Classic Eventing Nation

Marilyn Little & RF Scandalous Shine in MARS Great Meadow CCI4*-S

By on Aug 20, 2020 4:41 pm -

Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous have come out of quarantine as strong as ever, taking the early lead in the 2020 MARS Great Meadow International CCI4*-S.

With the majority of the calendar in limbo, Marilyn elected to keep “Kitty,” a 15-year-old Oldenburg mare (Carry Gold x Richardia, by Lario) owned by Mrs Jacqueline Mars, Mr & Mrs Phoebe & Michael Manders, in Florida this season, and chipping away at dressage and jumper shows.

“It’s definitely been a challenge to be down there during the summer trying to find all the events and check all the boxes and be as prepared as you can be,” Marilyn told The Chronicle. “Fortunately she’s had a lot of experience, and she feels great. I’m super excited with how she feels, and she’s jumping well, so I’m looking forward to the weekend.”

“Like everybody, this has been a bit of a different year, and I’ve had to get creative to make it all work. It’s been a year where it feels like a lot of doors have closed, and I’m trying to reopen some and find a way forward. It’s a bit of work and requires some creativity,” she said.

Marilyn and Kitty earned a 21.8 today, a new dressage record for this division.

“So many events have been canceled, and this has been such a beacon on the calendar for all of the riders,” she said. “To have a place like this to come during a pandemic is really special. Without MARS’ support, this would never have happened. The feeling from the riders, we’re all just really grateful, and everyone’s happy to be here.”

Liz Halliday-Sharp and Cooley Quicksilver. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Liz Halliday-Sharp and Cooley Quicksilver sit in second place. The Monster Partnership’s 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Womanizer x Kylemore Crystal) earned a 26.1, a personal best for the rising star in Liz’s yard.

Hannah Sue Burnett and Harbour Pilot. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Hannah Sue Burnett and longtime partner Harbour Pilot hold third overnight. The 17-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Cruising x Shannon), who is owned by Jaqueline Mars, kick off the weekend on a score of 26.8.

Phillip Dutton is fourth with Luke 140 on a score of 28. Owned by the Luke 140 Syndicate, Phillip is borrowing the ride while his usual rider, Boyd Martin, remains on the mend.

Colleen Rutledge piloted her own Covert Rights into fifth place on a score of 28.5.

The remaining 44 pairs will continue with dressage tomorrow for judges Peter Gray and Valerie Vizcarrando beginning at at 9 am eastern. Coverage for this division will start on the Horse & Country live stream at 2 pm eastern.

Sharon White and Claus 63. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Sharon White and her own Claus 63 have stepped out as the early leaders in the brand new CCI3*-L division. Sharon and the 8-year-old Holsteiner (Catoo x Tina II, by Levisto) were the only pair to sqeak into sub-30 territory, carrying a score of 29.5 into the jumping phases.

Benjamin Noonan and his own Keep Kitty, a 9-year-old Hanoverian (King Julio x Hauptstutbuch Emelie) mare follow in second on a score of 31.2. Third place currently belongs to Katherine Brown and her 7-year-old Hanoverian Carnaby.

The exciting cross country phase begins for these folks bright and early tomorrow at 7 am. Follow the live stream so you don’t miss a second of the action.

MARSGMI:Website, Schedule, Live Stream, Entries, Ride Times, Order of Go, Live Scores, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

Mitike Mathews: ‘I Notice and Feel That I am Different’

By on Aug 20, 2020 3:21 pm -

In summer 2020 we launched a 1st Annual $5,000+ Diversity Scholarship with the support of generous donors, inviting minority equestrians to contribute to the discussion of diversity and inclusion in equestrian sport. It is the mission of this annual bursary, which we intend to expand in coming years, to call for, encourage, elevate and give a platform to minority voices in a space where they are underrepresented.

How do we build a more diverse, inclusive and accessible sport? In the coming weeks we will explore this question alongside many of the 27 Scholarship recipients as they share with us their essays in full. Collectly, their perspectives coalesce into a body of work that will no doubt help inform a viable path forward for equestrian sport, and we are committed to connecting their actionable ideas with the public as well as leaders and stakeholders of the sport.

Today we welcome Mitike Mathews. More voices: Aki Joy Maruyama | Anastasia Curwood | Caden Barrera | Dana Bivens | Dawn Edgerton-Cameron | Deonte Sewell | Jordyn Hale | Jen Spencer | Julie Upshur | Katherine Un | Leilani Jackson | Madison Buening | Muhammad Shahroze Rehman

Photo courtesy of Mitike Mathews.

My name is Mitike Mathews. I am 13 years old. I was born in Ethiopia and I was adopted and came to Canada when I was 9 months old. My birth mom died during childbirth and I have no information on my birth dad. My birth grandma couldn’t take care of me and so she placed me in an orphanage with the hopes of someone adopting me. My adoptive parents adopted me when I was 3 months old and I arrived in Canada in September 2007.

I grew up mainly in Winnipeg, Manitoba with an older sister who is also adopted from Ethiopia. Two years ago my parents bought a small farm and we moved to the country.  

You are probably asking yourself how did I get interested in riding. When my mom was 48 she decided to start taking riding lessons which she had wanted to do for many years. I’m super close to my mom and went to her lessons and then I started begging my parents to let me take lessons. For my 6th birthday my parents gave me riding lessons. And from then on I was hooked.

I started off riding school horses and joined Pony Club at the age of 7. Eventually my mom bought me a pony. Well she actually bought it for herself but I kinda stole him. We boarded him for a few years and then 2 years ago when we bought a farm we were able to Jazzy to our farm.

I have taken Pony Club lessons for several years as well as stable management. I have participated in shows, derbies, horse trials, and various other Pony Club activities.  

I currently am riding Jazzy — that’s the pony I stole from my mom. I take lessons with Lesa Cafferty who is a Prelim eventer. She has really helped Jazzy develop and she has given me my love of riding back (for a time I thought about quitting). She treats me like a normal person and not different cause I am black. She has encouraged me to push myself more than I thought I ever could and she is one of the reasons I want to be a top eventer.  

Unfortunately I have now grown out of Jazzy and need to get a new horse. Jazzy loves to jump but he really isn’t interested in jumping more than a 3-foot course. We are now looking for a new horse.

As I mentioned before I sort of stole Jazzy from my mom, and she has given me the opportunity to take lots of lessons on Jazzy. She has the occasional lesson but I receive most of the lessons. I come from a middle class family and we don’t have the money to pay for both lessons for myself and my mom. In order for me to get a new horse my mom is selling her horse Sunday (which she bought when I stole Jazzy) so that I can have a higher level horse. My parents have made a lot of sacrifices so that I can follow my dreams. 

In the last 7 years of riding I have noticed that I have only seen one other black person in the sport. I have only seen two Asian individuals be part of the show world. Other than that participants as far as I can tell are caucasian. It is very discouraging to me being the only person of color at a show. If there were more competitors of color at a show I would be more comfortable. I often feel that I don’t belong and that I should quit riding.

Because of how my coach Lesa makes me feel I haven’t quit riding. She treats me like all of her other students and she doesn’t act differently towards me. She makes me feel like myself and I don’t have to hide who I am to fit in. I have never experienced direct racism or discrimination in the horse world; however, I notice and feel that I am different. Sometimes when I score low I wonder if it’s because I’m not white. Or I wonder sometimes when my friends get picked for special things and I have worked 20 times harder is it because I am black.

I would like things to change to the sport to make it more diverse and inclusive. One of the things I was thinking about to start with it: it would be very helpful to many individuals if riding was more affordable. This would allow families that aren’t just middle-class or upper-class to be able to ride.

Let’s say, for example, there is a 6-year-old black girl living with a single mom and her father has left her. She loves horses. They could be a therapy for her but she can’t do it because it’s too expensive. So she ends up like her mom and has a baby at 16 and is a single mom. If riding could be more affordable that situation could have been avoided because the horses could have been her therapist and riding could have given her connections that would point her in a bright future and would break the cycle for her family. But because riding is so expensive it is a conveyor belt.

If riding was more affordable more individuals could be part of the sport. This means that more individuals with diverse backgrounds could participate in riding.   

Another reason why riding could be mostly a caucasian sport is that if you know a sport is caucasian and you are a minority individual you have less desire to be part of a group where you know you are in the minority. You may be afraid to participate.  

One way in which black equestrians could feel more welcome is if equestrian apparel companies included more black women and men in their magazines and on their websites. Also, by offering a scholarship as Nation Media is doing to minorities — this can help individuals such as myself to further my riding goals and aspirations.  

Another way to encourage people of minorities to participate in equestrian sports is for companies to provide sponsorship specifically aimed towards minorities.  

I have researched high level riders and I have noticed that the few minority individuals are rarely recognized in horse magazines or articles. I feel as though some riders like Donna Cheek, Mavis Spencer, Kanyon Walker, Randy Ward and many more should get more recognition.

Thank you very much for the opportunity that you are giving me to be able to use my voice. I really appreciate how you guys are trying to make the equestrian and eventing community more welcoming and inclusive.

Get Involved: Thank you, Mitike, for not only sharing your experiences but also some great suggestions for how to make minorities feel more comfortable and included in the sport. One of them: “One way in which black equestrians could feel more welcome is if equestrian apparel companies included more black women and men in their magazines and on their websites.”

We agree that representation is so important! So how can we help to make this a reality?

Another Diversity Scholarship honoree, Dawn Edgerton-Cameron, wrote in her essay: “Companies listen when consumers vote with their wallets, and representation matters. The next time you pick up your favorite horse supply catalog or log onto your favorite equine shopping site, take a look at the models. How much diversity is there? Not much. If 70% of communication is nonverbal, this sends that ‘This isn’t for you’ message loudly and clearly. Take a minute to call, email or post on the company’s social media page and ask them what their plan is to be more inclusive in their marketing communications. If you don’t like their answers (or if they don’t have one) take your purchasing power to the 1-2 companies that are starting to get it and including more people of color in their pages.”

Nation Media is proud to partner with companies who “get it,” and today we officially promise our readers that we will never endorse or accept sponsorship from any retailer, brand or product who is anything less than welcoming to ALL.

A great example of a retailer and EN partner that IS striving for diverse representation: SmartPak — take a look at the SmartPak website or any of its social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) for examples.

🍁🍂Cozy layers, warm fleece, and more all at SmartPak! Be the first to get the season’s newest ROOTD styles by swiping ⬆️…

Posted by SmartPak on Monday, August 17, 2020

Mitike, please know that you are always valued, heard and included here. You are the future of this sport, and we promise you, change is coming. 

Nation Media wishes to thank Barry and Cyndy Oliff, Katherine Coleman and Hannah Hawkins for their financial support of this Scholarship. We also wish to thank our readers for their support, both of this endeavor and in advance for all the important work still to come.

At Home On the Last Frontier: Sharon White’s System Pays Off

By on Aug 20, 2020 12:29 pm -

Sharon White and Cooley On Show. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

One of the hottest topics on the eventing scene has always been the idea of the pipeline. Where will the next generation of elite eventing riders come from? With many factors working against American riders — the cost prohibitive nature of professional riding, the hours and days spent in the trailer to get from one event to the next, the necessity of running a business built on multiple revenue streams — it can be a struggle to zero in on talent and properly cultivate it in a true and proper system. Producing future generations of riders then becomes a task that falls in scattered pieces to programs around the country. And while it’s true that robust programs exist to develop and strengthen up-and-coming riders, the fact remains that talent slips through the cracks each year.

In the sport of motocross, riders often find themselves attracting not just the support of sponsors but also that of professional race teams. Picking talent out from the lower ranks of the sport allows shrewd team managers to hedge their bets on a speedy kid long before the rest of the industry gets word. Similar in concept but perhaps farther reaching than the Eventing Pathway Program run through US Equestrian, the race team approach covers most of the bases — equipment, coaching, bikes and parts — so that the rider can focus on the immense task of making it to the top. As these race riders mature, that team becomes a talent incubator of sorts, the pipeline feeding promising superstars to the factory-supported race teams that bear the monikers of the best riders in the world. For all intents and purposes, it’s the big brother of the Pathway Program and other equestrian pipeline programs — a model, perhaps, to take some lessons from.

Of course, if you pay attention, it’s easy to see where some of the best rising talent is originating within the sport of eventing. Move the lens to the source of that success, and in most cases you’re assured to find a working, successful system. An incubator, if you will.

One such hotbed for talent is a 60 acre eventing sanctuary nestled between the Allegheny and Blue Ridge Mountains in West Virginia, at Sharon White’s Last Frontier Farm.

Success Comes from the System

The cherry on top of Hell Week with Sharon White? A backflip dismount. Photo by Mary Pat Stone.

While many of Sharon’s students have made recent waves in the eventing headlines, the fact is that this program — one that has produced multiple upper level talents — came to be much by happenstance.

“I didn’t really set out to be a producer of riders,” Sharon reflects. “But it seems to have been a pattern and I seem to be good at it. But I feel very, very lucky because they all work so hard. I just want to help them become better than I was, faster than I was.”

I asked Sharon if there were any elements of her program that she felt were unique, a question she found she didn’t have a concrete answer to. Humble is another word to describe Sharon, who herself has enjoyed much success at the five-star level.

So I sought out a handful of her students, all of which have been or were in Sharon’s program for years, chipping away at what she refers to as “the art of riding.”

Two themes emerged from my conversations with five of Sharon’s past and present students: that horses go the way in which they are ridden, and mindset and mentality are perhaps two of the most important skills a rider can cultivate.

“The biggest lesson I’ve learned from Sharon is that horses go the way they are ridden,” Lea Adams-Blackmore, who rode with Sharon as a young rider, said. “So if you ride them to the jump like they are going to be weird and have an issue then that’s exactly what they will do.”

Horses go the way in which they are ridden. Sharon mentions this concept several times in our conversation, and I ask her to elaborate. “Horses tell you exactly what they are doing,” she explained. “They go the way they are ridden, handled and cared for. So you really have to be able to ride — be physically and mentally fit yourself, and know the ins and outs of the art of riding — to be successful. We have a responsibility to continue our own improvement which, because horses go the way they are ridden, means that our horses will continue improving as well.”

All of the riders interviewed for this article echoed the sentiment that positivity and productivity are the name of the game at Last Frontier Farm. But through the program’s core runs a thread of high standards. Care, training, fitness of both horse and rider — all of these components make up the complete horseman and eventing athlete.

‘The Bar is Raised’

Woods Baughman and C’est La Vie 135. Photo by Abby Powell.

“The moment you start in her program, the bar is raised,” Woods Baughman, winner of the CCI3*-L at the Dutta Corp. Fair Hill International in 2019, reflected. “And she’s not afraid to push you to meet that bar.”

Indeed, Last Frontier riders can often be found participating in fitness workshops such as “Hell Week,” dedicated to core strength. All part of a big picture approach, Sharon knows how easy it is to get tunnel vision, focusing so hard on our goals or on competing that we lose sight of all of the moving parts that play into success.

And so, Sharon believes, having an all around understanding of health, fitness, and mindset should be a part of any training program. Mindset — and here’s the key: having proper control of it — plays into confidence. Confidence, mind control, and the subsequent ability to tamper our nerves and perform at our peak are, as with any other exercise, vital parts of training.

Sharon credits the practice of meditation, something she felt more than a little skeptical about at first but that she now credits for her improved mindset. She recalls 2019, a year of less than satisfactory results and plenty of ups and downs, as a year that really exposed the holes in her mentality. “All of last year was really interesting for me because I really worked on my own mental facilities more than anything else,” she explained. “Horses go the way they are ridden, and at Kentucky last year with (Cooley On Show), I was so worried that he would be bad at the start that he had no adrenaline by the time we got out there.”

“There’s a good learning moment there,” she continued. “I will take full responsibility for that ride. You always want to blame so many different things or make yourself feel better, but those are basically excuses. No one wants to just say, ‘wow, I sucked.’ If something goes wrong, I need to know steps X, Y and Z to fix it. And at that point, I knew I needed to get my mind under control.”

While Sharon says she does feel a significant difference since taking up meditation, she says it’s something she’ll continue to work on for the rest of her life. Controlling the mind, the ebb and flow of emotions that stem from it, is no small task. “I will continue to fail and succeed at this, as with everything else,” she explained. “But it’s something I’ll never be through learning.” It’s a concept taught by sport psychologists and mindset coaches, but it’s a tough one to grasp. Sharon’s continuing education and improvement of her own mindset and mental fitness have found permanent homes within her program. One more part of an ever-evolving system built on one set of foundational values.

Sharon White teaches at a clinic in New York. Photo courtesy of Joan Davis / Flatlandsfoto.

Ready to Spread Their Wings

Focusing on the core components of building a successful eventing athlete, Sharon has created a program that feels complete. Her students will step out into careers of their own, others will step in to fill their spots as the next young generation of competent riders. The consistency shows in her students’ results: success lies within a program. And it’s not just the success on the record that one should look to. It’s the confidence and the ability to make the lightning-fast decisions required of a rider on a cross country course.

Confidence and overcoming a lack of it is another recurring theme evident in my conversations with Sharon’s students. “Sharon is really into controlling your mindset to make things happen and she’s really helped me to overcome show nerves and just show up to do my job and bring home the results,” Woods explained. Lea echoed this sentiment. “I felt that especially in show jumping I would get super nervous and just try and get it over with, but Sharon’s teaching has definitely made it easier to go into the arena and take a deep breath,” she said.

The importance of proper preparation in every facet of our riding cannot be understated. Perhaps there are some lessons to be taken from the sport of motocross with its robust satellite incubator teams. There are certainly insights to be gleaned from successful programs such as Last Frontier Farm. The future of any sport is built upon its core of talent. Creating a pipeline and a system that welcomes talented riders and allows them to thrive and be healthy continues to be an important factor in ensuring eventing’s future.

And that system does work, but it takes a lot of personal investment from both coach and student. “I am a firm believer that working on all aspects of it — how to be a rider, a horseman, how to clean a stall really well, they have to do everything because to me it all matters,” Sharon reflected. “And anyone who is willing to do that? You’re going to do better.”

By the Numbers: Great Meadow 4*-S

By on Aug 20, 2020 8:02 am -

It’s been a crazy five months since our last By the Numbers, which shockingly enough was for the opening 4*-S of the North American season. Shortly after that, everything shut down tight and while we’ve had the odd Advanced run here and there, this weekend marks the first 4*-S in North America since Red Hills. It’s been a wild ride, folks, but we’re tentatively back in business … for now.

Great Meadow is now entering its sixth year, long enough to have hammered out the nitty gritty and really focus on bringing a premier event to the East Coast. This year will mark the second time David O’Connor comes forward as the cross country course designer after putting a strong mark on the course last year. Chris Barnard will also be marking his second year doing the show jumping, and as a perennial favorite for eastern venues, many pairs will be familiar with his courses. Show jumping will be held prior to cross country.

Photo courtesy of Great Meadow.

Of the five previous winners at this venue, three were in the lead following dressage. Interestingly enough, the other two winners were both in sixth place after the first phase. Four of the five winners jumped a clear round, and the fifth horse made up for it by finishing as the fastest time of the day on cross country.

Will Coleman and Off the Record are the only previously winning pair in the 4*-S field this week (they won in 2018), but Jennie Brannigan, who won the event twice on Cambalda, brings forth four competitive horses.

DRESSAGE

Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

It’s hard to argue against looking to Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous to lead the way after the first phase. They own the best 4* average in the field and have broken the 75% mark in their last five consecutive A/4/5* outings. This pair has broken 80% in two of their last three A/4* starts. Are they beatable? Yes, especially with some of the other dressage powerhouses in the field. But they’ll need to have a bad day while someone else has a good one.

Liz Halliday-Sharp and her stalwart Fernhill By Night who could step up to the plate and have a very good day. This pair is fairly well-known for their consistency in the first phase, with a whopping 68% of their 45 career A/4* tests breaking the 70% mark. Breaking the 75% mark has come on fewer occasions, with six sub-25 scores on their long record, and one of those is sub-20. It’s impossible not to think these two will be giving strong challenge to the lightly competed RF Scandalous.

Meanwhile we can’t forget the indomitable Kim Severson and her partner Cooley Cross Border, who is back in business after a hiatus. It’s been a hot second, but last time we were watching them strut their stuff, they’d broken the 70% mark in eight consecutive A/4* starts. That includes a flirtation with the teens in early 2018, laying down a 20.8 at Carolina for a then-NA record at the 4* level. Guess who broke that record a few months later? (Yes, it was RF Scandalous.)

Quite honestly this field has been so condensed thanks to the cancellation of just about everything else that it’s impossible to talk about every horse who has a chance for a top five slot after the dressage phase. Liz Halliday-Sharp is full of ammunition with her experienced ride Deniro Z who fired off a quick 23.6 in the Advanced at Stable View two months ago and also brings forth the precocious Flash Cooley who has already broken 70% in just two starts.

You can’t leave Buck Davidson out of the conversation with either Carlevo or Copper Beach. Carlevo has been more on fire than his stablemate, breaking 70% in all but two of his sixteen A/4* starts since 2018. Copper Beach can occasionally catch fire and lay down a test in the vicinity of 73-75% but is equally likely to just miss the 70% mark.

Harbour Pilot and Hannah Sue Burnett regularly lead the field after day one when this pair is on a roll, and while they haven’t competed this year, a 26.9 in their last top level start at Burghley last fall might indicate all cylinders are firing. Another fan-favorite pair is Colleen Rutledge and her own Covert Rights, who can regularly eclipse the 70% mark during one of their hot streaks and who on their very best day clocked in a 22.2 on a hot August day in Michigan back in 2017. Meanwhile Phillip Dutton and Lauren Nicholson have brought Z and Vermiculus out to play, both of whom can be right up with the top players on a particularly good day.

The biggest wild card factor would be the time slots, with Fernhill By Night, Copper Beach, and Harbour Pilot all slotted into the first session on Thursday morning with RF Scandalous and Covert Rights going back to back in the second Thursday morning session. Cooley Cross Border and Vermiculus have more neutral Friday morning slots while Z and Carlevo sneak into early afternoon sessions. Deniro Z might end up with the edge as the very last ride of the day on Friday.

On Thursday, the only way to follow the actions is through live scoring but make sure to tune in Friday to the live stream to catch at least a few of the top rides.

SHOW JUMPING

Buck Davidson and Carlevo. Photo by Shelby Allen.

If you’re looking for a huge shake-up on show jumping day, keep looking. Most aforementioned horses happen to be pretty good jumpers as well. It’s unlikely we’ll see too many changes from the top five, with RF Scandalous, Carlevo, Fernhill By Night, Cooley Cross Border, and Deniro Z are all more likely to jump a clear round than not. Of these horses, Liz’s pair are the two most likely of the bunch to take a rail, but even so they both have a clear rate of at least 75% over the last two years at this level.

Slightly further down the leaderboard is where things could get more interesting. Harbour Pilot hasn’t jumped a clean round at the A/4*S level since 2017, and while his last two outings produced only one rail, he has had three rails in three of his last seven outings overall. Covert Rights did jump a clear round at this venue last time but overall struggles to leave all the sticks up in this phase. The adorable Vermiculus has had two rails down in each of his three outings at this level in 2019 and 2020. These three horses will likely drop in the rankings after incurring penalties in this phase.

Meanwhile pairs who had been sitting just outside the top 10 like Phillip Dutton and Z, Emily Beshear and Olney Uncle Sam, and Liz Halliday-Sharp with yet another mount Cooley Quicksilver will capitalize on strong jumping phases to inch up the leaderboard into the top 10.

Another set of horses to watch will be Will Coleman and Off the Record, Erin Kanara (nee Sylvester) and Paddy the Caddy, Phillip Dutton and Fernhill Singapore, and Will Faudree and Pfun. These pairs are all tend to score solidly in the low 30s on day one, which in a field this deep will be enough to push them down further than they’d normally be. But all of these horses have extremely solid jumping records paired with a strong turn-of-foot for the final day.

Others that might crop up but stay just outside the top 10 could include Hannah Sue Burnett on her other ride Lukeswell, and Jennie Brannigan on Stella Artois.

CROSS COUNTRY

Liz Halliday-Sharp and Deniro Z. Photo by Shelby Allen.

On Sunday, we should finally see a little movement amongst the top five. One weakness for Marilyn Little and RF Scandalous is the mare’s pace across the country; this horse has never made the time or been fastest across the country. An average pace that is just over 18 seconds slower than the fastest would open the door for another pair to snatch a victory.

Fernhill By Night may not seem like the fastest horse just by looking at him, but Liz Halliday-Sharp is pretty forthcoming about her intent to compete him only when and where he can win. That means their pace has sharpened up since 2019, finishing an average of 8.33 seconds over optimum or of the fastest pace of the day if optimum wasn’t achieved. A pace like that could enable these two to give the leaders a serious run for their money.

Cooley Cross Border is making his first start at the level since 2018, so while he and Kim Severson could match their previous pace and maintain a possible top three placing, it’s more likely we will see them take their time today and drop down a few places.

Carlevo and Deniro Z are both horses who could slip down the leaderboard a bit if they stick to their average pace, leaving an opening to compete for a top five spot. Phillip Dutton and Z and Emily Beshear and Olney Uncle Sam are two pairs who will take advantage of that opening.

Meanwhile, a horse who could benefit immensely from a fast pace is previous GM winner Off the Record, who will be steadily climbing the leaderboard all weekend with Will Coleman and should sneak into the top 10 even if time proves doable. If the time proves tough to make, look for this pair to contest for a top rank.

Will Faudree with Pfun and Tim Bourke with Quality Time will both be making advances up the leaderboard based on their horses’ show jumping skills and cross country speed, but unless they have a particularly good day in dressage or the time on cross country is particularly difficult to make (or both), they’ll end up sitting just outside the top 10 looking in.

PREDICTIONS:

WINNER

Liz Halliday-Sharp and Fernhill By Night. Photo by Jenni Autry.

It’ll be a nail-biter but in the end the time penalties on cross country will neutralize any day one advantage and Liz Halliday-Sharp and Fernhill By Night will do what they set out to do: win.

FASTEST CROSS COUNTRY ROUNDS

Whitney Mahloch and Military Mind. Photo by Shelby Allen.

It’s easy to look for perennial speedsters like Colleen Rutledge and Covert Rights or Will Coleman and Off the Record for this superlative, but actually Whitney Mahloch and her Thoroughbred Military Mind are most likely to set the pace for the day, so long as they clock in a clear round. In nine clear starts at this level, this pair has put in the fastest time at seven of them, which is quite mind-boggling compared to the record of most others.

NOTABLE NEWBIES

Will Faudree and Mama’s Magic Way. Photo by Abby Powell.

There are a pair of newbies to keep your eye on this weekend. Will Faudree is bringing out the delightfully-named Mama’s Magic Way for the horse’s second start after moving up to the Advanced level at Pine Top this winter. This pair put in a 29.8 on the flat, jumped a clear show jumping round, and finished only 11 seconds slower than the fastest time of the day on cross country. Meanwhile, Phillip Dutton spent the spring helping out his buddy Boyd Martin, who had just moved Luke 140 up to Advanced at Pine Top. Phillip improved on Boyd’s finish at Pine Top by only half a point, but it was enough to take home the win at the Advanced at Horse Park of New Jersey in June.

EXTENDING CLEAR JUMPING STREAKS

Erin Sylvester and Paddy the Caddy. Photo by Abby Powell.

Erin Kanara (nee Sylvester) seems like she can do no wrong in the show jumping phase with her experienced Thoroughbred Paddy the Caddy. These two haven’t had a rail since the fall of 2018, including jumping clear at two 4*-L and one 5*L. That’s seven consecutive clears at A/4/5* level, something few can duplicate.

Coming close to duplicating though is Kate Brown and the gray Victor Z, who have a perfect show jumping round thus far at the A/4* level. Although they haven’t yet put a long format round on their record, they’ve jumped clear (with no time penalties!) in all seven of their A/4* starts.

BIGGEST MOVER

Ema Klugman and Bendigo. Photo by Valerie Durbon Photography.

Ema Klugman and Bendigo won’t catch your eye on the leaderboard after day one, but will likely garner a second look after very strong show jumping. While they can vary from a fast pace to a slower one, even a solid round would bump them from near the bottom on day one up to solidly inside the top half of the field by the final day.

OTHER DIVISIONS

  • The biggest news of the day is that Blackfoot Mystery will be returning to the 4* level for the first time since competing here in his final prep for the 2016 Olympics at Rio. Also interesting is that Phillip Dutton will be in the irons instead of Boyd Martin, which means you should keep an eye out for this pair to spoil everything.
  • Previous double 4* winner here at GMI (2015 and 2017) Cambalda is also competing … in the CCI2*-S. He’s currently paired up with rider Maddie McElduff, so keep an eye out if he can become the first horse to win three times at this venue.
  • Lynn Symansky is bringing out Pan American team horse RF Cool Play to dabble in the CCI3*-S.

Dressage starts today and you’ll be able to catch all the action starting tomorrow on the live stream. Unfortunately the live stream will not cover the pairs who go today, but keep an eye on EN as we bring you all the action!

Great Meadow International: Website, Entry Status, Ride Times, Live Scores, Live Stream (Starting Friday)

Thursday News & Notes from Taylor Harris Insurance Services (THIS)

By on Aug 20, 2020 12:03 am -

This is how to summer. Photo by Katie Wainscott.

 

National Holiday: National Chocolate Pecan Pie Day

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Great Meadow International: [Website] [Schedule] [Live Stream] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Order of Go] [Live Scores]

Caber Farm H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

Shepherd Ranch H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

The Event at Archer H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

Feather Creek Farm H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

War Horse Event Series August: [Website] [Entry Status]

News From Around the Globe:

Get everything you need to know about Great Meadows International right now, so your virtual spectating all week will be highly informed. Where to watch, who’s entered in what classes, ride times for your favorite competitors, live scores to check, cross country maps, and more. [GMI: All The Things]

Aston-Le-Walls marked the first Advanced competition back for British Eventing this past weekend, and there were five sections absolutely stacked with competitors of note. It may have poured with rain, but that won’t stop the cross country action in England. [Aston-Le-Walls Advanced Photos]

Happy birthday to perennial get-well-soon card recipient Boyd Martin and EN-contributor-who-doesn’t-contribute-enough Mary Hollis Baird!

Best of Blogs: Behind The Scenes Horse Who Made Me a Horsewoman

Question of the Day: Does a Racehorse Know if He Wins or Loses?

Throwback Thursday:

Thirteen Through Great Meadow CCI3*-L First Horse Inspection

By on Aug 19, 2020 7:16 pm -

Sharon White and Claus 63. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Masks are officially the must have fashion accessory this season — literally, you MUST wear one. Of course, all participants were delightfully compliant at the first horse inspection for the 2020 MARS Great Meadow International, but just because it’s mandatory, doesn’t mean it can’t be cute. Sharon White showed off hers in her signature orange, Claire Robinson opted for an all black ensemble. Others decided for a traditional light blue medical grade accessory.

Masks aside, we are very excited to follow the coverage for GMI’s first ever CCI3*-L where thirteen contestants have lined up to test the inaugural division. Of this group, only one pair, Alexandra Baugh and I Spye, were held in the trot up, but subsequently passed upon re-inspection. That leaves the group intact as they move ahead to dressage starting Thursday at 8 am eastern.

We are lucky enough to share a gorgeous gallery from the ever talented Shannon Brinkman. Her and her team will be on site all weekend capturing all the action.

Stay tuned for much more from GMI.

Great Meadow International: Website, Schedule, Live Stream, Entries, Ride Times, Order of Go, Live Scores

Photo Gallery: Snapshots from Ocala Summer HT

By on Aug 19, 2020 11:00 am -

What a weekend it was for our friends in Florida! The Ocala Summer HT hosted a whopping 17 divisions, and our friend Lisa Madren was on site, camera in hand, to capture the action. She’s rounded up galleries of the top finishers in each division. Congratulations to those who had a great weekend (cough, cough, Leslie Law who won six divisions!).

Many thanks to Lisa for these lovely photos! Find full results at this link.

Go eventing.

Advanced/Intermediate A

Advanced/Intermediate B

Open Intermediate A 

Open Intermediate B 

Open Preliminary A

Open Preliminary B

Preliminary Rider 

Open Modified 

Modified Rider 

Open Training A 

Open Training B 

Go Eventing.

 

 

Katherine Un: ‘A More Open and Inviting Community Is Not Enough’

By on Aug 19, 2020 9:00 am -

In summer 2020 we launched a 1st Annual $5,000+ Diversity Scholarship with the support of generous donors, inviting minority equestrians to contribute to the discussion of diversity and inclusion in equestrian sport. It is the mission of this annual bursary, which we intend to expand in coming years, to call for, encourage, elevate and give a platform to minority voices in a space where they are underrepresented.

How do we build a more diverse, inclusive and accessible sport? In the coming weeks we will explore this question alongside many of the 27 Scholarship recipients as they share with us their essays in full. Collectly, their perspectives coalesce into a body of work that will no doubt help inform a viable path forward for equestrian sport, and we are committed to connecting their actionable ideas with the public as well as leaders and stakeholders of the sport.

Today we welcome Katherine Un. More voices: Aki Joy Maruyama | Anastasia Curwood | Caden Barrera | Dana Bivens | Dawn Edgerton-Cameron | Deonte Sewell | Jordyn Hale | Jen Spencer | Julie Upshur | Katherine Un | Leilani Jackson | Madison Buening | Muhammad Shahroze Rehman

Photo by Mihayla Phillips (IG @mihaylapphotography).

Like 90% of equestrians, I live a double life. I have a work life and a horse habit.

As a horse-person, I ride classical dressage, enjoy trick training and liberty, and love nothing more than mountain riding and camping in our gorgeous Evergreen State. In 2019, after many years spent training horses for others, I finally got my own. Madelina and her foal, Inti, are two Spanish breed mixes that came to me through a quite sketchy craigslist ad.

The other life I live is as an anti-racist advocate. I do this work both through my job, as an organizer for farmers and ranchers, and in my spare time, as a person of color deeply engaged in their community. I work wholeheartedly for a world in which issues like student loan debt, healthcare access, and political disenfranchisement no longer disproportionately affect minority communities.

The equestrian world, until now, has never really had a space for me to bring both passions together into one “anti-racist horse life.” More than anything, I’m excited to see what ideas other minority equestrians bring to the conversation and thank Nation Media, Hannah Hawkins, Katherine Coleman, and Stable View for getting the ball rolling.

As a first step to “opening the doors of opportunity to all,” we can double-down on our work to bring the horse world together. My heart is warmed by the relatively recent efforts of creative entrepreneurs to push back against divisiveness in our community and empower all equestrians. I personally have enjoyed following the evolution of Herd of Zebras, featured on Horse Nation in January 2019, a small brand that designs apparel and tack to empower, heal, and uplift equestrians. I’m also an avid listener of Horse Radio Network, which has done a beautiful job of breaking down barriers between horse sports including through partnership with Horse Nation on fun events like the Christmas Horse Radiothon or the Halloween Short Story Contest.

I hope we can do more to share this kind of work and that we can encourage even more new and creative ideas. As we do so, we should make sure at every step that we center minority voices. By centering, I mean that we be more intentional about inviting minority horse-people in the creative and executive leadership of projects to empower and heal equestrians and that we make every effort to prioritize the needs, knowledges, and goals of minority horse-people when imagining new initiatives.

Photo by Mihayla Phillips (IG @mihaylapphotography).

Unfortunately,a more open and inviting community is not enough to ensure inclusivity and diversity in our sports. We also need to address the barriers that young equestrians, both amateurs and professionals, face to accessing and thriving in our community. There are some wonderful community programs focused on making horse sports accessible to young people and thankfully some such projects, like the Compton Junior Posse, have gotten well-deserved attention in the past months. Ideally, we would collate and broadcast a comprehensive list of organizations doing this important work so that people could easily support and donate. (Editor’s note: We have begun a reader-sourced list, which we intend to share as part of a larger resource portal soon — send organization links to [email protected]). As for supporting young minority equestrians in their career, I believe the answer is in larger policy changes and broad scholarship opportunities.

Barriers like access to quality land, financing, sponsorship, clientele, and education are compounded for minority horse-people. Our histories of dis-empowerment mean that young minority equestrians do not have the generational wealth and social capital of our white counterparts. For instance, the United States, through discrimination and violence, has had a history of impeding the efforts of Black communities to build wealth. We need only mention some examples such as slavery, Jim Crow era “Black Codes,” limitations in the GI bill, and relining. This means that Black communities, and other communities of color, have not had the same ability to pass down wealth from generation to generation, impacting statistics today. To give only one example, because of differences in family wealth, young people of color are more likely to take out student loans, and larger loans, than their white counterparts.

In the equestrian world, this would make it more difficult to accept and thrive in key lower wage professional development opportunities like assistant trainer and groom positions. A very beginning step to achieving a level playing field for young horse professionals would be for one of our major national equestrian organizations to establish a committee on equity in our sports. This committee could listen to the needs of young minority equestrians and make recommendations on diversity and inclusion. Similarly, it could spearhead an innovative scholarship for equity in our sport to palliate the generational wealth gap. Setting up structures like equity programs, review boards, or advisory councils has been the usual first step in a wide variety of sectors to ensure long term accountability to the goal of inclusion and diversity. For instance, on a much broader scale, the United States Olympic Committee a while back took its first commitments towards equity by establishing a diversity and inclusion program (you can see how the program scored U.S. Equestrian Federation on equity here).

The most recent scorecard available for US Equestrian is from 2017 (USOC: “Due to a minor error in submitted data, the 2018 Scorecards were temporarily removed in June 2020 and will be available again after recalculation.”) For simplicity, the scorecard uses green, yellow and red. Green indicates 85 percent or greater; yellow for 69-84 percent; and red signifies 68 percent or lower. 

Finally, in parallel to diversity and inclusion work in our equestrian community, I would strongly encourage all horse-people to support anti-racist efforts outside the horse world. This because, for as much as we wish our equestrian world to be our safe bubble separate from the drudgery of everyday life, in the end the horse world is embedded and intertwined within our greater society and economy.

The strongest path that I see to encouraging diversity and inclusivity in our sports is to make sure that every child who comes to an equestrian center has had a healthy and hearty breakfast and lunch; that every young horse person has a stable enough household to be able to shed daily stresses and focus on the moments in the saddle; that every young horse professional has the education, healthcare, and financial freedom to pursue their horse career dreams; that every equestrian adult has equitable access to the economic stability required to maintain a horse hobby; and that every elder horse person has the same life expectancy and extended quality of life to be able enjoy horse sports for as long as they desire. In this spirit, I hope that every equestrian will not hesitate to support diversity and inclusivity initiatives outside the horse world.

Get Involved: In the spirit of encouraging readers to get invested in broad structural change, Katherine says she would love to encourage folks to donate to her “adult job” organization. Katherine is the Organizing and Advocacy Director at National Young Farmers Coalition, a grassroots network of beginning farmers, ranchers and supporters working together for a brighter, more equitable future for U.S. agriculture. The Coalition tackles the structural challenges preventing young people from succeeding in farming, such as access to land, credit, and skilled labor, climate challenges, health insurance, racial injustice, and student loan debt. Their approach includes work in three strategic areas: coalition building, policy advocacy, and business services. Their Coalition Building provides a platform for young farmers to emerge as community leaders as well as a national chapter model that offers supportive farming communities that young farmers need to be successful. Can you help? Donate here today. 

Nation Media wishes to thank Barry and Cyndy Oliff, Katherine Coleman and Hannah Hawkins for their financial support of this Scholarship. We also wish to thank our readers for their support, both of this endeavor and in advance for all the important work still to come.

‘We Do Not Wish to Jeopardise the Rest of the Competition Season’: Burgham Closes Door to Haras du Pin Competitors

By on Aug 19, 2020 7:00 am -

World Champion Ros Canter is among the entries at this week’s Burgham International Horse Trials. Photo by Rupert Gibson Photography.

After several days of fierce debates on social media and a plethora of different interpretations of the tangle of inference that is the government’s guidelines on elite sport, Burgham International Horse Trials has decided to take a firm stand and as such, will not allow any competitors returning from France’s Haras du Pin, which ran through the weekend, to use their entries.

Burgham, which will be the UK’s first international event of 2020, runs this week (August 19-23), a month later than its originally intended slot on the calendar. Demand for international classes has proven astronomical, with the showpiece CCI4*-S class gaining nearly 200 entries and a CCI2*-L joining the line-up for the first time ever. In total, the event, which is held north of Newcastle, will run 12 classes across a number of sections, with national levels from BE100 through Intermediate, as well as a five-year-old qualifier, and CCI2*-S and CCI3*-S sections joining the CCI2*-L and CCI4*-S. Over 1125 combinations are entered.

While this is all great news for the event and the sport at large, it does put a unique pressure on Burgham’s organising team, who are all too aware that their safety measures will be closely scrutinised by a mainstream media that’s made rare appearances at an array of one-day events since the season began again.

Eventing, unlike many other sports, doesn’t currently require coronavirus testing for its elite athletes, even when travelling abroad to compete. An exemption scheme is in place in Britain, which allows for domestic athletes competing abroad in countries that are taken off the travel exemption list after the competition has started to avoid a two-week quarantine period if they undergo testing over the course of the first seven days they’re back in the country, though the guidelines aren’t wholly clear to many to whom the exemption could apply. Likewise, athletes from abroad may compete at British internationals, provided they do so in ‘bubbles,’ remaining self-contained at the event site and their temporary place of residence.

If it all sounds rather too confusing for words, you’re not alone in thinking so. Like much of the UK government guidance, it’s about as clear as mud and has proven endlessly contentious so far, prompting Burgham to announce their new stance today (August 18) after discussions with both British Eventing and the small number of riders who had entries at both Haras du Pin and Burgham. In order to ensure that Burgham doesn’t become a danger zone for viral spread – or the scapegoat for criticism of global equestrian sport – those riders will not be able to compete at the event this week.

Image courtesy of Burgham Horse Trials.

Event Director Martyn Johnson said: “This has been an extremely difficult situation and we apologise to those riders affected. Although the riders could apply for an exemption under the DCMS guidelines, we are all in agreement with the proposed way forward. We were all very uncomfortable with the idea of any potential risk, however small, to our amazing volunteers and helpers and the local community – and of course other riders, owners and officials.

“Burgham is the first international event of the British 2020 eventing season. We do not wish to jeopardise the rest of the equestrian competition season or to bring ill-feeling towards the equine community from other parts of society.”

British Eventing chief executive Jude Matthews said: “We thank all riders who applied for elite athlete exemption who have done everything necessary to ensure that they have kept themselves and others safe. While the exemption covers them to compete at Burgham,  all involved agreed that it would be prudent for those returning from Haras du Pin not to compete at Burgham this week. It has been a difficult period for all concerned, but safeguarding both our members and the future of the sport remains absolutely key.”

Among those riders affected are Tim and Jonelle Price, who enjoyed a fruitful week in France, topped off by a win in the CCI3*-L for 2019 Seven-Year-Old World Champion Happy Boy. But upon returning to the UK, they released a statement on their official Facebook page expressing their disappointment in some of the conversations regarding the competition on social media.

“It’s sad to see the same old half dozen or so names setting the social media world alight with negative views often based on hypothetical scenarios,” reads the statement. “Please respect that we are simply hard working professional athletes. We take our job very seriously and in this instance were simply adhering to the guidelines laid out by both the government and the sports governing bodies.

“We have both been tested for Covid upon returning from France as an extra level of precaution (not required within the guidelines), purely a stance taken by ourselves and Team NZ.

“Finally best wishes to Martyn and his team at Burgham for a great event and good luck to the competitors, we look forward to attending next time!”

Eventing Nation will be on the ground at Burgham to bring you wall-to-wall coverage of the extraordinarily hot CCI4*-S sections.

Burgham: Entries & Times | Website | Live-Stream | Live Scores | EN’s Coverage | EN’s Twitter | EN’s Instagram

Wednesday News & Notes from Ecovet

By on Aug 19, 2020 12:01 am -

You’re a good sport, Kody. Photo by Ashlyn Cathey Photography

I’d like to interrupt your regularly scheduled reading for a big pot of well-wishes sent to Shelby Allen and her new husband, Kody Laseter, on their wedding this past weekend! Shelby started her time here with EN in 2017 and she’s become an irreplaceable part of the team, all while wrangling nursing school, wedding planning, and all of the things in between. We love you, Shelby!

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Great Meadow International: [Website] [Schedule] [Live Stream] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Order of Go] [Live Scores]

Caber Farm H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

Shepherd Ranch H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

The Event at Archer H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

Feather Creek Farm H.T.: [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]

War Horse Event Series August: [Website] [Entry Status]

Wednesday Reading List:

Have you been reading the essays of the Nation Media Diversity Scholarship? Not only do these riders have incredible experiences and perspectives, there are many ways in which we can take action to create a better industry for all who participate. We’ve included, at the bottom of each essay, ideas and ways for each of us to get involved. You can catch up on the essays by clicking here — and stay tuned for much more to come right here on EN and its sister sites Jumper Nation and Horse Nation.

Brittney Chambers and her therapeutic riding academy, CBC Equine, have been chosen as the California Small Business Association SmalL Business of the Year. I’ve done a bit of work with Brittney in recent months, and I am routinely blown away by her dedication to the happiness of her horses and the education of her riders. CBC Equine is located in northern California, and you can learn more about the operation here.

As if we needed further proof that I can, in fact, not ride the same way as Ingrid Klimke, science now proves this. A newly published study from Marc Elmeua González, Nejc Šarabon and the University of Primorska in Slovenia reveals “more chaotic muscle activity among the novice riders when compared to the impressive control of the professionals.” Dive into the details here.

Researchers are doing what they can to shed light on the plight of Ethiopian donkeys — and why they should be included and protected in policymaking. Super groom Jess Wilson has dedicated much of her time working in Egypt for similar causes, and it’s clear that these working donkeys and horses deserve both protection and respect.

The Future Event Horse championships this year will have separate panels of judges for each region due to COVID-19 travel restrictions and other precautionary measures. The East, West, and Central divisions will each be assigned their own respective judges.

You may remember the freak crosstie accident that left Rick Wallace’s Ultimate Victory without an eye. We’ve been following “Cody” and Briggs Surratt as they tackle competing again, and Rick posted this most recent update to his Facebook page.

Wednesday Video Break:

Sarah Maslin Nir was a guest on a recent episode of Young Black Equestrians — you may recognize her as the brains behind the newly released book, Horse Crazy, and a pioneering New York Times reporter who among other beats served equestrian sport with her in-depth reporting on cases of high-profile sexual abuse of young riders that helped lead to critical reform.

This description from GoodReads had me adding the book to my cart quicker than you can say Bookshop (see what I did there? Shop on Bookshop.org and support independent bookstores!): “In the bestselling tradition of works by such authors as Susan Orlean and Mary Roach, a New York Times reporter and Pulitzer Prize finalist explores why so many people—including herself—are obsessed with horses.”

Ecovet is an entirely different type of fly spray … and you apply it to your horse in a different way, too. With fly season upon us, we’re sharing some tips for how to best apply Ecovet: