Classic Eventing Nation

By the Numbers: Woodside CCI4*-S

By on Oct 8, 2020 11:30 am -

The Advanced season out on the West Coast has been steadily marching on, and this weekend Woodside will hold the final prep run before the CCI4*-L at Galway. The 4*-S division is well fleshed-out, with the usual suspects competing with a few talented fresh faces.

Ian Stark will be providing the course design for cross country and Chris Barnard will share double duty with Ocala’s fall horse trials for the stadium design.

Woodside’s optimum time is doable, with generally about 10% of cross-country starters obtaining time since 2014. The winners of the 4*-S at this venue have been in first or second after dressage in four of the last five editions. Last year’s winners, Helen Bouscaren and Ebay, return to defend their title, along with the 2015 winning pair Lauren Billys and Castle Larchfield Purdy. Previous winning riders James Alliston and Amber Levine also come forth on new mounts to try and contest this division. Interestingly, this is one of the few West Coast events that Tamie Smith has not won in the past half-decade; she brings four competitive mounts this weekend to try and break that streak.

DRESSAGE

Tamie Smith and Danito. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

Danito has been on quite the streak under Tamie Smith this year; he’s broken the 75% mark in three of his four A/4* starts in 2020 and missed it on the fourth occasion by only a hair. He’ll be tough to beat in the first phase this weekend. However, his stablemate EnVogue might give him a run for his money; this mare is equally flashy on the flat and bested her stablemate on phase one in her last start at Rebecca Farm, laying down a score of 22.7 penalties.

The precocious Woodford Reserve has been extremely consistent after making his debut at the level in February of this year. He and Erin Kellerhouse have broken 70% in each of their three starts. A similar test here will put the pressure on Tamie in the jumping phases.

SHOW JUMPING

Stadium has not been Danito‘s strongest phase; he’s had a rail or two in three of five rounds at this level. However, he’s been improving in each round this year, jumping clean recently at Twin Rivers 4*-S, and even a rail this weekend would likely see him hold the top position.

Erin Kellerhouse and Woodford Reserve. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

Unfortunately EnVogue has very consistently had two rails in four of her five outings at the A/4* level; a couple of rails here will likely drop her down the ranks after this phase. This will leave room for Woodford Reserve to sneak closer to the top of the leaderboard; this horse has not had a rail in three rounds at the level, but has had a few time penalties in two of those rounds. The time penalties would likely give Danito a rail in hand.

CROSS COUNTRY

Danito and Woodford Reserve will be within a couple points of one another; the size of that gap will likely dictate who wins this division. Of the two horses, Woodford Reserve is faster on average by a couple of seconds. He has been within 12 seconds of the fastest pace of the day in each of his three runs at this level, and actually clocked in the fastest pace at Galway Downs in July. Danito has yet to be the fastest pace of the day but has been within 14 seconds of the fastest pace on each of his three clear runs for the level.

Tamie Smith and En Vogue. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Meanwhile, EnVogue will rocket back up the ranks on the final day thanks to her turn of foot. In her three runs at this level, she has set the fastest pace in two of them and was only seven seconds off the pace in the third. Lauren Billys and Castle Larchfield Purdy should also make an appearance in the top five, averaging only thirteen seconds over the fastest pace.

PREDICTIONS:

WINNER

Tamie Smith and Danito. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

After being neck and neck for three days, Danito will eke out a win using the cushion of his dressage score to allow himself a little breathing room up through cross-country.

NEW TO EACH OTHER

Tamie Smith & Passepartout, owned by Kaylawna Smith-Cook. Photo by MGO Photography.

Of course it would be remiss not to discuss the new partnership of Tamie Smith and Passepartout. Tamie has taken the reins while her daughter Kaylawna Cook is out on maternity, and they started off with a bang at Twin Rivers 4*-S, winning in their first time at the level as a pair. After putting in a sub-thirty score, they proceeded to add nothing in the stadium and then blaze around the cross-country with the fastest time of the day, only 8 seconds over optimum time. If they can match that in their second outing at this level, Tamie will challenge her own regular rides for the win.

