Classic Eventing Nation

Longleaf Pine H.T. Is Canceled; Carolina Horse Park Issues Update on Refunds for Carolina International

By on Mar 19, 2020 11:00 am -

2019 CCI4*-S winners Liz Halliday-Sharp and Fernhill By Night. Photo by Jenni Autry.

In the latest wave of updates from organizers regarding canceled events, we now see that Longleaf Pine Horse Trials, scheduled to run April 18-19, will not run. The event was to be held at Carolina Horse Park, which was also to play host to this weekend’s Carolina International.

For riders competing at Carolina, organizers of the International have released an update regarding refunds:

“Thank you for your patience as we continue to navigate the cancelation of the 2020 Carolina International. Your support during this unprecedented time is greatly appreciated. The Carolina Horse Park was entirely ready for competition with the completion of all temporary stabling, hospitality and vendor tents as well the cross-country course being set and decorated for officials to inspect when we were compelled to cancel the competition. It was a difficult decision to make, but we felt it was in the best interest of all constituents.

The Carolina International Organizing Committee will refund all competition entry fees and all fees associated with the event including RV rental spaces, grounds fees, pre-ordered shavings, and USEA, USEF and FEI fees. Due to the significant investment in the safest accommodations through Fredricks Equestrian International Stabling, we are not able to refund all of the stabling fees, however, we will refund 50% of those fees. Please contact the event secretary, Sharyn Antico, at [email protected] to let her know the name and address of who paid for the entry and to whom the refund should be sent. All refunds will be sent within two weeks of her receipt of this information.

Should you wish to receive a tax deduction please know that the Carolina Horse Park Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization and you can convert your entry and stabling fees to receive a 100% tax deduction and we will provide you with a letter for tax purposes. If you are interested in doing so, please contact Shannon Habenicht at [email protected].

Again, we are grateful for your support.

Thank you,

Robert Costello, Marc Donovan, Will Faudree and Jane Murray”

You can continue to keep abreast of the latest changes within equestrian sport as the world continues to contend with the COVID-19 virus at this link. We salute all of the organizers and officials during these very difficult times. Go Eventing.

Olivia Dutton Finds Healing and a Heart Horse in Iniesta

By on Mar 19, 2020 9:00 am -

Since helping Area II to team gold at the 2018 Adequan FEI North American Youth Championships at Rebecca Farm and the subsequent retirement of her esteemed partner, Mr Medicott, 18-year-old Olivia Dutton has been working to establish her next partnership. As she shares with us, it has been a journey of peaks and valleys. We are excited that she has connected with a new ride, Iniesta (“Indio”), a 7-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Lordanos x Tilithya) imported by Caroline Martin. The pair has finished first or second in eight of their 10 USEA starts together. We thank Olivia and Athletux for sharing their story!

Olivia Dutton and Iniesta (“Indio”). Photo courtesy of Olivia Dutton.

When I unexpectedly had to say goodbye to my incredible horse Teddy in April of last year, I was devastated. Teddy had an injury to his neck and one day could not move in his stall, and suddenly became neurologic. This loss really took a toll on me and honestly because of it, I was having a hard time processing the thought of getting another horse.

The universe works in funny ways, and one day while strolling through Instagram, I came across a post from Caroline Martin highlighting some of the sales horses she had newly imported. I made mention of it briefly to my dad (Phillip Dutton) later that evening and I think being that he was eager to get me back in the saddle with my own horse, but did not want to push knowing how tough the loss of Teddy was for me, he quickly responded that he thought Caroline had a very nice six year old in particular he thought we should go try.

It was so nice that we did not have to fly to another country to look at horses, and only drive a few hours to look at a top-class horse. When I first saw Indio, as we now call him in the barn, he took my breath away. Growing up with my dad being an Olympic eventer, I have had the good fortune of seeing many top horses over the years in our barn, but to be honest there has never been one to make me feel the way Indio did when he walked out of the stall. He was such a stunning horse who just seemed to ooze athleticism.

I rode Indio and he suited me very well. He had never done cross country before arriving at Caroline’s and he was expectedly very green, but extremely willing. He was very rideable and seemed like a horse that had great potential. Before being imported to America, Indio came from Paul Hendrix’s farm in Holland. He was bred to become a show jumper, and had done a fair bit of jumper classes, but the team there, as well as Caroline, figured he would be better suited as an eventer.

