If you haven’t heard – and we wouldn’t be mad if you hadn’t, it’s been a crazy last two weeks in eventing land – Eventing Nation launched its very own Patreon this year. Created to connect on a more intimate and candid level with our readers, EN’s Patreon is a growing community with over 50 members to date. If you’ve been on the fence about joining, here’s a look at what you could be missing out on:
1. Community and camaraderie
Our sport is like a little small town – which can be a good thing and a bad thing, all at once. We wanted to create a safe, inclusive space where riders and diehard eventing fans could share their thoughts and experiences. By joining us as an EN Patron, you’ll gain access to our private Facebook group, Insanity In the Middle, where we discuss eventing topics, share memories, and ask members for feedback on upcoming editorial projects.
2. Exclusive content in the Facebook group
We’re really excited to kick off a series of candid and informal video Q&As with professionals from the horse industry. Think mental health, fitness, riding, training – every topic you could think of, we plan to tackle. First up on Thursday, February 18, I’ll be sitting down for a Facebook Live with Sarah Carlan, a wellness coach I worked with on this article about mental health hurdles. This will be an intimate Q&A for Patrons only, and I’m really looking forward to normalizing mental wellness through these conversations.
3. Editorial feedback
Our platform was designed to represent the eventing community at-large, so it makes a lot of sense to include the perspectives of our readers in our work. To that end, our Patron group will also serve as a focus group of sorts, meaning members will have the opportunity to preview our editorial calendar, provide story tips and suggestions, and even sit in on some of our editorial team meetings. We want all of our readers to feel seen and included – this means we’ll always need your input!
Snag a cool Yeti wine mug (or a tumbler, your choice) when you sign up!
4. We’re giving away cool swag to our founding Patrons!
We wanted to celebrate the launch of our Patreon with a cool promotion: any members who sign up by Sunday, February 14 will receive an EN Yeti tumbler or wine mug (your choice!) as a token of our appreciation. All you need to do is sign up as a Patron at ANY tier (member tiers start at just $5/month) by Sunday, and we’ll send you your gift.
We’re overwhelmed with gratitude from all the support we’ve received so far. With any hope, one day we’ll be reunited in person at a cross country tailgate, but for now, we’ll see you online. Click here to become an EN Patron.
A recent discussion in the Facebook group for EN Patrons (haven’t joined us on Patreon yet? Click here to learn more.) got me thinking and interested in hearing our readers’ responses. It centered around the topic of the “eventing bug” – you know, that moment where suddenly life seemed more clear and the only thing that seemed to make sense was hurling yourself, atop a horse, over solid obstacles at speed. And now, here you are: an eventing rider, a trainer, a photographer, a vet, an owner, a volunteer, a fan.
Surely many of us can remember a specific moment in which that clarity came to us. For me, it was watching Gina Miles and the great liver chestnut, McKinlaigh, soaring over the fences in the old Rolex arena at the Kentucky Horse Park. It was 2003, and it was my first year attending what was then known Rolex Kentucky. Somewhere, there’s a scrapbook made up of instant camera photos and scribbled notes about the horses that stood out to me: Antigua, Leaps and Bounds, Primmore’s Pride…everywhere I could crane my teenaged neck, I was surrounded by superstars.
My 2003 program covered in signatures like the true eventing nerd I have always been.
It was this year, driving back to Missouri with red shoulders and a program book covered in rider signatures, that I knew I’d found the horse sport I loved the most. Growing up, I’d gravitated towards racing as that was primarily what you saw on TV, but once I got wind of what eventing was, there was no going back.
Each year from then on, I attended the big event on the Bluegrass, booking my hotel in December when I just couldn’t wait any longer and stalking the schedule for autograph signings and course walks. A tradition had been born.
Years and years later, I would finally get the chance to interview Gina Miles for a story right here on EN – after I got my starstruck gushing that goes against most journalistic standards of conduct out of the way, of course.