OTHER NOTABLE ENTRIES

  • James Alliston is bringing out the diminutive but mighty mare Pandora to compete in the Open Prelim.
  • Hawley Bennett-Awad will run Jollybo in the Open Intermediate.

Dressage begins on Thursday, with stadium following on Friday. Saturday concludes the division with cross country.

Woodside Fall CCI & H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [EN’s Coverage]

Optimum Youth Equestrian Scholarship Aims to Provide Monetary Support, Mentorship to Deserving Riders

By on Oct 8, 2020 9:00 am -

Graphic courtesy of Optimum Equine.

As America’s reckoning with its racial history continues, the topic of equal access and opportunity within the equestrian industry has spun off several innovative nonprofits and scholarship funds aimed at closing this divide. Many business owners found themselves grappling with an uncomfortable question: what action can I take to help? What if I can’t do “enough”? Where do I begin? In fact, it’s these sometimes uncomfortable questions and conversations that lead to growth – and this is how the idea for the Optimum Youth Equestrian Scholarship was born.

Mandy Collier felt something stirring after she attended a virtual panel on Diversity and Inclusion hosted by Heels Down Mag. On the panel were five Black equestrians from a wide variety of backgrounds. Mandy listened, learned, took notes.

In the wake of the civil unrest sparked most recently by the death of George Floyd in the custody of Minneapolis police officers, social media scrambled to keep up. A viral black square made its rounds, intended as a signal of solidarity – but often this square was followed by nothing else. No changes, no action.

Mandy knew this wasn’t enough. She’d started her own business as an Equine Massage Therapist and wanted to use her own privilege to help. So she enlisted the help of Shaq Blake – who was a part of the Heels Down Mag panel – and Jacqueline Ely to form some actionable ideas on what could be done.

“‘Act now, talk about it later,'” Mandy reflected on perspective provided by panelist Abriana Johnson, a host of the Young Black Equestrians podcast. “So I thought, ‘ok, I have to do something. What am I going to do?'”

Throughout the panel discussion, the recurring theme was access to education and opportunity. As show jump rider Mavis Spencer put it, once she was competing and established she felt she had ample opportunities – but getting a foothold presented the biggest challenge. Therein was a way to make a difference: by helping to bridge the divide of opportunity for riders who simply wanted a shot.

“For me growing up, I always thought you had to be wealthy to ride,” Shaq recalls as she recounts her early days in the saddle. “It wasn’t a normal thing that just anyone could decide.” (Shaq, the author of The Black Equestrian blog, was recently featured in Elle Magazine alongside several other Black equestrians; don’t miss the article here.)

Jacqueline Ely, Mandy Collier, and Shaq Blake.

Shaq grew up riding in Boston, Massachusetts, and she says one of the biggest challenges starting out was simply getting the right information. It’s a challenge that many new equestrian parents face: what equipment is needed? Where is the nearest barn? Is that barn a safe place? “Knowledge is a huge part of the access, outside of just location,” she said.

When Shaq started riding, search engines hadn’t risen to popularity yet. So her mother was left to fend for herself, guessing on what type of gloves her daughter needed or what type of apparel was most appropriate for riding. Looking back, Shaq says she can sympathize with the feeling of helplessness her mother must have felt, wanting to give her daughter the right opportunities but having no idea how to find them.

Jacqueline echoes these early challenges and says one of the aspects of riding that was missing from her early riding days was proper instruction. She relied heavily on whatever material she could lay hands on: videos, magazines, books. Though she grew up on a farm and has worked with horses her whole life, Jacqueline says she wishes she had more, better instruction throughout those formative years.

“I was seeking out as much as I could from videos, magazines, anything I could,” she recalls. Now, she has her own training business, an opportunity to help kids who are just starting out with knowledge she wishes she had more access to. “To me, big picture, (this scholarship program) could be huge. There are a lot of individuals who believe in this and want to be a part of it, because maybe they have a story similar to mine or Shaq’s or Mandy’s,” she says.

And so this brain trust of talented women put their heads together and, from their varied experiences, landed on the idea of a scholarship that would not only offer monetary support but mentorship, too.

