Classic Eventing Nation

Erin Kellerhouse and Woodford Reserve In Charge of Galway Downs CCI4*-S

By on Mar 25, 2021 11:04 pm -

Erin Kellerhouse and Woodford Reserve. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Two phases of FEI competition are now complete in Temecula, Ca. on day one of the Galway Downs Spring International, and despite southern California’s best attempts to mimic waning winter we saw some stellar performances across divisions as we look ahead to tomorrow afternoon’s cross country finale. Erin Kellerhouse and her own Woodford Reserve are your overnight leaders following a testing Marc Donovan track that shook up many of the lower placings.

Erin Kellerhouse and Woodford Reserve. Photo by Sally Spickard.

We first met Woodford Reserve in an EN’s Got Talent piece in 2017 during his Preliminary days. Erin bought the Irish Sport Horse gelding (Tinaranas Inspector – Laharns Laughton, by Laughton’s Flight) as a four-year-old and has spent the ensuing years thoughtfully producing the confident four-star horse we see today. Now 10, this will be “Woody’s” first full season at the Advanced/four-star level, having first made the step up in 2020. This pair was fifth in the CCI4*-L here at Galway Downs last fall and will look to the Bluegrass State as their next adventure – they’re entered in the CCI4*-S at Kentucky next month.

Despite a chill and a steady wind during this morning’s dressage, Erin says the test with Woody was one of the best they’ve had. “He’s definitely getting stronger and happy with the work,” she said. “There are little things I need to do. He wants to try so hard and gets away from me, so there’s a lot to improve on still – that’s exciting.”

“He actually always jumps pretty well,” she continued. “I made myself do every inside turn…he was jumping out of his skin. The number one thing is me getting comfortable, doing that size course and knowing my horse. I know really know him well now. It’s such a process, and I’ve never really had that up to this level. I’ve ridden a lot of babies to the two-star and Intermediate level, so I know their ins and outs. The young horses start tomorrow, so it’s nice to just focus on (Woody) today.”

Despite one second of time in the show jumping today, Erin held to the lead she established this morning, where she earned a 29.7 to squeeze past early leaders Helen Alliston and Ebay. A score of 30.1 will take them onto Clayton Fredericks’ cross country track tomorrow afternoon with a few seconds in hand. Erin says she joined a group for a course walk with Clayton, and she’s feeling more confident each time she walks the track. “I think, ‘hey, we did the long – this short is going to feel like nothing’, but there’s a lot to do. Things come up quicker with short format. I’ll have to be riding and on my toes, trying to stay on the time.”

A cool moment: husband-wife duo Helen and James Alliston share a brief moment in the arena this morning. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Second to go in the cold and wind this morning were Helen Alliston and her own Ebay (Escudo – Komtessa), a 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding, put in an absolutely lovely test before judges Peter Gray and Helen Brettell this morning to lay down an early lead with a score of 30.7. This is also a horse newer to the Advanced level, and confidence remains the foremost thought in Helen’s mind as she looks ahead to a goal of contesting the CCI4*-L at Rebecca Farm.

Helen Alliston and Ebay. Photo by Sally Spickard.

“Ebay was really good today. Our dressage had a lot of improvements and I’m excited that there is still a lot that can be even better,” Helen said. “He show jumped really well – I should have taken some inside turns to make the time, but he jumps better if I stay riding forward so I tried to just go fast on the outside lines. He felt great and I’m excited for tomorrow – it’s big and challenging so I’m excited to see where we are at as a team in our education.”

Moving up one spot into third are Kentucky-bound Emilee Libby and her and Linda Libby’s Jakobi (Ustinov – Expression, by Coriano), a 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood who finished in the top 10 here at Galway’s CCI4*-L last fall. After earning a 33.7 in the dressage, this pair were one of just two to manage the time around Marc Donovan’s track, which challenged riders to carve in some inside turns if they wanted to get close to the clock. Jakobi is a strong, powerful jumper, and Emilee says she has struggled in the past with pesky time penalties.

Emilee Libby and Jakobi. Photo by Sally Spickard.

“It’s the softest he’s ever felt throughout his body, and I am shocked we just jumped in a snaffle today!” Emilee said. “He was listening so well to my half-halts, so I felt like I was able to finally ride him a bit more forward but still trust he was going to come back to me. We were really on the same page today. I’ve struggled with that one or two time penalties in the past so I’ve become pretty aware on where I need to be quick or make a quick turn with him. He sometimes feels like he’s going fast but he’s really not.”

Derek Di Grazia and Ringwood Justice. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Derek di Grazia, who we most often see out perfecting cross country courses at the biggest events in the world, moves up into fourth from fifth aboard his own Ringwood Justice (Ringwood Harley Carol – Ringwood Venus, by Osilvis), adding 3.2 time penalties to his dressage score for a two-day mark of 27.3.

Andrea Baxter, Madison Temkin, and Rebecca Braitling all jumped up the leaderboard after show jumping today, into fifth, sixth, and seventh respectively. Andrea and Laguna Seca, the son of her veteran five-star partner Indy 500, collected the only other double clear round of the day and will move forward in fifth on a score of 38.4. Andrea has enjoyed the “T-Rex” taming throughout “Junior’s” upbringing – which you can read more about here – and now seems to be reaping the fruits of her efforts with a solid dressage test this morning (though Junior opted to take great offense to a flapping tent, luckily saving it for his final halt) and a fast and clear jumping round this afternoon.

Andrea Baxter and Laguna Seca. Photo by Sally Spickard.

Haley Turner was the best of the best in the CCI3*-S after two phases with her own Shadow Inspector, who came over from the UK four years ago after beginning his FEI career with James Sommerville. Just four riders in the CCI3*-S put in double clear show jumping rounds, and Haley’s clear round inside the time will keep her atop the leaderboard on a score of 27.1.

Training with Bea and Derek Di Grazia as well as Volker Brommann, Haley says she’s very happy with “Chief”, who seems to light up more here and prefer this venue specifically. Chief, Haley says, has been a big confidence booster for her as she makes the step up to the Intermediate/three-star level this year. Some injury setbacks delayed their career progression a bit, but in 2020 the pair came out swinging, winning the CCI2*-S at Twin and finishing in the top 10 in the CCI2*-L at Galway last fall.

Haley Turner and Shadow Inspector. Photo by Sally Spickard.

“2020 was kind of the year we got going together doing some Prelims and two-stars, before Covid,” Haley said. “I was really happy with our dressage. He was quite excited in the stadium as well.”

Puerto Rican Olympian Lauren Billys and the Can Be Sweet Syndicate’s Can Be Sweet (Candyman – Tres Belle) had a successful day in the CCI2*-S and will leave the start box tomorrow in the lead on a two-phase score of 28.2, despite a bit of time collected in the show jumping. This division was also thin on double clears – just two riders (Miranda Olagaray with Tanquaray and Madison Temkin with MVP Madbum) jumped clear inside the time.

Lauren Billys and Can Be Sweet. Photo by Kim Miller / The West Equestrian.

The FEI divisions here at Galway will conclude tomorrow afternoon with cross country, designed by Clayton Fredericks. You can take a virtual walk around the track here. You can also get some insight on Clayton’s design thoughts for this venue in this interview
from last fall.

Looking out over the Grand Prix arena at Galway Downs. Photo by Sally Spickard.

I’ll be back tomorrow evening (late for all of you East coast night owls) with a report from the cross country conclusion here in wine country. I’d be remiss not to commend the team here at Galway, headed up for this event by Robert Kellerhouse and Kellerhouse Presents, for the impeccable facility upgrades that have been put in for this season. This is a venue that’s constantly evolving, and competitors this week are treated to a new dressage arena as well as a permanent, future VIP and general spectating pavilion overlooking the Grand Prix Arena sponsored by Evergate Stables.

Galway is a unique facility home to race trainers, hunter/jumper programs, and a plethora of eventing professionals who base here on the grounds year-round. At any given point, you’re likely to see some racehorses out on the training track (which can be seen from the new dressage arena – hang on to your hats, dressage riders!), some up-down lessons being given, and a full-scale FEI event all at once. It’s a fascinating ecosystem of equestrian sport – and it’s in the heart of Temecula wine country, so there’s honestly nothing to dislike here. Except maybe the pretend winter weather.

My thanks also go out to Kim Miller, who heads up the PR for Galway and other events in California. Kim contributed to this report with quotes from Erin and Haley, as well as plenty of moral support in the chill! I’ll leave you with a handful of shots from the day. If you’re competing this weekend, don’t forget to stop by Tina Fitch Photography and Ride On Video for your show photos and videos. Ride On Video is also providing a live stream of the FEI action this weekend – you can follow along here.

Galway Downs International H.T.: [Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores] [Live Stream]

Marilyn Little & RF Scandalous One-Up Themselves to Lead Stable View Spring CCI4*-S

By on Mar 25, 2021 8:39 pm -

FEI CCI-S 4* leader Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous are fresh off a win in the 4* at Red Hills International H.T. Photo by Jenn Catalano.

If eventing is a game of inches, Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous eked out every last possible millimeter today at Stable View Spring. After winning the Red Hills CCI4*-S on their dressage score of 22.4, they one-upped themselves in the first phase of this weekend’s CCI4*-S, leading the 50-horse field on a 21.7.

Maggie’s “By the Numbers” report noted that Marilyn and “Kitty,” a 16-year-old Oldenburg mare (Carry Gold x Richardia) owned by Jacqueline Mars and Phoebe and Michael Manders, have a two-year average of 22.0 dressage penalties. Today’s lead at Stable View extends their winning dressage streak to 12 consecutive A/4*/5* starts.

Buck Davidson with Carlevo and Tamie Smith with En Vogue are in equal second heading into CCI4*-S show jumping tomorrow.

An abundant field of over 200 competitors are contesting the USEF/USEA Stable View Spring FEI CCI-S 1*/2*/3*/4* and Adequan/USEF Youth Team Challenge.  The 4* and 3* divisions contested dressage in the Outdoor Arena in front of the Pavilion, and the 2* division ran in the Hunter Ring. The 1* star riders will begin their dressage tomorrow morning and go on to show jumping in the afternoon.

Elizabeth Halliday-Sharp and Cooley HHS sit in third in the CCI-S 3* division. Photo by Jenn Catalano.

Erin Kanara & Warren LVSZ sit tied for 5th place in the 3* division. Photo by Sam Keats.

Best six after dressage:

FEI CCI-S 4*
1st: Marilyn Little & RF Scandalous (21.70)
2nd T: Bruce Davidson Jr. & Carlevo (25.00)
2nd T: Tamra Smith & En Vogue (25.00)
4th: Phillip Dutton & Z (25.60)
5th: Alexandra Knowles & Ms. Poppins (27.20)
6th: Bruce Davidson Jr. & Erroll Gobey (27.30)

FEI CCI-S 3*
1st: Amy Ruth Borun & Vitalis (28.50)
2nd: Leslie Law & Lady Chatterley (29.40)
3rd: Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp & Cooley HHS Calmaria (29.70)
4th: Dan Kreitl & Horales (30.30)
5th: Tim Bourke & Lennard (30.80)
6th T: Kurt Martin & D.A. Lifetime (31.30)
6th T: Meg Pellegrini & RF Eloquence (31.30)

FEI CCI-S 2*
1st: Alyssa Phillips & Cornelius Bo (27.50)
2nd: Katie Malensek & Landjaeger (28.00)
3rd: Elisabeth Halliday- Sharp & Shanroe Cooley (28.20)
4th: Lillian Heard & Chilly (29.20)
5th T: Erin Kanara & Warren LVSZ (29.80)
5th T: Nilson Moreira Da Silva & Giana (29.80)

Stable View Spring 1*/2*/3*/4*: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores] [Volunteer]

Thursday Video from Cambox: Run Around Carolina International with Tim Bourke and Quality Time

By on Mar 25, 2021 5:30 pm -

Ride along with Tim on Carla Abramcheck’s Quality Time in the Advanced at Carolina International CCI and Horse Trial where they were double clear! Carolina always has some of the best cross country courses of the year and they didn’t disappoint this year.
Filmed with Cambox Horse

Posted by Bourke Eventing on Tuesday, March 23, 2021

Tim Bourke and the 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare, Quality Time (Guidam – Ruby Roller, by High Roller) owned by Carla Abramcheck took home the blue ribbon in the Advanced division at Carolina International last weekend. The pair added just a single rail in the show jumping to seal the deal for their win, and we’re treated to a special edition of Tim’s Cambox video with a view of the live stream to compare perspectives.

Cambox is currently on sale for up to 30% off! Click here to score a deal.

Volunteer Nation: 6 Events That Need Help This Weekend

By on Mar 25, 2021 1:00 pm -

Volunteering is the best way to spectate events while we’re still on a spectator ban enforced by US Equestrian. What better way to stay socially distanced and take in your favorite sport? Each Thursday, we round up the still-available volunteer positions at events happening around the country. Have you volunteered lately? Send a photo from your day to [email protected] so we can share it!

We’ve compiled some resources on volunteering with COVID-19 regulations in mind. We’ll reference this list each week in Volunteer Nation, so take a few moments to familiarize yourself with what’s new and different.

COVID-19 Resources for Eventers
Volunteers Adapt to the New Normal
Volunteers Weigh In on New COVID-19 Protocols

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.

Event: Stable View Spring FEI 1*/2*/3*/4*
Dates: Thursday, March 25 through Saturday, March 27
Address: 117 Stable Dr, Aiken, SC, 29801
Positions Available: XC Water Distribution, Vet Box Assistant

Event: Full Gallop Farm March II H.T.
Dates: Sunday, March 28
Address: 3828 Wagener Rd, Aiken, SC, 29805
Positions Available: XC Jump Judge, XC Start Timer, XC Warm-up, Dressage Bit Check, Dressage Scribe, Dressage Steward, Hospitality Helper, Floater, SJ In-Gate, SJ Jump Crew, SJ Scribe, SJ Steward

Event: Majestic Oaks Recognized H.T.
Dates: Thursday, March 22 through Monday, March 28
Address: 17500 N US Highway 441, Reddick, FL, 32686
Positions Available: Dressage Bit Check, Floater, General Help, SJ Jump Crew, SJ Warm-up, XC Crossing Guard, XC Jump Judge, Dressage Score Runner, Hospitality Steward

Event: Morven Park Spring H.T.
Dates: Saturday, March 27 through Sunday, March 28
Address: 41580 Sunday Morning Lane, Leesburg, VA, 20176
Positions Available: XC Jump Judge

Event: Poplar Place Farm Spring H.T.
Dates: Saturday, March 27 through Sunday, March 28
Address: 8191 US Hwy 27E, Hamilton, GA, 31811
Positions Available: XC Finish Timer, XC Jump Judge, XC Start Timer, Dressage Scribe

Event: Texas Rose Horse Park Spring H.T.
Dates: Saturday, March 27 through Sunday, March 28
Address: 14078 State Highway 110 N, Tyler, TX, 75704
Positions Available: XC Jump Judge, Dressage Scribe

By the Numbers: Galway Downs CCI4*-S

By on Mar 25, 2021 10:00 am -

The East coast eventing scene is on a roll, with international 4*-S events every weekend from now until mid-April, but the West Coast has its own share of top pairs making their final preps before heading to the Bluegrass. Galway Downs will see thirteen pairs contest the 4*-S this weekend, with three pairs headed next to Kentucky. Emilee Libby and Jakobi will be making the horse’s 5* debut next month with Lauren Billys and Erin Kellerhouse will make the trek with Castle Larchfield Purdy and Woodford Reserve to contest the 4*-S.

Galway is a venue that is constantly re-inventing itself in order to bring the best of eventing out to the West coast and this weekend is no exception. Clayton Fredericks will be designing the 4*-S for the first time, after making his debut as course designer here last fall for the 4*-L. Marc Donovan, another east coast favorite, returns for the third year to create the stadium courses.

In the last half decade, the winner of this division has had two things in common: a clean round in stadium and finishing at most 3 seconds over optimum time. While doing those two things will not guarantee you a win in this division, one thing is apparent: you cannot win the division without it. In the last edition of this event in 2019, Emilee Libby and Jakobi were the only pair in the field to do so, and clinched the win as a result.

DRESSAGE

Helen Aliston and Ebay. Photo by Ride On Photo.

Helen Alliston (née Bouscaren) has been a rider to watch with her current mount Ebay, placing in the top three for five of their six completions and winning twice at the A/4* level in their last four outings. The pair demonstrated their potential last winter when they laid down a 23.6 in the Advanced at Twin Rivers and reiterated that it wasn’t a fluke this February, scoring a 25.7 at the same event.

Meanwhile, Erin Kellerhouse and her ride Woodford Reserve made waves in their debut at the top level with a similar record; they too have placed in the top three for five of their six starts at this level. This pair has scored sub-thirty in all but one outing, so will ready to contest with Helen and Ebay for the lead after the first phase.

SHOW JUMPING

Woodford Reserve has jumped clear in four of his five A/4*-S starts, so don’t be looking for Erin Kellerhouse to drop down the ranks at all during the second phase. On the other hand, Ebay has more typically had a rail or two than jumped clear, and last put in a fault free stadium round in 2018. He and Helen Alliston will leave the door open for Lauren Billys and her long-time partner Castle Larchfield Purdy, who have stepped up the game in this phase. In their four outings over the last two years, this pair has incurred only one rail.

Emilee Libby and Jakobi. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

Keep an eye out too for Emilee Libby and Jakobi in this phase, as they climb the leaderboard based on the strength of this horse’s jump.

CROSS COUNTRY

Lauren Billys and Castle Larchfield Purdy. Photo by Shelby Allen.

There’s not likely to be much movement on the final day in the top three placings; Woodford Reserve, Castle Larchfield Purdy, and Ebay all boast speed ratings that indicate they could very well make the time if the historic percentage of clear rounds at this venue is equaled. Even if they don’t, their average pace is very similar to one another, leaving little separation in the scoring on the final day.

Jakobi and Emilee Libby will likely be just outside the time but will continue to climb into a top four placing.

PREDICTIONS:

WINNER

Erin Kellerhouse & Woodford Reserve. Photo by Sherry Stewart

Woodford Reserve and Erin Kellerhouse have been knocking on the door for a year for a win at the 4*-S level; this weekend will be ripe with opportunity for them.

FASTEST CROSS-COUNTRY ROUND

Chloe Smyth & Stag Party. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

Keep an eye on the young pair Chloe Smyth and Stag Party to set the pace for the day; in three clear completions at A/4*, they set the pace at Woodside and were only 9 seconds off the leader at Copper Meadows last fall.

Sally Spickard will be on the ground in Temecula bringing you coverage from each phase of the CCI4*-S at Galway Downs, and Ride On Video is also providing a live stream for those who’d like to follow along.

Galway Downs International: Website, Entry Status, Ride Times, Live Scores

By the Numbers: Stable View CCI4*-S

By on Mar 25, 2021 8:00 am -

New to the spring competition schedule is Stable View 4*-S, which tried to put on their inaugural spring show last year only to be an early casualty of the pandemic. With a slate of 52 entries far exceeding their attendance record for the fall show, Stable View’s attraction to the riders headed to the long formats this spring can’t be understated.

Thus far, the venue’s Advanced and CCI4*-S divisions have hardly been a dressage show: in fact only once has the winner of the dressage gone on to win one of these divisions and that was in a sparsely populated Advanced class that was held alongside the show’s first FEI edition. While the winner of these classes have come from the top five dressage tests all but once, they rarely have produced the win thanks to the tricky nature of cross country here. In fact, in order to win this division, you have to put in a speed rating of zero, meaning the pair either needs to make the time or be the fastest round of the day. Five of seven winners here have done it, with a sixth pair winning off only one second of time.

Up until 2019, Phillip Dutton and Boyd Martin dominated this venue, winning every Advanced and 4*-S division until 2020. Phillip returns this weekend with Z, who has won this division twice, while Buck Davidson trots out Carlevo, the horse who broke the streak of ex-Australian winners. Liz Halliday-Sharp, who won last fall, will have a pair of contenders as well but not her Stable View winner Fernhill By Night, who finished second at Carolina International just last weekend.

DRESSAGE

If you read this and think you’ve read it before, don’t feel surprised because once again we have Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous competing head to head in the first phase with Tamie Smith and EnVogue, two weeks after they met at Red Hills. Unsurprisingly, Marilyn and RF Scandalous are the most likely to lead after day one; they’ve now extended their winning dressage streak to eleven consecutive A/4*/5* starts. With a two-year average of 22.0 penalties, it’s hard to see where anyone will be able to catch them.

Buck Davidson and Carlevo. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Tamie and EnVogue slip into the next slot with an average of 27.7 for the level, having broken 70% in all but the mare’s first start at the 4* level. Despite seven consecutive scores in the twenties, they will have sharper competition this weekend in the form of Buck Davidson and Carlevo, who won last year at this venue in June. Although Carlevo can lack the consistency of the two aforementioned mares, he consistently scores sub-thirty more often than he doesn’t, including clocking in a 25.8 earlier this year at Rocking Horse.

Not to be left out is another previous winner, Z with Phillip Dutton. Phillip did his homework with this horse during the pandemic lockdown and came out swinging, dropping their average in dressage nearly four points between the 2019 and 2020 seasons. The question will be if they can keep up the qualify of work in 2021 without that prolonged period to concentrate on it; a score of 23.4 at Pine Top this winter indicated that he perhaps has only gotten better.

The young horse Trendy Fernhill will be a fresh addition to the leaderboard under Jenny Caras; this horse has won two consecutive outings at the A/4*S level, although this will by far be the most competitive field he has faced thus far. In five starts, he has averaged a 29.8 which would leave him well placed this weekend.

SHOW JUMPING

Phillip Dutton and Z. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

The stadium will leave the top of the leaderboard unchanged, with three of the four top placings unlikely to drop a rail. RF Scandalous often moonlights in the jumper world with Marilyn Little and has had only two rails in 16 of 18 career stadium rounds; the last one occurred in 2018. Z too is a notoriously careful jumper; he and Phillip Dutton have put in 25 clear rounds out of 29 at the A/4*/5* levels.

Buck Davidson and Carlevo are also more likely to jump clear than not; they’ve jumped clear in 9 of 11 A/4* starts in the the last two years. Trendy Fernhill and Jenny Caras have had only one rail in five rounds at the level and have twice won thanks to clear stadium rounds.

Meanwhile, some stalkers after dressage will start making their move up the leaderboard. While Stella Artois can occasionally throw in a top score, she more consistently stalks the leaders after day one and makes up ground in the stadium phase on day two. She and Jennie Brannigan have jumped clear in seven of eight starts in the last two years.

Idaho-based Sara Mittleider and La Paz are another pair to keep an eye out for in the stadium. This pair jumps clear more often than not at the A/4*S level, clocking in only two total rails in six career starts. Another Sara, Sara Kozumplik-Murphy and Rubens d’Ysieux, join the super careful club with six clear rounds in seven stadium starts as a pair; they only incurred their first rail together at this level at the Advanced at Morven Park last fall.

CROSS COUNTRY

The question as always for RF Scandalous is going to be cross country time and whether she and Marilyn Little have sufficient cushion from their stellar dressage and stadium phases to keep their lead over the remainder of the field. Although this pair made time for the first time at the level two weeks ago, the fact that 36% of the field also made the time was an anomaly not only for the venue but for the level itself. At the 4*-s level, clear and inside the time rates of 30% or higher have only occurred thirteen times worldwide since 2015, so finishing times at the 2021 Red Hills will be an outlier for most horses.

Since Stable View is another venue notoriously tough to make the time at, it is much more likely that this pair will be back to needing some seconds in hand going into the final phase. Luckily, their talent in the first two phases will probably give them some breathing room, but ultimately the question, as always, will be is it enough?

Two-time winners Z and Phillip Dutton will be ready to pounce as one of the fastest pairs in the field. The 2018 WEG pair have accumulated a grand total of only 1 second over optimum time in two runs here at this venue, both of which culminated in a win.

Jacob Fletcher and Atlantic Domino. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Buck Davidson and Carlevo will be a touch slower, along with Jenny Caras and Trendy Fernhill and Sara Mittleider and La Paz, all of whom will probably rack up around ten seconds worth of time penalties. This will leave the door open for some speedsters to nab a top five spot; Jacob Fletcher with Atlantic Domino are capable of blazingly fast rounds when they want to, and have made the time at two venues difficult to catch the time at. EnVogue could also come roaring back to the top of the leaderboard with Tamie Smith if she returns to typical form; her clear rounds tend to be paired with the fastest pace of the day.

PREDICTIONS:

WINNER

Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

RF Scandalous should be able to make it two in a row this weekend, with enough cushion between her and the other top pairs to give her the time she needs to complete on cross country.

EXTENDING CLEAR JUMPING STREAKS

Phillip Dutton and Fernhill Singapore. Photo by Abby Powell.

Z is a great stadium horse but it’s his stablemate Fernhill Singapore who currently owns the longest consecutive streak of clear A/4*-S rounds in this field. Under Phillip Dutton, with one lone catch ride from Boyd Martin, this horse has jumped clear in his last seven at A/4* rounds.

BIGGEST MOVER

Nilson Da Silva and Magnum’s Martini. Photo by Shelby Allen.

Magnum’s Martini is a strong candidate to move well up the order after the jumping phases; with loads of experience at this level, this horse knows what comes after dressage!

OTHER DIVISIONS

  • As a 4-year-old, 2 A.M. won the 2016 East Coast YEH Championships. Under Charlotte Babbitt, he is back on the East coast to contend in the 3*-S.
  • Joe Meyer competes former Price ride Kindred Spirit II in the 3*-S division. Under both Tim and Jonelle this horse competed through the 4*-L level.
  • Former 5* ride RF Eloquence is back on the East coast with Meg Pellegrini in the 3*-S division.
  • Keep an eye out for Cornelius Bo in the 2*-S division. Under owner Alyssa Phillips, he has won his last eight consecutive events from Training level up through Prelim and 2*-S.
  • River King has competed up through the Advanced level with four total riders, including current rider Anna Pierce; they will be in the 3*-S division this weekend.

Dressage starts today. While there is sadly not a live stream for Stable View this weekend, we’ll be bringing you media reports from the press team on the ground all weekend.

Stable View International: Website, Entry Status, Ride Times, Live Scores

Thursday News & Notes from Ecovet

By on Mar 25, 2021 12:03 am -

Zara Tindall as a wee babe at Badminton. Photo courtesy of Badminton HT FB.

Congratulations to Badminton rider Zara Tindall and husband Mike on the birth of their baby boy Lucas! Zara and Mike welcomed their third child this week in a quick birth at home. Born into royalty but always a horse girl at heart, Zara has long been a valued member of the British eventing squad. I absolutely love this photo that Badminton Horse Trials shared of Zara as a little girl patting
Mike Tucker’s horse General Bugle in the stables at Badminton.

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Galway Downs International H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]

Stable View Spring 1*/2*/3*/4*: [Website]
[Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]

Full Gallop Farm March II H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Volunteer]

March H.T. at Majestic Oaks: [Website] [Volunteer]

Morven Park H.T.: [Website] [Volunteer]

Poplar Place Farm March H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]

Texas Rose Spring H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]

News From Around the Globe:

With 199 entries this weekend at Stable View, it’s a packed event with horses of all levels. Stable View has been running FEI levels since 2018 at their Oktoberfest event at the end of September. This year is the first year they will also offer FEI levels in the spring – this week, Stable View will run CCI1*-S, CCI2*-S, and CCI3*-S, and CCI4*-S divisions and host the first Adequan/USEF Youth Team Challenge of the year. Ready for some fast facts? [Stable View Fast Facts]

A sunken road may include as many as four jumping components at the upper level. For instance, it could be a vertical, then a stride to a considerable drop into a pit, a one-stride distance to a bank going out of the pit, and beyond the bank, another vertical or even a bounce. But a sunken road is more than just a combination of cross-country elements. It tests your horse’s power, balance and agility to jump down, then rock back and rebalance within a short distance to jump up again. Learn how to train your horse for sunken roads with Boyd Martin in this article. [The Downs and Ups of Sunken Roads]

Chris Bartle knows a thing or two about what makes a winner. He should know – he’s won at the highest level of both eventing and dressage himself, and trained gold medal teams for two different nations. “It’s the third element that is critical to a champion, they are not worried about making a mistake. The first quality is will to win, the second is attention to detail, and third, not afraid of making mistakes – the willingness to take a risk. Fourth is mental toughness. I always say in every sport, life goes in waves, up and down, keep rowing the boat and you’ll meet the next wave coming up, but don’t jump out of the boat!” [What Makes a Winner?]

Looking to get in on ownership of a top talent from the beginning? Stephen Bradley has an amazing mare in Erika Louvo who he believes is a horse with potential for the upper levels of eventing, and he is looking for owners to form a partnership to keep her in his barn. Learn more and watch some videos of Erika here.

Ecovet is still having their spring sale! Don’t forget to stock up on the best ever fly spray that will last you all day by using the code SPRING2021 to get 30% off on everything from their site. [Ecovet Spring Sale]

Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: The Secrets of Success at the Billy Stud

By on Mar 24, 2021 7:11 pm -

Before champions can be made, they must be born – and both these steps, and then a few more, can be found in action in West Sussex, England, at The Billy Stud. Home to eventing legend Pippa Funnell and her husband, top showjumper William Funnell, The Billy Stud is in the business of building tomorrow’s superstars from the bottom up.

Now in its 22nd year, the stud is one of Britain’s most successful breeding operations – and its forward-thinking virtual and in-house sales mean that anyone with some funds to spare can add a Billy youngster to their spring. But what goes into bringing up baby for a career on the world’s biggest stages? Go behind the scenes with the FEI to discover the Funnells’ horses-first ethos.

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More That Meets the Eye: How Ride On Video Started With Some Borrowed Cameras and an Idea

By on Mar 24, 2021 2:30 pm -

There is so much more that goes into putting on an event than meets the eye. In this series, “More Than Meets the Eye”, we’ll be taking a deeper dive into all the people who make events what they are: videographers, photographers, course builders, volunteers, you name it! In part one of this series, we take a look into how California-based videography service Ride On Video creates priceless footage for eventers of all levels. To nominate someone to be featured in this series, please email [email protected].

Photo courtesy of Ride On Video.

Ride On Video – a California-based videography service we all know and love – has been videoing West coast events for nearly 14 years.

A media background combined with some people skills was the perfect match to kick-start Ride On Video for founders Bob and Debi, but they never planned to start such an operation. Their daughter, Tayler, was competing one weekend and they got a little bored, so they jokingly said, “Go ask people if they want you to film them.” Next thing you know, a friend introduced them to other trainers, which led to them filming breed shows. Ride On Video was on to something – they could earn back their daughter’s entry fees and it was fun!

“I always joke that Ride On Video was started on two borrowed cameras and an idea because at the time we didn’t have good video cameras, we would borrow from friends,” the founders explained. The budding service began to cover driving shows and ventured out to the eventing world. They had just a few cameras, but they also had a lot of heart and fell in love with the sport fast.

A perfect filming setup! Photo by Ride On Video.

“What’s number one to us is the riders. What we do is for the riders. We always want to put out the best thing that we can for the riders. One: it’s the best lesson they can spend their money on, watching their competition with their trainer and studying it. Two: if you have a great go, what a great thing, right? It’s priceless.”

A lot goes into the process of filming for Ride On Video, which proudly films every rider competing so that a later order may be placed. From arranging travels to uploading the footage, it takes a whole team. The Ride On Video crew starts at a show at about 5 a.m., getting the schedule from the show office and setting up each camera. It’s not just the cameras, though. Each numbered camera has a corresponding tripod, battery, radio, and clipboard which all go in the corresponding bag. After shooting the riders, footage gets compressed in order to go to editing. Once edited, the video gets uploaded to the website. “It’s labor intensive, but it’s a labor of love,” Ride On Video says.

Photo courtesy of Ride On Video.

“If you were at the Olympics or if you’re the intro kid, I cheer for you all the same. I admire these riders so much. What they do is so special,” the company explained. From the riders that are starting at their first rated show to the professionals, the team loves to hear how their rides went and keeps up with the community on social media. “People always ask what the secret of Ride On Video is and I feel that it is that we passionately love the sport and the people in it.”

Stay tuned for a feature coming next on the new arm of Ride On Video: Ride On Photo. To find Ride On Video at an event near you, visit rideonvideo.net.

Go Eventing.

Unprecedented Turnout Expected at Galway Downs Spring International This Weekend

By on Mar 24, 2021 11:30 am -

Erin Kellerhouse and Woodford Reserve. Photo by The West Equestrian/Kim Miller.

An unprecedented turnout of horses and riders for this week’s Galway Downs International Horse Trials, March 25-28, marks a milestone on the West Coast eventing scene. One year ago, it was the first major West Coast eventing showcase to be shuttered by the COVID-19 virus.

When it was safe to resume competition under “new normal” protocols, Robert Kellerhouse’s Kellerhouse Presents team led the way in staging safe, enjoyable and constructive competition for horses and riders. When competition couldn’t be hosted, the Kellerhouse crew made the most of it by accelerating and expanding upgrades and enhancements that have become a trademark of the 242-acre equestrian venue located in the heart of Southern California’s Temecula Valley Wine Country.

Many of those improvements were showcased at the Galway Downs International last fall. It featured CCI4*-L competition that drew top East Coast riders and hosted the USEF National CCI3*-L Championships. Boyd Martin, Liz Halliday-Sharp and Phillip Dutton were among the international stars who had not competed in Temecula in several years and they went home with rave reviews.

“It was great for the West Coast to have them see the level of improvements in everything,” notes Asia Vedder, chair of USEA Area VI and an upper-level competitor who finished as reserve champion in the USEF’s National CCI3*L Championships last fall. “Robert and his team work really hard at constantly improving the facility, which is much appreciated. He’s been able to make many of the improvements because he thinks outside the box, particularly when it comes to working with organizers in other disciplines.”

Kellerhouse’s three-year partnership with hunter/jumper organizers, Nilforushan Equisport Events, has led to particularly transformative upgrades in footing, exhibitor amenities and elsewhere. The wholehearted support of Galway Downs owner Ken Smith is the bedrock supporting the venue’s continual growth.

On top of substantial upgrades unveiled in the fall, first-rate all-weather footing has been added to additional arenas. The cross-country tracks designed by Clayton Fredericks (3 & 4*) and Bert Wood (2*-BN) will be roped off for the upper levels, as they were to great effect in the fall. Both designers assure exciting new obstacles and challenges on all routes.

While spectators are not allowed due to COVID-19 safety protocols, a new, permanent VIP pavilion allows exhibitors safe social distancing in comfort while watching the action in the Grand Prix Arena. Sponsor Ride On Video will be live-streaming the FEI action.

Volunteering is the best form of spectating and there are opportunities available here.

The international, Advanced and Open Intermediate divisions begin on Thursday, March 25, with dressage in the morning and show jumping in the afternoon. Cross-country will wrap up on Friday. Competition through Beginner Novice continues through Sunday.

Exhibitors from throughout the Western United States and generous sponsors make the Galway Downs International Horse Trials the perfect international season opener.

Galway Downs International: Website, Entry Status, Ride Times, Live Scores