I’m just going to come out and say it — and don’t get me wrong, I’m saying it with all due respect — but all of you fox hunters are are a little nuts. Take this video of a river crossing from yesterday’s annual Stephen Lawlor Memorial Charity Ride in Kildare, Ireland for example. I mean, there’s a perfectly good bridge right there in the background! But you do you, fox hunters. You made your choices, now you get to live with the soggy breeches.
Editorial correction: Readers have corrected us that this is a charity ride and not fox hunting.Â
Will Coleman moves up from #32 to #15 in the latest FEI World Ranking. Photo by Abby Powell.
We are finally seeing a return to some state of normalcy (in terms of eventing, at least) as the world continues to contend with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. In 2020, the FEI released updated mitigation procedures for calculating FEI World Rankings to account for competition interruptions and cancellations.
Now, the first look at rankings for 2022 has been released, keeping to the traditional 12-month rolling period in which a rider’s six best scores from the previous 12-month period are put toward their final ranking. Rankings are typically tabulated at the end of each month, dropping scores from the same month in the previous year.
Jonelle Price en route to a podium finish at Pau with McLaren, to the tune of 102 FEI points. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Oliver Townend will take his #1 ranking into the start of the 2022 season, but from that point on we see quite a bit of shuffle in the rankings, including five U.S. riders ranked within the top 20. Boyd Martin remains the highets-ranked U.S. rider, currently in ninth with 380 points. Take look at the updated top 20:
Notable movers and shakers include New Zealand’s Jonelle Price, who climbs from #5 to #2, Great Britain’s Gemma Tattersall moving from #15 to #7, fellow Brit Nicola Wilson moving from #23 to #10, Aachen winner Will Coleman jumping from #32 to #15, as well as moves by Tamie Smith and Phillip Dutton up into the top 20.
Confused as to what events/placings add up to what points? Click the number of points accumulated by each rider on the right hand side of the ranking table (viewable here) to see a breakdown of their points.
Let’s kick off this week’s Weekend Winners column with a special shout to Susanna Rodell, who completed a century ride (horse and rider combined age over 100) and finished on their dressage score to wind up fourth in their Beginner Novice division at Galway Downs.
I dug up a few things from Susanna, including this piece written for Practical Horseman a few years ago in which she muses on the concept of transitioning from Pony Club mom to Horsemaster. Then, she concluded her article by saying, “…if Lady and I manage to hang in there for another 5 years, weâll be eligible for century classes. Life is good.”
I’d say mission accomplished, Susanna!
Now, onto more scores from another weekend of eventing:
Advanced CT: Katy Robinson and Outrageous Dance (39.6)
Advanced/Intermediate: Emilee Libby and Jakobi (29.8)
Open Intermediate: Tamie Smith and MaiTĂ€nzer (36.4)
Open Preliminary: Tamie Smith and Mameluke (29.0)
Preliminary Rider: Haley Dwight and WS Radagast (39.3)
Jr. Training Rider: Lauren Crabtree and Excellence (31.9)
Open Training: Erin Kellerhouse and Ringwood Adios Amigo (21.7)
Sr. Training Rider: Kristin Terris and Rathcash Olympia (30.6)
Jr. Novice Rider: Jillian Newman and Curraghgraigue Freeman (31.7)
Novice Amateur: Michelle Jones and Balou Print (21.9)
Open Novice: Erin Kellerhouse and Genesis (29.2)
Sr. Novice Rider: Courtney Lance and Talk To Me Goose (29.7)
Beginner Novice Rider A: Julienne Biglin and Reverie GWF (29.1)
Beginner Novice Rider B: Fiona Holland and Dancing On The Moon (32.1)
Open Beginner Novice: Chloe Smyth and Byzantine SC (30.0)
Starter: Sarah Pinfield and Kingsbridge (30.7)
Intermediate CT: Mia Petersen and Fernhill Royale (39.4)
Open Preliminary: Boyd Martin and Butt’s Aria W (39.8)
Preliminary Horse: Nilson Moreira da Silva and Go Global (36.4)
Preliminary Rider: Morgyn Johnson and Peter Parker GS (38.1)
Open Training: Alexander Conrad and Lexington II (28.3)
Preliminary/Training: Brooke Burchianti and Cooley Space Gray (29.7)
Training CT: Meg Bowers and L’Avventura (36.0)
Training Horse: Meg Pellegrini and Cassilio G (35.4)
Training Rider: Sophia Dime and Quidam de Plot (32.1)
Novice Rider A: Lisa Edinger and Quinto Quest (30.8)
Novice Rider B: Isabel Lopez and Beau’s Emergence (30.3)
Open Novice A: Ryan Wood and Ben Nevis (28.1)
Open Novice B: Tim Bourke and Electric Quality (26.7)
Beginner Novice CT: Meg Bowers and Turning The Table (43.4)
Beginner Novice Rider: Sarah Meek and Scherzo Di Notte (29.1)
Open Beginner Novice A: Emily Marsh and Dylano Q (31.3)
Open Beginner Novice B: Annie Read and Classic Chrome PCH (25.9)
Starter: Kristen Goldin and Ashwood Flinn (19.3)
Intermediate/Preliminary: Daniela Moguel and Hideaway’s Ness (43.0)
Open Preliminary: Caroline Martin and Galwaybay Redfield HSH Connor (29.7)
Preliminary Rider: Katarina Midgley and Ditch (43.8)
Preliminary/Training: Kimmy Cecere and Landmark’s Jungle’s Gold (30.9)
Open Training A: Caroline Martin and HSH Limited Edition (26.7)
Open Training B: Leonie Padgett and Cooley Precision (25.8)
Training Rider: Alyssa Craig and SBT Clover Road (40.3)
Novice Rider A: Liz Mason and Wisdom Grey (30.8)
Novice Rider B: Alyssa Cairo and Paddington (20.6)
Open Novice A: Delaney Emerson and Redfield Rolex (27.2)
Open Novice B: Delaney Emerson and Redfield Soranella (29.7)
Open Novice C: Chelsey Sawtell and Covenant (29.2)
Beginner Novice Rider: Alison Zeitlin and Royal Report (34.0)
Open Beginner Novice A: Ashley Trier and State of Emergency (28.4)
Open Beginner Novice B: Madeline Scott and Molon Labe (28.4)
Looking to the unrecognized side of the calendar, Chattahoochee Hills hosted a schooling show over the weekend, scores from which can be viewed here. MeadowCreek Park in Kossem Tx, also hosted a schooling show with divisions from Green As Grass up through Preliminary.
Big pats for Edy Rameika’s Sebastian, schoolmaster in residence at Overlook South. Photo by Sally Spickard
Strides for Equality Equestrians (SEE) was formed in 2020 and immediately set off to help grow our sport through increased representation and opportunity for riders from diverse backgrounds. The fruits of this labor manifested in a large way with the creation of the Ever So Sweet Scholarship, in partnership with the USEA Foundation and Edy Rameika. The scholarship provides opportunity for a deserving rider to spend time, fully funded, training with Sara Kozumplik at her Virginia and Florida bases. Now into its second cycle, the Ever So Sweet scholarship for this winter was awarded to Pennsylvania-based Sierra Lesny, who joined Sara and her team at their Ocala base last month with her partner, off-track Thoroughbred “Pea”.
While I was in Ocala last month, I stopped by to meet Sierra and see what she’s been up to since arriving in Florida. Sierra has had a whirlwind of a winter so far; she won a sweepstakes put on by Phillip Dutton and Cosequin, traveling down to his new Wellington base before going to Ocala and even taking a spin on his Olympic mount, Z.
Sierra grew up with horse influence from her grandparents — her grandmother ran a lesson program, where Sierra would spend much of her childhood. From there, Sierra found she had aspirations to progress with her riding. She spent as much time as she could at the barn through middle and high school, working student at a variety of hunter/jumper barns. After taking time to go to college, focusing on her studies and working at a suicide hotline while horses took a backseat. She then took a job as a middle school teacher, but when she returned home on break and saw her saddle sitting, she felt the bug flutter again. So it was back to grooming and working at barns, and eventually getting back in the saddle.
Sierra stumbled upon the Ever So Sweet scholarship online and applied mostly on a whim — “I didn’t think I would hear anything from it,” she admits now, and she was pleasantly surprised to learn that she’d been awarded the scholarship for the winter term. Around this time, Pea’s owner offered Sierra an ownership share, and soon enough she was packing up to head south to learn with Sara. “Both of us are kind of learning at the same time,” Sierra laughed, noting that this week had been her first time sitting in a dressage saddle or putting on a cross country vest.
Sierra and Pea share a moment. Photo by Sally Spickard.
Sierra aspires to become a professional in the long run. “I’m not sure exactly how I want to be involved,” she mused. “Most of my background has been working with the ‘bad’ horses, working with young horses. But I do have a competitive streak and I do like to compete. I definitely do want to make this a full-time career, and there are so many amazing horse people in this industry from all different backgrounds that if I can learn from someone else, it’s really helpful.”
Sara has been teaching Sierra both on Pea as well as resident schoolmaster Sebastian, and leading up to her first eventing experience she’s gone cross country schooling for the first time ever, attended some educational seminars put on by the US Eventing Grooms Association, scribed for and ridden with dressage judges, and spent as much time as possible in the barn learning how a top-level operation runs. For her, this opportunity is all about seizing the day.
“There’s so much to do here, I’m really happy to be here just to learn and see as much as I can,” Sierra said. She’ll spend the next couple of months in Florida before heading back north. “Ocala in general is a much different area than what I’m used to. I’m still getting my feet wet, and the biggest change has been learning about eventing in general. Sara is so helpful when she’s teaching, and even though I’m very out of my comfort zone she has been really encouraging. It’s really interesting learning how much she really breaks her training down and about each phase of eventing.”
Over the weekend, Sierra officially came over to the dark side (welcome!) and competed in her first event at Majestic Oaks, winning her Novice dressage with Sebastian and going on to finish third in the division. We think she may have caught the bug!
You can follow along with Sierra (and future Ever So Sweet recipients) on Instagram and Facebook, and you can also keep an eye on the SEE website for updates on the next round of Ever So Sweet applications if this article has given you FOMO!
I had the great joy of heading over to Pippa Funnell’s place last week to write some training pieces based on her Windrush training sessions, which serve to help young up-and-coming riders make the next step in their careers â and now that the January session has wrapped up, those riders are back at home putting Pippa’s exercises into practice. Basically, what that means for all of us mere mortals is that we can scour their social media and steal those exercises for their own use. Love that for us.
National Holiday:Â It’s National Send a Card to a Friend Day, which is a notion I find totally appealing. A bit of post that isn’t a bill is always so exciting, especially if the friend in question has had a rough time of it lately. Consider it the simplest, nicest act of kindness you can do today. Oh, and it’s also Grenada’s Independence Day today â they gained freedom from British colonisation on this day in 1974.
The first CCI4*-S of 2022 wrapped up over the weekend at the Zeep Summer EA Horse Trials at Ballarat in Victoria, Australia, with Aussie superstar Megan Jones taking the win aboard RLE Barina. Second place went to Murray Lamperd riding ex-racehorse Secret Mojo, and Sam Jeffree took third with Woodmount Lolita. Meanwhile, the CCI3*-S class went the way of local rider Yona Lloyd with Ballahowe Ayurvedic, and Mollie Kennedy took the CCI2*-S with Lavender Rise Ferghus, giving herself a hat trick of recent wins.
This is an unusual venue for Australia’s season opener four-star, which we usually see in March at Tonimbuk, but our friends in the Southern Hemisphere have been under lock and key due to tough Covid restrictions and now, as the country reopens for business, officials are making some major changes to ensure riders and horses get enough early season outings and point-earning opportunities. We’re excited to see our Aussie brethren getting back into the swing of things as their summer season continues on apace.
But let’s not forget the fine folks of New Zealand, who are also in the midst of a summer season after a seriously tough period of restriction. They hosted the only other FEI event of the weekend at the Troy Wheeler Contracting Springbush Horse Trials in Papakura, where there were CCI2*-S and CCI3*-S classes on offer. Jasmyne Speake took three-star victory on Pioneer Jeepers Creepers, while Charlotte Penny and SD Amourosi were victorious in the CCI2*-S.
Your Monday Reading List:
The FEI has ruled that it will not suspend several members of the Blenheim ground jury, plus TD Patricia Clifton, after a mix-up at the 2021 renewal of the event. The issue arose after a rider was allowed to continue on after a fall on cross-country, and has been deemed to be the result of a communication mix-up.
Amateur riders are some of the hardest working people in the sport, and after two years of this pandemic, I have a renewed respect for those who balance medical careers with riding and competing. Meet Brooke Krbec, who splits her time between a fellowship in Boston and her string of hunters â oh, and she’s recovering from a major surgery herself. Here’s how she gets things done.
The USEA’s Instructor Certification Program has been developing a training handbook, which details a consistent format of expectations through the levels. This’ll be put into practice in this week’s ICP Symposium at Barnstaple South in Ocala, but if you want a sneak peek at how some of the levels are laid out, you can take a closer look here.
The Jockey Club Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.) announced today that the T.I.P. Championships in hunters, jumpers, combined test, English pleasure, and English in-hand will return this year to Stable View in Aiken, South Carolina. The event will also include an East Coast Dressage T.I.P. Championship show.
The show will kick off with a welcome party on the evening of Thursday, October 6, and will run through Sunday, October 9.
âWe are thrilled to be returning to Stable View for T.I.P. Championships in 2022,â said Kristin Werner, senior counsel for The Jockey Club and administrator of T.I.P. âThoroughbreds continue to prove their versatility across a wide range of disciplines, and we are excited to again team up with Stable View to showcase and promote Thoroughbredsâ abilities beyond the racetrack.â
“We look forward to the return of TIP Championships to Stable View, and our intention is to make the event even better than last year,” said Barry and Cyndy Olliff, owners of the United States Equestrian Federation Elite Training Center. “With an added day of competition, and the recent completion of a sixth arena, we are prepared to welcome even more entries. As a bonus, this year, our rider lounges will be stocked with light refreshments during the day, followed by Stable View’s signature Graze & Gaze each evening.”
Qualifying information is available on the T.I.P. website at tjctip.com/About/CSI. Prize lists will be made available for the events in the spring. T.I.P. previously announced the dates of the Western T.I.P. Championships and Central Dressage Championships, which will be held in conjunction with the Retired Racehorse Projectâs 2022 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America, October 12-15, 2022, at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky.
Created and announced in October 2011, T.I.P. recognizes and rewards the versatility of the Thoroughbred through sponsorship of Thoroughbred classes and high point awards at sanctioned horse shows, performance awards, and non-competition awards. In addition to the complete schedule of T.I.P.-sponsored shows, other information about the program is available on the T.I.P. website, tjctip.com. Those interested in T.I.P. can follow the program at facebook.com/tjctip.
The Jockey Club, founded in 1894 and dedicated to the improvement of Thoroughbred breeding and racing, is the breed registry for North American Thoroughbreds. In fulfillment of its mission, The Jockey Club, directly or through subsidiaries, provides support and leadership on a wide range of important industry initiatives, and it serves the information and technology needs of owners, breeders, media, fans and farms. It founded Americaâs Best Racing (americasbestracing.net), the broad-based fan development initiative for Thoroughbred racing, and in partnership with the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, operates OwnerView (ownerview.com), the ownership resource. Additional information is available at jockeyclub.com.
Stable View is a top-notch equestrian facility located in Aiken, South Carolina. Established in 2010, Stable View has now developed and diversified its equestrian program to meet the needs of both the discerning amateur and the elite professional across a variety of equestrian disciplines. For more information, visit www.svfequestrian.com/.
Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and while I already know what my plans are (drinking a bottle of wine of the couch while watching Olympics — very romantic, I know) I have yet to determine how best to spoil my horse, who is obviously my one true love. These adorable little treat buckets made by my local pony club to benefit a local equine rescue sure look perfect though. I think I’ll grab one for my own horse and a couple for barn friends as well — what a cute idea!
Black History Bit if the Day:
Widely recognized as one of the most diverse colleges of veterinary medicine in the United States, Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine (TUCVM) is the only veterinary medical professional program located on the campus of a historically black college in the U.S. and has educated more than 70 percent of the nationâs Black veterinarians. TUCVM was founded in 1944 by Dr. Frederick Douglass Patterson, who also founded the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), which today is one of the U.S.’s largest minority education organizations.
Countless lesson students have come up to me after their rides, exclaiming how lucky I am to work with horses day in and day out, and how they would one day like to be in the same position.
Of course, working with horses professionally is quite literally a dream come true for me, as it is for many other professionals. However, as many other equine professionals and enthusiasts know, it comes with multiple challenges that require thoughtful and intentional work – just like any job. Navigating business, customer, and skill-based challenges can make it seem overwhelming to jump in. Where do you even start? What skills do you need? What resources or support exist, and how can you utilize those? What business model is right for you?
The Rising Equestrian Pro is a new platform started by New York based professional Emily Urban that helps direct young riders, such as the enthusiastic and passionate ones I teach, to find next steps towards a career with horses by strategically planning to find their role in the industry. Emily, who runs a successful teaching/training operation while pursuing a PhD in Soil and Crop Sciences at Cornell University, noted, âThis is the type of resource I wanted when I was figuring out my own career path years ago. By the time I was in my early 20âs, I had worked for some top riders in the US and Europe but still didnât have a clear sense of how to âmake the leapâ into the profession. You can be a great rider and horse trainer, but there is a lot more that goes into making an equestrian career successful.â
Identifying why you want to pursue an equine career and focusing your business model to support that passion is one component of developing a strong business. Photo by Robby B Photography.
While existing organizational support for young professionals is super, The Rising Equestrian Pro began to offer similar support to riders just beginning to explore a potential professional equestrian career. âWe recognized that many of our young riders who have hopes of going pro someday need more avenues to gain specific knowledge on the business side of things. We offer a 6-week virtual course that brings together experts in law, finances, marketing, etc. and current equine professionals to do just that. We want to give them specific business insight and a community of peer support before they launch into the industry professionally,â Emily explains.
The platform is structured in a way to support interested and potentially future professionals, by offering an expert-taught, module based course that offers technical and social support. Focused towards high school or college aged candidates, riders can sign up for the course and expect weekly live lectures with expert guests, biweekly âMeet the Prosâ Mastermind sessions, and weekly assignments and feedback to help them plan their businesses. Students will work through this course with a cohort of other potential equine professionals, allowing the students to connect and begin building a nation-wide network of collaboration and support.
Modules focus on addressing and building skills useful for an equestrian business and career. Some module offerings will include those to evaluate why the students are interested in the industry (identifying passions and creating a written framework and business model to connect those passions), business logistics (such as accounting, insurance, and employee management), and personal well-being (diving into retirement savings, and mental and physical healthcare).
Founder Emily Urban plans to bring in expert advice on how to plan and manage an equine business for a successful professional career. Photo by Stelladorables LLC.
This course is meant to provide a broad sweep of what it looks like to be a professional, introduce existing resources, and explore potential career paths (not all business models look the same!). With the opportunity to center your âwhyâ in your plan, develop tangible skills necessary for an equine business, and connect with experts in the field and peers in a cohort setting, The Rising Equestrian Pro aims to set up up-and-coming equestrian professionals for success.
Course registration is now open for the Spring 2022 session scheduled for March 28- May 6. For more information on how to get involved and sign up for a course, visit The Rising Equestrian Proâs website. Additionally, take a look at their Facebook and Instagram pages (@risingequestrianpro) for more information and to stay up to date!
Cool news! There’s going to be some extra equestrian excitement to watch at the Kentucky Three-Day Event this year in the form of Para Dressage and Para Show Jumping demonstrations. You may not have know that Para Show Jumping was even a thing — it has yet to be recognized discipline in North America but with some increased recognition and visibility gained through demonstrations like this — maybe we could see it at the Paralympics in the future. Let’s hope!
Black History Bit of the Day:
During the 1860s, the African American population of Lexington, Kentucky increased by 133 percent as many newly freed African Americans began to occupy the East End, which was also home to also home to the Kentucky Association racetrack. The racetrack offered steady employment to men, leaving women at home to manage the family’s finance and properties. Though it was technically illegal, a couple Black women opened bank accounts and purchased homes. The names of four Black women — Margaret Allen, Lucy Brown, Bettie Colston, and Clara Perry — appear in the City of Lexington’s deed books during this time period.
Behind every bad-ass eventer is a couldn’t-write-this-thang story of resilience, determination, and a little bit of kismet â and Lauren Billys has plenty of the above in her corner. The West Coast-based eventer, who rides for Puerto Rico, recently welcomed a camera crew to her farm to share her fascinating backstory and an insight into her life as a top-level athlete, and it makes for some pretty inspiring viewing. Oh, and if you’re trying to balance college and horses? Consider it a must-watch!
