time, along with a rail in the show jumping, to their final score.

Jules, who has competed at the 4* level with Cooley O (Caricello – Lady Glebe, by Kildalton King) since 2019 but says she struggled with confidence after having a few falls. This then played into her decision to opt for the Short format here — a set-up event for the fall.

Jules Ennis Batters and Cooley O. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

This was the third year that Jules and “Oaken”, along with Jules’ husband, Sam Batters, have made a trip to Montana for The Event at Rebecca Farm. Their previous two journeys, however, were by road trip from their home in Queenstown, MD. “It’s 5,000 miles round trip. Plus a bit extra. So for most people, that’s like six months’ worth of trailering,” Sam told me.

Jules had not planned on attending Rebecca Farm this year, but she was offered the Ocala Horse Properties Flight Grant at the last minute, after the withdrawal of original recipient Allie Knowles. Jules said, regarding her experience planning and prepping for the trip, “I think my experience was probably a little bit different than everyone else’s because I had six days to figure it out.” Originally, the grant was intended for one competitor in the CCI4*-L and one in the CCI3*-L to travel to Montana from the east coast. Jules said she asked if she and Oaken could enter the CCI4*-S instead since she hadn’t prepped Oaken for a Long. With that agreed-upon, she got to planning!

The chartered flight for the horses was taken care of, but Jules and Brittany had to get the horses to Charlotte, NC to catch the flight. The cost of their own travel was also covered, but they had to arrange the details because they would be flying separately from their horses. Jules also had to find accommodations in Montana. Jules’ family stepped up to take care of her and Sam’s daughter as well as their training operation, Ennisbrook Farm.

What an amazing week!!!! Cooley O finished up the weekend strong with just one rail in the show jumping, he really gave…

Posted by Jules Eventing on Sunday, July 24, 2022

Jules and Sam love coming to Montana for the scenery, hospitality, and of course the absolutely top-notch venue and competition. Fortunately, they were able to find a last-minute Airbnb close to Rebecca Farm. Despite the last-minute nature of the arrangements, the trip wound up being quite smooth in the end!

Brittany Crandall and her 9-year-old Dutch Warmblood, Cooley Almighty, competed in the CCI3*-L, finishing in sixth place with a final score of 51.5. Brittany secured the first clear cross country round inside the optimum time, showing her competitors that the notoriously tough time could be caught.

Brittany attended college at the University of Wyoming, so she is familiar with the mountain west, but this was her first time competing at Rebecca Farm. When I asked her if The Event was meeting her expectations, she didn’t hesitate: “Oh, it far surpasses them! I was just excited to come out because I love the west,” she said. “Just flying in and seeing all the pine trees and the mountains — I’m already in heaven. I love it. And my sister lives down in Bozeman [Montana], so they came up with their camper.” It was a perfect opportunity to combine a once-in-a-lifetime horse show trip with some valuable family time.

Brittany conveyed her gratitude to Ocala Horse Properties and Rebecca Farm. “I feel very lucky to be here,” she said. “I’m an amateur rider. I do this as a very strong hobby. I have a full-time job outside of this. I work for a brewery in Virginia, so to have this sort of opportunity is just amazing and I don’t know if the word would be perks [the benefits received] have just kept coming. Ocala [Horse Properties] gave me the flight grant, which paid for my horse’s flight and paid for my flight, and then Rebecca Farm compensated entry fees, my stabling, and my camping. I’m so very grateful for it all.”

Brittany’s mom and a good friend also came out to support her, and Brittany said she has made a lot of great friends throughout the journey.

Having never flown my horses, I was very curious about the process, and Brittany gave me a great summary:

After trailering to Charlotte, NC and having a rest, they trailered the horses to the airport at about 1:30 a.m. It was a short wait for the shipping containers, which were brought over to the horse trailers. Then two of the grooms that flew with the horses arrived to get the pods ready and set up.

“Then we loaded the shipping container pod with all our trunks and hay and all that stuff. Then we started loading the horses on, three to a pod. Pretty easy process, you pull your trailer up right next to the pod, and then they put the ramp down and you just walk the horse straight on. They have their buddies right there and we sent them with hay bags and water buckets,” Brittany recounted.

The riders then headed off to the airport for their own flight, and the horses took a plane from Charlotte to Memphis, TN via FedEx. After a short wait in Memphis, the horses flew to Great Falls, MT, where they caught a horse trailer for the approximately 4-hour drive to Kalispell.

Brittany said “Kavan” seemed really happy when he arrived, and that he enjoyed his time at Rebecca Farm.

Flying horses is cost-prohibitive to most riders, and while trailering is an option for some, the fuel costs and time required to drive to and from Rebecca Farm can prevent many people from attending as well. The flight grants provided by Ocala Horse Properties gave Jules and Brittany invaluable competition experience and exposure.

Let’s all give a shout-out to Chris and Rob Desino for the idea and their generosity — and hey, you can return the favor by browsing the full catalog of Ocala Horse Properties (spoiler: they aren’t only in Ocala!) if you’re farm-shopping! We look forward to seeing the 2023 flight grant recipients at Rebecca Farm next year.

Take a look at the trip to Montana: