Classic Eventing Nation

Inaugural ‘Ever So Sweet’ Scholarship from Strides for Equality Equestrians Awarded to Helen Casteel

By on Jun 18, 2021 9:00 am -

Helen Casteel and Unapproachable at the 2019 American Eventing Championships. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Strides for Equality Equestrians and the United States Eventing Association Foundation are proud to announce the first recipient of the Ever So Sweet Scholarship. The scholarship, which is the first of its kind, provides a fully-funded opportunity for riders from diverse backgrounds to train with upper-level professionals. Helen Casteel of Maryland is the first recipient of the bi-annual scholarship. Edy Rameika, Sara Kozumplik Murphy, and Brian Murphy are providing the sponsored internship for Helen and her horse, Unapproachable (barn name: Abel), to train with Sara and Brian at Overlook Farm Equestrian Center in Berryville, VA for
three months.

The scholarship covers expenses for full board and training costs for Abel, several lessons per week, housing for Helen, a stipend to cover living expenses, competition fees, and coaching at competitions.

Helen has been partnered with Abel, a 13-year-old OTTB, for seven years. He was a “young six” when she got him, and they have worked hard together to successfully event at the Novice level. Helen and Abel competed at the American Eventing Championships in 2019. Helen’s immediate goals include moving up to Training level, which she is hopeful will be attainable because of the ESS scholarship.

Helen will also have the unique opportunity to learn to manage and care for upper-level horses and will be participating as part of the team in all aspects of running a large, competitive barn. She said the horse care and management part of being in a high-performance program is one of the parts she is looking forward to the most. She is eager to learn about the therapies and maintenance the horses receive to keep them healthy and sound. Helen also wants to learn the art and science that goes into choosing a good horse – for example, what do top riders look for when they are shopping, and how does one choose the best equine partner for their level and circumstances?

Helen’s goals also include playing an active role in fostering a more inclusive environment within the sport. The scholarship will provide Helen with the opportunity to make professional connections, which will not only help her as an individual, but will contribute to improving access and opportunities for other BIPOC riders. Helen is eager to promote inclusion and access and stated, “Though I personally have been fortunate in my circumstance, I still feel that as a Black woman, I can contribute to the conversation and the solution. The opportunities to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion in the equine world and sport can fall into two buckets — exposure and opportunity.”

Helen will be an ambassador for the ESS scholarship, which is part of the Professional Pathways programs SEE is developing. “If we continue to actively prioritize inclusion and highlight participation of people of color and LGBTQ+ peoples, we will see the profile of not just Eventing but all equestrian sports rise,” Helen wrote in her application essay. You can follow along for updates on our website at https://www.stridesforequality.org/ and on our Facebook and Instagram pages.

You can also read Helen’s submission for Eventing Nation’s 2020 Diversity Scholarship, in which she writes at length about the importance of representation and inclusion, here.

Luhmühlen At A Glance: Meet the Horses of the CCI5*

By on Jun 18, 2021 7:23 am -

EN’s coverage of Luhmühlen is brought to you in part by Kentucky Performance Products. Click here to learn more about Kentucky Performance Products and its wide array of supplements available for your horse.

Happy CCI5* dressage day, and welcome to your bite-sized glimpse of what’s to come in this afternoon’s jam-packed competition here in Germany! As always, you can head over to the form guide to get all the details you need to know about each pair – but we know you’re a busy bunch, so here’s the eiskaffee break edition.

Yesterday, we introduced you to the high-class field of riders contesting this year’s Longines Luhmühlen CCI5* – and now, it’s time to meet the stars of the show: their horses. Here’s how the field of equine athletes is broken down.

Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials: Website, EN’s Form Guide, Entries, Timing & Scoring, CCI5* Friday Dressage Ride Times, CCI4* Thursday Dressage Ride Times, CCI4* Friday Dressage Ride Times, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Instagram, EN’s Twitter

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Friday News & Notes

By on Jun 18, 2021 12:03 am -

When you’re trying to gallop into the water but there are ducks in the way. Photo by Mike McNally.

You guys, I almost don’t want to mention this, because I need to knock on a ton of wood while I do, but it’s mid-June and I haven’t gotten heat stroke yet this year, which is almost unheard of in Virginia. It was 55 last night! I wore a sweater in the morning! I turned off my air conditioning yesterday! It’s so wild, and I’m loving it. Is this what it’s like to live in California all the time??

Major International Events:

Longines Luhmühlen: Website, EN’s Form Guide, Entries, Timing & Scoring, CCI5* Friday Dressage Ride Times, CCI4* Thursday Dressage Ride Times, CCI4* Friday Dressage Ride Times, CCI4* Live Scores, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Instagram, EN’s Twitter

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Flora Lea Farm YEH and Mini Trial (Medford, Nj.): [Website] [Entry Status]

Full Gallop Farm June H.T. (Aiken, Sc.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Volunteer]

Honey Run H.T. (Ann Arbor, Mi.): [Website] [Ride Times]

Horse Park of New Jersey H.T. (Allentown, Nj.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]

Kent School Spring H.T. (Kent, Ct.): [Website] [Entry Status]

Shepherd Ranch Pony Club H.T. (Santa Ynez, Ca.): [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

Silverwood Farm H.T. (Camp Lake, Wi.): [Website] [Volunteer]

News From Around the Globe:

The U.S. Equestrian Federation announced today, June 17, the four athlete-and-horse combinations selected to represent Team USA at the Tokyo Olympic Games, as part of the U.S. Dressage Olympic Team. Adrienne Lyle and Salvino, a 14-year-old Hanoverian stallion owned by Betsy Juliano LLC, Steffen Peters and Suppenkasper, a 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Four Winds Farm and Akiko Yamazaki, Sabine Schut-Kery and Sanceo, a 15-year-old Hanoverian stallion owned by Alice Womble. Nick Wagman and Don John, a 13-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Beverly Gepfer have been named as the traveling reserve. [US Dressage Team Announced]

Best of Blogs: Pride Belongs in Equestrian Spaces

Ready to do some deep cleaning of your barn during the hot summer months? Time to power wash the stalls and spend the day doing organizational stuff that you neglected over the winter. Check out these top ten tips for making your barn sparkle again, and trust me, you won’t regret it when you’re done. [Top 10 Tips to Spruce Up Your Barn]

A new study shows that withholding feed from your horse can decrease their water intake. Especially during the summer months, it’s important to make sure that your horses are drinking as much as possible, so you might rethink your feeding program and when you withhold hay or grain from them. [Withholding Feed Affects Water Intake]

Hot on Horse Nation: Philadelphia Urban Riding Academy: Building Futures from the Legacy of the Fletcher Street Cowboys

 

And … They’re Off: Thursday Social Media Roundup

By on Jun 17, 2021 6:33 pm -

EN’s coverage of Luhmühlen is brought to you in part by Kentucky Performance Products. Click here to learn more about Kentucky Performance Products and its wide array of supplements available for your horse.

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Luhmühlen v.2021 is running without spectators, which means we have to creep extra-hard on the social media accounts of those who are actually at the event. Naturally, you’re going to want to keep an eye on EN’s Insta (@goeventing) as well, because Tilly’s photo skills are *chef’s kiss.*

Here are a few more shots from inside the compound on the first day of dressage:

Much more to come. Go Eventing!

Longines Luhmühlen: Website, EN’s Form Guide, Entries, Timing & Scoring, CCI5* Friday Dressage Ride Times, CCI4* Friday Dressage Ride Times, CCI4* Live Scores, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Instagram, EN’s Twitter

Thursday Video: Drone Flyover of Luhmühlen 5* Cross Country

By on Jun 17, 2021 5:00 pm -

EN’s coverage of Luhmühlen is brought to you in part by Kentucky Performance Products. Click here to learn more about Kentucky Performance Products and its wide array of supplements available for your horse.

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Drones offer a fantastic way to preview cross country courses, and this flyover video of Mike Etherington-Smith’s CCI5*-L at the Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials is an absolute must-watch.

The course has 31 numbered fences with 45 total jumping efforts running across 6,270 meters. The time allowed is 11 minutes on the nose. Click here to watch an interview from Mike last fall detailing his vision for this year’s course.

There is some new acreage at the event’s disposal, which Mike said expands the scope of what can be done with cross country at the venue. The additional fields are “flat as a pancake” now, but Mike says the terrain will be made more dynamic in the years to come and allow the course to stretch beyond its usual twisty, turny inclinations. “It’s very much looking at the future and then working backwards,” explains the veteran course designer, who took over the helm of Luhmühlen from Captain Mark Phillips in 2017, in the interview with Juliane Barth.

