Classic Eventing Nation

Flawless French Triumph on Home Turf at Lignières Nations Cup

By on Sep 29, 2025 12:00 pm -

Team France take the win in the FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ in Lignières (FRA): Stéphane Landois, Benjamin Massie, Astier Nicolas and Nicolas Touzaint © FEI/Libby Law Photography

In a true showcase of horsemanship, consistency and class, France stormed to victory on home soil at the fifth leg of the FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ in Lignières (FRA) this weekend. Leading from start to finish, the seasoned French team finished on a winning score of 94.3 penalties, comfortably ahead of Switzerland on 124.7. Despite only two of their athletes completing, Great Britain took third on 1082.8, with a total of five nations competing at the event.

France was the only team to avoid elimination across all four athletes in a tough cross country phase designed by French course builder Pierre Le Goupil. All four combinations jumped clear and fast, delivering one of the lowest team scores seen this season, second only to Great Britain’s 87.8 at Bicton (GBR) in May.

Unlike many nations fielding less experienced combinations or first-time senior team members, the French brought a full contingent of seasoned athletes. Astier Nicolas and Benjamin Massie had just returned from the Agria FEI Eventing European Championship 2025 at Blenheim (GBR) last week, this time on different horses from their deep string of talent.

Massie delivered a foot-perfect performance aboard Filao de Perte. The French-bred gelding is by the popular stallion Upsilon and jumped double clear inside the time, finishing on his Dressage score of 33.1. Nicolas, competing with the Irish-bred Dirty Old Town (by Cruising Ambassador), was equally strong- clear inside the time on cross country and lowering just one rail in show jumping to complete on 33.0.

Benjamin Massie (FRA*) and Filao de Perte. Photo: Libby Law Photography

Team stalwart Nicolas Touzaint once again showed why he remains a pillar of French eventing. With his hugely exciting French-bred gelding Diabolo Menthe, Touzaint added nothing to his dressage mark of 28.2, finishing second individually in the CCIO4*-NC-S behind Britain’s Gemma Stevens and Flash Cooley.

Completing the winning French quartet was Olympic athlete Stéphane Landois, who partnered the 10-year-old Fibonacci de Lessac HDC, owned by Haras des Coudrettes. The new pairing impressed, jumping clear and fast across country before picking up four penalties in Jumping to finish on 33.2.

Speaking after his cross country round, Landois reflected on the developing partnership: “I ride him since the beginning of the season, so it’s our first season together and our first four-star today. I’m very happy, I still had some doubt about Fibonacci as I’m still discovering him. Today he proved that he was a real eventing horse and that I could trust him.”

When asked about the honour of representing France at the Nations Cup, Landois added: “I’m always very proud to be representing France and to compete with this flag. So every time we are called to compete at this show, it is always a pleasure.”

Nicolas Touzaint (FRA*) and Diabolo Menthe. Photo: Libby Law Photography.

Course designer Pierre Le Goupil set thoughtful but testing tracks across both jumping phases. The cross country route proved especially influential, with very few combinations making the time. Athletes were challenged throughout, but particular trouble came at the corner combination at 17ABC and the step-to-oxer complex at 18ABC.

Despite a disappointing outing for Germany, who finished fourth on a team score of 1120.1 after several eliminations, they still retain the lead in the overall series standings with 340 points. France’s win keeps them within striking distance, sitting second on 300 points heading into the final round.

The FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ series will now conclude with the much-anticipated final in Boekelo (NED) from 9 to 12 October, where the season champion will be decided at one of Europe’s most iconic venues.

Lignières FEI Eventing Nations Cup (France): [Website] [Scores] [FEI Eventing Nations Cup] [Live Stream Replays]

Caroline Pamukcu Takes Near-Sweep of Stable View Oktoberfest CCI4*-S

By on Sep 29, 2025 9:00 am -

Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Double Sixteen. Photo by Liz Crawley Photography.

Each athlete comes into a prep event for a major competition with a unique plan. For Caroline Pamukcu, the goal for these tune-ups, especially at FEI levels, is to compete. It’s how she plans her season, leveraging National competitions as practice and FEI events as tests, generally speaking. The Paris Olympian brought a full trailer to Stable View’s Oktoberfest in Aiken, SC this weekend and has come away with three of the top four spots in the CCI4*-S, also the final East coast qualifier leg for the US Equestrian Open of Eventing.

Taking the overall win is the Double Sixteen Partnership’s HSH Double Sixteen, a “Jack Russell” of a Thoroughbred gelding who stepped up to the CCI5* level at Kentucky this spring. Now, “Six” is legging up for his fall destination, and finishing on his dressage score of 33.4 wraps up a strong string of prep runs for the fall.

Caroline has not yet made her final decisions on where her horses will aim for their major fall goal. She’s deciding between the MARS Maryland 5 Star as well as the US Equestrian Open CCI4*-L at Morven Park and will likely have a presence at both. With Stable View being her final deciding run, she’ll consult with her team to make the plans final this coming week.

Caroline’s, Sherrie Martin’s and Luann McElduff’s HSH Conner picked up third place after cross country after leading to start the day. 10.8 planned time penalties would drop him down in the order. Stablemate HSH Tolan King (owned by the Tolan King Partnership) moved up from fifth to finish fourth on the day.

Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Conner. Photo by Liz Crawley Photography.

“We’re fine-tuning the program at home,” Caroline said. “I’ve got Samantha St. Jacques in helping me with the dressage at the moment. She’s been absolutely wonderful. She’s a mom herself, and she’s unbelievable. So I’ve got her, and my head rider, Mason, and my other rider, Matt Crutchfield putting in the work with them at home for the flat work. For show jumping, I’ve got Matt videoing my rounds and sending them straight to Anne Kursinski, and then she would tell me how to fine tune my show jump rounds. For cross country, Leslie [Law] was here this weekend, which has been great. I kind of talked through my plan last night, what I was going to do. I was first out, so I kind of told then what I was going to do with the horses.”

Caroline picks up 70 US Equestrian Open points for her efforts this week. Each athlete’s best six qualifier results will count towards the final total; in this pickup, Caroline will drop her lowest accumulator (20 points) to come away with a current tally of 215 points — enough to take over third on the leaderboard, but not quite enough to catch Boyd Martin’s total of 260 or Phillip Dutton’s total of 235. It’s been a goal of Caroline’s to get into the money for the $25,000 leaderboard bonus for the Open for a very specific reason: “I really need a mom car!”

[Learn how US Equestrian Open points work]

[See the US Equestrian Open of Eventing leaderboard]

Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Tolan King. Photo by Eileen Dimond for Liz Crawley Photography.

Caroline’s been vocal about the process of getting back to top level competing after having a baby. While she’s had success on paper this year and has been pleased with her horses, she’s admitted that she hasn’t felt her strongest or at her best form. Now, though, almost a year into motherhood, she says she’s feeling more and more herself (and also well-versed at managing chronic baby-induced sleep deprivation).

“It’s just trying to fit everything in one day,” Caroline said. “There are only so many hours in the day, and that’s been the biggest challenge. This weekend in particular was a challenge because [her husband] Deniz is gone this week for work, and so Blake woke up at three a.m. wanting to have a party and I was running on just a few hours of sleep. And that’s another thing that no one really talks about — it’s a lot of stuff to juggle, so it’s just about finding a balance. But I’ve got incredible owners. I’ve got incredible help at home with Jenny and Chloe and my husband and, you know, great owners, the team has been absolutely amazing this this year. So I really have no excuses not to do well.”

At home, Caroline’s head groom Chloe’s mother, Jenny, has joined the team to help care for (human) Blake. The team is supported by riders Mason Reidy and Matt Crutchfield, as well as Caroline’s business partner, Kelley Hutchinson. She also works regularly with fellow 5* rider and Pan Ams teammate Sharon White.

Mary Bess Davis and Imperio Magic. Photo by Liz Crawley Photography.

Maryland 5 Star-bound Mary Bess Davis and Imperio Magic broke up the Pamukcu party at the top of the standings, moving up to second after starting the weekend in eighth. Imperio Magic, an 11-year-old Anglo-European gelding, also debuted at the 5* level at Kentucky, finishing 16th as the best rookie pair, and are now picking up steam to double down on that effort at Maryland in a few weeks’ time.

Mary Bess came out of that Kentucky step-up knowing she wanted to continue to work on “McColl’s” dressage. Over the last year, she’s enlisted the assistance of Grand Prix dressage rider Roel Theunissen, and has also worked with Karen O’Connor for many years. This weekend’s result, she felt, was a hopeful sign that things are going in the right direction.

“He has come so far, but with that I lost some relaxation going into this season,” Mary Bess said. “So I’ve backed off that and we’ve tried to get him relaxed, and I think it’s working.”

She refers to McColl as a real try-hard, pleaser type — as expressed in his enthusiastic jumping style — but that sometimes this eagerness can lead to tension. “I’m just trying to somehow make him realize that in the dressage ring we don’t need so much effort. I don’t know if I’ve communicated that well enough yet, but I feel we’re starting to get to that relaxation that we’ve had in the past.”

The pair traveled to Europe last fall to compete at Military Boekelo. They finished 19th individually there (the U.S. finished in silver as a team), and Mary Bess said McColl felt relaxed there. “I had to start thinking about what I had lost, how did I lose it, and where do we need to go.”

“I’m hopeful I can put it together at Maryland, because this week he was so relaxed and took the pressure well, so I’m hoping it’ll all align because dressage is our biggest struggle,” she continued. “He’s getting it, it’s just very hard for him in the arena at shows. This weekend helped a ton because I backed off and worked on his relaxation. I knew when he went out of the start box he was just relaxed and all about the job, so I was excited because I knew we could go fast.”

Mary Bess and Imperio Magic picked up just two time penalties — the second-quickest of the division — to finish the weekend on a score of 38.6.

Emily Hamel and Corvett. Photo by Jennifer Crawley for Liz Crawley Photography.

Completing the top five are Pau-bound Emily Hamel and Corvett, who finish the weekend on a score of 49.7 with just some time added in the jumping phases. Emily is hoping to become just the first rider to complete all six Northern Hemisphere 5* events in the Maryland 5 Star era with the same horse with “Barry” as she looks ahead to a first start at Les 5 Etoiles de Pau in the south of France at the end of October. (Note: Colleen Rutledge and Shiraz also achieved this feat, pre-Maryland 5 Star — and they did compete in the former Fair Hill International at the now-4* level, which was succeeded by the Maryland 5 Star.) This was Emily and Barry’s final prep for Pau, and they’ll now get ready to travel to France to base in Belgium ahead of competition.

Helen West’s evolving cross country track took on some new routes this weekend, making use of some of Stable View’s extensive arena infrastructure to introduce some more technical elements. Fence 8A, a narrow arrowhead into the water, caused a fair amount of influence, with two riders faulting here. Fence 6B, a left-handed open MIM oxer, also caused two problems.

Photo via CrossCountry App.

“I was pleased with how the tracks rode,” Helen commented in a press release. “I thought that the combinations rode pretty much as I expected. I think the first combination in the all weather arena rode tougher than perhaps I expected. The first part of the course was very galloping and then I think going into the arenas was harder to make that adjustment. I think the ground was absolutely stunning and because the footing was so good the horses were traveling over it so well. You just watched them and they were wanting to gallop and jump. Overall, it was a really positive picture and a good day for the sport.”

