Classic Eventing Nation

Weekend Winners: Areas II and VIII Crown Champions + More!

By on Oct 4, 2021 1:00 pm -

It’s Area Championship season as we get into the thick of the fall competition calendar, and we saw champions from both Area II and Area VIII take home their prizes over the weekend. Let’s jump right in!

This week’s Unofficial Low Score award was a battle of the 19s, but eventually it was Hannah Reeser and Ltl Ireland Summr Soldier, competing in the Area VIII Beginner Novice Amateur Championship, would took the top honors with a finishing score of 19.3 at Jump Start. Ltl Ireland Summr Soldier is a 2014 Morgan mare, and this pair is no stranger to competitive scores on the flat! Their personal best together came at this same event in 2019, where they earned a 15.5 to win the Beginner Novice Amateur Championship. They also finished third in the same division at this year’s USEA American Eventing Championships, also held at Kentucky Horse Park. Many congratulations, you two!

Coming closely behind Hannah and also finishing on scores in the 19s this week are Adalee Ladwig and Argenta MSF (Jump Start – Area VIII Open Novice Championship) and Julie Augustine and Texas Riddle (Maryland – Area II Novice Championship), who each ended on a score of 19.8. Well done to all!

Editor’s Note: As of publication, Facebook and Instagram are still down, so we’ll update this post with social media once they’re back up and running!

Fleur de Leap H.T. (Folsom, La.): [Website] [Results]

Training: Emily Jackson and Southern Reserver ERE (83.7)
Training/Novice: Margaret Morgan and Kegan MacCruise (37.1)
Novice: Kalie Beckers and Calla GBF (28.3)
Novice Junior: Hudsyn Bagwell and Ardeo Mermus Hill (37.4)
Beginner Novice: Ginny Harrison and Romeo Alfa R (31.8)
Beginner Novice Junior: Ann Parker Meyers and Lean Upon Me (34.3)
Novice/Beginner Novice: Hannah Reynolds and Painted Postcard (32.6)
Introductory: Delanie Ward and Wish Upon A Star (37.0)
Starter: McMillan Williams and Misty’s Sorrento Breeze (35.8)
Starter Junior: Victoria Sudkamp and Razzles (32.8)

Jump Start H.T. and Area VIII Championships (Lexington, Ky.): [Website] [Results]

Intermediate Championship: Dan Kreitl and Horales (46.0)
Open Intermediate: Allie Knowles and Street Call (50.7)
Open Preliminary Div 1: Benjamin Noonan and Keep Kitty (30.7)
Open Preliminary Div 2: Liz Halliday-Sharp and FE Caison (24.4)
Preliminary Championship: Maxine Preston and Wants To Be Cooley (32.2)
Open Training: Marty Riney and George Alexander (28.3)
Open Training Championship: Adalee Ludwig and Diego (29.1)
Open Training Junior Championship: Lydia Eifler and Hans Christian (25.0)
Training Amateur Championship: Cora Severs and Cuervo (25.2)
Training Horse: Ciaran Thompson and Ooh La La SCF (29.2)
Training Rider Div 1: Jenny Lackey and Dallo de la Galerna (25.5)
Training Rider Div 2: Micki McDaniel and Magic Artist (30.9)
Novice Amateur Championship: Jane Musselman and Bentley’s Best (25.5)
Novice Horse: Julia Spatt and Uptown Funk (25.7)
Novice Junior Championship: Victoria Baugh and Curioso (28.3)
Novice Rider Div 1: Ansley Whitehouse and Dynamic Knight (32.3)
Novice Rider Div 2: Erin Kowalewski and HSH Lastikko (21.7)
Novice Rider Div 3: Madeline Bletzacker and Landtino S (28.6)
Open Novice: Megan Edwards and Galwaybay HSH (24.1)
Open Novice Championship: Adalee Ladwig and Argenta MSF (19.8)
Beginner Novice Amateur Championship: Hannah Reeser and Ltl Ireland Summr Soldier (19.3)
Beginner Novice Horse: Tate Northrop and Bourbon Boy (26.8)
Beginner Novice Jr. Championship: Maggie Hahn and Duchess (32.0)
Beginner Novice Rider Div 1: Ajay Ryan and Cool Under Fire (32.5)
Beginner Novice Rider Div 2: Lindsay Parsley and Kilkenny Mile (28.0)
Open Beginner Novice: Kaylianna McMorris and Fernhill Future Star (28.0)
Open Beginner Novice Championship: Anika Hawes and Can Do Man (27.3)
Starter Div 1: Brittany Wilson and Playboy (26.3)
Starter Div 2: Danielle Northup and Charley (30.0)
Starter Div 3: Erika Adams and Girl On Fire (28.5)

Larkin Hill H.T. (North Chatham, Ny.): [Website] [Scores]

