Classic Eventing Nation

EN’s Top 10 Videos of 2020, #9: Charlotte Dujardin’s Dreamy Horsey Holiday

By on Dec 6, 2020 1:00 pm -

We’re looking back on the wild year that has been 2020 and counting down the top-viewed videos shared on EN this year. Here’s #9!

After ensuring we kept back to a distance that he was comfortable with, the giraffe was later happy to show us his lands, but at his pace.

How incredible they are! 😍

#siraistud #siraihouse #kenya

Posted by Charlotte Dujardin on Thursday, February 6, 2020

Charlotte Dujardin recently took the trip of a lifetime to Kenya where she saw some of the world’s most beautiful creatures. Her view was especially unique as she toured the landscape from the top of her borrowed horse, Kyoto, a Boerperd/Friesian.

Our favorite part? Charlotte took the opportunity to school some cross country:

Photo via Charlotte Dujardin.

Go Charlotte. Go eventing.

Nope, not arguing with this giraffe 😂

Posted by Charlotte Dujardin on Wednesday, February 5, 2020

Can You Help the Frangible Technology Fund Reach Its Fundraising Goal?

By on Dec 6, 2020 10:00 am -

The USEA Foundation’s Frangible Technology Fund at work! Photo by Shelby Allen.

The Frangible Technology Fund was established earlier this year in an effort to raise awareness and funding for research and equipment grants. To date the Frangible Technology Fund has raised over $430,000. Once $450,000 has been raised, a $50,000 matching grant from The Manton Foundation will activate to reach the final goal of $500,000.

🏳️ Calling all eventers! 🚩

We are so close to reaching our fundraising goal for the Frangible Technology Fund!…

Posted by United States Eventing Association, Inc. (USEA) on Thursday, December 3, 2020

The collective efforts of many have made this goal inch ever closer. This technology will serve to make our sport safer, and every single dollar helps the Fund reach its ultimate goal. To learn more about the Frangible Technology Fund and to make a tax-deductible donation, click here.

Sunday Links

By on Dec 6, 2020 12:01 am -

Photo courtesy of Jordán Linstedt Granquist.

First ride alert! Three month old Payton Granquist had her very first ride with upper level eventer and mom Jordán Linstedt Granquist this week. She looks right at home on the back of a horse. Now the only question is, will she follow in her mom’s shoes as an eventer?

National Holiday: National Microwave Oven Day

U.S. Weekend Action:

Rocking Horse December H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status]

Sporting Days Farm H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Major International Events:

Portugal Winter Tour Week 3: [Website] [Entries]

Sunday Links: 

Black Lives Matter: Diversity in Equestrian Sport

Horse of a Lifetime: Valegro

My 3 Toughest Horses, and How I Addressed Each One

Helmet Research and Advancements in Design Aim to Improve Rider Safety and Education

Looking Past Netflix: The Real-Life Riding Career Of The Princess Royal

Sunday Video: The latest from The Jon and Rick show:

 

 

 

EN’s Top 10 Videos of 2020, #10: Carter, Age 4, Is Crushing It!

By on Dec 5, 2020 1:00 pm -

We’re looking back on the wild year that has been 2020 this month and are counting down the top-viewed videos shared on EN this year. Let’s kick things off with #10, all about rising star Carter Grandia-Dodson.

Photo courtesy of Anni Grandia-Dodson.

Last Saturday we met Laila Alexander, age 4, who had just completed her first mini-trial — yay Laila! This week we’d like to introduce you to another 4-year-old rising superstar, Carter Grandia-Dodson.

Mom Anni shares, “His pony is Polka Dot and he loves to do what the big kids do. He loves to go cross country schooling and jump his pony. He did his first derby a few weeks ago and won his 5-and-under division. Carter has an uncle that events in area VII, I also event and run an event, grandma and his aunt do dressage. We’re producing the next generation here in area VII!”

Photo courtesy of Anni Grandia-Dodson.

Photo courtesy of Anni Grandia-Dodson.

Photo courtesy of Anni Grandia-Dodson.

We love to see it! Go get ’em, Carter!!!

Full Schedule for 2020 USEF Virtual Meeting Released

By on Dec 5, 2020 10:00 am -

Vicki Lowell (far right) led a panel discussion with (far left to right) Andrea Evans, Taryn Young, Rich Cronin, and Bob Hughes. Photo courtesy of
US Equestrian.

US Equestrian is pleased to share the complete schedule for the USEF Annual Meeting, which will be held virtually January 13-17, 2021. All sessions including the 2020 Pegasus and Horse of the Year Awards Celebration are free for all members.

Members are invited to attend special presentations given by the Member Services Council, National Breeds & Disciplines Council, and International Disciplines Council throughout the week to learn more about results from 2020 and plans for 2021. Additionally, there will be a special Calendar Management Meeting and Q&A open to members on Wednesday, January 13, at 6:00 p.m. The General Session will be held during the afternoon of Saturday, January 16, via Zoom and the USEF Pegasus and Horse of the Year Awards Celebration will take place that evening on USEF Network. The 2021 meeting will conclude with the Board Meeting on Sunday, January 17, via Zoom. Details and times are below, so please mark your calendars! Registration information for each session will be available online and shared via e-mail in the coming weeks.

Wednesday, January 13: Ideas into Action

• 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. | Member Services Council Presentation
• 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. | Calendar Management Meeting and Q&A

Thursday, January 14: Grassroots to Grand Champion

• 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. | National Breeds & Disciplines Council Presentation

Friday, January 15: Growing the FEI Disciplines at Home & Abroad

• 4:00 – 5:00 p.m. | International Disciplines Council Presentation

Saturday, January 16: Listen, Learn & Lead Together

• 4:30 p.m. | General Session Presentation given by President Murray Kessler & President Elect Tom O’Mara
• 7:30 p.m. | 2020 USEF Pegasus and Horse of the Year Awards Celebration

Sunday, January 17: Board of Directors Meeting

• 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. | New Board Member Orientation (Closed)
• 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Session One (Open)
• 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. | Session Two (Open)

View more information about the 2021 USEF Annual Meeting at usef.org/annual-meeting.

Saturday Links

By on Dec 5, 2020 12:01 am -

Look out below! When she’s not schooling her event horses, Pau five-star winner Laura Collett is schools steeplechase horses too. Yesterday she took a youngster who seems not to believe in brushing through brush out to school at the Cheltenham Racecourse, which, according to our resident Brit, Tilly, is “👌👌👌”. You can see why!

U.S. Weekend Action:

Rocking Horse December H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status]

Sporting Days Farm H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Major International Events:

Portugal Winter Tour Week 3: [Website] [Entries]

Saturday Links:

Horse of a Lifetime: Valegro

My 3 Toughest Horses, and How I Addressed Each One

Horse Owners: Input Needed On Blanketing Preferences

US Equestrian Announces Complete Schedule for Virtual 2021 USEF Annual Meeting

The Leading Horses of FEH: Part Two

Six Things Your Horse Really Wants for Christmas

Saturday Video: The canter pirouettes may be just a bit beyond mine and and my horse’s scope, but circles — OK sure, that we can work with!

Friday Video from SmartPak: Get Fit for Riding, Part One

By on Dec 4, 2020 7:36 pm -

I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve never been a natural gym-goer. For years, this wasn’t much of an issue – or so I thought. To my mind, working full-time with horses, doing hours of physical labour and riding three to eight horses per day was more than enough. And it was, kind of – but it took changing careers and having to come to terms with my loss of fitness to understand that by neglecting to give my body regular help in the form of workouts, I was actually only contributing to wonkiness and uneven strength through my body.

Now, I’ve decided to try to find the fun in fitness, by going for a run to Starbucks before my first Zoom meeting of the day, scheduling in some yoga me-time a few times a week, and picking things up and putting them down again now that the gym has reopened. But I’m not yet ready to say goodbye to the in-house personal trainers I used while in full lockdown and forced to attempt to fit a set of burpees in on my living room floor. While YouTube has been a great resource for general workout routines, this super new series from SmartPak is my recommendation of the week if you want to follow along with a great fitness plan that’s designed for equestrians of every age, shape, and fitness level. Just get it up on the big screen, grab your water bottle, and get sweating. Like me, you might just find that in a couple of weeks times, you’re seeing some serious gains in your riding.

Go Eventing!

 

Your Ultimate Guide to the 2020 Goresbridge ‘Go for Gold’ Select Event Horse Sale

By on Dec 4, 2020 3:00 pm -

Image courtesy of Goresbridge Go for Gold.

We’re just a few days removed from the COVID-modified Goresbridge ‘Go for Gold’ Select Event Sale in Wexford, Ireland. Each year, quality event prospects hand-selected by a discerning board of selectors (Sally Parkyn, Clare Ryan, Chris Ryan, Nicky Roncoroni and Bridget Speirs) is presented to a slew of prospective buyers. Each horse has vet records and basic radiographs included, making this sale a true “one-stop shop” for those in the market for quality.

This year, due to the COVID-19 restrictions around the world, the organizing team of Martin and Mary Frances Donahoe has modified the sale to allow virtual bidding as well as provide a live stream of the horse preview and sale. There is a wide selection of 66 horses available this year, and there is truly a suitable match for any type of rider looking for a prospect here. If this is your first time dipping a toe into the auction world, allow our handy guide to provide the information you need to get started.

What’s happening and when?

The actual auction will happen at 3 p.m. GMT / 10 a.m. EST on Tuesday, December 8. But before the action begins, each horse will be ridden to show its skills on the flat and over fences. This preview will show all horses over the age of 3 on the flat, over fences, and on cross country. The three-year-old horses will free jump for viewers on Tuesday. Here is the schedule of events:

Monday, December 7

  • 10:30 a.m. GMT / 5:30 a.m. EST: Lots 1-24 shown on the flat and over fences in numerical order.
  • 1:00 p.m. GMT / 8:00 a.m. EST: Lots 1-24 shown over cross country in numerical order.

Tuesday, December 8

  • 9:30 a.m. GMT / 4:30 a.m. EST: Lots 25-68 free jumped in numerical order.
  • 3:00 p.m. GMT / 10:00 a.m. EST: Auction begins

Each of these events will be live streamed on the Goresbridge website here.

Can I see the horses ahead of the live stream?

Definitely. Each horse has conformation photos and full performance videos uploaded in numerical order here.

Can I see the horse’s pre-sale exam results and radiographs?

Each horse admitted into the sale will have had a full five-stage exam prior to the sale. A basic set of radiographs (front leg, front fetlocks, hind fetlocks, hocks, stifles, dorsal spinous processes) will have also been taken and the resulting records are available to be sent to a prospective purchaser’s veterinarian on request. We highly recommend contacting the Goresbridge office to arrange any record viewing ahead of time to save time on auction day.

How do I bid on a horse?

If you plan to bid, you’ll need to register ahead of time here. Bidders can take advantage of telephone bidding (Office: +35359 9775145 or Martin Donahoe: +353 87 2569496) and online bidding through the neatly organized portal that can be accessed here.

What forms of payment are accepted?

Credit and debit card payments (American Express, Visa, Maestro, and Laser Debit) will be accepted with no surcharge. Bank transfers are also available, as are cash payments for those attending in person. For those wishing to pay by check, a letter certifying the maximum amount by the purchaser’s bank must be acquired and forwarded to the Bank of Ireland. For more details on this, please see page 6 of the catalog here.

How do I arrange transportation for my horse?

The Goresbridge team has also collaborated with several transportation providers who will be available to set up arrangements upon purchase of a horse. You can start this process by either contacting the Goresbridge office or by contacting the transport companies listed in the catalog here.

Happy Shopping! Go Eventing.

Liz Halliday-Sharp, Piggy March Announced as USEA Virtual Annual Meeting Keynote Speakers

By on Dec 4, 2020 12:00 pm -

Liz Halliday-Sharp (L) and Piggy March (R). Photos by Shannon Brinkman Photography and Tilly Berendt Media.

After teasing an all-female list of keynote speakers for this year’s virtual USEA Annual Meeting and Convention, the USEA has announced that U.S. rider Liz Halliday-Sharp and British rider Piggy March will headline the Annual Meeting on Saturday, December 12. The session will be presented using Zoom and available to “attend” for current USEA members.

 

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A post shared by EquiRatings (@equiratings)

Liz Halliday-Sharp is the top-ranked U.S. rider in 2020 to date with 590.5 points accumulated to date. She’s made the most of the odd year and racked up plenty of top results, including nine FEI wins, three of which came at the CCI4*-S level. Liz was recently named to the US Equestrian Eventing High Performance Winter Training List and was also a reserve for both the 2018 World Equestrian Games and 2019 Pan American Games. She relocated to the States full-time in 2019, splitting time between her new Blue Fox Farm in Lexington, Ky. and her Ocala, Fl. base, Horsepower Equestrian.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by EquiRatings (@equiratings)

Piggy March won her first CCI5* in 2019, taking the top honors at Badminton aboard Vanir Kamira just after finishing fourth at Kentucky with the late Quarrycrest Echo. She would also finish second at Burghley with Vanir Kamira that fall. This year, Piggy briefly broke the record for the all-time lowest dressage score at Pau with a 22.2. She would finish second there with Brookfield Inocent. She also became a record-breaker in 2019 for winning 15 international events to take the current all-time record ahead of Michael Jung (13).

Moderating this session will be broadcaster Nicole Brown, whom you may recognize for her work with EquiRatings and on the USEA podcast. This session will take place on Saturday, December 12 at 2:00 p.m. EST via a Zoom Webinar. Current USEA members can join and interact with the keynote speakers through the Q&A feature. Be sure to renew your membership for 2021 in order to take advantage of the full schedule of virtual events for this year’s Annual Meeting and Convention. For more information, click here.

Friday News & Notes

By on Dec 4, 2020 12:03 am -

If you know you know.

Do you ever try to talk to “normal” people about your week and realize that half of what you’re saying is weather dependent, because horse people are obsessed with knowing the weather of every day hour by hour. Weather talk is considered boring, but honestly if you were to ask me about my weekend coming up, I would tell you that I’m preparing for two days of 35 and raining, and that drastically changes how my life goes. But a normal person would look at me like I’m crazy. I’m not crazy, I’m just a horse girl!

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Rocking Horse December H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status]

Sporting Days Farm H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Major International Events:

Portugal Winter Tour Week 3: [Website] [Entries]

News From Around the Globe:

Giving voice, visibility and connections to equestrians of color are examples of turning talk to positive action, as are finding ways to attract minorities to the sport and support them in it. Practical Horseman got together with top equestrians Randy Ward, Mavis Spencer, Genay Vaughn, and Berry Porter to discuss BLM and diversity within equestrian sports. Above all, the riders interviewed hope the BLM-inspired conversations challenge all to examine their own words and actions to see how we can contribute to making equestrian sports more accessible, welcoming and colorful. [Black Lives Matter: Diversity in Equestrian Sport]

Ever ridden a horse that isn’t fond of water? You and about everybody else here. Conquering discomfort with the water complex can be a stumbling block for many eventers, because lots of us just don’t have access to water on a daily basis to help those horses figure it out. Check out this excellent article on training your horse to love the water, so you don’t feel your heart beating out of your chest when approaching it on cross country. [5 Septs to Building Water Confidence]

Footwork: the key to event horses worldwide. Whether you’re tuning up an experienced mount, or teaching a young horse how to understand their body in space, sometimes you need a little inspiration for a new winter training technique. Disclaimer: somebody else sent me this article and I forgot I had ever said this BUT it’s still extremely relevant and useful. [Finding the Fifth Leg: Improving Your Horse’s Coordination]

Best of Blogs: What An Adult Amateur Rider Really Wants for Christmas

Obsessed with The Crown but slightly disappointed that they switched show jumping and Eventing? Yeah…me too. However, the real story of Princess Anne and her successful eventing career is excellent, and worth digging into. The Crown gets some of the horsey details wrong (will there ever be a movie with proper horse details?) but they got a lot of details about the character right. [The Real Life Riding Career of a Princess]