“You want horses to grow as they go around,” Mike said. “There’s a story to a course — it’s not just randoming dumping a load of jump in places. It’s how to tie this in to everything else we’ve got … it’s how to bring this addition into play so that it adds value to the course.”

“There’s a story to it. It has to benefit the horses, it has to benefit the riders. There’s a beginning, middle and an end and that always takes a little bit of time to get the balance right.”

Tilly Berendt is on the grounds to bring you wall-to-wall coverage — click here to catch up on her coverage Keep it locked on EN for everything you need to know from Luhmühlen.

Go Eventing.

Longines Luhmühlen: Website, EN’s Form Guide, Entries, Timing & Scoring, CCI5* Friday Dressage Ride Times, CCI4* Thursday Dressage Ride Times, CCI4* Friday Dressage Ride Times, CCI4* Live Scores, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Instagram, EN’s Twitter

 

Luhmühlen At A Glance: Meet the Riders of the CCI5*

By on Jun 17, 2021 3:00 pm -

EN’s coverage of Luhmühlen is brought to you in part by Kentucky Performance Products. Click here to learn more about Kentucky Performance Products and its wide array of supplements available for your horse.

There’s a compact but classy CCI5* field gathered here at the Longines Luhmühlen CCI5* in Germany, a place so delightfully, unabashedly odd that it offers up a selection of tiny bratwurst for breakfast and, despite the lack of spectators this year, still has several beer haunts doing steady business.

Want to get to know all our beer-and-brat-fuelled competitors in detail? Head to the form guide, which has all the information you need to know about the 21 riders taking on this year’s competition. Or, if you’re more into a quickie, keep scrolling for the quick facts you need to know about the field.

Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials: Website, EN’s Form Guide, Entries, Timing & Scoring, CCI5* Friday Dressage Ride Times, CCI4* Thursday Dressage Ride Times, CCI4* Friday Dressage Ride Times, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Instagram, EN’s Twitter

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Photo Gallery: A Sizzling Day of Dressage in Luhmühlen’s CCI4*-S

By on Jun 17, 2021 2:31 pm -

EN’s coverage of Luhmühlen is brought to you in part by Kentucky Performance Products. Click here to learn more about Kentucky Performance Products and its wide array of supplements available for your horse.

While we’re all waiting on the edge of our seat’s for Luhmühlen’s CCI5* class to kick off properly tomorrow afternoon, the vibrant German mainstay has hardly been short of action and excitement. Today was the first day of dressage in the CCI4*-S class, which incorporates the hotly-contested Deutsche Meisterschaften (or German National Championship, for those of you who haven’t got the hang of all those extra consonants yet) and is the final selection trial for continental riders vying for a spot on their respective Olympic teams before this Sunday’s deadline.

Though the Luhmühlen team are masters of the big tease and are saving their spiciest entrants, Michael Jung and fischerChipmunk, for tomorrow, today’s competition was a veritable smorgasbord of transcontinental talent.

Sandra Auffarth and Let’s Dance 73 take a healthy lead in the CCI4*-S. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Ultimately, though, the top spot at the end of the day stayed with the horse and rider who had nabbed it at the very start: Germany’s former World Champion Sandra Auffarth and Let’s Dance 73 were the first in the arena at 11.00 a.m. this morning, where they delivered a 22 that no one throughout the day would even threaten to usurp.

“He went so well today,” says a typically modest Sandra of her fourteen-year-old Holsteiner by Lancer II. “He was fresh and still very correct with many highlights. The flying changes were also great. I am very pleased with my result and looking forward to cross-country day.”

This was a significant personal best at the level for the gelding, who has dipped as low as 22.4 at CCI3*-S but tends to score in the higher 20s at four-star. His last CCI4*-S at Baborowko saw him put a 30.9 on the board – but Sandra, who excels under pressure, has fine-tuned the process of producing a test with the horse, who she took the ride on in 2019.

Malin Petersen and Charly Brown 311. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Second overnight — by some margin — is Sweden’s Malin Petersen and Charly Brown 311, who put a 29.8 on the board as the only other pair to go sub-30 in today’s competition.

“My horse was very supple and relaxed – it was so much fun in the arena today,” she says, before turning her focus fully onto Saturday’s intense cross-country challenge: “The motto of the course is challenging and fair! As the competition is the German Championships and a qualifier for the Olympic Games, this was to be expected. The tasks are all fair and clear so that the horses should be able to read them well. The jumps look so beautiful – you just want to get going.”

Sophie Leube and Jadore Moi. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

The rest of the top five is fully occupied by German competitors: Sophie Leube, whose riding has often drawn fair comparisons to Ingrid Klimke, sits third on 30.6, while Anna Siemer and her Kentucky mount FRH Butt’s Avondale are an achingly close fourth on 30.7. Felix Etzel continues to impress as one of the country’s serious up-and-coming superstars, and his compact and classy Stalliwa T strode to 31.3 for overnight fifth.

Anna Siemer and FRH Butt’s Avondale lie fourth after a sweet test. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

There’s plenty of movement to be expected during the course of tomorrow’s dressage session, with heavy hitters such as the Netherlands’ Tim Lips and TMX Herby, Tim Price and Vitali, Germany’s Emma Brüssau and Dark Desire GS, fresh off a win at Renswoude CCI4*-S, Julia Krajewski and her Saumur winner Amande de b’Neville, Andrew Hoy and Vassily de Lassos and, of course, that pesky Mr Jung among the star-studded line-up.

Felix Etzel impresses again, this time with Stalliwa T, fifth overnight on 31.4. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

You can take a look at the full running order here — and to follow along, make sure you’ve got your H&C+ subscription. A subscription costs less than two coffees and will give you unfettered access to every phase of both classes here, both live and on demand — and plenty more besides.

Tomorrow’s CCI4*-S dressage will run from 8.30 a.m. local time/7.30 a.m. BST/2.30 a.m. Eastern until 12.45 local/11.45 a.m. BST/6.45 a.m. Eastern. After that, we’ll dive straight into our compact CCI5* class, with tests running from 13.50 local/12.50 p.m. BST/7.50 a.m. Eastern until 17.05 local/16.05 BST/11.05 a.m. Eastern.

The top ten after the first day of dressage in the CCI4*-S.

Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials: Website, EN’s Form Guide, Entries, Timing & Scoring, CCI5* Friday Dressage Ride Times, CCI4* Thursday Dressage Ride Times, CCI4* Friday Dressage Ride Times, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Instagram, EN’s Twitter

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EN’s coverage of Luhmühlen is brought to you in part by Kentucky Performance Products. Click here to learn more about Kentucky Performance Products and its wide array of supplements available for your horse.

Longines Luhmühlen Horse Trials: Website, EN’s Form Guide, Entries, Timing & Scoring, CCI5* Friday Dressage Ride Times, CCI4* Thursday Dressage Ride Times, CCI4* Friday Dressage Ride Times, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Instagram, EN’s Twitter

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Volunteer Nation: Five Events That Need a Helping Hand This Weekend

By on Jun 17, 2021 1:04 pm -

Photo via Great Meadow International’s Instagram.

As we figured out during the pandemic, even when events are closed to the public, they still need volunteers! Lending a helping hand is a great workaround for getting to “spectate” — it’s a win-win!

The upcoming mandatory outing and preparatory event for the Tokyo-bound U.S. Olympic Eventing Team and its alternates at Great Meadow (July 1-2) is closed spectators, but #protip they DO need volunteers! There are only a few spaces left to fill, so scoot over to EventingVolunteers.com and sign up today. Here’s a direct link.

As always, you can earn merit points when you donate your time through the USEA’s Volunteer Incentive Program. Registering to volunteer through EventingVolunteers.com makes it easy and seamless to both find a job and shift as well as learn what your role will entail.

USEA Events

Full Gallop Farm June Horse Trials (June 20th, 2021)

Kent School Spring H.T. (June 20th, 2021)

Other Events

USEF/USDF Summer Solstice Dressage (June 19th, 2021 to June 20th, 2021)

Stone Gate Farm June Mini Trials (June 19th, 2021 to June 20th, 2021)

Barnstaple Jackpot & 3-Phase Schooling Show (June 18th, 2021 to June 20th, 2021)

Go Eventing Volunteers.

Young Irish Rider Tiggy Hancock Passes Away After Training Accident

By on Jun 17, 2021 11:44 am -

Horse Sport Ireland today announced the tragic passing of 15-year-old Tiggy Hancock, a bright riding star, after an accident during a team training event in Greenogue, Dublin. The accident happened on Wednesday, June 16, and Tiggy was subsequently taken to Crumlin Hospital where she passed away.

Horse Sport Ireland released the following statement:

Horse Sport Ireland wishes to extend our deepest sympathies to the family of Tiggy Hancock (15) who died on Wednesday afternoon (June 16th) following a tragic accident at a squad training event in Greenogue, Dublin.

Tiggy was a highly talented young athlete and a respected member of our Pony High Performance Eventing Programme. A keen equestrian for many years as a member of the Carlow and Kilkenny Hunt Pony Club and very successful Working Hunter Pony competitor, Tiggy only began Eventing in the autumn of 2018, making an immediate mark on the sport. Following a run of impressive performances in 2019, she was selected to represent Ireland at the Under 16 European Eventing Team Championships in Poland, where she and her team mates secured a team bronze medal. Only recently, Tiggy has impressed against senior counterparts in the CCI2* S in Millstreet with Coppenagh Spring Sparrow finishing just outside the podium, seeing off seasoned athletes who have competed at European and World Level.

Tiggy was well-liked among both junior and senior members of the Irish equestrian family and her passing will be mourned by all. The Hancock family are known throughout Ireland for their commitment to the equestrian community and those who know them will share in their grief.

The loss of a young person is all always particularly hard to comprehend. This will be a difficult time for many of Tiggy’s team mates and friends in the sport. Horse Sport Ireland have a designated support person to assist individuals affected, and would encourage them or their parents to come forward to seek support.

Please email: [email protected]

HSI would ask that the family’s request for privacy at this time is respected.

We are devastated to receive this news and extend our deepest condolences to Tiggy’s family.

OTTB Wishlist: Bold, Beautiful Bays

By on Jun 17, 2021 9:00 am -

We all know there’s a stereotypical assumption about chestnut mares (for the record, I don’t buy into it!) but what about bay mares? I’ve never heard any axiom around them, so let’s make one up right now! When I think about a bay mare, I picture a horse who is beautiful and bold with a kind eye. Here are three off the-track Thoroughbred mares who fit right that description to a too.

Elite Appeal. Photo via MidAtlantic Horse Rescue.

Elite Appeal (UNCAPTURED – ALOTOFAPPEAL, BY TRIPPI): 2016 16.0-hand Florida-bred mare

This girl could appeal to a lot of different buyers as she seems to have the temperament for just about any discipline. Though green, the folks atMidAtlantic Horse Rescue (MAHR) call her easy to ride and describe her as a lovely mover. The icing on the cake? She goes barefoot! One of the great things about adopting  horse from MAHR, if you’re unfamiliar with them, is that all their adopted horses receive $200 toward lessons and training thanks to the ASPCA On the Right Track Voucher program.

Located in Warwick, Maryland.

View Elite Appeal on MidAtlantic Horse Rescue.

Boston Girl. Photo via Finger Lakes Finest Thoroughbreds.

Boston Girl (WICKED STRONG – JUST SAY HEY, BY ROCKPORT HARBOR): 2017 15.3-hand New York-bred mare

This lightly raced young filly could be a real catch for someone looking for an athletic and spirited mare who just couldn’t quite find her stride as a race horse. Though she didn’t win any races, she did seem to prefer the turf over the dirt, which never seems like a bad thing for an event prospect. Her trainer has enjoyed exercising “Emma” herself and says she’s good to ride and a nice mover.

Located in Farmington, New York.

View Boston Girl on Finger Lakes Finest Thoroughbreds.

Rewarded. Photo via Friends of Ferdinand.

Rewarded (CENTRAL BANKER – BEST REWARD, BY GRAND REWARD): 2017 16.0-hand New York

Rewarded is a spirited filly who can be a little bit of a handful at times, but she loves to work and is ready and willing to learn. She had a couple of decent finishes in her career as a racehorse, and last set foot on the track in November. Take her home, put the work in and, yes, this super cute mare could become a rewarding partner!

Located in Moorseville, Indiana.

View Rewarded on Friends of Ferdinand.