Classic Eventing Nation

Ireland’s Cathal Daniels Wins First Leg of Portugal Winter Tour

By on Nov 22, 2020 2:38 pm -

Cathal Daniels (IRE) and Shannondale Mari. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

The new “Tour” formats of the Strzegom Summer Tour, which placed out across two weekends in July in Poland, and the Portugal Winter Tour, a three-event series that kicked off this weekend at Barroca d’Alva, represent a creative solution to the problem of canceled FEI events this year. Not unlike winter circuit series here in the U.S. that span weeks or even months, the Tour format invites riders to settle in and stay a while — of particular convenience with current quarantine requirements and travel restrictions.

While Portuguese borders are currently open, competitors must still carry a letter with them from the event certifying their purpose of travel. Other national Covid-19 emergency measures are in place through at least Nov. 23, including a curfew.

The Portugal Winter Tour consists of three weeks of competition: Week 1 – Nov. 19-21, Week 2 – Nov. 26-28, and Week 3- Dec. 2-6. They provide the last opportunity in 2020 for athletes and horses to gain qualifications for international events in 2021 including the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Ireland’s 2019 European Championship bronze medallist Cathal Daniels has won the top class of the first leg of the Portugal Winter Tour, a CCI4*-S. He and his partner Barrichello, an 11-year-old gelding (Balou du Rouet x Matinee du Madon VII) owned by Sarah Hughes, led the 15-horse field from start to finish, winning on their dressage score of 29.7. This is a first win for the partnership of Cathal and Barichello although they have been knocking at the door this year — they were second in the CCI4*-S at Mallow and third in the CCI4*-S at Ballindenisk in August, and seventh in the CCI4*-L at the same venue the following month. Before Cathal, Barrichello was produced by Sharon March of Great Britain, followed by outings at the four-star level William Fox-Pitt and, for the year 2018, Alexander Bragg.

The Galway native also took sixth place with My Lucky Day (40.1) and was runner-up in the CCI3*-S with Shannondale Mari.

Cathal Daniels (IRE) and Shannondale Mari. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Britain’s Ben Hobday and his British Open Championship winner Shadow Man were second (31.5). Australia’s Samantha Birch riding Hunter Valley II was third (35.6) and also fifth on Finduss PFB (39.1) Sweden’s Ludwig Svennerstal and Balham Mist finished fourth (38.7).

Also represented in the field was a representation of Brazil, who qualified their team at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru: Marcio Appel Cheuiche, Carlos Parro, Ruy Fonseca and Marcio Carvalho Jorge. Thailand, which also has a ticket punched for the Games from a Special Qualifier for Groups F and G (Africa, the Middle East, South-East Asia, and Oceania) at Saumur, had a 12th place finish by Weerapat Pitakanonda. Spain’s Antonio Cejudo Caro, Belgium’s Joris Vanspringel and Australia’s Catherine Burrell all landed in the top 10.

The CCI3*-S was won by Thailand’s team gold and individual bronze medallist at the 2019 Asian Games, Korntawat Samran, with Bonero K on their dressage score of 31.5. Ludwig Svennerstal won the CCI2*-S with Jumble.

The Portugal Winter Tour continues Nov. 26-28 at Barroca d’Alva with CCI1*/ 2*S / 3*S  and National Championship classes; the final fixture, Dec. 2-6, has 1*/2*S/2*L/3*S/3*L /4*S/4*L classes.

Click here for complete results. To learn more, visit the 2020 Portugal Winter Tour website.

Eyes on Tokyo: The Latest Updates on Postponed 2020 Olympics

By on Nov 22, 2020 10:00 am -

Embed from Getty Images

As the sporting world looks on anxiously, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Tokyo 2020 organizing team have pushed ahead with their plans to host the Summer Olympic Games a year removed from their original dates this past summer. Yet as Japan continues to report rising daily numbers of new coronavirus cases (despite having comparatively low numbers throughout the pandemic) this week and the virus showing little sign of slowing down, it remains to be seen what the final execution of the Games, now scheduled for July 23 through August 8, 2021, will look like.

The IOC and the organizing committee have remained steadfastly optimistic in the face of COVID-19, which is predictably showing a strong global surge in the waning months of the year. This week, IOC president Thomas Bach paid a visit to the site of the Games in Tokyo, checking in on the development and logistical progression.

Despite the pandemic, Japanese and IOC officials have continued working on bolstering the Games with additional technology and social distancing protocol in an effort to create a sustainable and safe experience for athletes.

While the IOC has said it will not, at this point, mandate vaccination for incoming athletes, officials have encouraged athletes to undergo proper vaccination – if it is available in time – before traveling to Tokyo. The Committee has also come out in support of footing the bill for said vaccinations, but has reiterated the importance of ensuring that those who need vaccines the most have access to them first.

“The first priority has to be a vaccine for the nurses, the medical doctors and the people who keep our society alive,” Mr. Bach said. “If afterwards a vaccine is available, the IOC would bear the cost so that participants can be offered a vaccine.”

Of course, this would all fall by the wayside if a vaccine – and a widely available one at that – does not emerge soon. Though there is notable progress to report – Pfizer Inc. and its German partner, BioNTech, have emerged this week as frontrunners in the race to release a viable option, reporting 95% efficacy from the latest stage of trials – the final outcome of the race to produce a vaccine remains unknown.

Therefore, much of the analytics used throughout the Tokyo site development have centered around testing and contact tracing. From this, the question arises: what about spectators?

Throughout this year, several mainstream and lesser known sports have resumed some sense of normalcy. The NBA, NHL, MLB, and now the NFL have played hybrid seasons, in the case of the NBA bubble without a single positive test. While the World Series and some NFL stadiums have allowed limited numbers of fans, these events are largely spectator-less. Meanwhile in Japan, which for the majority of the pandemic had reported one of the statistically lower totals of cases and deaths, sporting organizations have slowly scaled back into welcoming spectators back in the stands.

Near the beginning of November, a baseball stadium in Yokohama was the staging site of logistical testing with a nearly full load of spectators. Making use of high-precision cameras, carbon dioxide-monitoring devices, and wind speed measuring, the officials were able to collect data to be sent back for use in guiding the decisions around the Olympics and the next season of sports.

These demonstrations of success were cause for IOC president Bach to express positive sentiments about the potential for a “reasonable” amount of spectators attending the Games. “You can organize safe sports events,” he said at a press conference. “We have seen in the professional leagues, particularly in baseball, games already under the restrictions now with spectators that have been very successful. Of course everybody in the Olympic Games would like a full house, a full-capacity stadium. But the top priority of the IOC and of the organizing committee has always been, and remains, to offer a safe environment – also for spectators.”

There will undoubtedly still be many more developments to come in the forthcoming months, as the pandemic has proven it’s anything but predictable. In the meantime, construction continues on the remaining infrastructure that will, with any luck, soon be home to new feats of athletic ability.

Sunday Links

By on Nov 22, 2020 12:01 am -

Allison Springer was the first five-star rider to don a helmet in the first phase. Leslie Threlkeld Photo.

Major news is shaking in the FEI General Assembly. Say goodbye to top hats as the FEI has officially put a foot down to require safety headgear on the flat. While helmets have become more and more common in the dressage, the move away from top hats will be a big change for traditionalists. FEI wants you to mind your melon. Follow up on all General Assembly eventing updates at this link.

National Holiday: National Espresso Day

U.S. Weekend Action :

Grand Oaks H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Southern Arizona Eventing Association H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status/Live Scores] [Show Photographer]

Major International Events:

Portugal Winter Tour Week 1/Barroca d’Alva: [Website] [Start Lists]

Sunday Links: 

Top 10 Tips for Purchasing a Horse with Courtney Cooper

Jaw-dropping photo of horse jumping over top of the wings goes viral

Nick Skelton and Piggy March urge bosses: give your staff a pizza!

World Equestrian Center vs. USEF Proves We Need More Options

Pushing Through Fear Back To Partnership Again

Eventers confront “stressage” in their return after lockdown

Hot on Horse Nation: 5 Ways to Soothe Sore Muscles From No-Stirrup November

Sunday Video: Stumbled across this piece of cuteness on YouTube today. Meet Chex Mix and his 11-year-old rider Annabella Reader. They finished seventh in the Intro B division at Twin Rivers this month. Well done!

 

US Equestrian to Launch USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge Series

By on Nov 21, 2020 9:00 am -

Image via US Equestrian.

US Equestrian is pleased to announce the development of a new youth team competition format for eventing athletes competing at the CCI1* through CCI3* levels, set to be introduced during the 2021 competition season. Eventing athletes between the FEI ages of 14 and 25 are invited to apply for the USEF Eventing Youth Team Challenge for the upcoming competition season, with competition opportunities spanning from early spring through late fall.

This new concept will serve as an evolution of the North American Youth Championship for eventing and will provide opportunities for more athletes to represent their USEA Area in team competition throughout the year, culminating with two bi-coastal championships.

The Challenge will include three levels with the following age requirements:

  • CCI1* for FEI ages 14-18
  • CCI2* for FEI ages 14-21
  • CCI3* for FEI ages 16-25

The series will consist of four to six CCI-S competitions hosted at locations across the country to make the program accessible to as many qualified youth athletes as possible. It will conclude with two CCI-L competitions, one on the East Coast and one on the West Coast, at the end of the competition year. The bid process for host competitions is open through December 15, 2020, and locations will be announced at the end of January 2021.

“We are very excited about the increased opportunities this new Youth Team Challenge series will provide to youth athletes. Whereas youth athletes were aiming for one summer team championship with NAYC, athletes will now have the opportunity to compete in a team for the full season leading up to a final team championship on both coasts,” said Leslie Law, USEF Development and Emerging Athlete Coach.

“The U.S. does not currently have the opportunity to compete in FEI Pony, Junior and Young Rider Championships like in Europe, so we must continue to seek new ways to give our youth athletes more opportunities to compete in a team. The Youth Team Challenge will also give athletes up to the age of 25 the opportunity to gain this valuable team experience. This is an exciting and critical new initiative in further strengthening the Eventing Pathway, which aims to develop athletes to one day represent the U.S. on the world stage.”

Each team will consist of three to four horse/athlete combinations to be chosen from qualified applicants by the USEA Area Selectors based on performance, soundness, experience, and suitability for the competition. All interested athletes must submit an area declaration and a one-time application for the upcoming competition year. The deadline for area declarations and team applications is January 29, 2021. Log in to your athlete dashboard to access the application.

Note to applicants*: FEI age is defined as the age the athlete will turn during the calendar year of the competition. Athletes born between January 1 and December 31, 2007, will be considered FEI age 14 for the entire 2021 competition year. Additionally, athletes who intend to move up to the CCI1* level in the upcoming season are invited to apply, even if they have not yet competed at the level.

For more information, click here.

Saturday Links

By on Nov 21, 2020 12:01 am -

Just two best friends sharing a blade of grass. Photo by Abby Powell.

I’m taking a new step in my journey as a horse owner this week and half-leasing out my pony to a friend of a friend. She’s not moving barns and I’ll still be riding her several days a week, so why do I feel like a parent sending their kid of to college?! I also just feel like such a proud mom watching her cart around someone that my heart could burst. This is a normal horse person feeling, right?

U.S. Weekend Action :

Grand Oaks H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Southern Arizona Eventing Association H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status/Live Scores] [Show Photographer]

Major International Events:

Portugal Winter Tour Week 1/Barroca d’Alva: [Website] [Start Lists]

Saturday Links:

Fresno County Horse Park Under New Ownership

‘It’s not easy to go out there and be yourself’: Carl Hester discusses his fears about social media and sport

Featured Clinician: Liz Halliday-Sharp

Locomotion of Circling Horses

World Equestrian Center vs. USEF Proves We Need More Options

Improve Elasticity in Horse and Rider

Just in on Jumper Nation: Top 5 Tips for Helping Your Favorite Equine Business Thrive

Saturday Video:

Friday Video from SmartPak: The $300 Thoroughbred Who Wowed the Eventing World

By on Nov 20, 2020 6:52 pm -

However our differences of opinion may divide us, one thing that universally unites the eventing world is a good underdog story – particularly when that underdog story involves a cheap-as-chips ex-racehorse who goes on to become a world beater.

That’s exactly what happened when Australia’s Rebel Morrow joined forces with Oaklea Groover, who was on his way to slaughter following the discovery of blood clots in his skull. Rebel stepped in, paid the owners what they’d have made in meat money, and began an extraordinary journey with the horse who would become her Athens Olympics partner.

In this episode of the Thoroughbred Network’s show, you’ll get to know the Aussie rider, whose based at Shane Rose’s Bimbadeen Park and learn the whole story behind Oaklea Groover’s exceptional career. Plus, she shares her insights on sourcing and retraining your own Thoroughbred so you can create your horse of a lifetime, too. A whole lot of heart for a diminutive sum – we might not be betting folk, but we do like those odds.

Go Eventing!

Optimum Youth Equestrian Scholarship: Bryanna Tanase is Pursuing Para-Equestrian Dreams

By on Nov 20, 2020 3:00 pm -

We recently featured the Optimum Youth Equestrian Scholarship, a new fund established to provide opportunity and mentorship to young riders from diverse backgrounds get a leg up with their riding. We are thrilled that the Optimum Youth team and the applicants for the first award have agreed to share some of the essays submitted here on EN. If you or someone you know are eligible for the next round of this scholarship, you can view more information and download an application for the next round (deadline: January 15, 2021) here. You can read the first winner, Milan Berry’s, essay here.

Photo courtesy of Bryanna Tanase.

My name is Bryanna Tanase and I am a 22-year-old paraequestrian and graduate student from Tarpon Springs, FL. I was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at 11 months of age and as a result rely on a wheelchair for all my daily mobility and require assistance with most daily tasks. However, I like to focus on my capabilities rather than my disability, and horses help me do just that.

My love of riding and horses started with a trip to a farm in preschool, where I became infatuated with a palomino pony, and has continued since then. Throughout my childhood, I only had small interactions with horses like pony rides at the zoo and piggybacking on vacation trail rides with my family because riding was inaccessible for me. So, I spent the majority of my younger years learning as much as I could about horses through books and movies and asking my parents for a pony every chance I had. It was during this time that my 10 or 11-year-old self discovered dressage and paradressage through YouTube videos of Charlotte Dujardin, Laura Graves, Roxanne Trunnel, Rebecca Hart, and other well-known paraequestrian and able-bodied riders.

I fell in love with the sport and knew it was something I had to pursue, and achieve the highest level of distinction in. It wasn’t until my parents enrolled me in the therapeutic riding program at Quantum Leap Farm in April of 2016 that I was finally able to learn to ride and be around horses on a regular basis. I was 17 years old, so I waited 14 years for this day. I progressed and gained so much skill and confidence in the program that I took my first independent ride in December 2016 and have been riding independently since then. In addition to riding, I have also had the opportunity to be actively involved in the care of horses and building a bond with the horse I ride. I am engaged in the equestrian community through my social media like Instagram and Facebook and am advocating for greater inclusion of paraequestrians in the media and equestrian sport at large through writing articles for outlets like US Equestrian and Kerrits Equestrian Apparel for their diversity and inclusivity projects respectively.

My future goals are to enter my first dressage show and begin proper dressage training with a dressage trainer, and my ultimate goal is to qualify for the US Paraequestrian Team and ride for the US in the Paralympics. I have made some progress toward these goals by working on 20 meter circles and other dressage movements with my trainers at Quantum. I have connected with dressage and paradressage riders and trainers across the country to gain a better understanding of the sport and build a connection with them so we can lean on each other, such as USDF Bronze and Silver Medalist and Silver Paradressage Coach Lisa Hellmer and paradressage riders Laurietta Oakleaf and Alyssa Cleland. Furthermore, in January 2020, I received my national Grade 1 paradressage classification at the Adequan Global Dressage Festival and had the opportunity to watch international riders compete.

I have also been working to find a dressage trainer locally because I feel like I am missing a lot in terms of technical skill that I do not get in a typical therapeutic riding session. I think having a combination of both therapeutic riding and dressage training lessons will be beneficial for me because they will both serve different purposes. The dressage training rides will be for building on the basics I am familiar with and for learning new skills in a stepwise fashion, and the therapeutic rides will be for continued strengthening and revision. I have also recently found another therapeutic riding center called Emerald M with a dressage trainer onsite, am filling out the paperwork to become a rider there, and I am super excited to see how everything goes.

I have overcome many challenges to become the equestrian I am today. The first is because of my physical health which also turns into a logistical problem. Many people in the equestrian industry are very wary of taking on students with a disability because of the liability involved. I cannot tell you how many times I have been turned away from facilities and told to go somewhere else despite my enthusiasm and want to learn because it is clear that the trainer and owner believe I would be too much of a headache to handle. If the attitude of the facility staff is not an issue, another roadblock comes in the form of the accessibility of the facility itself. The main issue is that many stables in my area do not have a safe way for me to mount and dismount, but sometimes the accessibility can be so poor that I cannot get to the barn aisles to see the horses. Even if I suggest a solution to these issues that would not be too much of a hassle to implement, I am met with unwillingness to accommodate.

Additionally, if we overcome the first two obstacles, there may not be a safe horse in the barn for me to ride. Sometimes, no matter how much the barn staff wants to help, there is no prudent way for me to ride and be engaged in the culture at a barn, so I have to give up on the opportunity and try to find something else.

I would like to branch out from therapeutic riding centers to experience an able-bodied dressage barn, but I cannot do that without support from the staff there. I firmly believe that the barn should be a safe place where everyone is welcome, and that there should not be separation between able bodied and paraequestrian riders. We should be able to share our love of horses together in harmony. Thankfully, because of the wonderful people at Quantum Leap Farm and Emerald M, I can ride despite this adversity.

I have also overcome the social challenge of convincing my parents to let me pursue my athletic ambitions, after many disagreements, I won a battle well fought and they now see that pursuing my equestrian dreams is something I am passionate about. My parents are a huge part of my support team and I am so glad we can work together towards my goals. I am so grateful for all they have done for me and I know I would not be able to achieve all that I have without their help. The encouragement and advice I receive from them is really motivating. I am the only equestrian in my family, and I am so proud to be one.

EN’s Got Talent: Ema Klugman and Bronte Beach Z

By on Nov 20, 2020 12:00 pm -

Ema Klugman and Bronte Beach Z. Photo by Karrie Dash.

It was a bit of happenstance that brought Ema Klugman to the United Kingdom during Thanksgiving break in 2017. Ema, who is Australian by citizenship, traveled to England to meet up with her mother, who was giving a presentation as a part of her travels working for the World Bank. With some extra time on their hands, Ema’s mother made a few calls and set up a few horses to go and look at. “Why not?” she and Ema mused as they set off into the countryside. These are, of course, famous last words.

Upon arriving at Pennie Cornish’s yard, the first horse Ema tried that day was a “gangly, unruly mare” that, despite her inexperience, exuded talent. Ema compared the feeling she had on her first ride aboard the 5-year-old Zangersheide to that of riding RF Scandalous, the ride of Marilyn Little, whom Ema had worked for for several years.

“Having had the opportunity to ride several quality horses, including ‘Kitty’, at Marilyn’s, I kind of knew what that quality felt like, and it’s what I felt on this mare,” Ema recalled. “And she wasn’t even the horse we were originally supposed to try. She was also the first horse we tried on that trip, and I felt like I needed to go and try others because you aren’t supposed to go with the first one!”

And so Ema and her mother went through the motions, venturing to try a few other horses but eventually returning to Pennie’s yard to have another look at the mare, who would later become known as Bronte Beach Z.

“I sent videos of her to (longtime mentor Packy McGaughan) and Marilyn, and they both immediately told me to buy her,” Ema explained. “They both had such a great eye for horses, so I trusted their instincts.”

In rather accidental fashion, Ema found herself with a new talent to add to her growing string. As a young professional, Ema recognizes the importance of continuing to produce talent. She’s amassed a healthy amount of experience aboard her trusted veteran partner, Bendigo, but this mare added some additional depth to her program.

Ema Klugman and Bronte Beach. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

While competing in the CCI4*S at Great Meadow International earlier this summer, Ema and Bendigo turned in one of the quickest rides across the country on a track that only saw five pairs complete inside the time. The smooth, efficient ride prompted another of Ema’s mentors, Karen O’Connor, to send a text: “You need to make every horse from now on feel like Bendigo on cross country.”

It’s advice Ema took to heart as she embarked on Bronte Beach Z’s training journey. Of course, the two horses presented their own individual style that required some adaptation from Ema. Bronte, for one, is a little spookier than her stablemate. “She spun my mum off once during the early going,” she laughed. “And initially she was so spooky at shows that I could hardly get her to focus on anything. On her first cross country course, her legs were everywhere and she was looking at everything, so I actually fell off at that first show.”

As is often the case, it wouldn’t be until the fences got a bit larger that Bronte began to show more interest in her career. “Once she started going Prelim, the jumps were more interesting and she had to think more,” Ema observed.

Ema says it’s a privilege to sit on a horse with so much natural ability. Bendigo, who is 18 this year, was the horse with whom Ema has experienced most of her firsts: first FEI, first Advanced, first chance to be named to a training list for Australia. But Bendigo was a horse that used his heart to make up for what he lacked in natural ability, forming a strong partnership with his rider that enabled them to continue moving up the levels. This new mare has taught Ema how to ride proper dressage and how to harness natural scope and ability. She credits work with her dressage coach, Hilary Moore Herbert, as instrumental in the progress she has made with the mare. The pair recently won the CCI3*L at Virginia Horse Trials on their dressage score.

Waving to her adoring fans. Photo by Linda Fountain.

Ema also credits her selection to Australia’s Generation NEXT squad as highly influential in her career. The Generation NEXT Squad is a newer tier of Australia’s high performance program that specially caters to younger riders. The program approaches its education with individual performance plans and virtual meetings while assisting the riders with everything from specific training to nutrition and veterinary care.

“We have team calls and usually there will be an expert from the industry on to help us,” Ema explained. “We’ve covered topics like sport psychology, riding quick on cross country, getting a horse ready to show jump on the third day, et cetera.”

Top of mind from this program is the concept of concrete goal setting and using these performance indicators to mark a rider’s progression. “We really don’t do enough concrete goal setting,” Ema observed. “We’ll go to a show and hope we do well – but what does that actually mean? You have to look at your averages and also understand how to do a good evaluation after each competition.”

A self-proclaimed “nerd” when it comes to studying her sport, Ema says having this practice of concrete goal setting has informed her riding and helped her better understand her strengths and weaknesses. And as she continues to produce her talented mare up the levels, she’s feeling confident that the support from her network and the Generation NEXT program will help her continue to build on the success she’s already had. After the loss of Packy earlier this year, Ema says her journey with this special mare is all the more meaningful. “I carry his wisdom with me always and often have his voice in my head,” she reflected. “It is really special that he told me to buy this mare!”

Ema created an accessible syndicate program for Bronte Beach Z, for which there are still a handful of opportunities to get involved. You can learn more about the Bronte Beach Z Syndicate here.

Preview the 66 Horses Available in the 2020 Goresbridge ‘Go for Gold’ Select Event Horse Sale

By on Nov 20, 2020 9:00 am -

Photo by Erin Gilmore Photography (taken pre-COVID).

Horse shoppers this season find themselves with a myriad of options for selecting their next horse; perhaps a silver lining of the coronavirus pandemic is the addition of some virtual auction formats that allow for distance bidding. This year’s edition of the Goresbridge ‘Go for Gold’ Select Event Horse Sale in Ireland has done just that, creating a hybrid sale model that will allow for bidding to take place remotely.

The ability to pivot is the name of the game in 2020 and the hardworking Goresbridge team, which typically leaves no stone unturned when it comes to presenting these top-caliber horses to prospective buyers, has outdone themselves with more options for remote buyers and an extensive online catalog.

This year’s Goresbridge auction will be open for potential buyers to view and bid on horses in person, but the team has also introduced online and phone bidding this year. If you haven’t experienced an auction yet, this year may just be the year to do it! You can view more details on this year’s Goresbridge sale here. The selection process for these horses is no easy task – we detailed the background of this sale and the selection process in this article last year.

Lot 3, an unnamed half-brother to Trendy Fernhill.

Looking to the catalog, there are a total of 66 horses presented, the majority of which are 3-year-olds. A mix of 42 3-year-olds, 21 4-year-olds, 1 5-year-old, and 2 6-year-old horses are available for viewing. How does the catalog break down?

Several reputable eventing sires are well-represented this year. OBOS Quality (Quick Star x Reischdame, by Domino) has the most in the catalog with six horses, followed by Ramiro B (Calvani x Lilly, by Wendekreis) and Emperor Augustus (Fusaichi Pegasus x Hishi Nile, by A.P. Indy), who each have five of their progeny in the catalog.

Featuring among the prospects for sale this year are a half-brother to Jenny Caras’ Tryon CCI4*S winner Trendy Fernhill, owned by Elyse Eisenberg as well as several with relation to top horses such as Ashdale Cruise Master (Oliver Townend), November Night (Ciaran Glenn), OBOS O’Reilly (Will Coleman), Ballaghmor Class (Oliver Townend), Ringwood Sky Boy (Tim Price), and Cooley Stormwater (Liz Halliday-Sharp) – and many more.

Each lot for sale this year has a full pedigree, conformation photos, and performance videos available in the user-friendly online portal. You must register to place a bid online or by phone. Bidding starts at €3,000.00 for each horse and the auction will run Monday, December 7 and Tuesday, December 8.

Friday News & Notes

By on Nov 20, 2020 12:03 am -

Steve Teichman. Photo courtesy of USA Eventing FB.

After nearly 30 years of service to USA Eventing, Steve Teichman has officially retired as the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team Farrier. Join us as we thank him for his service over the years and his invaluable contribution to medals won, and to wish him a very well deserved retirement!

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Grand Oaks H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Southern Arizona Eventing Association H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status/Live Scores] [Show Photographer]

Major International Events:

Portugal Winter Tour Week 1/Barroca d’Alva: [Website] [Start Lists]

News From Around the Globe:

The USEA has a new program named the USEA Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL) and since the announcement last month, this new program has gained widespread interest from members all over the country. The USEA website now has an interscholastic homepage that includes guidelines, a scoring template for event organizers, an IEL application form, and a list of interscholastic teams that are already registered for 2021. Interested in joining up? Read more on how to get in on this hot new program. [How To Sign Up for the USEA IEL]

If your equestrian life has been turned upside down by 2020 and various restrictions, well, you’re not alone. Getting back into a schedule and a program can be hard, and taking fitness for both horse and rider seriously is important. Slow and steady wins the race, according to the amazing Lucinda Green. She recommends at least a month to six weeks of slow work, hacking and hills prevalent. [Lucinda Green’s Top Tips For Getting Back in the Saddle After Lockdown]

If you’re watching The Crown, you’ll be delighted to see we’ve reached the time of Diana as well as Princess Anne. You’ll be less delighted to notice that in the exhaustive research for this highly detailed series, they seem to have completely mixed up show jumping and eventing. In fact, they filmed “Badminton” where Anne placed 6th in 1979 at Hickstead, and even featured some of the classic show jump feats. How dare they! [The Crown Mixes Up Eventing and Show Jumping]

Equestrian sport is often painted in the public eye with the stain of cruelty and abuse. It only takes a brief Google or social media search to find horrifying videos and blaring headlines. We all live within this landscape. As equestrians and lovers of horse sport, we must dodge the moguls of public opinion and avoid the landmines of hyperbole. [The Perils of a Shifting Landscape]