Classic Eventing Nation

Day One at Boekelo: Team USA Sits Close Second; Germany’s Sophie Leube Storms to Lead

By on Oct 7, 2021 2:07 pm -

Eventing Nation’s coverage of Boekelo is brought to you by Kentucky Performance Products, our go-to source for the best support your horse can get. With a full line of proven supplements designed to help your horse feel his or her best, you can have peace of mind knowing that Kentucky Performance Products has your horse’s top health in mind. Learn more about KPP by visiting kppusa.com.

Sophie Leube and J’Adore Moi skip to the dressage lead for the second time this autumn. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

With such an incredible array of long-format events and championships on the calendar this summer and autumn, there are an enormous amount of rare opportunities to allow inexperienced horses or riders to learn and grow in pressurised situations — and that really does feel like the defining attribute of this year’s Military Boekelo CCIO4*-L. Other than the parties, obviously. The competition includes the finale of the FEI Nations Cup series, and so there’s serious competition for team and individual titles, but because each country’s first-string horses have all had opportunities to run elsewhere, the field is largely populated with the next generation of superstars, with a number of nine-year-olds and CCI4*-L debutants in the hunt.

When you get on the subject of up-and-coming superstars in Europe, the name Sophie Leube is rarely far from anyone’s lips. The former student of Ingrid Klimke has inherited her mentor’s sympathetic, effective riding style, and she’s earned herself a reputation for producing young horses, a reputation affirmed by her win in the Seven-Year-Old World Championship with the Trakehner stallion Sweetwaters Ziethen TSF last year. But now, with the exceptional mare Jadore Moi, Germany’s fledgling star continues to prove that she’s got what it takes to make it happen at the upper levels, too.

It’s hard to believe, really, that this will just be her second-ever CCI4*-L, but it is: she and Jadore Moi made their debut at Italy’s Pratoni del Vivaro last year, finishing third. Now, after the first day of her sophomore attempt, she’s leading the way by a smidgen, sitting pretty in the top spot on a score of 24.4 — just a tenth of a penalty off second place, and a tenth of a penalty better than the score she earned to take the first-phase lead at CHIO Aachen last month.

“I can’t really believe it — it’s still so new for me to be the leader,” laughs Sophie, whose spicy mount brought a bit of extra joie de vivre to the table today.

“She was very excited today; more than in Aachen. But that was when she came in to the arena, and directly when I started she said, ‘okay, I know what to do and I’m going to start listening to you!'”

Sophie Leube finds herself at the top again. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

This week’s test, which features more of an emphasis on medium and extended paces early on in the movements, worked well in Jadore Moi’s favour: “There’s much more extended work in the trot, and that’s one of her really good parts, so this was a better thing for us than Aachen. I think it was good because I could ride forward and not so much sideways in the beginning, because she was so excited today. In Aachen she was a little bit more relaxed, so it was a little easier for me — it was a bit more work today, but she was great!”

Continued improvement in the flying changes, too, has helped nail down the consistency in Jadore Moi’s marks, and though she may not yet believe it when she finds herself at the top of the leaderboard, it’s clear that everyone else has noticed what Sophie can do.

Tim Lips pilots catch ride Lady Chin van’t Moerven Z to a close second place. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Though he was usurped late in the day by Sophie, Dutch lynchpin and birthday boy Tim Lips held the lead for much of today’s competition after producing a super mark of 24.5 with the eleven-year-old Zangersheide mare Lady Chin van’t Moerven Z, marking the first time the expressive horse has gone sub-30 at an international. But those eagle-eyed among you may recognise the horse for her partnership with another rider: Tim is catch-riding her this week to help her production, but she’s ordinarily campaigned by his student, China’s Huadong Sun, with whom she competed at the Tokyo Olympics. Now, while Sun takes some time to reconnect with his family at home after an intense Olympic lead-up in the Netherlands, Tim has teamed up with Lady Chin to take up a spot on the Dutch team and further her training and experience all in one go. But although he rates the mare, who was produced to CCI3*-L by Belgium’s Annesjien Wouters, particularly highly, he certainly didn’t expect to deliver such a significant career best effort in his first-ever competition with her.

“I was a bit surprised,” admits Tim with a smile. “I know the horse can do a very, very good test, but I also know she can be a bit tense — like at Tokyo, she had a 35.2 because of that tension. When she’s at home, you think, ‘wow, what a horse!’ So I’m really happy, because I didn’t want to put any pressure on myself this time, but I wanted to do the best I could for Sun.”

Particularly exciting were Lady Chin’s sweet, crisp flying changes, which scored 8s and 9s — giving no hint along the way that this movement has been an especially tricky one for the sensitive horse to master.

“At the beginning of the year, the changes were very difficult — she wanted to make them, but when you got past one, you’d get ten,” explains Tim. “So we really practiced it a lot, and today they were very clear for her.”

If catch-riding a horse for the first time at a CCI4*-L, nailing the changes, and delivering a test that blows all the stats out of the water isn’t quite impressive enough, try this on for size: Tim, who is heavily involved with training the Chinese event riders, spent six weeks in China in the lead-up to this event while his students contested the China Games. That left the responsibility of schooling Lady Chin firmly in the hands of Tim’s head groom Jillian Giessen, whose sympathetic, tactful approach to producing youngsters obviously paid dividends in settling the mare’s busy mind. And so a very cool, calm, and relaxed looking Tim and Lady Chin were able to dance their way into overnight second place: “I might look calm, but I’m usually not at all inside,” he laughs. “But today I knew I had to be, or it would all be over!”