Looking to the other divisions that completed Saturday, Lucienne Bellissimo enjoyed a confidence boost of a run with Horse Scout Eventing’s Dyri, winning the CCI3*-S on a score of 27.2. Lucienne has entered Dyri in the US Equestrian Open of Eventing Final CCI4*-L at Morven Park in October. Canada’s Katie Malensek and STX Mex won the CCI2*-S on a score of 27.8. Lucienne Bellissimo also took home the CCI1*-S win with Horse Scout Eventing’s Hermine.

In the Advanced division, Boyd Martin brought home the Annie Goodwin Syndicate’s Fedarman B home for the win on a score of 46.3. Lucia Strini took home the Open Intermediate win with Plain Dealing Farm’s Keynote Dassett. Ariel Grald returned to competition for the first time since a heavy fall at Bromont in June left her with several broken ribs and other injuries to recover from. She returned in grand fashion, winning the Open Preliminary with Annie Eldridge’s Obalix. Carolyn May and Patricia Luttgen’s Sky Moon were the winners of the Preliminary Rider division — a win on Carolyn’s debut at the level, no less! Sky Moon, formerly campaigned through Preliminary by Chris Talley and Lee Maher, teamed up with Carolyn, who’s also a USDF Bronze Medalist, at the start of this year, and went on to win team and individual bronze at the USEF Eventing Young Rider Championships this summer at the 1* level.

Stable View owner Barry Olliff has worked alongside his wife, Cyndy, to implement ongoing additions and improvements to the property. This year, new “tiny home” lodging options were added on-site, as well as new arena space.

“As you’d expect, ‘Constant Improvement’ is what Stable View is seeking to achieve for its April four-star,” Barry said in a press release. “We’re developing the concept of separately roping the four-star so that it becomes its own track. This will mean that four-star riders will – wherever possible – have their own real estate. In addition, we’re taking out four of our paddocks. This will enable us to soften certain turns while offering significantly greater choices in terms of cross country course design.”

Go Eventing!

Stable View Oktoberfest (SC): [Website] [Entries/Times] [Scores] [CrossCountry App XC Maps] [Volunteer]

Monday News & Notes from Morven Park Fall International

By on Sep 29, 2025 12:01 am -

There’s something special about winning a medal in our sport. There are so few opportunities to do it, and it’s also hard to beat the best in the world, even when you are one of the best! Newly-crowned European champion Laura Collett posted this little memory of the last time she galloped ahead of triple Olympic champion Michael Jung, and it’s just a reminder that behind every success is years of dedication, hard work, and chasing the riders who inspire you to be better each and every day.

Major International Events

Lignières FEI Eventing Nations Cup (France): [Website] [Scores] [FEI Eventing Nations Cup] [Live Stream Replays]

Ballindenisk CCI4*-L (Ireland): [Website] [Scores] [Live Stream Replays]

U.S. & Canada Weekend Events

Stable View Oktoberfest (SC): [Website] [Scores]

Spokane Sport Horse 11th Annual Fall H.T. (WA): [Website] [Scores]

Wesley Clover Parks Eastern Canadian Championships (Canada): [Website] [Scores]

Sundance Farm H.T. (WI): [Website] [Scores]

Jump Start H.T. (KY): [Website] [Scores]

Tomora H.T. (CO): [Website] [Scores]
ESDCTA New Jersey H.T. (NJ): [Website] [Scores]

Old Tavern H.T. (VA): [Website] [Scores]

Course Brook Farm Fall H.T. (MS): [Website] [Scores]

News & Reading

We’re teaming up with Sentinel Horse Nutrition to give away a year’s worth of Sentinel Horse Feeds! This sweepstakes is accepting entries until 11:59 p.m. ET on October 6. You can full the full terms and conditions + enter for your chance to win a big break for your bank account here.

The end of competition season is approaching, which means there will be an uptick in clinic availability. Clinics are a great way to learn from someone new, but what steps should you take to get ready for a season of learning? The USEA and STRIDER have some advice here.

Here’s a simple concept to mull over this morning: the importance of horses laying down. In her latest Thoroughbred Logic on Horse Nation, Aubrey Graham muses on some recent experiences with her horses and how laying down can sometimes be the most important sign that they’re doing well. It’s an interesting read, and you can dive in here.

We all strive for harmony with our horses, but achieving this requires some practice. Working on delivering your aids to your horse in a seamless way is one place to start creating harmony, and you can pick up some tips from hunter/jumper trainer and judge Holly Hugo-Vidal here.

Sponsor Corner: Morven Park Fall International

The hotly-anticipated US Equestrian Open of Eventing is just under two weeks away at Morven Park in Leesburg, VA! Have you booked your ticket yet? Don’t forget: general admission is free, or you can upgrade your experience with a tailgating pass. Click here to learn more and reserve your tickets.

Video Break

What do you think of this take from Lucinda Green?

Sunday Links from Performance Equine Veterinary Services

By on Sep 28, 2025 12:01 am -

#ICYMI: the USEA and the Manton Foundation has announced another generous matching grant to raise funding and awareness for frangible technology on cross country courses all over the U.S. This funding (for this grant, $250,000) is being supplied to match future donations in support of this important program.

To that end, riders like Jon Holling are seeking some creative fundraising ideas to make a big year-end push to ensure this grant doesn’t go to waste! Check out Jon’s post above, and be sure to send him your ideas on how to raise the bar for frangible fences and safety in our sport.

To make a donation, click here.

Major International Events

Lignières FEI Eventing Nations Cup (France): [Website] [Entries/Timing/Scoring] [FEI Eventing Nations Cup] [Live Stream] [CrossCountry App XC Maps]

Ballindenisk CCI4*-L (Ireland): [Website] [Entries/Times/Scores] [Live Stream] [CrossCountry App XC Maps]

U.S. & Canada Weekend Events

Stable View Oktoberfest (SC): [Website] [Entries/Times] [Scores] [CrossCountry App XC Maps] [Volunteer]

Spokane Sport Horse 11th Annual Fall H.T. (WA): [Website] [Entries/Times/Scores] [CrossCountry App XC Maps] [Volunteer]

Wesley Clover Parks Eastern Canadian Championships (Canada): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times] [Scores] [CrossCountry App XC Maps]

Sundance Farm H.T. (WI): [Website] [Entries/Times/Scores] [CrossCountry App XC Maps]

Jump Start H.T. (KY): [Website] [Entries/Times/Scores] [Volunteer]

Tomora H.T. (CO): [Website] [Entries/Times] [Scores] [Volunteer]

ESDCTA New Jersey H.T. (NJ): [Website] [Entries/Times] [CrossCountry App XC Maps] [Scores]

Old Tavern H.T. (VA): [Website] [Entries] [Times] [Scores] [CrossCountry App XC Maps] [Volunteer]

Course Brook Farm Fall H.T. (MS): [Website] [Entries/Times] [Scores] [Volunteer]

Links & Reading

We’re teaming up with Sentinel Horse Nutrition to give away a year’s worth of Sentinel Horse Feeds! This sweepstakes is accepting entries until 11:59 p.m. ET on October 6. You can full the full terms and conditions + enter for your chance to win a big break for your bank account here.

Prediction Center – Top 5 on Win Chance for the US Equestrian Open Final at Morven Park

Dr David Marlin explains how to ride a horse so that they burn more calories

Introduce Your Young Eventing Horse to Corners and Skinnies

Sponsor Corner: Performance Equine Veterinary Services

Let’s talk about back pain in horses. Like humans, horses can deal with all sorts of aches and pains, and if their bodies are not managed properly, back pain can manifest in other limbs, as well. In this interview, Dr. Alberto Rullan of Performance Equine Veterinary Services in Ocala, FL, discusses the topic of back pain in horses. Dr. Rullan emphasizes a paradigm shift in recognizing horses susceptibility to primary back pain, supported by sports medicine and emerging research.

If you want to learn more about how Performance Equine Veterinary Services can help your horse live his or her best life, click here to book your first appointment or speak to a staff member.

Video Break

Take a visit to Cornbury House Horse Trials in the UK with the Cool Ridings team:

Relive the Sydney Olympics Cross Country Course with CrossCountry App

By on Sep 27, 2025 9:00 am -

The final fence ‘The Hellenic Omega’ was positioned at the end of the course to tie in with it being the final letter of the Greek Alphabet. It would end the course to then look forward’ to the 2004 Greek Olympics. It still stands at the entrance to the Sydney Equestrian Centre. There were a few refusals at this imposing fence.

September 2025 marks the 25th Anniversary of the iconic 2000 Sydney Olympics; an event CrossCountry App co-founder Jose Diacono, was lucky to attend as a volunteer herself. To celebrate the anniversary, you can relive the cross country action by taking a tour of CrossCountry App’s recreation of this remarkable course.

Inside, Stuart Tinney, Mary King, Blyth Tait and Amanda Ross reflect on their first-hand experience of the course and how it felt to ride their wonderful horses. Our thanks to the many officials, photographers Kit Houghton and Julie Wilson and volunteers who contributed photos and memories.

Below, you’ll find a full look at the track (you can also view it here). Be sure to click on the featured questions to hear reflections from some of the people who experienced this track for themselves!

The venue selected for the Games is now more commonly known as SEIC (Sydney International Equestiran Centre). The venue was built from scratch for the Olympics specifically; a tasking project for Course Designer Mike Etherington Smith and his team. The work commenced 3 years ahead of the Olympic kick-off.

Mike notes how the land allocated for the xc course was ‘Snake City’. The local residents weren’t the only hurdles Mike and his team faced; the venue was undulating; the footing was challenging and arenas needed to be built. With only two growing seasons before the test event, the pressure was on to have the groundworks complete.

Fence 3 – Darug Bulada. The name meaning ‘snake’ originates from the local Darug Bulada clan, which
gave Mike inspiration for design and creation of this fence. This was a bold and imposing jump featuring early on in the course. The fences were inspired by people and events from Australia’s history and First Nations people.

The climate also came into play with Mike’s planning. Being held towards late spring/early summer. Mike had to factor in the potential heat, so tried to avoid making the course too punishing if the weather was extreme. The course was set to run a 13-minute completion time; which is a lot of gallop even without the heat intensity.

[Hear from Mike on the building of this track]

The legacy of this World Class venue continues 25 years after it’s debut. Blyth Tait gives the venue the credit is rightfully deserves, outlining how SEIC now ‘contributes to the preparation for Australian teams when going overseas. The Sydney International Equestrian Centre regularly hosts eventing competitions where riders from 60cm to 4* now experience the thrill of riding over the same terrain and galloping through the (albeit modified) Olympic water jumps.

The course gave quite an ‘open’ feel, offering plenty of galloping opportunities with testing combinations in between. Stuart, Blyth, Mary and Amanda reminisce on some the most notable fences from the course.

In the Teams competition Gold went to Australia, Silver to Great Britain and Bronze to the United States. David O’Connor of the USA won the individual Gold, Andrew Hoy Silver and Mark Todd Bronze.

Saturday Links from World Equestrian Brands

By on Sep 27, 2025 12:01 am -

We have another Jimmy Wofford Legacy Fund Scholarship in the works! Congratulations to Cassidy Thompson and her horse Hector on receiving a scholarship to compete at Spokane Sport Horse H.T.’s Classic Three-Day in Washington! “Hector and I are thrilled to be recipients of this year’s Wofford Scholarship for the Spokane Classic 3-Day Event,” Cassidy shared. “This will be our first classic 3-Day together! Hector is a remarkable cross-country horse; he gives his all and covers the ground with enthusiasm. We are eagerly anticipating the added challenges that the classic format will bring. I feel incredibly fortunate to have him as my first eventing partner. The Wofford Scholarship, honoring the legacy of Jimmy Wofford, empowers us to continue growing and developing as a team, paving the way for more classic 3-Day events in our future. Jimmy’s passion for the sport and his commitment to excellence inspire us both. Horses and this sport have brought me immense joy and confidence, and I am endlessly grateful for this opportunity.”

Good luck to Cassidy and Hector as they tackle a new challenge. If you’re interested in a scholarship or donating to future scholarship awards via the Jimmy Wofford Legacy Fund, click here.

Major International Events

Lignières FEI Eventing Nations Cup (France): [Website] [Entries/Timing/Scoring] [FEI Eventing Nations Cup] [Live Stream] [CrossCountry App XC Maps]

Ballindenisk CCI4*-L (Ireland): [Website] [Entries/Times/Scores] [Live Stream] [CrossCountry App XC Maps]

U.S. & Canada Weekend Events

Stable View Oktoberfest (SC): [Website] [Entries/Times] [Scores] [CrossCountry App XC Maps] [Volunteer]

Spokane Sport Horse 11th Annual Fall H.T. (WA): [Website] [Entries/Times/Scores] [CrossCountry App XC Maps] [Volunteer]

Wesley Clover Parks Eastern Canadian Championships (Canada): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times] [Scores] [CrossCountry App XC Maps]

Sundance Farm H.T. (WI): [Website] [Entries/Times/Scores] [CrossCountry App XC Maps]

Jump Start H.T. (KY): [Website] [Entries/Times/Scores] [Volunteer]

Tomora H.T. (CO): [Website] [Entries/Times] [Scores] [Volunteer]

ESDCTA New Jersey H.T. (NJ): [Website] [Entries/Times] [CrossCountry App XC Maps] [Scores]

Old Tavern H.T. (VA): [Website] [Entries] [Times] [Scores] [CrossCountry App XC Maps] [Volunteer]

Course Brook Farm Fall H.T. (MS): [Website] [Entries/Times] [Scores] [Volunteer]

Links & Reading

We’re teaming up with Sentinel Horse Nutrition to give away a year’s worth of Sentinel Horse Feeds! This sweepstakes is accepting entries until 11:59 p.m. ET on October 6. You can full the full terms and conditions + enter for your chance to win a big break for your bank account here.

How Endocrine Disorders Impact Equine Athletes

Save the Date: YEH Educational Seminar with Sally Ike

The Slow Road Is Paying Off For Phillip Dutton And Plantation Winner Possante

Poor Air Quality and Lung Damage in Horses

Sponsor Corner: World Equestrian Brands

If you’re looking to stretch your dollar just a little bit more, the World Equestrian Brands outlet may have just the ticket! Currently, there are deals on some beautiful Sergio Grasso tall and paddock boots and storage options, Vespucci bridles, Mattes and Equilibrium gear and more! You can save a few hundred bucks this way, so don’t wait and check out the current offerings on the outlet site here.

Video Break

All-new on Horse & Country, the Eventing Unlocked series features riders like Gemma Stevens and Jay Halim sharing some of the “secrets” of the sport. In the first episode, which you can view in full below, Gemma and Jay dive into the topic of fitness. You can dive into the full series with your H&C+ subscription here.

From the Ground Up: Breaking the Loop

By on Sep 26, 2025 2:21 pm -

Gillian Warner returns, bringing us along for the ride as she strikes out on her own to launch her business as a professional. You can catch up on more installments from this series here.

Hello again – it’s been a while! I finally carved out a moment to write, and while I’ve often told myself I was just too busy, I’ve come to realize I was also avoiding it. This summer has been full and fast-paced, which made it easy to feel stretched thin and short on reflective space – something essential for writing.

Getting caught in that loop – where fatigue dims creativity and makes it harder to recharge through joyful plans – is a challenge. But I’m working on breaking through it, slowly but surely. And even just sitting down to write this feels like a step in the right direction.

The beginning of this summer brought some very exciting moments: I graduated with my Graduate Certificate in Applied Animal Behavior from the University of Washington, a number of horse and rider partnerships were going so well and aiming for some great summer goals, I started writing a book (more on that to come over the next few months!) and I had a full line up of cool horses with which to work, a full lesson schedule, and extra summer camps on top of that! It was a perfect lineup for a wonderfully horsey summer… truly living out my Saddle Club dreams.

But every horse person recognizes how quickly the schedule is eaten up. Without much time left over to sit, rest, or recharge through other (off the farm) activities, burn out creeps in without much notice. One day, you just notice the routine becoming a bit more monotonous, you feel a bit shorter and more tense, the exciting plans feel like a bit more effort to carry out… and you realize – the burn out is there. As the business gets increasingly busy, and you love what you do, the first thing to go is the space for yourself to accommodate expansion.

Being able to recognize and name it is helpful. Initially, I just tried to push through… it’s easy to have that mentality when you’re surrounded by your passion every day! I would set my alarm for earlier, to push myself to get going sooner… until I just snoozed my alarm, and then was more frustrated with myself for not feeling as driven and as much of a go getter as I typically am. My mindset to push through only drained me more!

It wasn’t working, and I knew I wanted something to change. It sounds basic, but I started by listening to my body more – I gave myself that extra hour of sleep, and held time to actually sit down to eat lunch, every day. I encouraged myself to find opportunities to get off of the farm, meeting up with non-horsey friends to diversify my conversation and interactions.

As my body felt increasingly rested, and my mind cleared, I then tried to hold space and time to day dream. What are the goals that I want to be working towards? What brings me joy and fun? If money were no object, what would I do, where would I go?

Holding this space to really allow myself to dive into the dream was challenging – more so than holding the space for meeting my basic needs. Luckily, I have a great team around me to hold me accountable for finding and creating that excitement for myself. My mom videoed my rides so I could see the progress. My dad helped scout out new trail rides to take my young horse on, and ensure adequate parking was available. My boyfriend asked me about my most memorable rides, hearing about my stories in Mongolia and Patagonia, and sending me unique places around the world to get me curious and exploring. The team at the barn worked alongside me to bring in clinic opportunities to our community.

With rest, and space to dream, I once again started creating new opportunities: new trails to explore with friends, trips for long training weekends, organized clinics and barn potlucks…

It’s easy to get feeling stuck in the day to day, especially as things get busy. The routine becomes so set, because it works – it lets you get through the day, and check everything off the list. But it doesn’t let you experience the day. And when the focus is on crossing things off the list, you lose that presence, curiosity, and excitement that I find critical for a fulfilling day, and an ever developing education and experience.

So here I am, pushing myself to write this to you all… to hopefully encourage some people to break out of their routine to push through the burn out to take care of and create excitement for themselves… but I’m also writing this for myself. It would have been easier to not hold the space to write: I could have fit in an extra ride, finished my scheduling for the week, cleaned my truck, or done anything else. My day could have been “done” an hour earlier. But I love to write, and it encourages me to be thoughtful in my life, so I created and held this space in my schedule.

Here’s to embracing the experience of each day, continued adventures, and space for ourselves to rest, question, and explore as we love what we do.

A Dramatic Backdrop for the US Equestrian Open of Eventing Final

By on Sep 26, 2025 9:30 am -

Boyd Martin and Commando 3. Photo by Erin Gilmore Photography.

There are less than three weeks to go until the US Equestrian Open of Eventing Final at the Morven Park Equestrian Center and if you’re not hyped, you’re sleeping on a seriously exciting moment for the world of American eventing. In addition to CCI5* events like the Defender Kentucky Three Day Event and the MARS Maryland 5 Star, the US Open has the possibility of becoming our Stanley Cup, our Superbowl, our PGA Championship. 

If this is the first you’re hearing of the US Equestrian Open of Eventing, welcome to a whole new world of competition, all hosted against the gorgeous backdrop of Morven Park International Equestrian Center iN Leesburg, VA. 

Think of the series as two separate but interconnected competitions: the qualifying series and the final. Only CCI4*-S events are eligible for the qualifying series. Riders earn points to move up and down the leaderboard based on final placings; these points are weighted to compensate for the size of the individual event and accumulate per rider, no matter how many horses they ride. Whoever accumulates the most points wins $25,000, with a total of $50,000 in prize money distributed among the top three combinations on the leaderboard. 

So far, Australians-turned-Americans Boyd Martin and Phillip Dutton are at the top of the leaderboard, with Jessie Phoenix rounding out the top three. Boyd is leading the way with 260 points, while Philip has 235 points and Jessie is equal with James Alliston with 185. These are still subject to change though, with Boyd entered at the last East coast chance to earn points at Stable View Oktoberfest this weekend. There also remains one final qualifier at Woodside Horse Park the first weekend of October, where current top-10 riders Tamie Smith and Megan McIver stand to collect some final points. Tamie is entered in the Final with Kynan as this goes to publication. 

Phillip Dutton and Possante will come into the Final on fire form. They’ve finished off the podium just once all season — and that was at CHIO Aachen, where they were 11th individually and helped bring home a silver medal for the U.S. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Now, wipe everything you just learned about the qualifying series from your memory. That no longer exists. When it comes to the $200,000 Final, everyone starts from scratch. Just like any other event, whoever wins the division wins the whole shebang… but with a near-show jumping level of prize money and twice as much competition as usual. No big deal.

Riders qualify for the series final by completing one qualifier with an MER. Alternatively, they can buy their way in for an additional $5,000, which is contributed to the purse. As eventers are notoriously not living a life of luxury and rolling in dough, I highly doubt we’ll see many (if any) riders buying their way in, unless any internationally-based riders want to come and play (and they are able to, with the buy-in). 

The prize purse for the final is a whopping $200,000. Comparing that to the purse for the Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S, which was only $50,000, the Eventing Final is approaching 5* level prize money.

Last year, there were 16 entries in the CCI4*-L at the Morven Park International & Fall Horse Trials. This year, riders have come out of the woodwork with their best horses to compete for the chance to win such a big chunk of change. In 2024, the biggest four-star in the country was the CCI4*-L at The Fork at Tryon Equestrian Center with 27 entries. Morven Park’s 2025 International & Fall Horse Trials have already broken that threshold and are poised to continue growing through the entry closing date of September 23. 

Jessie Phoenix and Freedom GS pose enter the Final as jumping phase threats. Photo by Sally Spickard.

So far, over 30 riders have entered in the final, including leaderboard top contenders Boyd Martin and Philip Dutton. Boyd is coming to Virginia with two of Liz Halliday’s horses, Shanroe Cooley and Miks Master C. Philip is bringing his two powerhouses, Possante and Denim. Jessica Phoenix has also now joined the line-up, and with entries closing soon there should yet be other names stepping up to vie for the title.

If you haven’t attended the Morven Park International & Fall Horse Trials, this is your sign to get to Leesburg this autumn. Morven Park creates a stunning backdrop for eventing, with pairs galloping through the woods and over serious terrain, all against vibrant fall leaves in the Appalachian mountains. Even better, this year the leaves are supposed to peak between October 13th to the 20th– perfect timing for this event’s running dates of October 9-13. 

Morven Park knows how to cater to eventing fans. We’re talking tailgating right on the cross country course, a VIP tent overlooking the dressage and show jumping rings— plus, they’re right next to the vendors. If you choose a VIP pass, you can expect top-notch appetizers and light meals throughout the day, as well as non-alcoholic drinks. If you’re hankering for a beer, glass of wine, or favorite cocktail, order up at the cash bar. 

Tailgating is still available! Don’t forget your passes. Photo by Annan Hepner.

Tailgating at the Morven Park International is on my personal bucket list. Camp out with friends for a Saturday while watching the best riders in the country compete for $200,000? Sign me up. Please note, if you do decide to tailgate, do it up! Break out the fall decorations. Bring your own bar and make sure the food looks so good your neighbors will be jealous.

Historically, legends have been made within the rolling grounds of Morven Park Equestrian Center. Even so, this iconic course hasn’t seen anything like the US Equestrian Open of Eventing Final. With fall foliage at its peak and a location in the middle of Virginia’s thriving horse community, it’s only fitting that the grand finale will add to the glory of these storied grounds.

Whether you’re a casual spectator or die-hard eventing fan, mark October 9th through the 13th on your calendar. You’re officially busy those days. 

Go eventing.

Friday News & Notes from Stable View

By on Sep 26, 2025 12:01 am -

Emily Hamel and Corvett. Photo by Shelby Allen.

It’s time to gear up for one of the last prep events for the fall Long format season in Aiken at Stable View’s Oktoberfest event this weekend! We’ll be locked in on the CCI4*-S division, which sees one of last year’s top three return for another run at the title and prize money this year in Pau-bound Emily Hamel and Corvett. However, 18 other competitors will be looking for a share of the money as well as that all-important preparation to tackle whatever’s coming next. It’s also the final East coast leg for the US Equestrian Open of Eventing, so points will be a hot commodity for any riders looking to make a run for some of that $25,000 leaderboard bonus at the end of the season. Points leader Boyd Martin is poised to lengthen his lead as Phillip Dutton has not entered any horses, which could all but guarantees Boyd the bonus at this stage. Boyd has one shot in the 4* in the Nutcracker Syndicate’s Cooley Nutcracker.

But that’s not all! Stable View also has a full roster of National and FEI divisions on tap, and there is always plenty to do (and eat!) for the whole family between the family-run venue’s nightly “Graze and Gaze” get-togethers, VIP ticket availability, and food and retail vendors on-site all weekend. You can click here to find out more on the schedule, purchase VIP tickets and more. We’ll be bringing you a full recap of the 4* action later this weekend, so stay tuned for more updates from Oktoberfest.

Major International Events

Lignières FEI Eventing Nations Cup (France): [Website] [Entries/Timing/Scoring] [FEI Eventing Nations Cup] [Live Stream] [CrossCountry App XC Maps]

Ballindenisk CCI4*-L (Ireland): [Website] [Entries/Times/Scores] [Live Stream] [CrossCountry App XC Maps]

U.S. & Canada Weekend Events

Stable View Oktoberfest (SC): [Website] [Entries/Times] [Scores] [CrossCountry App XC Maps] [Volunteer]

Spokane Sport Horse 11th Annual Fall H.T. (WA): [Website] [Entries/Times/Scores] [CrossCountry App XC Maps] [Volunteer]

Wesley Clover Parks Eastern Canadian Championships (Canada): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times] [Scores] [CrossCountry App XC Maps]

Sundance Farm H.T. (WI): [Website] [Entries/Times/Scores] [CrossCountry App XC Maps]

Jump Start H.T. (KY): [Website] [Entries/Times/Scores] [Volunteer]

Tomora H.T. (CO): [Website] [Entries/Times] [Scores] [Volunteer]

ESDCTA New Jersey H.T. (NJ): [Website] [Entries/Times] [CrossCountry App XC Maps] [Scores]

Old Tavern H.T. (VA): [Website] [Entries] [Times] [Scores] [CrossCountry App XC Maps] [Volunteer]

Course Brook Farm Fall H.T. (MS): [Website] [Entries/Times] [Scores] [Volunteer]

News & Reading

We’re teaming up with Sentinel Horse Nutrition to give away a year’s worth of Sentinel Horse Feeds! This sweepstakes is accepting entries until 11:59 p.m. ET on October 6. You can full the full terms and conditions + enter for your chance to win a big break for your bank account here.

The 2025 Mustang Classic at Kentucky Horse Park has come and gone, and amateur rider Laura Wilson took home the top title this year. Don’t miss the epic story of Laura’s win on her “one-eared wonder” here.

Don’t be any under misapprehension that this is just a flat racecourse in the northeast quarter of Los Angeles; that’s not the case at all.” So states incoming Olympic cross country course designer Alec Lochore, who’s been handed the reins on his first Olympic assignment at the Santa Anita Racetrack in Arcadia, CA for the 2028 Games. Alec sat down with The Chronicle of the Horse to bring us up to speed on what he’s got in store for us, how he’s navigating the unique challenges of an Olympic venue and more. Read the full interview here.

What is the role of the Volunteer Coordinator at your local event? Generally, the Volunteer Coordinator is tasked as “chief cat herder” — ensuring all the volunteer shifts are covered, managing and juggling schedules, feeding the hardworking volunteers and much more. Learn about the job — which is not for the faint of heart! — from one of the best in the biz, Jerri Lance at Galway Downs, here.

Sponsor Corner: Stable View

Photo by Christine Quinn Photography.

If you’re not quite ready for the big events like Oktoberfest (or you simply want a more affordable way to horse show!), don’t forget that entries for the October Eventing Academy at Stable View close on October 3. This is a low-pressure event that features cross country schooling on the first day, followed by an unrecognized competition on the second day. There are several Eventing Academy competitions throughout each season, and competitors can earn points toward the leaderboard with every Eventing Academy result. Click here to learn more and send in your entry!

Video Break

How do you read a horse’s expressions? USEF Chief of Sport David O’Connor has some tips for you:

Cambodian National Equestrian Team Gets 5* Coach for Southeast Equestrian Games

By on Sep 25, 2025 9:30 am -

Mexican equestrian Daniela Moguel has always been a trailblazer. As a talented young rider growing up in Mexico City, she was interested in eventing but had exhausted the competitive opportunities in her native country. Rather than give up, she moved to the U.S. to train with some of the best, including Joy Pharr and Karen O’Connor.

Danny later returned home to Mexico to form a successful training business but found that reaching the top levels of the sport as a rider would require splitting her time between Mexico and the United States. Under the tutelage of Karen O’Connor, Danny competed as the first rider from Mexico to compete at the CCI5* level.

Danny and her mare Cecelia represented Mexico in 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada as the only woman and civilian on the team, and later as the only Mexican rider for both the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games at Tryon International Equestrian Center and then the 2022 FEI World Championships in Rome. Danny is a familiar presence in Kentucky, as well, having ridden in six Rolex Kentucky/Land Rover Three-Day Events over the years 2016 to 2023. Danny and her husband, show jumper and 2* eventer Zully Castrejon, finally made the move to the U.S. and formed a flourishing training and sales business in Shelby, North Carolina called Eventing Da’Zull, which they later relocated to Ocala, FL.

Daniela Moguel and Cecelia (MEX). Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

By 2024, Cecelia had just retired, and her current string of horses were too green to compete at the higher levels. Dani was yearning for a new challenge. When she and Zully came across a Facebook ad from the Cambodian Federation seeking coaches to conduct a 10-day clinic for their eventing and show jumping teams, her interest was piqued.

“Zully said ‘What do you have to lose? Send your resume!’ and soon after we were on a Zoom meeting with the Federation,” Danny said. “I was a bit suspicious, thinking it might be a scam, but then I was able to confirm that Her Royal Highness Princess of Cambodia Nanda-Devi Norodom was organizing the team.”

“The Princess told me that she loved horses because of her grandfather, the previous king,” Danny remembers. “She explained that Cambodia had gone through a horrible history of genocide and war, and now that they were at peace it was a good time to start growing and healing from all that pain. She said, ‘I need to give something back to my country, something good and positive.’” The Princess’ daughter, Amrita, is an avid rider but she wanted the other members to represent disadvantaged backgrounds who couldn’t participate otherwise.

Our riders Kiri Chantola, Rothanak Kong and Menglong Rinda are back with coach Daniela Moguel for another eventing training in preparation for the SEA Games 2025!
🇰🇭❤️🏇🏻

Thank you Lami-Cell and Espoir Equestrian for helping us reach our goals 🙏❤️

#cambodianequestrianfederation #SEAGames2025 #eventing #StrongerTogether #SportandPeace

Posted by Cambodian Equestrian Federation on Sunday, July 27, 2025

After conducting the clinic, Danny and Zully were invited to move to Cambodia as the team’s official coaches for one year, and they accepted. “We had to rush to sell horses, move clients around, and prepare the big move within only a month, including our three dogs!” They left their Ocala farm in the hands of their friend and amateur equestrian Ann Taylor.

Danny began coaching the Cambodian National Equestrian Team in April, preparing them for the 2025 Southeast Asian Games which will be held in Thailand this December. The Southeast Asian Games feature the primary three equestrian disciplines: dressage, jumping and eventing. The eventing will run at approximately Training/Modified level, as a comparison to U.S. levels. The three riders who are aiming for the Games will represent Myanmar, Singapore, and Cambodia.

The team trains at the Genius Resort Equestrian Center in Phnom Penh, managed by its owner affectionately known as “Yaya.”

The Cambodian equestrian team members who will compete this December are Princess Amrita Norodom, 17; Rothanak Kong, 19; and Menglong Rinda, 21. “Princess Amrita is the spark that started it all. She represents the bridge between the world of elite equestrian sport and Cambodia’s culture, community, and traditions,” Danny shared. “Rothanak comes from a humble background and is a full-time student, but still shows up for training every day while also working a job to support his mom.

Menglong, known as ‘Long,’ is the son of Cambodia’s only horse veterinarian, and has left school to pursue riding full time.” The team’s mounts are sport horses generously provided by the Thailand Equestrian Federation and otherwise sponsored and supported by Yaya; Danny and Zully are additionally retraining former racehorses from Hong Kong for the team to ride, and Yaya’s own horses are also a part of the team.

“Even though none of the riders were born during the war, they are all affected by the results of it,” Danny pointed out. “Everyone’s goal for this is to help make the world look at Cambodia with different eyes.”

Danny admits that there can be language and cultural difficulties when coaching in another country, but she’s worked through those challenges with the team. “Princess Nanda has become a wonderful friend and has helped us learn to navigate these differences. Being here has reminded us how blessed we are, the value of resilience, and the importance of perspective.”

She also credits Zully and his supportive, adventurous spirit for their Cambodian experience: “This never would have happened if I wasn’t with Zully—he has helped make it possible.”

The Princess has asked Danny and Zully to stay on as the team’s trainers for another year after the Southeast Asian Games in December, an offer they are considering. Whether or not they remain, Danny says she is grateful for her Cambodian coaching experience and is motivated to continue her trailblazing efforts to improve accessibility to equestrian sports.

“Here in Cambodia, I’ve seen how every student you touch, you make them a hundred percent better. Your impact here is on a completely different scale. You’re teaching them to ride, but you’re also giving them a different way of seeing life.”

To follow along with Danny and her Cambodian travels, follow her on Instagram here and the Cambodian Equestrian Federation on Facebook here.