Classic Eventing Nation

Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: The Nitty-Gritty on Neck Straps

By on Jan 29, 2020 4:30 pm -

Last week we introduced you to William Fox Pitt‘s brand new Fox Pitt Equestrian YouTube Channel and we’re delighted to see that one of his first videos is all about one storied piece of equipment: the neck strap. While commonly regarded as an item for more novice riders, William champions it’s use for riders of all levels and is well known for wearing one himself at all times — even at five-star level. Watch this video to learn where William’s high regard for neck straps come from, what their benefits are, and a bit about the new FEI rule regarding them.

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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. Contact us at 859-873-2974 or visit our website at KPPusa.com.

(Triple) Congrats to Our Hylofit System Winner Cristina Barbour!

By on Jan 29, 2020 3:00 pm -

Cristina Barbour and Moon on the River in the Open Prelim division at Cherrylane H.T. in Puslinch, Ontario. Photo by Ian Woodley.

As the mom of a 9-month-old baby who can barely find time to get to the barn, much less get my ducks in a row to compete, I have mad respect for all the eventer moms out there who bounce right back into the game.

Cristina Barbour, the winner of our recent Hylofit system giveaway, is one such supermom. She wasted no time getting back in the saddle and just finished 2nd at her first event back, at Rocking Horse H.T. last weekend, just four months postpartum. Triple congrats on your baby, winning a Hylofit, and your super comeback result, Cristina!

“I am so happy to have won the Hylofit system for the 2020 season,” Cristina says. “I gave birth to our son Harry this past August and I’m in the process of getting Moon and myself back to peak fitness from our ‘maternity leave.’”

Her top horse is Moon on the River, a 10-year-old ex-point-t0-point Irish Thoroughbred. Together, they’ve done well for themselves since Cristina moved him up to Prelim last year.

She and her husband, Curtis, are Shelburne, Ontario, but are in Ocala for the winter to train and compete. Curtis is also a successful event rider; their business together is Barbour Equestrian. Cristina and Moon have their sights set on the Ocala International two-star in April, then upgrading to Intermediate this summer.

“I use trot sets and gallop interval training to get my horses fit along with jumping and dressage schooling,” Cristina says. “I can’t wait to incorporate the Hylofit system into my horses schedule so I see the improvements in their fitness and I will also know when to increase the gallop intervals, taking the guesswork out of it.”

Hylofit provides real-time heart rate monitoring through the free Hylofit App and allows riders to set up a horse profile for each horse they ride. Through the use of interval training and heart rate data, Hylofit helps riders know whether or not their program is working, and through consistent monitoring of heart rate they can have a better understanding of their horse’s health, happiness, and wellbeing.

“It’s the perfect year for me to use it since I’m rebuilding fitness in both me and my horse and not always certain how much I should be pushing,” Cristina says.

Many thanks to Hylofit for sponsoring this great contest. Click here to read more about how using Hylofit can up your fitness game. Want to learn more about using a heart-rate monitor? EN has a handy guide here. You can also sign up here to receive updates and tips from Hylofit on how to make the most of your conditioning and training work at any level. Go Eventing.

Ready, Steady, Tokyo: An Update on Construction and Development

By on Jan 29, 2020 1:00 pm -

We are eagerly anticipating this year’s Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, and the city has been hard at work constructing what has been labeled the most sustainable Olympic Games in history. Thanks to the donations of Japanese citizens, the Olympic medals this year will be uniquely constructed from recycled mobile phone parts, and it was recently announced that the traditional Olympic torch will be fueled by hydrogen for the first time in an effort to leave as small of an environmental footprint as possible.

Of course, putting on an event of this magnitude is a massive undertaking. But leave it to the Japanese to leave no stone unturned as they ready new complexes for the Olympic athletes that will descend on the city in August. On Twitter, the Tokyo 2020 page posted a first look at the newly constructed, energy efficient Athletes’ Village. Take a peek:

One of the eternal questions surrounding the Games and their ongoing impact on host cities is that of the fate of the new construction, often hastily built and left empty in the wake of the Olympiad. This year, the Athletes’ Village was constructed from 40,000 pieces of timber donated by various Japanese municipalities. After the conclusion of the Games, these buildings will be deconstructed and the timber returned to the donating municipalities for re-use.

You can view the entire outline for Japan’s sustainability plans for Tokyo here. Take a look at some of the other latest developments from #Tokyo2020:

Stay tuned for all the latest from Tokyo right here on EN! Just 176 days left to go! Looking for all you need to know about eventing in this year’s Olympics? Get the low-down here.

Twin Rivers Ranch Has 2020 Vision as Inaugural CCI4*-L Approaches

By on Jan 29, 2020 11:00 am -

Marc Grandia competes at Twin Rivers. Photo courtesy of Sherry Stewart.

The Baxter family had a vision back in 2001 when they laid eyes on 500 acres of fallow farmland in Central Coastal California’s Paso Robles. Connie was an experienced eventing competitor. Jeff had earth moving expertise as the owner of Whirlwind Excavating. And their daughter Andrea was already a talented eventer who now competes at the 5* level.

On April 9-12 of this year, the vision of staging top flight eventing competition is fully realized with the Spring International’s inaugural CCI4*-L. One of only six CCI4*-Ls in the United States, this division stacks with Long formats in the 2* and 3*; Short format 3* and 4*; and Beginner Novice through Advanced divisions that have drawn close to 500 exhibitors to the competition in recent years.

“The biggest thing is creating something our riders need,” explains Andrea, a member of the organizing committee along with Connie and Jeff Baxter. She speaks from her own 5* experience readying for successful competitions at Burghley, England, and Land Rover Kentucky last year. The 2019 recipient of the Rebecca Broussard $50,000 International Developing Rider Grant, Andrea knows the many drawbacks of having to go East for the experience, exposure and qualifying finishes needed for team consideration or foreign competition invites.

Thanks to the preparatory capabilities of Twin Rivers and a handful of other West Coast competitions, Andrea is one of several elite riders in the region who’ve been able to attain peak form without the wear, tear and cost of cross-country travel. Pan Am Team gold medalist Tamra Smith, Canadian Olympian Hawley Bennett-Awad and Puerto Rican Olympian Lauren Billys are others. A roster of talented young riders has caught talent spotters’ attention without leaving the West, thanks to Twin Rivers and other venues providing a suitable stage for their development.

Beautiful Twin Rivers Ranch. Photo courtesy of Twin Rivers Ranch.

Broad Benefits

It’s not only the elite horses and riders who benefit from Twin Rivers’ considerable investment in meeting the standards required for hosting a 4*-L. Continual cross-country course changes and improvements expand into new territory and terrain that will also give Preliminary and Intermediate horses good tests for their future. Unique features including a tunnel and a bigger quarry element are among much-anticipated additions. These and other new obstacles maintain Twin Rivers’ reputation for fresh twists on the foundation set by a great course building team. They provide ample options for new upper level course designer, Hugh Lochore, and lower level designer, Marc Grandia.

Good sandy loam footing that handles rain well, permanent show stabling, a covered arena, multiple rings, brightly colored new stadium jumps and fan-friendly viewing enhancements add to Twin Rivers’ appeal.

Most of all, a welcoming family atmosphere and a beautiful wine country and close-to-the-coast location combine with quality competition to make Twin Rivers a top destination for those within and well beyond the region. “We love welcoming everyone to our home to enjoy the new course improvements and great competition for the weekend!” states organizer Connie Baxter.

Andrea Baxter & Infinity. Photo by Sherry Stewart.

Catering to Exhibitors’ Interests

As owners, the Baxters enjoy the unique opportunity to do whatever they feel is in their exhibitors’ best interest. Connie brings a lifetime of equestrian passion and, along with earth moving muscle, Jeff brings deft bartending skills to the party. And we do mean “party” when it comes to the Spring International’s Saturday night exhibitor get-together.

Veteran show manager Christina Gray of Gray Area Events has a seasoned hand on the helm and Margie Davis takes the reins from Twin Rivers’ much-appreciated volunteer coordinator of the recent past, Asia Vedder. The Spring International’s presenting sponsors have been critical to making it a circuit fixture: APF Pro; Professional’s Choice; and Riding Warehouse.

The town of Paso Robles is increasingly popular with wine and equestrian enthusiasts –often one and the same! Wineries, vineyards and olive groves dominate the area’s rolling landscape. The Mission San Miguel, the Paso Robles Pioneer Museum and the Estrella Warbird Museum are great side-trips for non-riding family members.

Along with competition, Twin is home to Andrea Baxter’s Estrella Equestrian training program, plus Area VI Young Rider and Adult camps, in June and August. Year-round membership to Twin Rivers Ranch offers everyday access to the cross-country course, arenas and vast acreage for schooling and conditioning. Multi-week stabling is available for out-of-area horses taking advantage of the region’s nearly year-round show circuit and great weather.

Twin River’s secure place on the national eventing map came about fairly fast. The Baxters purchased property in 2001, staged their first event in 2004 and their first International competition in 2005.

The Spring International anchors an exciting year of activity. It’s preceded by the Winter Horse Trials Intro through Advanced Feb. 28- March 1, and an April 4-5 Combined Test that doubles as fundraiser for ongoing improvements. The July 4th weekend starts with a July 2 day of schooling rounds, a Derby, and a qualifier for the USEA Young Event and Future Event Horse championships. That’s followed by the July 3-5 Summer Horse Trials, Intro to Advanced.

The Twin season concludes in September with FEH Championships, Young Event Horse qualifiers and Fall Horse Trials with Intro through Advanced, and 2*-3*-4* Short format divisions.

Having a grand vision is one thing. Shepherding it to reality is quite another. As the Twin Rivers crew readies for an ambitious 2020 season, the Baxters’ vision manifests as a big benefit to horses and riders throughout the West and beyond.

Entries for the Spring International open on Feb. 24 on www.useventing.com. For more information on all of Twin Rivers’ competitions and events, visit www.twinrivershorsepark.com and follow their pages on Facebook and Instagram. Volunteer sign-ups are welcome at www.eventingvolunteers.com.

USEF Members Invited to Volunteer at 2020 Tokyo Olympics

By on Jan 29, 2020 9:00 am -

Kazuma Tomoto & Tacoma D’Horset of Japan in the Ready Steady Tokyo Olympic Test Event. Photo
by FEI/Yusuke Nakanishi.

Interested in a little summer trip to Tokyo? It sounds like the 2020 Olympic equestrian venues, the Equestrian Park in Setagaya and the Sea Forest Cross Country Course in the Tokyo Bay area, could use a helping hand.

The Pan American Equestrian Confederation shared this memo on Wednesday:

“The Pan American Equestrian Confederation (PAEC) is delighted to share that we are able to offer all members of a National Federations the opportunity to attend the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games as a volunteer. The only requirement is that any volunteer must have some level of equestrian experience, commitment to hard work and team spirit. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to be a part of the success of the Games.”

Equestrian experience: check!

Hard work: check!

Team spirit: check!

Instructions to apply are below. Applications are due Monday, February 3, 2020.

The equestrian venues for Tokyo 2020 are recruiting volunteers from July 16 to August 11 for a total of at least ten days (maximum five consecutive days) for the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.

Not only on the competition day, but there is training from the arrival of the horse from overseas to departure, and there are volunteer activities, so the more activity days are more appreciated. (The actual competition dates are July 25 to August 9.)

Registration Instructions: 
Please follow the steps below to register as a volunteer.

1. Check the general explanation (conditions, what is provided, etc.) on the Tokyo2020 volunteer site at https://tokyo2020.org/en/special/volunteer/.

2. Log in from the SNS of volunteer registration “My Page Login” and enter the equestrian competition code in the last item of STEP 4. (If you do not have this code, you will not be able to register).

3. When entering the code for STEP 4, enter the input field with “Add more” and enter the following “SPT …” line by line. Do not enter spaces or other letters or numbers. The numbers are: SPT092632 (for Olympics) or SPT092633 (for Paralympics)

4. After completing registration, please send your volunteer seven (7) digits registration number and your name to [email protected]

5. The deadline for application submissions is Monday, February 3, 2020. A web interview will be held from the middle of February.

[Pan American Equestrian Confederation Announces Tokyo 2020 Volunteer Program Application Opening]

Wednesday News & Notes

By on Jan 29, 2020 12:01 am -

When you rush out after work to ride the world's best 4yr old & realize you forgot some important pieces of equipment….

Posted by BadEventer on Tuesday, January 28, 2020

I live in perpetual fear of forgetting something I need for the barn….like pants. Luckily the most I’ve forgotten was a proper polo shirt thus far. Improvisation is not my strongest trait sometimes.

National Holiday: National Puzzle Day

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Galway Downs Winter H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Sporting Days Farm H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Three Lakes H.T. at Caudle Ranch [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Your Wednesday News & Notes

A heavy topic at the FEI Eventing Risk Management Seminar was rider responsibility. So often, riders have confused the MER requirements with competency. If riders cannot as a whole begin to ride and enter events more responsibly, it may be time for national federations or even the FEI to step in. [Don’t Wait on the FEI]

German team rider Andreas Dibowski will be the headline clinician for the USEA Educational Symposium. Maren Engelhardt, and Marilyn Payne will join him for the YEH seminar while Susan Graham White and Robin Walker will lead the FEH seminar. [USEA Educational Symposium Schedule]

EN’s sister site, Jumper Nation, is on the hunt for a new part-time editor. We are going to miss Meagan DeLisle, who has taken a position with Phelps Media — best of luck, Meagan! The ideal candidate has excellent writing/editing skills and is plugged in to the hunter/jumper community. Email us at [email protected]. [Jumper Nation]

Wednesday Social Media:

Get those entries in early – your secretary will thank you for it!Florida Horse ParkPine Top EventingMeadowCreek ParkCopper Meadows EventingRocking Horse StablesParadise FarmFresno County Horse Park

Posted by United States Eventing Association, Inc. (USEA) on Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Tuesday Video from Flexible Fit Equestrian USA: Three Exercises to Add to Your Arena

By on Jan 28, 2020 5:00 pm -

In today’s video, follow Flexible Fit Equestrian sponsored rider Amanda Ross as she shares three new exercises that you’ll want to try up at home. First is a pole work exercise to work on controlling the stride. The second will test your straightness, and the final exercise, the “wheel of fortune” is designed to help you achieve a better rhythm.

“If you don’t have control of the basics it’s very hard to layer the other skills. These can take you right through from lower level right up to being quite experienced,” Amanda says.

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

What Do You Think Happens Next? This Survey Tests Your Ability to Predict XC Outcomes

By on Jan 28, 2020 4:08 pm -

Photo by Leslie Wylie.

If you watch enough horses jump enough jumps, it’s possible to get quite adept at seeing what’s coming down the pike from a few strides out. Possible outcomes: a clear jump, a refusal, a runout, a rider fall, or a horse fall … what do you think happens next?

A new study involving Nottingham Trent University and co-funded by An Eventful Life asks that question of survey participants. The survey involves a random series of videos of riders approaching cross country jumps, with the ending cut off. The survey-taker is asked to predict the outcome, after which they are shown the full video clip. At the end, the survey-taker is given a score according to how many outcomes they correctly predicted. I’m not sure that all the riders in the videos would agree, but for the survey-takers, it’s a pretty fascinating experiment!

Even better, the study is aimed at improving eventing safety. It utilizes An Eventful Life’s vast video footage of international and grass roots eventing competitions in the UK, Australia and New Zealand as background data for their research. The researchers hope to evaluate the factors that contribute to successful jump clearance and apply their findings in coaching scenarios and to influence improved jump design.

Can you help? Whether you’re an amateur or professional rider, coach, enthusiast, supporter or never even ridden at all, your feedback could be valuable. You do need to be over 18, have reasonable internet connection and 20-25 minutes to spare. You will also be asked to answer some questions regarding your age, gender, eventing experience and occupation.

The survey can be accessed HERE.

More info:

An Eventful Life Co-funds Eventing Safety Study

PhD Study Eventing Video Survey

 

 

 

Kirsten Schuitema’s OTTB One Sly Fox Found His Fire in Eventing

By on Jan 28, 2020 2:43 pm -

Kirsten Schuitema with Shanon Baker and One Sly Fox at Ocala Jockey Club International. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Before he was One Sly Fox, Kirsten Schuitema’s winning event horse, he was Double No, a not-so-winning racehorse. The Pennsylvania-bred Thoroughbred gelding (Discreetly Mine x Tale Of The Fox, by Tale Of The Cat) was unplaced in nine maiden claiming starts, and race notes describe him as looking “tired” in almost every one.

But there was a competitive flame inside him, waiting to get ignited. Eventer Niamh O’Connell got “Tango” off the track as a 4-year-old off and let him down in a field for a few months before lightly restarting him. He found a new home with Kirsten Schuitema of Medford, New Jersey, and now, as a coming 7-year-old, his life looks much different — new career, new start, even a new name: “His Jockey Club name was Double No, which I promptly changed because it felt like a bad omen for an event horse,” Kirsten says.

Kirsten Schuitema and One Sly Fox with Shanon Baker at Ocala Jockey Club International. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Whatever apathy Tango showed at the track evaporated in his new life. “Tango stands 15.3 hands and is a little spit fire,” Kirsten says. “Since the day I brought him home, he proved to be a bit of a challenge — a little hot and quite opinionated. Training him to be a successful, level-headed event horse has been a process, but one that I wouldn’t change for the world.”

Their first ever event together was in 2017 at Fair Hill in the Elementary division, and his most recent was the CCI2*-L at Ocala Jockey Club International in November. Along the way they’ve accumulated an impressive collection of top ribbons, including a win at their Prelim debut at GMHA June H.T. and another win at Paradise Farm H.T. in October. Their 15th place finish at the 2019 American Eventing Championships at the Modified level earned them the Thoroughbred Incentive Program (T.I.P.) Championship 2019 Reserve Championship.

Kirsten Schuitema and One Sly Fox at the 2019 American Eventing Championships. Photo courtesy of Kirsten Schuitema.

“He’s taught me so much in the 2 1/2 years I’ve had him and he continues to push me to be a better rider and horseman,” Kirsten says. “The challenges he’s presented along the way have only made the victories sweeter. My goal has always been to be a successful, professional rider at the top level of the sport. My hopes when I bought Tango were that he could take me there, and he doesn’t disappoint.”

To top off their successful year, Tango was honored at the Horse of the Year Awards during the US Equestrian Annual Meeting in West Palm Beach, FL, earlier this month as a Rood & Riddle Sport Horse Award winner. The Sport Horse Awards are given each year to Thoroughbreds participating in their second careers as performance horses in jumper, hunter, eventing and dressage competitions.

“Rood and Riddle is pleased to join with TOBA and the USEF to sponsor awards that highlight the usefulness of Thoroughbreds as sport horses in the hunter, jumper, dressage and three-day event disciplines,” said Dr. Tom Riddle, co-founder of Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital. “We congratulate all the winners and thank them for choosing a Thoroughbred to ride.”

Chase Darcie accepting on behalf of Chase & Darcie Shipka for Palm Crescent. Photo courtesy of Rood & Riddle, by Pictures by Ab.

Two awards are given for each of the four disciplines: an Open Award, which goes to the highest point earner, and a Rookie Award, to ensure that newcomers are recognized as well.  The Eventing Open Award went to Palm Crescent, a 14-year-old Thoroughbred gelding (Quiet American x Edey’s Village, by Silver Deputy) owned by Chase and Darcie Shipka, who earned several top finishes at the four-star level this year with Meghan O’Donoghue.

The Eventing Rookie Award went to Tango, whose spark has clearly been lit by the sport.

“He’s a fantastic jumper with a wicked hind end that can capriole about five feet in the air from a standstill (self-taught and his way of saying ‘no’), so the height of the jumps is a total non-issue for him,” Kirsten says. “He’s got a great gallop and is incredibly bold across the country. One of my favorite things about him is that his competitive nature matches mine. He’s gotten to the point that he knows his job and is all business when it comes to performing.”

Their 2020 season is already off and running; the pair finished 6th in a division of Prelim at Rocking Horse H.T. over the weekend. Here they are making the level look awfully easy.

“The dressage was always our weakest phase, but in the past six months or so, he’s figured out that it’s a part of the game and really gets in the zone for the test. He has faced every challenge I throw at him balls on and I think he has a really bright future as an upper level event horse. We’re ready to take on 2020 and will be shooting for the CCI3-L* for 7-year-olds at Morven Park in the fall!”

Best of luck to this talented pair. Go OTTBs. Go Eventing!

 

Weekly OTTB Wishlist from Cosequin: War Horse Edition

By on Jan 28, 2020 9:00 am -

You’ve got to love a good war horse, and we’ve found three to feature in this week’s OTTB Wishlist. With over 50 career races on their official record, war horses have proven to be durable athletes. Plus, with the time they’ve spent on the track, many of them tend to have those relaxed ‘been-there-done-that’ attitudes that make for a pretty neat, chill horse. Scoop one of these fine gentlemen up and make them your next event horse!

Barley Twist. Photo via CANTER PA.

Barley Twist (BERNARDINI – LAKABI, BY NUREYEV): 2011 16.0-hand Kentucky-bred gelding

Barley Twist made his living on the track as a “professional claimer,” making 54 total starts and earning not quite $50,000. Early on in his career, which spans back to 2013, Barley Twist was involved in an accident during a race where a competitor swerved and fell and Barley Twist tripped over the downed horse. Both horses were vanned off the track, but Barley Twist was apparently no worse for the wear and raced again the next month and consistently every season since then. He’s described as a classy horse and certainly has the ‘look of eagles’ in his eyes.

Located in Grantville, Pennsylvania.

View Barley Twist on CANTER PA.

Honor Roll. Photo via New Vocations Racehorse Adoption.

Honor Roll (MAGNA GRADUATE – CRACK THE CODE, BY LOST CODE): 2013 15.3-hand Ohio-bred gelding

Stick this gelding on the Honor Roll indeed! This 7-year-old earned $117,159 in his 53 career starts and raced no fewer than eight times a year (more like ten on average) since he began his career in 2016. Honor Roll arrived at New Vocations fresh off his last start which was in early December and is eligible for the 2020 Thoroughbred Makeover. The New Vocations staff calls him a real go-getter and thinks he has unlimited potential. He’ll need an experienced rider since he’s still adjusting to his new post-racing life, but he’s already demonstrating lightness off the aids and the concept of moving into the bridle. He’s already bravely popped over a few cross rails too!

Located in Xenia, Ohio.

View Honor Roll on New Vocations Racehorse Adoption.

Osgee’s Ekati. Photo via CANTER Chicago.

Ogee’s Ekati (TALE OF EKATI – OGEE, BY ARCH): 2012 16.3-hand Illinois-bred gelding

Ogee’s Ekati just earned his warhorse badge earlier this year with his 50th start taking place just a few days after New Year’s. After earning a total of $69,451, it’s time for him to move on to his next home. His trainer is determined to find a great new person for this handsome guy and describes him as “a very happy horse, very patient, friendly and overall a barn favorite (with a great appetite).”

Located at Hawthorne Race Course.

View Osgee’s Ekati on CANTER Chicago.