Classic Eventing Nation

Thursday News & Notes Presented by Stable View

By on Apr 28, 2022 12:03 am -

Will Coleman gives a thumbs up to his daughter, Charlie, who cheers from the terrace. Photo by Shelby Allen.

My favorite thing to do the week of any big event is go and research the predicted weather for the location. Kentucky, as we know, has a penchant for, shall we say, exciting weather, especially during this specific week at the end of April. The nature of the action on Saturday is very weather dependent, and not every horse loves every season on the cross country course. So, if I see a forecast of rain….I start rubbing my hands together like a cartoon super villain.

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event (KY): Website, CCI5* Ride Times, CC4*-S Ride Times, Live Scoring, Live Stream (North America), Live Stream (Outside of North America) Tickets, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Ultimate Guide, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

Ram Tap H.T. (CA): Website, Scoring

Stable View Spring H.T. (SC): Website, Scoring

University of New Hampshire Spring H.T. (NH): Website

Loudoun Hunt Pony Club Spring H.T. (VA): Website, Scoring

Horse Park of New Jersey Spring H.T. (NJ): Website

News & Notes: 

Want to stay in the know for all things revolving around the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event and Badminton Horse Trials? We’ll be sending out our Daily Digest email now through Tuesday, May 3 for Badminton. It’s the best place to keep up with our coverage and all of the latest news from the big spring 5* events — and, it’s free! We’ll also be giving out prizes (think exclusive EN merch and sponsor goodies!) throughout each event, so you definitely don’t want to miss out. Sign up here.

Yeah, you know you want more jog photos. Who doesn’t love the first jog? It’s where the riders put the most time and effort into their styles, and we get a peak at all the horses and are allowed to drool all over our computers. Good for you, I’ve got one amazing jog album here and yet another jog album here!

U.S.-based Australian eventer Dom Schramm is headed to England to take on Badminton Horse Trials CCI5*-L, along with a healthy contingent of U.S. riders entered in the event, to be held May 4-8. Schramm, who runs Schramm Equestrian with his wife Jimmie Schramm from Cochranville, Pennsylvania, and Ocala, Florida, will be taking Bolytair B, a 16-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Team Bolytair B. While it will be the pair’s fifth five-star, it is the first Badminton for both, and Dom is blogging about the experience. [Badminton Bound After 25 Years of Dreaming]

Get some excellent cross country tips from Sharon White before she recreates her epic ditch-and-wall photo from last year. From how to start getting comfortable across terrain to choosing a bit that works for you and your horse, Sharon is the cross country queen and you’d do well to read on. [Create More Cross-Country Control]

Let’s start with the good news: In general, horses are living longer and staying active later in their lives than ever. This means we have more quality time with and rides on our beloved equine partners. The bad news? As horses—particularly sport horses—age, they begin to suffer from related health issues. One of the most common is osteoarthritis, which can make those rides uncomfortable for horses. Learning how to keep them fit and healthy is a skill unto it’s own. [Conditioning Arthritic Horses]

 

The Golden Chinch Awards: The Official Unofficial Sartorial Stakes at Kentucky 2022

By on Apr 27, 2022 9:22 pm -

#LRK3DE: Website, CCI5* Ride Times, CC4*-S Ride Times, Live Scoring, Live Stream (North America), Live Stream (Outside of North America) Tickets, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Ultimate Guide, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

It’s that time again, folks — that special time of year wherein I sit atop my throne of haute couture, casting aspersions about clothes as though I’m not wearing tracksuit bottoms that are two sizes too big and covered with what I think is a bit of liquid joint supplement but might, on second glance, actually be a smear of horse poo. So that’s good and nice. We do really try to ensure that the most qualified people are given the hard jobs here at EN.

Anyway, in a hilarious show of poor judgment, we managed to get a company that’s actually legitimately stylish and sophisticated to back up my spurious sartorial claims. A warm welcome back to Fairfax and Favor, purveyors of fine British footwear and the sole (get it?) reason approximately half the Kentucky field isn’t barefoot right now.

Once again, the kind folks at F&F are offering a seriously good prize to the rider who wins the Ultimate Golden Chinch in this week’s jog awards. Have a browse through the candidates and cast your vote below — oh, and there’s a little something in it for you, too, you fashionable little minx. Don’t say we don’t look after you.

And so, without further ado, let’s take a look at the nominees for the 2022 Officially Unofficial Kentucky Jog Awards. WALK, BABY.

The Golden Chinch for Stowing Your Tray Tables in an Upright Position and Preparing for Landing

Yasmin Ingham and Banzai du Loir. Photo by Shelby Allen.

The seatbelt light has gone off, you’ve finally located Bridesmaids on the in-flight viewing system, and now you’re in need of just a couple more things: a packet of faintly cheesy pretzels (are they meant to taste cheesy? I’ve never quite worked out if it’s intentional) and a space gin in a tiny plastic cup that’ll threaten to fling itself off the edge of your tray table if the plane so much as looks at a cloud.

And lo! What light through yonder plane aisle breaks! It is the east, and Yaz Ingham is the sun. Merrily wheeling her cart of snacks and beverages along, she stops at every row for a minute or two too long, because she’s the kind of gal who wants to have a little chit-chat with all her passengers, who she secretly thinks of as her children.

“Ooooh, love, you’re not nervous are you?” she asks a middle-aged woman, who’s sitting rigid and white-knuckled in her aisle seat. “Have one of these; next thing you know, we’ll be landing.” You don’t quite see what she hands the woman, because it’s hidden in a little cocktail napkin, but sure enough, no one hears a peep out of the catatonic customer for the rest of the journey. Yaz is sunshine and rainbows; she warns you away from teas and coffees because “I’m not supposed to tell you this, lovey, but you do not want to know where that water’s come from!”; she quietens screaming babies with a smile and makes even the most pernickety of passengers soften with her charms. At one point, a man in an aisle seat calls her darling and pats her on the bottom, and swift as a flash, she deploys an emergency exit door and hurls him to his death. The door is shut again before the cabin pressure even has a chance to change, and her smile never falters.

“Would you like another gin and tonic?” she asks.

The Golden Chinch for…Hang On, Where Are Our Chinchillas?

Sarah Bullimore and Corouet. Photo by Shelby Allen.

No, seriously, has anyone checked on them?

The Golden Chinches for the Deft Expression of the Duality of Womanhood, as told by Holland Cooper

Hallie Coon and Jennie Brannigan. Photo courtesy of Hallie Coon. By ‘courtesy of’ I mean I simply stole it from her.

Here we have two outfits by British heritage clothing brand Holland Cooper that tell two very different stories. The outfit on the left says its prayers every night; the outfit on the right once graffitied male genitalia in its school restroom. The outfit on the left is “welcome to come to dinner anytime you like, dear, anytime at all” by every prospective suitor’s mother. The outfit on the right has to be paid off to skip family Thanksgiving after upending a dish of yams over Uncle Hank, even though he totally deserved it because he’s actually, let’s be real, a bit of a bigot. The outfit on the left has never missed Sunday school; the outfit on the right smokes spliffs in the cemetery while the service is on. The outfit on the left says “I think that walks as a conservative four, actually”; the outfit on the right hawks a loogie with a little bit of blood in it and says “four? Are you kidding me? I could kick for two in that.” The outfit on the left is “how may I help you today?”; the outfit on the right is “WHADDAYAGONNADOABOUTIT?” The outfit on the left is the angel on your shoulder; the outfit on your right is the devil. Inside of you there are two wolves, and they are Hallie Coon and Jennie Brannigan. Good luck, friend.

The Inaugural “Hot for Teacher” Golden Chinch

Hannah Sue Burnett and Harbour Pilot. Photo by Abby Powell.

Is it the prim pencil skirt? Is it the staid and sensible loafer situation? Is it the sneak peak of skin through those lacey sleeves? Whatever it is, Hannah Sue Burnett looks like she just finished one of those English lessons in which everyone has to recite a line from the Queen Mab speech in Romeo and Juliet and then beat one another to a pulp for a while with rolled up newspapers masquerading as swords. But somehow, she also kind of looks like she’s having a sordid affair with the principal. Suddenly, we get where Van Halen was coming from. Teacher, do you need to see us after school?

The Golden Chinch for The Most Suspicious Sunglasses

Doug Payne and Quantum Leap. Photo by Abby Powell.

There’s something a little bit uncanny valley about these sunnies, isn’t there? I can’t tell if I think they might be equipped with blink-activated laserbeams, ready to turn a dissenting ground jury to fine powder in a flash, or whether my spidey senses are telling me they’re X-ray specs that can see through all those purple outfits. Actually, the reality of the matter is that they’re probably a very swish looking version of the ill-fated Google Glass, and the reason Doug looks so serious while he’s jogging down the strip is actually because he’s googling “do birds ever just fly for fun?”

The Second Annual Golden Chinch for Looking Like an Attendee at a Redneck Wedding

Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg. Photo by Shelby Allen.

“Look, once you get to second cousins, it basically don’t even count anymore.”

The Golden Chinch for Adding a Fourth High-Risk Phase of Eventing

Lisa Marie Fergusson and Honor Me. Photo by Abby Powell.

You’ve got to hand it to Canada’s Lisa Marie Fergusson, who evidently took a stroll around Derek di Grazia’s beefy track and thought, “this? This is it? I only have to gallop at full tilt for eleven minutes over 35 or so maxed out solid obstacles, only some of which are equipped with safety devices? Before that, I only have to attempt to ride around a giant sandpit with a half-tonne animal that’s scared of its own farts? On the final day, I only need to fling myself at obstacles that are the size of four Subway sandwiches stacked lengthwise and spray-painted with some business logos? I thought I was here for some extreme sport, but this is simply disappointing.” And so, to upgrade the experience for herself and many, many rapt spectators, she decided to patent the concept of Danger Jogs™ and go for a blindfolded run alongside a creature that has evolved to essentially be a bad decision on legs. She’s got some brass cajones, that one.

The Golden Chinch for Apex Predator Fashion

Jonelle Price and McClaren. Photo by Abby Powell.

While we’re on the subject of how various creatures evolve, let’s talk about this outfit. I’m a big fan: it’s simple, it’s flowy, it looks comfortable to run in, and it’s, well, sweet. Jonelle looks like the kind of lady who’d bring you a casserole and a freshly baked Victoria sponge cake because she heard you’d worked yourself up a bit over a Hallmark movie. She looks like she might be part of the local school’s PTA. She looks so harmless.

You know what else looks harmless, though? A tiger cub. N’awwww, what a cute big fluffy kitty! Look at its big cartoon eyes! Look at its comically oversized toe beans! Don’t you just want to tickle its fluffy belly and listen to its sweet little purr? WRONG! Now you’ve been mauled to death by a murder machine with no natural predators! It lured you in, and you were fooled, and now you’re done-zo, pal. You’re a goner. That’s exactly what sweet little cookie-baking Jonelle is doing here. You might think she’s real cute now, but how are you going to feel when she’s finished on a sub-25 score and you’re left behind, eating her dust and nursing your wounds? Yeah, I thought so.

The Golden Chinch for Crypto-Bro Chic

Bobby Meyerhoff and Fortuna. Photo by Abby Powell.

Every time I need to type ‘Bicton’, which is the name of the West Country venue that hosted a pop-up Burghley replacement last year, my phone loses its little mind for a minute and autocorrects it to ‘Bitcoin.’ In this get-up, Bobby Meyerhoff looks like a man who wants to make sure that’s not a typo.

“Hey, man,” he says, cornering you in the stables in a puff of vape smoke and glancing over his shoulder shiftily before continuing. “I don’t know what your, like, money situation is, but you seem like a cool guy. I like you, ya know? So here’s the thing: I just wanted to make sure you had the 411 on the ol’ crypto thing. Yeah, yeah, you know, Bitcoin, Dogecoin, Ethereum – maybe a bit of Shiba Inu? Bongger? It’s the future, man, and you’ve gotta make sure you’re filling your wallet now.”

Sensing that he’s losing his audience, he reaches into his back pocket and pulls out his phone. On the screen is a drawing of a bored ape. It is, perhaps, the most visually unappealing thing you’ve ever seen.

“This could make you rich, my man,” he says, pressing it towards you. “And I can get your name on the blockchain right now. No questions asked. By dressage, you’ll be on your way to your first million.”

You decline and walk away. As you turn the corner, you hear him quietly mutter to himself, “Elon Musk wouldn’t have turned down my apes.”

The “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy” Golden Chinch

Pippa Funnell and Maybach. Photo by Abby Powell.

Look, America, we know Pippa’s great, but hands off. She’s our English rose, not your lawless cowgirl hellion, and we don’t know what you’ve done to her over the last few days, but we’re going to need you to stop. If she turns up at Badminton next week and greets the Duke and Duchess of Beaufort with a ‘howdy, y’all’ our country’s entire fragile infrastructure will crumble. The monarchy will end, the red buses will break down, and our little island will be swallowed up by the sea. The only thing that’ll remain is a few tea leaves on the surface. You’ve had that once already; you don’t need it again. She’s our national treasure, damn it, and we don’t like sharing.

The Golden Chinch for Wearing Pink on Wednesday

Allie Knowles and Morswood. Photo by Abby Powell.

“Is your muffin buttered? Would you like us to assign someone to butter your muffin?”

This is me, wounded and weary after very much jog.

Sonow it’s your turn, dear readers. It’s an important vote you’re casting, to determine our winner, so think carefully and vote by Friday, April 30 at 5 p.m. EST. Whichever rider wins the popular vote will get a glorious pair of highly covetable Fairfax and Favor shoes, which is just about enough incentive to stop any of them from seeking me out for a little bout of fisticuffs, I think. (I hope.)

But it’s not just about the riders: we want you to get your hands on some sweet F&F swag, too. If you’re at the Horse Park this week, head to the Hound & Hare booth and snap a selfie. Pop it on social media and tag us, @houndandhare, and @fairfaxandfavor, and you’ll be entered to win a frankly delightful Mini Windsor handbag. Happy snapping!

#lrk3de Links: Website, CCI5* Entries, CCI4*-S Entries, Live Scoring, Live Stream, Tickets, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Form Guide, EN’s Ultimate Guide to LRK3DE, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: Andrew Hoy’s Kentucky Memories

By on Apr 27, 2022 6:57 pm -

Whenever we head back to the Kentucky Horse Park, whether we do so as spectators, journalists, riders, grooms, photographers, owners, or vendors, every step we take sees up following well-trodden paths, heavy with the memories of the people and horses who went before us. As we head into another renewal of the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event, we wanted to take a moment to revisit the not-so-distant past — and today, we’re heading down the rabbit hole with Australian eventer Andrew Hoy.

(We’re also quite partial to the idea of a nettle gin and tonic, mind you.)

Elevate®

Performance horses are susceptible to exercise-induced muscle damage. Vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant, limits the damage caused by everyday oxidative stress. It maintains healthy muscle and nerve functions, and supports a strong immune system in horses of all ages.

Elevate was developed to provide a highly bioavailable source of natural vitamin E (d-alpha-tocopheryl acetate) to horses.

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

The horse that matters to you matters to us®. KPPusa.com

One Very Large Land Rover Kentucky 5* Jog Gallery

By on Apr 27, 2022 6:47 pm -

Sarah Bullimore and Corouet. Photo by Shelby Allen.

Everyone had their megawatt smiles on display for the first trot up at the 2022 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by MARS Equestrian.. Spectators dotted the terrance breathing life back into this prestigious event that went without fans in 2021. Even the horses seemed appreciative — there was hardly an antic on the jog strip.

You can find all the nitty gritty details here, but if you’re just here for eye candy, keep scrolling for a gallery from myself and Abby Powell. Stay tuned for Tilly’s infamous Golden Chinch Awards as well!

#lrk3de Links: Website, CCI5* Entries, CCI4*-S Entries, Live Scoring, Live Stream, Tickets, EN’s Coverage, The Form Guide, EN’s Ultimate Guide to LRK3DE, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

Welcome Back to Kentucky: 45 5* Horses Accepted in Sunny First Horse Inspection

By on Apr 27, 2022 4:54 pm -

Fylicia Barr and Galloway Sunrise. Photo by Shelby Allen.

It’s official: WELCOME BACK to Kentucky, everyone! The sun was shining, the crowds were out in full force, the horses were dapper and so were their riders, and we are officially underway in the 2022 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by MARS Equestrian.

Hallie Coon and Global Ex. Photo by Shelby Allen.

This afternoon was time to get our first official glimpse of the 5* horses and riders for the First Horse Inspection (the 4*-S horses did not trot today as they did in-barn inspections — they will join the trot-up Sunday morning), where the ground jury of president Nick Burton (GBR) and members Christian Steiner (AUT) and Gretchen Butts (USA). Generally we expect to see a few fresh, fit antics from these horses who’ve spent the last few months building up to peak fitness, but we were sadly disappointed everyone managed to (mostly) keep all four feet on the ground.

Jennie Brannigan and FE Lifestyle. Photo by Abby Powell.

In total, we saw 45 horses present and all pass. Some were asked to be seen twice: Doug Payne’s Quantum Leap was asked to jog twice but not held, while Booli Selmayr (Millfield Lancado) and Alex MacLeod (Newmarket Jack) were both held, but accepted upon re-presentation. There was also some lengthy discussion after Allie Knowles and Morswood jogged, but the horse was accepted afterward.

We’ll update this post with more photos, but the real treat of the day will be the return of our Unofficial Jog Awards, presented by Fairfax & Favor — so stay tuned as Tilly’s already hard at work dishing it out. We hope you brought your thick skin, riders! (Don’t worry, we still love you!)

Sydney Elliott and QC Diamantaire. Photo by Abby Powell.

Tomorrow we’ll see the start of dressage, with the 4*-S first to see beginning at 8:00 a.m. with Liz Halliday-Sharp and Cooley Quicksilver. The Ground Jury for the 4*-S consists of Peter Gray and Bea di Grazia. The 4*-S test rider will be Nick Larkin with Cellusana Alex Too, and the 5* will test Jeri Fuller-Matheny and Zarcita ahead of the start of competition.

Then at 1:00 p.m. we’ll get underway with the 5*, where we’ll see Will Coleman and Dondante first. We’ll see roughly half of each field on each day.

Abby, Shelby and I are off for a spin around the course, so stay tuned for much more from Kentucky and as always, thank you for following along! Go Eventing.

#lrk3de Links: Website, CCI5* Entries, CCI4*-S Entries, Live Scoring, Live Stream, Tickets, EN’s Coverage, The Form Guide, EN’s Ultimate Guide to LRK3DE, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

 

It’s No Gymkhana Game: Take a Sneak Peek at the Kentucky Courses

By on Apr 27, 2022 1:35 pm -

The Park Question at 7ABC will present a tough challenge in the first half of this year’s course. Photo courtesy of the Cross Country App.

Ever since the Badminton course was released a little over a week ago, we’ve all been waiting on tenterhooks to see how Derek diGrazia‘s Kentucky course would compare. And now, finally, we’ve got our first tantalising glimpses, courtesy of the fine folks over at the Cross Country App. Click through to go for a virtual walk around the CCI5* track, with additional information on some of the course’s major questions from Derek himself. There’s also a map and fence images for the CCI4*-S, which proved to be a seriously tough course in last year’s inaugural running. This year’s five-star track will run effectively in the opposite direction to last year, and makes use of some parts of the Horse Park that Derek hasn’t previously used, which adds a rather exciting element of the unknown to proceedings. There’s some seriously juicy questions out there, and with the weather forecast looking gloomier by the minute, we’re expecting this phase to exert plenty of influence.

THE FIVE STAR CHALLENGE

The 2022 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5* course.

Length: 6308m

Numbered fences: 28

Optimum time: 11:04

Check it out via CrossCountry App

THE CCI4*-S TRACK

The 2022 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI4*-S course.

Length: 3960m

Numbered fences: 21

Optimum time: 6:57

Check it out via CrossCountry App

Of course, this isn’t the only insight you’ll get into the course before Saturday’s action commences. We’ll be heading out into the depths of the Horse Park, and chatting to Derek and some of this year’s competitors alike to get a comprehensive insight into what you can expect when the big day rolls around. Plus, there’s still time to sign up for our free coursewalk with Kyle Carter and Buck Davidson, which will take place on Friday afternoon and promises to be a very jolly time indeed.

Stay tuned for lots more from the Land Rover Kentucky Three Day Event. Go Eventing!

#LRK3DE Links: Website, CCI5* Entries, CCI4*-S Entries, Live Scoring, Live Stream (North America), Live Stream (Outside of North America), Form Guide, Tickets, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Ultimate Guide, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

Kentucky At A Glance: Meet the 5* Horses

By on Apr 27, 2022 11:00 am -

We’re creeping ever closer to the first horse inspection at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event, which is set to get underway this afternoon at 3pm EST/8pm BST. Do you have butterflies? Because here in Camp EN, we’ve absolutely got butterflies. In fact, I’d say we’ve tipped over the edge and now have fully-fledged pigeons causing mayhem in our small intestines. On second thought, maybe this is something we need to get checked out.

Anyway, whatever the state of your internal aviary, we know that this is prime time for getting to know the field of competitors you’ll be cheering on over the next four days. Yesterday, we gave you the rundown of all the need-to-know rider stats for this year’s five-star field — and today, we’re back with a closer look at their horses.

You can take a look at the full entry list here, and brush up on the entries in full in our Ultimate Form Guide here — and then, don’t forget to enter our Pick ‘Em & Win Contest from Horseware by today at noon EST!

Go Eventing – and Go Kentucky!

#LRK3DE Links: Website, CCI5* Entries, CCI4*-S Entries, Live Scoring, Live Stream (North America), Live Stream (Outside of North America), Form Guide, Tickets, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Ultimate Guide, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

#lrk3de Links: Website, CCI5* Entries, CCI4*-S Entries, Live Scoring, Live Stream, Tickets, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Form Guide, EN’s Ultimate Guide to LRK3DE, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

The Bluegrass Showdown Begins: Team EN Picks Their Winners for Kentucky

By on Apr 27, 2022 8:00 am -

A feeling like no other: the Rolex Stadium, full of people united by the love of horses once again. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

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Here’s the thing about a five-star: even to get there, to unload a healthy, happy horse into the stables and to go for your first hack around the grounds is an extraordinary accomplishment, and one that most riders will only ever be able to daydream about. Win, lose, finish, or fall, nobody can take away from a rider the enormity of the fact that they did it: over the course of years of hard work and thousands of hours of careful planning, they got their beloved horse to this point. To every single rider, groom, owner, horse, and connection at Kentucky this week, we salute you. You are now the heroes to whom little girls and boys aspire. Wear that mantle proudly, but wear it with grace and care, because it’s a rare and special thing.

In every competition, though, there’s got to be that small handful that rise above, triumphant at the end of an intense week of hardcore horsing. To that end, the team at EN have put their thinking caps on, led with their heads (okay, and sometimes with their hearts), and made their predictions for what we might be about to see unfold over the next five days.

What do you think of our predictions? Let us know your own in the comments and don’t forget to enter our Horseware Pick ‘Em & Win competition for your chance to win a pair of Horseware IceVibe boots. Want to brush up on your intel before you pick? Head over to our jam-packed form guide to find out everything you need to know about each entrant.

#lrk3de Links: Website, CCI5* Entries, CCI4*-S Entries, Live Scoring, Live Stream, Tickets, EN’s Coverage, The Form Guide, EN’s Ultimate Guide to LRK3DE, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

Michael Jung and fischerChipmunk FRH. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

SHELBY ALLEN

Big Winner: Although it’s technically the horse’s five-star debut, I’ve learned not to bet against Michael Jung. Especially paired with the flashy fisherChipmunk FRH, who claims over 40 top-ten International finishes to his name.

Top American:  I’ve got to go with Will Coleman and Off The Record. Affectionately referred to as a “kitchen table with a few Ferrari engines attached,” “Timmy,” won Aachen last fall and I think he and Will are here to beat their top fifteen finish of 2021.

Top Canadian: I watched Jessica Phoenix finish six horses in the four-star at Bouckaert International a few weeks ago and I’m still tired. I think she’ll be our top-placed Canadian with Bogue Sound. 

Top Thoroughbred: Sea of Clouds and Phillip Dutton 

Best Mare: I’ve been a Fleeceworks Royal fan since I watched her jet over to Le Lion as a 7-year-old. Arriving for her CCI5* debut, “Rory,” has one of the most determined pilots in the business. With Tamie Smith on board I’m expecting a big finish from this pair.

Spoiler Alert: Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg. They’ve been USEF National Champions here before, so I wouldn’t put it past them to take advantage of some stars aligning.

Top Rookie: I’m going to go with my first instinct and pick Booli Selmayr and Millfield Lancando, which is coincidentally how Booli bought Lance six years ago, on a gut decision.

Sarah Bullimore and Corouet. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

TILLY BERENDT

Big Winner: Everyone will be so transfixed by Michael Jung and fischerChipmunk, who will have taken a significant lead on their 22.1 dressage score, that they’ll almost forget about the tiny chestnut Corouet. But when the European individual bronze medallist canters into the ring with Great Britain’s Sarah Bullimore, he’ll do so having just whispered a really naughty word at Chipmunk under his breath, and he’ll be daring you not to pay attention. Aware that he’s got a point to prove for short kings everywhere, he’ll replicate the 19.6 he earned in the CCI4*-S at Burgham last year and then flounce out of the ring, obviously thinking “what, like it’s hard?” The rest of the week will become a match-race that’ll divide horsey households around the world. Sarah is, in my opinion, the most underrated rider on the scene right now and she’s overdue a five-star win after coming achingly close with the quirky Reve du Rouet, who we’ll see at Badminton the following week. Tiny, spicy Corouet, who she bred from her former top-level mare Lilly Corinne, is one of those rare, special characters that we’ll be talking about for years to come, and I think they’ve got this in the bag. Fans of the late, great Theodore O’Connor will be in for a treat.

Top American: I’m writing off Tamie Smith and Mai Baum here, purely on the assumption that their plan A of Badminton will go ahead. With double-entrants off my list, I’m looking at Tsetserleg and Boyd Martin to bounce back after their unlucky tumble last year. Boyd will be coming to Kentucky full of that magic confidence that comes after a five-star win, and he’ll have his eyes firmly on the prize that has eluded him for so long.

Top Canadian: For me, it’s always Jollybo, ridden by Hawley Bennett-Awad. I love a feisty, game mare, and she was sourced by Kate Tarrant, the British rider with whom I’m based, so I’m happily biased in her favour. I am also beginning to realise I’ve chosen only the tiniest horses in the field for my picks, which says an awful lot about my taste, I guess.

Top Thoroughbred: Phillip Dutton‘s Sea of Clouds impressed on his debut at Maryland last year, finishing 13th, and I can see him bettering that result here. His showjumping will probably stand in his way at the moment, but he’s incredibly efficient across the country, and a great ambassador for ex-racehorses.

Best Mare: It’s a five-star debut for Hallie Coon‘s Global Ex, but the diminutive grey mare, who wouldn’t even see 16hh in stilettos, has never yet met a challenge she didn’t gobble up easily. They went to Boekelo last autumn to compete as individuals for the USA, and though it was just ‘Dolly’s’ second run at the level, they were foot-perfect through the jumping phases to record the only FOD of the week and finish seventh. They won’t frighten the obvious leaders in the first phase, where we can expect a low-to-mid-30s mark, but from then on out, they’ll dig their heels in and climb. A wet weekend and a tough track would suit them marvellously – we’ve set to see Dolly meet any conditions that she deems too difficult.

Spoiler Alert: Young British talent Yasmin Ingham is already a household name in the UK eventing scene, because she’s won every age title there is to win over here — plus, she took the temporarily relocated eight- and nine-year-old CCI4*-S class in 2020 with Banzai du Loir before returning to Blenheim last year to win the CCI4*-L. This is the week she becomes a global eventing phenomenon with her gutsy, wise-beyond-her-years performances aboard her five-star debutant horse. I’d be happy to put money on a top five finish.

Top Rookie: If we’re talking five-star debutants at their first Kentucky, it’s hard to look past Woods Baughman and C’est La Vie 135, who won the CCI4*-L USEF National Championships at the end of 2021. Woods also gets the eye candy vote, which is nearly as important as the tiny-feisty-pony vote as far as I’m concerned.

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Lisa Marie Fergusson and Honor Me. Photo by Sally Spickard.

EMA KLUGMAN

Big Winner: Sarah Bullimore and Corouet. This little horse stole my heart at the European championships last year, and he’s my secret favorite to steal the whole show. He doesn’t have a weak phase, and I think he will enjoy the return of the massive crowds at Kentucky and jump everyone’s socks off.

Top American: Will Coleman is a beautiful, effective rider to watch. After an impressive 5*L completion at Maryland last year and a great win at Carolina 4*S this spring, Dondante strikes me as the American horse who will challenge the top of the leaderboard if he can put in a dazzling dressage test. I think this horse is the best American jumper in the field.

Top Canadian: Lisa Marie Ferguson and Honor Me. Lisa and this wonderful jumping horse have so much experience together and should put together yet another amazing trip around the bluegrass. Their partnership is one that young riders and amateurs should take note and learn from.

Top Thoroughbred: Sea of Clouds. Phillip Dutton is one of the best cross country riders in the world. Provided he can keep most of the show jumps up, I think this sporty TB will smoke around inside the time and score a good finish.

Best Mare: Hallie Coon‘s Global Ex. Never underestimate a little mare with a lot of scope. This grey is one of the most exciting horses in the U.S., in my opinion, and I’m excited to watch her tackle her first five-star.

Spoiler Alert: It’s hard to bet against Jonelle Price and McClaren. I remember watching this horse when he was under the saddle of Mark Todd, who took him to the WEG in Tryon four years ago. He is probably the best jumper in the field, and if it’s raining and tough on Saturday you can bet Jonelle will capitalize on that. They could sneak up the leaderboard.

Top Rookie: My money is on Alex McLeod for this one. Her little Irish horse, Newmarket Jack, can jump a house with his eyes closed, and I have total faith in their partnership. You’ll probably see her collect her prizes at the awards ceremony and then rush back to her full-time job as a veterinarian the next day. She’s inspirational for amateur riders everywhere.

Will Coleman and Off the Record. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

ABBY POWELL

Big Winner: I think Michael Jung is back to claim the Kentucky crown this year and considering fischerChipmunk FRH’s phenomenal dressage record (sub-20 is not uncommon), his jumping ability, and the fact that it’s Michael Jung aboard I’m betting all eyes will be on this pair throughout the weekend. It is technically Chipmunk’s debut at the five-star level by name, though he did compete at this level in the 2018 WEG with his former rider Julia Krajewski, but regardless I think he’ll skip around juuust fine.

Top American: Take your pick: Will Coleman or Will Coleman? I think it’s possible for Will to take this spot on either of his mounts, Off The Record or DonDante, though I’ll give the edge to Aachen winner Off The Record, who finished 15th overall here last year in his 5* debut.

Top Canadian: We don’t have too many to pick from for this category this year, but Hawley Bennett-Awad and the now 18-year-old Jollybo are five-star veterans at this point, and they are coming off a nice romp around the Boukaert International at Chatt Hills CCI4*-S where they had a career best FEI dressage score.

Top Thoroughbred: They’ll need a clean showjumping round to pull it off, but I think they can do it — I’m picking Meghan O’Donoghue and the CANTER-placed Palm Crescent for top-placed TB. This will be the pair’s third five-star together and if they stay on their current upward trajectory then they’ll finish in fine form indeed.

Best Mare: It may be this mare’s first five-star, but I don’t think that’s going to slow her down. Fleeceworks Royal has both the flatwork and hops to be a formidable contender at this level, not to mention she’s got Tamie Smith in the irons.

Spoiler Alert: It feels pretty ridiculous to put this pair here, but I’m going to give this slot to Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg TSF. They’ll be looking for a little redemption after their unlucky fall late on course here last year and Boyd will be hungry for a second 5* victory. They’ll have some other top pairs to battle with for that top spot, but they’re more than capable of stealing the win.

Top Rookie: It’s difficult not to pick the 2019 CCI3*-L and 2021 CCI4*-L National Champions, so I’m not going fight it and I’ll go ahead and name Woods Baughman and C’est la Vie 135 our likely top rookie pair. I’m sure that Woods is going to be solely focusing on generally having a good weekend, but the numbers don’t lie and these two could be right up there with some big names by the end of the weekend if all goes well. No pressure, Woods!

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Will Coleman and DonDante. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

KATE SAMUELS

Big Winner: Every year, this tradition of picking winners stresses me out. I admit that I actually spend way too much time considering the *actual* probability of each of my candidates, and then in the end I usually say screw it and pick the first name to my head. We all know Michael Jung doesn’t come over here unless he’s pretty damn sure he can take all our money and prizes. I was slightly underwhelmed with fisherChipmunk FRH in Tokyo, but if there ever was a competitive rider out there, it’s Michael, and he’s going to try to leave nothing on the table.

