Classic Eventing Nation

US Equestrian Launches New USEF Safe Sport PSA & MAAP Policies Campaign

By on Jan 26, 2022 3:00 pm -

We are glad that US Equestrian continues to step up its efforts to protect its minor athletes from abuse. The governing body issued the following update today:

“US Equestrian has launched an expansion of the USEF Safe Sport and Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention Policy (MAAPP) campaign with important video messages from US Equestrian President Tom O’Mara and USEF General Counsel, Sonja Keating. The new videos reinforce US Equestrian’s ongoing commitment to creating and maintaining a welcoming, safe, enjoyable, and supportive environment for all, especially children and their families. One of the videos is specifically dedicated to creating awareness of the newly amended MAAPP which took effect January 1, 2022. The video conveys the policies developed to limit one-on-one interactions between adults and minors, now apply both on and off competition grounds. These policies are required by federal law and have been implemented as additional measures to further our efforts to protect minors from abuse.

“The videos will be shared on US Equestrian social media platforms, appear within the USEF Safe Sport hub, run on USEF Network, and be provided to competition organizers via the Competition Resource Center on usef.org, offering access to share the videos with exhibitors and participants via their communication platforms.

“The campaign is a reminder that the equestrian community as a whole is part of the solution, and it is a shared responsibility of our community. With continued commitment, we will collectively make our sport the safest place possible for all to enjoy.”

You can view these and other videos here.  Some helpful educational links, at a glance:

To learn more about the updated Minor Athlete Abuse Prevention policies and how you can be a part of achieving safety for all participants, click here. 

Volunteer Nation: Two Events That Could Use a Helping Hand This Weekend

By on Jan 26, 2022 9:00 am -

It’s wonderful to see credit paid where credit is due in eventing — and a lot of credit is owed to our hardworking volunteers! A pre-season gallering has been announced to thank British Eventing volunteers on Feb. 19, 2022 at 7 p.m. (Leigh & Bransford Memorial Hall, Worcestershire WR13 5DE). Champagne and canapes upon arrival, followed by music, raffle, prize draw and a special surprise!

You can sponsor a volunteer’s admission — click here for tickets.

As always, you can earn merit points when you donate your time through the USEA’s Volunteer Incentive Program. Registering to volunteer through EventingVolunteers.com makes it easy and seamless to both find a job and shift as well as learn what your role will entail.

Here are two events that could use a helping hand this weekend:

USEA Events

Rocking Horse Winter 1 H.T. (JAN 2022) –  January 28th, 2022 to January 30th, 2022

  • General signup

Full Gallop January HT – January 30th, 2022

  • XJ Start Timer
  • XC Jump Judge
  • XC Warm-up
  • Dressage Steward
  • SJ Jump Crew
  • SJ Steward

 Go Eventing Volunteers!

Wednesday News & Notes from Haygain

By on Jan 26, 2022 12:01 am -

Panama has itself a newly-minted eventer! Congratulations to Romulo Roux and Colenomer on finishing third in a big Novice Rider division at Grand Oaks this past weekend! We love welcoming new faces to the dark side, so come on over, Romulo!

U.S. Weekend Preview:

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

Full Gallop Farm January H.T. (Aiken, Sc.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Wednesday News & Reading:

Cynthia Smith recorded over 500 hours volunteering in 2021 — how incredible is that? This is the highest number of hours recorded since the inception of the USEA’s Volunteer Incentive Program in 2016. Way to go, Cynthia! You can read more about her in this profile.

Pro tip: speed does not equal power, nor does it carry the same value. Liz Halliday-Sharp gave an informal clinic in southern California earlier this year, and this concept remained a major emphasis of her teaching. Learn more in this wrap-up from Practical Horseman.

If you’ve ever free-fed hay and watched your horse absolutely gorge himself into oblivion, you’ve likely worried about your choice. How do you free-feed the best way? These tips from The Horse might help.

Make sure you’re following the Strides for Equality Equestrians Ever So Sweet scholarship social media accounts! The most recent scholarship recipient, Sierra Lesny, has officially begun her training with Sara Kozumplik in Ocala, and she’s keeping us up to speed on her adventures on Facebook and Instagram.

Watch This on H&C+:

Video Break:

Tuesday Video: Tamie Smith + Ian Stark = #XCgoals

By on Jan 25, 2022 5:00 pm -

 

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Tamie Smith is the human embodiment of an Ian Stark cross country course — you better have ice in your veins if you’re going up against her. She’s brave, in the same way you have to be to throw your heart first over one of Ian’s signature rider-scarer fences, and yet a consummately empathetic horsewoman — the same way Ian’s fences read like poetry to horses but sometimes as a huge, daunting novel to riders.

And, not unlike the massive impact Ian has made on our sport as both a rider and a course designer, Tamie has invested and continues to invest in the big picture. Yesterday’s USEA profile, “The USEA Lady Rider of 2021 is Leading the Charge in Elevating Eventing Competition on the West Coast,” aptly captures Tamie’s commitment to not just her career, but to the eventing community.

We love seeing these two legends in a collaborative space together, as they were at a Galway Downs fundraiser clinic this month (see video above). The idea of Tamie improving even further as a rider, or Ian as a designer, is … what’s the word … scary?

Go Ian. Go Tamie. Go Eventing.

Eventers Among New Retired Racehorse Project Board Members and Officers

By on Jan 25, 2022 11:00 am -

The Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) is pleased to announce the election of a new board chair, Sue Smith, and vice chair, Richard Lamb, along with the addition of three new board members: Malinda Lawrence, JudithAnn Hartman, and Clare and Tom Mansmann (sharing one seat). Newly-elected members may serve two consecutive three-year terms.

Former vice chair, Sue Smith, has stepped into the leadership role to take the place of outgoing chair, Dr. Carolyn Karlson. Sue, also the executive director of CANTER Pennsylvania, has served on the RRP board since 2015 and brings substantial institutional knowledge to the table in combination with her extensive experience in aftercare and equestrian sport.

Richard Lamb has taken over the role of vice chair, having joined the board in January of 2020 after several years officiating at the Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium. A popular coach and clinician, Richard holds certifications with the British Horse Society and the United Stated Eventing Association’s Instructor Certification and Young Event Horse Trainer programs and has also served as coach for the US Pony Club Team at USEF National Pony Jumper Championships and members of the 2012 US Olympic Modern Pentathlon.

“It is an honor to be nominated to the position of board chair, as the RRP’s mission is crucial to the continued success of Thoroughbred aftercare. I am proud that we have developed a versatile, engaged board bridging both the racing and sport industries,” said Sue. “Like all of our board members, I bring a unique perspective with fourteen years’ experience in aftercare. I’ve worked alongside trainers on the backside of tracks who have felt the direct impact of the RRP both in increasing demand for ex-racehorses and adding value to horses directly off the track. This shift is palpable and gives me great hope for the future of the industry and the breed. I look forward to another exciting year with the organization and hope to carry on in the spirit of my predecessors.”

A founding RRP board member that served through 2015, Malinda Lawrence continued to actively volunteer for the organization and has returned to the board to serve again; she has  also been voted into the role of secretary. An attorney for the federal government, Malinda can be credited with establishing the RRP’s nonprofit status and laying a strong administrative foundation for the organization in its earliest years. A Pony Club graduate and eventing enthusiast, Malinda has owned two OTTBs over the last two decades, both of whom participated in some of the RRP’s first clinics and demonstrations over 10 years ago. She also serves on the United States Eventing Association’s Legal Committee.

JudithAnn Hartman is a long-standing supporter of the RRP who sponsors the Top Maryland-Bred special award at the Thoroughbred Makeover under the name of her racing and breeding operation, Copper Beech Stables. Judy is also a breeder of Welsh Mountain Ponies and actively competes them in combined driving. Judy earned her doctorate in chemistry from Harvard University and, prior to going full-time in her racing and breeding endeavors, worked in research and development as well as serving as a professor of chemistry at the United States Naval Academy.

Clare and Tom Mansmann, who operate Pacific Farms in Hume, Virginia, have competed in the Thoroughbred Makeover since 2016, regularly attending with multiple horses and engaging their clients and students in the process. They have been advocates for and promotors of the RRP, organizing demonstrations, cultivating community amongst trainers, and crediting their involvement with the organization for reigniting their passion for training horses. They are a dynamic pair, with riding backgrounds spanning from exercise riding and upper level eventing to foxhunting and cutting.

“We’re excited to welcome Malinda, Judy, and the Mansmanns to our board,” said RRP interim executive director Kirsten Green. “Although they are new to their board positions, they are not strangers to the RRP and we’re grateful for the diverse experience and perspective they bring to the table.”

The board also voted to extend member emeritus status to outgoing board chair, Dr. Carolyn Karlson. A board member since 2012, Carolyn moved into the role of board chair following Steuart Pittman’s step-down in 2018. Carolyn was a catalyst for the bringing the Thoroughbred Makeover into existence, conceiving of the format for the first Makeover in 2013 and being the RRP’s biggest benefactor since. With over 25 years of experience in higher education, Carolyn now spends her time offering college admissions counseling through Starting Gate College Consulting as well as breeding and racing under her own Sisu Racing Stables.

“I’m so honored to have more than ten years of memories with the RRP, from our first Makeover at Pimlico Race Course with 26 retired racehorses, to the Mega-Makeover of 2021 at the Kentucky Horse Park”, said Carolyn. “Never could I have imagined the thousands of horses and trainers the RRP would go on to help and serve since its inception. It’s my greatest honor to have played a part in that progression and I can’t wait to see what the next ten years hold for the RRP.”

Sport Horse Nation Spotlight: Dappled Greys for Days

By on Jan 25, 2022 9:00 am -

In the market for a new four-legged partner? You may find your unicorn on our sister site, Sport Horse Nation. To help with the search, we’re going to feature a selection of current listings here on EN. We include the ad copy provided; click the links for videos, pricing and contact information.

You know what dapple grey looks like. But do you know what causes this coat pattern, which is a unique sort of thumbprint to every dappled horse? And why are some horses are grey, anyway?

Despite the fact that I’ve owned at least two grey horses endowed with dapple patterning (side query: is “dapple grey” or “dappled grey” the correct nomenclature? I mean, heck, is it even “grey” or “gray”?!?) these deep questions have never before so much as crossed my mind, until today. So I did what any semi-fossilized old equestrian journalist living in the year of our Lord 2022 would do: 1) dig through veterinary journals, (2) experience feelings of exhaustion and overwhelm, and (3) consult Google.

According to a wide variety of reputable Internet sources, being born grey is largely a matter of genetics. The grey allele gene is dominant: “Grey mare + grey stallion = grey foal;” but also “non-grey mare + grey stallion (or vice versa) = foal with 50% chance of being grey if it carries the less dominant form of the grey gene;” and then “non-grey mare (yet is a carrier of the gene) + non-grey stallion (or vice versa) = the foal … could be grey?

And then there are the dapples, a result of mixed pigmentation in the hair. Yet-to-be-solved mysteries: why? What evolutionary purpose, if any, does dappling serve? It is, certainly, an ephemeral phenomenon: dapple gray horses will whiten at different rates, but most are nearly completely white by the age of 9.

Not unlike my hair by the time I get finished writing the intro to this otherwise straightforward article.

Here are four dapple grey (or is it dappled grey? please, if you have an opinion, enlighten me in the comments) horses currently featured on Sport Horse Nation that could be your next future sparkling white superstar.

Photo via Sport Horse Nation.

5 year old ISH gelding

Buzz is a 16.1 hand, 2017 imported Irish Sport Horse by Nazar. He is a nippy and athletic sort with tons of gallop and jump for the upper levels. He is well schooled and ready to begin his eventing career in the spring.

Located in Lovettsville, VA.

Photo via Sport Horse Nation.

Sybil AB- beautiful talent and temperament in this imported ISH

Sybil AB- 2017 16.3 hand gray imported ISH mare by Nazar out of a Kings Master mare. This horse is the total package of brains and talent and it doesn’t hurt she’s beautiful too. She’s ready to continue her education with a jr or AA in a program. She will go far. She’s done two A rated hunter shows with an ammie and is entered at Majestic Oaks. No soundness or health issues or any special care requirements.

Located in Citra, FL.

Photo via Sport Horse Nation.

Soft, Sweet, Safe

Excel Star No Diggity is a 16.2h grey Irish gelding by Dignified Van’t Zorgvliet out of Killinick Bounce (Grange Bouncer).

He has shown successfully through 1.25m and has schooled cross country. Born in 2016, he is super comfortable on the flat with a soft jump. Easy, sweet and safe he is perfect for a junior or amateur but with the talent for a professional.

He and others are available on ExcelStarSportHorses.com

Located in Nottingham, PA.

Photo via Sport Horse Nation.

Super prospect with loads of talent and potential!

Clifton GS is a lovely 16.1h, 7 rising 8 year old gelding with talent to spare. He has three lovely gaits, a very balanced canter and a beautiful classic technique over fences. Clifton is very athletic, scopey and has a great mind, and would be fantastic for someone looking for a really nice quality prospect to bring along the levels. He has all the ability, and breeding backed behind him, to go all the way to the upper levels of this sport. Clifton has attended two jumper shows (Angelstone Tournaments and Ten Sixty Stables), has been to one event at Bronte Creek Horse Trials where he competed at Open Entry and won. He has also been off property schooling multiples times. Suited for a pro or amateur.
Clifton is currently in training with Olympian Jessica Phoenix.

Located in Cannington, ON.

Listings included in this article are randomly selected and not confirmed to be current and active before inclusion. Sport Horse Nation features user-generated content and therefore cannot verify or make any warranty as to the validity or reliability of information.

Tuesday News & Notes from Legends Horse Feed

By on Jan 25, 2022 1:03 am -

 

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Love this super cool concept from the one-and-only Amy Dragoo. Her Instagram (@dragoophoto) is always an inspiration, and be sure to check out your horse show proofs at her website here.

Onward to your Tuesday News & Notes, which have a theme today — they’re all profiles I’ve enjoyed reading/watching this week:

What more can be written about Boyd Martin? As a journalist, getting assigned to profile one of the biggest riders in the land is exciting on one hand, but daunting on the other. Superfans of the sport have already read one million profiles of Boyd Martin, not to mention heard one million interviews and watched one million videos of his rides. I really admire Chronicle of the Horse writer Laura Lemon’s work, and she manages to bring something fresh, special and thoughtful to the table in this recent Boyd feature. [On Cue And Boyd Martin: Meet The Chronicle’s Overall Horse And Eventing Person Of The Year]

What more can be written about Tamie Smith? On a related note, the USEA just published an inspiring profile of another of America’s winning-est eventers, Tamie. Author Summer Grace delves deeper than Tamie’s in-the-saddle prowess, highlighting not only her impact as a  fierce competitor but as someone who is truly invested the sport’s future. “I plan to be involved in this industry probably for much longer than I am even riding,” she says, “so it is important to me to try and make it better for those coming up after me.” [The USEA Lady Rider of 2021 is Leading the Charge in Elevating Eventing Competition on the West Coast]

Not all the best profiles are of five-star riders. Another thought-compelling Chronicle profile, by Allie Conrad: the story of Rachel Galambos and HS Wolf, her homebred Hungarian Warmblood-Thoroughbred cross (HS Warado—Colonel’s Daughter). Doing right by a horse means meet them where they’re at and being flexible with your ambitions. [Back From The Brink: Galambos Never Stopped Advocating For Her Homebred]

And … one more, from Clare Kelley of the USEA. In 2021 Cynthia Smith recorded 536 hours and 59 minutes of volunteer time, setting the standard with the most amount of volunteer hours recorded in a single year since the creation of the USEA Volunteer Incentive Program in 2016. The record-breaking number of volunteer time earned Smith the 2021 USEA Volunteer of the Year title. [2021 USEA Volunteer of the Year: Cynthia Smith and Her Record-Breaking Year]

Video: Little late to the party on this one, because I’m not exactly up on my non-horsey sports. I had to Google “Devin White” (FYI, he’s a Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker). He’s also a passionate equestrian.

Monday Video: Start Your Week With Some Mustang Magic

By on Jan 24, 2022 4:00 pm -

The last time Elisa Wallace was in Forth Worth, Texas, she was showcasing the bond and training she had developed with her mare Hwin in the 2015 Mustang Magic competition. Flash forward seven years and Elisa is back in Forth Worth for the 2022 Mustang Magic Celebrity Freestyle competition — this time with five Mustangs in tow, four of whom were showcased in her high-energy freestyle routine in front of a packed arena. In order of appearance:

  • Wyeth: One of Elisa’s newer Mustang acquisitions, who was picked up for the 2019 Mustang TIP Challenge and has since gone on to compete Beginner Novice and Novice.
  • Hwin: In the past seven years has gotten several shades of gray lighter, went on to compete in Prelim level eventing, and has been immortalized as a Breyer model. Elisa’s working student Mehgan rides her in this freestyle.
  • Rune: Acquired for the 2013 Mustang Million competition, Rune is one of Elisa’s go-to parters for her popular Mustang demonstrations at horse shows.
  • Fledge: Elisa’s OG Mustang that started it all, who won the Mustang Makeover in 2012.

Elisa and her herd took second place in the competition — and this all came after two of her horses decided to run rampant through the city when first arriving!

 

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Enjoy their performance!

5 Barn Hacks from Brianna Noble to Make Your Life Easier

By on Jan 24, 2022 12:00 pm -

We all love a good barn hack, and we’re always on the lookout for new ideas to make life with horses more efficient and, by association, more fun. Northern California-based Brianna Noble maintains an active social media presence and has recently begun sharing some barn hacks that she has in her toolbox. We collected a few for you below, but for much more you should definitely give Brianna a follow at @urbancowgirl510.

Barn Hack 1: Backing the Trailer

 

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Barn Hack 2: Preventing Water Spills

 

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Barn Hack 3: Opening a Hay Bale

 

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Barn Hack 4: Filling a Hay Net

 

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Barn Hack 5: A Better Way to Spray

 

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Weekend Winners: Stable View Aiken Opener, Grand Oaks

By on Jan 24, 2022 9:00 am -

It’s so nice to be back to score-stalking writing Weekend Winners each week. I took this column over a couple of years ago and have always enjoyed my Monday mornings checking on results. I get a lot of enjoyment from following my friends, people I’ve met through the years, and horses that have caught my eye, and I hope you do too!

This weekend featured events in each main winter “hub”: Stable View’s Aiken Opener and Grand Oaks in Ocala. Stable View heroically dealt with the challenges handed down by Mother Nature, furiously prepping the grounds for impending winter weather, even going to lengths to save the water jumps from freezing over and handing out hand warmers at the gates. Hats off to the crew at Stable View!

 

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Our Unofficial Low Score Award this week was earned by Matt Brown, who teamed up with Alexa Gartenberg’s Frame Shamrock (originally produced by U.S-based young horse producer Martin Douzant) to earn a 20.3 and win the Open Preliminary A at Stable View. Nicely done!

Stable View Aiken: Final Scores

Open Preliminary A: Matt Brown and Frame Shamrock (20.3)
Open Preliminary B: Alexander Conrad and Malibu Preacher (28.7)
Preliminary Horse: Matthew Ulmer and Kings Carter (33.2)
Preliminary Rider: Sophie Miller and Quarlotta C (25.8)
Modified A: Allison Springer and No May Moon (27.3)
Modified B: Mike Pendleton andd Napoleon Z (33.5)
Open Training A: Waylon Roberts and Mighty Finn (24.3)
Open Training B: Marty Riney and George Alexander (27.5)
Training Horse: Emily Watson and Upland Seven Z (23.6)
Training Rider A: Olivia Moore and Kubota (26.1)
Training Rider B: Solomon Edwards and Graffique (36.4)
Training Rider C: Isabel Brunker andd Allia (34.4)
Novice Horse: Boyd Martin and Spartin Martin Z (21.9)
Novice Rider A: Mary Carol Harsch and Foster’s Bold Favorite (29.7)
Novice Rider B: Lisa Hida and Cooleys Rule of Law (27.2)
Open Novice A: Amy Cobb and Lock and Load (28.7)
Open Novice B: Mike Pendleton and Clemons T (24.7)
Beginner Novice Horse: Emily Beshear and Waffle (24.1)
Beginner Novice Rider A: Heather Currier and Newmarket Equador (29.1)
Beginner Novice Rider B: Anna Burgess and String Theory (26.8)
Open Beginner Novice: Darrell Vaughn and R. Chumley (25.9)

 

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Grand Oaks Ocala: Final Scores

Open Preliminary: Lisa Barry and Rosie’s Aventadora (33.2)
Preliminary Rider: Morgan McAllister and Made To Order (35.0)
Modified A: Lynn Symansky and Bounce 6 (22.0)
Modified B: Hillary Irwin and Cavalier Monte Carlo (32.0)
Open Training A: Hugh Wrigley and FE Money Made (26.4)
Open Training B: Liz Halliday-Sharp and Maybach (29.7)
Training Rider: Devin Robel and High Light (31.7)
Novice Rider A: Emma McHugh and Lincoln Park (29.7)
Novice Rider B: Darlene Dee Walters and Concord Dawn (30.8)
Open Novice A: Delaney Emerson and Redfield Soranella (24.4)
Open Novice B: Liz Halliday-Sharp and Cooley Sky Watch (27.5)
Beginner Novice Rider: Penny Welsch and Mr. Poppers (30.9)
Open Beginner Novice: Lee Maher and Evros HSH Gambler (31.0)

 

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