Amanda Ross and Koko Popping Candy. Photo by Katie Neat Photography.
There’s no denying that the horse world is an expensive place to hang out. But you know what doesn’t have to be expensive? Top-quality education from some of the world’s best riders. For all the internet’s faults (help me, my life has become an episode of Black Mirror), it’s an absolute treasure trove for the thinking rider. Want to read about the mechanics behind a certain movement or exercise? You got it. Want to watch a pro to see how it should be done? Say no more. Now want to see a normal rider like you give it a go under the watchful eye and analytical commentary of an expert? Pull up a beanbag and jump into an eternal movie night.
We’re huge fans of the FEI’s YouTube channel, which gives us a chance to snoop around the yards of equestrians across the disciplines, and also gives us an insight into how they train their horses and themselves. In this video, we head down under to catch up with the perennially sunny Amanda Ross, Olympic eventer and busy coach. She introduces us to three of her most-used jumping exercises, so if you need us this week, you’ll find us slogging away in our respective arenas, making the most of our free riding lesson.
Will you be trying Amanda’s exercises? Are any of them already mainstays in your programme? Let us know in the comments!
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.
Florida is the place to be in the winter season. Mild weather and nearly limitless schooling and showing opportunities… we wish we were there now! Here are five horses who are and want YOU to come try them.
Diablo is a 2011, 16.2hh, Oldenburg Gelding (Diarado x Sandro Hit). ‘Diablo’ was produced by 5* event rider Sydney Elliot and has experience in both eventing and show jumping. Very flashy with talent to go all the way. Perfect for both an Adult Amateur or a Young Rider, yet talented enough for a professional. Most recently, he finished 2nd in the Open Training at the first event of 2020 at Majestic Oaks on his dressage score, 26.8, 6th at Grand Oaks on his dressage score, 29.8, in the Training, and in the top 10 at Rocking Horse in the Open Prelim division.
MTH Shannondale Khaleesi. Photo via Sport Horse Nation.
MTH Shannondale Khaleesi. 16.1 +, bay, stunning, Irish imported 8-year-old mare by Shannondale Sarco out of an Irish Sports Horse mare.
Very correctly started by Sarah Ennis, ‘Kali’ was a winning 6-year-old when we bought her for an adult amateur client of ours to fulfill her dream of being competitive at the AECs.
In Ireland, Kali won a number of events at the prelim level and placed at a CCI2*-S.
Our amateur client placed 2nd at the AEC in 2019 with her, also won a few other events with her and secured Adult Amateur Rider of the year due in large part to her.
Now our client has decided to sell her on to a YR home or for a more experienced adult amateur to take on as she has a few older horses that can take her training as the rider is a little ways off prelim. Kali could easily win the AEC with an experienced prelim amateur rider and has the scope to take a YR intermediate.
Having just got her back about 5 weeks ago Leslie put her straight into two trainings and was 6th at one (sadly due to 3 speed faults and change, but scored a 27 dressage and clear SJ), and then went out last weekend to win on I believe a 23 dressage and no faults. She will be entered up soon in prelim at which point when she wins there again her price will increase.
Her dressage scores both with amateur and professionals prove she is both talented and easy on the flat with very good gaits. She is a good jumper that is very adjustable and jumps like an equitation horse. She is unimpressed by xc jumps and knows her job. Goes in a snaffle all phases. She is a great find for some amateur or youth that wants to win on a safe jumping, fancy dressaging horse. She is snuggly. She is a great age, vets well, no injuries, no vices, lovely to have in the barn, great to hack. Videos available if you Google Leslie Law and her name. Please contact Lesley for more information or to arrange at time to come try her. 352-410-9734 $65,000.
BT Jump The Gun is a 16hh, 2012, Bay ISH Gelding. He was imported from Ireland in Sept. 2018. He is competing at the Intermediate level now with several Preliminary wins. He was also the winner of the CCI2*-S at Chatt Hills in April 2019. Super jumper that is also competing successfully at 1.20-meter jumpers. He would suit both a Young Rider or an Adult Amateur. Fit and ready to go!
5o1 Sporthorses has a number of quality horses for sale this winter!
TIA
Tia is a 2009 16.1 mare who is a branded Oldenburg and was recently accepted into the Hanoverian mare book. Tia competed in our program up through training level and she showed scope for more. She has recently taken time off to have a lovely foal and is now going back into training. She is a very fancy mare and could go back to being an event horse, a dressage horse or could continue on as a very nice broodmare. And more…
Roma is a coming 8 year old 16.2 hand Dark Bay Canadian Warmblood Gelding. He is by the Canadian Thoroughbred “A Fine Romance,” out of a Dutch Warmblood mare. Roma has competed through the Preliminary Level in eventing but would be happier winning at training level and below. He took his rider from beginner novice to a confident training level competitor. Roma is flashy and simple on the flat and easy to the jumps. He seeks the flags on cross country and is a blast to ride. Roma would be well suited for an adult amateur or junior rider looking to have fun and gain experience at the lower levels of eventing, jumpers, and dressage.
Roma has finished in the top three at every training level he has done, all on his dressage score. He won his last Training Level in the Open Division at Holly Hill. Roma has perfect manners on the ground and under saddle. He clips (even his ears), loads, ties, and would stand all day if you asked him to for the vet and farrier. Goes out alone or in a group. Will pass a vet check.
Careful, forgiving, safe. Really kind and easy horse all around. Fit and fresh off a win, he’s ready to win for you too! Sadly for sale because his rider cannot afford the sport anymore.
Roma is located in Ocala, Florida and is in a program with Sydney Elliott being ridden by an adult amateur. Show Record available by searching “Reilly Fenton” on USEA. Serious inquires only. 40k negotiable. Email for more photos and video.
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.
Are you ready for the eventing season? Photo by Tilly Berendt.
With the 2020 British Eventing season just four weeks away from its launch, and with the first round of ballot dates swiftly approaching, there’s no better time to make sure you’re up to speed on this year’s amendments to the rules. But save your Sunday for something more fun than trawling through the handbook – we’ve rounded up the primary changes for you.
Safety First
Safety measures are at the forefront of the spate of new changes, with BE continuing its policy of stepping horses and riders down a level, and requiring them to regain their MERs, in the case of two consecutive cross-country eliminations or three non-consecutive eliminations across a twelve-month period. But the procedure for those at BE80(T), the lowest level of the sport, has changed slightly: instead of an assessment of the horse and written report by an appointed trainer, the horse and rider will have to undergo a training session with a BE accredited coach at their own expense, after which an assessment and judgment will be produced.
Whip rules have changed in line with the FEI this year; as such, the number of allowed uses per incident has been reduced to two, rather than three as in previous years.
Rules regarding falls in the warm-up areas for dressage, showjumping, and cross-country have now been expanded to cover the point up to which a competitor enters at A or crosses the starting line, respectively. This means that a rider who falls will need to be examined and allowed to continue by the event doctor, while a horse who falls will need to be similarly examined and accepted by the on-site veterinarian.
An addition has been made to section 6.3, on the requirements for a cross-country course. This addition states that a cross-country course must be held on grass, unless permission has been given by the Chief Executive for the use of any other surface. This could allow venues like Aston-le-Walls, which is well-equipped with arena cross-country facilities, to step up and host events during periods of waterlogging and subsequent cancellations.
There have also been amendments made to the qualifications required for on-site medical staff, while additional kit requirements have been made for on-site ambulances.
The Silver-medal winning British team, sponsored by Charles Owen, at the European Eventing Championships for Ponies in Hungary.
Looking After Future Stars
This year, the under-18 programme has been expanded into the British Eventing Youth Programme, increasing its scope to include riders up to 21 years old, and adding an under-18 BE90 regional and national pathway, as well as an OIu21 regional and national pathway. This doubles the programme’s scope, which used to include just two pathways: an u18 Novice and an u18 BE100.
Things haven’t just changed for young riders – for young horses, too, we’ll see a slightly different format for competition. Gone is the Four-Year-Old Championship at Osberton, to be replaced with a Showcase class at the same event. Horses will earn results towards this class by competing in ordinary BE80(T) and BE90 classes. The dates for four-year-olds to begin competing have been tweaked, too – though they could previously start clocking up their four allowed starts from the 1st of May, that date has now been pushed back to the 1st of July.
Much Ado About Entries
One of the major changes for competitors this year is the retirement of BDWP, the faithful entry system used externally to BE for so long. Now, all entries must be made through the British Eventing website – and this, too, brings with it some changes. Entries can now be made pending Minimum Eligibility Requirements, a welcome sight for riders who have previously had to cross their fingers and hope they could make a last-minute switch if their move-up plans worked out. Instead, riders this season will be able to enter their move-up event before completing their final MER, though this entry option does put them near the bottom of the priority list if the event is oversubscribed.
Entrants for regional finals will remain at the top of the balloting priority list, and will be joined this year by Youth Programme competitors in u21 or u18 classes. Within the Youth Programme entrants, priority will be given as follows:
Multiple horse riders from within the region, who must state the order of priority of their entries
u16s from out of region contesting their first Novice
One-horse competitors from out of region
Multiple horse riders from out of region
Riders ineligible for Championships, as confirmed by Youth officials
There are some small changes to the refunding process, too. As before, only entries that can be replaced will be refunded their entry fee and Abandonment Premium – that is, the class must be full or have hit its entry limit, necessitating a replacement from a waiting list or by private treaty. If the replacement entry pays a lower entry fee for any reason, the original entrant will only be refunded for the value of this lower fee, plus the original Abandonment Premium.
The addition of CCI1* competition at three venues across the United Kingdom is perhaps one of the most exciting changes in 2020. The entry fees for competitions at this level have been confirmed as set at £97.37 less VAT, plus an Abandonment Premium of £13.88, giving a total entry fee (less VAT) of £111.25, or £133.49 including VAT. Start fees will be up to a maximum of £27.35.
MERs for CCI1* will be as follows: each horse and rider combination must have three qualifying results at BE100 and/or BE105 and/or BE100 plus.
All the Gear – and New Ideas
There have been some minor adjustments made to the tack allowed at BE events.
Sheepskin is no longer allowed on grackle nosebands, except at the point of cross-over. BE have made clear their stance on seat-savers: gel, memory foam, and sheepskin seats will all be allowed, as long as they match the colour of the saddle and are unobtrusive.
Qualification Station
There’s bad news for BE80(T) finals hopefuls – downgraded horses will no longer be eligible to compete. For riders hoping to contest the Corinthian Cup at the Festival of British Eventing, otherwise known as the National Restricted Novice Championship, there’s a bit more leniency: previously, competitors couldn’t have completed an Intermediate within the current or preceding five years. Now, they simply cannot have finished in the top 25% in a class at this level. The Novice Championship, too, has slightly opened up the pathway for qualification: any Grade 3 or 4 horse finishing in the top 10% of a CCI2*-S between 1st June 2019 and 31st May 2020 will automatically qualify.
A Miscellany of Additions
A new grading category has been added for horses who have earned over 500 BE points in their career. These horses, formerly part of the Grade One band for horses with 61 points or more, will now be considered Grade One Elite horses. No word as yet whether this comes with any extra benefits or stipulations.
BE will be continuing its 2019 stance on vaccinations after a flu outbreak prompted changes throughout the summer. To be allowed to compete, a horse must have been vaccinated within the previous 6 months and 21 days, but this year, a seven-day grace period must have passed after a vaccination before the horse is once again allowed to compete.
A substantial section has been added to the rule book concerning social media use and conversation around BE, with breaches of these rules – which include harmful language, intention to start an argument, and any statement deemed to directly or indirectly cause harm to BE’s reputation – subject to disciplinary action.
Intermediate competitors will enjoy a new dressage test this year as test 140 joins the roster.
To read the rule changes in full, click here. Go Eventing.
Yesterday was a very special day for me: my first horse show in nearly four years! Between lameness issues, financial strain and time limitations, it just wasn’t in the cards for me. But my retired-now-not-so-retired buddy, Justin, made it feel like not a day had passed. Thank you to Caroline Templeton of Big Cheese Eventing for organizing an incredible schooling show at Ashland Farm in Walnut Grove, Ga. Metro Atlanta peeps — keep an eye out for even more upcoming competitions on her Facebook Page.
2019 CCI4*-S winners Liz Halliday-Sharp and Fernhill By Night. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Carolina is coming! The 2020 edition of Cloud 11 ~ Gavilan North Carolina International is fast approaching, set to take place at the Carolina Horse Park in Raeford, NC, on March 19-22, 2020.
In addition to FEI levels — CCI4*-S,CCI3*-S and CCI2*-S — the event hosts USEA horse trials divisions from Training through Advanced. All competitors will have the opportunity to test themselves against stout cross country tracks, with the upper levels designed by Ian Stark and the Prelim and Training designed by Beth Perkins.
Last year, Liz Halliday-Sharp and Fernhill By Night took the CCI4*-S win on their dressage score of 27.9 — their personal best finishing score at the level. Who’ll wear the crown this year? Of note, for 2020 Carolina International and The Fork at Tryon have teamed up to offer a North State Challenge: any horse to win either the 2*, 3* or 4* at both events this year will receive free entries to both in 2021.
Here’s a just-released promo video to get you excited:
Big scenes at EN HQ as we curate the ERM playlist of dreams. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
The 2020 European eventing season is drawing ever closer, which means that the fifth iteration of the Event Rider Masters series is well on its way, too. One of our favourite parts of the series is the fact that riders are allowed to choose their own songs for the first phase, prompting the evergreen pub conversation starter: what would your ERM song be?
For all the thought we mere mortals put into it, though, sometimes it feels like the riders just aren’t committing. There truly is a limit to the number of times a person can hear ‘Castle on the Hill’ by Ed Sheeran, the Crowned King of Beige – and don’t even get us started on Coldplay. So we’ve taken it upon ourselves to choose some new tunes for some of this year’s potential competitors – and yes, we’re available to DJ the after-party.
A disclaimer: some of the songs included have naughty words in them. This post is all in jest (mostly). Feel free to skip past our quantifiably terrible taste in music. Don’t shout at us please; it hurts our feelings. As a wise woman (Lady Gaga) once said…just dance.
Fort Minor – Remember the Name
Who among us wasn’t once a twelve-year-old girl, making transition-heavy YouTube videos of ourselves jumping laughably small fences, all set to the aggressive overtones of Fort Minor? Oliver Townend, that’s who (probably). But we’re sad for him that he missed out on this essential formative stage, in which we all discovered that ‘Lose Yourself’ is truly the inferior hype track. Those of us who really knew pain (that is, had tumbled off a pony once or twice) knew what riding was really about: 10% luck, 20% skill, 15% concentrated power of will, 5% pleasure, 50% pain…and 100% reason to remember the name. Oliver, if you need some inspiration, you’re always welcome to come play Equestriad 2001 at EN HQ.
Lizzo – Juice
We’re not sure what kind of juice Lizzo was referring to when she penned this feel-good anthem, but we’re going to assume it was the essential fuel of eventers everywhere – Pol Roger champagne. That makes this the ideal song for Laura Collett, who is one of Pol’s ‘Fizzy Rascals’, and as such, our favourite person to lurk near in the lorry park. All references to the sparkly stuff aside, this up-tempo bop sets the scene for some impressive dance moves – and Laura’s stable of hot trotters will certainly live up to its expectations. (My own ERM song of choice would also be a Lizzo track – but definitely ‘Truth Hurts’. Why are men great until they’ve got to be great? The eternal question, folks.)
Counting Crows – Mr Jones
There are SO. MANY. SONGS. you can easily rewrite to be about Richard Jones, five-star eventer and dedicated wearer of wifebeater tops. ‘Have You Met Miss Jones?’ by Frank Sinatra easily becomes ‘Have You Met Dick Jones?’, and ‘Me and Mr Jones’ by Amy Winehouse segues beautifully into ‘Me and Richard Jones’, while ‘Me and Mrs Jones’ by Billy Paul does the same job. But for pure crowd-pleasing throwback vibes, it’s got to be the Counting Crows’ ‘Mr Jones.’ Pass me a bottle, Richard Jones.
Outkast – Ms Jackson
Lucy Jackson took the Millstreet leg of the 2019 series with Superstition, and everything looked rosy for the inexorably cheerful Kiwi representative and her perfect partner. But then everything changed, as it tends to in this sport: with the Olympic deadline looming, Harry Meade made an offer she couldn’t refuse, and Superstition switched flags. That’s the way eventing goes, and no one ever begrudges anyone else for doing what has to be done – but if we were Harry, we’d curate a little ode to Lucy’s careful and sympathetic production of this exceptional horse, and it’d sound a little bit like ‘Miss Jackson’ by Outkast.
A really, really terrible (but remarkably catchy) mash-up of In Da Club and the Thomas the Tank Engine theme song
One of our favourite sartorial *moments* of 2019 came at Badminton, where Tom McEwen appeared to present Toledo de Kerser in a custom-made jacket that, well, made him look like he was running late for his shift checking tickets aboard the Gatwick Express. Unfortunately, none of this year’s legs fall on his birthday in May, but Chatsworth is the closest – so we’d like to see Tom embrace his inner trainspotter and enter at A to this masterpiece.
Will Smith – Gettin’ Jiggy With It
The ‘Year of the Pig’ hashtag certainly took off in 2019, but less popular was our assertion that Will Smith’s perennial banger ‘Gettin’ Jiggy With It’ ought to be the anthem of the annum. Except, you know, getting Piggy with it. Anyway, we stand by our convictions, and would love to see the sport’s leading lady join us for some unapologetic ’90s boppery in 2020.
ABBA – Lay All Your Love On Me
We’ve tried – we’ve really, truly tried – to get Sweden’s Ludwig Svennerstal to embrace his heritage and ride to ABBA. (Also to help us put together a Billy bookcase or two, but again, no cigar.) This year, though, we’re certain he’s going to humour us. But which song would we choose? It seems obvious to gravitate towards Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight), which is, of course, ABBA’s best song, but for the sake of maximising those scores, we reckon ‘Lay All Your Love On Me’ is the clear winner.
DMX – X Gon’ Give It To Ya
What’s X gon’ give to ya? A solid 10 for that halt, immobility, and salute, one would hope. But if not, he might at least offer up a little bit more impulsion – this, after all, is a beat- and bass-heavy track, and the speakers in the arena are notoriously loud, as France’s Karim Laghouag discovered back in 2018. Since he’s had a bit of practice with them, actually, perhaps he ought to take this one on – he seems like a streetwise sort of chap, right? …Right?
Arctic Monkeys – Brianstorm
It’s time for Ireland’s Brian Morrison to make his name known on the world stage, and what better way to do so than with some classic Monkeys? As far as the lyrics go, it’s pretty much solid gold: “Calm, collected and commanding, you leave the other stories standing/with your renditions and jokes/bet there’s hundreds of blokes/that have wept ’cause you’ve stolen their thunder.” GO STEAL SOME THUNDER, BRIAN. We’ll be busy bopping.
Jidenna – Classic Man
Has there ever been a man who’s fit the bill so perfectly as Alex Hua Tian? The Godfather of Chinese eventing, he’s never seen in anything less than an impeccably tailored suit (unless, of course, he’s actually on a horse – but even then, the cut is perfect, the whites are blindingly white, and there’s nary a hair out of place). We’re ready to see the Don return at his best this year, and we think this tune is the one to coax it out of him. (An aside, men of eventing: please consider taking your trot-up outfit inspiration from this music video. We promise to fancy all of you if you do.)
Ginuwine – Pony
We feel personally attacked every time another ERM leg wraps and yet again, no one has chosen ‘Pony’ by Ginuwine to do lots of thrusty sitting trot to (either avoiding eye contact with a judge or holding it, unblinkingly, depending on the type of person they are). This, surely, is the pinnacle of ERM songs. It’s instantly recognisable as a verifiable CHOON (thanks, Channing Tatum), and it’s a laughably sexy song that relies entirely on wildly unsexy equestrian references. 10s across the board from me for the first person who’s brave enough to crack this one out. Currently holding out hope that Andreas Ostholt is as confident as he looks.
Australia Day, on Sunday January 26, saw the Eventing Riders Association of Great Britain (ERA of GB) host a celebrity lecture demo event to support the Australian equestrian community affected by the devastating bushfires. The event was supported by a plethora of international eventing stars including 5* winning Australians Chris Burton, Paul Tapner and Sam Griffiths, world #2 Tim Price and Britain’s reigning Badminton champion Piggy French.
“The ERA of GB team has been truly humbled by the level of support we’ve received from riders, brands and individuals, who have all jumped in to help bring this event together in a very short time frame,” said Bruce Haskell, ERA of GB President. “To raise over £10,000 from the event on its own is quite incredible and we owe an awful lot to the Lowlands RDA team for hosting the event, and to Horse & Country for livestreaming the evening performance to a global audience.”
Photo by ERA/Tim Wilkinson.
The RDA National Training Centre, Lowlands Equestrian, kindly provided the venue free of charge for the day. RDA Chief Executive Ed Bracher commented, “We were absolutely delighted to host the event. It’s a fantastic event that ERA of GB and the team have put together in such a short period of time. It was our pleasure to welcome the Olympic level riders and horses. The centre here is built for RDA riders so we don’t normally see jumps this high and horses this capable here so it’s great to see what we can do with a centre like this.”
Photo by ERA/Tim Wilkinson.
The fundraising event was the brainchild of Paul Tapner and Bill Levett’s families following a conversation about how they could help friends, family and other equestrians back home in Australia. The Levett Eventing Team was been instrumental in getting the event off the ground.
Photo by ERA/Tim Wilkinson.
“It’s phenomenal that the RDA National Training Centre gave us this facility for the afternoon, but that’s the way it’s been all the way along,” Bill Levett said. “There has been so much good will. I think that’s why the tickets sold out so fast — the first 170 tickets sold out within 48 hours. It’s a busy time of year for us, teaching or getting horses ready for the season, so it’s great that everyone said ‘yeah, we’ll do it.’
“The British public are a great public when they feel that people are in need, they’ve shown it in numerous cases over the past few years. They just pitch in and the equestrian community in Great Britain have just done that,” he said.
Photo by ERA/Tim Wilkinson.
Tim Price commented, “The only thing that should be sizzling in Australia is a sausage on the BBQ, but that’s not the case at the moment. So, what do we do about it? We’re up here in the UK in the middle of winter, far away from fires, but what we can do it raise some money by riding some horses around in circles while telling people how we’re riding them around in circles. Every little bit helps and it’s great that everyone’s got on board. Filling a day in the middle of winter, what better way to do it than supporting the good old Australians.”
There was, fittingly, a sausage sizzle. Photo by ERA/Tim Wilkinson.
The evening performance is available to watch on demand, for free, via the H&C website and app until Feb. 1st.
Jonathan Rippon, Director of Content, H&C said, “We are delighted to be working with ERA to bring live coverage of this hugely important event to a worldwide audience.”
The between-sessions foot race was a big hit, apparently! Photo by ERA/Tim Wilkinson.
Photo by ERA/Tim Wilkinson.
Running alongside the event is an online auction that has seen over 70 lots donated, by brands and individuals, from around the world. Lots include a brand-new Bates Saddle of the bidder’s choice; Oliver Townend’s cross-country hat that he won Kentucky, twice, and Burghley in; a variety of training sessions from world class riders; and products from brands of all sizes. The auction closed at 23:59 on Friday Jan. 31, 2020, at over £20,000.
… Until (insert your own worst nightmare here). For some, the tide turns when the clipper blades come out or when your instructor has to get on your naughty horse. No matter your situation, we all know this is the perfect environment for #EventerProblems. Here are a few more of yours:
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New arenas inside the turf oval at Fair Hill. Photo by Steve Horah.
It’s all coming together! These aerial photos of the turf track at Fair Hill Racecourse were taken yesterday morning and it looks like the three main arenas have come along quite nicely. These arenas will be used for dressage, show jumping, and warmup during the Maryland 5 Star this fall and, even sooner, the test event this April! The cross country course will also start and end at the turf track. We can’t wait to see everything in action.
After a long, chilly day of showboating and fundraising, a bevy of Kiwi and Aussie eventers (plus two Brits in Alex Bragg and Piggy French) piled into a nearby lorry to warm up. But in true eventer fashion, it wasn’t just going to be a sit-down and a nice cup of tea – instead, they launched into a joke-telling competition, with Chris Burton representing Australia and Tim Price taking the Kiwi mantle. The objective? Try not to laugh at the increasingly offensive jokes, as penned by ERA head and international eventer Bruce Haskell. The winner? Well, you’ll have to watch to find out.
The ERA didn’t just put on the best thing to happen to January since a New Year’s Day Bloody Mary, they’ve also got the eventing fan’s ultimate auction on the go. With over 70 lots, ranging from nabbing a five-star rider as a slave for the day (oooh-er) to having lunch with Lucinda Green, it’s absolutely jam-packed with money-can’t-buy-but-kinda-can-in-this-case items and experiences. Bidding closes at 11:59 p.m. UK time, though (that’s 6.00 p.m. Eastern time) – so don’t dawdle. Head on over and buy something to mitigate those Brexit blues. We certainly will be.
If you want some slightly cheaper fun, you can rewatch all of the Australia Day festivities over on Horse&Country Free – but this, too, will be taken down tonight, so chop-chop, chums!
