Classic Eventing Nation

FEI Releases New Dressage Tests for 2020

By on Dec 10, 2019 3:00 pm -

Oliver Townend and BALLAGHMOR CLASS during the dressage phase, Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials, Gloucestershire, 2019

Just in time to start practicing for the upcoming season, the FEI has released updated dressage tests for all international levels for 2020. These new tests will replace the versions released in 2017.

View the 2020 FEI dressage tests here.

You may recall that the FEI elected to replace the “Overall Impression” mark with a “Harmony” mark for the new tests. This new mark will be weighted as a double coefficient.

Looking to the CCI5* tests, the CCI5*A test will reintroduce the counter canter movement that was removed from the 2017 version. While in the 2017 version of the A test had riders executing flying changes immediately following their short diagonals in medium canter, the 2020 A test will ask riders to ride a counter canter through the corner before doing a flying change at A. The extended canter in the 5*A test will also now be followed by counter canter rather than an immediate flying change.

For riders competing at the other FEI levels, you’ll notice several distinct changes in each test. It’s the off-season, so that means plenty of time for studying up. If you’re attending (or watching the live stream of) the upcoming USEA Annual Meeting & Convention this weekend, Marilyn Payne will be hosting a seminar to break down these new tests. “The New FEI Tests Demystified” will be held on Friday, December 13 from 10 am – 11 am EST. This session will also be a part of the Members Only live stream, which can be accessed by current USEA members here.

Pippa Funnell Named BT Action Woman of the Year

By on Dec 10, 2019 1:00 pm -

Pippa Funnell takes the top prize at the 2019 BT Action Woman Awards. Photo courtesy of BT.

When eventing hits the mainstream it’s always a little bit like Christmas has come early, no matter when in the year it happens – but the timing couldn’t be much better as we see one of our own take a major British sporting award this week.

Pippa Funnell needs no introduction to horsey households, though viewers and voters of the BT Action Woman Awards may have found her a less familiar face among her competitors, among whom featured record-breaking runner Dina Asher-Smith, top jockey Bryony Frost, 35-time World Championship gold medal winning para-cyclist Dame Sarah Storey. But the longevity of Pippa’s career, which saw the former – and first – Rolex Grand Slam winner take a fairytale win at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials this autumn, resonated with the public, and the enormously popular rider was crowned the 2019 BT Action Woman of the Year in a ceremony presided over by presenter and sporting figurehead Clare Balding, a long-time friend and supporter of both Pippa and of the equestrian industry.

“I’ve had the most amazing career and a long career, but any person’s career over the space of 35 years isn’t just going to be about good days,” said Pippa in a candid speech after her victory. “There have been a lot of tough days, hard days when things don’t go your way or you have injuries. I have very much questioned quite a few times if I carry on in the sport. What’s special is that I know that commitment.”

Pippa Funnell raises her silverware at Burghley. Photo by Nico Morgan Media.

This season, which saw Pippa step up at the eleventh hour to ride on the silver medal-winning British team at the European Championships in Luhmühlen, has seen a remarkable upswing in fortunes for the hard-working rider, who last won a five-star sixteen years prior.

“Back in 2003 I won quite a lot of awards,” she recalled. “Of course, I appreciated them all because I was on the crest of a wave back then, but I think because I’ve been gone for so long and not had this sort of recognition I think it’s like I’ve been given a second chance to enjoy it all over again.”

Pippa’s win, which saw her beat out seven impressive competitors for the top honour, comes just a smattering of days after eventers took an almost clean sweep of the NAF Horse & Hound Awards, winning Rider of the Year (Piggy French), Groom of the Year (Amy Phillips, head girl for Piggy French), Horse of the Year (Vanir Kamira, winner of Badminton Horse Trials with – you guessed it – Piggy French), Moment of the Year (Pippa Funnell’s Burghley win), and Amateur Rider of the Year (Adam Harvey). We’ll raise a glass to that.

The Ultimate Finish: Reflecting on a Weekend at the RRP Thoroughbred Makeover

By on Dec 10, 2019 11:00 am -

For 673 accepted trainers, the journey to the Retired Racehorse Project‘s 2019 RPP Thoroughbred Makeover was a journey of epic proportions. Between the beginning of the year and the Makeover, which took place in October at the Kentucky Horse Park, four of those trainers have blogged during their journeys, including their triumphs and their heartbreaks, successes and failures, for Eventing Nation readers. Read more from EN’s 2019 Thoroughbred Makeover Bloggers: Lindsey Burns, Hillary McMichael, Clare Mansmann, Jennifer Reisenbichler. Want to become a RRP Trainer for the 2020 Thoroughbred Makeover? Click here to find out how. 

No trip to the Makeover is complete without a Rolex sign photo!

Golden leaves drifted over walkways, hot wind scuttled through the barns, and dust whirled up from under the hooves of 400 thoroughbreds. There was a battle of the seasons raging in Kentucky as trainers from sundry different locations bathed and braided and polished their OTTBs.

Fans were hung, bags of ice were bought, bottles of water consumed at an astonishing rate, and then suddenly after two days of preliminary competition came to a close, so did the record-setting heat. Friday morning dawned cool and crisp and the line to buy sweatshirts at the RRP booth seemed to stretch around the indoor.

Autumn had arrived, and what a fitting emphasis as the culmination of months of hard work and dreaming. There is something I love about autumn. It’s an honest season that looks for the good in things. It admits to the end of summer and the end of the growing season, but it celebrates instead of wailing. The trees glow crimson and saffron, the light takes on an amber hue. The very earth seems to take a deep breath, relishing in the accomplishments of the brighter seasons and preparing to regenerate through the winter so that the following year can again be filled with growth and harvest. Maybe I personify too much, but centuries of poetry seem to support my case.

A couple of Arizona/Idaho representatives!

If I had more of a poetical inclination you might be subjugated to lines in iambic pentameter paying homage to the #TBMakeover experience; luckily for you I’m more of a prose lady. I could give you a play by play of how Crash performed, but that could be rather boring. On second thought though, maybe it wouldn’t be boring.

We didn’t win any fancy ribbons, we didn’t place top twenty, we didn’t even snag the top California bred award. What we did do was laugh, and smile, and cheer on friends, and have many wet eye moments watching others live out a big dream. Crash was so brave on his long long walks from the barns to the Rolex stadium and the head of the lake. He was happy to stand around on the buckle while I talked with friends new and old. He even got a five out of five on rideability in competitive trail (or slow motion eventing for baby horses, as I call it)!

Dontcha wish your horse could dressage like mine? Dontcha?

Crash earned many 7s on our dressage test impressing everyone with how fancy he can be, but we also scored as low as a 3.5. Apparently you aren’t supposed to fling your head in the air and bolt into the canter — must have missed that memo. At one point both the judge and I were laughing mid-dressage test. Crash had finally relaxed in the canter, brought his head back down out of the ozone layer, and then promptly tripped and almost fell on his face.

I could have been frustrated and sad that we had no shot of making it in to the finale, and maybe I was for a moment as I know in my heart that Crash is a nice enough horse to win at dressage every time (after he gains some maturity). I’ll be honest here, I was disappointed with myself, falling right into that trap of comparison. I thought to myself, maybe I shouldn’t be training horses if I can’t get at least a 70% in their initial dressage tests, maybe I’d failed Crash, maybe I was a failure. Luckily before things got any more bleak I remembered that I had eaten next to nothing and we were nearing 4pm. One chicken, bacon, ranch sandwich and bananas foster blended coffee (from the awesome KHP concessions stand) later, I’d regained a healthy perspective and could focus on the positives again. Forget being hangry, I get hangpressed.

It’s hard to stay upset while at the Makeover. There are just so many smiling faces. I’ve been to a lot of shows where those smiles are hard to find, people milling about focused on nothing but blue ribbons and being upset about not getting them. The focus is far removed from blue ribbons at the makeover, instead it’s focused on building your horse up for a bright future. On top of building up successful horses the makeover builds up successful people! People who arrive strangers leave as friends, instead of worrying about giving away an advantage, knowledge is shared about everything, training tips, grooming tips, confidence tips, etc. The cross discipline camaraderie should be #lifegoals for equestrians everywhere!

He’s amazing!

Another thing I’ve noticed at the makeover is that people don’t take being there for granted. We are a thankful bunch. We understand the journey to get there and a year’s worth of work can get sidetracked by an abscess before you can blink. We can’t reroute to a different show in two weeks, or I guess we could but it won’t be another Makeover. People save and scrape and skimp to get there. Some of us are serial attendees and for some it’s a once in a lifetime experience. I don’t think that pulling into the Kentucky Horse Park with a horse in my trailer will ever lose its thrill. I’m so thankful for every laugh, every memory, and every friend that the makeover has created.

Also lots of great memories with my dad and step mom (the lady behind the camera in all these photos)

If there is something we can learn from the Makeover and from the Retired Racehorse Project itself, it’s this: Choose a dream, chase the dream, surround yourself with people who also chase dreams. From four horses to 400, from local to international, from the sport of kings to the kings of sport, thank you to everyone at RRP for teaching us how to bring dreams to fruition. Thank you for promoting the Thoroughbred. Thank you for the education, thank you for the platform, thank you for the experience.

Don’t forget to keep track of important dates, updated rules, etc for next year’s makeover at tbmakeover.org.

We All Need to Be Nicer: An Open Letter to My Young Rider Peers

By on Dec 10, 2019 9:00 am -

Area II Young Riders show support for a teammate at the 2018 North American Youth Championships. Photo by Leslie Wylie.

Dear Young Riders,

We all need to be a lot nicer.

It seems simple doesn’t it? It seems like something we should already be. But kindness is not a practice embraced by everyone in our community.

I’m talking about the way we as young riders treat each other. While there are always murmurs of teenage drama and bullying in our sport, I haven’t seen a serious attempt to address a problem that is turning so many talented riders away from riding and competing. The recent push from SafeSport to end bullying is definitely movement in the right direction, but many of the situations we encounter don’t qualify as reportable offences. Rather, we experience them as small moments — riders engaging in mean gossip behind one another’s backs, or passive-aggressive interactions, or cruel social media comments —  that add up to a big problem that needs to be addressed.

This is where I want to say something. Because there are individuals that need to hear this. Honestly, I needed to hear this. 

Firstly, we are blessed to participate in the sport that we do. We are incredibly lucky to sit on the animals that we do and compete in the shows that we can. We are lucky to have dedicated trainers, supportive friends and families. Many young riders are aware of exactly how fortunate we are; however, so many of us don’t behave consistently with this acknowledgment.

We are so fortunate, so why do we complain and compete with one another? Why are constantly judging and critiquing? The number of times I have heard other young riders make comments such as “that’s what SHE’S wearing?” “she picked THAT horse?” “what IS that ugly saddle pad?” is appalling. Even more frightening is the number of times I’ve found myself making the same judgmental comments. It’s unhealthy, mean behavior. It benefits no one and hurts everyone. It degrades the character of those making the comments and hurts the esteem of those commented on.

The reality is that our sport is on shaky footing: we’ve narrowly held our spot in the Olympic Games and events are closing from lack of entries. How can we expect it to survive into our future if we are forcing more and more riders out with our lack of support and acceptance? We need more people to compete because they love it and want to be advocates for eventing. Driving riders to avoid competitions simply from fear of their peers is a tragedy, and detrimental to the future of our sport. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what horse you’re sitting on, what show coat you’re wearing or what level you’re riding. We are all riding because we love our sport, our horses and our community. I think it is of the utmost importance that we make sure to return to these values when interacting with each other. 

Secondly, I propose that we should strive to ride for the love of the sport, not the popularity or attention is grants us. We, as the upcoming generation, owe it to the industry to prioritize our sport, not our social lives. We should be focusing less on our Instagram followers, and more on our genuine love of riding horses.

Our generational obsession with social acceptance and gratification has drawn us away from our “reason to ride” and towards a social game much resembling the plot of a bad high school movie. The neglect of the sport gets even worse when two riders “stop being friends.” I have seen riders intentionally try to sabotage each other over arguments, as well as saying or posting petty things via social media just to “get back at” their peer. This behavior is both unsportsmanlike and unprofessional.

Despite being kids, we have a responsibility as riders to behave graciously and professionally. This means respecting our individual rights to a good ride and leaving drama at home. For so many of us, our barns are an escape from other social settings; it is not fair to turn barns into mini “high school cliques” as well. But the blame does not fall solely on young riders — it is also trainers’ responsibility to call out students who are forgetting the impact their behavior has. I implore adults to stick up for the future of our sport by culling nasty comments and petty behavior when it presents itself. The events and barn environments should be places of comradery, safety, and ultimately, happiness. 

Finally, we all just need to be more accepting. More accepting of each other’s ambitions, aspirations and commitments. Not all of us want to compete at every show and ride every day, but that doesn’t mean we can’t participate as a hobby. Some of us want to ride professionally and compete as a career: we can still be friends with those who prefer to stay amateurs. It really doesn’t matter why any of us ride, what matters is that we all do. We love our horses and we should love being around each other.

I would also like to add this for any young rider that needs to hear it: going to NAYC won’t make or break you. It isn’t the end-all-be-all, and you’ll be OK if you pursue other opportunities instead. I see so many kids treating each other badly out of competitiveness to make an NAYC team. It might not seem like it, but the friendships you are ruining will mean more to you in the long-term than the theoretical medal you’re fighting so hard for. 

We all can be friends; we all should be friends. If we don’t make changes now, we’ll grow up to be adults that are just as divided as we are as teenagers. It pains me to see even trainers — the mentors we look up to — competing with one another, outside of a business or competitive aspect. It hurts to see adults mimicking the same behaviors of my less mature peers, and negative attitudes are contagious. We as young riders have a chance to change this — all we must do is be kinder.

Young riders, we are the future. If we can be nicer to each other now, we will be nicer to each other as adults. If we can be kinder adults, we will make the greater industry a more cooperative and positive place. We owe it to the riders younger than us now and to the young riders we will influence as adults, to be better people. We can change the way we behave to generate real comradery and genuine friendships. There is no need for us to be focusing on anything other than improving ourselves as riders and doing right by our horses. I really believe that if we can get back to riding for the pure love of the sport, we will influence a more positive and empowered community. 

Sincerely, 

A Concerned Friend

Tuesday News & Notes from Legends Horse Feeds

By on Dec 10, 2019 12:01 am -

Photo collage via Leslie Mintz.

No matter how digitized our media becomes, reading in print still shares a special place in my heart. Holding it in your hand and seeing those breathtaking photos spanning the pages — there’s nothing better! One of the best perks of USEA membership is your subscription to Eventing USA. The last 30 issues have been the brainchild of Editor Leslie Mintz (who also writes a lot of the copy and is responsible for a majority of the photos). You can see a collage of those covers above. Congratulations to Leslie for five years at the helm of this beautiful product. We eagerly await the next issue!

National Holiday: National Nobel Prize Day

Events Opening This Week: Rocking Horse Winter I H.T., Full Gallop Farm January H.T, Fresno County Horse Park Combined Test

Tuesday News: 

What Is Athletes For Equity In Sport? The Chronicle sits down with Diane Carney, the President, to learn more about this group looking for SafeSport reformation. [What Is Athletes For Equity In Sport?]

Saddle up and ride this Training level bending line with Bec Braitling. She talks through this Galway Downs combination taking into account the brush, your approach and how to nail both elements. [Ride Between the Flags with Bec Braitling]

Hot on Horse Nation: Catch a Ride, Catch a Rider: Catch-Rider Is a New Job Site Just for Equestrians

Tuesday Video: Tickets are now on sale for Grand-Prix Eventing at Bruce’s Field. 

Posted by LiftMaster Grand-Prix Eventing at Bruce's Field on Monday, December 9, 2019

Monday Video from CLM DWN: Where’s Johnny?

By on Dec 9, 2019 5:00 pm -

We haven’t seen Elisa Wallace‘s five-star horse, Simply Priceless (aka “Johnny”) out and about for hot minute. As we’re all well aware, horses are basically the most accident-prone animal on the planet and poor Johnny seems to be having an unlucky go of it this year!

We didn’t see Johnny at the Kentucky Three-Day Event this spring as initially planned due to sustaining a minor injury about a month before. Of course when it rains it pours, and in July Johnny managed to lacerate his fetlock which has taken the rest of the year to heal. Elisa gives us an update on how he’s doing and her plans for 2020.

Nupafeed Weekend Winners: One Final Round of Blue Ribbons for 2019

By on Dec 9, 2019 1:00 pm -

And … that’s a wrap for USEA-sanctioned horse trials in 2019! The final event of the season took place at Sporting Days Farm in Aiken, SC, the beloved venue’s fourth edition of the year.

Despite the calendar going dark for a few weeks, there’s plenty to keep us occupied: the USEA Annual Meeting & Convention (and 60th anniversary!) in Boston this week, and planning ahead for 2020 — events are already open for the new calendar year. The first horse trial of the season takes place Jan. 11-12, the Horse Trials at Majestic Oaks in Reddick, Florida, offering Beginner Novice through Prelim divisions. Of course, there’s also a couple big holidays in there to celebrate.

View complete scores from Sporting Days Farm IV H.T. here.

Intermediate CT: Hanna Grace Johnson & Urlanmore Beaut (35.9)
Open Preliminary: Elizabeth Welker-Ebling & Santana II (35.7)
Preliminary Rider: Rachel Miles & Zane (37.6)
Open Training: Emma Jenkins & Fernhill Armani (27.5)
Training Rider: Crockett Miller & Mr Panda (31.9)
Novice Rider: Nancy Z. Wilson & Lagerfeld (28.5)
Open Novice: Amy Wise & Ruger (31.4)
Beginner Novice Rider: Cathryn Martin & Maroon 5 (23.3)
Open Beginner Novice: Darci Phelps & Sandro Street (22.9)
Starter: Autumn Cearlock & Ima Dotted Lena (35.7)

As we close out the year, a reminder that while it’s fun to celebrate blue ribbons, success comes in all shades of satin. From a personal best dressage test to a confident move-up or even a just small building-block goal achieved, each time we go out and give it our all and get to walk away with a feeling of accomplishment is worth more than any shiny trophy.

Here are a few happy, proud snapshots from the weekend that was at Sporting Days Farm:

View this post on Instagram

So freaking proud of my amazing little mare! Miss Vixie went to her very first recognized show and brought home a sixth place ribbon. We had one unfortunate rail in what she thought was a rather spooky stadium course, but the Princess Pony was on fire out on cross-country and continues to get better and better in dressage. I know I say it all the time, but I am overwhelmed with pride in this incredible horse. Her heart and her try humble me daily and I can't get over how lucky I am to be the other half of this partnership. Thank you as always to all the wonderful people who continue to help us make our dreams a reality ❤️ #dashingvixen #ottb #retiredracehorse #thoroughbred #poloponyflunkout #thirdtimesacharm #eventersofinstagram #smallbutmighty #littlebutfierce #pocketrocket #darkhorse #maresofinstagram

A post shared by Kate Boggan (@kateboggan) on

Congrats to all. Go Eventing.

The 10 Most Imaginative Cross Country Jumps of 2019

By on Dec 9, 2019 11:15 am -

What goes on in the mind of a course designer or a course builder? Some pretty wild stuff, apparently. We compiled a gallery of 10 jumps that captured our imagination in 2019, as seen on cross country courses in seven different countries across four different continents.

Have an addition to the list? Share it in the comments section — we might just put together a part II! Many thanks to our friends at CrossCountryApp for the hard work they put in year-round to bring us closer to the action through virtual course walks of events around the world.

“Blomes Brille” on the Ostbevern CCI2*-S in Münster, Germany in June 2019. View the complete course walk via CrossCountryApp here.

The newest Rebecca Farm jump (replete with moving carts!), created in honor of Don Trotter, at The Event at Rebecca Farm in Montana, USA in July 2019. Photo by Shelby Allen. View the entire course via EN here.

Le Lion D’Angers Formation 3 level in Maine-et-Loire, France in June 2019. View the complete course walk via CrossCountryApp here.

“Yorkshire Dales Ice Cream Cones” on the Bramham CCI4*-S in West Yorkshire, UK in May 2019. View the complete course via CrossCountryApp here.

Port Eliot BE100 in Cornwall, UK in April 2019. View complete course walk via CrossCountryApp here.

Alphen Chaam H.T. ‘M’ in Alphen Chaam, Netherlands. View complete course walk via CrossCountryApp here.

Tacuarembó 3* in Uruguay in November 2019. View the complete course walk via CrossCountryApp here.

“Palette de peintre Noa” on Les Etoiles de Pau CCI5*-L in Pau, France, in October 2019. View the complete course walk via CrossCountryApp here.

Fence 13 on the Pan American Games course in Lima, Peru, in August 2019. Photo by Shannon Brinkman. View the entire course on EN here.

“The Living Leader Picture Frame” on Houghton International CCIO4*-S in Norfolk, UK, in May 2019. View full course walk via CrossCountryApp here.

Go Eventing.

The 2019 US Event Horse Futurity Report

By on Dec 9, 2019 9:00 am -

The winner of the inaugural US Event Horse Futurity: Double Diamond C (Diacontinus x Lois Lane CBF), a Hanoverian gelding bred and owned by Laurie Cameron DVM, and trained and ridden by Maya Black. He finished with a score of 88.22. Photo by Allie Conrad.

Almost a year ago an idea was put forth to put some money on the line and take a group of unstarted U.S. purpose event bred 3-year-olds to develop, qualify and compete at the 2019 Young Event Horse Championships East at Fair Hill International in October. While some argue that you never know what you have with a 3- or 4-year-old, a handful of dedicated people decided to give it a go, and document the journey.

The terms were simple. The horse had to be bred in the U.S. with documentation of age, the nominating fee was paid, and most importantly, the trainer had to agree to the condition that a training blog or vlog was required monthly. This vlog was to document the training and progress of these young horses on the journey to the Championships. Twelve entries were submitted and all were accepted.

While the audience followed online, there were plenty of unscripted/authentic twists (and some we could never have predicted!) and turns to keep up the interest level to develop a fan base of over 1,000 online followers. Logo items were awarded to the top commenting fans. At the end fans voted for their “fan favorite,” as well as who would be the ultimate winner.

Each trainer had their own training style, different resources and their own timeline. Fans enjoyed seeing that there is no one way to train the young event horse. Entrants also documented the “true” aspects of training and how good horsemanship is more important than competition, and that transparency was appreciated by followers.

Watch Maya Black’s final monthly vlog from the US Event Horse Futurity at Fair Hill:

 

Laurie Cameron’s Double Diamond C and his Final 2019 Vlog update from the 4yr old championships! He was a ⭐️ – winning the inaugural Event Horse futurity and finishing an overall 2nd in a huge championship class. 📸 chronicle of the horse, Shannon Brinkman photography and USeventing. It’s been such a pleasure starting him and working toward this goal over the past year. I hope everybody has enjoyed following our journey.❤️ Can’t wait to see what 2020 brings for both these 4yr olds after their well-deserved Florida holiday! Just getting settled down here and I have 2 more spots available for horses in training this winter and also available to teach lessons at the beautiful Mardanza Farm and surrounding areas, And also I have availability in my winter clinic schedule -so contact me for any of the above! Let’s get this Florida winter season started!🌴🌞🌴☀️🌴
#charlesowen #airowear #activomed #houndandhare #cwd #customsaddlery #tobiassaddlery #cottagefarminc #ecogold #revitavet #asmarequestrian #hannovarian #yeh #eventhorsefuturity

Posted by Maya Black Eventing on Friday, November 8, 2019

This year, the required score to qualify was raised to a 75%. This certainly added some difficulty to the qualifiers. Limited access to qualifiers also posed a challenge to some of the non East Coast candidates. Ultimately half the class was able to qualify and five horses competed in the  Championships (one did not make it off the waitlist). Changes are in the works to increase the number of finalists for next year, so we hope everyone who qualified will be able to compete!

It was a challenging environment at the Fair Hill YEH Championships! The 4-year-olds shared the dressage warm-up arenas with the four-star horses on a cold and very  windy day. The futurity horses were beautifully presented, and stayed calm and confident in their dressage work. They kept their cool and stayed focused when the older event horses could not resist acting up a little. It was wonderful to see the babies handle all the atmosphere like pros!

During the jumping phase, not one futurity horse dropped a rail. They all looked like legitimate contenders for the top prize and future success in eventing. A total of $5,500 in prize money was awarded to the finalists, and prize money was also awarded to the breeder of the winning horse.

With scores ranging from 85.51-88.2, it was high honors for the US Event Horse Futurity Class. All five contestants finished in the top nine of the class of 27 of the best young event horses in the U.S.!

Second place went to Hannah Moor (Mr Wizard x Rainshadow), a Holsteiner mare bred and owned by Jane Dudinsky and ridden by Doug Payne. Hannah scored an 87.43, with the second highest cross country score of all the 4-year-olds. Photo by Allie Conrad.

Third place went to the Oldenburg stallion Quiberon (Quite Easy x Avalon/A Fine Romance) owned and ridden by Doug Payne and bred by Elizabeth Callahan. “Harry” scored a 86.23. Photo by Allie Conrad.

Fourth place went to Lanthan Lights C (Lanthan x Winter Morning), a Hanoverian gelding bred and owned by Laurie Cameron and ridden by Maya Black. He scored a 86.07. Photo by Allie Conrad.

Fifth place winner was Hunting Stars (Hunter – Heavenly Star ), an ISH x Holsteiner bred, owned and ridden by Courtney Cooper.

This is an exciting program to support U.S. purpose event bred horses and the young horse trainers that have the talent to develop them. For more information about this program please see our website at www.theuseventhorsefuturity.com  and check out our Facebook and Instagram accounts.

Entries for the 2020 US Event Horse Futurity are open and we can’t wait to see next year’s class! For more information contact us at [email protected]

Monday News & Notes from Fleeceworks

By on Dec 9, 2019 12:01 am -

Photo via Puhinui International Three Day Event New Zealand on Facebook.

It was a fairytale weekend for one teenage eventer: 15-year-old Ella Morshuis who won the CCI2*-L at the Puhinui International Three Day Event in New Zealand aboard her horse World Famous, even beating out Olympic team member Jonathan Paget. It look four days of travel from her home in Mosgiel, which is located near the bottom of New Zealand’s south island, to get to the event which is close to Auckland, fairly far up on New Zealand’s north island, but it was clearly well worth it!

National Holiday: Weary Willie Day

U.S. Weekend Action:

Sporting Days Farm H.T. [Final Scores]

Monday News & Notes:

We are very happy to share news that Area VIII young rider Elizabeth Henry, who was reported missing on Saturday night, has been safely located. [Tippecanoe County Sheriff Confirms 17-Year-Old Girl Safely Located]

Pakistan’s Usman Khan achieved qualification for Tokyo 2020 after completing the CCI4*-L at Wallaby Hill in Australia in 13th place and gaining a needed MER. Usman has been based in Australia for 15 years with the goal of qualifying to compete at an Olympic Games. Up until earlier this year he also worked as an IT consultant. [Pakistan’s Usman Khan achieves Tokyo 2020 qualification]

The Windurra cross country course is now closed for the season. So that means it’s officially time to head south, right?  Thanks to Boyd and Silva for opening their facility up to the public every year! [Boyd Martin]

Do you have a mental checklist that you run through whenever you get on your horse? USDF Jenna Arnold walks us through a short but important checklist to to check the horses responsiveness to the aids at the beginning of each ride. [A Four-Step Checklist to Begin Every Ride]

Monday Video: