Classic Eventing Nation

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

By on May 7, 2020 12:03 am -

Summer sights. Photo by Kelsey Briggs.

You know, it feels like summer in the way that I have a rocking farmer’s tan from Monday, but also I live in Virginia, which means that it’s going back down to 32 this weekend. Don’t put your heavyweight blankets away until at least June folks because you just never know!

National Holiday: National Roast Leg of Lamb Day

News from Around the Globe: 

The 2020 FEI NAYC for dressage and jumping has been canceled as well. It was announced a while ago that eventing has been canceled, but as the disciplines have been split over location, the dressage and showjumping was still slated to take place until yesterday. A heartbreaking decision for so many young riders, but without qualification competitions and with considerations for travel during this uncertain time, an understandable one. [NAYC Dressage and Jumping Canceled]

Today marks the beginning of the virtual competition Mega May Eventing. A host of contenders including Princess Anne on Doublet and Pippa Funnell on Primmore’s Pride will be among those taking on the challenge for charity. During the time when Badminton Horse Trials should have run, LeMieux is running its virtual “event” in aid of NHS Charities Together and British riding schools. [Mega May Eventing]

Bored on quarantine and out of baking ideas? Make some healthy banana treats for your horse! With just a few ingredients, our friends at Horse Nation have whipped up an excellent recipe that your ponies are sure to enjoy. [Banana Horse Treats]

Best of Blogs: How to Reopen Safely

Featured Video: 

 

 

Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: Piggy Turns to Poetry

By on May 6, 2020 5:50 pm -

Somehow it’s been one whole wild, whirlwind year since Piggy March (neé French) lifted the Badminton trophy — her first five-star victory, and the crown jewel of her utterly spectacular 2019 season. 

Pragmatic Piggy spent much of our interviews last season speculating on what could be to come for her in 2020 — after all, she’s no stranger to the ups and downs of the sport, and her worst ever year in 2012 came hot on the heels of her best to that point in 2011. She was, she told us, just riding the wave — but no one could have predicted that this season would see the whole sport confined to box rest.

When has moping ever fixed anything, though? Instead, Piggy’s looking back on that win and those high points, and today, she decided to commemorate her enormously special Badminton with a little bit of lyricism. Take it away, Pig.

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USEA Will Resume Recognition of Educational Activities After May 13

By on May 6, 2020 3:49 pm -

Photo courtesy of Rebecca Walton/Phelps Media Group/STRIDER.

The United States Eventing Association (USEA) Board of Governors has voted to resume recognizing educational activities after May 13, 2020. All educational activities must follow the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as federal, state, and local guidelines.

Educational activities scheduled to be held after May 13 that will be eligible for USEA recognition include clinics, camps, and cross-country schooling. All other activities applying for USEA recognition will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis until further notice.

If the educational activity is able to be legally held, then the USEA strongly recommends the organizer follow the US Equestrian (USEF) guidelines for safely hosting an educational activity or event. The USEF has indicated that those guidelines will be released as a USEF Action Plan later this week, and in the interim, we recommend that organizers view the USEF Webinar: Planning for a Safe Return to Competition which is available here.

The USEA is continuing to mirror the USEF’s suspension for recognizing competitions – the current suspension period lasts until May 31, 2020. The USEA will announce as soon as possible if recognition of events can resume after May 31.

“With all of us staying at home for the last few months, we felt that educational activities are very important to knock some of the dust off in anticipation of the potential June 1, 2020 start-up to competitions,” explained USEA President Max Corcoran. “Attending an education activity is a really good way to ensure that horses and riders are fit enough and still have the skills to safely start competing again. The Board hopes that everyone takes great care in resuming competing and we look forward to seeing you all out there soon. Stay well, stay safe, and keep those hands washed!”

[USEA Board of Governors Votes to Resume Recognition of Educational Activities]

All Horses Pass (Completely Bonkers) Virtual Eventing Horse Inspection – Now It’s Time to Vote!

By on May 6, 2020 2:44 pm -

Spencer Sturmey’s face just about sums it up. Oooh-er.

Move over, Kim Kardashian — when venerated Olympian and consummate professional William Fox-Pitt took to the jog strip this evening in drag, he truly did break the internet. But the team behind Virtual Eventing were quick to get the wheels back on this bus (impressive, really, as the rest of us were all laughing too hard to have been much use in a crisis) and carry on — or should that be Carry On — the proceedings.

And what proceedings they were. We’ve now seen more eventing chaps in drag than we quite know how to process, plus some reverse drag from US rider Hallie Coon, who presented her 2019 USEA Mare of the Year Celien. We’ve also seen several unicorns — give us a match race between Gemma Tattersall and Warren Lamperd, we beg you — and, erm, a mullet, courtesy of (who else?) Boyd Martin. We’ve enjoyed an evening full of dodgy stethoscopes, questionable footwear, and eventing in-jokes (anyone who caught the 2019 European Championships prize-giving will have shared a smirk over multitasking commentator Spencer Sturmey‘s mount, the tiny dun Billy the Red-ish).

But now it’s time to take some decisive action and vote for the riders who you think truly outpaced the competition and deserve to win Hi Ho Silver’s Best Dressed competition. You can do so by visiting Virtual Eventing‘s Facebook page — or the post below — but first, let’s recap some of the #LOOKS that were served up on the strip today.

IT’S TIME TO CAST YOUR VOTE FOR THE Hi Ho Silver BEST DRESSED MALE AND FEMALE 🏆🥇
To vote 👇
👍 LIKE THE PHOTO OF THE TROT UP OUTFIT YOU DEEM THE BEST
Voting closes AT 8.30pm ⌛️
👑 WINNERS announced at 9pm (BST)

Posted by Virtual Eventing on Wednesday, May 6, 2020

It was a battle of the unicorns as three very patient greys accompanied their brightly-coloured (and, erm, inflatable) humans down the strip…

…while men in dresses had a bit of a moment, too, with Will Furlong (Collien P2) taking on the role of a hirsute Snow White and William Fox-Pitt (Cool Mountain) donning a very ‘come hither’ nurse’s uniform. Meanwhile, Tom Rowland channelled his inner Roller Derby gal in a cheeky tutu and some wheels.

Surely, though, it was Spencer Sturmey who made the most impressive lady — just check out these pins:

If political heat is your thing, Hector Payne transformed himself into Prime Minister Boris Johnson, while Meg Kepferle dressed up as what appears to be a Trump supporter. #giterdone. (Look, you can harangue me all you like in the comments for that, but I’m British, and we laugh at everything – TB)

Nobody took national pride more seriously than Vittoria Panizzon, who crafted a skirt out of pasta and came as an Italian stereotype, giving us all a craving for some carbs in the process:

And if you were ready to volunteer yourself as a test subject when you spotted Sebastien Cavaillon‘s deft handling of his stethoscope…

…you may have changed your mind when he stepped out for his jog. Maybe not, though, and that’s cool — we don’t judge here at EN.

Want to see more? Scroll right back up to that Facebook post and get your voting fingers ready — voting closes at 20.30 BST/3.30pm Eastern time this evening.  You can also donate your spare change to your favourite rider’s charity fundraising page, which will benefit the leading medical charity in their country of origin.

Dressage gets underway tomorrow at 11.00am BST/6.00am Eastern. You can rewatch all the fun from the first horse inspection here. Go Eventing!

Watch the NAF Virtual 5* Eventing ‘Trot Up’ Live

By on May 6, 2020 2:02 pm -

It’s go time for the first ever NAF 5* Virtual Eventing competition, running today through Sunday right in your own living room. A collective charitable effort benefitting worldwide healthcare charities and NHS Charities Together during the COVID-19 pandemic, Virtual Eventing has kicked off this afternoon with the “trot up” from the entered riders.

The U.S. is represented in this competition by Hannah Sue Burnett, Katherine Coleman, Hallie Coon, Meg Kepferle, Boyd Martin, and honorary American Joe Meyer. For this competition, riders will “compete” using videos pre-recorded and then run together on a live stream with commentary. Keep an eye out for some other famous faces too, including some former 5* horses back for one more tongue-in-cheek go.

There is also a virtual trade fair happening in conjunction with Virtual Eventing, the deals for which can be found here.

DressageQueen_of_Memes Is Single-Handedly Keeping My Soul Alive During Quarantine

By on May 6, 2020 10:51 am -

I’ll take a little humor where I can get it these days, and my #1 go-to-source for a ROTFL is DressageQueen_Of_Memes Instagram account. Unlike 90% of DQs I can think of, this internet goddess, whomever she may be, is a first-class riot, often at the expense of her sandbox-dwelling brethren. Many thanks to my buddy Lisa for the introduction. I’m pulling a few of my faves here, but just go straight to her IG account for a deep dive into this beautiful abyss.

Her quarantine posts have been on-point:

And then there are there’s all the rest:

Thank you for your service DressageQueen_Of_Memes. You’re not the hero we deserve, but you you’re the one we need rn.

Go Eventing.

Wednesday News & Notes from Ecovet

By on May 6, 2020 12:01 am -

Newest member of the Zaragoza Acres clan, ‘Sovereign ZA’ (Sandro’s Star – Judgement ISF), checks out his future. Photo via Chris Talley on Facebook.

With the news that competitions may soon see a return, it’s got me thinking a little about future goals and learning to be adaptable. While I’m not currently riding/competing, I’m still a very goal-driven person. So when the pandemic lockdown came around, I think it was an adjustment to “realign” my goals for the year. If anything, this time has been an excellent reminder of what we have, what we can do without, and what matters the most and I hope that we continue to remember this even as the world starts to open back up.

National Holiday: May 6 is National Nurses Day, and I know I’m not alone when I say that nurses are among the most important, kindest, hardest-working individuals on the planet. Thank you, nurses!

News & Notes:

Are you ready for Virtual Eventing? The first ever NAF Virtual Eventing competition will kick off today with the “trot-up” happening at 6 pm BST / 1 pm EST. You can watch the live stream and check out the schedule for the competition here. And remember, Virtual Eventing is benefiting charities all over the world, and there’s a massive online auction happening concurrently. Check out all the goods here.

The USEF has some plans for resuming competitions. In a webinar hosted earlier this week, USEF officials outlined some remaining concerns and ways to work around them as the June 1 expiration of the competition ban draws closer.

As we gear up for the reopening of many facets of the country, horse shows have begun planning for what remains of the year. Our sister site, Jumper Nation, published some new protocol released by HITS competitions. These guidelines could be something we see in our own competitions, too.

Surefire Farm Horse Trials, scheduled to take place June 19-21 in Purcelville, VA, is now open and accepting entries. Prompt entries are appreciated so that organizers can plan for social distancing and sanitization protocols. A complete list of policies, including no on-site food and no trade fair, will be on the Surefire website on May 15th.

Wednesday Video Break

Watch the rider draw for Virtual Eventing:

Independent Study: Ecovet Outperforms All Other Repellents* in Both Efficacy and Duration

A 2019 research study published in the Journal of Economic Entomology confirms that, in head-to-head comparisons with other fly spray products, Ecovet is the most effective at inhibiting flies AND Ecovet lasts the longest. Watch the video to see the study results in action, and learn more about how Ecovet stacks up against other fly sprays > eco-vet.com/study

Social Media Roundup: Competitors ‘Arrive’ at NAF Virtual Eventing 5*

By on May 5, 2020 6:36 pm -

View this post on Instagram

Guess who's these luscious legs belong too… 😉 🤔 FIND OUT THIS TIME TOMORROW when the @nafuk Virtual 5* Event begins.💃🕺 👇 THE ESSENTIALS… 👇 ▪️ 6pm Weds 6th May ▫️TROT UP free Live stream ▪️At virtualeventing.com ▫️With huge thanks to trot up day sponsors @monbegsporthorses & @fmbstherapysystems AND… 🔥🔥🔥👀👀👀 ▪️YOU will be choosing the @hihosilveruk BEST DRESSED MALE AND FEMALE! ▫️Find out how YOU can vote tomorrow morning! 👀👏 💙 We are within sniffing distance of raising £90k as of today. We couldn't have done this without you. So PLEASE PLEASE help us smash our £100k target by clicking the link in our bio and donating to our global Covid-19 charities. Thank you! 🙏 . . . #donate #forcharity #nhs #doctors #nurses #getinvolved #virtualeventing #herewego #partygettingstarted #eventing #professionalriders #poweredbynaf #naf #naffivestar #fivestarcompetition #potd #sport #extremesports

A post shared by Virtual Eventing (@virtualeventing) on

It’s finally here: the first-ever utterly bonkers, totally brilliant, completely socially-distanced online international has landed, and we’re looking forward to a jam-packed week of action as the NAF International Virtual Three-Day Event gets underway. We’ll be bringing you reports all week with all you need to know, but first? Let’s check in with some of the competitors and see how they got on with the journey today.

Little Finn, son of Australia’s Megan Jones, gives the lorry one last close inspection before the team sets sail to Virtual Eventing HQ:

Kirsty Johnston and Arthur Chabert‘s packing was done at warp speed, which sounds familiar to us roving journalist types:

Laura Collett‘s London 52 proved that if he was a person, he’d fly first class in a Hugo Boss suit:

Gemma Tattersall, too, got her string outfitted for the big day:

View this post on Instagram

We should have been on our way to @bhorsetrials today ready to get settled in with these two wonderful horses, Arctic Soul for his 7th Badminton and Santiago Bay for her 1st. Instead we are focussing on something a little different this year – @virtualeventing! Rather than a top placing at the biggest and best event in the world I am aiming to raise as much money as we can for the @nhscharitiestogether. The VE trot-up starts tomorrow (Wednesday 6th) at 6pm! I would love you all to please tune in and donate as much as you can spare. It’s going to be great fun I can assure you that it will be well worth watching! Head to the Virtual Eventing profile for a link to their livestream and to my bio to donate! #virtualeventing #ourNHS #arcticsoul #santiagobay #teamtatt #trotup #horsesofinstagram

A post shared by Gemma Tattersall (@gemma_tattersall) on

Yasmin Ingham paid close attention to the parking lot attendant’s meticulous gesturing — and good job, too, because it looks as though she and Sandman 7 got the best spot going:

It’s a long drive from Ocala (or is it, really?), but Joe Meyer put the pedal to the metal and plans to arrive just in time for tomorrow’s trot-up:

Tom Crisp and Liberty and Glory hit the road in their big yellow school bus, ready to see and be seen in the lorry park:

Virtual Eventing kicks off tomorrow at 6pm BST/1pm Eastern time with the first horse inspection — but this one will be like no trot-up you’ve EVER seen before. Follow along for free on Virtual Eventing’s Facebook page or website, and to donate to your favourite rider’s charity page, click here.

Go (Virtual!) Eventing!

Tuesday Video from Flexible Fit Equestrian USA: Another #GOTD from Lainey Ashker

By on May 5, 2020 5:00 pm -

#GOTD ✅ I hope you guys have lots of poles for this zinger of a grid! For those of you who don’t feel free to take out the last half and it’ll have a similar effect! I built this grid to teach the horse how to self-balance. The cross rail vertical bounces are there to rock him back (and keep him straight). I made the two stride shorter to the oxer from the bounces because of this shortened canter you’ll now have after the bounces. Following the big effort from the oxer I’ve allowed an extra yard in distance to the bounces but this time it’s the horse’s job to self rate and “sit” [it goes without saying that the rider should be in a balance to allow for this to happen] and the bounces will help him do this without your having to pull on the reins. ***Some horses may tap the front rail of the first oxer (as Karl did in this video). I don’t really care that they hit it I care more about how they jump the second oxer as a result from touching the first. This grid looks easy but I assure you it is not. However any level of horse and rider can learn from it just begin small and work your way up from there! Enjoy guys and keep up that #quarentraining! #LÆ #eyeontheprize #poweredbyOTTB #kentuckyweek

Posted by Laine Ashker Eventing and Dressage on Thursday, April 23, 2020

Put those extra poles to work and test your mettle against Lainey Ashker’s latest #GOTD. You’ll need a lot of extra poles, but if you’re short on those, feel free to take out the last half.

“I built this grid to teach the horse how to self-balance. The cross rail vertical bounces are there to rock him back (and keep him straight). I made the two stride shorter to the oxer from the bounces because of this shortened canter you’ll now have after the bounces. Following the big effort from the oxer I’ve allowed an extra yard in distance to the bounces but this time it’s the horse’s job to self rate and ‘sit”’ [it goes without saying that the rider should be in a balance to allow for this to happen] and the bounces will help him do this without your having to pull on the reins,” she said.

“Some horses may tap the front rail of the first oxer (as Karl did in this video). I don’t really care that they hit it; I care more about how they jump the second oxer as a result from touching the first. This grid looks easy but I assure you it is not. However any level of horse and rider can learn from it just begin small and work your way up from there!”

Flexible Fit Equestrian: Redefining Comfort & Quality at an Affordable Price. Learn more at www.ffequestrian.com.au. 

Save Jon Holling from a Tattoo He’ll Regret On #GivingTuesday

By on May 5, 2020 3:20 pm -

Honestly, I think Jon Holling has a gambling problem and needs to be cut off. First there was that time in 2012 when he promised to streak the Bromont sign if he won the CCI3*, which he did, with Downtown Harrison.

Then there are all the stupid football bets he’s made with Buck Davidson. Jon is for the Green Bay Packers, Buck is for the Philadelphia Eagles, and when one or the other team loses the losing party’s fan is relegated to wear the other team’s jersey throughout the weekend at an event — including but not limited to cross country. I seem to recall Jon last wearing Eagles gear at Ocala Jockey Club last year, and me being like, “Ya lost, eh? Sorry.”

It cuts both ways, sometimes. Photo courtesy of Jon Holling.

But now Jon, perhaps buoyed by the Packers’ first winning season since 2016 last year, has made his dumbest bet of all: a pledge that if we can get to the next $50,000 benchmark for frangible fence fundraising, “I will get a tattoo, #FrangibleNow, right across my ribs. But we gotta get there before the next horse leaves the startbox.”

“So the next 50 grand, I’ll get the tattoo and I’ll video it so you guys can see me cry. Alright let’s do it.”

No Jon, no. This is not OK. I know it’s a cause you care bone-deeply for but …. this is why you can’t have nice things, especially a long weekend in Vegas. Have we learned nothing from the Eagles? Have you consulted your wife, who has always presented as a very pragmatic human being, about this? What if the next horse doesn’t leave the startbox until 2023? You’ve done enough for this sport without also desecrating your body with a tattooed hashtag.

So here’s the plan, EN: Let’s raise the money, but no TOO much. Just like … an extra $49,999 m’kay? Because Jon Holling is a man of his word, and his heart is in the right place, but also I am genuinely concerned about him.

With the support of the USEA Foundation, a dedicated group of organizers, and a matching grant the fund has already raised over $200,000 of the $500,000 goal.Read up on the latest efforts here. The Frangible Technology Fundraiser was launched on March 2 in order to provide funding directly to organizers to build nearly 500 frangible tables at all USEA recognized events across the country. Can you help (a little, but not TOO much bc nobody wants to see Jon Holling cry).

Go Eventing.