Classic Eventing Nation

Ireland’s Youth Eventing High Performance Team Managers Confirmed Up to 2024

By on Jan 7, 2022 1:00 pm -

Horse Sport Ireland announced today the appointment of the three team managers for Ireland’s Youth Eventing High Performance Program up to Oct. 31, 2024.

Sue Shortt was re-appointed as U21 (Young Rider) and U25 team manager. Dag Albert was re-appointed as U18 (Junior) team manager, while Jane Kinsella was appointed as Pony (U16) team manager.

Denis Duggan, who took up his position as the new CEO of Horse Sport Ireland this week, said, “I am delighted to see the calibre of team managers that have come forward for the Eventing High Performance Youth Programs and I am looking forward to working with all of them during 2022 and beyond and hopefully securing more podium places at Championship level.”

 


Dag Albert and Sue Shortt. Photo via Horse Sport Ireland.

Sue Shortt has held the position of High Performance Team Manager for Ireland’s Under 21 (Young Rider) Eventing team since 2019. A native of Kildare, Sue has represented Ireland in eventing at Under 18, Under 21 and Senior levels including the Athens and Sydney Olympic Games and the WEG in Jerez, Spain. From 2005 to 2013, Sue was High Performance Team Manager for the Irish Pony team during which time the team and individual riders achieved numerous medal successes at European Championship level. In 2021, Sue was team manager of the GAIN Equine Nutrition Irish Young Rider (U21) Eventing team that won the silver medal at the FEI European Eventing Championships in Segersjö, Sweden.

Speaking after her reappointment, Sue said, “I am delighted to renew my contract with Horse Sport Ireland for a further three years. We have a large squad of riders again this year, including five combinations that were part of the silver medal winning team in 2021. I am really looking forward to working with all the riders and hopefully we can go one better in 2022!”

Swedish-born Dag Albert was first appointed to the position of High Performance Team Manager for Ireland’s Under 18 (Junior) Eventing team in 2019. Dag is one of Sweden’s most experienced eventing riders. He has successfully represented his country at Under 16, 18 and Under 21 level and is a BE Accredited Coach. Dag has competed numerous times at Badminton and Burghley and has represented his country at European and World Championships along with the Olympic Games at Atlanta in 1996 and Beijing in 2008. Dag managed the GAIN Equine Nutrition Irish Junior (U18) team to a sixth place finish at the 2021 European Championships in Segersjö, Sweden.

Dag commented, “I am delighted to have been re-appointed as Junior Eventing team manager. We have a very talented group of riders in the Junior High Performance squad including four riders who competed at last year’s European Championships so they bring a lot of experience with them. We also have some exciting riders moving up from ponies. The squad has already started training and we are looking forward to the season ahead.”

Jane Kinsella. Photo via Horse Sport Ireland.

A native of Kildare and now living in Meath, Jane Kinsella has a PhD in Parasitology, a QQI level 6 in training, delivery and evaluation. Jane is a HSI Level 2 coach and is currently completing the Coach Developer course with Sport Ireland. Jane has represented Ireland in Eventing at European Championship level and has over 20 years High Performance coaching experience. She coaches from grass roots to 5* level and has a proven track record of delivering success at the highest level in both Eventing and Show Jumping. Jane has coached athletes on every Pony Eventing European squad since 2013, securing many top 10 and medal winning performances.

Jane was awarded ‘HSI Development Coach of the year in 2017 and is looking forward to taking up the position of Irish Pony Eventing team manager. “I am delighted to accept the role of High Performance team manager for Ireland’s Pony Eventing team,” she said. “I would like to thank Horse Sport Ireland for this opportunity and I am looking forward to working with the incredibly talented riders and their associated support networks. The Irish Pony squads have been hugely successful over the last number of years and I aim, not only to maintain and improve upon the medal successes at European Championship level, but also to develop strength and depth in the Pony squad, producing well-educated, competitive riders of the future.“

Friday News & Notes from Zoetis

By on Jan 7, 2022 12:01 am -

Welcome to the dark side, kiddos! Photo via Sara Kozumplik Murphy on Facebook.

There’s nothing better than seeing someone catch the eventing bug for the first time, and Sara Kozumplik Murphy & Co.’s latest adventure is full of first-time eventers who are participating in the first ever Panama Eventing Camp. We can’t wait to see more from what looks like a great group of kids!

Friday News & Reading

Some updates have been made to the new 2022 USEF Eventing Dressage tests, incorporating feedback from members as well as judges. The updated published tests can be found here.

The ASPCA has announced the recipients of its 2021 Good People for Good Horses Awards. Eight members of the horse community were honored for their efforts to improve welfare and rehome horses in need of new living situations. Learn more about the winners here.

We all know and love the beautiful Favian, who is partnered at the 5* level with Valerie Vizcarrondo Pride. Honestly, I’m hankering to get a close-up with Favian’s trusty sidekick, the mini Theodore. Get to know “Faves” in the latest edition of Behind the Stall Door.

I can’t stop watching the #LongLiveTheHorse ad from Zoetis Equine — sorry, not sorry, I’m sharing it again. Pro tip: grab a tissue before hitting play.

Video Break: Scenes from Panama Eventing Camp!

Well sun up to sun down today for the inaugural Panama Eventing Camp!
Shown here is Romulo’s first ever time in a…

Posted by Sara Kozumplik Murphy on Thursday, January 6, 2022

Thursday Video: The Jon and Rick Show Featuring Guests Peter Gray & Ariel Grald

By on Jan 6, 2022 5:30 pm -

For their first episode of 2022, The Jon and Rick Show sat down in the Horse Trailer Pros studio with a couple special guests: Peter Gray and Ariel Grald.

Peter has a big new commitment on his 2022 calendar — he was recently called up for the ground jury for the 2022 World Championships for Eventing in Pratoni, Italy in September. Ariel had a bang-up 2021, finishing third at Luhmühlen with Leamore Master Plan, so it’s exciting to catch up with her as well.

Be sure to subscribe to The Jon and Rick show on YouTube to be the first to know about future episodes.

 

Volunteer Nation: Carolina Horse Park Cleanup Day!

By on Jan 6, 2022 3:00 pm -

The Carolina Horse Park needs help getting winter-ready … can you help? This Saturday, Jan. 8 is Cleanup Day at the Park — shifts are available from 9 a.m. to noon, 1 p.m. to 3, and full-day. You can sign up here.

The Park appreciates its volunteers and shows its love with plenty of perks. On the day of, hospitality will include drinks throughout the day, a light breakfast and lunch. You can also earn “Park Points” for discounts on any CHP organized event or program — a 30-point voucher (full day volunteering) = $30 discount, and a 15 points voucher (1/2 day volunteering) = $15 discount. You can also redeem points via the Volunteer Merchandise Catalog.

Another way volunteers are honored is through CHP’s Volunteer Excellence Awards. Based on hours worked, the top 10 volunteers, top Jr. volunteer, top newcomer volunteer and top dressage/XC/SJ volunteers will be honored at the November War Horse Competitor Luncheon. These Volunteer Award winners will be formally recognized and receive their awards at the Southern Pines Equine Associates Volunteer Appreciation & Awards Party (date TBD), reflecting the degree of dedication and volunteerism of CHP’s entire volunteer corps.

Let’s hear it for CHP’s 2021 Volunteer Award Winners!

2021 Top 10 Volunteers
1 Joan Hilsman     182.04 Awards, Event Prep
2 Tiffany Teeter   128.57 XC Jump Judge, SJ In Gate
3 Denise Jones     110.55 SJ Warm Up
4 Janeen Roehr    103.59 XC Jump Judge
5 Laurie Rose       103.43 XC Jump Judge
6 Nancy Rose       95.20 XC Jump Judge
7 Bill Watson        91.25 XC Starter
8 Betsy Rainoff     82.09 XC Jump Judge
9 Sarah Russell     81.37 XC Jump Judge
10 Lei Ryan           81.18 Event Prep

2021 Top Junior Volunteers
1 Angelo Lobsinger     107.30 Dressage Steward
2 Danielle Douglas       57.40  Dressage Score Runner
3 Reagan Roy                43.13  XC Jump Judge
4 Kennedy Darling         19.45 XC Jump Judge, Event Prep
5 Nielly Quinones          18.38 XC Jump Judge
6 Maddy Stancil             18.05 XC Jump Judge
7 Isabell Douglas           14.30 Hospitality
8 Parker Foley                14.00 XC Jump Judge

2021 USEA Bronze Medal Recipient
Joan Harper (over 500 volunteer hours at USEA recognized events)

2021 Volunteer Hall of Fame (New this year) 2021 Inductees
-Joan Harper
-Vicki Reynolds
-Ellen Chaney
-Betsy Rainoff
-Bill Watson

2021 Newcomer Award: Emily Logan
2021 Top Dressage Volunteer: Danielle Douglas
2021 Top Show Jumping Volunteer: Denise Jones
2021 Top Cross Country: Janeen Roehr

For more information on volunteering at CHP, visit the Volunteer portal on the website here. You can also contact CHP’s Volunteer Coordinator Maggie Cline at [email protected] or 724-816-6131.

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.

Haygain’s Five Tips for a New Year of Horse Health

By on Jan 6, 2022 1:00 pm -

Liz Halliday-Sharp, shown here with Cooley Quicksilver, is a Haygain devotee. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

The New Year is a great time to make resolutions about our horse’s health. Toward that end, here’s five management tips based on how our horses’ bodies are affected by aspects of their management routine and environment.

Feed Slowly: Because Mother Nature designed horses as grazing animals, their digestive systems are built to process small quantities of forage over several hours of the day. They secrete acids to ferment fibrous plant material whether there is fibrous plant material in the digestive tract or not. Because it’s convenient to feed twice or thrice daily, most horses spend only about two-and-a-half hours of their day eating. It should be at least eight to 10 hours.

Encouraging our horses to eat as nature intended is a great way to prevent those acids from causing ulcers that affect a huge percentage of the equine population. More time eating also lessens boredom and related behaviors like stall weaving and cribbing.

 The Forager Slow Feeder enables horses to eat slowly and without frustration.

Be Nosy: A meticulously raked barn aisle and a neatly organized tack room are nice indicators of a well-kept barn, but neither have any impact on our horse’s health. Better to spend time on our hands and knees in the barn, putting our nose where our horse’s nose is and inhaling deeply. Is something tickling my throat? Do I feel a sneeze coming on? Weird as we might feel doing this, it’s a great way to monitor for respiratory risks that are virtually everywhere in the barn.

As we said above, it’s ideal that horses spend much of their day eating forage.  The catch is that even freshly harvested hay of top nutrient quality can be loaded with respirable particles. The particles we can’t see are the most harmful to our horses. At under 5 microns in size, they can slip past his respiratory defenses to infiltrate and inflame the lining of the airways and lungs.

Reducing the respirable irritants in hay is a savvy, simple step toward maintaining respiratory health. Haygain Hay Steaming reduces up to 99% of the respirable irritants commonly found in hay.

Clean Underneath: By the time we can smell ammonia odors, there is already an unhealthy accumulation of this caustic gas in the stable. Even in well-maintained barn, ammonia accumulates when urine and other fluids seep through cracks in the flooring material and pool at the sub floor. Along with ammonia that irritates sensitive tissue in the eyes, respiratory tract and elsewhere, these pools of fluid are bacteria breeding grounds.

ComfortStall Sealed Orthopedic Flooring prevents such accumulation because its one-piece durable TopCover™ is sealed to the stall wall.

Encourage Rest & Sleep: The importance of physical and mental recovery is well documented in human sports medicine and deep sleep and rest are critical to that. While research on sleep and rest’s effect on equine performance and well-being is light, common sense suggests it’s equally beneficial.

Yes, horses can rest and sleep while standing, but they can only achieve deep REM sleep while lying down with their nose resting on the floor. The average adult horse needs at least an hour of REM sleep every day.

ComfortStall’s layer of orthopedic foam provides cushion and comfort that encourages lying down to get that deep rest. Horse owners regularly report their horses spending more time napping and lying down on the unique flooring.

For the many hours horses stand in their stall, ComfortStall has a unique combination of traction, give and cushion to support joints, provide energy rebound and prompt blood flow that has a natural healing effect.

Hydrate: As with people, adequate hydration is critical to every aspect of physiological function in the horse, especially digestion and thermoregulation. According to the American Association of Equine Practitioners, an idle 1,100-pound horse in a cool environment will drink six to 10 gallons of water every day. There are many variables, including external temperature, exertion level and how much water is in their food source.

Horses on good quality pasture grass, for example, can drink less water because of the moisture in the grass. Conversely, a diet of dry hay provides little moisture and requires more moisture to help with digestion. Haygain Steamed Hay has up to 3X the moisture content of dry forage, and its proven palatability helps ensure our horses get enough of this critical nutrient.

Here’s to a happy, healthy 2022 for all our horses!

EN Sponsor Zoetis Honors & Renews Commitment to Sustainability

By on Jan 6, 2022 12:00 pm -

EN mascot Chinch and Zoe the Zoetis Pony share a moment (leading to romance?) at the 2021 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

EN takes a lot of pride in our sponsorship partners. We only partner with products we believe in, and companies whose missions and ethics align with our own.

That’s why we are honored to enjoy a synergistic relationship with Zoetis, the world’s leading animal health company, who are on the side of horses and their caregivers every day. Zoetis’ products, among them …

  • Core EQ Innovator®
  • Dormosedan®
  • Excede®
  • Fluvac Innovator®
  • Ketofen® Sterile Solution
  • Quest®/Quest® Plus Gel
  • Solitude® IGR
  • Strongid® C 2X
  • Strongid® Paste
  • Torbugesic
  • West Nile-Innovator®
  • Stablelab®
  • Pro-Stride® APS

… are in our own barns and veterinary clinics. And they will be for years to come, as Zoetis continues advancing the frontline of equine wellbeing.

Zoetis’ best practices don’t stop there, though. We were excited to receive the following recent update from the company regarding its sustainability mission and game plan:

“Recently, Zoetis refreshed its ‘Driven to Care’ sustainability aspirations for mitigating the company’s climate impact and environmental effects on the planet. Focusing first on its own operations, Zoetis is striving to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. This includes accelerating the company’s commitment to Renewable Energy 100 (RE100) to use 100% renewable energy in its operations. The company’s updated commitments are underscored by investments in technology and a strong governance structure.

“‘Our vision is to be the most sustainable animal health company in the world, and we are proud to be the first stand-alone animal health company to commit to carbon neutrality by 2030,’ said Jeannette Ferran Astorga, Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Communications and Sustainability at Zoetis. ‘Launching our expanded climate strategy reflects an evolution of our journey. As we live our purpose to nurture the world and humankind by advancing care for animals, we are focused on stewarding resources responsibly and minimizing our own operations’ impact on the environment to help protect our planet.’

“Advancing the company’s accelerated goal to use 100% renewable energy in its operations by 2030, Zoetis has initiated a formal approach to procuring renewable energy through power purchase agreements, including a new 15-year virtual power purchase agreement with Vesper Energy, which will generate more than 40 megawatts of renewable energy to power approximately 33% of Zoetis’ North American operations’ projected energy needs. These efforts are focused in North America because it represents approximately 75% of the company’s global electricity consumption.

“As another step in its sustainability journey, the company’s diagnostics site in San Diego is operating on 100% renewable electricity, which means 9 of the company’s 28 manufacturing sites, along with the company’s three PHARMAQ sites in Norway, are operating on 100% renewable energy now. Additionally, Zoetis’ offices in Zaventem, Belgium, and Dublin, Ireland – the company’s largest offices outside of the United States – are now being powered by 100% renewable electricity.

“Key energy efficiency projects have included ongoing optimization of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment as well as a continuous program to improve lighting efficiency with LED bulbs. Zoetis also continues to invest in updated technology to be more energy efficient at its manufacturing sites; one recent example is retrofitting a spray dryer at the company’s Chicago Heights, Illinois, manufacturing site, resulting in a 10% reduction in energy consumption. The company also has progressed energy efficiency at its research and development locations. A program at its global research and development headquarters in Kalamazoo, Michigan, delivered 8,000 gigajoules of savings in 2021, and an ongoing project to deploy photovoltaic solar panels at its Thane site in India will deliver up to 5% of site electricity requirements.

“To further manage and achieve its carbon neutrality targets, Zoetis is focused on procurement activities to electrify more of its fleet of vehicles, improve on its energy efficiency annually, offset the final share of Scope 1 and 2 emissions, and create greater transparency into Scope 3 emissions.

“In recognition of its progress on sustainability, Zoetis was named one of Newsweek’s Most Responsible Companies for 2022 and was included in Investor’s Business Daily’s 100 Best ESG Companies. In 2021, the company announced its Driven to Care long-term sustainability strategy and goals followed by its first Sustainability Report. Zoetis will continue to share updates on its sustainability activities, including progress against its Driven to Care goals, and report annually.”

We at EN thank Zoetis for its commitment not only to the health of our horses, but to a long-term sustainability that supports our planet at large.

Register for the USEF Eventing 2023 Calendar Webinar

By on Jan 6, 2022 9:00 am -

The US Equestrian eventing calendar, and the process by which it is determined, is constantly shape-shifting. The 2022 calendar has been been inked (view the 2022 U.S. FEI Eventing Calendar Policies and Procedures here), not without controversy, and the 2023 calendering process is underway.

We appreciate all efforts toward transparency on behalf of the USEF, and invitations to understand and collaborate. A webinar to be held Jan. 19, 2022 at 4 p.m. EST will focus on the 2023 Eventing Calendar process and current competition schedule for the upcoming year. Committee Chairs Jonathan Elliott, Lynn Symansky and Jonathan Holling (brave souls, all of them!) will discuss the calendering process used for 2023 and the feedback received to date.

You can register here.

Thursday News & Notes Presented by Stable View

By on Jan 6, 2022 12:01 am -

Photo via Will Coleman Equestrian on Facebook.

There’s a new (human) foal in the Coleman string. Welcome to the world, West Douglas Coleman, and congratulations to parents Katie and Will and to new big sister, Charlie! We will be patiently awaiting the newest Coleman’s first pony ride pictures.

Stable View’s ever-popular Aiken Opener Horse Trials, happening January 22-23, have officially closed with a wait list. There is still opportunity to join the wait list should you want to try for a spot to compete. Be sure to tag your Stable View Aiken Opener posts with #goeventing so we can feature you!

News & Notes From Around the Globe:

A new vet school in New Jersey plans to open its doors in 2025. The Rowan University School of Veterinary Medicine — which will be a branch of the established Rowen University, founded in 1923 — plans to welcome its inaugural class in 2025 pending accreditation from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). It will be the first school of veterinary medicine in the state of New Jersey and just the sixth veterinary school on the East Coast. Undergraduate and non-DVM graduate veterinary-related programs will be added to the university’s offerings as well. [A first for New Jersey: Rowan University to establish School of Veterinary Medicine]

Admit it: you’ve sometimes wished people had to have a license to own horse. Well, in France that is now the reality. A licensing system for horse owners was first introduced by the French Equestrian Federation (FFE) in 2019 and, as of December 1, 2021, has become law. Horse owners will be required to  to demonstrate their knowledge of equine management. [France introduces new law to license horse owners]

You have to have a sense of humor when it comes to horses. Anthropologist and horse trainer Aubrey Graham finds that laughter is especially helpful when training Thoroughbreds. Enjoy the first installment in a new weekly training series on Horse Nation. [Thoroughbred Logic: Laughter as a Training Tool]

Many people feed them … but nobody really knows if they work. That pretty much sums up oral joint supplements. A British veterinary researcher did a deep dive into the literature on four common ingredients in oral equine joint supplements and presented her findings at the 2021 British Equine Veterinary Association Congress. Her conclusion: 🤷‍♀️. [Do Popular Equine Oral Joint Supplements Work?]

Meet Popcorn: an event pony with a big personality! From bucking fits to mid-lesson naps, Popcorn may not be destined for the upper levels but he’s giving his rider one heck of a trip bringing him through the Beginner Novice level. [Now On Course: A Pony Named Popcorn]

Watch this: An annual occurrence at Sharon White’s Last Frontier Farm, “Hell Week” is a focused time for Sharon and her students to “enjoy” working on some unique exercises to help improve their riding basics!

#WaybackWednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: Big, Bold Badminton (and Some Perms)

By on Jan 5, 2022 5:22 pm -

Sometimes, you’ve got to look back to fully grasp how monumental the things yet to come will be — and that’s certainly how I feel about the return of Badminton this year, which must be the eventing world’s most discussed topic this week. That’s because priority booking opened up this morning for 2022’s event — the first since that magical running in 2019, when we saw Piggy March take top honours — and from what we hear, camping spots are going like hotcakes and the team behind the scenes are getting ready for the biggest Badminton ever.

But then again, when has Badminton ever been small, either dimensionally or in status and feel? Today’s video takes us back nearly three decades to 1993, a year jam-packed with familiar faces and familiar fences — and all that indescribable magic that comes as part of the package with this iconic event. Tune in and get excited for May (oh, and if you haven’t bought your tickets yet, head to the priority link now or set an alarm for next Wednesday, when the box office will open for general sales!).

Fight back against colic and digestive upset.

Neigh-Lox® Advanced provides a scientifically advanced blend of ingredients that work synergistically to maintain your horse’s digestive tract in peak condition by supporting both the gastrointestinal tissues and the beneficial bacteria that populate the gut. Maintaining a healthy digestive tract reduces the risk of colonic and gastric ulcers, colic, laminitis related to hindgut acidosis, and oxidative stress that damages digestive tract tissues themselves. Horses with a well-balanced GI tract have good appetites, absorb more nutrients from their diets, maintain a strong immune system, and stay healthier.

The horse that matters to you matters to us®.

Have you grabbed your winter running horse stickers?  Check them out at KPPusa.com/winter.

It’s a New Year – What’s Your ‘Oh Crap!’ Plan? An Excerpt from ‘Fit & Focused in 52’

By on Jan 5, 2022 3:19 pm -

What can you do when you’ve done everything right but it still goes wrong? In his new book “Fit & Focused in 52,” Coach Daniel Stewart gives us a few tools to use when your totally tubular ride suddenly feels like it is totally going down the tubes.

Photo by Cindy Lawler.

You’re having an amazing ride but your super handy horse uncharacteristically refuses a fence, causing you to end up on his neck, lose a stirrup, and drop your crop! Pick yourself up (and your crop) because it’s time for Plan D.

Your Plan D is known as your “Oh crap!” Plan. This is the plan you put into action every time you get yourself into trouble and hear yourself say something like, “Oh no,” “Oh my gosh,” or “Oh crap!” You’ve only got a split second to figure out how to recover, so you’re going to need to have this plan committed to memory. Repeating a mantra like, “Shake it off,” while shaking your shoulders might be all you have time for and might be all you need to keep your train of thought on the correct track.

Try One of These on for Size…

You only have a short period of time to complete your oh crap plan so you might want to consider some of the following:

– Use a thought-stopper and thought-replacement. With thought-stopping, you teach yourself to disrupt the flow of those bad thoughts by yelling a thought-stopper word at yourself, like “Whoa!” or “Halt!” Once you’ve stopped the bad thought, you replace it with a good one. Here’s an example. The next time you recognize yourself saying,

“She’s better than me,” stop the flow of that negative thought by yelling the word “Halt!” at yourself (inside or outside voice), take a deep breath, and replace it with, “Do your best, forget the rest.”

– Whisper a calming cadence like, “Breathe, believe, bedazzle;” or “Keep calm, breathe on.”

– Briefly recall a memory when you successfully coped with a similar situation.

Blower Breathing

A few deep breaths are an important part of your Oh Crap! Plan. Use something called blower-breathing—that is, take in a deep breath and force it out while making the blowing sound of a horse. By the way, horses do this by fluttering their nostrils but you don’t have to. Just fluttering your lips will be fine.

The Numbers Don’t Lie

You’re going to breathe about 20,000 times today. Make sure you don’t skip any, especially when the pressure goes up.

Weekly Homework

This week, come up with one or two split-second techniques you can use to keep your head in the game after an unexpected problem. Memorize them and practice them as much as you can.

This excerpt from Fit & Focused in 52 by Coach Daniel Stewart is reprinted with permission from Trafalgar Square Books (www.horseandriderbooks.com).