Classic Eventing Nation

Dappir Ridge Road to The Makeover: “The Eleventh Hour”

By on Sep 30, 2021 2:00 pm -

Team Dappir Ridge is nearing the eleventh hour in our preparations for the Retired Racehorse Project “Mega Makeover”! With just over a week to go until we ship out to Kentucky, each of us are busy doing last-minute tune-ups with our horses and have taken them each to their final prep outings. Our travel plans are finalized, and now we are crossing our fingers and toes that everyone stays sound and happy between now and October 11! It has been a long road full of ups and downs preparing for this momentous event. We are all extremely excited to showcase our group of lovely Thoroughbreds to the world.

Adriana Nannini

Wicked Soprano (aka Raven, Sting Ray, Raymundo, Sweet Baby Ray, and a smattering of other equally ridiculous nicknames) has had a great lead-up to The Makeover. She is really showing her true colors as an event horse; she seems to absolutely love the job so far! I enjoy her so much that I’m planning on keeping her after the Makeover with the hopes that I can bring her up through the levels as my own personal event horse. My older upper level horse is now semi-retired and doubling as both a dressage horse and BN packer these days; she’s my horse of a lifetime, and her shoes will be impossible to fill, but spicy little Raven will just have to try! 🙂

In the past month or so since our last blog post, Raven had the chance to go cross-country schooling at Win Green, where she navigated lots of new questions with enthusiasm. I like to say that she’s the perfect combination of brave and careful; she wants to get to the other side, and is eager to please, but is also just so catlike and clever.

A couple of weekends ago, we went up to the Maryland Starter Trials at Loch Moy to tackle the Beginner Novice there as our final prep event before The Makeover. Thankfully, Raven seemed much more relaxed overall compared to her past few overnight show experiences! She is becoming a lot less reactive about the atmosphere at shows.

 In the dressage warm up at Maryland, I found that I could actually use my leg and seat without feeling like I was sitting on a ticking time bomb, which was a pleasant new development! Raven was so soft and relaxed through her back, and much more rideable than she has been in previous tests. I was just so proud of her! 

Raven has turned out to be a dynamite showjumper, which is befitting because stadium has always been my favorite phase! She put in a clear, rhythmic round that made me grin from ear to ear. 

That show was Raven’s first time tackling a cross-country course without schooling it the day before, which was a great test to see how she would react. To my delight, Raven was so game and felt like a real cross-country horse. She settled into a rideable rhythm and took everything in stride, even the ditch! 

Raven’s living situation changed about a month ago when I moved her home to my farm. After being a boarder for my entire adult life, I finally have my horses all living at home with me! This change has been extremely beneficial for Raven’s temperament because my horses live outside 24/7 at home. She is so much less tense and nervous now!  However, living outside has proven to be not so good for her sad little crumbly feet, or her superfast metabolism. 

The first thing that happened that was rather concerning was that her glued on shoe popped off. She has literally no hoof wall left on that foot due to ripping the shoe off so many times, and once the glue-on came off, I asked my wonderful, saintly farrier to resort to desperate measures. He put a Sigafoo shoe on, (which is still attached as I type this, fingers crossed!) so now Raven has two completely different shoes on her front feet. She looks kind of silly, but it’s working, so I will try not to fret about her feet not matching! 🙂 

The second thing that is concerning is that she has lost some weight due to moving around all the time, stomping flies, etc. I am pumping her full of calories and doing literally everything I can to stop this from happening, including fretting about it late at night (probably not so helpful!) but she is a growing 4 year old and has proven to be a very hard keeper when living outside. So I suppose my main concern about Raven is that she is able to maintain her weight and not lose any more between now and The Makeover! She’s been dewormed, her teeth have been floated, and she eats so much alfalfa I wouldn’t be surprised if she turned green! Please think plump thoughts for us. I should buy stock in Standlee alfalfa products…

I am so, so excited to show off my spicy little fireball at The Makeover. She has matured immensely over the past 9 months, and I am really proud of what she has become. Watch out Kentucky, the Sting Ray is coming for you!

Adriana Nannini with Wicked Soprano schooling cross-country, and coach Kiki Osbourne looking on. Photo courtesy Carla Nannini.

Adriana Nannini with Wicked Soprano, Anna White with Black Spartacus, and coach Kiki Osbourne. Photo courtesy of Ruth Cruz.

Adriana and Wicked Soprano practicing their showjumping skills. Photo courtesy of Kiki Osbourne.

Kelly Giunta, VMD

Robbie Jones went to the American Eventing Championships in Lexington, Kentucky in August. It was his 4th recognized event! I was really proud of how Robbie handled the atmosphere at such a big venue. We had three respectable phases and finished 35th in a large, competitive Novice division.  

Following the AEC’s, Robbie and I competed at The Old Tavern Horse Trials in Virginia. We had a very good dressage test, despite not so good footing and a meltdown in the warmup which involved colliding with another horse. The tension followed us to show jumping warm up, and we ended up with a rail on the first bending line. While Robbie has excellent form over fences, he often gets distracted and is not the most careful horse. He also likes to swap onto the left lead every chance he gets. He had a brave and forward run around the cross country course and finally cantered into the water without trotting or leaping in!  

Our biggest challenge has been learning self carriage and going in an uphill frame. It’s still a work in progress, but we have come a long way from where we started! Our next preparation will be a local hunter show to get ready for our second discipline, and then we are headed to Kentucky for The Makeover!

Kelly Giunta and Robbie Jones at the AEC’s. Photo courtesy of Xpress Foto.

Kelly Giunta and Robbie Jones at the AEC’s. Photo courtesy of Xpress Foto.

Robbie Jones. Photo courtesy of Kiki Osbourne.

Anna White

Black Spartacus (“Zeus”) and I have had a great summer/fall season learning all sorts of things! As mentioned in the last blog post I fractured my wrist at the beginning of June which put me out the tack for a solid six weeks. I did, reluctantly, listen to doctors orders, though it helped that my horses had been “rehomed” for the time being.

After Zeus returned home I was a bit nervous about where we stood. The weeks leading up to my accident weren’t the best rides. Simply put he had been acting like a punky toddler, but as I’m often reminded, he is a baby race horse. 

To my delight, Zeus had definitely turned a corner. I attest much of this to his boot camp sessions with Brieanna Litten of BLM Horsemanship and my teammate and longtime friend Adri Nannini. 