These days, I love discovering people’s “aha!” moments – the simple exchange between Alexia Blake and Lauren Ferguson that gave a little girl stars in her eyes comes to mind as a recent favorite. The memories shared on social media over the past week surrounding this year’s Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event have spurred me to curiosity, so now I give the mic to you: who gave you “the bug”? Tell us your story in the comments or by emailing [email protected] and I’ll compile them into a future article.
By US Equestrian Press Release on Feb 12, 2021 9:00 am - Liz Halliday-Sharp and Deniro Z. Taylor Pence/US Equestrian Photo.
The U.S. Eventing Team hosted the first high performance training session of the 2021 competition year in Ocala, Florida last week, welcoming athletes from the Elite and Pre-Elite Training Lists to an intensive four-day camp focused on individualized training with Erik Duvander, the U.S. Eventing Team’s High Performance Director, and the program’s new show jumping coach, Peter Wylde.
The training session offered athletes the ability to familiarize themselves with Wylde’s coaching style and focus on fine-tuning their jumping technique with the opportunity to train on multiple horses each day. The first two days showcased combinations named to the program’s Elite list, with the final two days tailored to athlete and horse combinations on the Pre-Elite list.
Duvander, who is entering his third year with the program, was pleased with the talent and quality the combinations displayed over the four days and also discussed his enthusiasm welcoming Wylde to the coaching staff of the program.
Erik Duvander (left) and Peter Wylde (right). Taylor Pence/US Equestrian Photo.
“This is the first session of the year, so this is an opportunity for Peter to check in on the horses and get to know some of the horses he hasn’t seen yet,” said Duvander. “The first day started with easy exercises to get the horses nice and supple and jumping in a relaxed manner. The second day was jumping more of a real track, not of high difficulty, but seeing more of what we need to focus on for the next training session and working on the fundamentals before the competition season so these riders can apply in their own training at home.”
Wylde holds an impressive resume having competed for the U.S. Jumping Team for more than two decades and represented the United States at the 2002 FEI World Equestrian Games in Jerez, Spain, where he secured an individual bronze medal aboard Fein Cera. He was selected to the team for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, helping to secure team gold. Wylde has recently turned his focus to coaching and training – a perfect fit for the needs of the U.S. Eventing Team program.
Doug Payne and Quantum Leap. Taylor Pence/US Equestrian Photo.
“We have been working on control, having a really good relationship with the horse, and getting the horses supple and jumping well, their rideability – these are all things that we do and focus on the pure show jumping side, too,” said Wylde. “I have to say, I’m so impressed with the riding and the horses. We have an incredible group of riders, both the seasoned ones and the younger athletes, who are just fantastic with really good horses.”
“This group likes to ride with a faster pace and more forward to jumps. That’s just normal with cross-country being a part of what you do. Everything that I feel – and the more I’ve done this with the eventing group it further strengthens my opinion – is to actually work on collection, suppleness, control, and getting the jump to be much more vertical and up than forward and flat. That’s a big part of it. It includes the roundness of the jumps and gymnastics training, so that’s really what we’ve worked on a lot. Most of it is very simple: low jumps, jumping out of hand, jumping with collection, landing and having collection after the fences.”
Sydney Elliott and QC Diamantaire. Photo: Taylor Pence/US Equestrian
Building support around the program has been a key strategic focus for Duvander, who has enlisted top trainers from around the world to offer their expertise and coaching to program athletes. Duvander, who started his tenure with the program in 2018, sees the growth and progress so far in just three years, and the talent, quality, and competition results of program combinations are consistently trending in the right direction. In addition to Wylde, Duvander has also recruited Johann Hinnemann to join the team as the U.S. Eventing Team Dressage Coach.
“I’ve been in this role for a few years now and have been looking for someone as a show jumping trainer who would be the right fit for us. I got connected up with Peter about a year ago, and I was always a great fan of Peter, especially when he was riding and competing internationally. He rides in such a beautiful way. We had the chance to try him with a few riders at the start of training last year and it’s been super suitable, not just for the jumping, but the same style flows into the dressage and cross-country with the softness and the harmony,” added Duvander. “It’s very important to me to have a system that is a consistent way of training horses, so the jump training doesn’t do one thing and the dressage training does another.”