Tamie Smith and Danito navigate the morning mist to set an early standard at Boekelo. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

The heavy mist of the morning session may have been dreary, but third-placed Tamie Smith and her perky little professional Danito cast their own ray of California sunshine in the ring, throwing down an early gauntlet with their mark of 24.7. Though it didn’t quite match their level personal best — a 23.9 picked up at Jersey Fresh CCI4*-L earlier this year — a beaming Tamie explains that it topped the bill for the diminutive Hanoverian anyway.

“He was the best he’s been,” she enthuses. “He tries so hard that sometimes he’ll struggle a bit and get a little bit tense — like, I’ll miss a change because he’s anticipated it and is trying so hard.”

But, as she points out, the impressive-moving gelding is also low on mileage for a twelve-year-old, and each outing gives him more of the experience that will help him relax into his work and produce even more exciting tests along the way. The atmosphere in the main arena at Boekelo can never be underestimated, though: it’s a busy spot, with cross-country fences alongside the boards, buzzy marquees on all sides and, overlooking the whole thing, a colossal screen that is often guilty of catching sharper horses by surprise. But Danito took it all in his stride, and Tamie found herself able to use the extra sparkle to add expression to the test.

“In the ring with the atmosphere I felt him get a little bit electric like he does, which helps him because it makes him fancy,” she says. “But it also creates tension, which you don’t want to have — but when we went down the centreline I felt him go, ‘oh, okay’, and I could ride every stride and every movement. Normally I’m kind of playing it safe a little bit, so I was super happy.”

William Fox-Pitt makes his long-awaited return to Boekelo, riding the exciting young mare Grafennacht. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

“I’ve not been here in eight years, and I’m struggling to recognise the place,” laughs William Fox-Pitt as he eyes the considerable improvements made to the venue in the interim, including the welcome addition of the surface in the main arena. “I keep losing my bearings — and I’ve had a bang on the head in the meantime, so I’ve got no chance of remembering where I am!”

He might not be able to find the poffertje stand (though nor can we, for what it’s worth), but William certainly looked at home between the boards today, delivering a 24.9 with the nine-year-old Grafennacht to hold overnight fifth in the mare’s third CCI4*-L start.

“She’s been in a good frame of mind, and it’s good for her to be able to get in an arena like that,” says William. “It’s great practice for the future, and she coped with it very well. She’s good at dressage, and so a few things probably could have been better — her mediums were sevens today, but they can be nines —  but overall I was really satisfied.”

Nicola Wilson and the ‘very kind’ Coolparks Sarco sit fifth after day one. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

There’s no rest for the wicked, nor for the very, very talented, and newly-minted European Champion is back in action this week, this time riding CCI4*-L debutant and recent victor of the Blenheim CCI4*-S for eight- and nine-year-olds Coolparks Sarco.  Their 25.6 secured them overnight fifth place — an exciting start to the sweet gelding’s move-up.

“He’s still a young horse at nine and this is his first long-format at this level, so you just don’t know, really,” says Nicola. “But he’s been feeling great; he went super at Blenheim and he’s been feeling really well ever since. You don’t know until you get into an atmosphere like this how they’re going to react, but he was super.”

This week is all about building for the future for the exciting young horse, who’s learning to take confidence from his rider as he tackles more intense competition levels.

“He’s a very nice horse to work with; he still gets a little bit nervous and needs reassuring, but as he does more and more this year, he’s getting easier to reassure with my voice and a pat, and then he’s back on side,” she says. “This week is another step up and he’s as prepared as he can be, but until we ask the question, we won’t know.”

Sitting pretty in sixth place overnight is France’s Sidney Dufresne, who pilots one of the field’s most experienced horses in 14-year-old stallion Tresor Mail, with whom he finished eighteenth at the World Equestrian Games in 2018. They, too, managed to nail down a personal best today, delivering a 26.2 that leaves their usual very-low-30s scores in the dust.

Sydney Elliott and QC Diamantaire peak at the perfect time to sit seventh provisionally. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Perhaps there was something lucky in the air for those called Sidney (or Sydney, as it happens)? After succumbing to tension in the atmosphere of Aachen, where he posted a 39.4, Sydney Elliott‘s tall drink of water QC Diamantaire very clearly learned from the situation and used it to come back confident, cool, and absolutely brimming with the right kind of pizazz. That allowed Sydney to ride for every mark she could, and they merrily floated their way to a very respectable 26.7, the eleven-year-old Oldenburg’s best-ever CCI4*-L mark and less than half a penalty off a career best result.

But a delighted Sydney, who has carefully crafted her autumn season around a grand tour of some of Europe’s best events, wasn’t surprised in the slightest by the quality of her horse’s work today.

“This is what he’s normally like!” she says. “We could tell from the second we pulled in the other day that his whole demeanour was much more like himself. He’s so quiet, and he’s happy to have us around in the stall, and getting on him this morning for the pre-ride, it got me excited, because I was like, ‘I’ve got him today!'”

That rideability meant that Sydney could push for more expression, showing the rangy gelding’s paces at their best.

“It’s so naturally easy for him that I think sometimes, when he does get a bit panicked, it totally falls apart — but today, it was just so easy, and we want to keep pushing for more and more, but I’m happy with today!”

Padraig McCarthy’s homebred MGH Tokyo Phil eyes Paris. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Ireland’s Padraig McCarthy sits eighth on 27.3 with his homebred and CCI4*-L debutante MGH Tokyo Phil after a polished, professional test that proved the gelding has truly grown up this season.

“He’s really improved a lot,” says Padraig of the ten-year-old gelding. “He’s been a very weak horse, and so we’ve taken a really long time with him and he’s only stepped up to four-star this year. Every run he’s gotten better and better, and I think he’s still at the very beginning of it. I’ve got a really, really good feeling about him for the years ahead; even when he was weak and backwards, he still made good results.”

For Phil, this weekend will see him thrown truly in at the deep end: as a young horse who stepped up during the pandemic, he’s never yet encountered proper crowds, and will have his focus tested on Saturday.

“This horse is very genuine, but he’s never seen crowds like he’ll see on Saturday — so you never know how that’ll affect them,” he says. Nevertheless, the gelding is being produced with greater long term aims, and whatever happens next, he’ll learn valuable lessons for the future.

“My wife Lucy had kind of stopped riding [in 2016], but seeing me at the Olympics was making her itchy to get back to it,” Padraig recalls. “She thought, ‘we must have something in the field that can do it’, and went down and picked him out, like, ‘you look like the right sort!’ She called him Tokyo Phil, but unfortunately Tokyo came a year too soon for him — so maybe I need to rename him Paris Phil!”

Belgium’s Maarten Boon and Gravin van Cantos make their move into the top ten. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Ninth place is held by Belgian team and CCI4*-L debutants Maarten Boon and Gravin van Cantos, a ten-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare who’s so gentle that Maarten’s children can help look after her.

“She’s the most fun horse ever,” he says with a broad grin after nailing down a super 27.7, a four-star personal best for both and a mark indicative of some very exciting things to come once the finer details have been perfected.

“We’re still struggling with the changes — the rest is quite okay, and they’re getting there,” he says. “But now we have a whole winter to work on that!”

A change of warm-up produces a sweet result for Ingrid Klimke’s Equistros Siena Just Do It. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Finally, Germany’s Ingrid Klimke opted to pare her warm-up with Equistros Siena Just Do It right down after an overexuberant test at Aachen put them on a 34.7 — but keeping it simple here, by giving the nine-year-old mare a lunge and then a short, sweet warm-up ride that didn’t make her sweat paid dividends, and they earned a very respectable 29.2 to carry into Saturday’s competition and see them round out the top ten on day one of dressage.

The top ten after day one of dressage at Boekelo.

Today’s competition saw every team competitor produce a test, which means that tomorrow’s all about the individual competitors — and we now know how each nation stacks up as they head into Saturday’s cross-country.

Though the USA lead for much of the day, a solid score of 30.6 for Izzy Taylor and her nine-year-old CCI4*-L debutant Hartacker allowed the British team, with its line-up of inexperienced horses, to drop the early score of James Rushbrooke and Milchem Eclipse and sneak into the lead. Theirs is a slim margin, though: the British team score is 81.1, while the US holds onto second place on 83.5, which works out as a six second difference on cross-country day. The formidable German front sits another four seconds behind them on 85.3, ensuring that the quest for eventual top honours will be a hard-fought one.

Jennie Brannigan and FE Lifestyle. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

But, says team anchor Jennie Brannigan, who posted a 32.1 to hold eighteenth place with FE Lifestyle, “I wouldn’t want to be on any other horse on cross-country day. The cross-country is easy for him; he’s got, like, an 18-foot stride.”

That impressive stride and forward-thinking attitude doesn’t always make for an easy dressage ride, but Lifestyle’s work in the ring was peppered with really pleasing moments and just a couple of little mistakes, including a slightly sharp transition into canter after the gelding accidentally knocked the board and startled himself. At just eleven years old, and with an impressive CCI5* clear at Kentucky under his belt already, there’s a lot to be excited about where this inexperienced talent is concerned, especially as he gets stronger over the coming seasons.

“This is huge for him to come here. He did a three-star back in 2017, and then I had a year off, and then he did Tryon last year and Kentucky this year, and those are the only long-formats he’s ever done,” says Jennie.

Matt Flynn and Wizzerd take a top twenty spot heading into day two. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Sitting just a hair behind Jennie, Matt Flynn and Wizzerd go into day two in provisional nineteenth place on a 32.2, nearly a penalty better than the score they earned here in 2019.

“You’re always hoping for a little bit better, but on the day I’m pretty happy with that mark to start this competition,” says Matt. “He’s a real worker, a real soldier, and a really good boy, and there are just various places where we can shave things off in the future.”

The twelve-year-old gelding makes his return to Boekelo with two clears around Kentucky under his belt already, plus that confidence-building clear here two years ago, and the pair look set to help give the Brits a run for their money — even if they might need a hand warmer or two in the process: “He lives in Florida all year, so he thinks this is a lot different! He was in 100-degree weather not that long ago — now he’s been shaved and dropped in the cold end of the pool!”

Great Britain’s team of inexperienced horses leads the way — though by the smallest of margins — after the first phase.

Tomorrow’s competition sees the 28 individual competitors come forward to contribute their scores to the leaderboard, and we’ve got three US representatives among them. Here are the times in full, and here’s when you can tune in to cheer on our three American gals:

  • Hallie Coon and Global Ex: 11.26 a.m. local/5.26 a.m. Eastern
  • Katie Ruppel and Houdini: 12.35 p.m. local/6.35 a.m. Eastern
  • Tamie Smith and Solaguayre California: 2.49 p.m. local/8.49 a.m. Eastern

We’ll be back with all the news and updates you need to know — until next time, folks!

Military Boekelo: [Website] [Entries and Live Scoring] [Live-Stream] [EN’s Coverage]

Sport Horse Nation Spotlight: Three Spotless Saddles for Sale

By on Oct 7, 2021 1:00 pm -

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.

Springing for a gently used saddle can be easier on the pocketbook than buying one for its retail price — you just have to know where to look. One place to peruse used tack listings, or post your own saddle-for-sale ad, is Sport Horse Nation. Here are three saddles, two jumping and one dressage, that recently caught our eye. They look nearly new!

Photo via SHN.

18in Stubben Genesis Dressage Saddle 27cm tree Black

Barely used in fantastic condition. Only selling as I need a different size. 27cm tree works well for most Thoroughbreds and other narrower breeds. Designed to give plenty of wither clearance without interfering with the freedom of the horse’s shoulder or putting pressure on the sensitive muscles around the wither. Wool flocked. Checked over by Stubben rep and 100% sound tree etc.

From the Stubben Site:
“Our popular dressage model features an extra deep seat, unique detailing to the back of the seat, and hinged knee rolls that lay flat against the horse’s side when the saddle is girthed.”

Photo via SHN.

2020 CWD 2Gs

CWD SE25

Full Buffalo
2L Flap
dark brown
17 seat- Semi deep seat
Pro panels
Comes with cover

Back carbon piece cracked (see picture). Cosmetic only. Located Ottawa, ON. Shipping available at buyers expense.

Photo via SHN.

18in County Stabilizer Medium Tree

Impeccably kept County saddle for sale. A dream to ride in, well balanced with grippy leather. No nicks or scratches, reflocked last fall. I wish I could hold on to it, but it just doesn’t fit my horse. Open to reasonable offers. Located in Ithaca but will ship.

 

The Fear Factor

By on Oct 7, 2021 9:00 am -

Photo by Alden Corrigan.

Do you ride with fear? If so, you’re not alone. Fear is one of the most prevalent topics in my practice. While we can — and most of us do — ride with fear, it takes its toll on our effectiveness and resilience. In this column, I’d like to put fear in perspective and offer some tools to manage fear in the saddle. Let’s see if we can’t at least reduce the fear factor in your riding — or even eliminate it altogether.

First of all, it’s important to know your fear. In my experience, most people run from their fear. They do everything they can not to feel it or know it. They’re afraid if they pay attention to it, the fear will expand. Usually, the opposite is true. In order to address fear, we have to get acquainted with it.

Tip #1: Take a deep breath and accept you have fear. It’s ok. Many, if not most, riders have fear.

Once you have accepted it, start to examine your fear. Ask yourself, what is your fear really about? Is it about falling? Is it about getting hurt? Is it about being seen or watched? Are you afraid of being judged? Are you afraid of letting yourself or someone else down? Many people conflate fears, so be sure you can untangle the different feelings. You might need to talk this out with your trainer or a friend.

Tip #2: Define your fear. Is it physical (“I’m going to get hurt”) or is it mental (“I’m afraid I’ll make a mistake.”) Or, is it both?

Ok, so let’s start with the physical fear — the fear that you’ll fall or get hurt. It’s very hard, if not impossible, to ride if you are hyper-focused on the risk. As you well know, your horse feels the tension and starts to wonder what he should be afraid of. In addition, fear can paralyze us, so we can’t react appropriately in the saddle. None of this sets us up for a good ride.

My advice to riders who are very physically fearful is first to set yourself up for success. Make your situation as safe as possible. For instance, if your horse is too fresh, longe him, turn him out, or work him from the ground. Ask yourself: do you need more lessons, better horse care, or a more complete training situation? Don’t let your ego get in the way of making the safest choices possible. In my experience, toughing it out usually doesn’t end up well. Horses are tougher than we are! Reduce the risks as much as you can and give yourself time to build up confidence in your program.

Tip #3: Set yourself up for success — reduce risks as much as you can.

But what if your fear is more mental—the fear of making a mistake, not being ‘good enough,’ letting a trainer down, or being judged negatively by someone. These are very weighty fears and can paralyze us just as much as physical fears.

Usually I tackle mental fear first with a big perspective shift: ask yourself, who are you riding for? If it’s not for you, then ask why.

I talk to my riders a lot about the concept of owning your ride. My view is that you must ride for and against yourself. Sure, you might be in a competition, but in the end, you are aiming to ride your best on that particular day with the horse underneath you. That is it. Owning means knowing where you are in the process of becoming a rider, and working each day to become a little bit better. If you thoroughly believe this, others’ judgements — perceived or real — will fade away. No one, including the judge, knows where you are in the process of your development as an athlete.

Tip #4: Own your riding. Ride for and against yourself.

Finally, ask yourself: how much of your fear is fueled by perfectionism? From where I sit, a significant portion of all fears has some root in the rider’s insistence (conscious or unconscious) on “perfection.”

Let me address this head on: perfection paralyzes us. It’s a rigid standard we have in our heads, a standard that is unattainable. What I see in performance is that a perfectionistic rider lets down or stops really riding once he or she feels something has not gone according to plan.

