In the market for a new four-legged partner? You may find your unicorn on our sister site, Sport Horse Nation. To help with the search, we’re going to feature a selection of current listings here on EN. We include the ad copy provided; click the links for videos, pricing and contact information.
You’re not going to need super bright colors if you’re riding one of these striking horses across the country. One look at your mount and your significant other/ parents/ barn mates will easily be able to tell that it’s you across the field! Interested in an event horse that will be sure to catch everyone’s eye? Make sure you check out these three listings on Sport Horse Nation:
AC Pantomime a.k.a. “Rio”. Training level with talent for much more. 2008 17. 2 h fancy movement and tons of scope. Ready for Prelim this season. Very forward thinking needs confident capable rider. Located in Aiken County, South Carolina.
Zaragoza Acres offers for sale ‘Lute and Sweet’ (Midnight Lute xx – Alphabet Soup xx).
Lute and Sweet is a stunning 2014 16.3h Thoroughbred Mare. “Lute” has already established an impressive resume: In 2018, she won her 4-year Old YEH Qualifier with an 82.2% and went on to be the Reserve Champion at the East Coast YEH Championship with an 81%. In 2019, Lute has competed and finished in the top placings at Training Level and even stepped around her first Modified and Preliminary maintaining an impeccable cross country record. Most recently, Lute placed 5th in her first event of the 2020 season in the Open Prelim at Pine Top HT. She is a lovely mover with a beautiful outline on the flat with a wonderful willingness for lateral work. Over fences, Lute is brave, confident and has great technique. This stunning mare with her quiet demeanor and exceptional attitude and work ethic, would be an ideal horse for a young rider or adult amateur!
Imported from England. If you’re looking for a performance horse, consider GFS Chiquitita, an elegant buckskin filly that was bred with eventing in mind, but with her exceptionally unique bloodlines and heritage she would make an outstanding dressage horse or show jumper. She’ll be able to go in any discipline or direction you want to take her once she matures. Chiquitita carries the exceptional traits of the Kinsky Warmblood, the Hanoverian, Irish Sporthorse, as well as the Russian Trakehner, Akhal Teke and Thoroughbred, all of which are noted for the athleticism, incredible temperaments, willingness under saddle and powerful performance ability. Located in Palm Beach County, Florida.
Listings included in this article are randomly selected and confirmed to be current and active before inclusion. Sport Horse Nation features user-generated content and therefore cannot verify or make any warranty as to the validity or reliability of information.
Doug Payne and Starr Witness. Photo by Chris OHagen Quinn.
It was a literally freezing morning at Pine Top Farm in Thomson, Georgia yesterday (isn’t it supposed to be warm down south?) but blue skies prevailed and great day of sport was had as the Advanced and Intermediate divisions ran cross country in one of biggest season-opening events on the East Coast. Those who led the Advanced divisions after the first phase maintained their leads to bring home blue ribbons at the conclusion of the competition.
Doug Payne and Starr Witness led the Advanced A-A division from wire-to-wire, making for a rather impressive debut at the level. The pair nabbed the lowest marks of all the Advanced level entrants in the competition, a 23.80, and ran the second fastest cross country round at the level, adding two time penalties to finish with a score of 25.80.
The now 9-year-old Dutch mare (Chello II x Carmen, by Veneur), owned by Doug, Laurie McRee and Catherine Winter, has had an impressive career at the Intermediate level prior to her Advanced move-up this weekend. Last year she and Doug won both the The Fork at Tryon CCI3*-S and the Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event CCI3*-L. The “Ginja Ninja,” as she’s affectionately known, further proved her mettle with Doug by representing the U.S. at the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru last summer finishing fourth individually and helping the U.S. to secure team gold. Looks like the sky is the limit for this young liver chestnut mare, and we’re pretty excited to see what’s in store for her next!
Liz Halliday-Sharp and Cooley Moonshine had been occupying the second slot in this division after yesterday’s show jumping, but the gelding slipped and fell on the flat after fence 5 on cross country. After both horse and rider were checked that it was deemed that each were O.K., they were allowed to continue but unfortunately the incident caused them to run a minute and a half over optimum time which saw them drop down the leaderboard. However, that left room for Ireland’s Tim Bourke and the beautiful dark bay 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare Quality Time (Guidam X Ruby Roller, by High Roller) owned by Carla Abramcheck to finish in second place with a score of 38.50, adding just planned cross country time to their dressage score.
Kylie Lyman and Da Vinci Code, owned by Joan and Geoffery Nichols, knocked a good 6.7 penalty points off of their dressage score compared to their marks from this event last year. Their score of 29.60, which saw them in second place in the division after the first phase, is a personal best for Kylie and the 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Master Imp X Clovers Apollo, by Clover Hill) at the Advanced/ CCI4* level. The pair pulled two rails in Friday’s show jumping, dropping them to 10th place overnight, but speedy cross country trip that racked up only 2.8 time penalties caused them to bounce back up to finish in third place with a final score of 40.4 and a lovely strong start to their season!
Liz-Halliday Sharp and Cooley Quicksilver. Photo by Mary Patricia Stone.
Liz Halliday-Sharp and the Monster Partnership‘s Cooley Quicksilver won one of the Advanced divisions at this event last year, and they repeated the feat again yesterday topping the Advanced A-B leaderboard with a score of 29.60, also leading the division from start until finish.
Cooley Quicksilver, or “Monster” as he’s known around the barn, a 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Womanizer X Kylemore Crystal, by Creggan Diamond), scored a personal best at the level in the dressage, earning a 24.80. The pair added just time — 0.4 in show jumping and 4.40 across the country — to that dressage score.
After riding four horses at Pine Top this weekend, Liz has already traveled back down to Florida to Three Lakes Winter II H.T. where she is competing another three horses. Here’s to a continued successful weekend, Liz!
Second and third places in this division remained unchanged as well. Jenny Caras and Advanced level debutante Trendy Fernhill, a 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Ars Vivendi X Cruseings Girl, by Cruising) owned by the rider, rode the fastest across the country in this division, adding 3.20 time penalties to their dressage score for a final score of 32.00. Will Faudree and Mama’s Magic Way, owned Jennifer Mosing and Sterling Silver Stables, added 7.60 time penalties to their dressage score to hold third place on a 37.40 with the 9-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Mighty Magic X Straightaway, by Star Regent XX) in her debut at the level. Congratulations to both riders on such successful move ups with these horses.
Emily Beshear and Olney Uncle Sam. Photo by Mary Pat Stone.
Our third Advanced wire-to-wire winner is Emily Beshear and Olney Uncle Sam, owned by Jennifer Ward, taking the title in the Advanced B division with a 32.50 after adding only 6.40 cross country time penalties to their dressage score. Emily got the ride on the now 13-year-old Trakhhner gelding (Sonset Sieger X Aerial, by Starman) in 2017 after his owner rode him through the CCI2*-L level. Emily moved him up to the Advanced level at the Fair Hill H.T. in April of 2018 and his dressage score this weekend of 26.10 is his second best at the level.
The only clear and inside the time cross country ride of all three Advanced splits was delivered by Canada’s Waylon Roberts and Lancaster, a 13-year-old Canadian Sporthorse gelding owned by Michelle and John Koppin, who won one of the Advanced divisions here last year. This speedy round, along with a double clear show jumping test, meant that they moved up the leaderboard from seventh place after dressage and finished the weekend on their dressage score of 33.40 in second place in this division.
Third place was earned by fellow Canadian Colleen Loach and her seasoned partner Qorry Blue D’Argouges, owned by Peter Barry, as they added 5.60 time penalties to their first phase score. The 16-year-old Selle Francais gelding (Mr Blue X Hardie Bu Bourg, by Count Ivor) owned by Peter Barry has taken Colleen from her first appearance as a member of team Canada at the 2015 PanAms to the 2016 Rio Olympics, and to the 2018 World Equestrian Games — it’s always fun to see such an established partnership doing what they do best out on course!
Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg. Photo by Mary Patricia Stone.
If you thought the three Advanced divisions were jam-packed, then bear with me as we take a quick glance at the four Intermediate divisions which are certainly not to be ignored:
Colleen Loach nabbed a one-two finish in the Intermediate Horse division with FE Golden Eye, her 2019 PanAm Games mount, and Vermont, who placed second in the Dutta Corp. Fair Hill International CCI3*-L last fall, with scores of 33.80 and 34.90 respectively. Hot on their heels in this division were Liz Halliday-Sharp and Cooley Stormwater who finished in third with 35.60 marks.
Sara Kozumplik Murphy didn’t let a cross country blip during the MARS Eventing Showcase earlier this month derail her confidence aboard her magical unicorn Rubens D’Ysieux as they took the win in the Open Intermediate A division. The pair very nearly finished on their dressage score, but ran two seconds over time across country for a final score of 31.30. Liz Halliday-Sharp makes another leaderboard appearance, this time with Flash Cooley, in second place on a 37.40. Our USEF Eventing CCI5* National Champions and 2019 PanAm Games individual gold medalists Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg nabbed third place in this division. After a well-deserved vacation, this is the first horse trials back after the PanAms for the little black gelding that could.
Speaking of Boyd, this was his first full competition back after recovering from a groin injury that resulted from a fall at Plantation Field last September. He said in a recent blog post that he’s feeling “fit as a fiddle” and not one to ease back into the swing of things, he jumped in with both feet and rode nine total horses this weekend! Tsetserleg wasn’t the only famous name among them, either: Blackfoot Mystery, Boyd’s 2016 Rio Olympic Games mount, made his first USEA start since September 2017 in the Open Preliminary A division this weekend.
The Open Intermediate B win went to Phillip Dutton and Quasi Cool, a Holsteiner gelding relatively new to U.S. soil as he was imported last year by Caroline Moran from Germany’s Dirk Schraede. They finished on a 32.80 after adding just cross country time to their dressage score. The second and third placed finishers in this division both leapt up the leaderboards by finishing on their dressage scores. Alexandra MacLeod and Newmarket Jack moved from 10th after dressage to finish second (35.30) and Sara Kozumplik Murphy jumped from eighth to third with Gran Torino (37.80).
Finally, we come to the Open Intermediate division which was topped by Katie Lichten aboard her sister Maddie Lichten’s Yarrow. Despite a single rail in stadium, a fast ride across the country coming accumulating just two time penalties for a final score of 35.00 earned them the blue. Katherine Christopher and Frodo of the Shire moved from sixth after dressage to finish in second place with a 39.60 while a score of 41.00 sees Katherine DeLaney and Canto Royale finish third.
Boatloads of thanks go to Chris OHagen Quinn and Mary Patricia Stone for being our eyes on the ground this weekend and sharing their photography skills.
Work-life balance, or lack thereof, is a tricky subject for anyone involved in the horse industry and scale always seems to be tipping towards the side that ends with potential burnout. Is this fierce work ethic and drive to hustle more prevalent among the eventing community? Meika Decher, an FEI level event rider who owns and operates Polestar Farm in Lake Stevens, Washington alongside her husband Mark Salser, pondered this in a recent blog post that she kindly agreed to share on EN. You can read more from Meika on her blog here.
Photo courtesy of Meika Decher.
When is ‘working hard’ too much? Doesn’t working hard produce results? And if I work hard for something, doesn’t it mean that I have earned it? Good things come to those who have blood, sweat and tears invested in it?
I don’t think I can answer any but the first of those questions. And I can strongly say, without reservations, that there is such a thing as working too hard. I know this because I am currently doing just that.
Personally, I am struggling with that life-work balance, my body hurts, and I am a little sad. Thank goodness, I can say that I am terribly pleased with how my own training horses are going, I have managed to successfully rise above my personal issues and keep my love of the horse strong. I think we all can vouch that the black hole of personal issues sucks the rest of our life down, past the event horizon, resulting in negativity everywhere. I feel very lucky to have escaped that. Maybe it’s my new found wisdom as a 50-year-old person, but I feel quite centered about how I am riding and training my horses!
But I have a larger question about how there is a culture in eventing, or maybe horse trainers in general, that keeps us working too hard. For sure, in eventing, the working student culture baptizes us at an early age to work hard for your education. Getting up at 3 am to get to a competition is a rite of passage that all event riders do. It was asked of me, when I was a working student, to get up at 2 AM to get ready for said 3 AM departure. And I thought nothing of it. In fact, I think that a Quaker work ethic is seared into every cell in my body, which is a good thing. And I come from solid Quaker stock, so I’m highly susceptible to the harder-faster-stronger type of approach to life.
However, I am feeling like I need a break from my own exhausting ways. For the first time in 16 years, I have found myself without a working student for a few months, and it is crystalizing a thought in me that perhaps I need a major course correction, or suffer the consequences.
I started wondering if other sports have a different culture than eventers, and don’t suffer this same problem of work fatigue? I actually don’t have to think very hard on the answer to this…. It’s YES. Other sports, like hunter/jumper, definitely have a dramatically different work culture. A friend of mine has a barn about the same size as mine (~28 horses) and she employs six full time workers. SIX!!!!!! Holy hell, I would get fat and be bored if I had that many people buzzing around the barn, disinfecting the lead ropes. Then again … I might also have a hobby in conjunction to riding that brought balance to my life.
Regardless, I think that the overworked professional horse trainer, is ubiquitous to all disciplines. Burnout from the needs of the barn is real. Being requested every 10 minutes to address some important issue, day in and day out, takes it toll on you. What I’m being forced to figure out is how to emerge from this potential burnout unscathed and thriving.
I just wrote “potential burnout” because privately I know I am strong enough to emerge through this winter just fine. I have a constitution that is fundamentally positive. I will be sore and tired for a little bit more, but in the end, I actually wouldn’t trade it for a beehive of workers rearranging the rocks in the driveway.
Bailey Hamilton and Chantilly Lace and A Pretty for USC Aiken. Photo by Shelby Allen.
Heads up Intercollegiate riders! The USEA is preparing to host the fifth edition of the Intercollegiate Championships in just a few months. Chattahoochee Hills will again play host on the May 16-17 weekend. The more the merrier: All schools including junior colleges and online universities are encouraged to participate and send as many competitors as possible. For more information, click here.
In the wake of an EF-1 tornado that ripped through Stable View Farm on Feb. 6, many thousands of dollars worth of damage to the farm’s temporary stalls and parts of the cross country course were left in its wake. Despite the damage, Stable View pressed on and held their first dressage show of the season which was scheduled for that weekend. With the help of the Aiken community, Stable View has continued to undergo repairs. Barry Olliff, who owns the facility with wife Cyndy, has kindly shared an update on this process.
Photo courtesy of Stable View.
Over the past ten days, well over 100 people have helped with the clean up of Stable View.
While some of these people have been professionals, others have been friends, neighbors, sponsors or visitors to Aiken — some of them are people we have never met.
If this group could be loosely defined as the Aiken community, then it’s a testament to what’s good about this town. There have also been so many telephone calls, messages, emails and other offers of support — it’s very motivating to be a part of this equestrian community.
Over the past ten days 75 longleaf pines were cut up, stumps removed, holes filled, branches cut up and transported for burning. In total we now have 150 longleaf pine logs cut for size and to be used to build jumps.
Photo courtesy of Stable View.
Most of the larger debris from trees covering an area of around 10 acres has just about been cleared, but the final clean up of the old cross country course has been completed today, again with the support of “locals.” For the record, we lost 50% of the trees on course.
The 100 L.H.Woodhouse/ F.E.I. Stabling stall that were lifted by the 105 mph tornado and scattered over a wide area have been cleared — they filled 16 large dumpsters, which were donated by GL Williams and Daughter Inc. potable services.
We are very grateful that L.H. Woodhouse and F.E.I. Stabling have offered to replace the stalls at cost — for us this is a very generous gesture. The stalls were not insured — they weren’t going to be stolen and surely, they couldn’t burn down?
Photo courtesy of Stable View.
Water and electricity lines are being repaired, and temporary L.H. Woodhouse/ F.E.I. stabling stalls have been offered for our Designer Builders Spring CCI-S on March 27-28th. The fourth of our Rider Lounges, while damaged, has been repaired and will be ready for use at the end of March.
We’d also like to thank those who provided food, snacks, donuts, nibbles and other forms of sustenance — we have been well-fed over the past few days. Most important is the outcome. While the financial impact was significant, as always, there’s room for improvement. Because Stable View is a new facility, there’s no need to redesign, but a few paths and roads will now be wider than previously planned due to downed trees and we have an opportunity to build some really progressive jumps.
Repairs to our tool shed and equipment will have been completed by the end of next week.
Photo courtesy of Stable View.
Apart from the combined endeavors of over 100 people referenced above, what else has come out of this (temporary) setback?
We hold L.H. Woodhouse and F.E.I. Stabling are held in the highest esteem.
We have a new drink for our Designer Builders Spring 1*,2*,3* and 4*: the Tornado Cup.
We have a Tornado Jump and we are also adding an additional Tornado Prize for the rider closest to optimal time in each of the cross country divisions to our prize list for the Designer Builders Spring CCI-S in March.
In summary, and as we close this chapter in the development of Stable View, it would seem that being a private property has its advantages. The estimated support/ goodwill and other donations of time and sponsorship would be difficult to calculate. On behalf of all of us here at Stable View, we are truly grateful — what has been achieved over the past two weeks is a testament to the generosity of not just “locals” but also to the wider equestrian community.
For many eventers, our beginnings are deeply rooted in Pony Club. I think we can agree those ratings, rallies and meeting shaped our horsemanship and our lives for the better. While we might not always exceed standards nowadays, if it’s approval you’re looking for, you’ll always get it from us. Enjoy your latest batch of #EventerProblems and keep ’em coming by sharing with the hashtag.
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Doug Payne and Starr Witness. Photo by Mary Pat Stone.
Each February, Pine Top Farm plays host to one of the very first premier events on the East Coast eventing scene. Year to year, their Advanced H.T. entry list reads as a who’s who of the upper-level scene and offers competitors the opportunity to strut their stuff early in the season and assess their mounts ahead of the marquee spring events that are now coming up in just a matter of months.
The Thomson, Georgia area, where Pine Top Farm is located, has experienced some heavy rain earlier this week and the organizers have smartly shifted the event schedule around in an attempt to let the footing dry out before the cross country phase is run. (By the way, anyone competing on Sunday should make sure to double check the schedule and their times for tomorrow after 7 pm today!) Cross country for the Advanced and Intermediate levels was rescheduled from Friday to midday today. With that, dressage and show jumping took place for these levels yesterday.
Let’s take a look at the current Advanced leaderboards (there are three splits!) after the first two phases and say hello to some familiar faces that are out and about this weekend:
Doug Payne and Starr Witness. Photo by Mary Pat Stone.
We’re delighted to see a number of familiar equine names making their Advanced level debut this weekend. None other than Starr Witness, Doug Payne‘s gold medal winning 2019 Pan American Games mount, is leading currently leading the Advanced A-A division in her first appearance at this level. The pair scored a very impressive 23.80 in the dressage — the lowest score of all three Advanced divisions this weekend — and will remain on that score heading into cross country today having jumped a dazzling double clear over a Chris Barnard-designed show jumping course.
The “Ginja Ninja” and Doug are a good seven marks ahead of the second place horse and rider in their division, Liz Halliday-Sharp with Cooley Moonshine, another Advanced level debutante, who sit on their dressage score of 30.70. The top three in this section is rounded out by Annie Goodwin and Fedarman B with a 32.30, having also show jumped double clear.
Liz Halliday-Sharp and Cooley Quicksilver. Photo by Mary Pat Stone.
Liz Halliday-Sharp makes another leaderboard appearance in the Advanced A-B division with Cooley Quicksilver — who won one of the Advanced divisions in last year’s H.T. — posting a personal best dressage score for the horse at the Advanced/ CCI4* level with a 24.80. The pair show jumped just one second over time but left all the poles in the cups so they will head into cross country with a score of 25.20. Can they make it back-to-back Pine Top wins?
Two more horses making their Advanced level debuts take the second and third positions in this division. Trendy Fernhill with newly engaged Jenny Caras (congrats Jenny and Waylon!) sit on a 28.80 and Mama’s Magic Way and Will Faudree are hot on their heels one penalty point behind.
Emily Beshear and Olney Uncle Sam. Photo by Mary Pat Stone.
The third Advanced split, the Advanced B division, is led by Emily Beshear and Olney Uncle Sam on their dressage score of 26.10. Not far behind them with a 28.60 lies Canada’s Colleen Loach and her 2016 Rio Olympics mount, Qorry Blue D’Argouges. Our USEF CCI4* National Champions Erin Sylvester and Paddy the Caddy round out the top three on a 32.30.
Pine Top Advanced H.T. isn’t just Advanced divisions, of course, and it’s a jam-packed weekend of eventing at the farm. Here are the leaders of the Intermediate divisions, who also did their dressage and show jumping yesterday:
Intermediate Horse: Colleen Loach and FE Golden Eye (25.00)
Open Intermediate A: Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg (24.50)
Open Intermediate B: Phillip Dutton and Quasi Cool (28.80)
Open Intermediate C: Jacob Fletcher and Fabian (36.10)
Many, many thanks to Mary Patricia Stone for the beautiful photos featured in this report. Cross country day at Pine Top starts right about now with Advanced kicking off at 11:00am, followed by Intermediate at about 1:30pm. Here’s wishing safe and speedy rides to all. Stay tuned for post-cross country reports!
Erik Duvander at Pine Top. Photo by Mary Pat Stone.
U.S. Eventing Performance Director Erik Duvander is busy keeping track of eventers from coast to coast this season, priming and prepping these athletes to produce their best efforts ahead of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo this summer.
There are three remaining opportunities for riders to impress the selectors: Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5*-L, Badminton Horse Trials CCI5*-L and Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event CCI4*-L. Of course, there’s plenty to fill the gap between now and then, so Erik says he’s been carefully working with athletes to develop their own individualized plan of attack.
He’s kindly taken some time to reflect on the past two months and share some of the integral elements of preparing for the season ahead. Find excerpts from Erik’s latest team email below and to read it in full, click here.
“The Olympic year of 2020 has now arrived and our team is firstly working towards our remaining selection trials – Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5*-L, Badminton Horse Trials CCI5*-L and Jersey Fresh International Three-Day Event CCI4*-L – and our preparation is well on its way. I arrived in the U.S. in the first week of January to travel around to our athletes to work with them and go through their submitted Individual Performance Plan (IPP). I am very pleased to see how well all the horses have come out of the previous season, and after a break they are all looking stronger and more mature. The athletes are very focused and working on the areas of improvement as outlined in their IPP. We have 13 athletes and 15 horses on our Elite and Pre-Elite training list, but I have also worked with a few athletes outside this list who are also Olympic possibilities. It is a very open book as to who will go to Tokyo, so it is up to the athletes to make sure they use every available day to make their improvements and put on the best performance at the selection trials.
“In the first week of February, we gathered all our athletes and East Coast horses in Wellington, Florida for start-of-year evaluations. Our Team Vet, Dr. Susan Johns, spent two days evaluating the horses having already seen the horses based in California. She confirmed that all of the horses are in great shape. Our Team Farrier, Steve Teichman, was also in Wellington to look at the horses to ensure we are going into the year in the best possible way. All of our athletes also had an assessment from Andy Thomas. Andy is a very skilled and experienced Performance Biomechanics Analyst and works across all disciplines. We are putting more emphasis on the work Andy can do for our athletes this year, and he has put a plan together for each athlete and will do multiple follow-ups leading into the Olympics.
“It is always tricky to get our full squad together in one place, but I believe it is important to have a time where athletes can speak and connect as a group. We held a team meeting in Wellington and had David Vos do a presentation on safety in cross country riding from the research he has done for the FEI. David’s scientific research on speed and distance to a fence, combined with the horsemanship and practical experience from the group, should be a good combination of knowledge to ride efficient and fast in the cross country but in a safer manner. Dr. Johns and Andy also spoke about their thoughts on best practices leading into Tokyo. We also covered the Olympics, preparation for the remaining selection trials, improvements and new initiatives in the High Performance program, and the athletes put forward the standards they will be working within as a team.
“Many of our athletes also competed in the $50,000 MARS Equestrian Eventing Showcase that weekend in Wellington. I personally have never attended an eventing showcase before, as I have been a bit old school on this subject. However, I thought I should have an open mind to it, and I was given the opportunity to be involved in shaping its format. The venue at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center is truly fantastic, and the surfaces are world class. It was a great opportunity for the athletes to ride the new CCI5*-L dressage test that will be used at Kentucky and Badminton. I believe they all learned a lot from putting themselves in front of two of the Olympic judges, Nick Burton and Jane Hamlin, and next time I expect the tests to be more polished. The show jumping designed by Andy Christiansen was up to height for this time of year and also a good test to find out any holes that need to be addressed moving forward. I believe the cross country designed by Capt. Mark Phillips had the right length and difficulty for the level of fitness the horses hold at this stage of their build up. The weather was great, the cross country was exciting to watch, and it looked like the spectators where having a very good time. I would like to thank MARS Equestrian, Ocala Horse Properties and Wellington Equestrian Realty for putting on a lovely party for owners, grooms and athletes. I have changed my mind about eventing showcases after a super useful week in Wellington.
“We have also expanded Developing Coach Leslie Law’s program this year, and he has been traveling around working with the Development squad athletes and going through their IPP. I believe with this new system the athletes will benefit more than just turning up for a clinic. Leslie has so much knowledge and experience that you can’t tap into in a clinic. It is, however, always up to the athletes to drive their own success and always ask the right questions. As they say, ‘Curious athletes makes the best competitors.’
“The selection for the Emerging Athlete Eventing 25 program has also changed and is now a two-day assessment of the athletes in person and on a horse before the final list of participants is named. Leslie held assessment sessions in Aiken, South Carolina and Temecula, California, and two sessions in Ocala, Florida. Both Karen O’Conner and Bobby Costello participated at the majority of the assessments representing the Performance Advisory Team (PAT). The sessions were also filmed and closely evaluated by the rest of the PAT members. The feedback from the athletes has been very good, and it is great to see such a talented group of athletes in the 25 and under age group.
“I would also encourage athletes who are interested in being members of future U.S. teams and are not part of any training lists to put their names forward for the USEF Futures Team Challenge at Carolina International. This is an added pathway for athletes to be talent spotted and get a sense of what it is like to be part of a High Performance structure and competing on a team. It is a very important learning curve to go from being an individual athlete to working as a team. We are also holding a second Futures Challenge at Galway Downs in Temecula, California in the autumn, which will be the first time the program expands to the West Coast.
“We are now into an intense competition schedule. I will be attending an event every weekend and fitting in as many training days with our athletes as possible. All our athletes have very good personal trainers, and they will be working closely with them to keep improving their performance.
“We are no more than nine weeks away from Kentucky, and two weeks later we have Badminton and Jersey Fresh. Everyone on the USEF staff is 100 percent committed to all our athletes. We have very exciting times ahead for us as a team. It will in the end be a measure of the character of our athletes who will succeed in the Olympic selection. As John Wooden said, ‘Sports do not build character. They reveal it.'”
Late last year, the USEF overhauled their Eventing webpage to make it easier than ever to find the latest announcements and resources, including high performance updates like this. The site serves as a valuable landing page for all high performance and developing athletes, FEI competitors (yes, they’ve issued a statement on FEI french link bit debate as well!) in addition to those following along with the sport. You can also catch up with all of the previously issued Eventing Newsletters here as well as sign up to receive them yourself.
Here’s a fabulous example of eventing doing good things in world! Louise Meryman of the Millbrook Horse Trials organizing committee recently presented the Pine Plains Community Food Locker with a check for $2,500 from proceeds of their 2019 horse trials. The Pine Plains Community Food Locker is an initiative that provides Millbrook area families in need with groceries. Well done Millbrook HT organizers, and everyone that came and competed at Millbrook last year!
Having fun building confidence and trust with #MunsonSlew. He really responds to working bareback, because you have to really trust your horse in order for them to trust you. #IbelieveinMunson #buildingtrust #BarebackCrossCountry #barebackandahalter #MunsonBurner #keepsmesharp #buildingtrust #SlewPower #hangontight #bravemunson
When I was a working student – over a decade ago now, which is horrifying but also makes me feel like the Gandalf of eventing – we knew a bit about the gospel truths of life. That is: a mid-morning trip to IHOP can cheer up even the snowiest of days; a saddle made decades prior but well-loved throughout its career will teach you to ride better than any newfangled bit of kit; and finally, there’s not much you can’t learn by watching. And, of course, like any group of working students cooped up in a small and inarguably unappealing house, with no WiFi but an insatiable desire to learn, we had our favourites.
Even now, I remember so vividly watching the 1978 World Championships. What a different world that was to watch – old-fashioned timber courses, the sparsest of safety measures, and a truly gung-ho attitude to riding across the country. There’s a lot to enjoy, and certainly a few things to learn – but equally, there’s so much that I was taught not to do from these videos. After watching Might Tango, Bruce Davidson’s game young horse, suffer the effects of the punishing heat, I vowed to learn everything I could about fitness and conditioning – and felt inordinately lucky to live in a world with considerably advanced cooling measures for our equine athletes. Misting fans! What a time to be alive, folks.
I’m spending my Friday night deep in nostalgia – and I’m excited to see what’s left to be learned from these great old videos. Now that I’m older and wiser the one thing I know for sure, after all, is how much there is that I don’t know.
