Classic Eventing Nation

Opening Doors and Maximizing Access: Seven-Figure Cash Injection Propels British Eventing into New Era

By on Jun 1, 2022 5:01 pm -

There’s a lot to be said for the work being done at British Eventing under the leadership of CEO Helen West, who stepped into the role last year and immediately began cobbling together a figurative life raft for the organisation after several tricky years in which it came under fire for a financially debilitating IT project, among other contentious issues. She can be credited in large part with bringing a CCI5* to British soil for the first time since 2019 in the form of last year’s ‘pop-up’ Bicton fixture; at the same venue, where she’s long been the manager, she also produced a replacement for Bramham’s CCI4*-L, under-25 CCI4*-L, and CCI4*-S in June.

Now, with the pandemic largely behind us, we’re seeing some exciting and forward-thinking ideas become reality – first in the form of Go BE, a new initiative that allows unregistered riders to compete over BE courses without their results being recorded and now, with the reveal of a new partnership that could change the face of the sport in Britain.

The Howden Way, which launched yesterday (May 31) at Oxfordshire’s Cornbury House, is the brainchild of David Howden, Group CEO and founder of Howden insurance brokers and the man responsible for bringing Cornbury’s much-loved fixture back to the calendar. David, who first got into eventing via his daughters’ love for the sport, has been an enormously enthusiastic and generous figure on the scene since Cornbury’s return in 2020 — and with The Howden Way, he’s pushing even more valuable resources into British Eventing with a seven-figure cash injection that will be used over five years to create pathways for both horses and riders.

The funding will be split across three main areas of focus: The Howden Regional Training Academy, which will provide subsidised training opportunities for riders of all levels, the Howden Talent Academy, for which riders aged 14–28 will be selected based on their potential and given access to top-class training and support, and the Howden Young Horse Academy, which will create more robust systems for nurturing talented young horses from the age of five to nine, ensuring a steady output of world-class equine talent within Britain.

“This is a very exciting time and a significant opportunity for British Eventing,” says Helen West. “The creation of The Howden Way represents the largest direct sponsorship into one of the national governing bodies of an Olympic equestrian discipline. We are very grateful to the support given by David Howden and look forward to the benefits our members will receive from the introduction of The Howden Way.”

David Howden added: “I am thrilled to support British Eventing and the future of the sport through the introduction of The Howden Way. Eventing is such a special sport and through The Howden Way we want to ensure riders and young horses are offered the best opportunities to reach their full potential.”

The most exciting bit of the whole endeavour, from our perspective? David Howden’s insistence that “[the Howden Way] is going to allow for much greater accessibility — we’ve got to get a diverse set of people coming into eventing […] and hopefully the Howden Way will really enable that. That’s the exciting part.”

Team GB chef d’equipe Dickie Waygood is particularly enthusiastic about education at the grassroots level, pointing out that by raising standards and education at the lower levels, it’ll create a positive upward push to the top levels — an approach that’s refreshing in its difference to the usual ‘trickle down’ effect we tend to see favoured. Check out some more soundbites from David, Dickie, and a number of riders here:

 

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British Eventing has put together a handy FAQ guide to help people get to grips with the new pathways:

When will The Howden Way begin?

Elements of The Howden Way will be launched at different times throughout the current season. Young Horse Leagues will be introduced first, and regional training for members will be rolled out during the season, while the talent pathways will take longer to be developed and integrated.

How frequent will The Howden Regional Training Academies be? 

Regular regional training sessions will be held, and riders will also be able to access remote online content at all times.

Who are the trainers and selectors for The Howden Way?

British Eventing Youth Performance Manager Darrell Scaife will be the Howden Talent Academy lead coach. He will be joined by carefully selected discipline-specific coaches who will also offer support to British Eventing accredited coaches who will deliver the regional training.

Will there be any additional cost involved if taking part in The Howden Way?

The Howden Regional Training Academy will be delivered at a subsidised fee for all riders. Riders will be provided with an educational syllabus free of charge to work through with the support of an allocated coach and have access to online content at all times. The Howden Young Horse Academy and The Howden Talent Academy will be free of charge to those attending. Riders will be expected to cover their expenses.

Is The Howden Way just for British riders?

The Howden Regional Training Academy is open to riders of all nationalities. However, if selected on to The Howden Talent Academy or The Howden Young Horse Academy, all horse and rider combinations must be eligible to represent Great Britain.

Can PAYG British Eventing members take part in The Howden Way training?

Pay-as-you-go (PAYG) British Eventing members can take part in The Howden Reginal Training Academy along with having access to the online educational content.

Go (British) Eventing!

 

Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: Charlotte Dujardin’s Driving Force

By on Jun 1, 2022 4:30 pm -

Pour yourself a cup of tea, get comfy and then hit play on a fantastic documentary series highlighting women in sports — you certainly won’t want to miss episode 6 in particular, which features dressage star Charlotte Dujardin.

Created for Sky Sports and hosted by Scottish tennis coach Judy Murray (who shares her own story in episode one) Driving Force explores the backstories of a number of incredible female athletes. Each story delves into the highs and lows of achieving greatness in sport, shining a particular light on the challenges that they’ve faced both along the way and after achieving major success.

Charlotte’s episode takes us back to her early days of showing ponies and the sacrifices that her family made to get her and her sister started in the sport, finding mentorship and friendship with trainers Ian Cast, Judy Harvey and Carl Hester, to meeting the incomparable Valegro as a four-year-old and developing through the ranks of dressage together. Plus, she and Judy discuss the unique difficulties that came after being thrust into the spotlight after achieving double gold medals at the London 2012 Olympics, how working with a sport psychologist helped her to find herself again, and how she made the decision to retire Valegro.

All episodes of season 1 of Driving Force are now available on YouTube and we’re delighted to see that there is a second season coming soon as well!

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Home Nation Italy Releases Shortlist for World Championships Team

By on Jun 1, 2022 1:06 pm -

Pietro Sandei and Rubis du Prere at the 2021 European Championships. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Somehow, inexplicably, we’re at that time of year again already: it’s team announcement season, and getting the ball rolling for this year’s World Championships in Pratoni del Vivaro (September 14–18) is the home side, who have released their first squad shortlist. This initial shortlist is particularly short, but is set to expand; by the end of June, the Italian selection committee will add two more pairs to complete the list, from which they’ll ultimately select five combinations plus two reserves on the 15th of August.

The six shortlisted horses and riders, all of whom ride for various divisions of the Italian Armed Forces, are as follows:

  • Susanne Bordone and Imperial Van de Holtakkers – 14-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding (Quidam de Revel x Ava van de Holtakkers, by Argentinus). Owned by Maria Giovanna Mazzocchi
  • Marco Cappai and Uter – 13-year-old Italian Sport Horse gelding (Caster di Villa Francesca x Elle d’Aulix, by Iubumbashi). Owned by Cascianese Country Club
  • Emiliano Portale and Aracne dell’Esercito Italiano – 10-year-old Italian Sport Horse stallion (AS Lucsan x Aliree, by Hunting Hawk). Owned by the Italian Army
  • Pietro Sandei and Rubis de Prere – 17-year-old Selle Français gelding (Fedor de Seves x Cina du Logis, by Quandy du Mayne). Owned by Az. Agr. Galanthus di Castellani S.
  • Arianna Schivo and Quefira de l’Ormeau – 18-year-old Selle Français mare (Iolisco de Quinhon*HN x Isabelle du Brulot, by Beausejour IV). Owned by Thomas Bouquet and the rider
  • Giovanni Ugolotti and Duke of Champions – 11-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Duke of Hearts x Nebraska 22, by Noble Champion). Owned by Philip Hunt, Jo Preston-Hunt, and Joyce Snook

Susanna Bordonne (ITA) and Imperial Van De Holtakkers. Photo by Sally Spickard.

The list features an exciting mix of experienced team talent and up-and-coming young horses: Susanna Bordone and Imperial van de Holtakkers, who won the Italian National Championship and Italian Armed Forces National Championship titles at the recent Pratoni test event, were part of Italy’s Tokyo Olympics team, finishing eighteenth as individuals. The gelding has also competed in a previous World Equestrian Games in 2018, though not with Susanna — he was piloted there by Joris Vanspringel of Belgium, finishing 58th. With other horses, Susanna has two further Olympic appearances, four WEGs, and seven Senior European Championships — including two in pure dressage — under her belt. Pietro Sandei and his stalwart Rubis de Prere represented Italy at the 2018 WEG, finishing 52nd, and at the European Championships in 2017, where they scored a top twenty individual result and team bronze, and 2021. Arianna Schivo and Quefiro de l’Ormeau, who we last saw at Badminton last month, rode on the team at the Tokyo and Rio Olympics, the 2018 WEG, and at the 2015, 2017, and 2019 European Championships. Marco Cappai and Uter were part of the Italian front at last year’s European Championships in Avenches, and Marco has previously had the call-up for Italy at the 1996 Olympics, 2010 WEG, and 2011 European Championships.

Italy’s Emiliano Portale and Aracne dell’Esercito Italiano. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

British-based Giovanni Ugolotti has a relatively new ride shortlisted in Duke of Champions, who joined his string in the latter part of last season, but together they’ve already notched up some exciting results, including fourth in a CCI4*-L at Ballindenisk and 21st in a hugely competitive CCI4*-S at Thoresby. If selected, this would be a second World Championships appearance for Gio, who finished just outside the top twenty at the 2014 WEG and has also ridden in three European Championships for Italy. Both Emiliano Portale and his exciting ten-year-old Aracne dell’Esercito Italiano, who was one of our horses of the week at the Pratoni test event last month, will be chasing their first appearance on the world stage: Emiliano has two Senior European Championships under his belt and represented Italy multiple times as a Young Rider, but hasn’t yet ridden at a World Championships or Olympic Games.

The final deadline for nominated entries – effectively, the shortlist – and certificates of capability, which prove that nominated combinations have the required qualifications, is August 15, while the final deadline for definite entries will be September 5. Each National Federation will be allowed to select and enter up to five horses and riders — that’s a team of four, plus an individual. Keep it locked onto EN for all the shortlist and selection updates as they’re released. Go Eventing!

Get in the Habit of Being Uncomfortable: Insights from Michael Jung and “Ride Big”

By on Jun 1, 2022 11:43 am -

In this excerpt from his book Ride Big, professional athlete performance coach John Haime talks about where we can find the opportunity to grow as riders and competitors, and shares valuable insights from 2022 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day winner Michael Jung.

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

Challenging what’s comfortable to you is uncomfortable.

Let’s be clear…

I am not asking you to “smash” your zone of comfort or make a huge jump outside of what you’re familiar with. That would be stressful and too much. We know through psychological models like Abraham Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs” and other theories of motivation that safety, security, and comfort are fundamental human needs. In fact, after food, water, and shelter, safety and security are next in line. Human beings want to feel safe and secure, and have some level of comfort. What I am asking you to do is to expand your area of comfort in calculated ways so that you can more fully express yourself, enhance your riding capabilities… and grow.

Your job as a rider when it comes to increasing your performance and exploring your abilities is finding your own balance between a passive state of seeking safety and comfort, which is normal (and a primary human need), and an active state of seeking growth and Riding Big. If you want to Ride Big, you’ll have to slowly loosen your hold on your security blanket. After all, while a basic level of safety and comfort is important, I think you’ll agree that missing your riding potential is not necessarily comforting!

“Why would I want to feel uncomfortable? Don’t I want to be comfortable to ride well?”

This is a question I’m asked often, and it makes sense to ask it.

Chances are you are in the habit of being comfortable when you are in the ring or on the field. It just feels good, so you stay there. This false feeling of comfort is short-term thinking driven by a natural instinct to feel safe, secure, and comfortable. But if you want to break the habit of
being comfortable and riding in that confined little space, you must take a longer-term approach, test the limits, challenge yourself in a practical, step-by-step way, and build a new habit of feeling uncomfortable.

Michael Jung and fischerWild Wave. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Michael Knows Growth

Eventer Michael Jung learned about the idea of comfort zones in the barn when he was a little boy starting to ride. One of the leading riders of this generation knows a thing or two about inching forward and stretching the limits. After all, you don’t become one of the world’s leading equestrian athletes living in the confined spaces of a small comfort zone. Nobody in the past 20 years has highlighted Riding Big more than Michael Jung. This well-rounded eventing champion owns three gold and one silver medal from the Olympic Games, including individual gold medals in both 2012 in London and 2016 in Rio. He also has two gold medals and one silver from the World Equestrian Games, and seven gold medals from the European Championships. In 2016 he became only the second rider in history to win the Grand Slam of Eventing.

Michael grew up on horses on his family’s farm in Horb-Altheim, Germany. “I grew up in the barn and got to ride all sorts of horses,” Michael says. “And, no, it wasn’t easy. I had many mistakes, many problems and I fell off 1,000 times — but I was always willing to learn and always found a little step that made me happy to do better.”

Michael believes that many people don’t push the edges of the comfort zone for a number of reasons:

1. Riders think that they didn’t really learn it and therefore can’t do it.

2. Mistakes are essential to growth and riders are often afraid to make them.

3. There are many things that don’t work right away and riders give up too easily, even though they know it’s the right way.

I talked to Michael about some steps he would recommend to help you expand your comfort zone. Here are a few he says are key:

1. You have to decide to go through the problems and not around the problems. Michael believes that even though riders know they are doing the right thing, they don’t persist and too easily look for other ways around the problem. He suggests you stay with it and solve the problem. “This is where you gain confidence — when you go through the problems and not around them,” he advises.

2. Don’t be afraid to fall off. “I fell off 1,000 times, and I learned from each one.”

3. Never be too shy to make mistakes. This is the way you learn, develop, and grow. “If you don’t make mistakes, it’s very difficult to get better.”

4. You always have to try and push forward. Failing is always a step forward to improvement and getting closer to where you’d like to go. If you don’t fail, you don’t have defined reference points to evaluate and improve.

5. Sometimes you need to go one, two, or even three steps back. “To build confidence, I believe in backing up to go forward,” says Michael. “This builds confidence for both you and your horse — it takes pressure off both.”

Michael Jung and fisherChipmunk FRH. Photo by Shelby Allen.

Build the Habits

I love what Michael shared about mindset in training and the idea of “going through a problem instead of around a problem.” This is what the idea of being uncomfortable is about. Are you willing to stay with a challenge and experience the pain of doing it again and again until you get it right? Let’s face it, it’s far easier to go around the problem, do what’s easy and what’s comfortable — even though it may be wrong or won’t last or won’t advance your abilities.

Building a habit is about repetition. If you don’t have the staying power to continue the repetition, push up against the perimeter of your area of comfort, and work to make it automatic, the habit doesn’t stick. The first habit for you to develop is the habit of practicing becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable.

This excerpt from Ride Big by John Haime is reprinted with permission from Trafalgar Square Books.

Angela Bowles Retires Novelle After 113 Horse Trials

By on Jun 1, 2022 9:00 am -

Angela Bowles and Novelle at Kentucky in 2016. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

In the midst of the hustle and bustle of a 500-entry event at Virginia International Horse Trials, co-organizer Angela Bowles took time to celebrate and reflect on the lengthy and impactful career of her longtime partner, Novelle. After 14 years eventing, Novelle has been officially retired from competition.

“It was a hard decision to retire Novelle from competition as she has far from lost the fire to compete. But as the stewards of these wonderful horses, it is our duty and privilege to make sure that we care for them in the twilight of their careers,” Bowles said.

“I can’t put into words what she has meant to me and so many others. Novelle was the horse that no one believed in as a racehorse, so much so that she was given to me. I feel like no one expected great things of her, or of me – a small town girl from nowhere Texas.”

The now 20-year-old off-track Thoroughbred mare had a storied career. Together, Bowles and Novelle contested the Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5* in 2015 and 2016. Novelle also finished second in a jumping grand prix, competed in 22 FEI events, and earned 2010 USEA Preliminary Horse of the Year. She had 10 wins and finished in the top ten in 88% of her runs She also jumped clear in show jumping in 83%.

Angela Bowles and Novelle. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

“Novelle always kept me safe, she kept me humble, she showed me the world of upper-level eventing, she taught me, she made me feel like there was no jump too big or too hard. I owe my entire riding career to this horse,” Bowles said.

After stepping down from the upper-levels of the sport, Novelle showed several riders the ropes around the lower levels, from Beginner Novice to CCI2*-L. Novelle’s USEA record spans seven pages. In total, she finished a remarkable 113 USEA events with 10 different riders.

“It is obvious all the things that Novelle did for my career, but not reflective of what truly makes Novelle special,” Bowles said. “What she has done that is the most special is show such a variety of riders how to have confidence and love of the sport. To watch riders who previously had confidence issues or were suffering the loss of their horses be re-ignited in the sport solely because of this diminutive mare means more to me than I can ever express. Thank you Novelle, for keeping us all safe and always giving your absolute all.”

Happy retirement, Novelle.

Wednesday News & Notes from Haygain

By on Jun 1, 2022 12:01 am -

June 1 marks the beginning of LGBTQ Pride Month, designated as such to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan. I joined a book club a few years ago and one book that came up in our discussion was The Stonewall Reader, which takes readers through the fight for LGBTQ rights and the events that led to the uprising. It was really educational and a useful tool for learning more about the LGBTQ community and its history — if you’re up for a good nonfiction read, you can pick up a copy here.

To honor our LGBTQ friends and fellow equestrians, we’ll be sharing bits of cultural history and significance, stories on and by LGBTQ riders, and more all month long. Have something you want to share? Email us at [email protected] (and yes, our allyship extends well beyond the confines of a single month!) to let us know. In order to gain greater understanding of the world around us, including our sport, it’s important to understand those who make it up — their history, their personal stories, their voices. We look forward to learning more this and every month!

U.S. Weekend Preview

Genesee Valley Riding & Driving Club Spring H.T. (Geneseo, Ny.): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring]

GMHA June H.T. (South Woodstock, Vt.): [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

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

The Spring Event at Archer (Cheyenne, Wy.): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]

MCTA H.T. at Shawan Downs (Cockeysville, Md.): [Website] [Entries] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Ocala Summer I H.T. (Ocala, Fl.): [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring] [Volunteer]

Major International Events

Millstreet International H.T. (Millstreet, Ireland): [Website] [Scoring]

Wednesday News & Reading

The role of the cross country course decorator is one that’s often unsung. Yet decorations and the skill with which they are applied can have a massive effect on how a question is presented and subsequently rides. There’s an awesome book on this exact subject: Cross Country Completion: Considerations About Jump Decorating and you can read a really informative excerpt from it here.

US Equestrian will consider proposed amendments to bylaws at its 2022 Mid-Year Meeting, including one proposal to designate Modified instead of Preliminary as the lowest USEF-recognized eventing level. You can read more about the proposed amendments here. All Senior Active members are invited to comment on the proposed amendments by submitting comments through the proposed amendments form, email, or mail. All comments must be received by USEF on or before June 14. Your membership number must be included along with your comments.

Does your horse suffer from, er, low energy? I’ve had a few of those myself. Practical Horseman is here to help you motivate your energy-saver in this article.

Listen, it’s a real issue that helmets (in horse sports and beyond) simply are not inclusive. This isn’t a fashion issue — it’s a safety issue. A new advocacy group led by Caitlin Gooch is drumming up awareness about this very real issue and how it can be fixed. Follow Saddle Up, Helmet On here and read more about helmet inclusivity here.

Watch This on H&C+

Lots of live streams in your future!

Wednesday Video Break

How Ingrid Klimke uses Haygain for her horses:

Tuesday Video: Twist and Turn Around Devon’s Arena Eventing Track with Boyd Martin

By on May 31, 2022 5:00 pm -

Arena eventing isn’t quite the same as the traditional three-day, three-phase format, but we have to admit: it’s definitely fun to watch. We don’t often get crowds up close and personal in our sport, and the return of Arena Eventing at The Devon Horse Show provides that thanks to its location in the famous Dixon Oval.

Boyd Martin donned a Cambox to ride around the track, designed by Captain Mark Phillips, aboard the Annie Goodwin Syndicate’s Fedarman B; the pair finished in second behind winners Sara Kozumplik and Rubens d’Ysieux. Boyd also finished third with Nancy Hathaway’s Fernhill Prezley. Want to relive Sara’s winning round? Click here to watch it!

Memorial Day Weekend Winners: Virginia, Coconino, Equestrians’ Institute, Flora Lea, May-Daze, Mill Creek, Mystic Valley, Willow Draw, Woodside

By on May 31, 2022 3:00 pm -

A long weekend filled with horses is always the marker of a good one, and we’ve got loads of Memorial Day weekend results to dive into. This weekend, our Unofficial Low Score Award was earned in Washington at the Equestrians’ Institute H.T., where Lauren Boriotti and Captain Alfred won their Beginner Novice division on a finishing score of 19.7. Well done!

VHT International & H.T. (Lexington, Va.): [Website] [Results]

CCI3*-S: Liz Halliday-Sharp and Cooley HHS Calmaria (37.4)
CCI2*-L: Lucia Strini and Kevin G (29.5)
CCI2*-S: Nicholas Beshear and Rio De Janeiro (34.4)
CCI1*-L: Lisa Chan and Fernhill Picture this (39.9)
Advanced/Intermediate: Liz Halliday-Sharp and Deniro Z (34.2)
Open Intermediate: Lauren Nicholson and I’ll Have Another (46.5)
Open Preliminary: Lisa Barry and Rosie’s Aventadora (31.3)
Preliminary Horse: Julia Fanello and FE Clooney (31.2)
Preliminary Rider: Alan Montemayor and AZ (28.0)
Modified A: Leslie Lamb and Mr. Puff Higgens Jr. (27.3)
Modified B: Liz Halliday-Sharp and Maybach (22.7)
Jr. Open Training: Lainey Phillips and Global Exellencia Z (30.0)
Open Training: Sharon White and Jaguar Duende (30.1)
Training Horse: Jane Jennings and SF Vancouver 2 (27.6)
Training Rider A: Cate Engle and Armoni (34.4)
Training Rider B: Natalie Epstein and Lickity Split (31.9)
Jr. Open Novice: Scout Knull and Ron Juan (29.6)
Novice Horse: Ashley Adams and Global Halcyon (20.8)
Novice Rider A: Ina Kamenz and Hang Time (35.0)
Novice Rider B: Sarah Meek and Scherzo Di Notte (32.2)
Open Novice: Morgan Hiller and Drumloman Lad (26.1)
Beginner Novice Horse: Hayley Norfleet and SRF Rose-Colored Glasses (26.8)
Beginner Novice Rider: Katelyn Thomas and Call Me Waylon (25.0)
Jr. Open Beginner Novice: Nicola Villarino and Boogaloo (29.7)
YEH 4 Year Old: Gabby Dickerson and Frijole (75.6)
YEH 5 Year Old: Gabby Dickerson and Dark Angel d’Avalon (79.1)
Starter: Lauren Nicholson and Jakimba (22.7)

Spring Coconino H.T. (Flagstaff, Az.): [Website] [Results]

Intermediate/Preliminary: Josey Thompson and Pistol Annie (47.2)
Preliminary Open: Sean Wornall and Osito (47.8)
Training Open: Jennifer Achilles and Excel Star Lance (29.8)
Novice A: Anastasia Keyser and Bellatrix (35.6)
Novice B: Jennifer Achilles and Excel Star Solstice (30.3)
Beginner Novice A: Sharadevi Abrahamson Wolvekamp and Smiley Riley (36.3)
Beginner Novice B: Megan Martin and Lba Otis (32.2)
Intro A: Amy Vinik and Garrison Fjord (42.8)
Intro B: Katherine Daigle and Donna Prima (28.1)

Equestrians’ Institute H.T. (Cle Elum, Wa.): [Website] [Results]

Intermediate: Jordan Linstedt and FE Friday (49.6)
Preliminary Open: Karen O’Neal and Clooney 14 (21.6)
Preliminary Rider: Lilly Linder and Vergano (38.3)
Training Amateur: Julia Ellison and Tennyson Swing (35.3)
Training Junior: Kendal Smith and Ardeo Upload (32.6)
Training Open: Wendy Hsue and Fantom (29.8)
Novice Amateur A: Madison Flanders and Ketchup (28.9)
Novice Amateur B: Eliana Thompson and Rox Star Archie (33.1)
Novice Junior A: Macy Hale and Ardeo Audacity (28.6)
Novice Junior B: Caterina Ritson and This Lad is Gold (30.3)
Novice Open: Kelsey Devoille and Ashwood Just Right (30.3)
Novice Rider: Bobbie Smith-Ede and HS Cool River Jane (33.1)
Beginner Novice Amateur A: Sara Mackenzie and Golden Knight (27.7)
Beginner Novice Amateur B: Lauren Boriotti and Captain Alfred (19.7)
Beginner Novice Junior: Kate Gerth and Strauss – SVF (27.7)
Beginner Novice Open: Jordan Linstedt and Liberty R (24.3)
Starter A: Anni Grandia-Dodson and Sensational Suzy (31.0)
Starter B: Kensingtin Ford and Tidbit (48.3)

Flora Lea Spring H.T. (Medford, NJ): [Website] [Results]

Open Preliminary: Matthew Bryner and Quaden AF (29.3)
Preliminary Rider: Julie Pifer and HRH Judgemental (52.5)
Open Training: Sophie Middlebrook and Bonhunt Bertie (28.5)
Training Rider: Jessica Gehman and Ray Price (31.9)
Novice Rider: Abigail McGowan and Mystic Serenade (29.4)
Open Novice: Ryan Wood and Ben Lomond (25.8)
Beginner Novice Rider: Jenny Morris and The Golden Ticket (22.4)
Open Beginner Novice: Maya Chinana and POPSTAR (30.6)

May-Daze at The Park H.T. (Lexington, Ky.): [Website] [Results]

Preliminary/Training: Ciaran Thompson and Ooh La La SCF (36.5)
Modified/Training: Jennifer Coleman and SS Palantir (29.8)
Open Training: Jane Musselman and Bentley’s Best (21.7)
Training Rider A: Lauren Buhrmann and Currahee (27.5)
Training Rider B: Katelyn Ross and Midnight Krogh (31.4)
Training/Novice: Ciaran Thompson and Raggedy Anne SCF (35.1)
Jr. Novice: Kaylianna McMorris and Fernhill Future Star (26.4)
Novice Horse: Jennifer Coleman and SS Full Of Hope (31.2)
Open Novice: Hannah Reeser and Ltl Ireland Summr Soldier (22.5)
Sr. Novice Rider A: Karen Strow and Spatzel (32.2)
Sr. Novice Rider B: Mary Clare Owdziej and City of Ember (25.3)
Beginner Novice Horse: Gillian Stover and Broken Cloud (34.4)
Jr. Beginner Novice A: Riley Jones and Endgame (37.1)
Jr. Beginner Novice B: Caraline Cathcart and Relentless (31.8)
Open Beginner Novice: Bennett Adkins and Way Early (31.2)
Sr. Beginner Novice A: Christine Pasko and Essential Elegance (28.8)
Sr. Beginner Novice B: Anna Wallace and Kalaska (20.3)
Jr. Starter: Ana Young and Go Right Guppie (25.0)
Sr. Starter A: Diana Heagarty and Online Romance (35.0)
Sr. Starter B: Corinna Lewis and Antebellum Potrakka (25.0)

Mill Creek Pony Club H.T. (Kansas City, Mo.): [Website] [Results]

Preliminary: Julie Wolfert and HSH Bitcoin (32.1)
Training: Lesa Cafferty and Bay Drummer (33.7)
Novice Open A: Nancy Dailey and RendezVous (33.9)
Novice Open B: Lauren Schiller and Chairman of the Board (31.4)
Novice Junior: Paige Borylo and Talisker (31.1)
Beginner Novice Open A: Jamie Hill and Rearcross Clover Q (26.6)
Beginner Novice Open B: Jennifer Jantz and Forty Proof (27.5)
Beginner Novice Junior: Mia Scott and Remember Me (31.8)
Beginner Novice CT: Abbey Clark and Smokin Star (43.4)
Green As Grass CT: Caitlin Quinn and RexaMillion (35.0)
Starter CT: Addison Wheeler and Gingersnap (35.7)
Starter Junior: Cayla Bethea and Impressed by Sunrise (28.3)
Starter Open: Nicole Clarkson and MU From The Galaxy (28.7)

Mystic Valley Hunt Club H.T. (Gales Ferry, Ct.): [Website] [Results]

Training/Novice: Cassandra Lorusso-Smith and Iceman (36.1)
Novice Amateur: Ashley Conway and Wicked Huntsman (38.7)
Novice CT: Gwendolyn Braglia and Oveta (34.2)
Novice Junior: Luci Bialek and Fenway (38.9)
Open Novice: Kate Hornbecker and Monoxide (35.9)
Open Beginner Novice: Kimberly Sevigny and Cruiser (33.0)
Beginner Novice Amateur: Connor Pearson and ET Tylord (31.1)
Beginner Novice CT: Kathryn LaRose and Bato Loco (36.8)
Beginner Novice Junior: Katie Rector and Angus (36.1)
Starter CT: Marietta DeJulio-Burns and UC Ambassador (29.7)
Starter A: Jillian Hoag and Dark Secret (26.3)
Starter B: Emily Atwood and Aurora (37.9)
Starter C: Angela Cunard and Lodi (26.0)

Willow Draw Charity Show (Weatherford, Tx.): [Website] [Results]

Open Training: Sarah Dawson and DPH Kontiki (30.8)
Novice Rider Jr.: Stephenie Villines and Two Out Rally (28.1)
Novice Rider Sr.: Rachel Mulvey and Reminisce (29.7)
Open Novice A: Amanda Merritt and Apparition (26.9)
Open Novice B: Lauren Lambert and Fernhill Liverpool (22.2)
Beginner Novice Jr.: Avery Stroud and Valedictorian (31.5)
Beginner Novice Sr.: Elise Marshall and MCP Dauntless (29.4)
Open Beginner Novice: Margaret Kitts and Rubinaire (23.2)
Starter Test: Abbie Driscoll and Houdini (26.5)

The Spring Event at Woodside (Woodside, Ca.): [Website] [Results]

Advanced: James Alliston and RevitaVet Calaro (45.3)
Open Intermediate: Tommy Greengard and Joshuay MBF (32.0)
Open Preliminary: Megan McIver Sabo and Kapitan Sparrow XII (34.9)
Preliminary Horse Challenge: Tommy Greengard and Leonardo Diterma (26.1)
Preliminary Rider: Sami Clark and Woodland’s Be Dignified (34.5)
Preliminary Rider Challenge: Grace Walker Alonzi and Frantz (33.5)
Jr. Training Rider: Molly Duda and Disco Traveler (28.1)
Open Training: Marissa Nielsen and Ozzie (28.3)
Sr. Training Rider: Payton Piearcy (26.1)
Training Amateur: Ruth Bley and Frankfurt (26.1)
Jr. Novice A: Gracie Pitts and Valeureux (31.9)
Jr. Novice B: Fiona Holland and Dancing On The Moon (31.1)
Novice Amateur: India McEvoy and Justiz-ESH (32.5)
Novice Horse: Madison Temkin and The Great Gatsby (27.2)
Open Novice: Olivia Putrino and Eli’s Coming (25.0)
Sr. Novice Rider A: Caitlin Mulvihill and Cabela (29.7)
Sr. Novice Rider B: Kelly Schwisow and Kahlua & Cream (30.5)
Jr. Beginner Novice A: Josephine Clark and Champion of Menlo (31.3)
Jr. Beginner Novice B: Jules Thompson and The African Queen (29.4)
Open Beginner Novice: Tommy Greengard and Ben (20.9)
Sr. Beginner Novice A: Kimberly Jones and BFF Penny Royale (32.9)
Sr. Beginner Novice B: Jeannette Robb and Be Mine (26.2)
Starter A: Meadow Stempek and Romeo’s Dream (33.3)
Starter B: Kelly Schwisow and Redfield Out Of The Blue (29.3)

Photo Recap: Tommy Greengard & Grace Walker Alonzi Take Woodside’s Annual Prelim Challenge

By on May 31, 2022 12:00 pm -

Tommy Greengard (Leonardo Diterma) and Grace Walker Alonzi (Frantz) take their victory tour at Woodside. Photo by Sherry Stewart

The annual Preliminary Challenge at Woodside Horse Trials in California’s bay area is a popular stop for West coast riders. Offering both a Horse and a Rider Challenge and $15,000 worth of prize money, Woodside attracts both amateurs and professionals eager to tackle the division that offers prize money and eternal bragging riders for its yearly champions.

Tommy Greengard and Leonardo Diterma. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

This year, Tommy Greengard with Andrea Pfeiffer’s Leonardo Diterma captured the title in the Preliminary Horse Challenge, adding a few seconds of time in Sunday’s show jumping to finish on a 26.1. This was the third Preliminary event for Leonardo Diterma, a six-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Gullet HBC. Tommy’s an up-and-coming rider who’s built himself a solid string of horses; he also wins the Open Intermediate with his own Joshuay MBF, finished second in the Novice Horse with Simone van Ommeran’s Global Barouma, third with Rebecca Slater’s Cappachina in the Open Novice, and first in the Open Beginner Novice with Amanda Apesos’ Ben — we’ll call that a winning weekend!

Grace Walker Alonzi and Frantz. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

Taking the win in the Prelim Rider Challenge is Grace Walker Alonzi with her own Frantz, finishing on a score of 33.5 with one rail added on Sunday. Grace comes from a dressage background, having worked in southern California for Marie Medosi as well as Steffen and Shannon Peters before moving on to work for Tamie Smith as her assistant rider. Frantz is an eight-year-old Oldenburg gelding originally sourced as a dressage horse while Grace was working for Exclusive Dressage Imports; Grace purchased the gelding by Farenheit in 2018 and began producing him as an event horse, making his eventing debut in 2020 and eventually stepping up to the Preliminary level last year.

 

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Faith Farrell and Case Closed II finished second in the Prelim Rider Challenge. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

Erin Kellerhouse and Bon Vivant en route to third place in the Prelim Horse Challenge. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

Gabriella Ringer and Get Wild jumped to a third place finish in the Prelim Rider Challenge. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

Many thanks as always to Sherry Stewart for being our lens on the ground at Woodside this weekend — enjoy a gallery from the action and check out the full list of results here.

Woodside Spring H.T. (Woodside, Ca.): [Website] [Final Scores]

Who Jumped It Best? Houghton Nations Cup Edition

By on May 31, 2022 9:00 am -

Who Jumped It Best?

Is there anything that heralds in a week better than a bumper edition of ‘Who Jumped it Best’? We don’t think so — and today, we’ve got an exciting one, fresh from this weekend’s cross-country finale at England’s Houghton International Horse Trials. The feature CCIO4*-S did double duty as the second leg of the FEI Nations Cup series and a stacked four-star in its own right, with nearly 100 entries.

The Suzuki ATV Log and Arrowheads water complex at 8ABC ended up being the most influential question on the course. Surrounded by crowds in something of a natural amphitheatre, it consisted of a seriously beefy log drop into the water, which riders approached off a right-handed S-bend turn. How they navigated this first question was crucial, because on landing, they had to navigate a right-handed turn to an arrowhead in the water and then another on dry land — though there were a couple of long routes that proved popular through the day, because it was so easy to lose the line after an extravagant jump at A.

The water itself was bisected with a guard railing, which stopped horses and riders from straying too far into the deep end, and this could be used cleverly: rather than making the error of turning too early, brave riders could direct their horse towards the railing and then use it to almost push their horse’s shoulders back onto the right line. (The risk there, of course, is that a very keen horse could, theoretically, end up jumping the rail and going for a swim, though we didn’t see that happen through the course of the day!)

For today’s WJIB, we’re looking at that A element that proved so crucial. Who do you think made the most balanced, tidy effort? Which pair found the fine line between power and caution? Take a look at our selection of snaps and then scroll down to cast your vote!

Houghton International CCIO4*-S: Website, Live Scoring, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

Cornelia Dorr and Daytona Beach 8. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Tom McEwen and Bob Chaplin. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Ginnie Howe and CHF Archie. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Daniel Scott and High Time V. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Milo Kennedy and Moher Prince. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Tristram Owers and Van De Man. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Toshiyuki Tanaka and Swiper JRA. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Bruce Haskell and Ex Cavalier’s Law. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Georgie Spence and Feloupe. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Imogen Murray and Roheryn Ruby. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Jesse Campbell and Cooley Lafitte. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Andrew James and Celtic Morning Star. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Houghton International CCIO4*-S: Website, Live Scoring, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram