Classic Eventing Nation

Friday News & Notes from World Equestrian Brands

By on Oct 18, 2019 1:01 am -

Congrats to Tiahn Barnard and Nangkita SuperNova, winners of the E.A. Mattes “Fab Freebie” contest! Photo submitted by her mother Laureen Barnard.

EN readers voted Aussie young rider Tiahn Barnard the winner of last week’s E.A. Mattes “Fab Freebie” cross country style contest — congrats, Tiahn! We received nearly 700 entries and put the top 15 to a vote — this pair and their colorful getup received over 1,000 of your votes for the win. They will receive a Couture Ear Bonnet and Platinum Collection Quilt Only Pad in Jump Eurofit or All-Purpose Square from our friends at E.A. Mattes and World Equestrian Brands.

Tiahn is 16 and competes in a range of activities with her 8-year-old Thoroughbred Nangkita SuperNova: Pony Club, hunting, eventing and show jumping. Tiahn is in the Victorian Development Squad for Eventing and for Showjumping and just returned from Pony Club Nationals, where she came first in Junior Quiz. Nangkita SuperNova was bred for racing but never made it to the track, and got a late start to a riding career — she wasn’t even properly started under saddle until nearly age 5. “She’s a gentle natured, sensitive ‘pingy pony’ with a big heart,” says Tiahn’s mother Laureen, “and my daughter has taken her from a couple of unofficial 60 class starts to 1* (and E grade/60 to B grade/115 SJ) in 18 months. Pretty darn proud of them.”

National Holiday: National Chocolate Cupcake Day

Major Weekend Events:

Fair Hill International: Website, Drawn Order, Schedule, CCI Dressage Ride Times, YEH Ride Times, CCI Scoring, YEH Scoring, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

Le Lion d’Angers: Website, Entries and Ride Times (CCI2*-L), Entries and Ride Times (CCI3*-L), EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Tryon Riding & Hunt Club H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Hagyard Midsouth CCI, 3DE, & H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

Fresno County H.T. [Website]  [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

Pine Hill Fall H.T. [Website]  [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

Friday News: 

Attention all USA athletes and eventing stakeholders at Fair Hill International! Please join Erik Duvander, Leslie Law and Bobby Costello for a High Performance Open Forum at 4 p.m. Friday in the Stabling Tent to discuss updates to the USEF Eventing High Performance program initiatives. [FHI]

Interested in joining the conversation about how to create a healthier, more inclusive, more diverse sport? The 2019 Tom Bass Seminar will examine issues related to diversity in the equestrian industry as part of the 2nd Annual Day of the African Equestrian. The seminar is presented free to the public and will take place Saturday, Oct. 19 at TIEC as an adjunct to the Tryon Fall IV Horse Show. Representing eventing on the panel are Julian Seaman, Media Director of the Badminton Horse Trials, and Leslie Wylie (yours truly!) of EN. [Register to Attend]

Marilyn Little is off to a blazing start at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show, where she and Karen O’Connor’s Clearwater bested a field of 33 riders in the $10,000 1.40m Speed Challenge. EN’s sister site Jumper Nation has the story. [Little & Chapot Set the Pace at the 2019 Pennsylvania National Horse Show]

The USEA’s sprawling “USEA Events A-Z” series rolls on with a feature on Sporting Days Farm in Aiken, SC. It’s been running since 1993 and is a staple of the early season calendar for Aiken snowbirds. “We pride ourselves as being the friendliest ‘neigh’berly’ event,” says Sporting Days owner Joannah Hall Glass. [USEA]

Fresh off representing Team USA at Boekelo, Liz Halliday-Sharp is now at Le Lion d’Angers with two entries in the seven-ear-old class: Cooley Moonshine, who scored a 29.3 to sit third overnight, and Flash Cooley, who’ll do his dressage test today. Josephine Schaufer of Germany is the provisional leader with Viktor 107. Sherry Stewart is ringside once again, and sent these gorgeous photos of Liz from the first horse inspection our way. [Le Lion d’Angers]

Hot on Horse Nation: World Equestrian Brands Drone Cam – Swimming Horse

Just in on Jumper Nation: Glorioso Rides Aside to Ladies Hunter Sidesaddle Championship at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show

Featured Video: You know how I love my Intro eventers! Kate Vorobieff and Mr. Perfect turned in a perfect performance to win the Intro B division at Woodside International H.T. earlier this month. They took the lead on their dressage score of 29.0 and never looked back for the win. Well-played, you two! [Ride On Video]

Blustery Beginnings at Fair Hill: Will Coleman Leads CCI4*-L, Tight Race in CCI3*-L after Dressage Day One

By on Oct 17, 2019 7:01 pm -

Will Coleman and DonDante. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Well, at least it’s not raining. It was, however, an exceptionally windy day here at the Dutta Corp Fair Hill International Three-Day in Elkton, Maryland. Though the conditions made delivering a relaxed dressage test a bit trickier than usual, we still saw some excellent fancy prancing in the CCI division on day one of dressage.

Will Coleman and Dondante are leading the CCI4*-L division, after approximately a third of the division performed their dressage tests this afternoon. Dondante, a 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse who was sourced through Cooley Farm as a four-year-old, is Will’s sole entry this weekend. Despite the blustery conditions, the gelding showed up to work and clocked a personal best score of 33.8 at the Advanced/ four-star level.

“The conditions were kind of challenging, actually, this afternoon,” said Will. “He’s a pretty spooky guy, so I was very proud of him. He just keeps getting better. He’s definitely not going to get mistaken for a dressage horse, but he tried hard. We’ve been working very hard, so I’m pleased with the improvement. Hopefully he can finish on that.”

Will Coleman and DonDante. Photo by Abby Powell.

Bringing along Dondante, who goes by “Al” around the barn, has been a rewarding endeavor for Will, who has enjoyed support from owners in partnership, Team Rebecca and the Four-Star Eventing Group.

“He hasn’t had amazing results anywhere but his dressage keeps getting a little bit better every year and he’s always been pretty good jumper and a good cross country horse. If anything I’d say he tries too hard — we had a mistake out of the first halt, but that was just him wanting to get into the test so bad that he just loses his footwork and canters a step.”

“But that’s the sort of horse he is, he just wants to give you everything, so sometimes that tension can bubble over just little bit so my job is really to try to keep him relaxed and confident and I think I’m doing better job of that. As he matures he just keeps getting better and better. He hasn’t blown anyone away yet … but if he keeps going like this maybe one day he’s going to do great things.

Lauren Kieffer and D.A. Duras. Photo by Abby Powell.

Lauren Kieffer sits in second on a score of 35.4 with D.A. Duras, an 11-year-old KWPN gelding owned by Jaqueline Mars and Debbie Adams. Rounding out the top three in the four-star is Allie Knowles and Katherine O’Brien’s 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, Moreswood.

Holly Payne Caravella and Charmking. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

The top three horses in the CCI3*-L all delivered sub-30 dressage scores and there is a currently a tie for first on a score of 29.8: Holly Payne Caravella and Charmking share the top spot with Caitlin Silliman and Ally KGO.

“He’s an awesome horse,” Holly said of the 8-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by Carmking LLC. “I was actually really concerned though — he is a little noise sensitive and with all the wind today and the flags and everything … I had taken him out for a gallop to try to just take the edge off and he was actually a little too quiet in the ring.  So I did a little too much, but I would rather have that any day than have him have been explosive.”

Caitlin Silliman and Ally KGO. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Despite the conditions, Cailtin was able to glean some confidence from having ridden Morgan McCue’s Ally KGO, an 8-year-old Trakehner mare, in this atmosphere before in for the 4- and 5-year-old YEH Championship in years past.

“It gives you a bit of confidence going in the same ring, because you’ve been in there and she’s been here for the big three-day in the spring,” she said. “But she is quite a hot horse and it’s tough conditions today on a spooky sharp one with the wind and the flags whipping and there’s quite a bit of atmosphere with the cross-country jumps and the people sitting on the hill.”

“She’s a beautiful moving horse, but you never quite know what you’re going to get because she moves so big she’s hard to keep up with sometimes and can just drag me around the ring and make some mistakes but she was a really good girl and very focused and was really rideable through the whole test so I was really happy.”

Jenny Caras and Trendy Fernhill. Photo by Shannon Brinkman.

Sitting only a tenth of a point behind the three-star leaders on a 29.9 is Jenny Caras and her own Trendy Fernhill, and 8-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding.

That’s a wrap on day one at Fair Hill! Dressage continues tomorrow with the rest of both CCI divisions heading down the centerline at 8:00am sharp.

#DuttaFHI: Website, Drawn Order, Schedule, CCI Dressage Ride Times, YEH Ride Times, CCI Scoring, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

Thursday Video: Breaking Down Euros with Ingrid Klimke and Michael Jung

By on Oct 17, 2019 6:00 pm -

“I don’t feel much pressure … I hope it will be really tough and fun.” That’s what defending European Eventing champion Ingrid Klimke said in the lead-up to the 2019 edition of the Longines FEI European Championships, held this year at Luhmühlen.

As the history books would have it, Ingrid went head-to-head against heavy hitters such as Michael Jung and Oliver Townend and held her cool under the pressure to clinch her second European title in as many years.

Listen to comments from Ingrid and Michael, the gold and silver medallists, in this FEI recap from an exciting weekend at Euros!

Fair Hill Instagram Roundup: The Soggiest Jog

By on Oct 17, 2019 4:47 pm -

I’m not at ALL sad to have not been at Fair Hill yesterday for that rain-drenched first horse inspection. Not sad, not sorry, not even one little bit. And yet, you eventers marched out there into the pouring rain, smiling and making the best of it, as you do. Let’s have a look at some of your photos from the day:

View this post on Instagram

Pippy accepted ✔️

A post shared by Lynn Symansky (@lynn.symansky.equestrian) on

Thankfully, today’s skies dawned significantly clearer.

A bit chilly, but you guys look pretty cute all bundled up, too.

Best of luck to all at Fair Hill International 2019! Go Eventing.

#DuttaFHI: Website, Drawn Order, Schedule, CCI Dressage Ride Times, YEH Ride Times, CCI Scoring, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

By the Numbers: Fair Hill International CCI4*-L

By on Oct 17, 2019 12:52 pm -

The 2019 Dutta Corp Fair Hill International Three-Day is now upon us and while we have seen quite a lot of dry weather in the region over the past month, the skies opened up yesterday. This should leave us with good footing for cross country day, with weather that promises to be lovely. This will be the final year that the cross country runs on this side of Gallagher Road, with a brand new course and brand new name next year for the 5*.

Derek di Grazia will be designing the cross-country for the final time after two decades of work here. If you see him, be sure to thank him for his efforts in making Fair Hill the standard in the U.S. at the CCI4*-L level, and if you’re itching to run his course design as a prep for Kentucky (or Tokyo!), take a trip up to Bromont in the summer. Marc Donovan comes forward to design the show jumping for the second year running.

Dressage for the 4* starts at 2 p.m. EST today, and you can watch live on USEF Network.

The Field 

  • The leader after dressage has won the event for the last four consecutive runnings.
  • The lowest dressage score of the competition has been an average of 27.17 over the last half-decade, compared to 28.86 world-wide and 26.43 in western Europe over the same time period.
  • Although Fair Hill’s 5-year cross country completion rate (75.3%) and inside the time rate (13.5%) is comparable to world-wide 5-year 4*-L rates (77.3% and 12.9% respectively), the cross country clear rate at Fair Hill (65.5%) is significantly higher compared to the world-wide clear rate (59.8%)
  • At least one rider has made the time on cross country for the last five years. Fourteen made the time in 2016. Only three winners since 2012 have made the time on cross country.
  • With a combination of plenty of horses used to pushing the pace and a fast surface to run on Saturday, look for a large number of horses to make the time.
  • Competitors have incurred an average of 0.99 rails at Fair Hill since 2014 while world-wide competitors incur an average of 1.47 rails at this level.
  • Only one winner since 2012, Jan Byyny with Inmidair, were able to absorb a rail and still win the division. Two other winners, Tamie Smith with Mai Baum and Selena O’Hanlon with Foxwood High, have won with clean rounds but incurred show jumping time penalties.
  • At least one competitor has finished on their dressage score every year for the last four years, with 2014 being the last year that no FODS occurred. A high of seven pairs obtained an FOD in 2016.

Dressage Divas

Lynn Symansky and Under Suspection. Photo by Leslie Threlkeld.

  • Lynn Symansky and Under Suspection have scored over 70% in five of their eight A/4* starts in the last two years; their personal best of 25.0 as a pair was scored only two outings ago at Great Meadow 4*-S. With a slot in the morning of day two, they’ll need to really impress if they want to hold the lead through the remainder of the division.
  • Doug Payne and Vandiver have also performed exceptionally well over the 2018/19 seasons, scoring over 70% in four of six A/4* tests over that time period. These two will have an advantage over others on the list with a ride time in the last quarter of the division.
  • Lauren Kieffer and D.A. Duras clocked in a very strong 26.0 in their 4* last outing at Great Meadow, a sign that the horse is returning to the form we saw mid-2017 when he broke 75% at Little Downham Advanced in England. A slot in the first quarter of the division will work against them though.
  • Covert Rights hasn’t scored below 70% yet this season, with four consecutive marks in the 20s leading the way to four top-three finishes. Their hot streak will need to hold through an early morning session ride time, but expect to see a top mark from this horse and Colleen Rutledge tomorrow.

Cross Country Machines

Phillip Dutton and Z. Photo by Shelby Allen.

  • It’s easy to overlook Phillip Dutton‘s ride Z after his troubles this year but this horse’s record across the country is fairly impeccable at the CCI4/5*-L formats. In five finishes, this horse has only once had time penalties, incurred at WEG last fall when Phillip was under team orders rather than running as an individual. He hasn’t been the fastest time of the day by any long shot, but he hasn’t needed to be; finishing within five seconds of optimum in all four of those outings is a sign of a master rider at work. The one question mark in this horse’s resume on this phase is the venue itself; in Z’s only Fair Hill start in 2016, Phillip took a tumble to end their competition.
  • Clark Montgomery is seeking his return to the 5* level with Caribbean Soul, a chestnut Thoroughbred mare who has finished either inside the optimum time or as the fastest time of the day in her last three starts at the A/4* level. This includes being bang on optimum time in the Rebecca Farm CCI4*-L, the only long format at the level this mare has yet run.
  • Erin Sylvester and Paddy the Caddy have completed three CCI4*-L divisions all within ten seconds of the optimum time. This includes a Fair Hill run in 2017 where they finished inside the optimum. They also have a clear round inside the time at Kentucky, another Derek di Grazia-designed long format.
  • Fylicia Barr and Galloway Sunrise don’t always bring all their turn of foot to bear on the course at hand, but have obtained four top-three finishes in nine finishes over the last two years when they do. This includes a win in the Jersey Fresh CCI4*-L in the spring, two top three placings at Plantation Field 4*-S, and a second place at Fair Hill Advanced in the spring of 2018.
  • Jenny Caras and Fernhill Fortitude have the CCI4*-L level down to a science; they’ve finished six events at this particular level, have finished inside the time or as the fastest ride at three of them while being within three seconds of optimum at another two. They’ve completed this event at Fair Hill three times now, with a cumulative total of one second over optimum time.
  • Covert Rights also has to be discussed. Colleen Rutledge is known as a rider with the ability to make the time, and she and Covert Rights have done that many, many times at the CCI4*-S level. Since 2015, they’ve been the fastest pace or made the time at 11 of 18 clean A/4*-S rounds and have been within 10 seconds of either optimum or the fastest time of the day on another four occasions. However the 4/5* long format has slowed them down considerably and they’ve made time at those levels only once … here at Fair Hill in 2017. With good turf, it’s likely for them to be back in more familiar territory of a fast and clear round this weekend.
  • There are several other horses with speed that can be mentioned; Il Vici (Arden Wildasin), Magnum’s Martini and Cash (Nilson Moreira da Silva), Serendipity (Brooke Massie), Michel 233 (Will Faudree), Under Suspection (Lynn Symansky), Jak My Style (Buck Davidson), and Honor Me (Lisa Marie Fergusson) are all horses who have shown the ability to make the pace, either at the CCI4*-L level or in their more recent short format events.

Show Jumping Powerhouses

Erin Sylvester and Paddy The Caddy. Photo by AK Dragoo Photography.

  • On show jumping day, Paddy the Caddy and Erin Sylvester are a pair who are a strong bet for a clear round; in four long format 4/5* completions, they’ve jumped four clear rounds with only one time penalty total.
  • Although Lisa Marie Fergusson and Honor Me haven’t been able to replicate their form at the 5* level, at the 4*-L level, they are perfect. They have added nothing to their score on the final day in every completion at this level, including at Fair Hill in 2016.
  • Lynn Symansky and Under Suspection have only twice competed with stadium as the final phase, but have overall jumped clear in six of eight stadium rounds they have as a pair.
  • Lauren Kieffer and D.A. Duras have jumped clear in eight of ten A/4* stadium rounds since 2017; they’ve jumped clear in three of four rounds when stadium was the final phase, including a Fair Hill completion in the fall of 2016. This will be their first CCI4*-L start since then.
  • Jak My Style has jumped clear in two of three starts where cross-country was last with Buck Davidson in the irons, including Fair Hill in 2017.
  • Phillip Dutton has a pair of strong jumpers in both Z and Fernhill Singapore, who combined have jumped clear in 27 of 32 starts. Fernhill Singapore has jumped clear in eight of his nine starts at A/4*, but the only rail he incurred was when stadium occurred after cross country, under the lights, at the American Eventing Championships. Meanwhile Z was known for his prowess in this phase until earlier this year, jumping twelve consecutive clears at the level that included his first trip overseas to Tattersalls 4*-L, his first 5*, and the WEG. At Kentucky he ran into a hiccup, incurring two uncharacteristic rails and followed with three rails at Aachen but has since returned to form, jumping clear in his last three rounds including as a catch-ride under Boyd Martin at Plantation.
  • Young horses and riders who might impress in this phase include BGS Firecracker (Mia Farley) and Early Review CBF (Sydney Solomon), as well as horses under veteran riders like DonDante (Will Coleman).

PREDICTED WINNER: Lynn Symansky and Under Suspection

Lynn Symansky and Under Suspection. Photo by Shelby Allen.

Keep Your Eye On …

  • Phillip Dutton and Z
  • Colleen Rutledge and Covert Rights
  • Buck Davidson and Jak My Style
  • Erin Sylvester and Paddy the Caddy
  • Doug Payne and Vandiver
  • Jenny Caras and Fernhill Fortitude
  • Clark Montgomery and Caribbean Soul
  • Lisa Marie Fergusson and Honor Me

#DuttaFHI: Website, Drawn Order, Schedule, CCI Dressage Ride Times, YEH Ride Times, CCI Scoring, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

Volunteer Nation: 9 Events That Need Your Help This Weekend

By on Oct 17, 2019 11:00 am -

Buck Davidson and volunteer Jess Tibbels share a high five. Photo courtesy of AK Dragoo Photo.

If you enjoy studying the sport of eventing and want to know the ins and outs, there’s no better way to accomplish this than volunteering. Luckily, there are plenty of opportunities to dip your toe into other corners of the sport that you may be unfamiliar with, such as working in a vet box or scribing for a dressage judge. The learning opportunities are endless! And you’ll be helping your neighborhood event run smoothly — a double benefit.

So get out there, volunteer, and learn this weekend! You can learn more about each event and the open positions by visiting EventingVolunteers.com. Here are nine events nationwide that need YOUR help:

Fair Hill is pulling out all the stops this week with its marquee international CCI3*-L and CCI4*-L running, as well as the East Coast YEH Championships. Volunteers working at Fair Hill are eligible for perks such as:

*Free admission to the entire event.
*Free meals, snacks and drinks in the Volunteer Hospitality Tent.
*Parking in the lot directly across from the Main Entrance for the entire event.
*10% discount at the FHI Merchandise Booth
*Invitation to the Welcome Party, Thursday evening, beginning at 6pm, in the Sponsors’ Tent.
*Invitation to attend the XC Course Walk with 5* rider Matt Brown on Friday at 4pm, meeting at the Start Box.

Event: The Dutta Corp. Fair Hill International
Date(s) volunteers needed: Today through Monday, October 21
Address: 400 Gallaher Rd, Elkton, MD, 21921
Positions available: Dressage Bit Check, Hospitality Helper, Hospitality Steward, Volunteer Check-in, Safety Steward, Event Takedown – Dressage, Event Takedown – SJ, Merchandise Sales, General Help, Stable Manager, Mounted Steward, XC Control, XC Score Runner, Event Takedown – XC, Volunteer Lead, Shuttle Drivers, Awards Committee, Greeter, Stabling Check-in (Move Out), Event Breakdown – all areas

Event: Pine Hill USEA Fall Horse Trials
Date(s) volunteers needed: Friday, October 18 – Saturday, October 19
Address: 1720 Hwy 159 East, Bellville, TX, 77418
Positions available: Parking Steward, Scoring Steward, SJ Jump Crew

Event: Tryon Riding and Hunt Club Horse Trials
Date(s) volunteers needed: Today through Sunday, October 20
Address: 3381 Hunting Country Rd, Tryon, NC, 28782
Positions available: XC Decorator, Hospitality Prep, Event Prep – General, Hospitality Helper, Greeter, Event Takedown – XC, XC Warm-up, XC Jump Judge, Floater, SJ Jump Crew

Event: Fresno County Horse Park October Horse Trials
Date(s) volunteers needed: Friday, October 18 through Sunday, October 20
Address: 7430 North Weber Ave, Fresno, CA, 93726
Positions available: Dressage Scribe, Dressage Steward, SJ Scribe, XC Crossing Guard, XC Jump Judge, SJ Jump Crew, SJ Score Runner, SJ Scribe, XC Crossing Guard, XC Finish Timer, SJ Timer

Event: Hagyard Midsouth Team Challenge
Date(s) volunteers needed: Today through Sunday, October 20
Address: 4089 Iron Works Pike, Lexington, KY, 40511
Positions available: Pooper-scooper, Scorers, SJ Jump Crew, Vet Box Timer, Vet Box Scribe, Phase A & C Check Point Judges, XC Crossing Guard, XC Jump Judges, Horse Inspection In-gate

Event: Stable View October Eventing Academy
Date(s) volunteers needed: Today through Sunday, October 20
Address: 117 Stable Dr, Aiken, SC, 29801
Positions available: General Help, Parking Steward, SJ Jump Crew, XC Jump Judge, SJ Warm-up, SJ Jump Crew

Event: MDHT Starter Trial Series #5
Date(s) volunteers needed: Friday, October 19 through Sunday, October 20
Address: 1235 Park Mills Road, Adamstown, MD, 21710
Positions available: XC Jump Judge, Dressage Score Runner, Dressage Scribe, Dressage Warm-up, SJ Jump Crew, XC Starter, XC Warm-up,

Event: Florida Horse Park Battle of the Barns
Date(s) volunteers needed: Sunday, October 20
Address: 11008 S Highway 475, Ocala, FL, 34480
Positions available: XC Finish Timer, Dressage In-gate Steward, Dressage Scribe, Hospitality Steward, SJ Judge, SJ Warm-up

Event: SAzEA October Derby
Date(s) volunteers needed: Today through Sunday, October 20
Address: 11300 SOUTH HOUGHTON ROAD, Tucson, AZ, 85747
Positions available: Event Prep – Dressage and SJ, Dressage Steward, Dressage Test Runner, Event Prep – XC, Event Takedown – Dressage and SJ, SJ Jump Crew, Hospitality Helper, XC Jump Judges, XC Score Runner, Event Takedown – XC

Thursday News & Notes from Taylor Harris Insurance Services (THIS)

By on Oct 17, 2019 12:03 am -

The good old hack-n-snack. Photo by Whitney Weston.

I know everybody was kinda bummed to get rained on yesterday during the jogs at Fair Hill, but bless anything and everything because we SERIOUSLY needed it. I don’t even remember the last time it rained, and I feel like I’ve had a layer of dust on me for years at this point. A whole day of cold rain in October never felt like such a dream.

National Holiday: National Pasta Day

Major Weekend Events

Fair Hill International: [Website] [Entry Status] [Order of Draw] [Ride Times 3* & 4*] [Ride Times YEH][Live Results]

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Tryon Riding & Hunt Club H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Hagyard Midsouth CCI, 3DE, & H.T. [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

Fresno County H.T. [Website]  [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

Pine Hill Fall H.T. [Website]  [Entry Status/Ride Times/Live Scores]

News From Around the Globe:

A twenty-year-old Thoroughbred conquers racing on the flat, racing over fences, hunters, jumpers, and now sidesaddle. In a true example of the versatility of the breed, Epilogue took rider Ashleigh Glorioso to two championship titles at the Pennsylvania National Horse Show. Displaying elegance, superior manners, and a strong performance, Glorioso and Epilogue won both the Ladies Hunter Sidesaddle Over Fences class and the Sallie Jones Sexton Perpetual Trophy in the Ladies Hunter Sidesaddle Hack. [Thoroughbred Takes All At PNHS]

Ready to enter Horse Nation’s super spooky short story contest? We can’t wait to hear from you! Give us goosebumps and the story will get published and maybe read on Horse Radio Network live! Entries are due by midnight on Sunday the 27th. [Enter HN’s Spooky Essay Contest]

Thinking about a companion for your horse? Outside of getting a new horse (and we would never talk you out of that) you should seriously consider a donkey. I have a miniature donkey named Pepe and he is the cutest little ding dong of all time, and also gets along with almost anybody and doesn’t put up with any crap. [Are Donkeys The New Black?]

 

Fair Hill First Horse Inspection: 109 Pairs Accepted

By on Oct 16, 2019 8:30 pm -

Same, Master Frisky, same. Photo by Abby Powell.

For all of the rain that the Elkton, Maryland area hasn’t had over the past few weeks, nature seems to be making up for it today, just in time for the first horse inspection at the Dutta Corp Fair Hill International Three-Day Event. Though it soaked through many an article of clothing, it didn’t put a damper on the spirits of the competitors or the members of the ground juries. Spoiler alert: all 109 pairs were accepted.

Horses in the CCI3*-L, 62 in total, presented first to the ground jury of Helen Brettell (GBR) and Valerie Vizcarrondo Pride (USA). Two horses were sent to the holding box, but were accepted upon representation: Colleen Rutledge’s C Me Fly and Heather Jane Morris’ Jos UFO De Quidam. Jennifer Salinger’s Lasse 73 was asked to jog twice, but were accepted after their second pass down the lane.

Fylicia Barr and Galloway Sunrise. Photo by Abby Powell.

The skies opened up in time for the CCI4*-L division to trot up for the ground jury Martin Plewa (GER), Bobby Stevenson (USA), Angela Tucker (GBR). Sydney Solomon and Early Review were the only pair held out of 47 in this division, but ultimately passed and were accepted.

Dressage for the the CCI divisions kicks off with the CCI3*-L tomorrow morning at 9:12am and the CCI4*-L takes over the sandbox in the afternoon beginning at 1:36pm. Sharon White will be performing the test rides for both divisions.

Competition for the YEH East Coast Championships also begins tomorrow, with the first pair in the 5 year old class, Andrew Palmer and Ladino, slated to begin their dressage at 7:44am.

Keep it locked on EN for much more to come from FHI!

#DuttaFHI: Website, Drawn Order, Schedule, CCI Dressage Ride Times, YEH Ride Times, CCI Scoring, Live Stream, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

Bringing Up Baby: All Accepted at Le Lion d’Angers First Horse Inspections

By on Oct 16, 2019 4:00 pm -

Kitty King presents 2018’s Six-Year-Old World Champion, Cristal Fontaine, for this year’s seven-year-old class. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

It’s all well and good chasing the best horses and the best riders around the world once they’ve already established themselves, but there’s nothing quite like the thrill of spotting a great horse in the early stages of its career and watching it flourish at the top level. Therein lies the game at Le Lion d’Angers, the WBFSH Eventing World Breeding Championship in the Loire Valley, France. Partly a battle of the studbooks and partly a way to pick out the six- and seven-year-old stars of the future, Le Lion has established itself as one of the highlights of the autumn international calendar.

This year is no exception: the CCI2*-L for six-year-olds features 42 competitors across 19 nations, while the CCI3*-L for seven-year-olds fields an impressive 67 combinations representing 15 nations.

The competition was set in motion this afternoon at the first horse inspections, presided over by two separate ground juries. Tim Downes (GBR), Xavier Le Sauce (FRA), and Katrin Eichinger-Kniely (AUT) looked after the six-year-olds, while Annabel Scrimgeour (GBR), Stuart Bissell (NZL), and Eric Lieby (FRA) cast their experienced eyes over the seven-year-olds.

There was certainly plenty to keep them busy. Baby horses, after all, will be baby horses, and a stiff breeze, a steady autumnal rain, and the inexplicable drive-by of a truck full of plastic cows was just enough to blow a few brains. Sometimes trotting up a horse looks like rather a civilised activity. Sometimes, it looks like this:

Bless. Their. Hearts.

Two horses were held, and then passed upon re-presentation: Caroline Powell‘s Rock Midnight was the sole hold in the six-year-old section, while Tom Carlile, who is based at the venue’s equestrian centre, went to the hold box with his seven-year-old Cestuy la de l’Esques. 

Tim Lips has a bad time at the trot-up. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Truly sodden: Ingrid Klimke sums up how everyone feels at Le Lion. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Karim Florent Laghouag shelters from the elements under Chaman Ginn. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

The assembled also had to deal with some of the most miserable weather we’ve ever had to cope with at Le Lion, and although some fell foul of the elements – spare a thought for poor Tim Lips, who took the brunt of a leak in the roof to his well-coiffed mane – France’s Karim Florent Laghouag had the right idea, hiding for cover underneath Chaman Ginn.

Liz Halliday-Sharp and Cooley Moonshine (USA). Photo by Tilly Berendt.

We’ve got one US representative in situ here in Le Lion, and she’s got two rides: Liz Halliday-Sharp will pilot Cooley Moonshine, last year’s dressage and cross-country leader in the CCI2*-L, and Flash Cooley in the seven-year-old class.

Dressage commences tomorrow at 9.00 a.m. local time/8.00 BST/3.00 a.m. Eastern time, with half the six-year-olds performing their tests in the morning and half the seven-year-olds following suit in the afternoon. You can find links to ride times in our link footer below. We’ll be back tomorrow with a full report from day one, packed to the rafters with insight into the breeding of these young superstars – but in the meantime, enjoy a bumper edition of the trot-up gallery. Preferably in the comfort of your warm, dry home.

Go eventing!

Le Lion d’Angers: Website, Entries and Ride Times (CCI2*-L), Entries and Ride Times (CCI3*-L), EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram

The Six-Year-Olds:

The Seven-Year-Olds:

Wednesday Video from Kentucky Performance Products: Meanwhile in Poland

By on Oct 16, 2019 2:00 pm -

While the CCI4*-L and Nations Cup at Military Boekelo in The Netherlands captured the attention of those interested in a first look at the new Olympic format, many other top European-based riders headed to Poland for the Strzegom October Festival, which hosted a CCI1*, CCI2*-S, and CCI3* and 4* long and shorts over Oct. 10-13, 2019.

Australia’s Andrew Hoy rode Paula & David Evans‘ Vassily de Lassos to a second place finish in the CCI4*-L, clocking in the fastest cross country round of the day and only one of two rounds clear and inside the time; the other belonging to division winners Harry Meade and Superstition. Vassily de Lassos, a 10-year-old Anglo-Arab gelding (Jaguar Mail x Illusion Perdue, by Jalienny), was Andrew’s mount for the 2018 World Equestrian Games in Tryon. With numerous top results and speedy rounds already at such a young age, he’s surely one to watch going into an Olympic year.

Grab mane and enjoy their speedy Strzegom round!

[Strzegom Final Results]

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