After all, horse ownership is expensive, no matter which way you throw the dice. No doubt many reading this can relate: in order to make it happen, you’ve got to get creative. Side hustles, proper planning of how money will be spent, and setting yourself up to be able to support what will always be an expensive hobby or career.

Therefore, the Optimum Youth Equestrian Scholarship will offer mentorship opportunities to all applicants in addition to monetary awards. A quarterly financial award in the amount of $600, funded both by Mandy’s Optimum Equine Massage Therapy business as well as private donations (you can pitch in to support the scholarship fund here), will be given to a deserving rider. “Whether you want to get involved or be able to stay involved, we encourage you to apply,” Many explained. “The idea is to have riders from all backgrounds apply; there are many things that can stand in your way and we want to help these riders overcome those obstacles.”

Mentors have stepped forward from all walks of life, from lawyers to photographers to yoga instructors, and everything in between, ready to help scholarship applicants navigate not only their riding career but a life that can support that career as well.

The deadline to apply for the Optimum Youth Equestrian Scholarship’s first round of awards is Thursday, October 15. Applicants are encouraged to submit either a written or a video application as well as a budget for how the award would be used. In turn, each applicant will be matched with a mentor.

To learn more about the Optimum Youth Equestrian Scholarship, click here. You can also support the scholarship fund with a private donation here.

The Heels Down Mag Diversity Panel was full of candid discussion and perspective – we highly recommend a watch:

Thursday News & Notes

By on Oct 8, 2020 12:03 am -

Have you hugged your horse today? Photo via Kelly Jarvis.

This week I did a big treat-yo-self (and treat-yo-horses) and bought a PEMF machine. Anybody who knows me knows that I’m also a huge penny pincher, so it’s a big deal for me to actually buy a rather expensive machine. However, after trying it on myself for nerve damage in my neck, and using it for a few years with the horses, I decided to jump in. After all, 2020, right?? Why not.

U.S. Weekend Preview:

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

Maryland H.T. at Loch Moy Farms: [Website] [Entry Status] [Volunteer]

Ocala Fall H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]

Radnor Hunt H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Show Photographer] [Volunteer]

St. John’s H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status]

War Horse Event Series H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Volunteer]

News From Around the Globe:

Tickets for the 2021 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian™and the $225,000 Kentucky CSI3* Invitational Grand Prix presented by Hagyard Equine Medical Institute will go on sale in January 2021. Equestrian Events Inc. (EEI), which produces both world-class events, is delaying the opening of ticket sales because of remaining uncertainties related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The events are scheduled to return to the Kentucky Horse Park on April 22-25, 2021, featuring elite horses and riders from across the nation and around the world. More information on the exact date when tickets will be available can be found on the Kentucky Three Day Event website.

The USEA is seeking a volunteer to serve as the USEA Young Rider Committee Chair/National Coordinator. The position leads the 10 USEA Young Rider Area Coordinators at the national level and works directly with respective USEA and USEF personnel. This person should have strong communication skills and organizational skills. They will be responsible for scheduling regular meetings for the Young Rider Area Coordinators, creating agendas for meetings, sharing information and deadlines with Coordinators, coordinating for Young Rider Championships, and bringing forward miscellaneous information from the USEA and USEF regarding the Young Rider program and its series or championships. Sound like you? Apply today! [Apply to be the Young Rider Committee Chair]

COVID-19 precautions for USEF competitions is evolving as we continue the fall season, and we must stay vigilant in order to keep our competitions safe and running. Competitors who test positive for COVID-19 within 14 days of attending a competition must notify the competition organizers, the USEF, as well as their local public health authorities. Guidelines for social distancing at competitions have also been updated, and of course, we must be strict about our use of face masks. [USEF COVID-19 Updates]

Despite a postponed wedding (due to be held in November) and Tokyo dreams on hold, 2020 isn’t all bad for eventing’s newest power couple Jesse Campbell and Georgie Strang. “We are still quietly hopeful that Tokyo is on the cards. We will continue to train that way and look towards it” says Jesse. “As for the wedding,” Georgie goes on, “well we are just trying to rearrange and make a plan within the covid guidelines. It has been disappointing — but it’s not the worst thing. We’re now onto plan F but are determined to make it happen!” One thing they are celebrating is a new partnership as part of the Shires Equestrian Sponsored Riders Team.

