Classic Eventing Nation

Ingrid Klimke and SAP Asha P Take Hold of German Eventing Championships at Luhmühlen

By on Oct 3, 2020 3:01 pm -

Ingrid Klimke and Asha P at Houghton Hall in 2019. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Time and technicality made for a championship-caliber competition across the country at Luhmühlen today where the German riders are competing for the federation’s Eventing Championship CCI4*S title. While Ingrid Klimke took the early lead with the veteran competitor SAP Hale Bob OLD, a dislodged pin and some extra time would push the pair down into 11th place following the second phase. And so it would be the younger SAP Asha P who would step in to fill her stablemate’s vacated top position on the leaderboard.

The 9 year old German Sporthorse mare, whose record suggests a quick turn of foot, came home just outside of the time allowed for a two day score of 24.9. The pair will not have a rail in hand looking ahead to tomorrow’s show jumping; Sandra Auffarth and Viamant du Matz were one of just two clear inside the time to move into second place on a score of 26.6.

Ingrid Klimke und Asha P – Deutsche Meisterschaft der Vielseitigkeit in Luhmühlen

Ingrid Klimke bleibt auch nach der Gelände Prüfung an der Spitze der Deutschen Meisterschaft der Vielseitigkeit in Luhmühlen 🤩 nun allerdings mit ihrer Stute SAP Asha P 🚀 Morgen geht es in die Finale Teilprüfung Springen – was glaubt ihr? Wird Ingrid Klimke sich den Titel holen? ▶️ watch.clipmyhorse.tv/Luhmuehlen-DM-Vielseitigkeit

Posted by ClipMyHorse.TV Deutschland on Saturday, October 3, 2020

SAP Asha P, owned by Ingrid and Dr. Andres Lauber, was the 7 year old champion at the Young Horse Championships at Le Lion d’Angers in 2018 and has aptly stepped up the ladder since then. Ingrid describes the mare as having a nice ground-covering gallop and a good mix of laid back cool-headedness and confidence. This mare has had a couple of rails dotting her international show jumping career, so the pressure will be on for tomorrow’s finale to bring home the top honor and improve on her second place finish here in 2019.

Time proved not to be an issue for 2014 WEG individual gold medalist Sandra Auffarth and the 11 year old Selle Francais stallion Viamant du Matz, owned by Nikolaus Prinz von Croy. This pair turned in the quickest round of the day to move from fifth into second place. Viamant du Matz has not made the time often in international competition but proved he was up to the task today, never looking bothered at the intensity of the questions. Buschreiter reports that “Mad” has been perhaps a bit slower to mature than his famous stablemate and WEG champion Opgun Louvo, and that the extended break imposed by the coronavirus pandemic may have paid off well for the stallion.

A quick and clear round also proved to be influential for Australia’s Andrew Hoy and Vassily de Lassos, an 11 year old Selle Francais gelding owned by Paula and David Evans with whom Andrew finished fourth individually at the 2018 World Equestrian Games in Tryon, Nc. This pair collected the second of the two double clear rounds to move from ninth into third on a score of 28.7.

Ingrid Klimke and Sandra Auffarth each have another horse inside the top five; Let’s Dance 73 (28.7, but with time on cross country to slot in below Andrew Hoy) will be in fourth position overnight, while Ingrid with Equistro’s Siena Just Do It (32.5) will be in fifth place.

Michael Jung and fischerChipmunk FRH, in second after the dressage, ran into trouble on course at the D element of fence 16, where the pair found themselves off their line after catching the front legs on the C element to pitch them off balance. It was a fraction of a mistake but enough to cost the pair 20 penalties and some time and push them down outside of the top 20.

Meanwhile in the Junior Championship CCI2*L division, Ingrid’s daughter Greta Busacker will retain her lead aboard Scrabble 15, adding nothing to her dressage score of 24.4. Looking to the CCI3*L, Michael Jung will keep his lead on Star Connection FRH (21.0) and have a rail in hand for tomorrow’s show jumping finale.