With this newfound attitude we forged ahead getting back into the swing of things. In August we went to Plain Dealing Farm’s jumper show where he jumped confidently around a 2’3 and 2’6 round. After a few lessons and a cross-country school, we then headed to the Oakdale Schooling Trials. Zeus had a superb outing at Beginner Novice, completing his first unrecognized event on his dressage score with a bit of time. This past weekend we competed at the Virginia Starter Trials at the Virginia Horse Center. Zeus definitely struggles with leaving his friends, and having another horse on the trailer with him that day derailed his mind. While I didn’t have as relaxed and pleasant a test as the previous show, we were able to work through the kinks to end in 8th on our dressage score.

Over the past months I’ve felt and seen glimpses of an event horse in the making. Zeus has always been brave and willing, but isn’t the straightest or easiest horse for that matter. His sportscar-like build allows him to contort his body in many different shapes and at times he can be a bit dramatic. However, galloping around Oakdale, I could not help but smile as I knew that this was the beginning of something really fun! That moment when the baby horses start looking for the fences and understanding the questions is pretty magical!

My plans with Zeus after The Makeover include a recognized run at The River Glen Horse Trials, and then some much deserved downtime. Originally, I had bought him with the intent to sell during/after The Makeover, but for now I’m enjoying working with him and am looking forward to next season.

Anna White with Black Spartacus, and her dog Thor. Photo courtesy of Kate Mumbauer.

Anna White and Black Spartacus practicing their jumping skills. Photo courtesy of Kiki Osbourne.

Black Spartacus. Photo courtesy of Anna White.

Kiki Osbourne, Our Fearless Leader

Well, Shake and Spin (“Frijole”) has no idea that the Makeover is only two weeks away, so I probably won’t tell him. Might be best to just surprise him. At this point, I wish I could say that Ole has been to several more shows and outings like the other three makeover horses in our group. But, my reality is that I have very little time to devote to my own ride. Thankfully, Ole doesn’t really know he’s only 3 and behaves better than most 6 year olds with very little ride time (most of the time!).  I am rolling with this theory for the next two weeks, and hope that we can keep our quiet momentum up through our trip to Kentucky and down the centerline of the dressage rings.  

We had the opportunity a couple of weeks ago to get some help from Leslie Lamb and Jontelle Forbus. While I’m always inclined to be pretty easy on Ole, as he is only 3, they both agreed that he was really ready to buckle down and do some real work in the ring.  We worked on encouraging Ole to accept more contact and connection through his body. While I’m pretty sure he thought it was kind of hard, he gave it a good go with no complaints and has just gotten better since that week!  He is a really comfortable horse to ride, and when things are right, he feels pretty amazing! Jontelle even said that I could go to a recognized dressage show, ride a Training level test and fit right in. Even though I have zero desire to wear white pants in order to ride at a show like that, I’ll take that as a compliment.  (Yes, I will be wearing tan pants at The Makeover, FYI!)

While it’s hard to predict what Ole’s performance will be like in Kentucky, he seems to have an amazing brain and is interested and willing to learn. As a bonus, I think he’s quite an attractive, athletic horse with above-average quality movement. The double bonus is he doesn’t wear shoes! He has the best Thoroughbred feet- how nice to not have to worry that he may come in from the field without a shoe. I’ll enjoy this as long as I can!

Ole has managed to master removing his top stall guard on an almost daily basis. The clip holding the guard is a carabiner, not a double ended snap, which is usually the key to keeping mouthy horses from setting themselves free. With a 3-5 minute wiggle of his lips, he can release the snap, leaving just the lower stall guard. He seems happy with that setup, and never tries to leave or even undo the lower one, thankfully. It’s pretty entertaining to watch him play this game. If he’s not doing this, he’s sleeping in the back of his stall, or walking/trotting the Kentucky Derby in many, many laps around his stall.  As long as it’s quiet in the barn, he’s quiet. But if there’s a lot happening in the barn, or people up in the hay loft over his head, he starts his laps. If this is the worst thing he ever does, we are way good!  

Looking forward to the week in Kentucky.  We hope some of you who read this will stop by and say hi to the Dappir Ridge crew!

Cheers from Kiki and Ole!

Kiki Osbourne with Shake and Spin. Photo courtesy of Kiki Osbourne.

Shake and Spin. Photo courtesy of Kiki Osbourne.

As always, go Thoroughbreds and go Eventing!

 

Athletux Check-In: 10 Business Tips from 10 Years of Business

By on Sep 30, 2021 1:00 pm -

Photo courtesy of Athletux.

Athletux has just celebrated 10 years of business! From equestrian marketing to public relations to growing sport as a whole, Athletux founder Frankie Thieriot-Stutes checks in with some of the best tips she’s gathered after 10 years in the business:

1. Think through your brand voice, vision, logo, colors, and branding. You will use them for years to come if you are successful.
2. Don’t be afraid to offer a smaller number of services and do them well!
3. When you are not the best company or fit for a potential client, say so! Quality, not quantity is key in clientele.
4. Always prioritize customer service above all else. Your company or brand’s reputation is key, go above and beyond to be sure your clients feel heard.

Photo by Tilly Berendt.

5. Continue to look at your brand over the years with a clear vision. Restructuring services, offerings, and various aspects can be scary, but are usually always worth it!
6. Give advice to those who ask without nickel and diming them. Be a mentor for others when you can and thank you mentors too.
7. Invest in people and relationships, you will depend on them for success time and time again.
8. You are only as strong as the team behind you.

Frankie Thieriot Stutes and Chatwin share a quiet moment after successfully presenting to the ground jury at Luhmühlen 2019. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

9. Things will inevitably go different than planned and you will make mistakes. Admit fault when you are wrong and own up to it.
10. Learn from your past and take risks. Do not worry so much about what will be years from now, but rather what is happening right now. Your path down the road will have a weird way of working itself out.

Volunteer Nation: 5 Events Where You Can Lend a Hand This Weekend

By on Sep 30, 2021 11:30 am -

Our sport is run on volunteer power, and if you’re wanting to get out and help this weekend we’ve got a full listing of currently available positions at events around the country. Don’t forget, you can accumulate points and win prizes by racking up volunteer hours — not to mention, it’s a great educational opportunity and a chance to take in the sport from another angle.

To learn more about the USEA’s Volunteer Incentive Program, click here.

Planning ahead? The Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill in Elkton, Md. is still looking for volunteers at its inaugural fall event! Click here to sign up.

Event: Spokane Sport Horse Farm Fall H.T.
Address: 10710 S Sherman Rd, Spokane, WA, 99224
Dates: Today through Sunday, October 3
Positions Available: YEH Jump Crew, YEH Score Runner, General Help, Parking Steward, Dressage Bit Check, Dressage Check-In, Dressage Scribe, Dressage Steward, Event Takedown – Dressage, XC Jump Judge, Phase A&C Checkpoint Judges, Phase A Finish Timer, Phase A Start Timer, Phase B Judge, Phase B Start Timer, Phase C Start Timer, Hospitality Steward, SJ In-Gate, SJ Jump Crew, SJ Timer, SJ Warm-up, Vet Box Check-In, Vet Box Scribe, Vet Box Timer, XC Warm-up, Hospitality Helper, Awards Committee, Office Help

Event: MDHT at Loch Moy Farm + Area II Championships
Address: 1235 Park Mills Road, Adamstown, MD, 21710
Dates: Today through Sunday, October 3
Positions Available: Event Prep – General, XC Jump Judge, Dressage Bit Check, Dressage Steward, Dressage Warm-up, Horse Ambulance Driver, XC Finish Timer, XC Starter, Awards Committee

Event: Fleur de Leap H.T.
Address: 13349 Verger Rd, Folsom, LA, 70437
Dates: Today through Sunday, October 3
Positions Available: Event Prep – Dressage, Event Prep – XC, Office Help, Hospitality Steward, SJ Jump Crew, SJ Warm-up, XC Crew, XC Crossing Guard, XC Jump Judge, XC Start Timer, XC Warm-up, Hospitality Steward

Event: Jump Start H.T.
Address: 4089 Iron Works Parkway, Lexington, KY, 40511
Dates: Friday, October 1 through Sunday, October 3
Positions Available: XC Crossing Guard, XC Score Input, XC Score Runner, Dressage Score Runner, Dressage Scribe, Dressage Steward, SJ Jump Crew, XC Starter, Scorers, SJ In-Gate, XC Jump Judge

Event: Larkin Hill Autumn H.T.
Address: 515 County Route 312, North Chatham, NY, 12132
Dates: Today through Monday, October 4
Positions Available: Event Prep – Dressage, Event Prep – SJ, Stabling Check-in & Trailer Parking, XC Jump Judge, Dressage Score Runner, Hospitality Helper, Hospitality Prep, Volunteer Information, Parking Steward, Scorers, Secretary – Awards, SJ Jump Crew,

Catching Up with Strides for Equality Equestrians Ever So Sweet Scholarship Recipient Helen Casteel

By on Sep 30, 2021 9:00 am -

Helen Casteel and Unapproachable. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

As Strides for Equality Equestrians prepares to award its second round of the Ever So Sweet scholarship, generously supported by Edy Rameike and the USEA Foundation, we sat down and caught up with our first scholarship winner, Helen Casteel of Silver Spring, Maryland.

The Ever So Sweet scholarship, which is the first of its kind, provides a fully-funded opportunity for riders from diverse backgrounds to train with upper-level professionals. The scholarship will cover expenses for full board and training costs for the horse, several lessons per week, housing for the rider, a stipend to cover living expenses, competition fees, and coaching at competitions. Participants will learn to manage, care for, and compete horses in an immersive program and will have the opportunity to work as part of the team in all aspects of running a large, competitive barn. For the upcoming winter session, the awardee will train with Sara and Brian at their Ocala, Florida facility.

SEE is currently accepting applications for the winter 2021-2022 round of the ess scholarship. the application deadline is october 15, 2021. click here to learn more and apply.

Photo courtesy of Helen Casteel.

SEE: What were your expectations coming into the Ever So Sweet Scholarship?

HC: Well, when I came into this I had applied but never imagined I would actually receive the scholarship. I didn’t know much about Sara, but everyone I asked had great things to say about her and she has an incredible reputation in the sport. So I really wasn’t sure what to expect — mostly, I worried about whether or not she’d like me or my horse, Abel. But I didn’t have to worry about that!

SEE: Can you describe your experience training with Sara?

HC: It’s been great from start to finish. I’ve never thought and still don’t think I’m a particularly brilliant rider, but doing this is kind of like going into boot camp where they pick you apart and then put you together. There was a lot of doing something different – so it’s not even a continuation, it’s almost a new beginning for my riding. It’s been a whole eye-opening experience as far as the training — what it means to be straight and forward, for example. We thought we did but we didn’t! And the details of care around the barn, little stuff that you just didn’t think of until you’re in a barn like this. All things that I’m so happy to have the opportunity to soak up and learn.

SEE: Tell us about a typical day working with Sara and her team.

HC: We would usually ride in the mornings — we did a lot of lessoning and received a lot of instruction. Dressage is a foundation of everything they do, so we’ve done a lot of flatwork. Show jumping has always in my head been my weakest phase so it’s been good because Sara is very good at it. When we do jump it’s very focused — two fences on a line, a lot of counting.

From there, every day is a little different. Sara has a great relationship with her staff and team, and as much as I offered to help out it really seemed like a well-oiled machine and I would have just gotten in the way! I was able to balance my remote work and my riding, while also making a ton of progress with my riding and my relationship with Abel.

First Virginia hack: check! Photo courtesy of Helen Casteel.

SEE: Do you have any advice for future recipients of the ESS?

HC: I would say the biggest thing is to keep an open mind on the training. The expectation is for you to get better. Be prepared to take it all in and just know that she wants you to get better. Horsemanship is so key. Really appreciate your horse when you’re there — even Sara will yell at me sometimes to pat my horse faster! And finally, enjoy the hell out of it. It will go by far too fast!

ESS Scholarship Description & History

Edy Rameika, Sara Kozumplik Murphy, and Brian Murphy will provide bi-annual sponsored internships for riders to train with Sara and Brian. Beginning in summer 2021, scholarship recipients will receive funding to immerse themselves in a high-performance training program with Brian and Sara at Overlook Farm Equestrian Center in Berryville, VA for three months. During the winter, the scholarship will provide two months of training with Sara and Brian in Florida. Sara and Brian will determine the exact dates of each scholarship period in coordination with the awardee. The scholarship will cover expenses for full board and training costs for the horse, several lessons per week, housing for the rider, a stipend to cover living expenses, competition fees, and coaching at competitions. Participants will learn to manage, care for, and compete horses in an immersive program and will have the opportunity to work as part of the team in all aspects of running a large, competitive barn.

Riders will also make professional connections that would otherwise be unattainable and play an active role in fostering a more inclusive environment within the sport. “I’ve had to overcome many challenges in my life as an upper-level event rider, but I never had the challenge of feeling like the sport wasn’t easily available to me. This scholarship allows access for those that currently don’t have a clear pathway to fight for their dreams,” Sara said when explaining why they decided to offer the opportunity. The Ever So Sweet scholarship is an important first step toward increasing diversity and inclusion in equestrian sports.

Edy shares the passion for providing opportunities for deserving riders, “Our family loves horses and the sport of eventing. My daughters, Roxanne and Nadine, began riding when they were quite young. They rode and competed through high school, and Roxanne continued into her college career. We are very fortunate. But there are students in underserved communities who have the passion and talent for the sport but perhaps not the means. Roxanne passed away in 2017 but her passion lives on through her family. Nadine, Sara, and I want to honor Roxanne and Nadine’s Native American heritage and their love of eventing through this scholarship in the hopes of helping to keep others’ dreams alive. Ever So Sweet is a song that was beloved to Roxanne and Nadine, especially during those memorable years of riding.”

Eligibility Requirements

The purpose of the scholarship is to provide education, experience, and networking opportunities for diverse young people interested in careers in competitive horse sports, particularly in the disciplines of eventing or show jumping. Please review the full description of this opportunity above and the detailed eligibility criteria within the scholarship application to determine if this opportunity is right for you or someone you know. Strides for Equality Equestrians welcomes inquiries for more information about the scholarship and/or application process.

The scholarship is offered twice annually for winter and summer sessions. Applicants who are not selected are eligible to reapply to future rounds.

Thursday News & Notes Presented by Stable View

By on Sep 30, 2021 12:03 am -

The best XC fence ever. Photo courtesy of Horse-Events.

It’s clipping season! I’ve already done my first few body clips from my usual September hairy boys, with more lining up behind them. Most people really hate clipping, but I’ve never minded it. It has the satisfaction of detail oriented work with a beautiful finished product, and also I get to log some great audiobook hours. Am I a nerd? Yes. Do I apologize for it? Absolutely not.

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Fleur de Leap H.T. (Folsom, La.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Volunteer]

Jump Start H.T. and Area VIII Championships (Lexington, Ky.): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times] [Volunteer]

Larkin Hill H.T. (North Chatham, Ny.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Volunteer]

The Maryland H.T. at Loch Moy Farm + Area II Championships (Adamstown, Md.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Volunteer]

Middle Tennessee Pony Club H.T. (Nashville, Tn.): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

Moqui Meadows H.T. (Greeley, Co.): [Website]

Spokane Sport Horse Seventh Annual Fall H.T. (Spokane, Wa.): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times] [Volunteer]

Sundance Farm H.T. (Plymouth, Wi.): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

Willow Draw Charity Show (Weatherford, Tx.): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

News From Around the Globe:

For a victim, reaching out to SafeSport can feel like an impossibly hard step. They first must recognize what has happened and understand that bringing it to the light of day helps them begin to move forward but also helps protect other potential future victims. The idea of going to SafeSport can feel like a scary cliff that they are jumping off. Carrie Kehring shares her experience alongside her daughter Maggie, who recently brought a SafeSport complaint against her former coach Rich Fellers. She hopes that her tell-all will educate and inform others about the process. [One Journey Through the SafeSport Process]

Kurt Martin and his farrier Darryl Mattern made a winning team at the USEA East Coast FEH this fall.  When Kurt took on Anna Bella as a sales horse, the barely broke, nearly feral 5-year-old Holsteiner probably seemed an unlikely prospect for the foundation of a future breeding program.v But a decade later her first foal, a gray named Record Year by Upsilon, took top honors in the filly section of the FEH East Coast 2-Year-Old Championships at Loch Moy Farm. The filly placed third overall among the 2-year-olds with a score of 83.5. [Martin & Mattern Win Big at FEH Championships]

Bringing a horse to the Advanced level from the very beginning is no mean feat. Jimmie Schramm did just that this year, six years after her last Advanced start with her retired mount Bellamy, with her mare Eclaire. The pair met in Germany when Eclaire was just four, and Jimmie fell in love immediately. The path hasn’t always been straightforward, but the mare is a beast on cross country, which has made the transitions up the levels easier. [The Stars Aligned for Jimmie & Eclaire]

Best of Blogs: Air Horse One: An American Thoroughbred In England

In December of 2020, Allison Springer purchased and began a few updates on her own Deerfield Farm in Upperville, Va. which boasts a cross-country course with questions for combinations working anything from Beginner Novice through Advanced as well as quality footing in the sizable indoor and outdoor arenas. These updates have paved the way for Springer to host a popular at-home clinic series which provides regularly scheduled opportunities for riders local to Area II. [Featured Clinician: Allison Springer]

 

Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: Congrats, Area VII Champions

By on Sep 29, 2021 6:00 pm -

Area VII Junior Beginner Novice Champions Hayden Brown and Cooley Merrywell Mint. Photo via Trinity Eventing Instagram.

Area VII held its championships at Aspen Farms International H.T. in Yelm, Washington over the weekend — big congrats to all the winners! We stalked them on YouTube and found a few videos posted of their rides from our friends at RideOnVideo.

You can view complete results from the event here.

Beginner Novice

Open Beginner Novice Championship: Chris Gianini and Athena (29.5)
Junior Beginner Novice Championship: Hayden Brown and Cooley Merrywell Mint (31.3)

Novice

Junior Novice Championship: Stella Wright and Balladeer Kilbrickens Lad (27.9)
Novice Rider Championship: Katy Hood and Padric (24.0)
Open Novice Championship: Kelsey Horn and Konnan O (21.2)

Training

Junior Training Championship: Lizzie Hoff and HSH Explosion (22.1)
Open Training Championship: Amber Birtcil and Le Top F (23.6)
Training Rider Championship: Julie Williams and Dark Horse (24.1)

Preliminary

Open Preliminary Championship: Jordan Linstedt and Lovely Lola (25.4)

Intermediate

Open Intermediate Championship: Marc Grandia and Sunsprite Seryndipity (42.5)

Fight back against colic and digestive upset.

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The horse that matters to you matters to us®. Not sure which horse supplement best meets your horse’s needs? We are here to help. Contact Kentucky Performance Products, LLC at 859-873-2974 or visit our website at KPPusa.com.

 

The Importance of Having a Coach

By on Sep 29, 2021 1:00 pm -

In this excerpt from her book Stride Control, internationally renowned hunter/jumper and eventing trainer Jen Marsden Hamilton explains why she feels every rider should have a coach at some point in the rider’s development, and the responsibilities both coach and rider bring to the ring.

Photo by Horses and People Magazine.

I think it is very important for all riders, regardless of how novice or elite their level, to have a coach. Coaches are a major ingredient in the equation that helps riders learn responsibility. In order to respond correctly, especially under pressure, the rider must have good habits to declutter the brain and narrow the focus when a problem rears up—whether in training, out hacking, or during competition. Coaches are the eyes on the ground; they can see the whole picture and help direct learning.

They can analyze the influence the rider has on the horse, and can teach and confirm positional corrections and technique, as well as be involved in decision-making. Coaches do so much more than just teach technical skills. They take you on a life-skills journey that can literally last a lifetime.

I am a believer in national coaching programs. Coaching programs really don’t teach specific sport skills. Instead, the programs help establish teaching and communication skills. Educated coaches produce educated riders. They promote correct riding technique until they become
ingrained habits. A coach who understands and can teach the skills required can develop a strong foundation in riders, from which further progress can be made.

Trained coaches identify the skills required and give exercises that teach each new skills. Good and responsible coaching and training develops a sound foundation of basics based on:
• Balance
• Rhythm
• Straightness
• Pace

Riding vs. Coaching

It is important to understand the difference between riding and coaching. The two skill areas require different talents for communication. The rider uses nonverbal and intuitive skills, whereas the coach uses verbal and analytical skills. The rider possesses a rapid, complex, nonverbal means of communication with the horse; it’s an instinctive or intuitive communication in the case of a truly talented rider. The rider has no need to intellectualize or verbalize her actions. However, a winning rider is not necessarily a winning coach. It is the exceptional individual who possesses the ability to excel at both riding and coaching.

Knowledge found through intuition or instinct can be difficult to communicate with depth or intelligence to a student. The coach’s communication with students is analytical and verbal. Coaches must understand the actions necessary for a performance and communicate them verbally to their students. Not only must the coach communicate, she must do so with clarity in order for the student to fully understand. I have a favorite story that illustrates how a lack of teaching clarity can lead to misunderstanding.

I was teaching a young boy on a beautiful pony in New Zealand. He was lazily trotting and cantering around, and I said he needed to use more leg to “brighten up” the pace. For the rest of the lesson, every time I told him to brighten up the pace he did.

But the next morning, the boy’s mother came to me and said, “He doesn’t understand.” So I repeated my words and even trotted and cantered around on my own two feet to show the difference between a lazy pace and the brightened-up pace when leg was added. During the
lesson, the pace was bright.

The third morning his mother came to me again. “He doesn’t understand,” she repeated. This time, I finally got smart and asked the boy, “What do you think I mean when I say brighten up the pace?”

With a big grin on his face he replied, “Smile more!”

That young boy was Jesse Campbell, who has now represented New Zealand in international eventing competition, including the Tokyo Olympics. I bet he has a very big smile on his face every time he puts on the saddle pad and his jacket with the “Silver Fern” (a symbol of New
Zealand’s national identity) insignia!

To be a winning rider and successful coach, a person must have the ability not only to ride, but also to be able to analyze actions and communicate these actions verbally.

Further, a successful teacher/coach must:
• Have high principles and ethics and demonstrate them.
• Care for the rider as a human being, not just as an athlete or competitor.
• Establish and maintain a legitimate level of trust.
• Be an excellent horseman.
• Have empathy for rider and horse.
• Be open-minded and willing to continually learn.
• Be observant.
• Have understanding of the discipline and progressive skill development.
• Have excellent communication skills—verbal and visual.
• Be creative.
• Establish discipline and responsibility.
• Keep training and competitive goals in perspective.
• Be a good listener of rider and horse.
• Inspire and encourage.
• Have strong belief in her teaching system
• Be humble

The role of the teacher/coach is extremely important … and it is a huge responsibility! The actions of the teacher/coach have a lifetime impact on riders, horses, and the sport.

Now, a successful student/rider must:
• Care about the horse—not just think of it as a motorbike to success!
• Be teachable—open-minded, with a desire to learn and improve.
• Be a good listener—not just a “Yep-er.”
• Have empathy for the horse and stable staff and a love of the sport.
• Have patience based on realistic goals related to personal talent, the horse being ridden, and
available finances.
• Have the required level of fitness.
• Have work ethic and determination.
• Have courage.
• Be humble while celebrating successes.

This excerpt from Stride Control by Jen Marsden Hamilton is reprinted with permission from Trafalgar Square Books (www.HorseandRiderBooks.com).

Baxter, Smith & Smith-Cook Earn FEI Victories at Twin Rivers Fall International

By on Sep 29, 2021 11:00 am -

Andrea Baxter & Indy 500. Photo by Ride On Photo.

When Andrea Baxter won the CCI4*-S at Twin Rivers this past April, she explained that there is no such thing as a “home field advantage.” Andrea’s family owns the competition venue and she bases her training business there. Yet, her long-time mount Indy 500 had no trouble sizing up the Sept 24-26 weekend as “show time” for the win.

Sitting second after a dressage test with which Andrea was very pleased, Indy had one rail and a quarter time fault in show jumping, then “cruised” across Hugh Lochore’s “big” cross-country track with 9.2 time penalties, the fewest in the division.  “Indy has one speed,” the rider said. “You kind of put a quarter in the slot and off she goes.”

Having anticipated that others would beat her on time, Andrea opted for an inside track in the five strides between the ditch wall to a corner. “I think the others may have seen me ‘chicken out’ on that with my first horse, (Indy’s son Laguna Seca). Nobody else tried it. When we landed from that, I said, ‘That’s my Burghley horse!’,” referencing her and Indy’s 2019 outing at the notoriously gnarly 5* in England.

Coming back from a bit of foot soreness, Indy had a game attitude throughout all phases that spoke well of the ground crew’s preparation and maintenance. “I was really pleased about that,” Andrea said. “It was like they rolled out the red carpet.”

Andrea and Indy head to The Fair Hill International 5* in Maryland in mid-October.

Fresh from Tokyo Olympics and the CHIO Aachen Nations Cup for Team USA, Tamie Smith finished second with Luisa Southworth’s Elliot-V and third with Judith McSwain’s Fleeceworks Royal. Her globetrotting seemed to underscore her appreciation for this home-turf venue: “They really put on a top-class event,” Tamie told her Instagram followers. “The footing, the presentation and organization were super and we should all be grateful to have a venue that tries to keep improving as our sport grows.”

CCI3*

With more gratitude for those on her Next Level Eventing crew who’ve kept her deep string of horses going, Tamie Smith won this division on the MB Group LLC’s Mai Tanzer in his debut at the level. “So proud of this boy and how smart and athletic he is,” Tamie said. “It’s not easy to just show up and ride, not on me or on my horses. But I’m lucky they trust me and try so hard. Everyone who is keeping them trained for me is doing one hell of a job!”

Also debuting at the level — horse and rider — Audrey Sanborn and OBOS Quality Time finished second. “All the pieces really came together,” said the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo student of her partnership with “Diesel.” Some of those “pieces” got refined over the summer working for Andrea Baxter and Rebecca Braitling, both based at Twin Rivers. “It was nice to be at the barn all day, have the opportunity to ride a lot more horses and shadow how they handle their horse’s fitness and training plans. They are the best.”

USEA Area VI Youth Team Challenge Contenders. Photo courtesy of Twin Rivers.

USEA Area VI Youth Team Challenge Contenders

With the reserve 3* finish, Audrey was the highest finishing contender in the Adequan/USEF Youth Team Challenge Paso Robles. Evolved from the North American Youth Championships, the Challenge was a “super fun added element to have the feeling of being on a team,” Audrey reported. “All of the (five) girls competing kind of knew each other and it was a great chance to build relationships.”

Fellow Youth Team Challenge contender Madison Temkin and MVP MadBum finished third.  The young professional was thrilled with her mare’s debut at the level, citing a “lovely” dressage test despite a few pilot errors that affected their score. She’s had the now 8-year-old mare for six years and expressed great pride in her development. Madison’s finish put her 2nd in the Youth Team Challenge, too.

CCI2*-S

Kaylawna Smith-Cook and her own AEV Above Authority had 2 show jumping penalties and clear cross-country to advance from second after dressage into first place. Youth Team Challenge contender Taylor McFall and Stoneman, owned by Cheron Laboissonniere, were second after one rail in the stadium and double clear on the cross-country course designed by Adri Doyal of Mexico. Twin Rivers-based professional Rebecca Braitling and Arnell Sporthorses’ Right Above It were third.

            Young Horse Excitement

Excitement is building toward the increasingly popular USEA Future Event Horse and USEA Dutta Corp Young Event Horse West Coast Championships staged at Twin Rivers Oct. 29-30. The Fall International’s qualifiers identified rising stars: Julie Murray’s Mannoury vd Watermolen won the FEH 4-year-old on a 76.70 with Erin Kellerhouse; and Rylin Clarke’s NSF Cassiopeia scored a 79 to top the FEH 3-year-old standings.

Anita Nardine’s Quinn HSR scored an 81.80 with Kaylawna Smith-Cook to top the YEH 4-year-old ranks; and Julianne Guariglia’s Crafty Don led the 5-year-old YEH division with an 84.90 under Tamie Smith’s hand.

Excellent participation in the debut of this combined championships last year bodes well for even bigger attendance this year. There is a last-chance qualifier for the Championships Thursday, October 28. On Sunday, October 31, Twin Rivers hosts its popular Halloween Schooling Horse Trials

            Sponsors & Volunteers

The Fall International was made possible by generous sponsors: Presenting sponsors include Professional’s Choice, manufacturers of sports medicine boots for equine athletes; and Auburn Labs, manufacturers of the adaptogenic APF Formula for horses, people and dogs; Best Western PLUS Black Oak, which offers exclusive discounts for exhibitors; and Get Away RV Rentals, which delivers fully-outfitted RVs to the venue for those who want to stay on site.

Supporting sponsors include Riding Warehouse, the horse gear and apparel supplier;  Chubby Cov, makers of beautiful custom stock ties; and RevitaVet, a leader in preventative maintenance and rehabilitative infrared therapy devices.

For sponsorship opportunities, contact Christina Gray of Gray Area Events at [email protected].

As always, volunteers were critical to the Fall International’s success and were much appreciate by exhibitors and organizers alike.

            Up Next

  • USEA Future Event Horse & USEA Dutta Corp. Young Event Horse West Coast Championships (and an FEH qualifier Oct. 28), Oct. 29-30.
  • Schooling Halloween Horse Trials: Oct. 31

For more information, visit Twin Rivers Horse Park here.

The Feel-Good Gallery: A Whole Lotta Love at the European Championships

By on Sep 29, 2021 9:00 am -

EN’s coverage of the 2021 FEI Longines European Eventing Championships is brought to you in part by Kentucky Performance Products. Click here to learn more about Kentucky Performance Products and its wide array of supplements available for your horse.

Whether your eventing aspirations centre around winning medals, or you’re more of a ‘one day, I’ll do a one-day’ person, there’s something you’ll know deep in your bones: competing in a sport like ours, with its tremendous ups and downs, its thrills and spills, and the enormous amount of trust and teamwork required, takes love. Love for your horse, even when it’s gleefully broncing through its flying changes; love for the journey, even when it means you have to muck out and saddle up in the pouring rain before the sun’s come up, just to fit it in around work; love for the people who help you out in the biggest and smallest of ways.

Without wanting to sound too much like Hugh Grant in Love, Actually, whenever we go to an event — or, um, Heathrow Airport — we really do see that love is all around. And never is that more apparent than at the zenith of sport, when a lifetime of hard work and dreaming has come good. This year’s FEI European Eventing Championships in Avenches, Switzerland, brought us joy, tears, and the long-awaited return of hugging after eighteen long, hard pandemic months — and because we haven’t openly wept quite enough to be truly embarrassing yet, we want to relive it all. Snuggle in close and join us for the soppiest recap you’ll ever see.

The first horse inspection and the opening ceremony were perfect opportunities to catch up with old friends. 

Belgium’s Lara de Liedekerke-Meier gives Ducati d’Arville a kiss after passing the trot-up. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Austria’s grooms sport the outfits of the day as they cheer on their charges. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Groom Ruth Asquith plants a kiss on JL Dublin. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Anna Siemer makes sure nobody forgets which team she’s riding for at the opening ceremony. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

A ceremonial cannon goes off, sending everyone into orbit in fright…

And France’s Maxime Livio takes the opportunity to practice his amateur dramatics as he mimes taking a shot to the leg. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Sarah Bullimore and Piggy March have a laugh with their Team GB compatriots. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Kiwi photographer Libby Law retreats after capturing an up-close-and-personal photo of the cannon fire. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Gwendolen Fer spots the French support side in the stands. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

One man hits upon a novel method of stopping his wife from catching a glimpse of Maxime. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

There were plenty of celebrations in the arena:

The Team Austria supporters make their allegiances known from the owners’ and riders’ marquee. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dr Harald Ambros takes his place in the top ten in what’s shaping up to be a seriously big week for the Austrian team. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Before he celebrates, though, there’s time for a moment of gratitude with his horse, Lexikon 2, who he kisses heartily in the ring. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Nicola Wilson understood the assignment. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Maxime Livio punches the air after logging a significant personal best for eleven-year-old Api du Libaire, putting him in fourth place after dressage. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Andreas Dibowski celebrates a competitive test with FRH Corrida. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Austria’s Robert Mandl and Sacré-Coeur provide the dark horse result of the first day to round out the top five. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Anna Siemer’s FRH Butts Avondale grins for the cameras after her test. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

As does nine-year-old fischerWild Wave, Michael Jung’s newest superstar. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Reigning World Champ Ros Canter waves to the audience after her first championship test in three years. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

 

The best thing to do post-test? Scoop up your nearest and dearest, of course.

Sofia Sjoborg is swept up by the Swedish team after her test. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Ros Canter plants a smooch on daughter Ziggy, moments after her test that would put her and Allstar B in silver medal position overnight. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

The Czech Republic’s Miloslav Prihoda Jr is caught up in a wave of congratulations after an exceptional test with Ferreolus Lat earns him a 27.9. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Horses deserve smooches too, and Robin Godel’s Grandeur de Lully CH — proud owner of Switzerland’s fluffiest forelock — got plenty after producing a 27.5. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Meanwhile, Robin accepts a highly-covetable handshake from team coach Andrew Nicholson, who announced his own retirement from competition last weekend. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Germany’s Dirk Schrade sums up the vibe. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

John Perry, co-owner of Piggy March’s Brookfield Inocent, enjoys a good day in the office. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Lara de Leidekerke-Meier is on the receiving end of a particularly good joke while supporting her fellow Belgians. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Tamsin Thurlow gives Sarah Bullimore’s Corouet a big pat after the first of his three efforts that would eventually earn him and his rider the individual bronze medal. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

And Ruth Asquith, head girl to Nicola Wilson, lets JL Dublin know what a good boy he’s been after he takes the first-day lead. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Ruth gets scooped up by her fellow grooms. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Meanwhile, Nicola shares an embrace with partner Alistair. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Kitty King’s Vendredi Biais enjoys a pat after a sweet, mature test. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Harald Ambros gives son Paul a smackaroo after dressage. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Sweden’s Malin Petersen shares a jolly moment with her groom. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

A mixed crew of Italians and Swedes cheer on Stefano Brecciaroli as he finishes a super test. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Shortly thereafter, he re-enters their midst for the official debrief. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Finland’s Elmo Jankari and baby Elle take in the sights as official support crew to mum Sanna Siltakorpi. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Anna Siemer and her husband are couple goals as Anna makes her German senior team debut. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Speaking of goals, all we want is to be part of Anna and Kitty King’s girl gang: they’ve ridden at European Championships against one another at Pony, Junior, Young Rider, and now Senior level, and their friendship has grown each time. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

The whole GB horse care squad comes together to look after Brookfield Inocent with groom Amy Phillips after his test with Piggy March. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Piggy discusses the finer points of her test with trainers Ian Woodhead and Chris Bartle, while Dickie Waygood wanders off in search of a snack, presumably. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Austria’s Robert Mandl impresses everyone in his senior championship debut. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Izzy Taylor’s Monkeying Around finds that the treats aren’t coming quickly enough, so he must make his own. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

He’s momentarily diverted from his career as an amateur hairdresser by a tickle on the nose from his groom, Becca Ross. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Lithuania’s sole competitor, Aistis Vitkauskas, is well supported by a cheerleading crew helmed by Aistis’s daughter, who often enjoys hitching a ride on her dad’s ten-year-old gelding. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

After taking the lead with her superb score of 20.2, Ingrid Klimke did a lot of hugging. See?

Into the lead she goes! Ingrid waves to the crowds as her 20.2 is announced. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

First, she hugged her daughter, the newly-minted Young Rider European Champion Greta Busacker. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Then, she was on the receiving end of a kiss from Germany’s team jumping trainer, Marcus Döhring, and we tried not to be too jealous. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Ingrid and German chef d’equipe Hans Meltzer, who will step down this year, share a celebration after her leading test. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

She hugged teammate Anna Siemer…

…and the German team vet.

Meanwhile, Bobby got lots of loving too, particularly from head groom Carmen, who rode and trained him for ten weeks while Ingrid recovered from surgery. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

After a long night looking after their beloved horses with their grooms, riders could be spotted enjoying sweet moments among the tension of the final horse inspection on Sunday morning. 

Esteban Benitez Valle’s normally feisty Milana 23 goes in for a cuddle as she’s presented to the ground jury. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Overnight leaders Nicolas Wilson and JL Dublin take a moment to enjoy the misty morning. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Germany’s Christoph Wahler calms his fresh and fit Carjatan S before their jog. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Harald Ambros has the help of the tiniest groom on site to make sure Lexikon 2 is ready to go. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Lithuania’s Aistis Vitkauskas and Commander VG look serene in the drizzle. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Anna Siemer has a chat with FRH Butts Avondale. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

The Czech Republic’s Pavel Brezina attempts to head back to the stables, but Cona Cia is far too busy posing for the cameras. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Team GB Performance Manager Dickie Waygood’s horoscope foretold good things, apparently. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Austria’s Lea Siegl only ever stops loving on Van Helsing P for long enough to be smash out amazing performances, and we reckon that’s a pretty good work/life balance. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Czech Olympians Miloslav Prihoda Jr and Ferreolus Lat talk business before the showjumping begins.

Robert Mandl’s daughter — who often rides his horse, Sacre-Coeur, at home — helps out with horse inspection duties. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Groom Sarah Charnley and Allstar B keep an eye out for the coffee van. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Sam Watson and Ballybolger Talisman look quite serious for this gallery, actually, but it’s a nice photo so we’ll let it slide. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Sarah Bullimore laughs as Corouet proves he’s still fit, fresh, and opinionated on Sunday morning. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

The adrenaline was high during each of the showjumping rounds, which was reflected in the intense emotions felt in the ring:

Italy’s Evelina Bertoli hugs Seashore Spring in gratitude after making an emotional return to championship level. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

The king of celebrations is at it yet again: Dr Harald Ambros, the flying dentist, nails the showjumping with Lexikon 2. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

We’re not sure Austria’s Katrin Khoddam-Hazrati could actually stop after her round, so enthusiastically did Oklahoma respond to the crowd’s cheers, but she was having fun, and that’s all that matters, really. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

We’re not sure Austria’s Katrin Khoddam-Hazrati could actually stop after her round, so enthusiastically did Oklahoma respond to the crowd’s cheers, but she was having fun, and that’s all that matters, really. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

France’s Luc Chateau logs a super round with Troubadour Camphoux, who’s quietly becoming one of Europe’s coolest horses. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Switzerland’s Patrick Rüegg puts the home side’s first clear round on the board. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

They might have knocked a rail and slipped off the podium, but it’s clear how much joy it brings Ingrid Klimke to ride around a third European Championships with her best friend Bobby. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Italy’s Paolo Torlonia finally takes in the huge crowds and their vocal support after completing his debut at a senior championship. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Switzerland’s Felix Vogg clenches his fist in delight after producing a clear with Cartania to secure his spot in the top ten…

…and then encourages the bellowing, raucous crowd to turn up the volume on their celebrations. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Michi Jung, too, knows how to get the most out of the crowd — and, of course, his horse, who finishes in fourth place despite being one of the youngest in the field. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Pats for Sarah Bullimore’s Corouet after a gravity-defying clear round that would eventually secure them the bronze medal. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

They might have knocked a rail and slipped off the podium, but it’s clear how much joy it brings Ingrid Klimke to ride around a third European Championships with her best friend Bobby. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Nicola Wilson clears the last and punches the air in glee after becoming the European Champion with ten-year-old JL Dublin. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

And outside of it, too, as each rider caught up with their support team:

Spain’s Esteban Benitez Valle gets a kiss from girlfriend Valentina after a nearly perfect round with Milana 23. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Former Italian Junior and Young Rider team member and Tokyo Olympics Eventing Organiser Carola Brighenti proves there’s nothing she can’t do as she takes on groom duties for Marco Cappai and precious Uter. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

And of course, after those final medals were decided, the celebrations in the British camp — and the congratulations from outside it — were packed with indescribable joy:

Ingrid Klimke embraces newly-minted bronze medallist Sarah Bullimore, even after a knocked rail precluded her own chances of a podium finish. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

German team jumping trainer Marcus Döhring congratulates Chris Bartle — his former colleague and now ‘rival’ — for an incredible week. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

The British team owners have been a source of constant cheer through the week, and they revelled in their winning moment. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Nicola and teammate Kitty King celebrate in the heady moments after Nicola’s winning round. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Tenth-placed Izzy Taylor beams from the midst of the celebrations. Nicola and teammate Kitty King celebrate in the heady moments after Nicola’s winning round. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Finally, there was the prize giving: a chance to dance on podiums, hug and cry all over again, and then lose just a little bit of control in the lap of honour:

Germany’s Anna Siemer finds FRH Butts Avondale’s sweet spot while waiting for the ceremony to begin. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

The bronze medal-winning Swedes pose for a group photo. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Ruth Asquith prepares JL Dublin for the prize giving. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Piggy March and Sarah Bullimore plant one on European Champion — and great pal — Nicola Wilson. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Luc Chateau, Maxime Livio, and Felix Vogg look like they’re about to bring boy bands back into fashion. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

The all-female British team — plus individual bronze medallist Sarah Bullimore — embark on their lap of honour after a clean sweep of the medals at the European Championships. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Reserve European Champion Piggy March beams with delight. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

And here she is, folks: your radiant European Champion, the sunny and superb Nicola Wilson! Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Ain’t love (and eventing) grand?

The 2021 FEI Longines European Championships: [Website] [Schedule and Scoring] [Entries] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage]

Wednesday News & Notes from Haygain

By on Sep 29, 2021 12:01 am -

I’ve just landed in Kentucky for the first Equitana USA trade fair and exhibition, happening this weekend, October 1-3. Equitana is a bit of a multi-purpose trip for me: it’s a great opportunity to meet our sponsors in person, maybe meet some new ones, and dabble in some event coverage for our sister site, Horse Nation. Horse Nation’s editor, DeAnn Sloan, is joining me in Kentucky this week and we’re looking forward to experiencing Equitana and all of its jam-packed schedule. You can click here to view the happenings and buy your tickets.

One session I’m particularly keen to check out is the “Closing The Gap” panel, featuring Nicole Byrd of Detroit Horse Power, Patricia Kelly of Ebony Horsewomen, and Dr. Anastasia Curwood of Strides for Equality Equestrians. The session will be held on Saturday, October 2 at 2:45 pm on the Shadowfax Main Stage at Kentucky Horse Park. Click here to view more about the panel and here to purchase your tickets.

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Fleur de Leap H.T. (Folsom, La.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Volunteer]

Jump Start H.T. and Area VIII Championships (Lexington, Ky.): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times] [Volunteer]

Larkin Hill H.T. (North Chatham, Ny.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Volunteer]

The Maryland H.T. at Loch Moy Farm + Area II Championships (Adamstown, Md.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Volunteer]

Middle Tennessee Pony Club H.T. (Nashville, Tn.): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

Moqui Meadows H.T. (Greeley, Co.): [Website]

Spokane Sport Horse Seventh Annual Fall H.T. (Spokane, Wa.): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times] [Volunteer]

Sundance Farm H.T. (Plymouth, Wi.): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

Willow Draw Charity Show (Weatherford, Tx.): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

Wednesday Reading List:

What does it mean to possess emotional intelligence when it comes to riding? Well, we all know that horses are mirrors of our internal thoughts and emotions — even more so than ourselves, sometimes — so it comes as no surprise that successfully managing emotions will translate to better riding. This piece from the FEI provides some insights on accomplishing this challenge.

What happens when you decide to bring your horse along for the adventure on your overseas military assignment? Well, Chronicle of the Horse Blogger Lindsey Colburn has done just that, relocating with her horse to the UK for her new assignment — and she’s written about her initial impressions here.

Aiming for the Classic Three-Day at Waredaca this fall? Exciting news! The Preliminary Classic Three-Day will be offering jackpot prize money. The Jackpot is currently at $2,000 but is anticipated to rise, and the winning rider will take home 50% of the prize pot. Learn more here.

Heading to Morven Park’s inaugural CCI4*-L? If you plan to apply for media credentials, you can do so here. Registered media will receive a press pass, parking pass, invites to media events, and more — all media reps planning to attend are asked to register.

Watch This Wednesday:

What’s new on H&C+ this week? If you’re a dressage fan, there is plenty of action to take in from Dressage At Devon, which returns this week to the storied Pennsylvania venue. Catch all of the action, all week long with your H&C+ subscription! Plus, relive Osberton, Blenheim Palace, Bicton and more with on-demand live stream coverage. Click here to subscribe to H&C+.

Wednesday Video Break:

Ride around Stable View’s CCI3*-S with Elisa Wallace and Sharp Decision: