Classic Eventing Nation

Last Day to Compete in the ‘Would Rather Be at a Horse Show Virtual 5k/10k’

By on May 3, 2020 5:49 am -

Photo courtesy of Jess Halliday.

In this week’s edition of “What’s Happening This Spring?” we spotlighted the Would Rather Be at a Horse Show Virtual 5k/10k taking place this weekend via Baile Hill Farm in Sutton, MA. The concept, as explained by organizer Jess Halliday:

“While COVID is keeping us from horse showing (and many of us from even riding) we encourage you all to stay in some sort of shape so when we get through this pandemic we will be on our game for the horse shows. So whether you walk, run, waddle, crawl, WHATEVER — find a way to get to that finish line.

“This is a virtual race (but really we are not speed racers here!). Participants can be riders or not! Open to ALL and ALL ages! Participants will choose to run either the 5k or 10k (or enter both!). Participants will complete their “race” on their own route (SOCIAL DISTANCED!) between 5/1 to 5/3. You pick when you are going to run. Participants MUST email secretary (Jess at [email protected]) with a screen shot of a run app (Runkeeper or anything or the like) that shows your mileage and your time. Doggos are encouraged to participate. Costumes or spirit attire (maybe your horse show gear!) is encouraged! Participants can submit a photo as well. We do not care how slow you are, we just encourage you to get out there!”

Plus prizes! The race is currently prize sponsored by New Balance, SmartPak, Purina, and Buck Off Cancer with more adding to the list as they go. There are awards for 5k Female, 5k Male, 10k Female, 10k Male, Goodest Boy-Dog awards, Spirit Awards and even Turtle Steps for those who enjoy “racing” at a more leisurely pace. We’ll look forward to putting those subjective categories to a reader vote to decide the winner right here on EN this week! All finishers will receive a medal.

Two days in with one day to go, we hear that participants are having an absolute blast — and really bringing it on the costume front as well. There have been 70 entries from around the U.S. and even Germany.

“We are SO impressed with people’s effort and all the participants seem to be so excited to get out, have some encouragement, and more!,” Jess says.

If you still wish to enter, please get your entries/results in by 8 p.m. EST tonight. The cost is $20 plus a $15 late fee — you can enter via STRIDER here. Proceeds beyond the cost of prizes/advertising will be split 50/50 between the Baile Hill Farm lesson horses who due to MA mandate cannot currently earn their keep and The Cam Neely Foundation for Cancer Care.

Jess says she envisions the virtual race as a series with year end points and awards. “I mean, I know I seriously miss neck ribbons…,” she says.

“We so miss eventing and can’t wait to be back but in the meantime we are happy to help provide a fun, active way to get the community together,” Jess says.

A fun video by Nick Hinze and Tracy Hinze:

Go Eventing.

Sunday Links from One K Helmets

By on May 3, 2020 12:01 am -

I’ve heard a lot of people sharing their favorite social media accounts while they’re spending more time at home, so I thought now would be a good time to do the same. There’s something about Charlie Macksey’s illustrations that are good for the soul — go check him out on instagram for more.

National Holiday: National Montana Day

Sunday Links: 

Daniel Stewart’s Tip of the Month: Present-Self and Performer-Self While Social Distancing

USEF Webinar: Planning for a Safe Return to Competition

The Cottesmore Leap — and 11 more of the world’s biggest rider frighteners

Hoof Hearted and Norfolk Enchance to compete for toilet roll prize in virtual event

Now Is The Time to Work Hard

Sunday Video: This first Saturday in May was certainly a quiet one.

Woodford Reserve | My Old Kentucky Home

From our Old Kentucky home to yours. We look forward to seeing you again underneath the Twin Spires on the first Saturday in September. 🥃#KYDerbyAtHome Woodford Reserve

Posted by Kentucky Derby on Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Ultimate Victory’s Eye Loss: A Cautionary Tale About Bungee Cross Ties

By on May 2, 2020 8:52 pm -

Photo courtesy of Rick Wallace.

On Wednesday of this week, Rick Wallace shared the news that his former four-star horse, Ultimate Victory, lost an eye due to an accident in the cross ties. The 17-year-old Thoroughbred spooked, pulled back and was hit in the eye with the clip — unfortunately, the eye ruptured. It was removed an hour and a half later at Peterson-Smith Equine Hospital in Ocala.

Rick has been chronicling “Cody’s” injury and recovery on Facebook, and his latest post is concerned with reducing the risk in cross ties.

“I am so grateful for all the incredible outpouring of support for Ultimate Victory AKA ‘Cody.’ He is truly resilient and now is the time for me to advocate for the reason it happened and how to reduce the risks of it happening to you.

“We had — and I use the word had — several cross ties made of bungee cord — BIG NO NO. Cody — 17 and been there done that — is spooky; on his accident day, in bungee cross-ties, a broom fell over and he pulled back in the cross ties.

“We use hay-string for break away but the full extent of bungee occurred. Thus it snapped and catapulted straight at him, with blunt force of metal clip hitting his left eye.

“The result was devastating. So proud of my quick acting Walter, my barn manager, and my vet team — and he is on the mend — missing his left eye.

“All cross-ties are now nylon, with hay string. Cody will, no doubt, be back out competing soon!

“Please get rid of all stretching cross-ties and reduce the risk of what happened to Cody!”

We wish Cody a swift recovery and return to the sport. He has been plenty active in recent years, most recently contesting the two-star level with Briggs Surratt and readying for a move to Intermediate. With Rick, he went Advanced and his top finishes include being in the top eight at the AEC two years in a row at Intermediate. Rick describes him as his “soul mate and confidant … He has been sold twice and came back to me after each time through some weird magnet he had inside — it seemed he only wanted to be with me.”

Rick gives credit to his veterinary team at Peak Performance Equine Services, made up of Dr. Jill Copenhagen, Dr. Lisa Casinella and Dr. Alyson Baber, as well as the ophthalmologist, Dr. Brooks, who performed the surgery.

Cody’s indomitable spirit has never been more apparent — yesterday Rick posted video of Cody chasing him for a carrot and turning to him on his blindside, and on day three post-surgery he was working on the lunge.

“My resilient four-star partner will no doubt accept this new challenge and we are hopeful he can resume his eventing career — although he owes us nothing and we owe him everything!,” Rick says.

 

Saturday Links from Nupafeed USA

By on May 2, 2020 12:01 am -

This whole coronavirus things really sucks, but I must admit that I am enjoying seeing so many forms of creativity on display. From the fun virtual event that my Area’s Adult Riders Program is putting on, to the virtual Kentucky Derby that will be televised later today featuring a computer simulated race of previous Triple Crown winners, to the crazy competitions that barns are having on their own to keep themselves entertained and actively learning. Costumes at said competitions may or may not be required.

National Holiday: National Start Seeing Monarchs Day (the insects, not the form of government)

Saturday Links:

Horses Help Us Through Hard Times, But Sometimes We Need More

Virtual Kentucky Derby at Home Party: Date, start time, TV, how to watch, live stream

Now Is The Time To Work Hard

The Cottesmore Leap — and 11 more of the world’s biggest rider frighteners

Real Talk: Let’s Have a Frank Discussion on Riding While Pregnant

New Vocations Celebrates Record Number of Adoptions

4 Horse Hoof Hardening Tips

US Equestrian Announces First Webinar in Series: Planning for a Safe Return to Competition

Hot on Horse Nation: A Look at the Adventurists’ Newest Ride: The Gaucho Derby

Saturday Video: Get hyped for a virtual derby:

Friday Video from SmartPak: Virtual Eventing’s Rider Draw

By on May 1, 2020 7:15 pm -

We don’t know about you guys, but one of our favourite moments in the lead-up to a major event is the rider draw. Okay, okay, that’s peak eventing nerd behaviour, but once you know where your riders are in the field, you can start diving head-first into some pre-game analysis. Will they be affected by Thursday morning judging? Will running last in the order mean they get the worst of the ground or the wealth of experience and knowledge? Will an average dressage performer be forced to follow a sub-20s superstar? It’s all WILDLY EXCITING, and no, we don’t really have lives, why do you ask?

Luckily for us, the team behind Virtual Eventing, next week’s online international, are just as nerdy as we are, so they put together an all-singing, all-dancing (not literally, sorry) live draw to help prepare us all for the shenanigans to come. If you missed out on the live stream, never fear – you can rewatch it in full here and find out exactly how your favourite combination fared under the impartial hand of the random draw.

Go (Virtual) Eventing!

Road to the Thoroughbred Makeover: Making a Family

By on May 1, 2020 1:00 pm -

For 616 accepted trainers, the journey to the Retired Racehorse Project’s 2020 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America, is underway! The 2020 event will take place at Oct. 7-10 at the Kentucky Horse Park. Between now and then, five eventing trainers will be blogging their journeys, including their triumphs and their heartbreaks, successes and failures, for Eventing Nation readers. Today we’re checking in with Lindsey Burns, a two-time EN Thoroughbred Makeover Blogger! View her previous entries here.

Probably I should have called this ‘choosing a family’? Family can be tricky — some of us are blessed with super supportive families (raising my hand), and some of us are not. While we may not be able to control what family we share genetics with, what we can control is who we make our friends, and who we choose to enjoy camaraderie with. In other words, you can create a family or tribe. You can surround yourself with people who love and support you, people who call you out on your less honourable traits, people you can go on adventures with, conquer challenges with, laugh and cry with, drink buckets of coffee with.

Watching the sunset with this year’s Makeover hopeful.

The Makeover creates such a family. I see more posts from my Makeover family on my facebook feed than nearly anyone else. The experience of training a horse for ~10 months with a huge end goal that has an unchangeable date sets you up for the highest of highs and lowest of lows. Horses have heart breaking accuracy for the timing of abscesses and new training issues.

Having a whole tribe of people going on a similar journey to share those highs and lows with is such a morale booster. So we share those highlights and lowlights with each other, we talk about training ideas, feeding ideas, we remind each other to not succumb to the comparison game, “to stay in your lane.” We are a group of people who have mastered finding a way to laugh in the face of adversity, and when a laugh can’t be found we hold each other up with kind words and the support that comes from knowing you are not alone. Much of this is on a macro level, connecting with other trainers all across our broad continent.

This year I am part of Team Marble Hill Equestrian. This year I not only have my macro TBMakeover tribe, I also have a micro TBMakeover tribe! Those of us who live, ride, and/or train at Marble Hill Farm have truly enjoyed all our makeover journeys over the last few years. Jessica Ramirez and I have both loved the process — as long time OTTB retrainers it has been so nice to participate in a competition that caters to our particular skill set. But 2020 saw us with many horses and commitments that made the idea of getting to the Makeover singly somewhat overwhelming. So we looked into the team idea, and the more we looked the more we liked. We talked to our dressage trainer, our barn manger, and a student, all of whom are also great friends. They also loved the idea and so Team Marble Hill Equestrian was born. While not everyone on the team may ride our horse at the actual Makeover, they will all be an integral part of the journey to get there.

Jess and I have shared most of the riding on him so far, him being Park Hill Diamond, barn name “Parker,” more on him later. Ro, our barn manager, is always there with a pat on the back or a kick in the butt, whatever the situation warrants. Claire who rides with us here at Marble Hill, and actually leases 2018 Makeover graduate Tiz Worth Believin, is excited to be a part of the whole process so that she can hone the skills needed for her future with horses. Karen Lipp, our dressage trainer hasn’t met Parker yet (she is smart and winters in Wellington instead of the north Georgia mountains), but her riding history has some very special Thoroughbreds in it and she is excited to be a part of this journey, plus our lessons with her on our other horses easily translate to our rides on Parker. Sit up, go more forward, shorten your reins! 

Several members of the Marble Hill family.

As the seasons progress our team will grow I am sure. Our roles will shift and morph, we will each pick up when others have to step back. That’s the joy of creating a family. Each of the components is choosing to be there, the individuals are pulled together by a shared dream. I think that often in the modern world the idea of pulled togetherness is lost in the traditional family, so many families lose sight of any unifying goal. This is what makes the Makeover family so value filled and wonderful. Yes, sometimes we step on each others toes, some of us totally have annoying habits, but at the end of each day we are all passionate about the Thoroughbred and our goals to prepare them for new careers.

 

Binge-Watch FEI TV Eventing Videos FREE Through End of June

By on May 1, 2020 11:00 am -

Michael Jung, Ingrid Klimke and Cathal Daniels celebrate their individual medals at the 2019 Longines FEI European Eventing Championships. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Tiger King only gets you so far. If you’re quickly running out of video to consume during quarantine, you’re in luck: FEI.TV, the FEI’s online television platform, is providing all its coverage of past events and special equestrian features free of charge to everyone while live sport is on hold until end of June.

Under normal circumstances, FEI.TV live-streams all major FEI Series and Championships, with an extensive range of replays, special features and historic events coverage available on-demand. But with no live sport, access to FEI.TV will be free and existing subscribers will be compensated for the months of April, May and June. They will get automatically refunded on their account. All content on the platform, including VOD, will be freely available to all users who will need to register, meaning that fans can re-live all the action from past events so there’s no need to miss out on your fix of equestrian sport.

“Premium content like this usually sits behind a paywall and is normally available only to subscribers, but while there is no ‘live’ sport, we want to give equestrian fans the chance to binge-watch for free during this terrible pandemic,” FEI Commercial Director Ralph Straus says.

Among the available content:

  • Longines FEI European Eventing Championships
  • FEI European Championships for Ponies
  • FEI Nations Cup Eventing Series
  • FEI World Equestrian Games

“Our broadcast partners are struggling to fill their air-time without live sport, so this initiative has been put in place to ensure that they have access to top equestrian footage and, together, we can keep our fans around the world happy with their daily dose of equestrian content,” Straus says.

Thanks, FEI! Go Eventing.

My 2020 LRK3DE At Home

By on May 1, 2020 9:00 am -

Even though all of us eventers aren’t able to be together this past weekend at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event, I still wanted to celebrate this event that holds a special place in our hearts. I hope you created some fun memories at this year’s “virtual event” like I did, whether it’s calling your friends on FaceTime while watching old cross country videos together or hosting your own social distancing tailgate! Let me know how you celebrated.

 

 

Friday News & Notes from World Equestrian Brands

By on May 1, 2020 12:03 am -

A little flashback to my favorite Syd Kent in 2013. Photo by Mike McNally.

I’ve discovered the most amazing thing this week: my dog finds both bell boots AND lost shoes in the field and brings them to me. I mean, how could this be more perfect for a horse farm? I didn’t train him, he just decided one day and it’s pure magic. Check out the winners of 9th Annual Top Dog “Barn Helper Edition” Contest, presented by World Equestrian Brands, here.

National Holiday: National Chocolate Parfait Day

News From Around the Globe:

Interested in being part of the conversation about how the eventing community reopens for competition? The USEF is hosting a webinar on Monday about just this topic, and this is a good opportunity for trainers, exhibitors and competition managers to understand how to work together to create the safest possible environment for everyone, as we look ahead to restarting 2020 competitions as early as June 1 with a phased regional approach in line with local and state government restrictions. [Register Now, Space Limited]

Millbrook Horse Trials is customarily the beginning of our fall calendar for the upper levels, but this year will it just be the beginning of the 2020 calendar? As of right now, Millbrook is still planning to host their event July 30th-August 2nd, and keeping an eye on national COVID updates. Hopefully by the end of the summer we can all see each other again! [Millbrook Horse Trials]

People might not be having birthday parties right now, but that doesn’t mean horses can’t! Any self respecting horse owner has baked a proper carrot cake and popped a party hat on their horse once or twice, and we’ve got 16 photos of horses celebrating birthdays. [Sweet 16 Birthdays]

Best of Blogs: Moving Forward in Frozen Time

Featured Video: Reminiscing on fun times at Millbrook!

Millbrook Horse Trials 2020 from Marion Latta de Vogel on Vimeo.

Thursday Video from FLAIR: A Badminton ‘Classic’

By on Apr 30, 2020 5:00 pm -

Looking back – Jonelle Price and Classic Moet's 2018 cross country performance

Two weeks today would ordinarily have been the day of the world famous Badminton Horse Trials cross country phase – a huge favourite with our followers. Watch the 2018 winning combination of New Zealand's Jonelle Price and Trisha Rickards’ Classic Moet, known as 'the fastest girls in the world' at the time, as they put their all in to this fantastic cross country round. If 2018 is a year you would like to re-watch in full again, make sure you head to our #BestofBadminton highlights archive voting page: bit.ly/BestofBadmintonVote (*Voting now closed*)

Posted by Badminton Horse Trials on Friday, April 24, 2020

We’re two years removed from Jonelle Price’s epic win at the 2018 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials aboard the full-of-run Classic Moet. And what a ride this was!

Jonelle and “Molly” have one of those classic partnerships, one of those where the levels of trust and understanding are simply unmatched. And on a tough Badminton course (as if there is ever anything but), this duo came home just one second over the optimum and would go on to jump clear on Sunday to take the big W.

While we’re sad to miss out on the 2020 running of Badminton Horse Trials, we’re also excited that the organizers have put their heads together and will be re-airing broadcasts from previous years. After soliciting a fan vote, the short list of Badminton events has been created and will now go to a panel of celebrity judges who will decide on the airing schedule. Click here to see what years made the short list.