I encourage you to challenge your perfectionism habit. Accept that your ride will not be perfect. You’ll make mistakes and so will your horse. Once you have accepted this, you can release yourself to be in present time and ride every step.

Tip #5: Give up the habit of perfectionism and release yourself to ride

Fear is a complicated, multilayered topic, as you can see. Here I’ve only brushed the surface of the issue, but I hope that I’ve given you some food for thought and tips to start dismantling your fear. In my view, the saddest part of fear is that it interferes not only with our performance, but also our joy in riding! If fear is spoiling your rides, take heart, you can make change your relationship to your sport and enjoying your horse again.

Darby Bonomi, PhD is a Sport and Performance Psychologist based in San Francisco. She works with equestrians in all disciplines, as well as other athletes, to achieve optimal performance in and out of the competition. Learn more at darbybonomi.com.

Thursday News & Notes Presented by Stable View

By on Oct 7, 2021 12:03 am -

Photo by Jamie Gornall.

Morven Park this weekend will feel a little emptier without the usual sight of Tremaine Cooper zooming around the cross country course. Tremaine designed the courses at one of our oldest eventing venues in Area II for over 30 years, until we lost him tragically earlier this year. He was also frequently seen mentoring fellow course designers, always nodding to those who came before him and spent the time teaching him the craft. He was also a staunch supporter of safety, putting his experience behind emerging concepts such as frangible technology and the Modified level as a stepping-stone between Training and Preliminary. Indeed, a true list of every accomplishment, accolade, kind word, and time spent from a person who was a true integral part of the eventing community would take up hundreds of pages. A plaque to remember him by is now by the infamous Leaf Pit at Morven.

U.S. Weekend Preview

Morven Park International CCI4*-L (Leesburg, Va.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Schedule] [Volunteer]

Woodside International H.T. (Woodside, Ca.): [Website] [Volunteer] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]

Heritage Park H.T. (Olathe, Ks.): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times] [Volunteer]

Hitching Post Farm H.T. (South Royalton, Vt.): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

Poplar Place Farm H.T. (Hamilton, Ga.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Volunteer]

Radnor Hunt H.T. (Malvern, Pa.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]

WindRidge Farm H.T. (Mooresboro, Nc.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]

Major International Events

Military Boekelo Enschede CCIO4*-L & FEI Nations Cup of Eventing: [Website] [Info Hub] [Entries] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage]

News From Around the Globe:

Maryland 5* might be Ian Stark’s first five-star design, but he’s no stranger to the level. Ian hardly needs an introduction, but I’ll just leave this here: over the years, he rode 18 horses at the five-star level, winning Badminton three times—twice on Sir Wattie and once on Jaybee, and in 1988 performed a feat that has yet to be replicated by finishing 1st and 2nd at Badminton. He also made appearances at five Olympic Games resulting in three team silver medals and one individual silver; a team gold, team silver and individual silver in world championship competitions; and six team golds plus an individual gold, silver and bronze medal at European Championships. So, he takes this 5* stuff pretty seriously, you could say. [Five-Star Winner to Five-Star Designer]

The FEI has announced the opening of the voting period for the 2021 FEI Awards, and we want to congratulate the members of the American equestrian community who have been named finalists, including Boyd Martin’s groom Stephanie Simpson, The Compton Cowboys, and Beatrice Delavalette. In the Best Groom category, Stephanie Simpson has been nominated for her role as groom for Boyd. Paralympian Beatrice de Lavalette is a finalist in the Against All Odds category, in recognition of her journey from losing her legs in the March 2016 terrorist attack at the Zaventem Airport in Brussels, Belgium, to becoming a world-class athlete in the sport of para dressage. The Compton Cowboys are a collective of lifelong friends who have made it their mission to uplift their community through horses while drawing on the rich legacy of African American cowboy culture. [Vote Now for 2021 FEI Awards]

Do you ever read Day In The Life articles about famous riders and wonder how they seem so organized and hardcore? Yeah, you’re not alone. Basically any day in my life could look like an absolute crap show, or possibly like a gang of squirrels with ADD got together and made my schedule. Blogger Allison Kavey takes us on a much, much more relatable day in her chaotic life. [ADITL: An Inferior White Board]

We want your spooky halloween horse stories! From the haunted steed of the Headless Horseman to the ghost riders in the sky, horses have always figured prominently in our favorite hair-raising tales we love to tell this time of year. Horses have the power to invoke our deepest emotions, and when you take a horse with mane and tail a-blowing in a chill October breeze as the sun dips down beneath the horizon and the air grows suddenly cool, the shadows playing tricks on your eyes, you have the perfect recipe for a ghost story for the ages. And we want to hear yours! Whether you have an old tale that’s been passed down in your barn family or you conjure up the best spooky story in your mind and put it down on paper, we’re calling for your best horsey Halloween tales for our second annual short story contest. We’ll publish the best around Halloween. [Fifth Annual Horse Nation Halloween Short Story Contest]

 

Your Guide to the Military Boekelo CCIO4*-L Nations Cup

By on Oct 6, 2021 11:17 pm -

Eventing Nation’s coverage of Boekelo is brought to you by Kentucky Performance Products, our go-to source for the best support your horse can get. With a full line of proven supplements designed to help your horse feel his or her best, you can have peace of mind knowing that Kentucky Performance Products has your horse’s top health in mind. Learn more about KPP by visiting kppusa.com.

By the time you read this, we’ll likely be underway in The Netherlands, about two hours to the east of Amsterdam at Military Boekelo. This fall destination event features the finale of the FEI Eventing Nations Cup, and Team USA stands in a strong position to be a contender here this weekend. The U.S. will also have three individual combinations competing in the CCIO4*-L.

Tilly Berendt is our reporter on the ground this weekend, and you can bookmark this hub for relevant information and links to follow along all throughout.

What’s at stake? This is the fifth and final leg of the 2021 FEI Eventing Nations Cup, which is held annually over a series of up to eight events at the CCI4* level. This year, due to cancelations of Nations Cup legs at Bromont and Ballendenisk, only five of the original seven legs will have been held. This series finale is also the sole long format event of the Nations Cup. Sweden currently holds the lead on an accumulated total of 240 points, but it’s a three-horse race for the next  spot as Italy, Germany and Belgium are all on 180 points. This is the first leg of the Nations Cup that the U.S. has participated in this year, primarily due to ongoing Covid precautions. However, USEF Eventing High Performance Director Erik Duvander has emphasized his intention to prioritize this event as a regular stop for U.S. teams looking to gain some practice in a higher pressure environment. Many of the American riders this week are here thanks to the support of the Jacqueline B. Mars International Competition & Training Grants and the Karen E. Stives Endowment Fund Grant

How do I watch?: There is a live stream of all phases of competition thanks to ClipMyHorse.TV’s partnership with FEI TV. You will need to purchase or sign up for a free trial of a Premium subscription in order to view the cross country phase. Generally, CMH.TV is quite quick to put up replays, so chances are you’ll be able to follow along fairly closely even if you opt not to wake up at 3 a.m. each morning. Click here for the Boekelo live stream schedule.

Team USA’s schedule: The U.S. is represented by a total of seven combinations this weekend, four of whom will serve as members of the Nations Cup team. The U.S. contingent’s ride times are as follows (we will update this post with cross country times following dressage):

THURSDAY 10/7 – Cross Country 

  • Tamie Smith and Danito: 10.28 a.m. local/4.28 a.m. Eastern
  • Matt Flynn and Wizzerd: 11.32 a.m. local/5.32 a.m. Eastern
  • Sydney Elliott and QC Diamantaire: 12.35 p.m. local/6.35 a.m. Eastern
  • Jennie Brannigan and FE Lifestyle: 2.49 p.m. local/8.49 a.m. Eastern

FRIDAY 10/8 – Cross Country

  • Hallie Coon and Global Ex: 11:26 a.m. local/5:26 a.m. Eastern
  • Katie Ruppel and Houdini: 12:35 a.m. local/6:35 a.m. Eastern
  • Tamie Smith and Solaguayre California: 2:49 p.m. local/8:49 a.m. Eastern

Who are the officials? The Ground Jury will be presided over by New Zealand’s Andrew Bennie, who will be joined by Sweden’s Christina Klingspor and Dutch member Merel Schurink. British designer Adrian Ditcham has designed the cross country track and Dutch designer Kris van Gelder will handle the layout of the show jumping.

Where do I find ride times and scores? All timing and scoring is kept on Rechenstelle, so keep this link handy all weekend. The schedule for the weekend can be found here.

How do I follow EN’s coverage? EN’s coverage of Boekelo, which is brought to you thanks to support from Kentucky Performance Products, can be found at this tag and nonstop right here on EventingNation.com as well as our Instagram, @goeventing. Thanks for following along!

Military Boekelo/FEI Eventing Nations Cup CCIO4*-L: Website, Start Lists + Scores, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, Twitter, Instagram

Wednesday Social Media from Boekelo: Do as the Dutch Do

By on Oct 6, 2021 5:30 pm -

Eventing Nation’s coverage of Boekelo is brought to you by Kentucky Performance Products, our go-to source for the best support your horse can get. With a full line of proven supplements designed to help your horse feel his or her best, you can have peace of mind knowing that Kentucky Performance Products has your horse’s top health in mind. Learn more about KPP by visiting kppusa.com.

 

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Kicking off the week at Boekelo typically involves a welcome bash-induced hangover (or, so I’m told at least, having never ventured over to the land of the Dutch myself), but most everyone managed to make it to and through the first horse inspection this afternoon. Boekelo is always a favorite of mine each year (and a warm welcome back this year, at that!) as it just looks like a fun event. Yes, it’s the Nations Cup finale. Yes, it’s a serious long-format with an equally serious entry list. But man, it looks like a good time. And at under two hours from Amsterdam, you’ve got ample option for a post-event vacation spot, too.

Anyway, I digress — the point is, we’re ready to party all week long as we do as the Dutch do and enjoy a good weekend of fall eventing. Tilly is on the ground in The Netherlands (no, we don’t ever let her go home) this week and we’re, of course, cheering hard for Team USA as they look to finish the weekend in strong contention.

Without further ado, let’s take a scroll through Instagram at some of the highlights from trot-up day:

 

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A post shared by Ingrid Klimke (@ingridklimke)

 

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Military Boekelo: [Website] [Entries and Live Scoring] [Live-Stream] [EN’s Coverage]

Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: Ingrid Klimke Relives Her Europeans Ride

By on Oct 6, 2021 4:00 pm -

“Bobby is ready for takeoff!”

We live for Ingrid helmet cams in these parts and now we’ve got a fresh one full of insights from the queen herself as she talks us through her European Championships cross country round aboard SAP Hale Bob OLD. Turn your sound on and hang on for the ride!

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

Learning at EQUITANA USA: Inside Phillip Dutton’s Clinic on Jumping with Green Horses

By on Oct 6, 2021 2:30 pm -

Dual Olympic Gold Medalist Phillip Dutton teaches the nuances of equestrian competition at EQUITANA USA. Photo courtesy of EQUITANA USA.

There’s never a bad time to take part in an opportunity to learn, and when eventer Kelly Jarvis saw that Phillip Dutton was teaching a clinic at Equitana USA last weekend at the Kentucky Horse Park, she jumped at the chance. She got even more than she bargained for when she found herself as, for the first part of the session at least, she was the sole participant on the first day of the clinic. Kelly brought her 7-year-old off-track Thoroughbred, Watson, to tackle a session focused on introducing jumping to green horses, and she took a few minutes to fill us in on some of the main takeaways from an incredible learning experience that even saw Phillip get on Watson for a part of the lesson.

With jumping a green horse, being forward is the number one priority, if they’re not forward at every jump, it quickly becomes unsafe.

Leg on means GO! Watson was kicking at my leg when we were doing flat work which caused issues almost immediately when we started jumping. Phillip was able to keep his leg on strong enough to get the message across that leg on means go and bucking wasn’t going to take that leg away.

When there are holes in your training, they will eventually shine through and it’s best to find the holes and patch them sooner rather than later.

Even with green horses, it’s important to start working on adjustability in your horse’s stride early on so you have options when you go to ask for transitions. We practiced this on the flat because forward doesn’t always mean running.

Unless you have a horse that bolts or rushes jumps, always canter away from the jump and go straight rather than turning immediately.

If your horse chooses to run out to the left, you immediately turn right and vice versa so you don’t agree with your horse that running out is okay.

When Phillip Dutton asks you if he can hop on your horse, you always say yes! It was an excellent learning opportunity for the both of us. My next ride was completely different, he was immediately responsive to my leg and our transitions happened the first time I asked rather than at the fourth or fifth ask.

“Overall it was such a great experience and opportunity that I plan to sign up for every chance I get in the future,” Kelly said. “The atmosphere, the education, and getting to ride in the famous Rolex arena was an unforgettable experience that couldn’t have been possible without Equitana.”

All Phases of Maryland 5 Star Will be Shown on USEF Network + Horse & Country Internationally

By on Oct 6, 2021 1:00 pm -

Sydney Elliot and QC Diamantaire. Photo by Abby Powell.

The inaugural Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill will be available to fans near and far thanks to daily broadcasts on Maryland Public Television (MPT) and livestreams on USEF Network and Horse & Country.

The Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill, one of only two 5 Star level events in the United States and just the seventh worldwide, is set for October 14-17 at the newly constructed Fair Hill Special Event Zone in Elkton, Maryland (Cecil County). The event’s prestigious 5 Star (CCI5*) designation is the pinnacle of the Olympic sport of Eventing, often described as an equestrian triathlon.

In addition to the 5 Star competition (CCI5*-L), the event will also feature a 3 Star competition (CCI3*-L), which is serving as the USEF CCI3*-L Eventing National Championship, and The Dutta Corp. USEA Young Event Horse East Coast Championships Presented by Dubarry of Ireland. The four days of Eventing competition will feature Dressage (Thu-Fri), Cross-Country (Sat) showcasing the new Ian Stark designed courses, and Show Jumping (Sun).

The entire CCI5*, including Wednesday’s horse inspection, will be available via livestream through USEF Network in North America and through Horse & Country outside North America. USEF Network will also provide exclusive coverage of the CCI3*. A link to the livestream will be available on the event’s website via the USEF Network player. Additionally, press conferences will be livestreamed through the event’s Facebook page.

MPT will broadcast the event live on Thursday, Friday, and Sunday, while Saturday’s cross-country phase will be shown that evening from 5:00 -9:00 p.m. EDT.

MPT-HD’s schedule of live and recorded coverage during the four-day competition is as follows:

Thu., Oct. 14: Dressage – 1:00-4:30 p.m. (live)
Fri., Oct. 15: Dressage – 1:00-4:30 p.m. (live)
Sat., Oct. 16: Cross country – 5:00-9:00 p.m. (from earlier that day)
Sun., Oct. 17: Showjumping & awards – 1:00-3:30 p.m. (live)

MPT’s Maryland 5 Star coverage will also be livestreamed to the network’s regional audience at mpt.org/anywhere/live-stream-mpt/.

“We understand that not everyone will be able to join us in person for this event, but we are thrilled to be able to bring it live to the people of Maryland and Eventing fans around the world,” said Jeff Newman, President & CEO of the Fair Hill Organizing Committee. “We’re glad everyone will be able to see all the action and excitement of this year’s inaugural event.”

For ticket information please visit https://maryland5star.us/tickets/.

All Horses Pass First Horse Inspection at Boekelo; Humans Look Considerably Worse

By on Oct 6, 2021 10:41 am -

Eventing Nation’s coverage of Boekelo is brought to you by Kentucky Performance Products, our go-to source for the best support your horse can get. With a full line of proven supplements designed to help your horse feel his or her best, you can have peace of mind knowing that Kentucky Performance Products has your horse’s top health in mind. Learn more about KPP by visiting kppusa.com.

Sydney Elliott and QC Diamantaire await their turn in the midst of a scrum of wobbly people. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Early on in the pandemic, when the world was closing down around us and the first major event cancellations began pouring in — that moment, in short, when we all realised it was a really big deal, there was one line of conversation that so many of us eventing folk would return to as a way to maintain some hope.

“At the end of all this,” we’d console one another, “the Boekelo party is going to be INSANE.”

For the uninitiated among you, Military Boekelo, which hosts a CCIO4*-L that incorporates the finale of the FEI Nations Cup series, isn’t just the Netherland’s showpiece event. It’s also the greatest week-long party that you’ll find within our sport, and the crown jewel is Tuesday night’s welcome bash for riders and connections, which turns a humble tent in the stabling area into the world’s greatest, sweatiest den of depravity. Ever wanted to see an Olympian working a pole? Or, in fact, dangling from one as they clamber up the ceiling of the marquee? Abandon all dignity, ye who enter here, because anything goes — and boy, did it go. As Boekelo made its welcome return to the calendar for the first time since 2019 — just in time for its 50th anniversary — everyone warmly thrust themselves into the light at the end of a very, very long tunnel. And yes, I’ve reread that sentence since I typed it, and I’m going to roll with it. Blame the vodka.

My Persson, groom for Sweden’s Christoffer Forsberg, plants a smooch on Con Classic 2. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Somehow, though, everyone managed to emerge this morning for rainy course walks, schooling sessions, and, of course, the final preparations for today’s first horse inspection, which took place in the main arena just after lunch. Or breakfast, if you didn’t quite manage that productive morning.

Katie Ruppel and Houdini embrace the autumnal vibes. Read: it’s bloody cold. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

It’s a slightly more compact field than we’d ordinarily see here, largely because of the welcome glut of three-days populating the calendar in the latter half of the season, but an exciting line-up of 62 horses and riders from 12 countries will tackle the competition after being accepted by president of the ground jury Andrew Bennie (NZL) and his cohorts Christina Klingspor (SWE) and Merel Schurink (NED). While the assembled horses looked very fit, fresh, and ready for action, many of the riders looked predictably green around the gills as they attempted to navigate something like a straight line. Duly noted, too, were those riders who were last seen dancing atop a table but were mysteriously absent from the horse inspection, and whose horses were presented by teammates instead. Man, it’s good to be back and delightful to suffer this much on a Wednesday.

It’s been a tough morning. Here’s Italy’s Giulio Guglielmi to make things a little bit better. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

A total of nine teams will tackle the Nations Cup competition, and though no one can eclipse the points earned thus far this season by Sweden, the 2019 series champions, the team competition title here remains a highly coveted one. The British team, made up of William Fox-Pitt and Graffenacht (“I was last here eight years ago,” he remarks, “and I recognise absolutely nothing!”), James Rushbrooke and Milchem Eclipse, Izzy Taylor and Hartacker, and newly-minted European Champion Nicola Wilson and her Blenheim CCI4*-S winner Coolparks Sarco will fight to add yet another victory to Britain’s extraordinary tally this year, but they’ll have particularly strong competition from a formidable US team.

Jennie Brannigan and FE Lifestyle take their spot on a strong US team. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Riding high on the collective confidence that a very close team second at Aachen — and, of course, Will Coleman’s history-making win — brought, the US looks set for a seriously big week. Seven squad combinations have made the journey across the pond, and four of those will ride as part of the team: Tamie Smith and Danito join Matt Flynn and Wizzerd, who made their debut here in 2019, Aachen pathfinders Sydney Elliott and QC Diamantaire, and Jennie Brannigan and FE Lifestyle in the team competition, while Tamie’s second ride, Solaguayre California, Hallie Coon and Global Ex, and Katie Ruppel and Houdini will compete as individuals.

Hallie Coon and Global Ex make their Boekelo debut. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Dressage kicks off tomorrow from 10.00 a.m. local time, which is 9.00 a.m. if you’re in the UK and an eye-watering 4.00 a.m. if you’re on the East coast of the US. Fortunately, the first up to bat for the US is Tamie Smith, so her California compatriots will be able to tune in and cheer her on at a slightly more reasonable 1.28 in the morning. Slightly. Here are the full times for tomorrow’s first day of competition, while the times for the US crew are as follows (the remainder of the US riders will ride on Friday):

  • Tamie Smith and Danito: 10.28 a.m. local/4.28 a.m. Eastern
  • Matt Flynn and Wizzerd: 11.32 a.m. local/5.32 a.m. Eastern
  • Sydney Elliott and QC Diamantaire: 12.35 p.m. local/6.35 a.m. Eastern
  • Jennie Brannigan and FE Lifestyle: 2.49 p.m. local/8.49 a.m. Eastern

Matt Flynn and Wizzerd return to Boekelo. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Tomorrow’s competition will focus solely on the team riders, while individual competitors will come forward on Friday to join the fight for glory. As always, we’ll be bringing you all the news and updates on the action throughout the week. Well, most of it, anyway.

Until next time, folks: Go Eventing, and Go get yourself a drink. Proost!

Military Boekelo: [Website] [Entries and Live Scoring] [Live-Stream] [EN’s Coverage]