Classic Eventing Nation

Thursday News & Notes Presented By Stable View

By on Mar 31, 2022 12:03 am -

Meet baby Violet! Photo courtesy of Sinead Halpin.

Congratulations are in order for Eventing Super Couple Sinead Halpin and Tik Maynard, who welcomed their second child and first daughter, Violet Kathleen Maynard this week! We can’t wait to see an adorable new pony to accompany her later this year, because that’s the kind of content we all crave. In fact, I only encourage my friends to have babies so we can get them a pony and recreate Thelwell comics in real life.

U.S. Weekend Preview

Stable View Spring 2*/3*/4* (Aiken, Sc.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Volunteer] [EN’s Coverage]

Galway Downs International H.T. (Temecula, Ca.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Photographer] [Volunteer]

Morven Park Spring H.T. (Leesburg, Va.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]

Rocking Horse Spring H.T. (Altoona, Fl.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]

News From Around the Globe:

Vacation for our equine partners is often undervalued, but not in Ariel Grald’s program. She makes sure that all of her horses get some version of vacation over the winter, and customizes it for age, breed, fitness levels, and personalities. Some horses prefer to be turned out in a field and left untouched, and some are more eager to maintain light hacking to stave off boredom. Read more to learn how to cultivate your winter vacation to return to competition with a fresh and eager mount. [Winter Vacations Set the Stage for a Successful Season]

After a public complaint from Phillip Dutton over the continued lack of leadership through anointing a new chef d’equipe, USEF Director of Sport Will Connell responded that an interim chef and team manager will be appointed prior to Kentucky, giving them more time to find the perfect fit. In other words, we still don’t have any answers. [Continuing Search for US Chef d’Equipe]

The 2022 USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championships are less than two months away! This year, the USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championships will take place on May 21 – 22, 2022 at Chattahoochee Hills Horse Trials in Fairburn, Georgia. All schools including junior colleges and online universities are encouraged to participate and send as many competitors as possible. The event offers Beginner Novice through Advanced level and will run Saturday and Sunday. Like previous years, there will be an opening ceremony, a college town, a spirit award, and an awards ceremony on Sunday. [Intercollegiate Eventing Championships]

Green with envy looking at beautiful toplines and well-muscled hindquarters on other horses? While your fun weekend mount isn’t going to look like the Arnold Schwarzenegger of horses, it’s possible for you to build condition and muscle in almost all horses. And doing so will benefit them greatly. Not only will a well-conditioned horse have better protection against injury and unsoundness, but the variety of work needed to build good overall musculature is great for their development too. So, if you’re hoping to put a bit of bulk on to your horse, here are three exercises you can incorporate into their regime to help things along. [Exercises for Conditioning & Muscle Development]

Video:

Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: Start Your Season with British Eventer Ashley Harrison

By on Mar 30, 2022 5:25 pm -

Ever wondered what the start of the eventing season looks like in the UK? Spoiler: it’s less sunny than those Ocala fixtures. Join Ashley Harrison as she takes her four-star mount Zebedee IX and up-and-comer Kato as they tackle the Intermediate and Novice at Hampshire’s Tweseldown fixture.

Here’s a fun fact for you: Tweseldown was actually the sight of Britain’s very first event, because it was the facility used for the 1948 Olympics. There’s a whole lot of history in its distinctive sandy tracks, and these days, competitors at all levels get to enjoy courses there designed by Eric Winter, who designs the Badminton track.

Elevate®

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Check out this KPP article: Vitamin E and the Performance Horse – A Winning Combination.

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FEI and European Equestrian Federation Issue Update on Ukraine

By on Mar 30, 2022 4:32 pm -

The European Equestrian Federation, associated national federations, and the FEI have released a statement following a webinar held today (March 30) to take stock of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and how the nation’s equines can be adequately provided for.

Hosted by the Ukrainian Equestrian Federation, the UEF Charity Foundation, the EEF and the FEI, the meeting aimed to streamline the processes of providing aid, following an enormous uptick in efforts from equestrians all over Europe and beyond. Recent efforts have seen convoys of lorries full of feed leave the UK on behalf of the British Equestrian Federation, and many HGV drivers have been lending their skills to transporting further feed and bedding, as well as medical and veterinary supplies. The UEF Charity Foundation, which was established at the onset of the war, has been at the forefront of managing the logistics of aid, as well as the evacuation of horses, which has recently included noteworthy stallions Cornet Obolensky and Comme Il Faut. So far, they’ve received over 375 tonnes of material aid and in excess of €75,000 of financial aid. Further funding from the FEI Solidarity Relief Fund has allowed the Foundation to create a logistical hub near the Polish border, which acts as a holding zone for up to 40 horses, whose paperwork can then be finalised for transfer into the European Union.

During the course of the meeting, the UEF Charity Foundation stressed that the need for aid — both material and financial — remains enormous and will be ongoing. The Foundation estimates that around 2,000 horses will require their aid over the next month, which would use three times the amount of supplies currently available at the hub.

But all good charity drives must be well-organised to avoid donations of unusable goods, and FEI Solidarity Director Jean-Philippe Camboulives urged National Federations to “designate an official representative to first coordinate the offers of support and supplies nationally, and then liaise with the FEI, EEF and UEF to ensure logistical efficiency.”

He pointed out that goodwill offers of accommodation and employment must go through these representatives to ensure safeguarding.

“The FEI Solidarity Relief Fund has been able to provide great support to individual members in the Ukrainian community through neighbouring and European member federations such as the Ukrainian Vaulting team which is currently training and living in Slovakia thanks to the efforts of the host National Federation and the determination of their Secretary General Zuzana Baciak. And there are many examples like this at the moment. We must continue to work together and to coordinate our efforts and use our resources effectively.”

Further in the meeting, FEI Veterinary Director Göran Åkerström offered an update on EU administrative protocol, which has been amended this week to further facilitate transport of horses out of Ukraine. The FEI is expected to issue clear guidance to stakeholders in the coming days.

EEF President Theo Ploegmakers concluded the meeting by saying, “the situation in Ukraine is devastating, but the collaboration we have seen across Europe through our members and the FEI is incredibly encouraging. There is still a huge amount of work to be done to help both the equines and the wider equestrian community in Ukraine and I believe through our network in Europe we can continue to provide the necessary support.”

If you’d like to assist in ongoing aid efforts or make a donation to help Ukrainian refugees and their horses, check out our resource guide. For further information on aid efforts thus far, here’s a recent update.

Spooking, and Other Ways to Excel at Annoying Your Human

By on Mar 30, 2022 2:16 pm -

While we often have articles on here written by horse enthusiasts for horse enthusiasts, we don’t regularly get the point of view of the horse himself. That’s why we’re delighted dot introduce a new writer for Eventing Nation. He’s French (which makes him both prissy and fancy), he’s larger than life, and he has way more opinions than any of the regular writers for EN. His name is Nyls (pronounced “Nilz”) and he’s here to tell you all the ways in which you can succeed at being a really B.A. event horse, and also a colossal pain the butt. Without further ado, we present the hottest of tips, straight from the horse’s mouth.

It’s important to finely hone your factory-installed spooking radars. Photo via Kate Samuels.

Look, we all know the ways in which we horses are instructed to succeed at our jobs as eventers. The basics are pretty much the same: be obedient and flick your toes on the first day, be brave and sure footed on the second day while also galloping fast, and jump high and pick up your feet carefully on the third day. This is simple enough….so when those of us who are obviously overqualified for these requirements get bored, we have to entertain ourselves with other activities.

If you’re a horse like me who has an agile mind and a willing spirit to pull a little more fun out of each day, you’re in the right spot. I’ve decided to share some of my trade secrets on how to win at eventing, and life in general. Extra points to those who can stick to a strict schedule of repeated behaviors that drive your human up the wall.

  1. When being tacked up, choose something small to object to, no matter how many times it has happened to you before in your life. This way, your human knows you’re going to pitch a fit, but they have to do it anyway. It’s highly entertaining to watch them go from attempting to persuade you to behave, to denying that you are going to misbehave, to anger that you won’t stop, and then finally to begrudging acceptance that this is real life, and it’s happening every day. I chose being brushed on the right side of my neck, so no matter is too small!
  2. Pick something to spook at every single day while being ridden, and make it both irrational and consistent. Me, I like to spook at jump accessories. If there is a pole on the ground, or a standard on the side of the ring, it’s important that I refuse to go near it every time I see it. When, after about ten minutes, you finally relent and let yourself be forced near the dreaded object, be sure to always keep an eye and an ear cocked towards it, and never bend your neck the other direction.
  3. There should always be something that you refuse to do at home, but do perfectly fine at shows. Preferably, it should be something that embarrasses your human when he/she goes to lessons with other humans. An example is liverpools, something every normal upper level horse has to jump every competition. However, this is very funny if you act like an irrational maniac when it is brought up in a non-show environment. “Really, I swear he jumps them at shows!” will become something you hear a lot.
  4. While we are on the subject of horse shows, it’s necessary for the good of your human that you behave well at two shows, and then wild at a third show. When you’ve been practicing your dressage and doing very well at home, pretend like you’ve forgotten how to canter, or even better, act as though you have never seen those white sides of the arena before! This way, your rider never has to stop learning how to ride you. Really, it’s for the best that they don’t become complacent.
  5. This final part is very important to your continued success at life, and your longevity as a beloved yet rued king member of the family. Whenever you purposefully enact one of these tips, you must act the part convincingly. The spooky pole actually WILL eat you, believe it and portray the character of the scared horse well. In addition, it is imperative that after an episode of spooking or freaking out in the cross ties, you behave very innocent and loving to your human, so that he/she has no choice but to snuggle with you, forgive you, and then feed you treats (obviously).

While I cannot guarantee that these tips will help you rise to Advanced, I can assure you that they will enhance your daily level of entertainment, and even strengthen the bond between you and your human. People like to feel that their horse is actually the weirdest, quirkiest horse alive and that every day is a challenge. This is something you can fulfill for them, with just a little extra effort! Good luck and go spooking!

Emotional Control in the Face of Pressure: Giving Horses the Tools to Succeed with Luke Gingerich

By on Mar 30, 2022 11:00 am -

Developing both a physical and emotional connection with his horses is key to Luke’s mission and work. Photo by Winslow Photography.

One of the best parts of my job is working with young horses. Introducing horses to communication with people and watching them think and problem-solve is fascinating to me. My work within the beginning stages of horse-human interaction largely revolves around ground work, allowing the horse to understand what my body and voice cues mean, but also allowing them to have choice, especially in our first interactions.

Another favorite part of my job is researching (I get it, I’m a nerd!). I love to read, learn about experiences other trainers have had, and brainstorm new ideas and exercises to utilize. During one of my deep dives into research, a friend of mine suggested I take a look at Luke Gingerich’s work. Watching some of his bridleless rides and his work at liberty with his horses made me realize I just had to learn more.

Luke teaches liberty horsemanship, and competes in reining, ranch versatility, and freestyle reining, where he incorporates both bridleless reining and liberty work into his performances. As someone who is detail oriented, Luke was drawn to the “relationship and level of communication that liberty horsemanship displays, and how subtle and refined [the training] can become.” He believes that the “finesse, trust, and communication this requires is a great way to test [the] relationship and showcase what [has been] built together.”

Luke experienced an eye-opening moment early on in his liberty career with his partner, Rio. “After introducing positive reinforcement and clicker training, I incorporated it into my liberty work. When working Rio on a liberty circle, I reinforced the moments where he was soft and collected. Before long, he was holding a consistent stretch at liberty”.

This experience with Rio opened Luke’s eyes to the opportunity to combine liberty work, positive reinforcement (such as clicker training), and negative reinforcement (such as pressure and release) to help horses make the choice to be soft, confident, and controlled, even in the face of pressure.

Training horses at liberty does leave a choice for the horse to engage, or disengage. Providing horses with the space for choice also leaves them with the space and responsibility to develop physical and emotional control, even under pressure.

Horses are bound to face pressure in life — we all are! Whether the pressure is coming from a human (such as a cue to go faster or move over) or an environmental factor out of our control (the weather, traffic noise, crowds, etc.) horses will experience situations where they’re challenged, and their focus and control is tested.

In addition to ridden work, Luke works with his horses at liberty on the ground. Photo by Winslow Photography.

This is where Luke believes liberty work can come into handy. By giving horses the space to learn how to physically and emotionally control themselves, while encouraging and marking the desired behavior, and utilizing pressure and release to show that working through pressure can result in comfort, horses can develop trust and relaxation through stressful situations.

When horses learn that they can work within pressure, and even influence pressure with their response, (such as stepping sideways, resulting in a person releasing their cue), they develop the tool to think through and problem-solve while maintaining mental relaxation.

“Much of my liberty work is built on the basis that a horse naturally wants to mirror, or be in sync with, other members of the herd. I channel that desire and natural instinct to read subtle shifts and changes in body language, to be able to create complex maneuvers and behaviors that my horses become capable of doing at liberty with me.”

“The combination of both the mental and emotional connection, combined with the physical body control and muscle memory that [liberty] work creates can then be carried directly over into riding in many other competitive disciplines,” Luke believes.

Moving forward, Luke would be interested to see liberty horsemanship develop into more of a foundational piece of training horses, for ridden and ground work. Communicating with horses in this capacity has allowed Luke to connect with them on a physical and emotional level, and he now works to help other horse and rider partnerships to experience this connection.

Luke and his mare Chloe performing bridleless. Photo by Winslow Photography.

Additionally, as more people are aware of or participate in this work, opportunities to showcase the development of the horse/rider partnership can assist in further introducing this approach, and help spur collaboration among trainers.

While he’s already achieved numerous goals, Luke aims to continue developing as a liberty horsemanship trainer and as a competitive rider, pushed by the question: How adjustable can myself and my horse be to differentiate between disciplines and explore new challenges?

To Luke, this looks like expanding into bridleless dressage, showing in western dressage, and increasing his and his horses’ body control through higher level movements on the ground. If we each ask ourselves this question, what opportunities open up to explore a new physical and emotional connection with our own horses?

Spotlight On: Wheatland Farm Provides Community Access to the Top for Everyone

By on Mar 30, 2022 9:00 am -

Produced through a partnership between STRIDER & Eventing Nation, these Behind-the-Scenes Spotlights feature conversations with equestrian organizers to explore the origins of their horse shows and clinics, some challenges of equestrian activity management, and the communities that make it all happen.

Photo courtesy of Wheatland Farm.

Good horsemanship, quality knowledge and an emphasis on community access has long been the core foundation for programming at Wheatland Farm, a fully inclusive equestrian program based in Purcellville, VA.

You might be familiar with Wheatland’s Farm’s success in eventing and dressage, as it’s home to CCI3* Event rider & Prix St. Georges dressage rider Anthony Forest. Or you may have attended one of Wheatland Farm’s regularly scheduled clinics with Olympic rider Boyd Martin and top dressage rider Silva Martin, which are open to riders and auditors from across Area II and beyond.

What you may not be aware of is how Wheatland Farm has integrated their traditional training with its popular and ever-growing therapeutic riding program that draws on experts from across the top levels of the sport.

The team at STRIDER recently caught up with Muriel and Anthony Forrest of the Faith & Family Foundation at Wheatland Farm to learn how they were expanding community access to equestrian sport.

“We have really great coaches and mentors who have provided some incredible guidance [to the therapeutic riding program]. Will Connell [USEF Director of Sport], Michel Assouline [Head of Para-Equestrian Dressage Coach Development and High-Performance Consultant] and Olympic eventer Boyd Martin, who teaches clinics here regularly and has been a tremendous mentor to Anthony Forest, have been instrumental,” Executive Director Muriel Forrest explained to STRIDER.

As a USEF/USPEA Para-dressage Center for Excellence, Wheatland Farm makes connections with horses possible for any and all. In addition to being one of only four all-inclusive Pony Clubs in the United States, Wheatland hosted the final observation event before the 2018 WEG for the U.S. Para-Dressage team.

“We have to find a way to overcome the horse world seeming a bit like a closed-shop. To keep our sport growing you need to invite a new generation of kids and adult amateurs who are just trying out horses. They might feel intimidated, but those barriers are broken down slightly if they can go on the web, browse a good website, and click-to-access information,” says Muriel Forrest.

Photo courtesy of Wheatland Farm.

“Horses really are the great unifier […] Disability tends to be isolating, but when you put a kid on a horse that levels the playing field. From the onset we knew that this facility and program had to make it possible for our riders to do whatever they wanted to do. Here they have access to top quality horses and coaches, even if they are purely using the horse as a treatment modality.”

“It has taken years to develop the infrastructure, develop a training program and really create a rubric for this process whereby children with severe disabilities, moderate disabilities, and able-bodied children are all together.”

Once their therapeutic program was established, the Forrests and their team set about making it as available to those interested as possible. Soft marketing through social media channels such as Facebook and Instagram (their goat Peanut has quite a following!) has complimented their investment in research of the best digital tools to accelerate the success of Wheatland Farm’s initiatives. The program has grown tremendously thanks in part to dedication of time to learn and implement the most effective uses of these tools.

“We know that responsiveness is a key to customer retention, so we added Podium on our website to make our team available 24/7 to answer questions that interested parties text us. It saves us from having to share our phone numbers and enables us to set a clear boundary but gives people immediate access to the information they need.”

“Clinics have also been huge for us,” adds Anthony Forrest, “and the community access with STRIDER has made a huge difference. All of our information can be accessed by riders or auditors through a single link that I can easily share on Facebook. It’s great how easy it is for a rider or auditor to send a note to an organizer as well. Some people have reached out needing accommodation — requesting to bring a service animal or maybe needing handicapped parking or access to the auditor seating area.

“I can receive those notes as they discretely book online and respond anonymously without people reaching out to my phone directly. That privacy and safety is important for everyone, and thankfully our center is unique in that we do have the ability to accommodate everyone.”

In addition to participant safety, data privacy has driven some of Wheatland Farm’s tech adoption.

“We have over 100 kids participating each week which means we have to retain a lot of information in a secure way — we use SalesForce, whose CRM allows us to do just that,” says Muriel. “Technology has enabled us to quickly gather data from riders and get them scheduled for a farm visit and free rider assessment within 24 hours.”

“Technology is incredibly helpful as it enables people working in the horse industry to set professional limits. You want to address people’s concerns but set a really clear boundary. Some key aspects of that are to start with a good interactive website where people can really learn about you, then have a quick way for people to sign up for something.”

Therapeutic riding in session at Wheatland Farm. Photo courtesy of Wheatland Farm.

Access to new experiences changes mindsets. In support of expanding access throughout the community, STRIDER and Strides for Equality Equestrians (SEE) are developing a novel initiative to support broader diversity of involvement in the horse world in 2022. Stay tuned for additional information on STRIDER about how you can support your local therapeutic riding program, compete as a para-athlete, explore a career in horses other than as a professional rider, or contribute to rehabilitation success with a prison equine program.

For more information on Wheatland Farm and how you can support their initiatives checkout www.wheatlandfarm.org or check out their upcoming community events available for registration on STRIDER.

Wednesday News & Notes from Haygain

By on Mar 30, 2022 12:01 am -

I will admit that I missed the Oscars (and man, did I have some catching up to do the next morning) and it’s a shame I did because this opening performance by Beyoncé, which featured a cameo from none other than the Compton Jr. Equestrians, looked incredible.

#WomensHistoryMonth Bit of the Day: This Medium article is a cool look back at the history of women and Olympic equestrian sports.

U.S. Weekend Preview

Stable View Spring 2*/3*/4* (Aiken, Sc.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Volunteer] [EN’s Coverage]

Galway Downs International H.T. (Temecula, Ca.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Photographer] [Volunteer]

Morven Park Spring H.T. (Leesburg, Va.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]

Rocking Horse Spring H.T. (Altoona, Fl.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]

Wednesday News & Reading

It’s hard to believe it, but the FEI World Championships for Eventing are coming up quickly. Set to be held in September at Pratoni del Vivaro in Italy, it’s sure to be a WEG for the ages — and a different looking one as well; the eventers and combined drivers will compete in Italy (we get it, FEI, you threw all the crazies together) while the show jumpers, dressage riders, para riders, and vaulters will compete in Denmark in August. You can get a first preview of WEG on the latest episode of the EquiRatings Eventing Podcast here.

Every path is not so much a straight line as it is a bumpy, windy road. Sometimes along the way, we all feel a little…stuck. And when we’re stuck, it’s hard to figure out a way to become “unstuck”. Luckily, Dr. Paul Heafner, PhD is here to assist with a few tips on building skills to help when things get stuck.

It’s shedding season (yay)! As much as it makes for a lot of clean-up and extra time spent grooming (which can never be a bad thing), it’s a natural part of our horses’ lives and also leads to a shiny, dappled coat with some proper elbow grease. Find some more tips for optimal coat health this time of year here.

One of the obstacles that Intercollegiate Equestrian Association athlete Mary Cunningham faced starting out in equestrian sport was feeling that if you don’t have ample resources, or own your own horse, then the sport is not accessible, and that is where Elaine Schott and IEA came in to the picture. Learn and watch more here.

 

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Watch This on H&C+

Did you miss any of the action from Carolina International last weekend? Full phase replays are now available for enjoyment on H&C+ — click here to dive in.

Wednesday Video Break

As much anxiety as this gives me, it’s still astoundingly cool!

Tour Japan’s LARGEST Horse Racing Facility

😮 Have you ever seen a horse racing training facility like this before?

Take a tour of the Miho Training Center in Japan.

Posted by World Horse Racing on Tuesday, March 22, 2022

Pratoni del Vivaro Prepares for WEG Test Event in May

By on Mar 29, 2022 2:00 pm -

Photo by Massimo Argenziano.

Work is proceeding at full speed at Pratoni del Vivaro, in preparation for the FEI World Championships 2022 Eventing and Driving that will be held in Sept.15-25.

This exciting event is a little less than six months away and next month there will be an important sports preview organised by the Italian Equestrian Sports Federation (FISE) in cooperation with the FEI.

May will be an important month for the Pratoni 2022 team, who will be hard at work for two consecutive weeks organising two international events, both with Test Event status and therefore rehearsals for the championships.

It will all start with the Eventing Test Event from on May 12-15, which has attracted a significant number of competitors.

Riders from 13 nations will be riding in a CCIO4*-S which is also the first leg of the FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ which comprises nine events (eight in Europe and one in Canada), hosted at the most prestigious eventing locations, with the final leg held at Boekelo in The Netherlands.

The National Federations that have confirmed they will have teams competing at Pratoni are: Austria, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, France, Great Britain, Germany, New Zealand, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden and, of course, Italy. Italian riders will be even more motivated as this event also counts for assigning titles and medals for the 2022 National Italian Championship.

On the following weekend (May 21-24), the iconic location situated in the heart of the Parco dei Castelli Romani will see Driving as the star competition with a CAI2* and a CAI3*, both open to ponies, singles, pairs and four-in-hand.

Between 25 and 30 teams coming from France, Switzerland, Hungary and Italy are expected to compete.

Admission is free of charge. This is the timetable for competitions.

WEG 2022 Links: Website, Eventing, Provisional Schedule, Tickets, Volunteer,

Bettina Hoy to Coach MARS Bromont Rising U25 Grant Program

By on Mar 29, 2022 11:30 am -

Bettina Hoy works with Olivia Miller over some basic jump exercises. Photo by Sally Spickard.

The MARS Bromont Rising U25 scholarship program is pleased to announce that German Olympian Bettina Hoy will be providing top level coaching to the recipients of the 2022 program.

Following two years of pandemic related cancellations, grants will be available once again for riders aged 25 and under who are taking part in the MARS Bromont Rising U25 scholarship program at both the MARS Bromont CCI happening June 8th to 12th and Galway Downs International 3-day Event held November 2nd to 6th.

Speaking of her involvement in the MARS Bromont Rising Program Bettina said, “When I was at that age, I hugely benefited from some of the best trainers in the world particularly in dressage and showjumping. To be able to pass this on now is a great honour and still part of living my dream. First as a rider and now as a coach.”

Neko Duvall jumps with Bettina during a lesson in Florida. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Regarding this exciting announcement, Program Director Peter Gray said, “With her incredible reputation as an international competitor and coach, Bettina must be one of the most sought after instructors in the world at this time, it is a great honor that she is joining the Bromont rising team this year!”

This scholarship program started in 2019 was the brainchild of Bromont organizer, Sue Ockendon and the late Steve Blauner.

Steve had a vision of supporting young eventers from the US and Canada who were not yet under the radar of national U25 training programs. Riders competing at any level of FEI competition offered are eligible to apply.

MARS Bromont Rising U25 grants of up to $2,500 will be awarded to ten successful applicants to help assist with travel expenses and entry fees for both the Bromont and Galway dates. In addition, classroom presentations will be made by course designers, High Performance riders and a dressage test analysis by a 5* FEI judge.

Bettina works with Woods Baughman and Kamara KFF. Photo by Sally Spickard.

This is the first time the grant has been offered to a West coast competition and organizer, and Robert Kellerhouse could not be more delighted, stating, “We are honored to be the West Coast host for the MARS Bromont Rising U25 grants. This program will inspire its recipients to do more as it shines a light on those up-and-coming athletes and provides a lift in advancing their abilities in our sport.”

Grant application forms can be found here:

MARS Bromont CCI
June 8-12, 2022
CCI4*-L, CCI4*-S, CCI3*-L, CCI2*-L
https://bromontcci.com

Galway Downs International 3-day Event
November 2-6, 2022
CCI4*L, CCI3*L, CCI2*L
https://galwaydowns.net/

For more information contact Program Director Peter Gray at [email protected].

#EventerProblems Vol. 282: Spring Has Sprung (a Shoe)

By on Mar 29, 2022 9:00 am -

Ah, spring. The sun is shining, the birds are singing and you’ve got a whole new set of #EventerProblems on your hands. Including but not limited to …

 

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Don’t forget to tag ’em #EventerProblems on social media for inclusion in a future edition! Go Eventing.