The stars all seemed to fall into place, and through the help of my wonderful parents Phillip and Evie, as well as some very special people (Kevin Keane, Stephanie Speakman, and Susie Sutch), Indio was able to become my new partner. I have already learned a tremendous amount, and it has been a very educational experience having Indio thus far.

Because of Indio, I have already grown as a rider a great deal. I had only competed very seasoned and experienced horses before him, and now with a green horse I have learned how to adapt and change my ride, really helping to make me a better competitor and horse person in a short period of time.

Together, we started at Novice last summer and since then, Indio has gained a lot of confidence, currently competing Training Level with many top placings. Seeing and feeling his improvement always excites me, and it is rewarding knowing that he had not evented before I got him. We are going to continue to build his confidence in the cross-country phase at Training level for a little while, but I am very excited about our partnership and where it could lead.

I am really trying to take my time with him and slowly work our way up the levels because I think that he could be a really special horse for me in the future, and I think trust and a great partnership can take you far. Indio is a true workman, and every single day I look forward to riding him because he has such a great attitude. He has helped me immensely get over the loss of Teddy and want to continue to work towards my goals as a rider, and because of him I am more determined than ever.

Indio is such a spectacular horse and I want to ride him as best as I can and allow him to live up to the potential that he has, and that really motivates me. He excels in all three phases. He really seems to love his new job as an eventer, and every cross country school we have he seems to get braver and braver.

I am thankful people like Caroline are helping to bring such wonderful horses into the U.S. so that we do not have to go to unknown barns across the globe in some cases to find them, and I am even more thankful that I decided to take a chance with my broken heart and consider the possibility of a new partner. If you have lost a horse you love, I encourage you not to give up. You cannot replace a horse you love or have loved, but there just might be another one waiting for you who can help you to find your excitement once again!

Big news from Athletux! The agency has recently restructured its business model to focus on three main areas: equestrian brands, athletes and events. This is a particularly exciting development for brands, who will benefit from Athletux’s wealth of industry insight to help build their image, maximize use of social media platforms and email marketing campaigns, manage sponsored riders, assist with graphic design and more. Learn more by visiting the just-launched new Athletux website here.

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

By on Mar 19, 2020 12:03 am -

Instinct says the milk bar is somewhere around here…Photo by Coldspring Nurse Mares LLC.

This week I realized that the way I live my everyday life is not actually that far from surviving the COVID-19 protocols. I’m not a hermit or anything, but I’m not super large group social, I work from home, I buy things that I use regularly in bulk because I’m lazy, and I make the vast majority of my food from scratch. I mean, like really from scratch. While y’all are unable to find flour or bread at the store, I’m literally milling flour from wheat berries and making sourdough bread. Don’t @ me, okay, it’s delicious, and also currently very handy.

National Holiday: First Day of Spring!!

News From Around the Globe: 

With lots of time on your hands staying at home and distancing yourself from others, you can finally get to reading some of those books you haven’t had time for. Luckily for you, Horse Nation has a certified book-junkie on staff, and she’s come up with your must-haves for the spring and summer reading season. [Must-Read Horse Books]

Feeling more of a movie vibe than a book reading vibe? The Chronicle knows where to get you right in the feels, with the best horsey movies to watch this week (and maybe next). Honestly, I’m not ashamed to say that Secretariat winning the Belmont makes me tear up every time. [Best Horse Movies]

Figuring out how to practice safety protocols for COVID-19 and keep going to the barn can be a challenge. Lots of items in and around the barn are shared, especially if you’re at a boarding barn. Play it smart, read this Q&A from Horse & Hound on how to keep safe but still enjoy your time with your horse. [How to Horse While Coronavirus Abounds]

Seeking some great terrible horse jokes? No worries, we got you covered. We’re all going a little stir crazy over here. [Horse Jokes To Make Your Whole Family Hate You]

 

Something we can all feel good about, a Novice cross country round with none other than Neville Bardos!

 

LRK3DE & Kentucky Grand Prix Offer Ticket Holders Full Refund or Rollover to 2021

By on Mar 18, 2020 7:15 pm -

Those who have purchased tickets for the canceled 2020 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event will have received an email from Equestrian Events, Inc. today outlining their refund options.

From EEI:

Thank you for supporting the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event and the Kentucky CSI3* Invitational Grand Prix, which have, unfortunately, been cancelled due to COVID-19.  As a non-profit, Equestrian Events, Inc. (EEI), organizer of these events, has relied on fan support since 1978, and that support will be even more vital in the years to come due to this unprecedented cancellation.

In light of the cancellation, ticket purchasers for the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event and the Kentucky CSI3* Invitational Grand Prix have the following two refund options.

Option 1:  Full Refund 

Option 2:  Rollover your 2020 ticket purchase to the 2021 Event (dates:  April 22-25). Those who elect to rollover their 2020 purchase will be able to retain their same seat selection for 2021.  

For those that elect a full refund: Refunds will be issued beginning in April and will continue through July, on the 15th of each month. We will begin with those who purchased tickets first. This schedule is necessary for EEI to mitigate the financial hardship this has created for our organization. However, we recognize that COVID-19 has also created a hardship on you. Therefore, if the above schedule creates additional challenges for you and your family, please reach out to our office directly by emailing [email protected].

You can begin your refund process here. Please note: Your order number and the name the tickets were purchased under is listed below. You will need these to finalize your refund options.

On behalf of the eventing community, we extend our support and sympathy for EEI and the full LRK3DE team, as well as event organizers and venues everywhere, during this difficult time — they are in no easy position and the financial impact of these cancellations cannot be overstated.

EEI in particular is a non-profit that, for 42 years, has prided itself on reinvesting any proceeds from their events into improving LRK3DE or by making donations to local and regional charities. Our community’s continued support of EEI in 2020 and beyond will be even more vital in the years to come due to this unprecedented cancellation. If you would like to make a donation to EEI, your kindness would be greatly appreciated — some options are available here.

Go Eventing.

[Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event]

Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: Legends at Luhmühlen

By on Mar 18, 2020 5:00 pm -

One of last week’s biggest news stories — you know, disregarding that pesky little virus that’s rather complicating everything — was the second retirement of Kiwi legend Blyth Tait. His decision not to try for one last Games echoed that of his fellow countryman (and fellow Kiwi legend) Sir Mark Todd, who retired in the latter half of last year.

We love this video that our friends at Luhmühlen have unearthed of the two poster boys — and previous winners — discussing the changes the sport has undergone, their own personal idols, and the very special souvenir you might still be able to find somewhere on the grounds of the event. With any luck, in just a few short months we’ll be there to see if we can track it down!

Fight back against an energy crisis that can impact condition and performance.

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Whether you have a hard keeper that needs extra calories to maintain his weight, or a top performance horse that needs cool energy to perform at her peak, Equi-Jewel can meet your horse’s energy needs. Equi-Jewel reduces the risk of digestive upset, supports optimal muscle function, maintains stamina, and helps horses recover faster after hard work, all while providing the calories your horse needs to thrive.

The horse that matters to you matters to us®.

Not sure which horse supplement best meets your horse’s needs? Kentucky Performance Products, LLC is here to help. Call 859-873-2974 or visit KPPusa.com.

COVID-19 and Best Practices for Your Equestrian Activities

By on Mar 18, 2020 4:41 pm -

We are happy to share this note from Tara Swersie, CEO of Event Clinics, about what you can do to incorporate COVID-19 protection protocols into your equestrian activities.

As worldwide concerns about COVID-19 continues to grow, our #1 priority is the safety of our equestrian community.

If you participate in or hold equestrian activities in the next 45 days, we ask that you treat the CDC/WHO guidelines for COVID-19 social distancing with the same commitment you would give strangles prevention protocols. That includes:

  • A minimum space barrier of six feet between yourself and other people at all times
  • No more than 10 people in an area or present at an activity at one time
  • Disinfecting all common surfaces/items handled by multiple people

COVID-19 person-to-person transmission primarily occurs when an infected person sends out respiratory droplets via either sneezing or coughing. Please practice and enforce the six feet social distancing rule until it becomes second nature to you. That means no hacking out horses side-by-side, no casual chats with friends in the tack room, and no standing next to one another watching a clinic.

While less common, a person can also contract COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth or nose. The team who cares for your horses will be under considerable strain to disinfect common surfaces and limit your exposure risk. Expect that shared barn items like pitchforks, pencils, wheelbarrows, hoses, etc. are off limits for the next 45 days.

Keep In Mind

Many equestrian businesses and service providers are struggling financially to cope with the pandemic’s impact. If a venue is graciously offering you distance lessons or schooling options, do what you can to pay it forward. #StrideForward

  • Post a nice note/facility photo on social media and tag the farm. Use #StrideForward on Instagram to help get the word out.
  • Pay schooling fees and board electronically, on time, as much as possible.
  • Be as sensitive as possible to their health risks and staff exposure concerns as you possibly can be. Horse people are stoic, not invincible.

Before You Visit The Barn or Schooling Venue

  • Monitor your own health. DO NOT go to the barn or take your horse schooling if you have any COVID-19 symptoms such as fever, coughing, or unusual shortness of breath.
  • Feeling exhausted? Not sure if you “have something” or just a wine hangover? Take your own temperature and rule out a fever.
  • Do not go to the barn if you have been in an airport in the last 14 days.
  • Use the bathroom at your home, rather than the barn. The fewer areas you access around the barn, the easier it is on barn employees.
  • Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds before you leave your home.

How To Visit Your Horse

  • If the facility that cares for your horse allows outside visitors, be considerate of the staff’s health risks and the 10 -person rule.
  • Do what you can to avoid showing up to ride at the same time as other boarders/service providers. Remember that vets and farriers need to visit the facility too — and they count under the 10 person-rule.
  • Set up a group text and deconflict ride times.
  • Disinfect (wash/sse Sanitizer) your hands upon arrival.
  • Avoid touching things such as door knobs, lockers, stall door latches and light switches unnecessarily. Limit your use of common barn tools such as pitchforks, etc. Limit your stall contact to just the one that contains your horse(s).
  • Avoid petting barn dogs and cats.
  • Ride your horse outside (in the sunlight) away from others as much as possible. It’s great for your spirit, plus the virus doesn’t like sunlight.
  • While on horseback, practice the 6-foot separation rule.

Before You Leave The Barn

  • Disinfect anything you’ve touched before you depart.
  • Smile at barn employees and thank them for their work. They are under a lot of stress right now and appreciate your support.

Thank you for your patience, support and understanding as the equestrian community collectively works to address these global health concerns. In partnership with Eventing Nation, we’ll be publishing updates as they become available.

Stay Safe & Hug Your Horse,

Team Event Clinics

Feeling the March Sadness? Cue Event Horse March Madness: Round 1

By on Mar 18, 2020 3:59 pm -

32 horses, almost innumerable memories to propel us through 2020. But who’s your winner? Photos by EN.

Is there anything more soul-destroying than a newsfeed full of cancellations, restrictions, and videos of empty toilet paper aisles? There sure isn’t, friends. But here at Eventing Nation, we like to tackle all of life’s most pressing concerns with a smile on our faces and a (very, very full) glass of wine in our hands, and while we might be feeling the cruel irony of our #GoEventing hashtag right now, we’re determined to spread a bit of joy and gung-ho eventing spirit even while the world’s start boxes are on hiatus.

We’re a competitive bunch, us eventers — why else would we pay exorbitant sums just to spend half a day sprinting between a Portaloo and a hock-deep collecting ring? So to perk us all up, it’s time to dive into a much-loved EN tradition. Welcome to 2020’s iteration of March Madness, the bracket competition that gives us all a chance to voraciously argue for an illustrious victory for our favourite event horses. This year, we’ve got a piping hot selection of steeds on offer for you.

HOW IT WORKS

32 of the world’s best event horses will come together in an NCAA-style bracket, with the winners of each bracket advancing to the next round and facing a formidable new opponent. In order to avoid a year-long argument amongst team EN — and because we’d really, really love to bypass any aggressive comments chastising us for missing anyone — we pull our contenders from the Olympic rankings, which are updated to the end of 2019. Then, we use those rankings to fill four categories, as follows:

  • Seven horses from North America
  • Seven horses from the UK and Ireland
  • Seven horses from continental Europe
  • Seven horses from New Zealand/Australia

“But that doesn’t equal 32,” we hear you protest. And you are not wrong, you little math whizzes. The next step is to find the four best-ranked horses from the rest of the world. Each of them will then be added to one of the above groups in chronological order, and seeded based on their position in the rankings.

These horses represent the top ranked six of each of their global regions. If a horse has since been sold to another region, they’re skipped over. (Before you come for us, know that this only happens in one case — and its previous rider is still represented by another horse in the bracket.)

Once pulled from the rankings, each horse is given a seed number within its group. The higher their position within the Olympic rankings, the higher their seed number. Winners of five-stars or major championships in 2019 will automatically be given top seed.

HOW THE WINNER IS CHOSEN

It’s all popular vote, baby, so the fate of your favourite is entirely in your hands. We wholeheartedly encourage as much devious social media campaigning as you fancy undertaking. This is, after all, Very Serious Bizzness: the winner will get full bragging rights as the EN readers’ favourite horse in the whole WORLD.

Each round will open up for voting as follows:

Round of 32, Part 1: Wednesday, March 18
Round of 32, Part 2: Friday, March 20
Sweet 16: Thursday, March 26
Elite 8: Saturday, March 28
Final 4: Monday, March 30
Championship: Wednesday, April 1

TODAY’S LINE-UP

The first round of the bracket is a big one. It sees 32 horses come under public scrutiny. That’s, you know, a WHOLE LOT OF HORSES to consider in one fell swoop, so to make it a bit easier, we’re splitting this first round into two parts. Today, we’re looking at North America and the UK/Ireland, with some seriously heavy hitters stepping up to bat including a Badminton winner, the USEF National Champion and Pan-Ams gold medallist, and one very popular tiny red mare from the Emerald Isle. There’s also a bit of an exciting wildcard in the form of Palm Crescent who, with Megan O’Donoghue, tops the US Olympic rankings after a seriously consistent 2019 season.

But that’s quite enough of our waffling — now, it’s over to you. Take a look at the first round bracket below and get voting — we’ll close the votes on the 20th of March.

 

A Letter From USEA CEO Rob Burk

By on Mar 18, 2020 11:51 am -

These are unprecedented times, and we know that the USEA is working around the clock to navigate the challenges facing our sport due to the COVID-19 pandemic. From communicating a slew of event cancellations and postponements to the brick-and-mortar work of keeping the sport and its governing body afloat and prepared for whatever lies ahead, it has no doubt been a tough week (weeks, really) for the USEA team. But we couldn’t ask for better leadership at the helm.

Thank you, USEA, for not only managing the pragmatic aspects of this crisis, but also working hard to keep our spirits lifted and our community strong. On that note, EN thanks ALL the moving pieces — event organizers, venues, officials, competitors, volunteers, and so many more — who have responded with the level-headedness, positivity and “kick-on” mentality that are reflective of the very heart of eventing.

Yesterday USEA CEO Rob Burk issued a letter which we are grateful to share.

Dear U.S. Eventing Community,

Our country and our world are facing a pandemic the likes of which haven’t been seen in over a century. This is creating a monumental barrier to our ability to enjoy our sport in a normal fashion. We recognize the tremendous burden this is placing on our competition organizers, venues, and professionals. Our hearts are with you and we will do everything we can to bring the sport back to full speed as soon as possible. It is essential that the eventing community does our part in this challenging time. I am confident we will get through this and eventing will resume like normal. We are a tough and resilient bunch and we will kick on!

I want to notify our members and the general public that the United States Eventing Association (USEA) has prepared for difficult times. Since the USEA was founded over 60 years ago we have been well-guided by volunteer leaders on the USEA Board of Governors and they have held true to our mission, goals, and core values. One of our primary governance measures is maintaining several months of cash coverage to sustain our Association in times of difficulty. While there is no telling how long this pandemic will seize up our sport and the economy, rest assured that we will be here to support you on the other side. We are also incredibly lucky that the USEA Foundation has worked over the years with the USEA Board of Governors and the small but mighty USEA Staff to raise funds for when they are needed most. We are continually grateful for the support we have received from all of those on our honor roll of donors.

At the onset of the pandemic the USEA Staff took immediate steps to conduct a department by department evaluation of the essential services our office provides to the eventing community. We were able to enable telework for about 95% of those essential services, and the services unable to be completed remotely will be handled by staff local to the USEA headquarters in Leesburg, Virginia. Additionally, we have suspended all work-related travel and identified additional areas to enact cost-cutting measures. Finally, we evaluated our individual staff duties and delegated temporary staff replacements should it become necessary.

As of March 17th the USEA headquarters is closed to the public, but we are working hard to make sure that you do not experience any disruption of service. We will re-evaluate our office status on March 27th and announce further plans. While the USEA headquarters is closed the USEA Staff will still be available by phone and email. As always the USEA will endeavor to communicate the status of our sport and encourage you to review the announcements and resources available on www.useventing.com.

Thank you for all that you do for our sport!

Respectfully,

Rob Burk
USEA Chief Executive Officer

A Note About Volunteering During the USEA Suspension Period

By on Mar 18, 2020 11:00 am -

We are happy to share this clarification from Bonnie Kibbie, Chair of the USEA Volunteer Committee, about volunteering during the USEA suspension period.

As COVID-19 impacts our eventing community, we are even more grateful for the contributions of our eventing volunteers. We want to make sure our volunteers, who are so dedicated to our sport, are kept as safe as possible. To that end, the USEA Volunteer Committee, in accordance with the USEA statement regarding COVID-19, wishes to remind volunteers that hours logged during any suspension period will not be counted towards the annual leaderboard or annual awards. If volunteers choose to participate in unrecognized events we urge them to follow the CDC guidelines as well as local, state, and federal recommendations and regulations regarding COVID-19.

Event organizers and volunteer coordinators are strongly urged to remove their canceled events from eventingvolunteers.com to limit confusion about the availability of sign ups. Please keep in mind that if an event still appears on eventingvolunteers.com, it does not mean that those hours are eligible. Only hours logged at USEA recognized events will be counted. Please direct any questions to the USEA office ([email protected]).

We take the health and safety of our volunteers very seriously and encourage all volunteers, organizers, and competitors to use their best judgment. Stay well, and we look forward to seeing you out there again soon.

A Season of Change: Could COVID-19 Help Build a Better North American Eventing Calendar?

By on Mar 18, 2020 9:00 am -

It has been less than a week since the eventing seasons of riders came to a screeching halt, and we have no true idea of how long this social distancing will last. Between the fact that many of us are goal-driven and all of us are bored, I know that I am not alone in already wondering what the season might look like once normal times return.

Let’s face it; the schedule of 2020 as we knew and planned for is going to change significantly. There’s so much we don’t know, and won’t know for weeks, about how much impact this will be to events and riders all over the world.

However, for fun, let’s pretend that at least in North America, we see things return to business as usual, as much as it can be, by the end of May. Lots of the events have already cancelled outright but other events have stated their desire to postpone, perhaps seek another date later in the season with the approval of USEF and FEI.

What if that happens?

There are undoubtedly challenges that will occur; the footing can be touch and go depending on if we have a monsoon summer or a drought summer. Lots of summer dates are already held by smaller venues and organizers, who might not be best pleased to find a full-blown destination event dropping right on their weekend. And realistically, this is a purely hypothetical exercise.

Ultimately, it may be more realistic to see the events who end up running adding the divisions they are capable of running; Bromont could add a 4*-S to their June event and a 4*-L to their August event and both would likely be well attended. HP of NJ has two different HT dates…might we see them add their Jersey Fresh divisions to one of them? Stable View and Chatt Hills both have summer dates as well, and adding FEI divisions to them isn’t a huge stretch of the imagination.

Essex once ran 3*-L divisions, back in the ’90s? Could events and riders help them do one this year? Area I was the place to be for Olympic-bound riders in the summer back in the day; could any of their legendary venues function again, at least for a year?

The system was broken this spring, not by human hands. If we have to rebuild it, why not rebuild it better?

Wouldn’t it be interesting to see what we can accomplish if we break the rules, become more flexible, more willing to share in the success of the sport, more willing to transform the misfortunes of the spring venues into something long-lasting and better?

Wouldn’t it be interesting to see North America’s calendar transform into something that more resembles that of Western Europe?

This is the shape of Western Europe’s 4/5* calendar, not including Advanced divisions:

This is the shape of the calendar for the eastern portion of the U.S. for the same year, which would have comparable driving distances to competitions. It does include Advanced runs.

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As you can see, the North American calendar is divided into two distinctly different seasons, with a significant break from competitions in the summer, while the Western Europe model has more of a rolling competition schedule that starts later and provides more opportunities for riders to target the CCI-L events at the best timing for their horses.

Our season basically forces any who want to try for a spring CCI-L to spend the winter in the south. While that is sometimes a blessing (Polar Vortex of 2014, I’m talking to you), it can also exclude many from the spring season due to finances or time constraints. The talented young rider who is in public school and can’t get out of attendance requirements. The young professionals who can’t afford to leave a barn full of clients for two months without the lesson income. The working amateur who has a full time job that doesn’t offer working remotely.

I’m not saying we shouldn’t have a winter season, but it would be nice to see a system like the Europeans, that allows you to put your horse on the shelf all winter if you need or want to and not be excluded from every fun destination event. Something more inclusive, even if smaller divisions are offered, to recognize that finances and trailering time are both huge barriers to success at the upper levels for varying demographics.

Could the postponement and changes from COVID result in seeing a 2020 NA calendar that ultimately brings us closer to the Europeans? You cannot discount the challenges of rescheduling, but the reality is that the dates are there for events to fill the gap in the middle of the summer, climate depending.

Will we see a resurgence in the more compact calendar schedule? If we do, will it last beyond this year?

Or will we rebuild exactly the same as before, satisfied with our two-season system? Or will we rebuild it better?