Nick Skelton’s 2016 Rio Olympics gold medal-winning hero Big Star has been spotted having a pop at home under the show jumper’s daughter-in-law, Bridget Andrews, who is married to his jockey son Harry Skelton. The 17-year-old stallion son of Quick Star has returned to Nick’s Warwickshire stables following his duties at stud. Retired from competition, but still having fun, this video of Big Star will bring a smile to your face. [Big Star Pumped about Jumping Again]

Featured Video:

Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: Nations Cup Nostalgia

By on Oct 7, 2020 5:17 pm -

Bless the chaps at FEI TV, for they are truly doing Eventing Jesus’s work right now: they’ve been going back through their archives and creating brilliant programmes on previous events so we can all dive back in and pretend we’re back in a normal year. Their newest effort takes us to the Emerald Isle for Camphire’s Nations Cup in 2019 — an event you likely remember most as the event at which Sir Mark Todd finally hung up his boots for good. But there was so much more to the event than just a monumental retirement announcement — and this 26-minute programme will give you the perfect Wednesday evening refresher. Sit back, relax, and let’s head back to The Normal Times.

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Take 5 with Sam Watson, Presented by Equilume

By on Oct 7, 2020 1:30 pm -

Sam Watson & Imperial Sky

We were delighted to catch up with Equilume rider Sam Watson & Imperial Sky, fresh from their wonderful CCI4*-L win at Ballindenisk, Co Cork, IrelandSam Watson Eventing

Posted by Equilume on Monday, October 5, 2020

Horses that travel frequently or do not have access to frequent turnout can often benefit from additional natural light to help their bodies recover effectively from performance. Irish eventer Sam Watson has touted the benefits of the Equilume stable lighting system for performance improvement and health maximization.

Sam is fresh off a win in the CCI4*L at Ballendinisk last month, where Imperial Sky finished on his dressage score of 30.5. Sam chats a bit about the benefits of the ultra-portable Equilume Light Mask, which comes in handy on the road when bringing along a whole lighting system is impossible.

If you’ve been on the fence about the potential of light therapy for your own horses, Equilume will be hosting a webinar with Dr. Barbara Murphy tomorrow, October 8, to talk about the physiological effect of light on horses. You can sign up to tune in for £5/$6 here.

Equilume is an Irish equine biotech company providing scientifically validated lighting solutions to the global equine industry. Their patented blue light technology strengthens circadian rhythms and has profound effects on equine health and behaviour.

The Equilume Cashel Light Mask is an individual headpiece that provides timed, low-level blue light to a single eye throughout the day to stimulate optimum health, performance and coat condition.

The Equilume Stable Light provides horses with biologically effective light in a system that replicates the benefits of Nature’s light indoors, designed to maximise health, performance and breeding efficiency for stabled horses.

Equilume products are backed by science and trusted by equestrians and veterinarians worldwide. 

Weekly OTTB Wishlist: It’s Virtual Makeover Week!

By on Oct 7, 2020 11:30 am -

It’s a bummer that the Retired Racehorse Project Thoroughbred Makeover can’t happen in person this year, but the two-for-one Makeover that will showcase both 2020 and 2021 eligible horses next year sure is something to look forward to. Plus, we’re not totally going home empty-handed this year since we have some cool Virtual Makeover events to look forward to this week including webinars, a virtual vendor fair, and a Makeover Master Class. Take a look at the full schedule here.

Oh, and of course you can shop the Makeover Marketplace for the OTTB of your dreams all week! Check out our three picks of the week below:

Dazzling Deputy. Photo via RRP Makeover Marketplace.

Dazzling Deputy (GIANT GIZMO – CAM’S COUSIN, BY SILVER DEPUTY): 2013 16.1-hand Ontario-bred gelding

“Kind, attentive & brave gelding, which gives him the potential to excel in many directions. His training has focused on Dressage and Competitive Trail; however, he has also been started over fences and is schooling up to 2’. His level head would make him an excellent prospect as a Field Hunter or Eventer, and his eager-to-please temperament makes him suitable for a junior or adult amateur rider. He has both leads, but his right lead transition is currently a work in progress as he prefers to get into it through a flying change. We were planning on taking him to some historical reenactments this Fall, which is why you will notice a clip of us gun training him; he is literally bomb-proof! UTD on everything and microchipped. Big, strong feet. Has been approved to compete in RRP 2020 classes in Oct. 2021. Gets along well with other geldings. No vices.”

View Dazzling Deputy on the Makeover Marketplace.

Sevennotrump. Photo via RRP Makeover Marketplace.

Sevennotrump (DISCREETLY MINE – VICTORY RIDE, BY SEEKING THE GOLD): 16.2-hand Kentucky-bred gelding

“The sky is the limit for this exceptional, athletic young horse. Tricks has expressive, correct gaits with natural uphill balance. He is soft in the bridle and incredibly comfortable to ride. Tricks jumps confidently around 2’6 courses both at home and off property, demonstrating tons of scope and natural jumping ability. Tricks has been cross-country schooling several times, including ditches, banks, water and more. He successfully completed his first event in July, and is being aimed at a few more in the coming months. He hacks out alone or with company. Tricks is clean-legged and has no known injuries. He trailers like a gentleman and has been off property numerous times. He is a serious prospect and would be ideal for a competitive home in any discipline. Price will increase this fall with further training and horse showing.”

View Sevennotrump on the Makeover Marketplace.

Barwin. Photo via the RRP Makeover Marketplace.

Barwin (SCIPION – PELELIU, BY KELLY KIP): 2015 16.2-hand Pennsylvania-bred gelding

“Barwin (or Pepper as he is known at the barn) came off the track in December 2019 without injury and went straight into retraining. Pepper has extensive groundwork and wonderful manners. Pepper stands tied in the cross ties or to the trailer without issue and hauls like a gentleman. Pepper is quiet and easy to work around on the ground with no issues clipping or with farrier/vet work. Pepper has traveled to various trailheads in Michigan and Ohio and has shown at BN level at a USEA rated show so far. Pepper is open minded and willing to try ANYTHING. Pepper is still finding his specialty, but is leaning towards polo or barrel racing. He is quick and very responsive to light cues. Pepper will travel extensively to trailheads and small shows/barrel races this summer with polo work to begin on the polo fields this fall of 2020.”

View Barwin on the Makeover Marketplace.

Zoe Crawford & K.E.C. Zara Are Full Speed Ahead Toward the TIEC CCI4*-L

By on Oct 7, 2020 9:00 am -

Zoe Crawford and K.E.C. Zara. Photo by Shelby Allen.

The cancellation of the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event was heartbreaking for all of us, but it was especially frustrating for Zoe Crawford and her 14-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare, K.E.C. Zara (Aldatus Z x Puissance Flight, by Puissance). The pair had their sights set on Kentucky being their first CCI5*, but this year came with a different outcome.

“It was disappointing in the spring not being able to go, but knowing that I had a lot of downtime, I was able to go back and have a refresher on the basics with her and practice seemingly simple things,” Zoe, a 25-year-old from Reddick, Florida, said. “Fine-tuning the basics has let me ride her faster and be a bit more confident in everything we do.”

Clearly, their hard work is paying off because the pair had the fastest CCI4*-S cross country at Stable View Oktoberfest last month, only coming in five seconds over the optimum time. They carried two time penalties, adding to their dressage score of a 37.3 to end in 10th in a massive division of 40 riders. (View EN’s coverage of the event here.)

Zoe Crawford and K.E.C. Zara. Photo by Shelby Allen

“I knew she’s always been a really fast horse, but it’s taken a while to sort of find the balance of being able to go quickly and have enough control to get everything done,” Zoe said. “I walked parts of the course where I could shave off a few seconds, like cutting close to some trees or taking tighter turns into a few combinations, but she’s also incredibly quick across the ground, so I knew that she would be pretty quick around the course.”

Zoe and “Zara” have been partners for eight years, working their way from both of their first Novice events to becoming a competitive pair at the 4* level. The bond between this pair is evident, especially since they have worked up the levels together. They claimed a fourth-place individual finish in the CICY2* at NAJYRC in 2016 and started the 2020 season with a 12th place finish in the CCI4*-S at Red Hills. They were named to the 2020 USEF Eventing 25 Emerging Athlete Program.

The pair is aiming for the CCI4*-L at Tryon to continue out the season and Zoe is determined to head to Kentucky next year. “At this point, I know the events in the spring that are good for her, to get her prepared, so I have an idea of what events I am going to run leading up to Kentucky. She’s a horse that is incredibly easy to get fit, she never really gets tired,” Zoe said.

Zoe and Zara’s strong partnership will be one to keep your eye on!

Go Eventing.

Wednesday News & Notes

By on Oct 7, 2020 12:01 am -

I wanted to spend a bit of time this morning bringing some attention to SmartPak’s Our Path Forward pledge, first published back in July. In light of the social reckoning happening in the U.S., it’s become apparent that there is much improvement to be made on all fronts in terms of diversity and inclusion.

Here at Eventing Nation, we’re working on our own initiatives to work toward a more inclusive community, and we’ve looked to well thought-out programs such as SmartPak’s for inspiration and guidance. Take a look at the Our Path Forward pledge here. Here are a couple of highlights:

  • Culture– our stewardship of our SmartPak culture; the sum of our beliefs, values, and behaviors – and how we harness culture to make a difference.
  • Society– our contribution to the equestrian community, wider society, and the environment.
  • Growth – our ability to contribute to society and the environment is dependent on sustainable growth, underpinned by a thriving culture.

The company then goes on to outline initiatives it plans to undertake for each part of the pledge, ranging from a diversity-focused staffing plan, promoting sustainability within its supply chain, and working with BIPOC riders to determine future paths forward. It’s an example of a brand that’s wanting to put its money where its mouth is and effect real change. Three cheers for SmartPak!

U.S. Weekend Preview:

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

Maryland H.T. at Loch Moy Farms: [Website] [Entry Status] [Volunteer]

Ocala Fall H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]

Radnor Hunt H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Show Photographer] [Volunteer]

St. John’s H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status]

War Horse Event Series H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status] [Volunteer]

Wednesday Reading List:

Want to support a good cause while feeding your shopping addiction? You can shop through the Philadelphia Urban Riding Academy’s AmazonSmile to direct a portion of proceeds from your purchase to the nonprofit riding organization, at no additional cost to yourself. Read more about PURA’s Concrete to Show Jumping program in this blog.

The Zara Buren Memorial Fund was established by the Buren family and friends to support talented young riders exhibiting horsemanship and a desire to learn, but perhaps lack in financial resources. Click here to learn more about #RideForZara and to donate.

Tickets for the 2021 Kentucky Three Day Event will go on sale in January. Typically we’d be gearing up to book tickets right around this time of year, but coronavirus has ensured that nothing is normal, and the delay comes as a result of ongoing uncertainty surrounding sporting events. We’ll keep our fingers crossed that the event will go forward next year.

Don’t forget: the Retired Racehorse Project Virtual Vendor Fair is live until October 10. Save money and snag a great deal from the long list of vendors, all while supporting the future of the former racehorses we love so much. Click here to start shopping.

If you were competing at the Event Riders Masters, what would your song of choice be? As superfluous as it may seem, choosing a pump-up anthem can actually have some benefits for your mentality. Daniel Stewart talks about the usefulness of an “athletic anthem” in the latest USEA Tip of the Month.

Wednesday Video: The FEI re-shared this video on Twitter earlier this week, and it’s one I hadn’t seen before. Take a look behind the scenes with Freedom Zamapaladus, the founder of The Urban Equestrian Academy in the United Kingdom. Horses became a bright light in Freedom’s life and led him away from starting a criminal career.

Piggy March and Laura Collett Triumph in Tough Little Downham CCI4*-S

By on Oct 6, 2020 5:52 pm -

Piggy March and Brookfield Quality. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Piggy March and Laura Collett reigned victorious at the Childeric Saddles Little Downham International CCI4*-S, claiming a section each after an action-packed second day at the Ely Eventing Centre.

Piggy added a fourth international victory to her 2020 tally, taking Section P with John and Chloe Perry and Alison Swinburn’s Brookfield Quality — known at home, quite delightfully, as Nervous Norris. She moved up from fourth place after dressage to the eventual win after adding just four time penalties across the country to a first-phase score of 29.2, giving the horse his first four-star win on just his second start at the level.

“I was delighted with Brookfield Quality,” she said. “I have to get my brave pants on with him because he’s a big-striding horse and he’s not very easy to adjust, and so to go fast has taken us a few runs together. I can’t afford to make mistakes on him, so I really have to get myself in gear and make sure I’m on my A-game.”

For Piggy, the influential Jonathan Clissold track – which saw a 62% clear rate across the sections and was designed with Pierre Michelet’s twisty, technical test at Pau in mind – will have played a crucial role in the development of the 11-year-old gelding.

“He’s a big, scopey horse with lots of stride, and he really wants to do the job – but he’s still fairly inexperienced at this level, so I was just delighted with how he went and how confident he’s finished this round,” she said. “This track, I think, is brilliant – you really have to get stuck in. It’s very educational for them but you’ve got to make it happen. There’s lots of questions out there and it’s beefy enough. I’m just delighted with him – winning was a bonus today.”

Piggy March and Fonbherna Lancer. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Piggy enjoyed a successful two days aboard her three other rides, taking second place in section P with the former Emily King ride Dargun, who added 12.8 time penalties, and second in section Q with Pau-bound Brookfield Inocent – the only horse to finish inside the time – and third with new ride Fonbherna Lancer.

Laura Collett and London 52 clear the barge – a legacy fence, fittingly, from London 2012. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Laura Collett took section Q aboard her own, Karen Bartlett, and Keith Scott’s London 52. Like Piggy, she added just four time penalties to her first-phase score – a 24.4 that saw her lead from pillar to post. This win marks a final run before the eleven-year-old gelding – who also won Boekelo CCI4*-L and Chatsworth’s Event Rider Masters leg in 2019 – makes his CCI5* debut at Les 5 Etoiles de Pau in a fortnight.

“All year – even through lockdown – he’s felt like a totally different horse,” she said, recalling the mid-season blips that marked his record before his end-of-season victory last year.

“The best thing that could have happened was being able to take him to Boekelo – I just felt like we both needed it. We put it to bed and he’s come out stronger, both physically and mentally. Now it feels like there’s light at the end of the tunnel. he so believes in himself now; he’s taken a breath and realised how good he is. He just feels phenomenal – I actually get goosebumps, I’m so lucky to ride him. I have to pinch myself!”

Laura Collett and London 52. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

 

Laura, too, was full of praise for the track, which gave competitors a chance to tackle questions of a similar technicality and feel to 2020’s only CCI5* at Pau.

“I walked the course here and thought the ground was great on cross-country and there were a lot of questions. It was really nice because, to put the horses to one side, I felt like I hadn’t really got stuck in and ridden a proper course this year,” she said. “I was really glad that it had a real Pau-type feel with skinnies on mounds and blind turns and really committed distances. It was so nice to get stuck in and have nice rides around. It made you think as a rider, and they did a phenomenal job to put it on and build such a cracking course.”

Mollie Summerland and Charly van ter Heiden. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Laura also finished fifth in this section aboard Mr Bass, who joins London 52 in heading to Pau in two weeks’ time. Mollie Summerland and Charly van ter Heiden, one of Britain’s most successful young four-star partnerships, narrowly beat them to finish fourth, inspiring plans for a long-awaited five-star debut.

“He was a really good boy — he felt really relaxed in his dressage and really rideable,” says Mollie. “The showjumping was causing enough trouble, and he jumped really well out of the mud, so I was pleased with that. On cross-country he was just so genuine — he makes it all feel really easy. I’d watched the final water and knew it was causing quite a lot of trouble, so I knew that might be difficult when I rode into it, but he was great — and he’d actually lost a shoe somewhere on course before that!”

That influential final water, which featured a triple brush A element, a quite colossal brush on a mound and a tricky bending line — punctuated by two craftily-placed Christmas trees — to a final triple brush caused its fair share of problems, though mistakes were well spread around the course.

Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Despite the challenges of international eventing in a pandemic, the CCI4*-S hosted a global field, with Ireland’s Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue finishing third in section P and Japan’s Kazuma Tomoto and Brookpark Vikenti finishing fourth. British team stalwart Harry Meade rounded out the top five in this section with the inexperienced but exciting Cavalier Crystal, who’ll be aimed at Bramham next year.

“She hasn’t done an Advanced and has just done a CCI4*-S at Burgham [in August], so this was a step up,” says Harry. “It was a really good test for her and she jumped a lovely double clear, which is a really good stepping stone for her. They had to work hard for it out there, and all my horses went out there and thoroughly enjoyed it.”

Despite adverse weather conditions that forced the cancellation of national classes on Monday and Tuesday, Little Downham delivered a tough but fair test and remarkably good conditions. The new CCI4*-S fixture was run behind closed doors in accordance with government regulations this year, but the organising team – headed by Tina Ure – looks forward to welcoming spectators to this exciting new addition to the calendar next year.

The final top ten in section P.

 

The final top ten in section Q.

Little Downham CCI4*-S: Website | Live Scores | Ride Times | Live-Stream

Tuesday Video from Horseware: Catching Up with Paul Tapner

By on Oct 6, 2020 3:30 pm -

Click the image to watch the interview.

It’s been two months since Australian five-star rider Paul Tapner suffered a brain bleed after a fall from his top horse, Bonza King of Rouges, during a routine hack. The weeks that ensued were tumultuous for Paul and his family, but we’re pleased to report that Paul is doing well in his recovery. Horse & Country TV’s Jenny Rudall sat down for an interview with Paul and Georgina Tapner, who talk at length about the accident and its aftermath.

Paul had ventured out on the property in Wickstead, United Kingdom for an evening hack aboard “King” with his dog, Digger, at his side. But when King and Digger returned to the gate without him, Georgina and the couple’s 16 year old son, Josh, started the frantic search for the lost rider. Thanks to the Find My iPhone technology, Josh was able to locate Paul on the 500 acres and found him, incoherent and in pain, on the ground. Paul was subsequently airlifted to the hospital, where a small brain bleed was discovered.

Initially, the medical team told Georgina that the bleed would self-resolve and result in a concussion, and that her husband would likely be home in a few days. That wasn’t to be the case, as she received a call later that night informing her that a second brain bleed, indicative of a stroke sustained as a result of the initial trauma, had been found. The weeks that followed were full of ups and downs, most of which Paul has no memory of now.

Paul Tapner and Bonza King of Rouges. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Both Paul and Georgina say they’re grateful for the protection of the helmet Paul was wearing, which helped prevent his skull from fracturing in the fall, as well as the technology that allowed them to locate and navigate to the site of the accident.

As for what’s next? Paul had previously stepped away from heavy competition but had still been competing his top horse, Bonza King of Rouges, a 17 year old Irish Sport Horse gelding. Now, Paul says he doesn’t have many plans to return to competition. At some point, he says in the interview, it’s time to give one’s body a rest. Older riders, he notes, often feel a pressure to continue competing well into their 50s and 60s. “Since I was in my teens, I’ve been throwing myself from a horse, voluntary or involuntary,” he said. Now, he’s turned from a student of the sport to a student of proper physical recovery, embracing the help provided by physical therapists and other medical experts tasked with helping his body recover.

We’re relieved that Paul is doing well and as always encourage riders to wear properly fitted and certified safety gear – even when out on a hack with your best horse. Accidents can and do happen, and we’re thankful that Paul’s seen the other side of this one.

Go eventing.