Last week’s jumping session was the first of 10 training days with Duvander and Wylde scheduled for the Elite and Pre-Elite athletes in the lead-up to the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event, and dressage-focused training with Hinnemann will be introduced soon.
Jo Ann Wilson with C’est La Vie 135. Taylor Pence/US Equestrian Photo.
“We were thrilled to host a successful and safe training session in Ocala under the USEF’s COVID-19 protocols,” said Jenni Autry, USEF Managing Director of Eventing. “The horses on the Elite/Pre-Elite squad were also evaluated by Team Vet Dr. Susan Johns, Team Equine Physio Jo-Ann Wilson, and Program Farrier Beck Ratte to establish a baseline for the year. We were lucky to host both the training session and vet evaluations at Rob and Chris Desinos’ beautiful farm and are very grateful for their support and generosity.”
As an important spring season on the horizon will culminate with team selection for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, Duvander feels confident and pleased looking ahead to the future and the progress made so far.
“This year is the first year I really feel like things are starting to gel,” he said. “When I look at the quality of the riders and horses we have at the moment, and their focuses, I think we’re really on to good times ahead of us.”
View the photo galleries and coverage from the 2021 USEF Eventing Winter High Performance Training Session here.
Watch the 2021 USEF Eventing Winter High Performance Training Session highlight video here.
The USEF International High Performance Programs are generously supported by the USET Foundation, USOPC, and USEF sponsors and members.
As I sit here writing this, there is snow piling up outside my window, but it’s not going to look as beautiful as this picture of Burghley. I mean, it might for a few hours in the morning, but then it will inevitably turn into more mud, which I can hardly believe is possible. Having my fields on the hillside is great most of the year because it helps my horses with their fitness, but in the winter, it’s a straight up slip ‘n’ slide. I have one flat paddock, and the dummies go in there for a few hours in the morning so they can get their hoohas out without breaking a leg. I wish I had an indoor for riding, but also maybe for turnout sometimes.
Only two days left to take advantage of our Patreon launch promo! We’re giving a free EN Yeti tumbler or wine mug to every new Patron who signs up by Sunday, February 14. We’re excited about the exclusives our Patrons will get to take advantage of as members of our private Facebook group – don’t miss out! Click here to join us and become a supporting fan of EN.
Exercising your horses in the winter is different than during warmer weather, and not just because of the layers of clothing required. You’ll definitely want to increase your warmup and cool down times, keep an eye on the frozen footing, and sometimes you just have to sacrifice a workout for health reasons. If it’s too cold to breathe, it’s probably too cold for your horse to exercise, so just let it go. [Tips to Safely Exercise in the Winter]
In 2018, a Utah couple was doing landscaping in their backyard near the city of Provo when they unearthed something surprising: an almost complete skeleton of a horse about the size of a Shetland pony. Scientists and the media took note. Preliminary data suggested that the horse might be more than 10,000 years old. A new analysis of a horse previously believed to be from the Ice Age shows that the animal actually died just a few hundred years ago—and was raised, ridden and cared for by Native peoples. The study sheds light on the early relationships between horses and their guardians in the Americas. [Horse Remains Reveal New Insights into Native Peoples]
How do top grooms keep their tack so clean? Aside from a lot of elbow grease and experience, worldwide professional grooms have their own secrets to taking care of the expensive and valuable accessories for their top performance horses. [Tips & Tricks on Cleaning Tack]
Keep things steamy this Valentine’s Day weekend with Haygain! Steamed hay offers so many benefits to your horse, including respiratory health, digestion, increasing hydration, and improving palatability. What more could your love ask for this holiday season? Now even better because they’re having a Valentine’s Day sale! [Haygain Love]
With the USEF’s current moratorium on spectators extending through June of this year, a great way to get out and see some of your favorite local riders in action and help out the hard-working event organizers is to volunteer. Volunteers continue to be essential to the running of every event, and there are still plenty of opportunities available to help out this weekend.
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.
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: Fresno County Horse Park February H.T.
Dates: Friday, February 12 through Sunday, February 14
Address: 7430 North Weber AVe, Fresno, CA, 93722
Positions Available: Dressage Steward, Temperature/Waiver Checker, XC Crossing Guard, XC Jump Judge
Event: Ocala Winter I H.T.
Dates: Thursday, February 11 through Monday, February 15
Address: 11008 S Highway 475, Ocala, FL, 34480
Positions Available: XC Decorator, XC Finish Timer, XC Jump Judge, XC Warm-up, Dressage Check-In, Dressage Score Runner, XC Score Runner, SJ Scribe
Event: Pine Hill GHCTA Schooling H.T.
Dates: Saturday, February 13 through Sunday, February 14
Address: 1720 Hwy 159 East, Bellville, TX, 77418
Positions Available: Event Prep – General, Greeter, XC Jump Judge, XC On-Course Timer, XC Warm-up, Event Takedown – XC, Secretary
Event: Pine Top Intermediate H.T.
Dates: Thursday, February 11 through Sunday, February 14
Address: 1432 Augusta Hwy, Thomson, GA, 30824
Positions Available: XC Jump Judge, Dressage Bit Check, Dressage Steward, SJ Jump Crew
As the calendar ticks closer to the postponed 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan (currently scheduled for July 23 – August 8, 2021), Olympic officials have released Playbooks outlining Covid protocol for Athletes, International Federations, Press, and Broadcasters. It remains the intent of the Olympic organizing committee to proceed with the Games despite a surge in cases in Tokyo and a decline in public approval of the Games. Organizers have also stated that a vaccine will not be required of athletes; vaccine distribution in Japan is scheduled to begin this month.
Though it remains uncertain whether or not spectators will be allowed at the Games this summer, the protocol outlined in the Playbooks addresses the other stakeholders that will be participating.
An excerpt from the Athletes Playbook.
“We are #StrongerTogether. The values we share – Excellence, Friendship and Respect – will lead us to a safe and successful Games,” the Playbook states. “We firmly believe that if every single one of us commits to following the Playbook, we will come together in the summer for an extraordinary Games that will stand out in memory for all the right reasons. Our gathering is a symbol of hope for humanity. Our gathering requires the best within us.”
Excerpt from the Athletes Playbook.
Participants will make use of Japan’s COCOA and health reporting smartphone apps for contact tracing and exposure notifications. A negative COVID-19 test must also be provided, along with additional testing upon arrival and throughout the Games, prior to entry into the country.
In addition to these parameters, participants are also cautioned to use normal social distancing and hygiene throughout their travels. All who will be in attendance are also encouraged not to chant or sing as encouragement, but rather to clap only.
“You are responsible for proactively monitoring and reporting your personal health every day via the health reporting app,” the Playbook says. “Testing will be a crucial part of minimizing transmission: used for general screening and for those identified as a close contact of a positive case; as well as used for diagnosis for those experiencing symptoms of COVID-19.”
All official Playbooks for Tokyo can be found here.
We will continue to monitor the status of the Olympics and are also working on providing an update on the Eventing High Performance program and its preparation for the Games.
Amy Tryon and Poggio II. Photo courtesy of Lauren Ferguson.
Athens 2004 Olympics was the first time I vividly remember watching the entirety of the Eventing portion with rapt attention, and following all of the US riders from start to finish. I was a teenager running around Training level, and I didn’t know any of them personally, so they were superstars in my mind. I particularly remember watching Poggio in the jumping phases, because his style of going over the fences was heart stopping. Not only was he unbelievably catty and quick, but he was pretty wild at times. I didn’t have a clue what it took to get to that level, but watching him go on cross country made me think one day I’d like to do that, and run that fast and jump that high. Thanks Poggio, for inspiring many young girls across the world with your unique style.
Nothing we love more here at EN than snooping around famous riders’ farms! Ever wondered what Piggy March’s yard looks like from the inside? Wonder no more, my friends. Piggy is based in Northamptonshire, on a farm that was specifically built to meet all the needs of an Eventer, plus a view from the arena that’ll knock your socks off. Can I move in too? [Arena with a View: Piggy March’s Yard]
We’ve all known a grumpy horse or two, and chances are that it’s just brushed off as “that’s just him”. But new studies into equine behavioral science show that a horse that’s grumpy in the barn is likely not having a good time under saddle either. This study has shown that there’s a relationship between poor welfare in a stall and the expression of behaviors, postures, and even a particular way of moving when the horses are being ridden. [A Grumpy Horse]
Throwback Thursday to the 2010 YEH Championships, and the successful horses that came from there. With the east coast championships at Fair Hill and the west coast championships at Twin Rivers that year, the two championships saw 26 starters. Twelve of those horses fulfilled the program’s mission and went on to be successful at the upper levels of eventing. [YEH Yearbook: 2010]
Science confirms what we all knew to be true: pelvic mobility and control dictate riding efficacy. In general, the rider’s pelvis pitches in the opposite direction and rolls in the same direction as the rotation of the saddle. Riders need core stability to follow and guide the horse’s movements and avoid giving unintended or conflicting signals. In this study, they assessed performance in the saddle by measuring quality and harmony of a dressage test, as well as measuring the horse’s heart rate and salivary levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Riders were also studied on their ability to roll their pelvis on a giant rubber ball. [Importance of Pelvic Mobility]
As I write this, we’ve just received news that the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event will go forward after a massive outpour of donations over the last few days. While the process has been divisive in many ways – there are plenty of wholly valid questions circulating about whose responsibility the initial cancellation fell under, how the figure named will be used, and the apparent lack of financial support levied by USEF – one sentiment is universal: we all love our pioneering American five-star, and we all want to see it go from strength to strength.
It feels redundant to type the words ‘eventing is at a crossroads’ yet again, because it feels like I – and my colleagues and friends throughout the wider world of equestrian media – have done so innumerable times before. The past week has made it apparent that our industry needs increased transparency and more robust support systems to keep it afloat, and in the wake of Kentucky 2021, whatever may happen, these open discussions should be nurtured and taken into account. But in the meantime, in the midst of this whirlwind, I want to take a minute to reminisce about how special Kentucky has been, and to daydream about the extraordinary stories that will flourish in its grounds for many years to come.
Go Eventing.
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An unprecedented outpouring of public support and a grassroots fundraising effort have led to a reversal of the announced cancellation of the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI Five Star presented by MARS Equestrian™ (LRK3DE). A new partnership between Equestrian Events, Inc. (EEI), producer of the world-class event, and the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation combined with the support of US Equestrian and longstanding sponsors Land Rover, Mars Equestrian, and Rolex will ensure that the CCI5*-L three-day event will be held, without spectators, alongside a new CCI4*-S, April 22-25 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY.
“The uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic placed us in the financially impossible position of having to run the Five Star event without spectators, a situation that left us no choice but to cancel the Five Star for 2021 in order to preserve it for many years to come,” said Mike Cooper, president of EEI. “We are humbled and honored by the response of the eventing community as they’ve stepped up in a mind-blowing way enabling us to go forward.”
A fundraising campaign was started by athletes and fueled by the grassroots effort of the broader eventing community, generating more than $550,000 in donations to run the event. “While that still leaves us short of the amount needed, it is enough to convince us that the balance can be raised,” added Cooper. “We are now, with the assistance of the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation, committed to going forward with the Five Star.”
In the new partnership, EEI and the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation, both 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organizations, bring strong and distinct skill sets – the Foundation in fundraising and EEI in event management. Using their respective expertise and resources, the Foundation will take the lead in soliciting donations to supplement the grassroots effort, and EEI will focus its attention on running the nation’s premier equestrian event in an environment that is safe for all during the current world-wide pandemic.
“The Kentucky Three-Day Event is the foremost event held at the Kentucky Horse Park and the lifeblood of the eventing world,” said Clay Green, Chairman of the Board of the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation. “The Horse Park was established for the 1978 World Three-Day Event Championships which gave birth to the annual Kentucky Three-Day Event whose success is responsible for the Park’s position of prominence and so much that has happened at the Park, including the 2010 World Equestrian Games. Seeing the number of people pleading for the event to happen this year made it very clear that we must do all we can to ensure that it does.”
“Seeing the athletes, community, our sponsors, and these two organizations, the KHP Foundation and EEI, come together in a united way to allow the CCI5*-L and CCI4*-S to go forward despite the challenges presented by the pandemic is nothing short of remarkable. This will allow our athletes and horses aiming for Tokyo this summer the best opportunity to qualify and prepare, while ensuring the safest possible environment for participants seeking to complete a CCI5*-L or CCI4*-S,” shared Bill Moroney, Chief Executive Officer of US Equestrian. “We extend a huge thank you to all involved, especially to our sponsors, for their flexibility and continued commitment to this event.”
“We are thrilled to return as the title sponsor for the 2021 Land Rover Kentucky Three Day Event CCI5*-L, CCI4*-S and support the event broadcasts on NBC, NBC Sports Network, and USEF Network so everyone can watch this historic event from the comfort of their homes. We applaud the efforts of the equestrian community who have gone above and beyond to raise funds to support this event and ensure another great year of world-class eventing can take place at the highest level at the Kentucky Horse Park,” said Michael Curmi, Director Brand Experience, Jaguar Land Rover USA.
“We applaud the efforts of so many organizers, fans, competitors, and sponsors, supported by MARS Equestrian, which will allow the CCI5*-L competition to continue forward in 2021. This event is an equestrian treasure we are proud to sponsor as we all look for safe ways to hold top level competition,” stated Geoffrey Galant, VP Mars Equestrian.
Spectators are not allowed at this time, but USEF will continue to monitor the effects of the pandemic to determine if a limited number of spectators can be permitted at some point closer to the event with priority given to 2020 rolled over ticket holders. Those who paid for the 2020 event and chose to roll their money over for 2021 will have the option of full refunds or rolling their money over again for 2022. “Ticket holders can expect an email regarding their options, one of which will be to join this incredible grassroots movement on behalf of the sport of eventing,” said Cooper. “Those who wish to do so can donate some or all of the money they’ve paid. We applaud and thank everyone who has contributed so far; without you there would be no Five Star this year and all of you have our utmost gratitude and appreciation!”
Those wishing to be part of the growing movement to save the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event Five Star can do so through the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation website.
We are saddened to report that Poggio II, the longtime partner of the late and great Amy Tryon, has passed away at the age of 29. Amy Tryon’s husband, Greg Tryon, posted the following tribute on his social media:
The Old Man’s heart beats no more
On February 9th at 21:30 Amy got an early birthday present, her beloved Poggio. …
On February 9th at 21:30 Amy got an early birthday present, her beloved Poggio.
The Old Man’s heart beats no more.
I met him for the first time nearly a quarter of a century ago. “See my new horse!” Calling the orange and grey, half clipped, long-haired caterpillar a horse was in my eyes a bit optimistic. Knowing what her intentions for the horse once known as Chester’s Time to Fly in the racing world were, calling him a horse was way out of the box thinking, even for Amy. You thought he was a bit unorthodox later in life, wow, you should have seen him that first day.
Poggio II, yes, there was a Poggio in the world prior. Whether he was called Poggio, Pogi, or just plain P, he left an indelible mark in your heart. There were no bad days with P, he was eager each and every day, and he usually let you know about it from the get-go.
He did not like to be last, oh how the other riders didn’t enjoy going on gallops with the effervescent P bounding by their horses’ side as they prepared for some event around the world. P thought it was a game, “please, can we go again?!?”.
The Old Man’s heart beats no more
Oh, the places Poggio showed us. Traveling across the US and Canada. From the west coast to small towns in Pennsylvania and the rest of the Eastern seaboard. A passport that would take us on journeys through England, Ireland, Scotland, Spain, Greece, Germany and China. All to return home to small towns in Washington State to live a life with his miniature donkeys.
The Old Man’s heart beats no more
He astonished people left and right. That’s the horse that jumped double clear? He’s so, so, so… downhill? He’s so short. He doesn’t have a trot, or other gaits for that matter. You’re riding him in a hackamore?!? Please have him stand still… Please make him stop cribbing, he’s teaching my horse bad behavior…
I prefer to remember the time an international show jumper walked up and offered a “blank check” for him in those early days. During Pogi’s first trip to Ocala, the rider apparently sat and watched P jump into and out of his paddock all day long, just for the sheer joy of jumping.
The Old Man’s heart beats no more
But as I hear from people around the world, some known, and most unknown, the power of Poggio was his ability to bring people together, for his personality reminded all of the beauty of horses, our “Why”. Horses are expensive, we get hurt, they get hurt, they break our hearts, but I can see why some child gets lost in the world of the horse from a very early age.
When I received the call on Friday, “hey, Pogi isn’t feeling so hot, all should be good, just wanted to let you know…” It caused me to mindful of the old man’s age. It caused me also to think how lucky I have been to know him, and to meet all the amazing people he has introduced me to. From every starred event, to Pan Am’s, to World Games, to Olympics, to neighbors back yards, Poggio was a statesman operating far above his station in life.
The phone call yesterday came with much emotion on the other end. A decision needs to be made, or nature will make it for us. There are the details, the what ifs, but in your heart you know the first responsibility is to be as faithful and loyal a friend has he. I assure you as I sit here typing, I am unable to stop the tears that stream down my cheeks.
The Old Man’s heart beats no more
Sitting in his stall that last evening, surrounded by some of those who have loved and taken care of him over the years, was both tough and peaceful. There were tears, and there was laughter. I promised him his forelock would never have to be braided again, no dreaded dressage as the courses would only be x-country and show jumps. I noted of course, he could jump them in whatever particular order he chose, as he was wont to do anyways. Most importantly, Mom would be waiting for him with open arms and an endless supply of Mrs. Pasture’s cookies.
The Old Man’s heart beats no more
I have left out so many of his accomplishments, and I have deliberately left out the names of so, so many people that have cared for and loved Poggio. He has become the linking point amongst a great many of us. He is neither the end all or be all… and as one person wrote: “Another chapter of life closes, but he leaves behind for us so many memories and connections he made happen”. Let us celebrate that about Poggio the Second.
Last night, I kissed his ear one final time whispering my thank you’s and telling him what a good boy he was.
The Old Man’s Heart Beats FOREVER More!
Indeed, the Thoroughbred gelding’s resume is full of accomplishments. He and Amy competed in two FEI World Equestrian Games and two Olympic Games; they collected team bronze and finished sixth individually in the 2004 Olympics and won individual bronze in the 2006 World Equestrian Games. The pair also finished third at Kentucky in 2002, 10th in 2005, and in the top 20 at Burghley in 2003.
But it wasn’t just the accolades and medals won that made Poggio II so great. It was his pure joy for life and for his job, made evident by his quick thinking and his incredible jumping style. He possessed a true love and a keen understanding of his job, and the results and partnership he had with Amy are proof of that. Poggio was also named Best Conditioned Horse at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event in 2002. He was also named the 2006 Eventing Horse of the Year by The Chronicle of the Horse.
Amy found Poggio II in the classifieds section in The Seattle Times and would go on to produce one of the greatest and most consistent talents that modern American eventing has seen. Please join us in sending our condolences to Greg and everyone who loved Poggio. We’re picturing Amy and Poggio reunited, galloping cross country together once again.