**Larkin Hill was run as a CT due to weather, and we are told the scoring reflects the final placings. We apologize if any of the results from this show are incorrect!**

Preliminary CT: Booli Selmayr and Carnivale King (28.7)
Training CT: Kate Day and Fortissimo (26.6)
Open Novice A: Emilie Smith and Kildare’s BGS Destination Street (32.6)
Open Novice B: Alexander Conrad and Lexington II (22.6)
Introductory A: Hayden Aureli and Number Nine (33.9)
Introductory B: Miriam Evans and Sunny (24.7)
Open Beginner Novice A: Sophia Grace and Craig Mor Tom (27.0)
Open Beginner Novice B: Alexander Conrad and Sequel (26.5)
Open Beginner Novice C: Morgen M Bowers and Joya de Esmeralda (28.5)

Thank you to Joan Davis of Flatlandsfoto for sharing these winner shots from Larkin Hill! Don’t forget to support your show photographers — Larkin Hill riders can order their shots from this weekend here.

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

Intermediate Championships: Tim Bourke and Quality Explosion (43.4)
Open Intermediate: Anna Loschiavo and Fernhill That Guy Jack (45.9)
Open Preliminary: Ryan Wood and Bellavista (38.9)
Preliminary Championships: Martin Douzant and Olympus (34.0)
Modified A: Holly Shade and Hang on Caitlyn (32.1)
Modified B: Tim Bourke and Kung Fu Quality (35.1)
Modified C: Lindsay Kelley and Plumes (31.9)
Modified Championships: Courtney Cooper and Briarhill Excel Star Take 2 (29.5)
Junior Open Training: Jenna Levesque and Paprika (36.8)
Junior Training Championships: Sydney Sturgill and Papa Pablo (42.4)
Open Training: Lexi Scovil and SH Just For Laughs (23.6)
Training Championships: Ashley Trier and LNJ Encyclopedia (30.2)
Training Rider: Kenya Siepser and Charlie Hustle (41.2)
Junior Novice Championships: Leeci Rowsell and Man of Conviction (30.2)
Junior Open Novice: Catherine Kelly and Cooley Meridian (36.4)
Novice Championships: Julie Augustine and Texas Riddle (19.8)
Novice Rider A: Cassandra Strobel and Weather Advisory (31.2)
Novice Rider B: Alexandria Huber and Willy Wonka (31.7)
Open Novice: Kate Coleman and Calloway (22.4)
Beginner Novice Championships: Rebecca Barber and Here and Now (29.5)
Beginner Novice Rider: Sonja Tucker and Gustav (28.0)
Junior Beginner Novice: Daisy Shumaker and The Magician’s Nephew (38.5)
Junior Beginner Novice Championships: Willow Chase and Diablo (25.1)
Open Beginner Novice: Courtney Cooper and Excel Star Quidam’s Cavalier (24.3)

Middle Tennessee Pony Club H.T. (Nashville, Tn.): [Website] [Results]

Training: Sydney Ayres and Pucon (30.9)
Novice: Chelsea Sawtell and Covenant (24.5)
Beginner Novice A: Kim Clark and Mimi’s Musical (22.3)
Beginner Novice B: Sofie Rhodes and Fly High Harvey (35.9)
Starter A: Anne Dottore and Admiralty (34.0)
Starter B: Olivia Trotter and Corner Oak Loch Lorian (39.3)

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

Open Training: Julie Pawlak and Catch Me (39.7)
Open Novice A: Dean Santistevan and Vegas (33.1)
Open Novice B: Kara Miller and Chesterland’s Knockout (31.0)
Open Beginner Novice A: Sarah Richards and LaMarca WF (32.0)
Open Beginner Novice B: Emmy Williams and Fortunate Rebel (31.3)
Introductory A: Madeline Backus and Felix Felicis (23.9)
Introductory B: Lauren Fedorczyk and C3’s Playing With Fire (37.1)

Spokane Sport Horse Seventh Annual Fall H.T. (Spokane, Wa.): [Website] [Results]

CCI3*-S: Stephanie Cooper and Sketchy Past (46.2)
CCI2*-S: Ella Kurtz and Sportsfield Harley Davis (37.7)
Open Intermediate: Ashley Widmer and What Are The Odds (53.0)
Open Preliminary: Karen O’Neal and Clooney 14 (28.5)
Open Modified: Dane Padgett and Cafe Noir (27.8)
Junior Training: Ella Eisenbarth and Bryn Carregwen Serendipity (31.8)
Open Training: Whitney Spicher and Ballon (27.9)
Training Amateur: Kathryn Daniel and de la Renta (28.4)
Training Three-Day: Annie Budiselich and Bff Brushfire (33.5)
Junior Novice: Hanni Sreenan and Enchanted (29.8)
Novice Amateur: Sandy Flowers and Reno’s Lad (29.8)
Open Novice: Devin Robel and Gillou (21.2)
Novice Three-Day: Olivia Murphy and Navigator (26.8)
Beginner Novice Amateur: Emily Morrison and Finn (31.3)
Junior Beginner Novice: Piper Hale and Diavolo (29.0)
Open Beginner Novice: Natalie Sullivan and Liberia (32.3)
Beginner Novice Three-Day: Kady Ellifritz and Yankee Bay (29.7)
Introductory A: Whitney Spicher and Jaguar’s Jewell (26.9)
Introductory B: Kathy Rundhaug and Etched In Copper (38.2)
FEH 2 Year Old: Ghislaine Homan-Taylor and Trilogy (72.9)
FEH 3 Year Old: Tanya Adamson and Idaho’s Icewater (73.7)
FEH 4 Year Old: Mary Burke and Valinteno (73.0)
FEH Yearling: Julie Bishop and TBF Sweet Harmony (69.7)
YEH 4 Year Old: Sarah Sullivan and La Copine (81.6)
YEH 5 Year Old: Lois James and Copper Fox (83.7)

Sundance Farm H.T. (Plymouth, Wi.): [Website] [Results]

Open Preliminary: Rebecca Roth and Chapter Two (31.7)
Open Training: Hannah Boyd and Billy McClusky (25.2)
Novice Rider Junior: Megan Holmes and VC Casandra (25.7)
Novice Rider Senior: Cathrine Wunderlich and Concatulations (30.2)
Open Novice: Lauren Miller and Beau’s My Daddy (30.2)
Beginner Novice Junior: Morgan Peterson and Tiz Vivid (29.0)
Beginner Novice Senior: Alexandra Walters and Wrenaissance (28.1)
Open Beginner Novice: Kenneth Dierks and Forget To Remember (34.3)
Starter A: Christy Schlough and Vanquish (33.0)
Starter B: Keileen Driscoll and White Gold (31.4)

Willow Draw Charity Show (Weatherford, Tx.): [Website] [Results]

Open Training: Rebecca Brown and Fe Chiara Mia (30.9)
Training Rider: Courtney Kurlger and Eagle Rising (33.4)
Novice Rider Junior: Scarlett Peinado and 50 Shades of Envy (31.0)
Novice Rider Senior: Ashton Jones and CMF Rembrandt (37.4)
Open Novice: Laura McEvoy and Visconti (28.3)
Beginner Novice Rider Junior: Avery Stroud and Valedictorian (31.5)
Beginner Novice Rider Senior: Anna Hailey and Roma (32.5)
Open Beginner Novice: Hannah Corlett and Mac Creiche (26.8)
Starter: Kamran Fatehdin and Native Black Label (36.6)

Kentucky Says ‘Yes!’ to EQUITANA USA 2021

By on Oct 4, 2021 11:00 am -

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

A marriage proposal was the icing on a huge cake celebrating the horse at EQUITANA USA this weekend. Thousands of fans poured into the Kentucky Horse Park Friday, Saturday and Sunday to experience the first North American iteration of the event in almost two decades. The premier horse industry event finally happened for in-person fans after moving all-virtual last year due to COVID-19.

Fans and professionals of all riding levels, disciplines, and breeds, as well as enthusiasts of all ages celebrated the horse during the three-day event.

Saturday afternoon saw the most unexpected highlight for EQUITANA USA 2021. Lindsay Partridge’s Confidence Building session worked on Suffolk, Va., trainer and owner Joe Musicaro as well as the horses. He dropped to one knee and proposed to Jennifer Rose, Partridge’s exhibition rider, as she prepared to dismount following the session. She said yes.

The engagement only added to the successful event.

“Getting back to in-person events has been a relief and celebration for everyone this year,” said Meghan Margewicz, the event director. “Since this was our debut for EQUITANA USA here, the excitement had a bit of an extra happy edge to it. The wedding proposal was a brilliant exclamation point for the weekend.”

“From the clinics and seminars to the activities and shopping, our attendees got a lot out of the weekend,” she continued. “We know we’re only going to grow in years to come.”

From the opening ribbon cutting by Margewicz and event spokesperson Jane Besehar, former First Lady of Kentucky, to the closing keynote from paralympian Sydney Collier, attendees basked in the love of the horse.

The Lost Art of Horsemanship panel featured (l to r): Pat Parelli, Max Cororan, Ronny Riemer and Karen Rohlf. Photo courtesy of EQUITANA USA.

“We’ve really enjoyed getting to see the other breeds,” said Chris Hazlewood of Chapel Hill, Tenn., who attended with his daughter Georgia. “It’s been exciting to see horses that we’ve never seen before.”

Reality television star Carson Kressley not only attended, but participated in the BraveHearts “Trail to Zero” ride to honor veterans who lose their mental health battle to suicide. BraveHearts works to solve that problem by offering equine assisted therapy and activities to veterans that would benefit. Kressley, most recently a judge on the Food Networks BBQ Brawl and Rupal’s Drag Race, is perhaps most known for one of the original cast members of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.

Attendees packed sessions and clinics featuring U.S. Olympians Lauren Graves and Phillip Dutton. Legendary trainer Pat Parelli’s multiple sessions were also full of people and education. Top U.S. Polo player Nic Roldan not only presented, but exhibited his new Roldan Lifestyle brand of clothing.

Exhibitors were pleased with the new opportunity to connect with customers and equine enthusiasts who came from all around North America.

“This has been a fantastic show,” said Mike Stradiot of Denver, Colo.-based Drinking Post, a self-cleaning watering mechanism for the horse. “Personally, my favorite part of the show has been the opportunity to meet a ton of new people and interact with the market that traditionally we haven’t had an opportunity to get engaged with. It’s been a fantastic show, phenomenal people and it’s been a really good time.”

“I love EQUITANA because it brings a lot of different types of trainers all into one space,” said Kara Musgrave of Green Guard Equine. “So you can see a really big variety of some of the best horsemanship in the nation.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CUlvSlVLWZo/

2016 and 2021 Paralympian Sydney Collier closed out the weekend with a compelling closing keynote talk entitled, “Learning to Love the Lindas in Your Life.” She shared her experience with always resenting her immobile left arm (Linda) to reframe that resentment which improved her competitive performances.

“It’s not something I could order on late night television,” she quipped. “It’s actually something that’s taken a long time and it has taken a lot of surrounding myself with people who actually don’t see Linda as a lost cause.”

Collier used Linda as a metaphor to tell the audience they could overcome their own challenges in competition and in life.

“Let’s face it, there are no improvements to be made without taking that initial leap of faith, in starting the process,” she explained. “That’s where it’s so intimidating … to take that first step in whatever you’re trying to do.”

More event photos and experiences can be found on the EQUITANA USA website as well as its social channels (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter).

EQUITANA USA will return to the Kentucky Horse Park in September 2022. Official dates will be announced soon.

For more information about EQUITANA USA, visit www.equitanausa.com or www.kyhorsepark.com.

Horses and Graduate School, Part II: The Cold Call

By on Oct 4, 2021 9:00 am -

As Ema Klugman navigates her way through law school and a professional riding career, she’s taking us along for the ride. You can catch up on previous editions of this column here.

Ema Klugman & Bronte Beach Z. Photo by Abby Powell.

Set the scene:

It’s 6:02pm, and your class began at 6:00pm. You had bet that there would be no traffic, and planned your drive accordingly. As usual, you were incorrect. Okay, two minutes late; what could you have missed? The woman who sits next to you offers you her notes from what you missed, and you copy them down hurriedly.

The professor is one of the best-known at the university, and an expert in “civil procedure” (the name of this class) which basically means all the federal rules that lawyers and courts have to follow during civil lawsuits. It is the most unfamiliar and confusing subject you could have imagined, and he moves through the material quickly. Most days you feel like you are attempting to jump a 1.20m course when you haven’t actually mastered the posting trot yet. But, you figure, most of the other students are probably feeling the same way.

This professor is also notorious for his cold-calls. Different professors employ the Socratic method in different ways, but this one has a list of all the students’ names and seems to pick them at random and grill them with anywhere from three to twenty questions on any topic he chooses. You are lucky if the questions are related to the reading that day, because they may be entirely different and require some serious imagination.

Okay, we are back in class. It’s approximately 6:35pm, and you get cold-called. The difference in how you feel now versus when you simply raise your hand and offer an answer is enormous. It’s as if the rest of the lecture class has gone dark and a spotlight is focused on you. Not only is the professor judging your every word; so too are your classmates (most of whom are actually very nice, despite the stereotype of crazy, competitive, Type-A law students). You hope that you can remember how to actually string a sentence together, and that at least some of your answers will be right. You also hope that you don’t have a stray piece of hay or something in your hair, since you drove here from the barn.

In the end, it wasn’t all that bad. What this professor does so well is he does not let you get away with just saying “yes” or “no”; he forces you to defend your answers. And you realize in the course of combatting his endless “why’s” that maybe if you cannot defend this answer, it is not a particularly defensible or correct answer!

I survived all of his questions and understood more than half of what we were discussing, which counts as a win for me. Finally, after about 40 minutes and several dozen questions, he looked down at his little notebook and called out another first-year student’s name. I was off the hook. I passed the torch onto the next cold-call victim.

This is a horse website, and I do promise that all of this does in fact relate to horses. Here’s how: cold-calls are terrifying and stressful. It’s the uncertainty, the feeling of being singled-out, and the sense that no matter how much you prepare, you may not know the answers to all the questions. I think that horses in competition are effectively being “cold-called.” Each venue and course designer is different. In the hunter ring, this proposition is less true because the courses are so predictable. But in virtually any other jumping class, you have to prepare the best you can and then hope that you can come up with the goods when you are cold-called.

I think that this idea is useful when we are thinking of training young horses or green riders. We have to train the horse and rider for any kind of situation. Will we be able to expose them to everything they might see in competition? No. But we can give them the tools to solve it. We can improve their critical thinking. We can explain the “why” to them so that they can understand what we are asking and apply it to other situations. You cannot predict every question a horse or rider will be asked at a given competition. That’s one of the challenges of our sport.

The other thing that cold-calling has taught me is that to be successful, your brain has to work even when you are experiencing stage fright. It’s happened to me on horses before—I’ve let the anxiety of the competition moment overcome my thinking and made mistakes that I would not make under less pressure. It’s also happened to horses I was riding before—even though I may not be stressed about the moment as a rider, they are.

What is the fix to this anxiety? How does one get better at answering cold-calls? We have to keep putting ourselves and our horses in those situations, no matter how uncomfortable they are. In life, law school, or horses there are rarely quick fixes, but the more we are exposed to new questions and have to think on our feet, the better we will get at it.

Want more stories like this? Be sure to follow Jumper Nation for more!

Monday News & Notes from FutureTrack

By on Oct 4, 2021 6:00 am -

Honestly, how cool is Mary King?! She’s not just a five-star winner, she’s also now a marathon runner — oh, and she’s sailed the Atlantic, too, because apparently her capacity for adrenaline is completely and utterly untouchable. We love to see eventers doing great things, and her run in the London Marathon over the weekend wasn’t just a super new challenge for herself — it was also a way to raise vital funds for the Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital. What a woman.

National Holiday: It’s National Vodka Day. Cheers.

US Weekend Action:

Fleur de Leap H.T. (Folsom, La.): [Website] [Results]

Jump Start H.T. and Area VIII Championships (Lexington, Ky.): [Website] [Results]

Larkin Hill H.T. (North Chatham, Ny.): [Website] [Results]

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

Middle Tennessee Pony Club H.T. (Nashville, Tn.): [Website] [Results]

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

Spokane Sport Horse Seventh Annual Fall H.T. (Spokane, Wa.): [Website] [Results]

Sundance Farm H.T. (Plymouth, Wi.): [Website] [Results]

Willow Draw Charity Show (Weatherford, Tx.): [Website] [Results]

UK Weekend Action:

Osberton International (2) and British Young Horse Championships: [Results]

Little Downham (4): [Results]

Your Monday Reading List:

As we head towards the tail end of another season, it’s a useful time to review rule changes that came into play over the last few months. Chief among them? This summer’s addition of the Compulsory Retirement rule, which comes into play if you have five or more rails down in the showjumping. Brush up on what the rule means — and why it exists — courtesy of US Eventing. [Rule Refresher: What is the Compulsory Retirement Rule?]

Is your horse obeying your commands — or has he shut down? Get to grips with the concept of learned helplessness, and its effects on your horse’s wellbeing, and you’ll learn to spot it when it creeps into your training programme — and that’ll help you lots in the long run. [The Slippery Slope to Learned Helplessness in Horses]

Take a sneak peek at next week’s inaugural Maryland 5 Star, and get P.Dutty’s top tips for drop fences, all in the latest edition of Practical Horseman Extra! [Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill • Dutton’s Tips for Drops]

I’ve spent three decades trying to pick up whatever wins I can, but this 17-month old kiddo has just managed her first victory. Maybe the issue is that I haven’t been dressed as a bee? I’ll try it and report back. [Tiny ‘busy bee’ rider wins at her first show – at 17 months old]

The FutureTrack Follow:

Okay, it’s WAY too early to start thinking about the holiday season, but I’ll admit I felt a few warm and fuzzies browsing through the tiny equestrian paintings — and their tiny, hanging frames that turn them into one-of-a-kind ornaments! — created by Studio 31. Their Instagram provides some great inspiration if you’re a bit arty-minded.

Morning Viewing:

Take a turn around Stable View’s Oktoberfest CCI3*-S with Elisa Wallace and Munson Slew, ahead of their run in Maryland’s CCI3*-L next week!

#EventerProblems Vol. 277: Meet U.S. Eventing’s TikTok Superstar

By on Oct 3, 2021 9:00 am -

With over 29,000 followers, eventer Amanda lo Cousins of ACE Equestrian in Hume, Virginia is nailing it with her TikTok account (@pewpewsnponies). By turns hilarious and inspiring, we’ve loved following her adventures with Duncan, her 9-year-old Thoroughbred gelding (Bellamy Road x Dontstealmythunder). After a very nearly spotless cross country record together (what a cross country machine!)…

@pewpewsnponies what a horse #horsesoftiktok #equestrian ♬ Whatever It Takes – Imagine Dragons

… Amanda broke and I mean REALLY broke) her arm when her horse had a bobble (but she didn’t fall off!) in the two-star at Great Meadow in August, and very sensibly retired on course. We wish Amanda a speedy recovery and thank her for keeping all our spirits high.

@pewpewsnponies Can’t even #horsesoftiktok #equestrian ♬ original sound – Marcial

@pewpewsnponies It’s kind of like that 😂 big week #horsesoftiktok #equestrian ♬ original sound – Tik Toker

@pewpewsnponies haha true to life right now!! #horsesoftiktok #equestrian ♬ Cry or boss up how about both – Annie

@pewpewsnponies It’s where I’m at #horsesoftiktok #equestrian ♬ Cry myself to sleep every night – Juju🦋

@pewpewsnponies Can I get an amen? 😂 #horsesoftiktok #equestrian ♬ I will grow under any conditions – Singing to your subconscious

@pewpewsnponies Truth #equestrian #horsesoftiktok ♬ original sound – toxic king

@pewpewsnponies To celebrate officially entering my first 2* today! #horsesoftiktok #equestrian ♬ original sound – Jade Wallenburg 🇦🇺

@pewpewsnponies Me pulling 8 strides out from a big table 😂 #horsesoftiktok #equestrian ♬ original sound – mark🥷🏾

@pewpewsnponies How I get changed for XC #horsesoftiktok #equestrian ♬ misery 4 u – Nick

Don’t forget to tag ’em on social for inclusion in future editions! Go Eventing.

Sunday Links from Fairfax & Favor

By on Oct 3, 2021 12:01 am -

Lauren Nicholson and Paramount Importance. Photo by Shelby Allen.

You may have noticed an influx of tasseled boots on the job strip at big events. I know that everyone watching the livestream of the horse inspections at Kentucky did — they were the talk of the Facebook live chats! The brand behind these eye-catching boots that have taken over jog strips around the world is Fairfaix & Favor and we are delighted to welcome them aboard in sponsoring our Sunday Links posts.

Yes, Fairfax & Favor’s tall country lifestyle boots are iconic, but make sure you check out their entire catalog as there’s a little something for everyone including both women’s and men’s footwear, plus handbags, belts, other accessories and apparel. They have a brand new Emerald Collection and I absolutely cannot get over how gorgeous it all is.

U.S. Weekend Action:

Fleur de Leap H.T. (Folsom, La.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sunday Links:

1969 Badminton eventer to run London Marathon aged 71

Rule Refresher: What is the Compulsory Retirement Rule?

Auction of 4-Star Trailer to Benefit Upcoming Maryland 5 Star Event

Guidance given on horse rein-tension studies in fresh review

Hot on Horse Nation: Book Review: ‘Horse Girls’

US Equestrian Announces CCI4*-S, CCI3*-L, and Advanced Level Competitions for 2023-2027

By on Oct 2, 2021 9:00 am -

Alyssa Phillips and Oskar. Photo by Shelby Allen.

We’ll see some shuffling of upper-level competitions in the forthcoming season and with a few new additions to the USEF Eventing calendar we’re in for another busy season — and a WEG in Italy to boot! US Equestrian has announced the 4*, 3* and Advanced events that have been approved under a new calendaring process. Notable on the calendar are new dates for events such as TerraNova, which is hosting its first CCI4*-S this month, as well as a new CCI4*-S and Advanced at Kentucky Classique in early September. Keep reading for all of the additions and changes to the eventing calendar.

US Equestrian is pleased to announce the competitions approved by the USEF Board of Directors to host CCI4*-S, CCI3*-L and Advanced level events during the 2023-2027 competition cycle under the new Eventing Calendar Process. The new process is designed to produce the most effective U.S. sporting calendar to properly develop and prepare High Performance horses and athletes to be competitive at international long format competitions and Championships both in the U.S. and on the world stage.

All U.S. Organizers were invited to bid to host the CCI4*-L, CCI4*-S, CCI3*-L and Advanced levels through a bid process. The CCI4*-L bid allocations were announced on August 21. The approved bids met the criteria outlined in the 2023-2027 U.S. Eventing Calendar CCI4*-L, CCI4*-S, CCI3*-L & Advanced Policies & Procedures. The USEF Eventing Bid Review Group provided their recommendations to the USEF Eventing Sport Committee and USEF International Disciplines Council prior to Board approval.

The approved host competitions and their 2023 dates are as follows:

February 11, 2023 – Rocking Horse Advanced Horse Trials – Advanced (Altoona, Fla.)

February 25, 2023 – Pine Top Advanced Horse Trials – Advanced (Thomson, Ga.)

March 4, 2023 – Twin Rivers Spring International – CCI4*-S, Advanced (Paso Robles, Calif.)

March 11, 2023 – Red Hills International – Advanced (Tallahassee, Fla.)

March 18, 2023 – Copper Meadows Horse Trials – Advanced (Ramona, Calif.)

March 18, 2023 – Carolina International – CCI4*-S, Advanced (Raeford, N.C.)

April 1, 2023 – The Event at TerraNova – CCI4*-S, Advanced (Myakka City, Fla.)

April 1, 2023 – Galway Downs International – CCI4*-S, Advanced (Temecula, Calif.)

April 8, 2023 – Stable View Spring 1*/2*/3*/4* – CCI4*-S, Advanced (Aiken, S.C.)

April 22, 2023 – Fair Hill International – Advanced (Elkton, Md.)

April 29, 2023 – Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event – CCI4*-S (Lexington, Ky.)

May 6, 2023 – Chattahoochee Hills Horse Trials – Advanced (Fairburn, Ga.)

June 17, 2023 – Horse Park of New Jersey Horse Trials – Advanced (Allentown, N.J.)

June 24, 2023 – Stable View Summer Horse Trials – Advanced (Aiken, S.C.)

July 1, 2023 – Twin Rivers Summer Horse Trials – Advanced (Paso Robles, Calif.)

July 8, 2023 – The Maryland International – CCI4*-S (Adamstown, Md.)

July 29, 2023 – Millbrook Horse Trials – Advanced (Millbrook, N.Y.)

August 26, 2023 – Great Meadow International – CCI4*-S (The Plains, Va.)

September 2, 2023 – Chattahoochee Hills Horse Trials – Advanced (Fairburn, Ga.)

September 2, 2023 – Kentucky Classique – CCI4*-S, Advanced (Lexington, Ky.)

September 9, 2023 – Copper Meadows Horse Trials – Advanced (Ramona, Calif.)

September 16, 2023 – Aspen Farms Horse Trials – Advanced (Yelm, Wash.)

September 16, 2023 – Tryon Fall Horse Trials – CCI4*-S, Advanced (Mill Spring, N.C.)

September 23, 2023 – Unionville – CCI4*-S, Advanced (Unionville, Pa.)

September 23, 2023 – Twin Rivers Fall International – CCI4*-S, Advanced (Paso Robles, Calif.)

September 30, 2023 – Stable View Oktoberfest – CCI4*-S, Advanced (Aiken, S.C.)

October 14, 2023 – Woodside International – CCI4*-S, Advanced (Woodside, Calif.)

October 21, 2023 – Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill – CCI3*-L (Elkton, Md.)

October 28, 2023 – Chattahoochee Hills Horse Trials – CCI4*-S, Advanced (Fairburn, Ga.)

In addition to these levels awarded through the bid process, other FEI and National levels were approved to be offered at these competitions. The complete list of 2023-2027 dates and levels can be viewed on the U.S. Eventing Calendar Process webpage.

While the bid selections are allocated through 2027, each organizer will be required to submit an annual license renewal to be reviewed through the USEF Competition Licensing process, which may include a competition evaluation. During the five-year cycle, each competition can be evaluated annually to ensure they continue to meet the standards expected for hosting the approved levels, and USEF can determine that deficiencies or other concerns may results in the disapproval of a license renewal or full removal from the competition calendar.

The USEF recognizes and thanks organizers of competitions at all levels – both FEI and National – for their contributions to the overall growth and commitment to the sport in the U.S.

Please refer to the U.S. Eventing Calendar Process webpage for information regarding the Eventing Calendar Process. Questions can be directed to [email protected].

Saturday Links

By on Oct 2, 2021 12:01 am -

You thought following the action at Aachen and the European Championships were exciting? Oh, we’re not done yet! Brace yourself for Boekelo, where we’ll have several American pairs testing their hand (hoof?) at this tricky Dutch course. Stay tuned for lots to come from The Netherlands this week!

U.S. Weekend Action:

Fleur de Leap H.T. (Folsom, La.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Saturday Links:

The Success of Her Students Helps Lillian Heard “Get It Right”

How The CREW Connects BIPOC Youth to Horses And Hopes to Change Lives

The Cold Call: Horses and Graduate School, Part II

US Equestrian Announces CCI4*-S, CCI3*-L, and Advanced Level Competitions for 2023-2027

Do Horses Bond to Humans? Proof Is Lacking, Says Researcher

Saturday Video: Is it a faux pas to use my own video in this post? Maybe. But I really feel the need to share the cuteness and hilarity that is my dog “helping” with a recent jump lesson:

 

 

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Friday Video from SmartPak: The Rise and Rise of Nicola Wilson, Your European Champion

By on Oct 1, 2021 6:00 pm -

We know most of you will have been ardent admirers of Great Britain’s Nicola Wilson since the days she was partnered with the exceptional Opposition Buzz, a horse who never saw a long one he didn’t like but who always pulled off the most unusual of strides with guts and gumption. But just in case you’ve been out of the loop, you might just be getting to know her now that she’s become the European Champion, a feat she pulled off with arguably one of the world’s best 10-year-olds, JL Dublin.

The Holsteiner gelding, who Nicola has produced through the levels since picking him up at the Holsteiner sales as a four-year-old, has now won the achingly tough Bicton CCI4*-L — Bramham’s replacement back in June — and the CCI4*-S at Hartpury, which is ordinarily designed to feed horses through to Burghley. But as it turns out, it works just as well as a prep run for a twisty, jump-off style cross-country track like the one in Avenches, where the Europeans was held. Whether you’re already madly in love with JL Dublin and his exceptional rider, or you’re new to the whole story and want a crash course in how the week went down, this super video from FEItv will give you the rundown of an unforgettable week in Switzerland.

MBF Cooley Permission To Land is Heading to Le Lion Thanks to 2021 Holekamp/Turner Grant

By on Oct 1, 2021 9:00 am -

Cole Horn & MBF Cooley Permission To Land. Photo by Lisa Madren.

The United States Eventing Association (USEA) is pleased to announce that Cole Horn’s MBF Permission To Land is the 2021 recipient of the Holekamp/Turner Grant and The Dutta Corp. prize! MBF Cooley Permission To Land (Cobra x Deeply Dippy K) is a 7-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding ridden and owned by Cole Horn and bred by Knightfield Stud. The pair will represent the U.S. at the 2021 FEI Eventing World Breeding Championships for Young Horses in the 7-year-old CCIYH3*-L Championship. The Championship will take place at Mondial du Lion in Le Lion d’Angers, France on October 21-24, 2021.

The intention of the Holekamp/Turner Grant is to further develop an upward pathway for U.S. team horses in the sport of eventing. The grant recipients who are North American bred are awarded the full cash grant of $17,500. If the winner is an imported horse, he will be awarded $8,000. Since MBF Cooley Permission To Land was imported from Ireland in 2018, he will be awarded $8,000. He will also receive The Dutta Corp. prize which is one round-trip flight to Europe.

The horse that has the highest score from the 2019 USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) Championships that is also qualified to compete in the 7-year-old Championship receives the Holekamp/Turner Grant. If the highest-scoring YEH horse from the 2019 YEH Championships does not qualify or is unable to attend, the grant is then awarded to the next highest scorer who is qualified and able to go.

The last day to qualify for the 7-year-old CCIYH3*-L Championship was on Tuesday, Sept. 20, and to qualify, a horse must complete the Minimum Eligibility Requirements (MER) which is one CCI2*-L and one CCI3*-S both with zero jump penalties on cross-country and a maximum of four jump penalties in the show jumping.

MBF Cooley Permission To Land obtained his qualifications at Ocala International CCI2*-L in April 2021 and at River Glen H.T. CCI3*-S in August 2021. Since the pair has moved up to the Intermediate level, they have won every Intermediate level event they’ve entered including the CCI3*-S at River Glen, the Intermediate at the Horse Park of New Jersey H.T., and the Intermediate at Stable View Summer H.T.

This year there was a large field of eligible horses and five total that obtained full qualifications including Camarillo (Chicardo x Rehobeth) an American-bred German Sport Horse, owned and ridden by Doug Payne and bred by Elizabeth Callahan who would have received the grant but passed due to travel concerns and D’Luxe Steel (Up To Date x Nicola D) a Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Jeanne Shigo and ridden by Andrew McConnon is unable to compete due to a rider injury. Cerafino D (Cayado 3 x Serafina II), a Holsteiner gelding ridden by Buck Davidson and owned by Carl Segal and Kathleen Cuca was also fully qualified but opted not to enter in the CCIYH3* Championship.

DHI Showman (Elvis Ter Putte x Bubertha) a Warmblood gelding owned by Sami Crandell and ridden by Buck Davidson, and MBF Cooley Permission To Land (Cobra x Deeply Dippy K) an Irish Sport Horse gelding ridden and owned by Cole Horn will both be competing in the 7-year-old CCIYH3* Championship at Mondial du Lion. These two horses also both competed in the 2019 USEA YEH 5-year-old Championships. Since MBF Cooley Permission To Land received a higher score than DHI Showman at the 2019 USEA YEH Championships, the Holekamp/Turner Grant and The Dutta Corp. prize is awarded to MBF Cooley Permission to Land.

The USEA would like to wish the best of luck to the pairs representing the U.S. at Mondial du Lion! Stay tuned to the USEA website to follow along for updates and information.