Top American: I have a hunch that Dondante is on an upswing, and while he hasn’t had as much press as his stable mate, Off The Record, Al seems to have finally grown into his enormous body and got a really good education last fall at the Fair Hill 5*. I wouldn’t be surprised if he comes out swinging first thing on Thursday, and Will Coleman must have a lot of confidence in the horse to go out first thing on the cross country.

Top Thoroughbred: I’ve adored Palm Crescent for many years now, and my love has never wavered. Meghan O’Donoghue is a lovely rider who has been knocking on the door of a good result for a few years now, and I’m hopeful that the 16-year-old thoroughbred will give her that long due ribbon.

Best Mare: Last fall, Hallie Coon rocked up to Boekelo with little bitty Global Ex, and competed for the USA as individuals. This unsuspecting pair ended up the only combination to FOD that weekend, and got a nice 7th place ribbon. Blink and you might miss her, but keep an eye on this white lightening as she climbs up into a competitive spot.

Spoiler Alert: I love Kentucky for a lot of reasons, but I really love when I get to watch Jonelle Price absolutely tear it up on cross country. That woman has the biggest pair of brass you-know-whats in this entire sport, and McClaren is probably the best jumping horse in the field. I can hardly imagine anything giving me more joy than seeing them jump to the top of the leaderboard.

Top Rookie: I’m going with my gut on this one, and picking Alex MacLeod riding her jumping bean Newmarket Jack. Their partnership is a long one, and Alex has really put in more work than your average bear, balancing a full time veterinarian job.

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Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg TSF. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

SALLY SPICKARD

Big Winner: While all eyes will be on Germany’s Michael Jung and fischerChipmunk FRH, I’m going to pick Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg TSF as this weekend’s winners.

“Thomas” is 15 this year, and in the prep work we’ve seen so far this year the black Trakehner gelding — a U.S.-bred sired by the great Windfall II — has looked…really good. It’s been a couple years of “almost but not quite” results for Boyd and Tsetserleg: they finished second at Kentucky in 2019, but then had an untimely fall at the final combination on cross country in 2021.

Now, if Michael and Chipmunk score a 16 and proceed to finish on that, that’ll be about all she wrote. But I’m giving Tsetserleg’s experience (it’s hard to believe it since he was at the Olympics and at WEG in 2018 with Julia Krajewski, but technically this is Chipmunk’s 5* debut — not that that necessarily matters with Michi in the saddle) the leg up here — and let’s face it, Thomas is due for his day!

Top American: I suppose this question goes out the window when I’ve been bold and picked a U.S. winner, but for the sake of fun I’ll go with Will Coleman and Off The Record as my next pick for top American (or even winner, perhaps!). It is hard to bet against the 2021 Aachen winner, and his pilot’s competition record both on this horse as well as the others in his string speaks for itself. Off The Record was 15th at Kentucky, his debut at the level, in 2021 and most recently was third in his final prep at The Fork. It’s hard to bet against consistency and if I had one word to describe Will’s system for development, that would be it.

Top Canadian: This will be the fifth 5* start (sixth if you count WEG in 2018) for Canadian fan favorites Hawley Bennett-Awad and Jollybo, and at 18 years young the not-so-jumbo British mare by Jumbo is looking fit and ready for another run around the Kentucky bluegrass. Show jumping would be the only thing holding this pair back from being more competitive, but you can bet with their relatively early order in the draw (12) they’ll have plenty of riders watching them to see how the track is riding as they always put on a show of quick, efficient riding on cross country day.

Top Thoroughbred: I’m a big fan of Palm Crescent, the bright bay Thoroughbred partnered with OTTB-whisperer Meghan O’Donoghue. The 16-year-old gelding by Quiet American (for you racing fans out there, the sire of the near-Triple Crown winner Real Quiet — one of my favorites when I was younger!) debuted at this level last year and finished strongly at both Kentucky and Maryland. They’ll be a fun pair to watch come Saturday!

Best Mare: Despite the fact this will be the feisty Fleeceworks Royal‘s first 5*, I’m going to give the nod to her. She might be inexperienced at this level, and she may fly a little under the radar thanks to the superstardom of her stablemate, Mai Baum, but it’s good to remember that this mare has been places.

Fleeceworks Royal (Rory or Rora-saurus as she’s often known) competed at the FEI Eventing World Breeding Championships in France as a seven-year-old and also finished in the top ten individually in Nations Cup competition at Boekelo in 2018. She’s traveled from California to the East coast several times, winding up in the top 20 of her first then-CCI3* at Fair Hill in 2018 and winning the 4*-L at Jersey Fresh in 2019.

For all this success, we most likely would’ve seen the Holsteiner mare, who is 13 this year, make her 5* debut much earlier, but some pesky injuries have sidelined her and then there was the year of cancellations in 2020. But she’s come out in strong form this year, finishing eighth and 12th in her 4*-S prep runs at Carolina and Tryon, respectively — and Tamie has surely not coaxed the peak performance from the mare quite yet.

While Tamie’s priority will be experience, we know she’s as competitive as they come, and we could see them as the Queens of Kentucky in just a few days’ time.

Spoiler Alert: I’ve been listening to Tilly’s adoration of the small and mighty Corouet, who will be piloted by Great Britain’s Sarah Bullimore and I think I’ve officially jumped on the bandwagon. This spicy little guy might be making his first 5* start and his first overseas trip, but he’s really stepped up to the plate as he’s gained more experience; this pair finished in individual bronze position for the Brits at the 2021 European Championships at Avenches to cap off a supremely competitive season. He’s also scored a sub-20 at the 4* level and very nearly finished on it so, there’s that.

I realize this is cheating, but I think you could also easily slot, among others, Doug Payne and his old hand, Vandiver into the spoiler role. “Quinn” is one of if not the the most experienced horses in the field, currently in his impressive 12th season at Advanced/4*/5*. He’s come out looking keen as ever this spring and is hot off a win at Tryon. We don’t know how many more 5*s we’ll be lucky to see Vandiver at, and it would be incredible to see him have a winning weekend as a potential swan song.

Top Rookie: I almost hate this pick because the whole point of your first Kentucky is to have a positive experience. I’ve also have the distinct privilege of chatting with nearly all the rookie riders every year for the last few years, which always makes it impossible to choose just one.

But we’re here to have fun, so I’m going to give my pick to Woods Baughman and C’est La Vie 135. This pair has shown tons of promise and plenty of raw talent, and while there have been some bumps along the way they’ve also got Sharon White in their corner, who’s been patiently coaxing the best out of them since the beginning of their partnership.

I’d also love to see Washington-based Marc Grandia have a strong weekend with Campari FFF, the horse who has, as he describes it, changed his career for the better.

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Tamie and BFF Heather Morris share a hug. Photo by Sally Spickard.

LESLIE WYLIE

As per tradition, I’m refraining from picks and simply wishing every horse and rider a safe, happy 2022 LRK3DE. On behalf of the whole EN team, we’re cheering every last one of this week’s competitors on. Wow us. Surprise us. Show us what you’re made of. Prove us wrong, or right. Give us a reason to believe in you. Go for it. Go Eventing.

#lrk3de Links: Website, CCI5* Entries, CCI4*-S Entries, Live Scoring, Live Stream, Tickets, EN’s Coverage, The Form Guide, EN’s Ultimate Guide to LRK3DE, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

Wednesday News & Notes from Haygain

By on Apr 27, 2022 4:41 am -

Photo by Leslie Wylie.

Y’all remember the morning of last year’s Kentucky first horse inspection? I do! Stumbling out of the EN RV at 5:30 a.m. to check on our propane tank (which had, of course, gone out in the night) into a surprise blanket of snow … it was one of the more bizarro moments of an already weird edition of LRK3DE. Without spectators, the 2021 event was a ghost-town relative to most years — not counting 2020, when the event was cancelled outright. The crowd at the Wednesday jog, normally standing room only, was sparse. Rolex Stadium, usually packed, was empty save a few rows of fan stand-in cardboard cutouts.

For the 2022 LRK3DE, things are already looking up — and I’m not just talking about the five-day forecast. (Which, yeah, there’s probably going to be rain, but there will be some sun too. That’s just LRK3DE tradition!) During the pandemic, I swore I’d never take “normalcy” — if such a concept ever returned — for granted again. Whether you are watching this year’s event ringside or from afar, let’s all take a moment on the front end to feel gratitude. We, all of us, have been through it these past couple years. We’ve weathered storms, and there are storms still to come; there always will be. But we sure can enjoy a break in the clouds.

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event (KY): Website, CCI5* Entries, CCI4*-S Entries, Live Scoring, Live Stream (North America), Live Stream (Outside of North America) Tickets, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Ultimate Guide, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

Ram Tap H.T. (CA): Website, Scoring

Stable View Spring H.T. (SC): Website, Scoring

University of New Hampshire Spring H.T. (NH): Website

Loudoun Hunt Pony Club Spring H.T. (VA): Website, Scoring

Horse Park of New Jersey Spring H.T. (NJ): Website

News & Notes: 

Want to stay in the know for all things revolving around the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event and Badminton Horse Trials? We’ll be sending out our Daily Digest email now through Tuesday, May 3 for Badminton. It’s the best place to keep up with our coverage and all of the latest news from the big spring 5* events — and, it’s free! We’ll also be giving out prizes (think exclusive EN merch and sponsor goodies!) throughout each event, so you definitely don’t want to miss out. Sign up here.

Meet California-based adult amateur hunter/jumper rider Lyssette Williams.“It’s my personal belief that we shouldn’t just sit around complaining about the problems that we see, that we should get involved.” [Lyssette Williams Advocates For Equity, Inclusion In Horse World]

Pippa Funnell has come to Kentucky with a very special stuffy in tow. “Tigga is here, Tigga has come to every event since 1995 given to me by long-standing owner Sarah Jewson. He has travelled the world with me, I wouldn’t be brave enough to leave him at home.” [We’re Going to Need To See Your Passport, Sir]

Best of the Blogs: “So who will get this year’s viral shot at Land Rover Kentucky? It won’t be me and if it’s you, remember that an otherwise simple jumpshot can be an extraordinarily epic moment, if only you see it in perspective.”  [Perspective is Everything by photographer Erin Gilmore]

Listen: Well hey there, Samantha! We love you! [WUKY: Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event revs up this week]

Fun fact: Neat breeding connection!

Watch: Watching the 2022 #LRK3DE from afar? Here’s your live stream hookup. Here’s a #WaybackWednesday (well, OK 2021 wasn’t THAT far back) video to get you hyped.

Social Media Recap: Twas the Night Before Kentucky …

By on Apr 26, 2022 10:00 pm -

… when all through the Park, not a creature was stirring, not even Landmark’s

Monte Carlo, who was blanketed with great care

 to avoid poo stains, as jog day would soon be there …

You know I could go on, but I shall spare you. This time.

A picture is worth a thousand words, especially if we’re talking about Instagram pics vs. ripped-off Christmas poem lyrics in April. Here are a few snaps from Tuesday at the Kentucky Horse Park! The real action begins on the runway on Wednesday at 3 p.m. when 46 5* starters present at the First Horse Inspection. Keep it locked here for all the latest.

#LRK3DE Links: Website, CCI5* Entries, CCI4*-S Entries, Live Scoring, Live Stream (North America), Live Stream (Outside of North America) Tickets, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Ultimate Guide, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

 

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