Classic Eventing Nation

Thursday News & Notes Presented by Stable View

By on Aug 4, 2022 12:03 am -

Bug is ready for Italy! Photo by Lauren Nicholson.

Well folks, I returned from my great Irish adventure in one piece and had a hell of a time. Even if you’re not going to look at pretty Irish ponies, I highly recommend a summer getaway to the Emerald Isle, even if it’s just for a reprieve from the sweltering summer heat. I enjoyed ten days of delightful 65° with a breeze, and in the 50’s at night. Coming home, however, has been an adjustment that my body is not happy about. Literally walking out of the airport in the afternoon, I immediately regretted my decision to live in Virginia. Electrolyte pills and cold showers are my friends right now.

U.S. Weekend Preview

Area VII Young Rider Benefit H.T. (Centralia, WA): [Website] [Volunteer]

Catalpa Corner Charity H.T. (Iowa City, IA): [Website] [Scoring]

Cobblestone Farms H.T. II (Dexter, MI): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring]

Early Bird Summer Event at Galway Downs (Temecula, CA): [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Flora Lea Farm Mini Event (Medford, NJ): [Website]

Hoosier H.T. (Edinburgh, IN): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]

Olney Farm H.T. (Joppa, MD): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring]

River Glen Summer H.T. (New Market, TN): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]

Spring Gulch H.T. (Littleton, CO): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times] [Scoring]

Major International Events

ECCO FEI World Championships – Herning 2022: [Website] [Schedule & Scoring] [Live Stream]

FEI European Championships for Ponies (Strzegom, Poland): [Website] [Schedule & Entries] [Timing & Scoring] [Live Stream]

News From Around the Globe:

This year’s Mongol Derby winners are USA’s Deidre Griffith and South Africa’s Willemien Jooste. Our own staff writer Gillian Warner was lucky enough to catch up with them after they crossed the finish line. Deirdre and Willemiencrossed the finish line of the 2022 Mongol Derby four days ago as unplanned partners. The two riders hadn’t anticipated riding together, but had unexpectedly met up to ride out to camp on Day 2 of the race, and never turned back. [Conversations at the Mongol Derby Finish Line]

Even though we literally just learned the roster of our team for the World Championships, horses and riders have already arrived in Herning for the beginning of the event on Saturday. This year, the World Championships has a different setup, with dressage, showjumping, para-dressage, and vaulting being held separately from the eventing, and in an entirely different country. The competition in Denmark begins on August 6th and concludes on the 14th. [Herning 2022 World Championships]

Lucinda Green is killing it with the online master classes, and naturally her specialty is cross country. You can sign up for XC Week through her website, and it will reframe how you train cross-country and most importantly make it fun! There are many misconceptions of how we should cross-country school. In this week Lucinda will unpack these and show you that less is more when it comes to developing the crucial trust between you and your cross-country horse. [Lucinda’s XC Week]

Michael Pollard might be the only five-star eventer to say that he’s been “ostrichized”. No, I didn’t misspell ostracized, I mean literal ostriches. How do horses and ostriches coincide? Best listen to this interview on Major League Eventing to find out, plus learn what he’s up to these days since he gave up his professional riding career. [Michael Pollard vs Ostriches]

 

 

Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: Keep Cool and Carry On with the Household Cavalry

By on Aug 3, 2022 5:00 pm -

Over the last couple of weeks, England has been subjected to record-smashing high temperatures, which — apart from being an enormously concerning harbinger of further climate-change crises to come — certainly has an impact on how we look after our horses. We’ve seen our national governing bodies cancel competitions across the country, and riders opting to hack at the crack of dawn to get their horses exercised outside of the brutal heat of the day. For owners of leisure horses, it’s easy enough to cancel plans and spend the day cold-hosing — but for Britain’s working horses, keeping cool requires a bit of forward-planning. Check out how the Household Cavalry in London managed it with their stable full of hard-working horses.

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Fat is considered a source of “calm” energy and is thought to modify behavior in some horses, making them more tractable. This, in turn, allows horses to focus their energy on work rather than nervousness.

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The horse that matters to you matters to us®.

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#Supergroom Conner Ann Clark Balances Training Clients and Producing Her Own Horse up the Levels

By on Aug 3, 2022 3:00 pm -

We love celebrating and learning about the #supergrooms who make this sport go around — quite literally! — so we’re on a mission to interview as many grooms as we can to learn about their journeys. Catch up on the other interviews from this series here and nominate a #supergroom of your own by emailing [email protected]!

Conner Ann and Hawley at her farm in Idaho. Photo courtesy of Conner Ann Clark.

Conner Ann Clark, originally from Emmett, Idaho, has spent the last six years producing her own horse up through the levels, along with teaching lessons to her own client base that she’s been building since graduating high school. That busy schedule is no accident: Conner Ann began working for Hawley Bennett-Awad in 2020 as a working student, which eventually turned into a groom position. Since the program was on the smaller side, Conner Ann was lucky enough to be able to bring two horses along with her and says that Hawley “pretty much helped mold the idea that my horse and I are capable of doing more than just Training or Preliminary, and she was in his corner for that aspect.”

Even now, working for Valerie Pride in Maryland, Conner Ann is still able to balance riding her horse, Second Chance McFly, aka Chance, along with teaching lessons. “She’s really good about making sure that our horses get on the schedule early enough in the day; that it’s not going to be 4 or 5 p.m. by the time you’re swinging your leg over your own horse,” Conner Ann says.

When you’re managing to ride your own horse as well as teaching others, it’s important to remember what got you to that point in the first place. “The reason you’re doing this is the horses you have, so don’t let them get the short end of the stick just because you’re wanting to fill up a schedule of lessons or schedule of horses,” she says sagely.

Conner Ann coaching her student around her first recognized event at Galway Downs in 2021. Photo courtesy of Conner Ann Clark.

Although Conner Ann’s title is Assistant Trainer, that doesn’t stop her from being at the barn at 7 a.m. with the rest of the girls taking care of the horses. She has always prioritised putting in the work, which has helped her get to where she is today.

“I don’t come from a wealthy background and I don’t have the most expensive, well-trained, fancy horse. I got here by working my butt off every day for the last 10 years,” she says.

One of the keys to success in the tough, often relentless horse world is a hunger to learn and get stuck in, and Conner Ann has never passed up an opportunity to get involved with horses. “I fed, cleaned, tacked, groomed, anything I could for the opportunity to swing my leg over anything and everything I could. This is what opened all my doors for me to get where I am,” she remembers.

While Conner Ann is teaching clients– both in Maryland and back home in Idaho – she also manages to compete her horse at the CCI1* level. Some weekends she travels back to her hometown in Idaho to teach lessons to loyal, day one clients, and some weekends she’s competing at an event herself, which gives her a unique perspective on what her clients need from her.

Chance and Conner Ann through the CCI1*-S finish flags at MDHT. Photo courtesy of Allison Green with SDH Photography.

Conner Ann and her OTTB have been partners since 2016. Although her mother didn’t like the idea, Conner Ann and her dad went to look at the skinny rescue horse who they would later call Chance. They’ve undeniably come a long way since then, winning the CCI1*-S at The Maryland International Horse Trials this July among their accolades.

“I think that just being his person from day one of this journey has been really gratifying; I know him like the back of my hand, if not better than that. And I feel like he knows me just as well,” says Conner Ann. You can read more about their tight-knit partnership in the story that Conner Ann wrote for EN here.

It’s becoming more and more common for aspiring equestrian professionals to take a gap year after school to work as a groom or working student. Although hers is an unconventional approach, and one she was conscious might be looked down upon by some outside the industry, Conner Ann opted to follow a different route: she began her business straight out of high school.

“It’s definitely, I think, worth going and taking that year or two or three or however many years you want it to be because you’re not going to be 18, 19, or 20 forever,” she says. “A lot of people that I know, I do think that it’s something they wish they would have done when they were younger because it’s harder to do once you have a family or have a nine to five office job; you can’t just sneak away. I definitely think that school is always going to be there; I think that school is very important and I think that you definitely should go.”

Conner Ann’s advice to any young rider hoping to pick up a working student position?  “Be a sponge,” she says,  and absorb anything you can from the people you work with.

Go Conner Ann and Go Eventing!

Get Your Eyes on the Prize with Jack Le Goff

By on Aug 3, 2022 1:00 pm -

Jack Le Goff and Image on their way to a team bronze medal at the Rome Olympics in 1960. Photo courtesy of Jack Le Goff.

Whether it is on the flat in a dressage ring, in a show-jumping ring, or on a cross-country course, the eyes are the first and most important tool that a rider has. Most of my life, I have heard instructors yelling, “Keep your eyes up.” Of course, that is true, but do their students know why they are being asked to do this? There is more to it than just saying the words. The eyes should anticipate the track you are following for jumping fences, just enough to make sure you are on the track you walked for riding your course. In dressage, your eyes should be only a few strides ahead as the speed is slow and you know the geometry of the figures in the dressage arena. If you turn your head too much to one side, you are likely to get your horse off the track that you are supposed to follow. One word of caution: your head weighs between 20 and 30 pounds. If you move your head over to one side or the other, you will totally alter the balance, the direction, and the straightness. So if you have a bad habit of tilting your head, then I say, “get rid of it!” The habit, that is.

I have said for years that horses will follow your eyes. Nothing is truer because your eyes dictate the desired position needed to make a turn to the rest of your body. Consequently, it has a significant influence on your weight and balance. I have repeatedly used the example of a racecar going downhill as fast as possible and asked students to think what would happen if the driver took his eyes off the road ahead.

There is also one other imperative factor that is related to the use of the eyes and that is the sense of balance. Without getting too involved in physics, let’s accept that the center of gravity is directly under our feet. When moving forward on a horse, the balance is obviously always moving forward directly under you at a 90-degree angle. So if you keep your eyes on that 90-degree angle relative to the ground (center of gravity), you are in the best place to detect if your horse is speeding up, slowing down, or changing his balance or direction. Please experiment. Look down first and see where the center of gravity is, then raise your eyes directly in front of you and look straight ahead so your line of sight is parallel to the ground. This line will always put you at a 90-degree angle from your center of gravity and down to the ground. I would be surprised if you could not feel a remarkable difference. It is like riding a bicycle or driving a car: you will be able to feel, as well as see, whether the horse is staying on a straight line and whether he increases his speed or slows down. I guarantee you will feel it.

Observing horses teaches you a lot of things. When a horse is jumping please concentrate on his eyes and you will be able to tell at which precise moment he sees the jump. You will then see him react to that jump: he will run to it, slow down, or avoid it. The sooner the horse sees the fence, the sooner he will react to it and the more time the rider has to adjust his riding to the horse’s reaction and make the necessary corrections for a successful jump. So get his eyes on the fence as soon as you can…. People have often heard me shout, “Get his eyes on the jump!” The best way to do this is to get him straight in his neck between the reins. 

This excerpt from Horses Came First, Second, and Last by Jack Le Goff is reprinted with permission from Trafalgar Square Books (www.HorseandRiderBooks.com). 

First-Ever Burghley Winner – and Pioneer for Women in Equestrian Sport – Anneli Drummond-Hay Dies at Age 84

By on Aug 3, 2022 11:00 am -

Anneli Drummond-Hay (who would go on to be the first-ever winner of Burghley.) when she was just 16 at the European Championships.

It’s with heavy hearts that we share news of the passing of Anneli Drummond-Hay, who died on Sunday at the age of 84. Her passing came after a short bout of illness.

Anneli’s legacy in equestrian sport is extraordinary in its breadth and depth. To eventers, she’s perhaps best known as the first-ever victor of Burghley Horse Trials, which she scooped in 1962 aboard the six-year-old Merely-a-Monarch. She was just 24 years old at the time, but had amassed enough experience to pilot her green gelding to the top spot through a career that began with a decisive victory in the European Pony Championships at the age of 16. Prior to her victory with the young gelding in 1961, she’d already notched up sixth and third place finishes at Badminton Horse Trials with her former top ride, Trident.

By the time she made Monarch’s entry to Burghley, he’d already made it to Grade A showjumping classes — but his experience of horse trials was considerably more limited, and she later told Horse&Hound that his only experience of water jumps was “leaping over puddles in the road”. But they gave themselves such an extraordinary margin in the first phase that by the time they set off for the multi-part cross-country, with its long roads and tracks stints, they were a solid 30 points ahead of their nearest competitors. They had been drawn as last to leave the start box, and as she prepared to start, Anneli was greeted with some news that would dictate her plan for the challenge to come: every competitor before her had fallen, which meant that she could afford the luxury of slowing down and giving her young horse an educational ride where the intensity of the track warranted it.

“I took Monarch carefully and cantered him round – he had a huge stride that just ate up the ground,” she said to H&H. “He was a trifle spooky, but he cleared everything, including the stone wall located at the bottom of a deep ditch, a bullfinch, and the “bogey” fence, the Trout Hatchery, where a hole in the bottom had caused a lot of the falls. The Trout Hatchery that year consisted of a choice of a high post and rails to the water, or a log with a bigger drop in. I chose the latter option and then squeezed around the side, thus avoiding the troublesome hole.”

Their clear round the next day would secure the win, which they followed up with victory at Badminton the following year by a record-holding 42 points, but as women still weren’t allowed to compete in eventing teams at championships, Anneli opted to switch back to showjumping so that she could make a bid for a place at the Olympics.

By the time the 1964 Tokyo Olympics came around, though, Anneli had put herself in such a strong position across the disciplines that she was shortlisted for all three teams — all with Merely-a-Monarch. They remain the only partnership ever to achieve this and now, as the disciplines have become so distinct and professionalised, it’s enormously unlikely that it’ll ever be repeated. In 1968, they were once again shortlisted for the Olympics, this time just for showjumping, but were left off the team in favour of Marion Mould and the 14.2hh Stroller. That would be their last look-in at an Olympic team, as Anneli was offered a lucrative sponsorship deal shortly thereafter, making her ineligible for Olympic selection under the IOC’s rules at the time, which enforced a strictly amateur competition. In taking that deal, though, Anneli became the first-ever rider to secure funding in this way, creating a model for top-level riders that’s universally in use today.

Anneli Drummond-Hay and Merely-a-Monarch – perhaps the world’s first truly remarkable event horse. Photo courtesy of Badminton Horse Trials.

Many years of success at the top level of showjumping followed, including wins in the prestigious Queen Elizabeth II Cup and Hickstead Derby, winning Nations Cup berths at London, Geneva, and Rome, and Grand Prix wins at Brussels, S’Hertogenbosch, Paris, Geneva, Chile, Toronto, Berlin, and many, many more. She was also a prolific winner in Derby classes, taking top honours in Hickstead’s showpiece, as well as Rome twice, Geneva, Berlin, and South Africa twice. Her tours of America also yielded enormous successes, with wins at Madison Square Gardens on her roll of honour.

In 1971, she relocated to South Africa, where she continued to teach and compete, and was awarded a number of honourable accolades — such as British Sportswoman of the Year on three occasions, South African Sportswoman of the Year on eight occasions, the Italian Equestrian Federation’s ‘Premio Caprilli’, and the Cadre Noir’s Golden Spurs. In 2010, she was inducted into the British Horse Society’s Hall of Fame. She also holds the ladies’ high jump record, at a staggering 2.36m, and was actively competing up until her death.

“Anneli set the path for all of us, as female riders, to follow,” says Helen West, British Eventing Chief Executive. “She was a woman who showed the world that women should be included and compete on equal terms with their male counterparts and it is hard to believe there was ever gender inequality when you consider that we are one of the very few sports today where men and women compete on equal terms.

“We all owe so much to Anneli and her legacy lives on with the number of women she will have inspired over the decades to not only ride but to never give up on their dream.  On behalf of myself, the British Eventing Board and our entire membership I would like to express our heartfelt condolences to Anneli’s husband Trevor Bern, their family and friends whom she has left behind.”

Anneli’s legacy is certainly one that’s felt every day by all of us women who get to enjoy competing in one of the only sports that’s truly gender equal — and her family legacy will continue to live on, too, in the form of her great-niece, Izzy Taylor, who continues to show exactly what strong women are made of.

All of us at EN offer our most heartfelt sympathies to those connected with this extraordinary powerhouse of a woman. Anneli, we salute you — and we thank you for all you did.

Hooray for Herning: How to Follow the FEI World Championships for Jumping, Dressage, Para-Dressage, and Vaulting

By on Aug 3, 2022 9:09 am -

We let Chinch watch the dressage, and now he won’t stop asking for an orange tailcoat.

While we’ve still got six weeks to go until the FEI World Championships for Eventing kicks off in Pratoni, we’re hardly short of action on the global stage in the meantime — and this week, all eyes turn to Herning in Denmark, where the World Championships for dressage, para-dressage, vaulting, and showjumping are about to get underway. Most of this week is devoted to settling horses in, training and familiarisation sessions, and horse inspections, and from Saturday, the action will kick off in earnest with the dressage team Grand Prix.

Here’s a look at how the schedule will work for each day of competition at Herning:

SATURDAY, AUGUST 6

11.00 a.m. local time (10.00 a.m. BST/5.00 a.m. EST): FEI World Team Dressage Grand Prix Championship, followed by individuals

SUNDAY, AUGUST 7

10.00 a.m. local time (9.00 a.m. BST/4.00 a.m. EST): FEI World Vaulting Female Championship — Individual Female First Round Technical Test

11.00 a.m. local time (10.00 a.m. BST/5.00 a.m. EST): FEI World Team Dressage Grand Prix Championship, followed by individuals

3.00 p.m. local time (2.00 p.m. BST/9.00 a.m. EST): FEI World Vaulting Male Championship — Individual Male First Round Technical Test

6.00 p.m. local time (5.00 p.m. BST/12.00 p.m. EST): FEI World Vaulting Pas-De-Deux Championship — Pas-De-Deux First Round Freestyle Test

8.oo p.m. local time (7.00 p.m. BST/2.00 p.m. EST): FEI World Dressage Championship — Grand Prix medal ceremony

MONDAY, AUGUST 8

8.30 a.m. local time (7.30 a.m. BST/2.30 a.m. EST): FEI World Vaulting Female Championship — Individual Female First Round Freestyle Test

1.00 p.m. local time (12.00 p.m. BST/7.00 a.m. EST): FEI World Vaulting Male Championship — Individual Male First Round Freestyle Test

1.30 p.m. local time (12.30 p.m. BST/7.30 a.m. EST): FEI World Dressage Championship — Individual Grand Prix Special

3.30 p.m. local time (2.30 p.m. BST/9.30 a.m. EST):FEI World Vaulting Squad Championship — Squad Round Freestyle Test, followed by medal ceremony for squad, female, and male individuals

8.oo p.m. local time (7.00 p.m. BST/2.00 p.m. EST): FEI World Dressage Championship — Grand Prix Special medal ceremony

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10

8.30 a.m. local time (7.30 a.m. BST/2.30 a.m. EST): FEI World Para Dressage Individual Championship — Grade IV

11.00 a.m. local time (10.00 a.m. BST/5.00 a.m. EST): FEI World Team & Individual Jumping Championship — First Competition – Speed

11.00 a.m. local time (10.00 a.m. BST/5.00 a.m. EST): FEI World Vaulting Pas-De-Deux Championship — Pas-De-Deux Final Round Freestyle Test

12.15 p.m. local time (11.15 a.m. BST/6.15 a.m. EST): FEI World Para Dressage Individual Championship — Grade II, followed by Grade IV and Grade II medal ceremonies

1.00 p.m. local time (12.00 p.m. BST/7.00 a.m. EST):FEI World Official Nations Team Vaulting Championship — Nations Team, followed by medal ceremony for Pas de Deux and Nations Team

3.30 p.m. local time (2.30 p.m. BST/9.30 a.m. EST): FEI World Para Dressage Individual Championship — Grade I

5.00 p.m. local time (4.00 p.m. BST/11.00 a.m. EST): Para Dressage Medal Ceremony for Grade I

8.oo p.m. local time (7.00 p.m. BST/2.00 p.m. EST): FEI World Dressage Grand Prix Freestyle Championship

11.00 p.m. local time (10.00 p.m. BST/5.00 p.m. EST): Dressage Grand Prix Freestyle Medal Ceremony

THURSDAY, AUGUST 11

1.00 p.m. local time (12.00 p.m. BST/7.00 a.m. EST): FEI World Team Jumping Championship – Round 1, followed by FEI World Jumping Championship — Individual – Second Competition – Round 1

2.00 p.m. local time (1.00 p.m. BST/8.00 a.m. EST): FEI World Para Dressage Individual Championship — Grade III

5.30 p.m. local time (4.30 p.m. BST/11.30 a.m. EST): FEI World Para Dressage Individual Championship — Grade V, followed by medal ceremonies for Grade III and Grade V

FRIDAY, AUGUST 12

11.00 a.m. local time (10.00 a.m. BST/5.00 a.m. EST): FEI World Para Dressage Team Championship — Grade IV

2.45 p.m. local time (1.45 p.m. BST/8.45 a.m. EST): FEI World Para Dressage Team Championship — Grade II

5.20 p.m. local time (4.20 p.m. BST/11.20 a.m. EST): FEI World Para Dressage Team Championship — Grade I

9.oo p.m. local time (8.00 p.m. BST/3.00 p.m. EST): FEI World Team Jumping Championship — Round 2, followed by Individual — Second Competition – Round 2

11.30 p.m. local time (10.30 p.m. BST/5.30 p.m. EST): Jumping Team Medal Ceremony

SATURDAY, AUGUST 13

11.00 a.m. local time (10.00 a.m. BST/5.00 a.m. EST): FEI World Para Dressage Team Championship — Grade III

2.20 p.m. local time (1.20 p.m. BST/8.20 a.m. EST):FEI World Para Dressage Team Championship — Grade V

8.3o p.m. local time (7.30 p.m. BST/2.30 p.m. EST): Para Dressage Medal Ceremony — Teams

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14

9.00 a.m. local time (8.00 a.m. BST/3.00 a.m. EST): FEI World Para Dressage Individual Championship — Grades IV, II & I

11.30 a.m. local time (10.30 a.m. BST/5.30 a.m. EST): Para Dressage Medal Ceremony for Grade VI, II & I

2.00 p.m. local time (1.00 p.m. BST/8.00 a.m. EST): FEI World Jumping Championship — Final Individual – Third Competition

2.15 p.m. local time (1.15 p.m. BST/8.15 a.m. EST): FEI World Para Dressage Individual Championship — Grades V & III

4.30 p.m. local time (3.30 p.m. BST/10.30 a.m. EST): FEI World Jumping Championship Individual medal ceremony

5.10 p.m. local time (4.10 p.m. BST/11.10 a.m. EST): Para Dressage Medal Ceremony for Grade V & III

HOW TO WATCH

No matter where you are in the world, you’ve got plenty of options for following along with all the action. The primary live-stream provider for the entirety of the event will be FEI TV, which has been absorbed into ClipMyHorse.TV. They’ll provide wall-to-wall livestreams, plus almost immediate on-demand viewing options, across the disciplines, though you will need to take out a subscription or a trial membership to access their coverage. (They’ll also be in charge of the streams from Pratoni, so it’s well worth getting your account sorted now so you’re prepared for the busy autumn season!)

There are a number of non-championship classes going on throughout Herning, too, including small-tour dressage and showjumping classes, and you can sign up to ZibraSport Equest to keep up with these, plus watch masterclasses and Riders Corner interview segments daily.

There’s currently no plan for any of the disciplines to be shown on the BBC’s Red Button service as they have done in previous years, though representatives for the service have said that this could change as we get closer to the start of the action. Keep this page bookmarked and we’ll be sure to update you with any additional coverage options that become available.

Wednesday News & Notes from Haygain

By on Aug 3, 2022 12:01 am -

I’m still consuming as much Mongol Derby content as I can, though the last riders have crossed the finish line. I’ve spent the last week having an internal debate with myself on whether or not I would be tough enough to compete in the Mongol Derby, and while I believe anyone can prepare well for something…I don’t know. I think I might just have to make do with following on Instagram, honestly.

A very special shout goes to a former somewhat-coach of mine, Julie Wolfert, and her friend and student Renee Senter from Kansas City, who completed the Derby over the weekend. Julie picked up a win in the 3*-L at Tryon earlier this spring before her Mongol Derby trip began in earnest, and Renee is part of a small ownership group nicknamed Team Pivot and also including Sheri Gurske that supports Julie and her upper-level partner, SSH Playboy, on their journey to the top. It’s a really cool story, and you’re in luck because we’ll have a full story about how Team Pivot came to be coming your way in the coming weeks.

U.S. Weekend Preview

Area VII Young Rider Benefit H.T. (Centralia, WA): [Website] [Volunteer]

Catalpa Corner Charity H.T. (Iowa City, IA): [Website] [Scoring]

Cobblestone Farms H.T. II (Dexter, MI): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring]

Early Bird Summer Event at Galway Downs (Temecula, CA): [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Flora Lea Farm Mini Event (Medford, NJ): [Website]

Hoosier H.T. (Edinburgh, IN): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]

Olney Farm H.T. (Joppa, MD): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring]

River Glen Summer H.T. (New Market, TN): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]

Spring Gulch H.T. (Littleton, CO): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times] [Scoring]

Major International Events

ECCO FEI World Championships – Herning 2022: [Website] [Schedule & Scoring] [Live Stream]

FEI European Championships for Ponies (Strzegom, Poland): [Website] [Schedule & Entries] [Timing & Scoring] [Live Stream]

Wednesday News & Reading

We’re keeping Kentucky in our thoughts as recovery efforts continue after devastating flooding throughout the eastern regions of the state, many of which are rural. Continued rainfall has made recovery and rescue tough, and to date the death toll is 37 people. To assist those who have been affected by the flooding, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and the Kentucky Farm Bureau have joined together to raise funds. You can learn more about this fund and donate here.

The newly-formed USEA Emerging Athlete 21 program seems to be off to a solid start, with a host of clinics scattered around the country offering opportunity for continued education for these top young riders. This week, Bec Braitling is teaching at Holly Hill Farm in Benton, LA, and day one was already full of useful insights. Bec is a well-respected coach out here on the West coast, and her calm and clear demeanor makes it easy to want to learn from here. Check out the full day one report here.

After serving for eight years as the US Equestrian Director of Sport Programs, Will Connell is stepping down following this competition season in November. Formerly a performance director for British Equestrian, Will had worked with the U.S. teams since 2014 and was instrumental in leading the Americans to top finishes across all FEI disciplines. ““I’d been thinking about it a while and decided the time was right to move on,” Will told The Chronicle of the Horse. “I wanted to make sure there was plenty of time for the federation to find the right person and for that person to have long enough in the job ahead of Paris [Olympics in 2024].”

Catching up with former top event horses in their second (or third!) careers is always fascinating, and this week we meet Gonzalo, a former 4* eventer now piloted with Trevor Breen, who picked up a fourth place finish in last weekend’s Longines King George V Gold Cup CSI5*.

Tack Mythbusters from Sterling Essentials: Did you know saddle soap is one of the worst things you can use to clean your saddle? [If the embedded post below does not show up in your browser, view it on Instagram here]

Wednesday Video Break

Take a tour of the Danish location for the ECCO FEI World Championships for Show Jumping, Dressage, Para Dressage, and Vaulting, which kick off this Saturday, August 6:

#TimeTravelTuesday: Take Us Back to Tokyo

By on Aug 2, 2022 3:30 pm -

A year ago, we were wrapping up the action from the postponed Tokyo Olympics, where we saw the crowning of Germany’s Julia Krajewski as the individual gold medalist for eventing and Team Great Britain cleaned up the team gold medal in convincing fashion. It’s quite difficult to believe it’s been a whole year since that magical trip, so I thought it fitting to take a travel back to #Tokyo2020:

Team Poland enjoy a sunset slot in the main arena during my first stop upon deplaning: Arena Familiarization! Photo by Sally Spickard.

Derek di Grazia’s Tokyo Olympic cross country course was cleverly set on an artificial island featuring epic views and even more epic temperatures. While the track at an Olympic Games isn’t dimensionally as large nor as technical as a “true” five-star event, the challenge was thickened by the temperatures and the undulations in the ground — one of Derek’s favorite things to utilize as he designs.

Julia Krajewski begins her weekend with Amande de B’Neville. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Alex Hua Tian debriefs with the team. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Julia Krajewski (Germany) and Amande de B’Neville. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Bea di Grazia sends Lauren Billys some good cheer ahead of her test. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Jesse Campbell runs through his safe words. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Phillip Dutton and Z. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Michael Jung and Chipmunk FRH. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Ludwig Svennerstal and Balham Mist. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

After a busy two days of dressage, which featured a shortened test that drew mixed but generally positive reactions, it was time to tackle the challenge ahead on Sea Forest Island…

Lea Siegl and DSP Fighting Line. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Huadong Sun and Lady Chin V’T Moerven Z. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Felix Vogg and Colero. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Joanna Pawlak and Fantastic Freida. Huadong Sun and Lady Chin V’T Moerven Z. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Susanna Bordonne and Imperial Van De Holtakkers. Rafael Mamprin Losano and Fuiloda G. Joanna Pawlak and Fantastic Freida. Huadong Sun and Lady Chin V’T Moerven Z. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Andrew Hoy and Vassily de Lassos. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Doug Payne and Vandiver. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

(This was also the day EN decided to crash for a full day, in true traditional fashion, but we won’t dwell on that)

Once cross country finishes, it feels like an all-out landslide for the finish as the combinations rested and recovered for the trot-up the following day and two rounds of show jumping to determine team and individual medals.

Kazuma Tomoto (JPN) and Vinci De La Vigne. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Tamie Smith (USA) and Mai Baum. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Sandra Auffarth (GER) and Viamant Du Matz. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Doug Payne and Vandiver. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Laura Collett and London 52. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Phillip Dutton and Z. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Colleen Loach and Qorry Blue D’Argouges. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Oliver Townend and Ballaghmor Class. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

And then, as the dust settled in the mostly empty stadium, it was time to crown our podium toppers:

A podium finish! Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Has anyone ever seen Oliver Townend jump for joy before?! A historic moment, indeed. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Julia Krajewski and Amande de B’Neville. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Golden Great Britain! Tom McEwen, Laura Collett and Oliver Townend. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

The next Olympic cycle will bring us to Paris in 2024, where the equestrian disciplines will take place July 27 – August 6. But first, we’ll get a glimpse at the first federations to qualify for a Paris berth at the upcoming FEI World Championships for Eventing in Italy next month.

Canadian Team Named for FEI World Championships for Eventing

By on Aug 2, 2022 1:18 pm -

Hawley Bennett-Awad and Jollybo. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

The Canadian eventing team for the forthcoming FEI World Championships for Eventing at Pratoni del Vivaro (September 14-18) has been released today, and it’s arguably among the strongest Canadian teams we’ve seen in recent memory. Though we don’t yet know which of the five named horses and riders will take the four team berths, and which will come forward as an individual, we can expect to divulge that information closer to the competition itself.

The named horses and riders are as follows:

  • Hawley Bennett-Awad and Jollybo – eighteen-year-old British-bred Sport Horse mare (Jumbo x Polly Coldunnell, by Danzig Connection), owned by the Jolly Syndicate LLC and the rider.
  • Holly Jacks-Smither and Candy King – twelve-year-old British-bred Sport Horse gelding (Grafenstolz x Eye Candy, by Moothyeb), owned by the Candy King Eventing Limited Partnership.
  • Colleen Loach and Vermont – ten-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Van Helsing x Hauptstutbuch Hollywood, by Heraldik), owned by Peter Barry.
  • Karl Slezak and Fernhill Wishes – thirteen-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Chacoa x KEC Galway Bay, by Gildawn Diamond), owned by Kirk Hoppner and the rider.
  • Mike Winter and El Mundo – thirteen-year-old KWPN gelding (Numero Uno x Calvaro’s Bria Z, by Calvaro F.C.), owned by Jonathan Nelson, Emma Winter and the rider.

The non-travelling reserves for the team are:

  • Dana Cooke and FE Mississippi – twelve-year-old Württemburg mare (Cassini II x Liastra, by Legaat), owned by the FE Mississippi Syndicate LLC.
  • Lisa Marie Fergusson and Honor Me – sixteen-year-old Welsh Sport Horse gelding (Brynarian Brenin x Dream Contessa, breeding unknown), owned by the rider.

Canada will be fighting for a top seven finish at the World Championships, which would secure them a team spot at the 2024 Paris Olympics — a goal that’s very much at the forefront of the squad’s collective mind after a disappointing previous Olympic cycle saw them fail to qualify for Tokyo. There’ll be plenty of fighting to do in Pratoni, but we have high hopes for this exciting line-up.

If you’re looking for all the latest information on Pratoni, be sure to check out our Ultimate Guide that’s chock full of the latest coverage, team announcements, and much more. 

#Pratoni2022: Website, Box Office, EN’s Instagram, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Coverage

It’s Here! Meet the U.S. Team Traveling to Pratoni for the FEI World Championships for Eventing

By on Aug 2, 2022 12:52 pm -

Like kids on Christmas, we’re eagerly tearing the wrapping off press release after press release today, and the latest to land in our inboxes is the hottest ticket of them all: Team USA has been announced for next month’s FEI World Championships for Eventing at Pratoni del Vivaro in Rocca di Papa, Italy.

The traveling team to Pratoni for the U.S. will include:

  • Will Coleman (Gordonsville, Va.) and Off The Record, a 2009 Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by the Off The Record Syndicate
    • Direct Reserve: Dondante, a 2010 Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by Team Rebecca, LLC
      Groom: Hailey Burlock
  • Ariel Grald (Southern Pines, N.C.) and Leamore Master Plan, a 2009 Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by Anne Eldridge
    Groom: Meredith Ferraris
  • Boyd Martin (Cochranville, Pa.) and Tsetserleg TSF, a 2007 Trakehner gelding owned by Christine, Thomas, and Tommie Turner
    Groom: Stephanie Simpson
  • Lauren Nicholson (The Plains, Va.) and Vermiculus, a 2007 Anglo-Arabian gelding owned by Jacqueline Mars
    Groom: Sally Robertson
  • Tamie Smith (Murrieta, Calif.) and Mai Baum, a 2006 German Sport Horse gelding owned by Alexandra Ahearn, Ellen Ahearn, and Eric Markell
    Groom: Alyssa Dobrotin
  • Traveling Reserve: Phillip Dutton (West Grove, Pa.) and Z, a 2008 Zangersheide gelding owned by Thomas Tierney, Ann Jones, Caroline Moran, David Vos, Evie Dutton, Patricia Vos, and Suzanne Lacy
    Groom: Sydnee Ledyard

The following combinations have been named as alternates, and are listed in alphabetical order:

  • Jennie Brannigan and FE Lifestyle, a 2010 Warmblood gelding owned by Nina and Timothy Gardner
  • Buck Davidson and Carlevo, a 2007 Holsteiner gelding owned by Katherine O’Brien
  • Phillip Dutton and Sea of Clouds, a 2011 Thoroughbred gelding owned by the Sea of Clouds Partnership
  • Sydney Elliott and QC Diamantaire, a 2010 Oldenburg gelding owned by Carol Stephens
  • Liz Halliday-Sharp and Cooley Quicksilver, a 2011 Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by The Monster Partnership
  • Boyd Martin and Fedarman B, a 2010 KWPN gelding owned by the Annie Goodwin Syndicate

The competition format for Worlds will consist of four (some teams may have three members) team members with one dropped score and one individual combination. These designations will be determined and announced later on. Team USA will converge on MARS Great Meadow International August 24-28 in The Plains, VA for a final Mandatory Outing before shipping out from USET Headquarters in Gladstone.

If you’re looking for all the latest information on Pratoni, be sure to check out our Ultimate Guide that’s chock full of the latest coverage, team announcements, and much more. 

#Pratoni2022: Website, Box Office, EN’s Instagram, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Coverage