Classic Eventing Nation

Today in Tokyo: Sweden Soars, USA Advances in Team Jumping Qualifier

By on Aug 6, 2021 3:00 pm -

This report was compiled from US Equestrian and FEI press releases. 

Malin Baryard-Johnsson (SWE) & Indiana. Photo by FEI / Arnd Bronkhorst.

It was a tough day at the office for many of the nations competing in the Team Jumping Qualifier at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Baji Koen Equestrian Park today. But for Team Sweden it was just another walk in the park.

Since the action began on the first day of the Individual competition last Tuesday, Henrik von Eckermann’s King Edward, Malin Baryard-Johnsson’s Indiana and Peder Fredricson’s All In have not lowered a single pole.

Fredricson and the 15-year-old All In have an incredible record. They were faultless on their way to Individual silver at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and once again on their way to Individual silver here in Tokyo on Wednesday night.

It will be a whole new competition when the action resumes in tomorrow’s Team Final where the top-10 teams from tonight’s qualifier will battle it out once again, all starting on a zero score. But the Swedes look super-confident ahead of that showdown in which they will be challenged by Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, USA, France, Great Britain, Brazil and The Netherlands.

Ondrej Zvara (CZE) & Cento Lano. Photo by FEI / Arnd Bronkhorst.

Dramatic exit

A number of countries made a dramatic exit, including Japan. Daisuke Fukushima and Chanyon, who finished Individually sixth, picked up eight faults when first to go for the host nation, but when Koki Saito and Chilensky were withdrawn that dashed their chances.

Then Irish pathfinder Shane Sweetnam and Alejandro fell at the water-tray vertical at fence 10. The grey gelding had been jumping erratically after paddling the first element of the triple combination at fence five. They left the arena unscathed, but Sweetnam was devastated for his team and for the horse who is normally so reliable.

“He’s an experienced horse, normally he’s very good but he pulled his shoe off going into the triple combination, I don’t know whether that hurt him but it definitely rattled him, and then after that you could see he was very unsettled and wasn’t like himself at all”, said the man who has long been a rock for the Irish side. But his team’s chances of a place in the Final were gone.

When the second rotation of riders got underway Israel’s Teddy Vlock took a fall at the previous liverpool oxer. His 11-year-old mare had already refused at the second fence and had two fences down along the way. Vlock was examined by medics after walking out of the arena and was cleared to go back to his hotel, but knowing that his country was now also out of the medal race.

Photo Copyright © FEI/Christophe Taniére.v

Effortless ease

At the other end of the spectrum the Swedes were just waltzing home with effortless ease. “Our horses have been unbelievable!”, said Baryard-Johnsson. “I think we all have the same feeling that it felt quite easy every round in there – they are all jumping so well, every round!”

The Belgians and Germans also looked very comfortable, both completing with just four faults on the board all made up of time penalties. Gregory Wathelet was last to go for Belgium with Nevados S and felt he was in a comfort zone because his compatriots Pieter Devos with Claire Z and Jerome Guery with Quel Homme de Hus had only collected a single time penalty each. He added two more but didn’t feel under any pressure.

“I just had to go and see how my horse was feeling after the Individual Final because we all know tomorrow will be bigger like the (Individual) Final. It feels like he is fresh so I’m happy about that”, said the rider who finished ninth on Wednesday night.

Germany’s Maurice Tebbel and Don Diarado also picked up two time faults to add to the single faults collected by team-mates Andre Thieme with DSP Chakaria and Daniel Deusser with Killer Queen. Thieme had an interesting time in the arena and said afterwards, “I won’t win the prize for the most stylish round!”, but he was really proud of his 11-year-old mare.

Gregory Wathelet (BEL) & Nevados S. Photo FEI / Arnd Bronkhorst.

Superstar

“She is a superstar and I’m not the only one thinking that. She is complete!”, he said. But that venue, those lights and jumps it’s maybe a bit early and too impressive for her because she’s young and green. But on the other hand if she goes through this she will learn something and everywhere else in the world it will be easy for her. I’m totally in love with this horse! She belongs to the family and she’s so special!”, he added.

Switzerland finished with 10 on the board, the USA with 13, the defending champions from France with 15, and Great Britain racked up 17. The final three teams to make the cut were Brazil who collected 25 faults, The Netherlands who picked up 26 and Argentina who finished with 27 and squeezed Egypt out of the top 10.

Also on the sidelines as the Final plays itself out tomorrow night will be the teams from China, Morocco, New Zealand, Czech Republic and Mexico.

Laura Kraut (USA) & Baloutinue. Photo by FEI/Christophe Taniére.

Team USA

The U.S. Jumping Team has qualified for the Jumping Team Final to be held on Saturday, August 7, beginning at 7:00 p.m. JST/ 6:00 a.m. EDT at Equestrian Park in Tokyo, Japan. The team finished the Team Qualifier competition in fifth place, earning their spot in tomorrow night’s final, with the top ten teams advancing.They will begin tomorrow night on a clean-slate score of zero, as the scores from this evening’s qualifier do not carry over to the team final.

Laura Kraut and Baloutinue led the team as the first combination to test the Santiago Varela (ESP) track and finished with four faults in a time of 80.78 seconds. Jessica Springsteen and Don Juan van de Donkhoeve secured another strong ride for the team, crossing through the timers in 80.67 seconds with only four faults. The anchor combination of McLain Ward and Contagious ensured the team would return for the second round of competition, finishing in 83.03 seconds with four faults and a single time fault. The new format saw a range of scores from the participating teams, ultimately with the U.S. finishing in the top five of 19 teams who contested the course.

Kraut (Royal Palm Beach, Fla.) and Baloutinue, an 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding owned by St. Bride’s Farm, needed to provide a strong foundation for the rest of the team to build on and the duo did just that. The track suited Baloutinue’s style and allowed the pair to position the team off with a strong start, only adding four faults to their score.

“He jumped beautifully. I had said when I walked the course that I thought it could be the bogie jump of the night and I myself probably could have gotten him six inches closer to it, and if I could do it again that’s what I’d do, but other than that he didn’t touch a jump and he did everything I asked of him, so I’m really happy,” said Kraut. “The objective today is to get in tomorrow and pull out all of the stops then.”

In her Olympic debut for the U.S. Jumping Team, Springsteen (Colts Neck, N.J.) and Don Juan van de Donkhoeve, a 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion owned by Stone Hill Farm, looked sharp and competitive. The pair, who just barely missed qualification for the Individual Final earlier in the week, made sure to make the most of their time in the arena at Equestrian Park and secured a second solid effort for the team.

“I thought my horse jumped beautifully. I was thinking for the time allowed a little bit and I just needed to regroup before that last line, but I’m thrilled with the way he’s jumping,” said Springsteen. “I had a lot more nerves today as opposed to the first day. I want to make everyone at home proud and have a good performance for my teammates and I think we’re sitting in a good spot heading into tomorrow.”

McLain Ward (USA) & Contagious. Photo by FEI/Christophe Taniére.

Familiar with the pressure of being the anchor rider for the team, Ward (Brewster, N.Y.) and Contagious, a 12-year-old Deutches Sportpferd gelding owned by Beechwood Stables LLC, were impressive in their competition debut after being subbed in specifically for the team competition. With the new format, Ward and Contagious delivered, ultimately helping to punch the team’s ticket to tomorrow’s highly contested team final.

“My horse felt great. This was a new challenge for Contagious and me. We’ve been on the ice for the better part of four weeks and his last show was Rotterdam, which was over a month ago. Over the last ten days I think I’ve maybe jumped eight or nine jumps and to jump at this level is a real challenge,” said Ward. “He was right there with me and I’m proud of Contagious for stepping up. When I originally got the ride on him, I didn’t know if he was an Olympic horse, and he has proved that he’s capable at this level.”

The team is primed and ready for what will be an intense battle for team medals tomorrow with several strong teams also vying for positions on the podium. Feeling positive after tonight’s class, Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland commented on how pleased he is with the way the team’s strategy is playing out.

“The plan is working so far. We went into tonight looking for three solid rounds and we wanted to come in fresh, and also know that this is the first of potentially three rounds, specifically if we are fortunate enough to do well tomorrow and end up in a jump-off. The plan was to not leave too much on the table and I think that’s what happened tonight,” said Ridland. “I thought all three riders rode great and all three horses looked fresh and jumped great. There were three solid rounds and we easily qualified, so we have a good order tomorrow. We’re in good shape and it’s exactly what I was hoping would be the case for us heading into the final day.”

The Jumping Team Finals for medals will begin at 7:00 p.m. JST/6:00 a.m. EDT tomorrow, August 7.

Facts and Figures:

Great Britain was heading the medal table with a total of 5 going into today’s Team Jumping Qualifier – so far they have won 2 in Eventing, 2 in Dressage and 1 in Jumping.

Germany has won four sets of medals to date, 1 in Eventing and 3 in Dressage.

19 teams of three riders started in this evening’s Olympic Jumping Team Qualifier.

France are defending Olympic team champions.

Results here.

Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Website, EN’s Ultimate Guide to Tokyo 2020, Latest News, Eventing Final Scores , EN’s Coverage, EN’s Instagram, EN’s Twitter

Riders Support Beloved Area 1 Venue, Huntington Farm

By on Aug 6, 2021 9:00 am -

Photo by Joan Davis / Flatlands Foto.

By Julie Howard and Melissa Alaimo

As so many of you may not realize, Area 1 is slowly losing its venues due to expense, time and land issues. The rumor for the past few seasons was that this might happen to Huntington Farm which two years ago, celebrated its 50th year as a competition venue. Anyone who has competed in South Strafford, VT knows what a loss this would be with its big galloping cross country track, tricky stadium course which causes many a rail with the rolling terrain, and the perfectly placed sand dressage rings, nestled in the valley between the Green Mountains.

Photo by Joan Davis / Flatlands Foto.

Thankfully, owner Ann Kitchel took her time and found the perfect buyer. Much to our delight, the new owner wanted to continue hosting events and didn’t miss a beat, keeping the long standing July and August dates on the USEA calendar, in addition to several schooling shows. The new owner, Skylar Clemens is an enthusiastic fan of eventing, and started to work on the vast property straight away.  He cleared land, widened gallop lanes, worked on footing and began to build jumps.  It warmed the hearts of even the coldest Vermont dwellers but being New Englanders, we knew he and his team couldn’t go it alone.

Photo by Joan Davis / Flatlands Foto.

Enter our own gem of a photographer, Joan Davis of Flatlands Foto, who issued a proclamation that she would be donating 10% of her sales to Huntington to help their jump-building fundraiser.  She encouraged everyone to follow her lead.

Fast forward an hour after the challenge was posted and a group of women in the Area 1 Adult Rider Program, Linnea Ackerman, Julie Howard, Katie Murphy, Missy Alaimo and Melissa Drye, heeded the call and a donation for a fence was sent immediately. While still talking about how
we could still help, a light bulb went off … why not ask the Area 1 Riders to meet the challenge as well?

Photo by Joan Davis / Flatlands Foto.

Linnea Ackerman took the lead, using Facebook as a way to encourage any and all who wanted to contribute. Again, the call was answered almost immediately as riders were asked for a $20 donation, or whatever they felt comfortable giving. It turned out to be a successful approach!  In the end, we raised enough money for three additional cross country fences, simply by putting out the word and soliciting the amount of a decent bottle of wine from as many riders as possible.

“Setting the standard at $20 took a lot of weight off shoulders and I think it’s what drove us to be able to pull in so much interest,” said Ackerman, who also set up a poll on Facebook so we could decide, as a group, what fences we would sponsor. We are proud to say, that this isn’t a one and done deal. What started as challenge by Joan, we will now look to sponsor a fence or two or even three at all of our venues over the next few years. In fact, there was left over funding, which was sent to our Area 1 ARP account to be used as the “seed” for future sponsoring.

Photo by Joan Davis / Flatlands Foto.

Challenge Accepted! Go Area 1 Riders! Go Eventing!

Final Five-Star of 2021 Cancels Due to Covid Restrictions

By on Aug 6, 2021 8:05 am -

Photo courtesy of Australian International 3 Day Event.

Life and sport might feel a bit more like normal after the successful staging of the Tokyo Olympics, but here’s an unwelcome reminder that things are still in flux: the Australian Three-Day Event CCI5* in Adelaide has been cancelled for the second consecutive year due to ongoing Covid restrictions.

Greg Bolton, Chair of the event’s board, explained that lockdowns in various Australian states had impacted many riders qualification routes, leaving them with inadequate time to prepare and gain the necessary results to contest the Aussie showpiece, which was due to take place from 18–21 November and is the only CCI5* in the Southern Hemisphere. This ordinarily means that the field of entries is significantly smaller than those we see at Europe’s five-stars — and that field would only have been further shrunk in this tricky year.

“Our primary focus is to deliver a safe and successful event at the world-class benchmark we have created,” said Bolton in a statement released today (August 6). “Unfortunately, with continued lockdowns across the country in 2021, this has impacted the ability for riders to compete and qualify for the Aus3DE. We are disappointed this has led to the decision to cancel the 2021 Aus3DE, particularly after the success of our Olympic Silver Medal winning Equestrian Eventing Team at the Tokyo Olympics, but we have our sights set on the delivery of a fantastic event in 2022 post this pandemic.”
The event’s board is committed to the return of the event in 2022. Meanwhile, the Northern Hemisphere’s CCI5* pathway continues on apace, with Burghley’s replacement event at Bicton taking place in the first week of September, followed by the inaugural Maryland CCI5* from October 13–17 and France’s Les 5 Etoiles de Pau from October 27–31.

Friday News & Notes Presented By Horse First

By on Aug 6, 2021 12:03 am -

Photo courtesy of Jackie Potts.

While at the Olympic Games, five of the Best Groom Award winners gathered together and had a little photo shoot at the five rings with the FEI President Ingmar De Vos. Pictured above is Madeleine Broek (NED) who won in 2019, Lee McKeever (USA) who won in 2018, Alan Davies (GBR) who won in 2017, FEI President Ingmar De Vos, Jackie Potts (GBR) who won in 2014, and Jose Eduardo Garcia Luna (USA) who won in 2015. What a power group! Recognition of grooms at the Olympic Games is a big step in the right direction of showing just how important that role is to the success of equestrians worldwide.

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Millbrook H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Hoosier Horse Trials: [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

Area VII Young Rider Benefit H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

Cobblestone Farms H.T. II: [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

River Glen Summer H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

Fair Hill International Recognized H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Spring Gulch H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

News From Around the Globe:

Dr. Steve Berkowitz, DVM, has lived with his wife Sue Berkowitz and a couple of dogs in Pennsylvania, in the midst of Amish country, for the past 20 years. He has worked with Unionville Equine Associates since 1985, when the practice was just him and two other veterinarians. As the horse industry has grown, so has the practice, which is now up to about 10 veterinarians. Steve, 65, plans to retire after this year. Something of a Renaissance man, he’s known locally for his baking and photography skills, both of which grew out of being the vet at area horse shows. [A Day In The Life: Steve Berkowitz]

Flashback Friday: Michael Page Reports on the 1964 Tokyo Olympics Three Day Eventing

Most horses are considered beloved partners by their owners. So, why do so many scientific studies point to a high prevalence of welfare problems? They set out in their paper to disentangle the possible factors explaining such a paradox, exploring the impact of anthropomorphic and cultural biases and popular beliefs. As horses are non-verbal, current management practices rely upon what people think is good for them. This opens the way to subjective interpretations and projections, based perhaps on experience but probably more on cultural/social norms and influences, traditions and beliefs. “There are many reasons why people may not actively promote their own horse’s welfare through appropriate management: They may not perceive that there is a problem; they may misinterpret signals; they may follow erroneous advice; and/or they may be influenced by culture, social networks and media.” [Horse Welfare Paradox]

Best of Blogs: Did A Safety Pin Determine The Outcome of Olympic Eventing?

 HORSE FIRST know that finding the right supplement can be difficult. Whether you’re looking for a calmer horse, stronger hooves or supple joints, you’ll be sure to find what you’re looking for within our product range. Horse
First uses only the highest quality active ingredients and are renowned for being some of the most tailored and advanced supplements on the market – “Made by horse people for horse people.” [Learn More About Horse First]

Millbrook Horse Trials is back!

Millbrook Horse Trials Return from Marion Latta de Vogel on Vimeo.

Tailgating Passes for the Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill Are Now on Sale!

By on Aug 5, 2021 3:00 pm -

Reserved tailgate spots allow fans to be right next to the dynamic cross country action! Photo by Michelle C. Dunn.

Cross country tailgating has become a sport in and of itself in recent years, with fans lining up beside galloping lanes to watch the action in the company of friends (and snacks!). As of today, reserved tailgate spots are now available for the inaugural Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill.

The event takes place Oct. 14-17 at the newly constructed Fair Hill Special Event Zone in Elkton, Maryland, with cross country held throughout the day on Saturday, Oct. 16. There’ll be plenty of action to go around: In addition to the CCI5*-L, the event will feature a 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.

“We are so excited to offer this fantastic tailgating experience at the inaugural Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill,” said Marissa Melzer, Ticketing & Hospitality Director. “The chance for families, friends and/or co-workers to be together outdoors for a day at beautiful Fair Hill this Fall, while enjoying their favorite tailgating menu so close to these elite athletes and horses is sure to be an experience they’ll never forget!”

Image via Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill.

There are a variety of opportunities strategically selected at several locations including 74 “Rope Side” spots along the four-mile cross country course with incredible views of both the 5* and 3* competitions, and another 49 spots along the 3* course with views of the 3* competition only but within short walking distance of the 5 Star course. There will also be an option for general tailgating spots within easy walking distance of both courses. Shuttle service will be available for convenient access to Retail Vendor Areas, concessions, and other entertainment going on in the infield.

Purchase of a Tailgating Pass (Rope Side or General) includes one (1) car pass and six (6) Saturday General Admission tickets. All Rope Side Tailgating spaces are 16 ft. across and sufficiently deep to allow cars to back in and tailgate in the front of their space with lots of room. Tailgating Tents can be rented for use in Rope Side spaces for $250 (personal tents will not be permitted for the safety of the athletes, horses and spectators). Tailgaters will be allowed to bring in their own food and beverage. An assortment of picnic style catering options will be also offered for purchase by the event caterer as well.

Prices range from $500 for a space along the 5 Star course, $300 for a space along the 3 Star course and $250 for a General Admission space. Additional General Admission tickets beyond the six included with the space can be purchased to accommodate extra guests at a cost of $35 in advance. Tailgating move-in will be Saturday morning prior to the start of the 3 Star competition with flexibility for a second round of move-in (and move-out if desired) in the mid-day period between the completion of the 3*competition and the start of the 5*.

Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

To reserve one of only a select amount of these exclusive Tailgating spots along with further information, competition schedule, and all other ticket packages, visit www.Maryland5Star.us or contact Marissa Melzer at [email protected].

Event Organizers will continue to monitor health and safety protocols. Updates and policies as deemed necessary will be available through the event website

Today in Tokyo: Stage Set for Olympic Team Jumping Battle

By on Aug 5, 2021 11:00 am -

Jessica Springsteen (USA) & Don Juan van de Donkhoeve. Photo Copyright © FEI/Christophe Taniére.

Following last night’s thrilling Individual Jumping Final in which Great Britain’s Ben Maher and Explosion W claimed gold, all of the horses presented at this evening’s second Jumping Horse Inspection were accepted, and the stage is now set for the Team competition to begin tomorrow night.

Further changes may be made up to two hours before the competition begins, but to date the confirmed pre-competition changes are as follows:

  • For Argentina, Fabian Sejanes is out and Matias Albarracin comes in
  • For Belgium, Niels Bruynseels is out and Pieter Devos comes in
  • For Brazil, Yuri Mansur is out and Pedro Veniss comes in
  • For China, You Zhang is out and Yaofeng Li comes in
  • For Czech Republic, Kamil Papousek is out and Ondrej Zvara comes in
  • For Egypt, Abdel Said is out and Mohamed Talaat comes in
  • For France, Mathieu Billot is out and Simon Delestre comes in
  • For Great Britain, Scott Brash is out, his horse was withdrawn and therefore not presented, Holly Smith comes in
  • For Germany, Christian Kukuk is out and Maurice Tebbel comes in
  • For Ireland, Cian O’Connor is out, his horse was withdrawn and therefore not presented, Shane Sweetnam comes in
  • For Morocco, Ali Ahrach’s horse USA de Riverland is out and will be replaced by Golden Lady
  • For Mexico, Manuel Gonzalez Dufrane is out and Patricia Pasquel comes in
  • For New Zealand, Uma O’Neill is out and Tom Tarver-Priebe comes in
  • For Switzerland, Beat Mandli is out and Bryan Balsiger comes in
  • For USA, Kent Farrington is out and McLain Ward comes in.

A total of 19 teams will compete in the first Team competition and the order of go is as follows:

1, Czech Republic; 2, China; 3, Japan; 4, Israel; 5, Mexico; 6, Argentina; 7, Morocco; 8, New Zealand; 9, Ireland; 10, Egypt; 11, France; 12, Sweden; 13, USA; 14, Great Britain; 15, Brazil; 16, Switzerland; 17, Belgium; 18, Germany; 19, Netherlands.

The competition will begin at 19.00 local time and the best 10 teams will qualify for Saturday evening’s Jumping Team Final.

More details here.

Ashlee Bond (ISR) & Donatello 141. Photo Copyright © FEI/Christophe Taniére

Update on Cian O’Connor’s horse Kilkenny

Clearly the images of Cian O’Connor’s horse Kilkenny are distressing to see, but the gelding was immediately checked by veterinarians straight after last night’s Jumping Individual Final at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. The vets established that this was a nosebleed (epistaxis) and, as a precaution, the horse was sent to the onsite Veterinary Clinic for further examination.

The horse was treated and returned to its own stable last night. Following consultation with the onsite veterinary treatment team, the Irish team veterinarian, the athlete and chef d’equipe, it was agreed that the horse would not be presented at today’s horse inspection and will therefore take no further part in the Games.

In addition to ongoing monitoring by the Irish team veterinarian, one of the onsite Veterinary Clinic Team Leaders re-examined the horse this morning and reported that the horse had improved considerably overnight.

Under the FEI Jumping Rules, blood on the flanks or in the horse’s mouth results in elimination, however, equine epistaxis is not a cause for elimination. As a result, Cian O’Connor and the nine-year-old Irish-bred gelding were ranked seventh in the Jumping Individual Final after completing the course clear of jumping penalties and with just a single time fault.

Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Website, EN’s Ultimate Guide to Tokyo 2020, Latest News, Eventing Final Scores , EN’s Coverage, EN’s Instagram, EN’s Twitter

All Systems Go for Spring Gulch Horse Trials

By on Aug 5, 2021 9:00 am -

Farrago S and Ron Stephens were winners at Training at the Spring Gulch Horse Trials in May. They are entered for the second recognized event of 2021 to be held at the Spring Gulch Equestrian Area. Photo by Zina Balash.

Recent improvements to the cross country course at the Spring Gulch Equestrian Area in Colorado will highlight the second Spring Gulch Horse Trials of 2021 that will take place on August 7 and 8.

The combination of new jumps built by Greg Schlappi, the painting of existing jumps by the MSEA-CCC organization that runs the event, and new tracks set by organizer and course designer Andy Bowles will welcome approximately 120 entries.

“We’re always looking to keep Spring Gulch fresh,” Bowles said. “This event means so much to the local community, so we’re honoring its legacy while also looking to the future.”

The Spring Gulch Horse Trials will be run as one-day events with Prelim, Training, Novice, and part of Beginner Novice scheduled to compete on Saturday. The remainder of Beginner Novice, as well as Intro, will take place on Sunday.

Farrago S ridden by Ron Stephens at Training and Maggie Belle ridden by Chris Kawcak at Novice were division winners in May that are entered in August. Also, Vegas and Dean Santistevan, a winner at Beginner Novice in May, returns at Novice. P.S. Etoile De Nord, a winner at Intro with Brittany Mintz in May, will be ridden by Abby Williams at Intro this weekend.

The Spring Gulch Equestrian Area is a 106-acre space owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that has been a public equestrian park for more than three decades. Through a partnership between the Mountain Sports Eventing Association Central Colorado Chapter (MSEA-CCC) and the Highlands Ranch Metro District, multiple recognized events and schooling shows are held at Spring Gulch each year. After this month’s recognized event, the next competition will be the Spring Gulch Combined Test on September 25.

Links: Website | Omnibus | Facebook

 

Thursday News & Notes Presented by Stable View

By on Aug 5, 2021 12:03 am -

Grazing in Tokyo? Sorted. Photo courtesy of Lourie Bonnard.

Big tip of the hat to Stable View, who took a real initiative recently in improving the safety of their cross country schooling facility, following the tragic loss of Annie Goodwin. Not only have they upgraded their security cameras to show people riding on cross country, but they installed a blue light in the parking area that connects directly to 911, and trained all their staff in CPR and AED. This is definitely a step in the right direction, and more major cross country schooling locations should take note.

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Millbrook H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Hoosier Horse Trials: [Website]

Area VII Young Rider Benefit H.T.: [Website]

Cobblestone Farms H.T. II: [Website]

River Glen Summer H.T.: [Website]

Fair Hill International Recognized H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Spring Gulch H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

News From Around the Globe:

World Equestrian Center announced yesterday that it has acquired the iconic Ocala Jockey Club. The nearly 1000-acre facility has a rich history in hosting top equestrian events and in hospitality with an event space that offers unparalleled views of the rolling hills and incomparable Ocala sunsets. Moving forward, the facility will be known as The World Equestrian Jockey Club. The Ocala Jockey Club has been host to a favorite stop on the United States’ eventing calendar with the annual international Ocala Jockey Club CCI4*L 3-Day Event. Plans are underway now to continue this tradition of top sport by transitioning the facility to the future site of World Equestrian Center eventing cross-country competition. [WEC Acquired Ocala Jockey Club Facility]

Martin Fuch’s sensational 15-year-old gelding is unquestionably one of show jumping’s very, vest best. But even on the world’s biggest stage—the day of the individual jumping final at the Tokyo Olympic Games—Clooney was allowed to be a horse. Please enjoy photos of just another grey horse, living his life and scrounging in the mud and water on the Tokyo schooling cross country course. [Even Olympians Roll In The Mud]

In the 18th century, the French riding master François Robichon de La Guérinière was looking for an exercise that created more shoulder freedom in the horse, enabling him to move laterally in an easier and more beautiful way. As a result, he invented the shoulder-in, which has become one of the most fundamental exercises in the training of a dressage horse. The rider who is able to ride his horse in a correct and controlled shoulder-in will later find all other lateral movements easy. [How To Ride & Utilize Shoulder In]

Steffen Peters is officially on TikTok. Not just for the young’uns anymore, TikTok now features the 56-year-0ld dressage rider and his beloved Mopsie, dancing to “What Is Love” and other jams. We shouldn’t be surprised, as it turns out Steffen used to moonlight as a DJ at parties. Of course, he was inspired to make some clips after watching the viral video of Snoop Dogg and Kevin Hart reacting to Isabell Werth’s freestyle. [Steffen on TikTok]

 

 

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A Message From Stable View

By on Aug 4, 2021 5:30 pm -

Photo courtesy of Stable View.

Time and time again, Stable View in Aiken, South Carolina has proven itself as one of the most conscientious and safety-first event venues in the country. That a fatal cross country schooling accident, involving a very experienced rider and horse over a Training Level obstacle, took place last month is evidence that there is no matter how many precautions and provisions are in place, equestrian sport is inherently risky.

Irregardless, Stable View has clearly taken the incident to heart in a profound manner, examining and cross-examining itself to locate the best path forward while honoring a life lost. It has been EN’s experience with the venue’s owners that this is representative of their spirit: heart always on their sleeves, invested in the equestrian community not as a business but as a family.

After canceling all competitions and closing for two weeks following the accident, Stable View issued the following message:

The past two weeks has given all of us at Stable View a period of time to reflect.

Although the following proposals would not have mitigated this tragedy, we hope to learn and improve as a facility.

With due respect to those no longer with us, the following initiatives have been taken…

  • The Stars and Stripes, Union Jack and South Carolina flags have been returned to their positions above the Pavilion.
  • Close to the Schooling Field entrance we are going to install a Blue Light Call Station. This will be connected to 911 and the Stable View Office.
  • We are going to upgrade our security camera — at present this is an aid for us so that we can see if anyone is riding. We’ll upgrade the system to show greater detail and provide more useful information from stored data
  • Over the past two weeks, Stable View staff have been trained in CPR and AED.
  • AED machine to be positioned by existing entry signage.
  • New Emergency Information notice to be positioned by entry signage

In addition, we are undertaking the following…

  • A Magnolia Grandiflora has been planted in the Cross Country Schooling Field
  • One of the islands on the old cross country course is to become a natural Memorial Garden
  • There will be a Moment of Silence prior to Cross Country at the August Eventing Academy also the start of Oktoberfest 4* Cross Country.

Thank you for your diligence and sensitivity, Stable View. Rest in peace, Annie.

Go Eventing.

Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: Olympic Eventer/Jumper Peder Fredricson

By on Aug 4, 2021 5:00 pm -

Peder Fredricson (SWE) & All In. Photo Copyright © FEI/Christophe Taniére.

Peder Fredricson of Sweden — who competed as an eventer in the 1992 Olympic Games —  won an individual silver medal in show jumping last night, a repeat performance from the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

Born in Sweden in 1972, Peder has been an avid horseman all his life. His father was a veterinarian, and his brother also grew up loving horses (and still competes alongside his brother at the international level.) Peder was passionate about eventing, and found a worthy partner in Hilly Trip, a talented mare who Peder once described in an interview as his best friend. “She was like a dog, we would let her loose in the garden. The horses communicate a lot, but you have to understand them, meet their needs and be clear. Then you have a good relationship that works.”

At the age of 20, he and Hilly Trip, who was 10 at the time, were selected for the Swedish Eventing Team for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. This made him the youngest Swedish equestrian Olympian in history.

Peder Fredriicsson (SWE) and All In. Photo by FEI / Arnd Bronkhorst.

While the team did not have a successful outing, in Peder’s international debut, he placed 14th individually. It was a spectacular event for the pair, and at that point he decided to turn professional and move to England. He worked with many of the best eventers in the world, including Mark Todd, and went on to finish 13th in the 1994 WEG in The Netherlands with another horse, Down Under. Luhmühlen today reminded us that he earned top accolades there, too.

But over the next few years, Peder’s ambitions would shift, and he opted to move into the show jumping arena and he hasn’t looked back. He was a member of the silver medal-winning Swedish show jumping team at the 2004 Athens Games, and finished fourth individually. He also competed at the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, Normandy and Tryon. And then there was his infamous “dab” on the podium in 2016 that has been shared thousands of times around the world.

Whether you love him for his dab, his eventing skills, or his (multiple!) show jumping silver medals, he’s one worth loving. The eventing family congratulates you on your win, Peder, and you’re welcome back any time. (Though when asked if he’d ever be brave enough to try eventing again, his response was, “I guess I’m as brave now, just not as foolhardy.”)

Watch Peder in action via this recent FEI video:

Go Show Jumping, and Go Eventing.

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