You can view photos from the day and more details on the CCI4*S division in this report from Buschreiter. And don’t forget to sign up for ClipMyHorse.TV to watch this event live and on demand.

Timetable – CCI4*S:
Show Jumping: Following CCI2*L, which begins at 9:30 a.m. local / 3:30 a.m. EST on Sunday October 4

German Eventing Championships at Luhmühlen: [Website] [Schedule] [Live Scores] [Live Stream]

Preview the Morven Park Advanced Cross Country Course

By on Oct 3, 2020 8:00 am -

Screenshot via Cross Country App.

Tremaine Cooper has put together a beautiful track for the Advanced competitors to tackle later this morning, and in gratitude to Cross Country App we’ve got a preview for you to check out ahead of the action. You can view the entire fence-by-fence course preview here. You can also check out the Intermediate course map here.

This year’s Advanced track will deviate from recent years’ courses that traveled on a loop through the Morven Park property. That loop has been extended to include some additional acreage for the 2020 course, likely a preview of what would have been part of the CCI4*L course that we will with any luck get to see in 2021. The start box this year has been relocated nearer to the barns and arena, releasing competitors out into fields that have not recently been used for this course.

From the look of it, riders will have ample opportunity to get a good gallop in; Sharon White yesterday commented that she’d use this run as fitness for Cooley On Show, who’s aimed at the CCI4*L at Tryon next month. With well-established turf and terrain, we’re sure to see plenty of riders getting in a good run this afternoon.

The Cedar Rails to Corner at 16. Photo via Cross Country App.

Natural terrain lends itself well to course design, and Tremaine has designed this course to flow with the lay of the land. Keep an eye out for key combinations such as the Taylor Harris Turning Question at 14 and the Cedar Rails to Corner at 16, which make use of sloping ground to test riders’ aids and accuracy.

The Advanced track consists of 25 numbered fences and 34 jumping efforts and will carry an optimum time of 7 minutes. You can catch up on yesterday’s dressage and show jumping action in anticipation of the cross country finale, which will get underway at 11 a.m. EST. We’ll be back this afternoon with a final wrap-up from Virginia.

Go Eventing.

Morven Park Fall HT: Website, Entries & Ride Times, Program, Live Scores, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

Saturday Links

By on Oct 3, 2020 12:01 am -

Photo via Windsor Equestrian Centre on Facebook.

My goodness, it looks like foliage is at peak up in Quebec. I was hoping to get up to Bromont for the first time this year, but alas, it was not to be since of course cross-border travel has become a bit complicated. I’ll have to wait another year to get a glimpse of this gorgeous view!

U.S. Weekend Action:

Morven Park Fall H.T.: [Website][Show Photographer] [Online Program] [Volunteer] [Entry Status/Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Genesee Valley Riding and Driving Club Spring H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores] [Volunteer]

Heritage Park H.T.: [Website][Volunteer] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

Horse Trials at Majestic Oaks: [Website] [Entry Status] [Show Photographer] [Volunteer] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Poplar Place Farm H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Show Photographer] [Volunteer] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Spokane Sport Horse Sixth Annual Fall H.T.: [Website] [Show Photographer] [Volunteer] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

WindRidge Farm Fall H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

International Events this Weekend: 

Bromont CCI Horse Trials: [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

German Eventing Championships at Luhmühlen: [Website] [Schedule] [Dressage Order of Go] [Live Scores] [Live Stream]

Saturday Links:

“We Belong Here”: Black Equestrians on Loving a Sport That Doesn’t Love Them Back

Air Quality and Horse Care During Wildfires with Flying Tail Farms

8 things you should never say to an event rider

Are Fallen Leaves Toxic To Horses?

How to Unlock Your Wrists to Create Softer Contact with Your Horse

Breaking Down the Prepurchase Exam

Saturday Video:

Friday Video from Smartpak: A Dash of Charisma

By on Oct 2, 2020 6:29 pm -

It’s been a good week for celebrating our horsey heroes of decades past, with showjumper Milton taking the stage a few days ago and now, an ode to the great Charisma debuting on YouTube today.

With Mark Todd in the irons, Charisma — or Podge, as he was known at home — became one of the world’s best-loved eventers of all time after his extraordinary efforts through the 1980s saw him scoop back-to-back individual gold medals at the ’84 and ’88 Olympics.

Just 15.3hh, he and his lanky rider cut a striking figure together as they tackled the world’s top three-day events. Such was their success that Charisma ended up receiving more fan mail than any horse in Kiwi history. Ahh, fan mail — remember that?

Join us as we wallow unabashedly in nostalgia (not for fan mail, but for the ultimate dark horse of eventing). Is there an iconic eventer you’d like to see recognised in the FEI’s Horses of History series? Drop it in the comments!

Will Coleman, Ariel Grald Take Day One in Morven Park Advanced

By on Oct 2, 2020 5:30 pm -

Will Coleman and Tight Lines. Photo by Shannon Brinkman for Erin Gilmore Photography.

The Advanced divisions at Morven Park in Leesburg, Va. got underway today with both the A and B classes doing their dressage and show jumping phases. Many combinations will look to use this weekend as a prep run and mettle-testing for fall three-day events (Galway (10/29-11/1) and Tryon (11/12-11/15) will both host a CCI4*L this fall). Leading the way after the first two phases of competition will be Will Coleman and Tight Lines (28.4) in the Advanced A and Ariel Grald on Leamore Master Plan (30.3) in the Advanced B.

The Conair Syndicate’s Tight Lines, a 13 year old French Thoroughbred gelding, threw down one of the best scores of his career today, earning a 28.4. “Phish” previously scored a 28.0 in the Advanced/Intermediate at Virginia Horse Trials in July but has otherwise never pulled in a sub-30 dressage. Will has worked tirelessly to coax greatness out of the gray gelding, and we certainly saw that work pay off today. A clear round on Kathy White’s show jumping would seal the deal and send this pair into the overnight lead in the Advanced A.

Will Coleman and Tight Lines. Photo by Shannon Brinkman for Erin Gilmore Photography.

It was easy to hear Will’s excitement at the “best version of himself” that Tight Lines put forth in his test this morning. The Thoroughbred gelding who raced in his previous career has taught Will a lot, he says, most of which involves patience and empathy for the horse and understanding how to reveal that best version consistently. “In his own way, maybe he’s trying a little too hard,” Will mused. “We’ve gotten some really great help from Ian Woodhead from last year…I’ve just learned to not give up, be patient, and trust that it’s going to come. He’s a funny horse; he’s definitely tricky, but I do love him and I’m lucky to have him.”

Boyd Martin and the Long Island Tea Syndicate’s Long Island T, who is bound for Galway Downs later this month, also added nothing to their dressage score of 29.1 to take second place in the A division following the first two phases.

Sharon White and Cooley On Show. Photo by Shannon Brinkman for Erin Gilmore Photography.

Sharon White, like many of her peers this weekend, is using Morven Park as a prep run for the new CCI4*L at Tryon International Equestrian Center next month. A 29.5 dressage score was enough for third place following dressage, and a double clear show jumping solidified her position with the 13 year old Irish gelding, Cooley On Show. “I was able to show him off a bit (in the dressage) today, and that was fun,” Sharon told EN. “And he’s such a super show jumper; he’s like a school horse in the warm-up. I feel like he’s always saying ‘just relax, Sharon, why do you get wound so tight?'”

With its established turf and rolling terrain, Sharon says it’s the perfect final prep for “Louie”. “I use this as a super fitness run for the rolling hills, the good pulls, and old, established turf,” she said. “Tremaine (Cooper) has done an excellent with the courses; they’re very positive, forward, proper cross country courses.” You can check out a preview of the track riders will see tomorrow from Course Walk App here.

Ariel Grald and Leamore Master Plan. Photo by Shannon Brinkman for Erin Gilmore Photography.

Heading up the Advanced B today will be Ariel Grald and Annie Eldridge’s Leamore Master Plan also put their best foot forward in the dressage this morning to earn a near-personal best of 30.3. Like Will and Tight Lines, this pair also showed their progression on the flat earlier this summer with a 28.6 on the flat at Virginia Horse Trials, and that hard work continued to pay off today. Ariel and Leamore Master Plan don’t have a spotless show jumping record, but records be damned today – they put in a clear round inside the time to remain on their dressage score overnight.

Taking second into tomorrow’s cross country for the B division will be Boyd Martin and the Luke 140 Syndicate’s Luke 140, also bound for Galway, on a two-phase score of 31.1.

Round out the top three in the Advanced B are Maya Black and Laurie Cameron’s Miks Master C on a score of 33.4. The 8 year old Swedish Warmblood gelding moved up to the Advanced level earlier this year, pre-pandemic, and the pair have since swung back into action nicely with two top-20 CCI4*S finishes leading up to this weekend.

The Advanced and Intermediate divisions will head out onto Tremaine Cooper’s cross country tomorrow beginning at 8 a.m. EST (the Intermediate riders will run cross country before the Advanced). You can check out the course preview from Course Walk App here.

Many thanks to the dream team of Erin Gilmore Photography and Shannon Brinkman for providing media photos throughout the weekend – you can order your own photos from Morven Park here. Stay tuned for much more from Morven Park. Go Eventing.

Morven Park Fall HT:Website, Entries & Ride Times, Program, Live Scores, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

A Companion for Your Horse? Presented by Banixx

By on Oct 2, 2020 3:30 pm -

Friends! Photo credit: Lynn McGugan

Horses are herd animals, and as we know, in the wild, they live in groups. Horses often are calmer and less prone to anxious behaviors with a companion; think of it as protection/safety in numbers.

Seabiscuit was difficult to train until he was united with his friend Pumpkin, another horse. Pumpkin accompanied Seabiscuit everywhere. American Pharoah had Smokey the horse as his calming companion. Goats seem to be popular at the racetrack barns as well.

Should you get a companion for your horse? Some options that have some popularity are dogs, cats, goats, ponies, donkeys, miniature horses, pigs, cows/steers, chickens, alpacas, llamas, retired horses, and horses rescued from the kill pen.

Before you start searching Facebook or Craigslist for a new critter, do some research! It might be helpful to answer these questions as you consider your options:

  • What care does the companion need?
  • What is the life expectancy of the new buddy?
  • Are the buddy’s dietary needs compatible with your horse’s needs?
  • Could food competition be an issue? A
  • re the living conditions/shelter/environment suitable for the companion to thrive?
  • Will the new chum attract other critters like foxes and coyotes (chickens and other small animals may attract prey critters as well)?
  • What type of animal are you and your caretakers (think barn sitters, etc.) comfortable with?
  • Is there a veterinarian in your area that is knowledgeable about the type of animal you are considering?

Companion animals can have their own habits/norms and may have behavioral issues, too. And a particular animal may have special needs. Also, certain types of animals have helpful qualities as well; for example, donkeys, burros, llamas, and alpacas are known to ward off coyotes.

I checked in with some horse people that have buddies for their horses, and this was the feedback I received:

Maria Caplan found that Nubian goats are great companions for her horses. They are a large breed of goat, so a horse is not likely to hurt them. They need very little care and live off grass. Their teeth do not need to be done but they do need their hoofs and horns clipped a few times a year.

Maria learned how to trim their feet and horns herself. She has found them to be very loving and friendly, making them great pets. Nubian goats very good with horses, and she has never had a goat hurt a horse or eat its’ tail (as some people think goats will do). The goat looks to the horse as a leader and leaves them alone/respects them as a protector.

Howie and his goats. Photo credit: Maria Caplan

There was a shortlist of cons of goats as companions that Maria shared, too.  They will climb your fence, and it doesn’t matter if it’s electric or no climb wire. There is a joke that if you pour water over your fence and a drop gets through, your fence is not goat proof – they will get out!

It is important to keep the goats happy and busy in their enclosure as they will escape once they are bored. Also, Nubian goats are loud. Maria finds their noise kind of endearing/cute but warns that if you have close neighbors, they may not appreciate their “cute” noise.

Bringing in a companion animal requires some time for getting acquainted safely. Put your horse and his new friend in adjacent stalls or paddocks so they can start to get to know each other from a distance. You want the two animals close enough to see and smell each other, but not close enough that one would be able to injure the other.

Keep that arrangement, if it goes well, for a few days. Then progress to supervised sniffing with your horse on a lead line and in an area where everyone can be safe. When you feel the animals are ready to be in the same area together, provide ample room to get away from one another. Provide a place where the smaller creature can get completely away just in case your horse gets aggressive, but not too much space so the horse cannot run. Until everyone settles in, it is best to allow supervised visits and at unsupervised times, keep the animals near each other but not together.

Before committing to taking on a new animal, it might be good to see if there is a “return policy” if the arrangement does not work out (after an honest effort).

Do your research!  Know the deficits that come with each animal.  Read on for a few pointers.

Goats seem to be popular for racehorses as companions.

Did you know that the life expectancy of a donkey is 25 to 30 years?! That’s something to consider!

Jade. Photo credit: Lynn McGugan

Chickens do eat bugs, even ticks, but their poo is a bit toxic.  Chickens can transmit salmonella, fungal infections, candidiasis, botulism, and streptococcus, so it is best to keep them out of your horse’s hay and feed.

Or do you just get another horse? How about that horse that nobody wants because it is broken down? Sure, it may need some care, perhaps some veterinarian attention and medication but his/her living environment needs are like that of your horse’s, so it may be the simplest alternative.

Many animals need adoption/homes so it really should be easy to find the right companion for your horse without breaking the bank.

Oh, and be able to laugh at yourself because I am sure there will be some adventures ahead if you decide to get your horse a companion!

Brought to you by BANIXX – The #1 trusted solution for equine and pet owners! Learn more about Banixx.

Ingrid Klimke and SAP Hale Bob OLD Rise to the Occasion in Luhmühlen CCI4*S

By on Oct 2, 2020 1:00 pm -

Ingrid Klimke and SAP Hale Bob OLD at Strzegom. Photo by Leszek Wójcik.

Ingrid Klimke wasted no time in setting the standard for this year’s German Eventing Championships in at Luhmühlen, where the federation’s top riders are competing for the honors in the CCI4*S division. It was Ingrid’s stalwart partner, SAP Hale Bob OLD — who even at 16 years young today looked to be feeling himself as the pair prepared to enter the arena — with whom she would cement the spot at the top of the board on a blustery day. This experienced pair earned a 21.8 nod from the judging panel of Christian Steiner and Edith Schless-Störtenbecker to take the lead following the dressage phase of competition. Click here to watch a replay of Ingrid’s test, thanks to ClipMyHorse.TV.

Michael Jung and his sole entry in the CCI4*S, fischerChipmunk FRH, kept the pressure on with a score of 22.3 for an overnight second place. Interestingly, the judges showed a distinct differential in their scores for Ingrid (75% from Christian Steiner at C and 81.46% from Edith Schless-Störtenbecker at B), giving the razor thin advantage to Ingrid when all was said and done.

Naturally, both of these pairs have proven many times over that they’re capable of catching the time even on a quick CCI4*S track and this competition will certainly come down to quickness across the country and an ability to leave the rails where they belong come Sunday.

Christoph Wahler and the 11 year old Holsteiner gelding Carjatan S will round out the top three following dressage after an expressive test earned them a score of 22.4. This horse has flashed some brilliance in the past and pulled out a handful of ultra competitive scores; this will be a personal best for the gelding at the CCI4* level to date. He’s also proven capable of cleanly grabbing the time in both the Long and Short formats, which makes tomorrow’s contest that much more thrilling.

Ingrid will have two horses in the top five heading into cross country tomorrow; the 9 year old mare SAP Asha P, with whom Ingrid took silver in the 2019 German championships here, bested her 2019 score and recorded a 22.9 in today’s dressage test. You can view photos from the action in this report from Buschreiter.

The top 10 will each take a score below 30 penalty marks into the cross country, making for some tight competition from some of the most experience riders in the world. As a reminder, you can watch the live stream of the action on ClipMyHorse.TV all weekend (for those of you who prefer to sleep, the rides seem to be populating for on-demand viewing quickly). You can sign up for a free trial of ClipMyHorse.TV here to tune in.

Michael Jung is in possession of the lead in the CCI3*L division with Star Connection FRH, taking a score of 21.0 into the second phase of competition.

Another incredible storyline from Luhmühlen comes to us from the CCI2*L class, the German Junior Eventing Championships, where Ingrid’s 18 year old daughter, Greta Busacker, has taken the lead aboard Scrabble 15 on a score of 24.4. Greta began her international eventing career in 2014 and most recently this year has advanced to the CCI3* level with two primary horses in her string: Scrabble 15 and Coco Maurice 2. You can watch her lovely ride in the video below.

Posted by buschreiter.de on Thursday, October 1, 2020

Timetable – CCI4*S:

Cross Country: 1:00 p.m. local / 7 a.m. EST on Saturday October 3
Show Jumping: Following CCI2*L, which begins at 9:30 a.m. local / 3:30 a.m. EST on Sunday October 4

German Eventing Championships at Luhmühlen: [Website] [Schedule] [Dressage Order of Go] [Live Scores] [Live Stream]

Don’t Miss Central Kentucky Riding For Hope’s Annual Tack Sale

By on Oct 2, 2020 11:00 am -

Photo courtesy of Central Kentucky Riding for Hope.

Many nonprofits need an extra leg up this year due to interruptions in their regular fundraising activities. Central Kentucky Riding for Hope (CKRH)’s annual Tack Sale, a tradition that transforms CKRH into a treasure chest of amazing finds and great deals, might look a little different for 2020 but we’re excited to share that the sale is on!

This year’s event will be taking place on Saturday, Oct. 3 at 8 a.m. at the facility’s Kentucky Horse Park location. Community residents and businesses have donated all types of new and slightly used tack, riding clothes and shoes, horse gear and more. From the most seasoned equestrian to a new horse owner, everyone can find exactly what they need. And with proceeds going straight to CKRH, you don’t have to feel guilty about buying another horse blanket or pair of boots.

Maximum capacity will be 75 persons, with masks and social distancing required. You can learn more about the Covid-19 protocols here.

Founded in 1981, CKRH’s mission is to improve the quality of life and the health of children and adults with special physical, cognitive, emotional and social needs through therapeutic activities with the horse.

Can’t make it to the sale? There are many different ways to help CKRH — learn more here. Keep up with all the latest from the Tack Sale and more at CKRH’s Facebook page here.

Small Yet Mighty CCI4*-S Field Ready for Bromont

By on Oct 2, 2020 9:30 am -

Images from the show site ahead of the Bromont CCI-S Horse Trials on October 3rd. Photos: Kristel Glockner

Posted by Bromont CCI Three Day Event on Monday, September 28, 2020

Canada’s much-loved Bromont venue is preparing to host its first CCI of the season; the traditional annual dates in June were unfortunately vacated due to the coronavirus pandemic. This weekend will see riders contesting CCI2*S, CCI3*S, and CCI4*S as well as an Open Training division that was made available. The event has been condensed to a one-day format to be held on Saturday, October 3.

Since the border between the U.S. and Canada remains closed to nonessential travelers, we won’t see any foreign entries this weekend. Canadian riders who wish to return to the country after spending time in the U.S. must undergo a 14-day quarantine upon their return.

The headlining division this weekend will feature veteran Canadian team member Jessica Phoenix, who will bring forward five horses in the CCI4*S. Jessica’s team has had a lighter year, picking off a couple of events earlier this spring before the pandemic hit and then returning north to her home base to hunker down for the remainder of the season.

We’ll see stalwart veteran Pavarotti in action this weekend; at 18 years young the Westphalian gelding has shown this year that he’s still very much up to the task with two top 10 finishes on his international record in 2020. Accompanying him on the entry list are four of his barnmates: Bogue Sound, Humble GS, Watson GS, and Wabbit.

All of the horses competing in the CCI4*S this weekend had a summer outing at Will O’Wind in July, which Colleen Loach handily won aboard her WEG partner Qorry Blue D’Argouges and finished second with FE Golden Eye, who are also entered at Bromont this weekend.

Also featuring on the entry list are Melissa Boutin and EWSZ Jalando, an 11 year old Zweibrucker gelding making his CCI4*S debut. The pair completed their first Advanced in Florida earlier this year at Rocking Horse and most recently finished sixth in the CCI3*S at Will O’Wind in July.

Many thanks to Jacquie Kelton, who graciously allowed us to share her photos for a mini-tour around Jay Hambly’s cross country tracks. Jacquie will be competing her Thoroughbred mare, Cruze, in the Open Training division this weekend and we wish her great and safe rides.

We’ll bring you more updates from Bromont this weekend. Best of luck to all competing, and Go Eventing.

Bromont CCI Horse Trials: [Website] [Entries]

By the Numbers: Morven Advanced B

By on Oct 2, 2020 7:30 am -

As mentioned in yesterday’s By the Numbers for the A division, we sadly won’t have the new 4*-L here at Morven Park this weekend. With that being said, this venue has put some incredible work into their facility over the past few years, with new dressage and stadium rings with top of the line footing. Of course we are hoping that this weekend will serve as a little bit of a test run of some of the fences that might appear on the 4*-L in the future, so keep your eyes locked to Eventing Nation for a course walk later today.

Again, Tremaine Cooper has been the course designer for cross country here for a number of years and makes a reappearance this year as the show jumping course designer as well.

It should be noted again, Morven’s cross country is extremely tough to make the time; only three pairs out of 84 starters have done so since 2015. Only one of those, Kim Severson and Cooley Cross Border, managed to also finish on their dressage score. Although none of the horses here have previously won, three winning riders return this year with multiple rides: Jennie Brannigan, Buck Davidson and Caroline Martin will all aim to become repeat winners with multiple rides across the two divisions.

DRESSAGE

Sara Kozumplik Murphy and Rubens D’Ysieux. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Rubens d’Ysieux makes his first start at the A/4* level for this year with Sara Kozumplik-Murphy. These two have had some ill-luck the past couple of years but have been able to put in solid scored that exceed 70% in half of their starts together. That includes a stellar 23.4 at Millbrook in the summer of 2018. If they’ve been doing their homework during quarantine, they’ll be tough to catch. Jennie Brannigan and Stella Artois might make a run of it though; while this mare very consistently has scored between 30 and 32 in her starts over that last two years, she caught everyone’s attention at Great Meadow by flirting with 75%, ultimately landing a score of 25.2 penalties.

Meanwhile, Lillian Heard has the ride on CharmKing while his regular rider (Holly Payne-Caravella) is out on maternity leave. This horse has been strong in this phase in two starts, with an average of 30.5 in two 4*-S tests. The other young gun to keep an eye on will be Luke 140, who is re-united with Boyd Martin after a short stint with Phillip Dutton. In the horse’s first and only start at this level with Boyd, the pair came close to breaking 70% and in the horse’s most recent start at Great Meadow, Phillip Dutton did pull out a score in the high twenties.

SHOW JUMPING

Rubens d’Ysieux is also about as close as it gets to a guaranteed clear round; since being paired with Sara, he’s had one rail in nine rounds at the level, two of which were at the long format. These two have never had a penalty in this phase at an A/4*-S. Also likely to jump clear is Stella Artois, who has jumped clean in five of her last six starts, three of which were 4*-L.

In two rounds at the level, CharmKing has put in two clear rounds and Luke 140 is three for three. While there’s no guarantee with horses this new to the level, there’s no evidence that either of them will have a rail this weekend.

Will Coleman and Dondante. Photo by Abby Powell.

Looking further down for some change in rankings, Will Coleman will be in familiar territory stalking the leaders with a horse solid in the jumping phases; DonDante has incurred only one rail in this six rounds at this level. Caroline Martin and Ariel Grald are both on one-or-none horses that are more likely to jump clear than not; both Danger Mouse and Leamore Master Plan have had long streaks of jumping clear at this level.

CROSS COUNTRY

Like the other division, the competitors in this division largely consist of those who tend to take the short format at a bit of a slower pace. Over a course like Morven, that will make cross-country hugely influential. Sara Kozumplik-Murphy will have her work cut out for her; thanks to the shutdown, she and Rubens d’Ysieux have only been able to get out once at this level since their accident at Millbrook in 2018, putting in a clear but steady round at Ocala Jockey Club last fall. A pace similar that will leave the door wide open for those ranked lower.

Both Stella Artois and Luke 140 are more likely to edge into double digits in terms of time penalties; Luke 140 has been exactly 25 or 26 seconds over optimum time with both of his pilots in three completions, while Stella Artois has averaged 22 seconds over optimum in her three starts at this level over the last two years. Even with this amount of time, both should still be in the hunt for a win, unless a wildcard like CharmKing can match the pace of his one completion at this level.

Daniel Clasing and MW Gangster’s Game. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

One pair to keep a sharp eye out for is Daniel Clasing and MW Gangster’s Game, who pick and choose where to push the pace, but has finished within ten seconds of the fastest pace or optimum time in three of their last six completed runs. This is definitely a pair who can press the pace if they choose to, and choosing to do so this weekend would let them contest for the top of the leaderboard.

Will Coleman tends to stick to a pace approximately 16 seconds slower than the fastest cross country pace with DonDante, which would be enough to continue their upward creep in the ranks into the top five, but not likely quick enough for the win. We could see Mama’s Magic Way make a big leap into the top five as well, as Will Faudree has been averaging only 13 seconds behind the fastest cross country pace.

PREDICTIONS:

WINNER

Jennie Brannigan and Stella Artois. Photo by Shelby Allen.

Time penalties will make a huge difference in this division, but in the end it’s likely to be Stella Artois and Jennie Brannigan who take the edge and refuse to relinquish it.

LONGEST CLEAR JUMPING STREAK

Sara Kozumplik Murphy and Rubens D’Ysieux. Photo by Justin Black/Millstreet Horse Photography.

There are simply not that many horses who have had the record in stadium that Rubens d’Ysieux has had under Sara Murphy-Kozumplik. Although their current streak is only four consecutive rounds, their career shows only one rail on their A/4* record as a pair.

NEW TO THE LEVEL

Skyeler Voss and Argyle. Photo courtesy of Skyeler Voss.

Skyeler Voss brings Argyle out to contest his second Advanced after a second place finish in the horse’s debut at the level at Five Points. They certainly made a statement on cross country day, storming around inside the time. That makes this pair the first to make the time at Five Points out of 44 cross-country starters in the last five editions of that event, dating back to 2014 (Five Points did not host an Advanced in 2017 or 2019).

Dressage and show jumping will be held Friday, while cross country will begin on Saturday.

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