Media blackout lifted! With the conclusion of the Pan American Games comes the lifting of the iron curtain on video coverage, so let’s take a look back. Tamie Smith and Mai Baum absolutely dazzled in the first phase, gliding to an incredible 22.8. Watch “Lexus” in Lima:
Catch up on all of EN’s 2019 Peru Pan American Games coverage here.
Photo courtesy of Haras du Pin.
Since the first edition of the FEI Nations Cup at Haras du Pin in 2017, the French squad has won…3 times. At the end of the suspense, the French, deprived of one of their best pairs — Qamilha, the mare of Thaïs Meheust, having been spun at the inspection on Sunday morning — had to stick together to succeed in winning against a highly motivated Italian team. At the top of the overall ranking of the circuit, Italy was keen to strengthen their leadership by winning in the Norman fields.
They met a strong and particularly united French team. Because when Jean Teulère, the first member of the team to start in this last test, went off the course with three poles on the ground, they were really down…and feeling the pressure growing! Because the Italians lined up the good performances, especially Ariana Schivo. “We first wanted to keep our second place and we hoped to go back to the first. It was doable, but very tight. Out team worked quite well, even if some of my team mates had some penalties, it was good,” Ariana explained. She finished on a clear round and a 5th place.
When Clara Loiseau, the second member of the French team to tackle the SJ course, had a pole down, things tightened. There was no other option than a clear round for the last rider to go for the French squad. Being in the lead so far added to suspense.
“When I compete with Punch, I obviously dream of winning but I know that my place is rather 3rd or 3rd. His record speaks for it,” Karim Laghouag said. “It’s a great surprise, especially as the team relies on me for the victory. A team medal is really something special to me. To feel that extra pressure helped me. I’ve had a few four-point show jumping results this year with him which is really rare. I’ve been riding him since he was four, he’s 16 now. I probably needed a bit of pressure to believe in it and do all I could to get that clear round. I’ve realised that I could ride him with more pressure and get a better result,”
On top of pocketing the team prize – the third in a row for France in the FEI Nations Cup, Karim Laghouag also won the series in front of two Brits David Doel and Kirsty Johnson, as Thomas Carlile (again!!) finished 4th. He could have won if Atos hadn’t added disappointing 4 penalty points to his score on the first fence of the course.
CCI3*-S
Gwendolen Fer and Traumprinz. Photo courtesy of Haras du Pin.
She strongly wanted to finish on a positive note after an unexpected fall with her other horse Romantic Love, earlier on. Gwendolen Fer, From Toulouse, manage to overcome pressure from her leading position by foot perfectly clearing the course with Traumprinz. The beautiful trakehner gelding touches the one before the last but it didn’t fall and they reached the line clear.
“Traumprinz got hurt at Bramham (GBR) last year, so it was his come back here,” the rider explains. “Starting with a victory is always morally good. He performs with regularity. He‘s overqualified for the series, but we know that we can trust him on all 3 tests. We’ll see if we ‘re coming back in September for the Grand National class or if we’re choosing to compete at Lignieres,”
Following her, were Thomas Carlile with Cestuy La de l’Esques and Karim Laghouag on Triton Fontaine.
CCI3*-L
Thomas Carlile takes first, second and third in the CCI3*-L. Photo courtesy of Haras du Pin.
One, two and three horses on the podium! Not many riders have ever done such a tremendous performance. On top of riding a large number of horses, nine in the day yesterday competing in different classes, Thomas Carlile totally mastered this long format series. He’s used to international podiums, but wouldn’t have bet on it before the competition.
“I didn’t have it on mind when I arrived. I knew Birmane and Bary Louvo were to fight side to side for the lead as they have already competed at this level. I’m particularly satisfied with Zanzibar Villa Rose Z who is only 7. He started eventing last year. He qualified this year for the Mondial du Lion and I wanted to see him on a long format here. He’s the conformation of a 5 star horse and has a great form. I thought the long format would better suit his gallop. And I was right. The show jumping test is his weakest point, he needs to be collected after the cross country. He has perfectly recovered after the cross country and avoided the difficulties today. He totally deserves his 2nd place,” Tomas said.
On the lead before the SJ phase with Birmane, Thomas couldn’t avoid the 4 penalty points. “I think that Birmane’s rider‘s been less efficient today than Bary’s one,” Thomas adds laughing. “She’s slightly better than the other two but I cut the curve to number 8. I paid it full. She’s had a few slight muscles problems in spring and it’s her 2nd competition since. She has to find her reflex back. Even if she’s a great show mare, she‘s sometimes overconfident. I wanted to give her an easy course to run for her confidence and strengthen her with the distance,”
It was thus all the podium places for Thomas with in order Bary louvo, Zanzibar Villa Rose Z and Birmane, leaving fourth place to Kiwi Andrew Nicholson with Spanish horse Argentino BK, and Belgian Senne Vervaecke finished fifth with Jeno.
Click here for results.
Tamie Smith and Danito. Photo by Sherry Smith.
What a weekend! There were so many blue ribbons given out we could hardly count them all. From Vermont to California, eventers showed up and showed out for some summer fun.
Let’s take a moment to recognize Nancy Read and Caribe PCH, who had the lowest finishing score of the weekend. They won the Novice Rider division at GMHA Festival of Eventing on a whooping (or, rather, not-so-whooping) score of 21.7. Well done, you two!
Let’s see who else earned their time in the spotlight:
GMHA Festival of Eventing H.T. [Results]
CCI2*-S: Zoe Crawford & Francelia (31.1)
Open Intermediate: Anna Loschiavo & Prince Renan (28.6)
Junior/Young Open Preliminary: Abby Dubrawski & Cobble Creek (41.2)
Open Preliminary: Buck Davidson & Cooley Candyman (30)
Preliminary Rider: Diane Thompson & Boston Jack (31)
Junior Training: Ayden Schain & Pyxylated Magic (31.4)
Open Training A: Ashley Adams & Charly (23.4)
Open Training B: Sally Davis & MFF Manhattan Affair (29.3)
Preliminary/Training: Cristin Roby & Fernhill Dragonfly (37)
Training Rider A: Katy Raynor & Brave Spirit (30.2)
Training Rider B: Morgyn Johnson & CORONIRO (28)
Junior Novice A: Sarah Lovallo & Watson’s Delightful (30.2)
Junior Novice B: Alexa McKersie & Skip A Stride (25.2)
Novice Rider A: Eve Kaplan-Walbrecht & Whilethewife’saway (36)
Novice Rider B: Leighanne Sadley & Licorice (26.9)
Novice Rider Sat/Sun A: Nancy Read & Caribe PCH (21.7)
Novice Rider Sat/Sun B: Annabelle Sprague & Augustine (30.2)
Open Novice: Shanon Baker & Honor Society (24.8)
Open Novice Sat/Sun: Jennifer Eddy & Poker Run (22.6)
Beginner Novice Rider A: Susanne Lichten & Womble (26.3)
Beginner Novice Rider B: Anna Schonhorn & Private Affair (28.5)
Junior Beginner Novice A: Magdalene Meek & Windchase Storm Boom (30.8)
Junior Beginner Novice B: Sydney Gallien Hot Trot’n Twister (32.5)
Open Beginner Novice: Sandra Holden & Cadillac Boy (26.5)
Many thanks to Joan Davis / Flatlandsfoto for these great winner pics!
Feather Creek Farm H.T. [Results]
Open Preliminary: Emelie Lesher & Hotshot (44.6)
Open Training: Ellen Doughty-Hume & Two Step Program (34)
Training Rider: Natalie Allport & Yoscha Bosche (31.2)
Novice Rider: Lauren Schiller & Unzip My Chip (31.1)
Open Novice: Katherine Rivera & HVL Hocus Pocus (25.2)
Beginner Novice Rider: Elle Snyder & You Have A Friend In Me (21.9)
Open Beginner Novice: Courtney Kuriger & Eagle Rising (28.2)
Intro: Cindy Hicks & A Rare Pleasure (48.3)
Starter: Lori Mullin & Fantastic Flair (38.4)
Otter Creek Farm H.T. [Results]
Intermediate/Preliminary: Kristine Burgess & Twoggeron (55.2)
Open Preliminary: Michelle Mercier & Prince of Kiltealy (32.7)
Junior Training Rider: Mya Poulos & Sir Duke (37.5)
Open Training: Rachel Mcintosh & Optical Illusion (31.8)
Preliminary/Training: Emily Miller & Highest Regards (34.8)
Senior Training Rider: Erica Templeton & Strider Can Fly (30)
Junior Novice Rider A: Tatum Gray & Reds Loyal Flame (30.9)
Junior Novice Rider B: Makena Layton No More Honey WRF (36.2)
Open Novice: Kjirsten Lee & Gobain (24.8)
Senior Novice Rider A: Katie Clapp & Lulu (29.1)
Senior Novice Rider B: Grace Romanick & Hydro Power (34.3)
Junior Beginner Novice Rider: Cora Riley & Say I Do (34.4)
Open Beginner Novice: Jill Gill & Seranata (33)
Senior Beginner Novice Rider A: Kelly Jensen & Irish (37.8)
Senior Beginner Novice Rider B: Addi Mommsen & Cody (35.3)
Starter Beginner Novice A: Janet Chang & Santa’s Helper (28.5)
Starter Beginner Novice B: Madelyn Reicher & Tequila Sunrise (39.8)
Woodside Summer H.T. [Results]
Open Intermediate: Tamra Smith & Danito (31.2)
Open Preliminary: David Koss & Stunner (26)
Preliminary Rider: Anna Parson & Crescendo (27.8)
Junior Training Rider: Daisy Hanretty Foryoureyesonly (32.6)
Modified/Training Open Challenge: David Adamo Solaguayre California (31.4)
Modified/Training Rider Challenge: Madison Lloyd & Clintwald (35.1)
Open Training: James Alliston Calaro (28)
Senior Training Rider: Luna Souchard & Moto GP (31.6)
Training Amateur: Ruth Bley & Spartacus D’L’ Herbage (30.7)
Junior Novice Rider A: Elsa Warble & Autocorrect (30.2)
Junior Novice Rider B: Rebecca Mitchell & Snappy Comeback (30)
Novice Amateur: Sophina Moore & Caligulove (30)
Open Novice: Katie Komnenich & Gabriel (26)
Senior Novice Rider: Madison Lloyd & Callaway (25.7)
Intro Rider: Stefanie Gladen & Saxston (28.9)
Jr. Beginner Novice Rider A: Ella Flodh Bold n Royal (24.5)
Jr. Beginner Novice Rider B: Taylor Easley & Andro-Media (29)
Open Beginner Novice A: Amber Levine & Keep Calm (28)
Open Beginner Novice B: Lisa Sires & Even More Impressive (31.8)
Open Intro: Silvia Szabo & Simpatico (31.1)
Sr. Beginner Novice Rider: Eileen Morgenthaler & Chicago GS (25.3)
Area VII YR Benefit H.T. [Results]
Preliminary Open A: Catie Cejka & Light In The Dark (32)
Preliminary Open B: Ashleigh Rauen & Fine Dutch Chocolate (30.2)
Training JR/YR: Eva Jacroux & Rubel (37.8)
Training Senior Open: Marc Grandia & Sunsprite Seryndipity (32.1)
Novice JR/YR A: Cayden Gaffney & Luke (32.7)
Novice JR/YR B: Mikayden Weise & Bentley (25.5)
Novice Senior Open A: Marc Grandia & Curry in a Hurry (32.6)
Novice Senior Open B: Meika Decher & Oiselle NW (26)
Beginner Novice JR/YR: Alexis Johnson & Lionheart (35.8)
Beginner Novice Senior Open A: Kady Ellifritz & Yankee Bay (26.1)
Beginner Novice Senior Open B:Tara Tangney & Gone With the Wind (28)
Intro Open: Patricia Cava & Rockster (33.1)
FEH 2 Year Olds: Jennifer Ryan & Berracos’ Last Valentino (70.8)
FEH 3 Year Olds: Sonya Françoise & Carpe Jalapeno (58)
Fair Hill H.T. [Results]
Open Intermediate A: Ryan Wood & Powell (38)
Open Intermediate B: Ryan Wood & Chusinmyconfession (32.1)
Open Preliminary A: Phillip Dutton & California D’Horset (21.6)
Open Preliminary B: Hannah Sue Burnett & Leo Distinction (29.4)
Open Preliminary C: Boyd Martin & Fernhill Prezley (25.9)
Junior Young Riders Open Preliminary: Gabrielle Hutchison & Straight Moonshine (32.5)
Preliminary Rider: Joa Sigsbee & K-Cosimo SE (34.5)
Open Training A: Ryan Wood & The Optimist (27.3)
Open Training B: Courtney Cooper & R River Star (23.6)
Training: Alice Khayami Stracathro & Solitary Minstral (28.4)
Training Rider A: Carrie Leese & Bunny (36.8)
Training Rider B: Jessica Farah & Casanova (29.6)
Novice: Eleyna Caprez & Promise Me Mars (22.9)
Novice Rider A: Claire Solomon & BE Mansfield Park (24.7)
Novice Rider B: Leanne Hobbs & Fault Free (30.2)
Open Novice A: Francesca Broggini & Cooley High Flyer (24.1)
Open Novice B: Isabelle Bosley & What Opposition (24.1)
Open Novice C: Mogie Bearden-Muller & Quebracho Z (23.1)
WindRidge Summer H.T. [Results]
Preliminary A: Susan Jellum & Rochambeau (35.5)
Preliminary B: John Michael Durr Casofino (37.3)
Training A: Jessena Defler & Gasparo van de Falieberg (33.5)
Training B: Cindy Phillips & Third Times The Charm (26.4)
Training C: Andrew McConnon & Wakita 54 (32.1)
Novice A: John Michael Durr & Perkunus (24.1)
Novice B: Daryl Kinney & BEC Valencia (30.7)
Novice C: Danielle Moore & Crash Override (38.7)
Beginner Novice A: Jennifer Seals & Reverred Chic (26.4)
Beginner Novice B: Marian Bickers & Weymore (24.7)
Beginner Novice C: Gabrielle Miller & Spanky (31.1)
Starter A: Sandra Bailey & Will I Am (35.4)
Starter B: Trish Beckham & Millicent (35.6)
Spring Gulch Summer H.T. [Results]
Open Preliminary: Sophie Wiedenhues & Obie Hayv (44.2)
Open Training: Jessica Maranto & Czardus (29)
Training Rider: Payton Robinson & Loughnatousa Shauna (39.7)
Novice Rider: Johanna Anderson & Flash of Sheba (30.7)
Open Novice A: Jodi Green & That’s Wicked Cool (30.4)
Open Novice B: Anna Curtin & Pinch (28.8)
Beginner Novice Junior: Emma Sletten & P.S. American Girl (28.3)
Beginner Novice Rider: Payton Robinson & Constant Leigh (32.5)
Intro: Rochelle Costanza & FS Cabana Boy (27.2)
Open Beginner Novice: Sarah Richards & Cassia (31.5)
Congrats to all. Go Eventing!
Brooke Massie and Serendipity at Millbrook H.T. 2019. Photo by Abby Powell.
Size doesn’t matter when your horse is full of heart — just ask Brooke Massie, who just completed her first Advanced H.T. aboard her own Serendipity (Vibank – Gail’s Gal, by Naskra) a 2009 Ontario-bred mare who is only 15.1-hands tall.
Brooke purchased “Scarlet”, who raced under the Jockey Club name Sister Gail, from a neighbor who had gotten the mare from Second Start Thoroughbreds in Quebec. Scarlet made 13 career starts at Woodbine and Fort Erie racetracks and earned a little over $35,000 before being retired and rehomed. Brooke’s neighbor tells her that she purchased the mare off a picture and a pretty face, but due to her spiciness she lasted less than a week before landing with Brooke.
Who knew a little Thoroughbred mare down the street would eventually be an Advanced mount? Serendipitous indeed.
“She’s all heart and has the best personality, she will do anything to please,” said Brooke. “There really is no better breed than a Thoroughbred!”
The horses we are featuring this week may be small, but they are mighty. Looking for your own pint-sized powerhouse? In honor of Serendipity, here are three currently available OTTBs all under 16.0-hands:
Absolute Paradise. Photo via New Vocations Racehorse Adoption.
Absolute Paradise (ANY GIVEN SATURDAY – GENTLE GRACE, BY WOODMAN): 2010 15.2-hand New York-bred mare
A well built mare with a great attitude, Absolute Paradise lives up to her name in so many ways. This ten-year-old spent seven season at the track and has made 84 career starts banking $208,311 in lifetime earnings. “Kiwi” comes off the track with a good work ethic and no vices or known injuries. As she adjusts to a slower lifestyle, she is showing that she is a kind, quiet to handle horse who is aims to please. Kiwi is sensitive to the aids and needs an experienced rider to help restart her as a riding horse, but shows an eagerness to learn and will surely gain confidence as she goes along. She gets along well with other and enjoys hacking out in a group.
Located in Xenia, Ohio.
View Absolute Paradise on New Vocations Racehorse Adoption.
Bustin Trudeau. Photo via Finger Lakes Finest Thoroughbreds.
Bustin Trudeau (BUSTIN STONES – ARCTIC OCEAN, BY CONCORD POINT): 2017 15.0-hand New York-bred gelding
Here’s a youngster that’s just not showing enough potential to make it as a racehorse, so remains unraced. This two-year-old is still growing, but it likely to remain under 16.0-hands. He’s currently got a bit of a Quarter Horse look going one, but it might just be the way he’s standing in the picture and he’s likely to grow to be a little more uphill as well. Bustin Trudeau has a compact yet strong build that could be a desirable conformation once he grows into himself a bit more. As young one, he is still learning his manners, but will certainly improve with some time to mature and some consistent handling. Additionally, he has published workouts from June so he’s eligible for the 2020 RRP Thoroughbred Makeover. And how can his name not give you a laugh?
Located in Farmington, New York.
View Bustin Trudeau on Finger Lakes Finest Thoroughbreds.
Lady Gritt. Photo via CANTER MN.
Lady Gritt (WORLD RENOWNED – BRANDI BRAZEAU, BY SILIC (FR)): 2016 15.3-hand California-bred mare
This little lady is absolute sweetheart and the CANTER volunteer who saw her really wanted to take her home herself! She’s the kind of mare that will give her person her whole heart. Lady Gritt is retiring sound but slow after only 3 career starts as a racehorse, but other horses that have come from this trainer have gone on to make excellent event horses. She has A.P. Indy on her sire’s side, plus French and Irish breeding on her dam’s. Lady Gritt is ready to find her person and learn something new!
Located in Minnesota.
Japan’s Yoshiaki Oiwa riding Bart L JRA takes the early lead after the dressage phase at the Ready Steady Tokyo test event. Photo by FEI/Yusuke Nakanishi.
We’re a year out from the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, and the Ready Steady Tokyo test event is underway at the Equestrian Park at Baji Koen and the new Sea Forest cross country venue. Run as a CCI3*, the test event is meant to trial logistics, results, timing and data handling, footing, and transport between the two venues, along with other key factors that are crucial for the smooth running of next year’s Games.
Japan’s Yoshiaki Oiwa has taken the dressage lead among an impressive field that includes 17 athletes from Japan, Germany, Australia and Great Britain. Yoshiaki, who claimed double gold at last year’s Asian Games in Jakarta (INA) and is a three-time Olympian, demonstrated why he is a pillar of the Japanese team today, earning a mark of 24.5 from the three judges.
He is well-mounted with Bart L JRA, a 13-year-old Dutch-bred gelding previously ridden by Frenchman Matthieu Lemoine on the gold medal team at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Yoshiaki, 43, is based in Europe but excited for the opportunity to perform on home soil.
“I’m a home country rider and I’ve been based in Europe for the last 18, 19 years,” Yoshiaki said. “So many people are supporting and helping me, but they’ve never seen what I’m doing, so this is a very very good chance to show what I’m doing and what this sport is about. Hopefully we can do the best performance and all the Japanese people do their best and get medals.”
Andrew Hoy (AUS) riding Bloom Des Hauts Crets at the Ready Steady Tokyo Test Event. Photo by FEI/Yusuke Nakanishi.
In second is Australia’s triple Olympic team gold medalist Andrew Hoy with Bloom Des Hauts Crets, who sits 3.2 penalties behind on a score of 27.7.
Michael Jung (GER) riding Fischerwild Wave at the Ready Steady Tokyo Test Event. Photo by FEI/Yusuke Nakanishi.
Germany’s double Olympic champion Michael Jung is third with Fischerwild Wave on 28.0.
The top five are all under 30 penalties, with Japan’s Ryuzo Kitajima and Vick Du Gisors JRA fourth on 28.2 and Germany’s Peter Thomsen with Horseware Nobleman fifth with 29.5. Also flying the flag for Japan, Kuzuma Tomoto is sixth with Tacoma d’Horset on 30.4, a single point but three places ahead of his trainer, British legend William Fox-Pitt with Summer At Fernhill.
The host nation has recently proven itself a real force on the international scene, with Japan taking team and individual gold at the Asian Games in Jakarta and the team finishing fourth and just out of the medals at the 2018 WEG 2018 in Tryon last September.
Looking ahead to Tokyo 2020, Kuzuma commented, “Our team is really tough and has got strong quickly. We’re aiming to get a medal, that’s why we have to improve more and more. We have lots of nice riders so we can do it for sure.”
Equestrian Park stabling. Photo by FEI / Yusuke Nakanishi.
The final pair up the centerline today, Japan’s Kazuya Otomo and GHS Calvaruise, withdrew after placing last of the 17 dressage starters. The other horses have been transported to the stables at Sea Forest where they will spend the night before cross country tomorrow.
Cross country course designer Derek Di Grazia has built a special 3,025-meter track for the test event, incorporating 20 fences with 31 jumping efforts. It will give athletes, National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and National Federations (NFs) a chance to assess the undulations of the terrain without giving too much away about Derek’s vision for the Olympic course.
Twenty NOCs are onsite for the official observers program, which includes a session on climate mitigation protocols aimed at minimizing the effects of heat and humidity. The FEI is also conducting a study on both human and equine participants at the test event with the goal of further boosting current research on optimizing performance in a challenging climate. Full details of the Observers Program are available here.
On Wednesday the action returns to the new facilities at Baji Koen, site of the Olympic equestrian events at the 1964 Tokyo Games, for the final show jumping phase. Independently funded by the Japan Racing Association, the Baji Koen refurbishment will provide an extraordinary legacy for the residents of Tokyo, as will the park that will be created on the reclaimed land at Sea Forest, which also hosts rowing and canoe sprint next year.
Find more details about the Ready Steady Tokyo test event here.
[Home side hero Yoshiaki Oiwa takes early lead at Ready Steady Tokyo test event]
Photo by Lorraine Jackson.
The 2019 USEA American Eventing Championships close this week! The deadline is approaching to be a part of what’s expected to be one of the biggest AEC yet. Plus, it’s at the Kentucky Horse Park and who doesn’t want to ride there. Each and every competitor will do their show jumping in the big Rolex area, so if you’re on the fence put your fancy pants on and enter! (Need a nudge? Six reasons to just put your entry in already.) We’ll see you there.
National Holiday: National Son’s and Daughter’s Day
U.S. Weekend Action:
Feather Creek Farm H.T. [Results]
GMHA Festival of Eventing H.T. [Results]
Otter Creek Farm H.T. [Results]
Woodside Summer H.T. [Results]
Area VII YR Benefit H.T. [Results]
Fair Hill H.T. [Results]
WindRidge Summer H.T. [Results]
Spring Gulch Summer H.T. [Results]
Applewood Farm FEH/YEH & H.T.
Monday News:
We are devastated to learn that 15-year-old British Eventer Iona Sclater died yesterday in a riding accident at home. A very talented rider, Iona had been long listed for the Pony Europeans in 2017 and in 2019. Our thoughts are with her parents and her sisters. [In Memoriam: Iona Sclater (2003-2019)]
Grand Prix dressage rider Michael Barisone has been charged with attempted murder following the shooting of one of his clients at his Hawthorne Hill dressage facility. [Michael Barisone Charged With Attempted Murder After Shooting]
World Champion Ros Canter is back in competition just one month after giving birth. She had Allstar B and Zenshera in Intermediate sections, and both went clear on cross country. Her daughter, Ziggy, was there to cheer her on. [World eventing champion bounces back one month after giving birth]
Though his name is only one letter, Z has a full length back story that will bring you to tears. [Heart Of A Lion And Eye Of An Eagle: The Full Circle Journey Of Z]
For many of us in the southern portion of this country, it’s hot and it’s going to stay hot for quite a while longer. Make sure your horse is properly cooled down. The first step is knowing your horse and his normal cooling out patterns. [Top 10 Tips for Cooling Down with Dr. Jennifer Miller]
Best of HN: Book Review: “Keys to the Kingdom of Dressage” by Susan B. Stegmeyer
Monday Video: Blame it on eventing overload — can you forgive us for not following (too closely) the weekend’s CCIO4*-S at France’s Le Haras du Pin? Karim Florent Lagnoua won with Punch de L’esques on a score of 31.9, followed by Britain’s David Doel and Galileo Nieumoed in 2nd and fellow Brit Kirsty Johnson with Classic VI in 3rd. France took the Nations Cup team title as well. View final individual results here and Nations Cup team results here. Here’s a replay of the dressage and show jumping live streams.
Jeffie Chapin and Joinem. Photo by Abby Powell.
We are devastated to report that Jeffie Chapin suffered a fatal accident today at the Green Mountain Horse Association’s Festival of Eventing in South Woodstock, Vermont.
Jeffie, 32, and her horse Joinem were competing in the Open Preliminary division when they had a rotational fall in the cross country warm up. She was transported to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center where she sadly succumbed to her injuries.
“Jack,” a 12-year-old Thoroughbred gelding (Johar x Keemon), was uninjured in the accident.
Based in Massachusetts, Jeffie was very active in the Area I community. She was a dedicated, goal-oriented amateur with a keen eye for her horses, Ivan and Jack. She began competing Jack last summer, and the two had many successful outings together at the Training, Preliminary and CCI2*-S level.
The EN team extends our deepest condolences to Jeffie’s friends and family in this difficult time.
[Rider Suffers Fatal Accident at GMHA]
Photo courtesy of Jeffie Chapin.
For 673 accepted trainers, the 2019 Retired Racehorse Project Thoroughbred Makeover is fast approaching! From the beginning of the year until the Makeover, to take place Oct. 2-5 at the Kentucky Horse Park, four of those trainers have been blogging 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.
How do you train your mind to win? First you must define what winning looks like to you. Is it finishing a show with a horse whose confidence has increased? Is it being in control of your mind and emotions enough that your stomach doesn’t roll before stadium? Is it remembering to enjoy the beauty of your surroundings as you hack from the barns to the rings?
If your only definition of winning is bringing home a blue ribbon there is a solid chance you are not training your mind to win. There are thousands of factors out of your control that can prevent you from winning that blue ribbon and you shouldn’t let your happiness be determined by unknown variables.
You’ll notice that I exchanged winning for happiness in that last sentence. That’s because most of us want to win because we think it will make us feel happy.
Training and showing horses can be rough on your state of happiness depending on the perspective you choose to have. Yes, you do choose your perspective. As a horse person one must choose how to react in a myriad of situations. When a horse spooks hard and runs sideways mid-dressage test your day can be ruined, or you can choose to be thrilled with how quickly your horse recovered and went back to work. Showing is supposed to be a test of how well you have schooled at home and the strength of your relationship. It isn’t supposed to be how you gauge your social status. Showing is expensive and if your only goal is to receive a $3 ribbon at the end you are missing out.
Embracing the whole showing experience is part of the magic of the Makeover. You can’t only be focused on the satin when you are in a class of 100+ eventers. That prize money is tempting, that live streamed finale would be so cool for your friends and family to tune in to, but the reason we are there is to show off Thoroughbreds to the world. Everywhere you turn there is someone to cheer for. Taking that focus off yourself and putting it on cheering for all the blossoming partnerships around you is the reason the Makeover is the #happiesthorseshowonearth.
I challenge you to look around at the shows you go to. Who seems happiest? Who is actively building up their fellow competitors? I’d wager that the same few people fill both categories. What if our goals for winning revolved around helping those around us have the best experience possible. Instead of whispering about dated breeches or an unpulled mane, what if we walked up to someone and offered to wipe the dust from their boots before they go in the ring. Instead of rolling our eyes at a pair who seems to be struggling what if we complimented their braids or their cross country color scheme. Maybe the smile and deep breath you gift them with will change their whole experience.
The world is a divisive and often cruel place; why can’t we make our little already unreal slice of the world the most uplifting place to be? That seems to have become the unspoken goal of the Makeover. Even if you aren’t competing you should try to make it out to volunteer, soak up some of that positivity we are trying to spread and bring it back to your own horse shows.
A couple weekends ago I was competing at Stable View in Aiken and experienced both positive and negative mentalities. The volunteers were amazing, many of my fellow competitors were amazing as were their crews of parents, friends, etc. I nicely asked complete strangers to video my rounds which they did with a smile. The ring stewards thanked every competitor for being there, made small talk with the nervous ones, and cheered for us all. There were people of every ability learning about eventing or teaching young horses about eventing. Kudos to the Stable View team for creating such a great environment of learning at their Eventing Academy shows.
There were still some people that just stared at me when I wished them luck or said to ‘have fun!’ Though I do try to not take that blank response personally because nerves do strange things to us humans. There was one cluster of women that decided to be very vocal about the lack of weight on Mr. Crash while he was having a bath. He’s thinner than I like, but there are a thousand variables contributing to that, and he is gaining weight back. He also looks worse than he is if you’re on the side with the smashed hip scars. Instead of approaching and starting a potentially educational conversation about helping horses gain weight they just stood back and loudly judged. A minute later they moved on to judging their next victim, some unsuspecting girl whose riding they didn’t think reached their standard.
The thing is, they didn’t care about my currently thin horse, they didn’t care about the girl trying to reach for the next level by trying out a fun schooling show, they only cared about building themselves up by tearing down others. This isn’t a winning mindset. This is often the mindset that I find goes hand in hand with only caring about a blue ribbon.
Evening walks are one of my favorite show rituals. Photo by Julia Bulick.
I’ve heard people try to downplay the Makeover, say it isn’t ‘recognized,’ it isn’t this, it isn’t that. Of course it isn’t comparable to other competitions; it isn’t supposed to be. It is a training competition showcasing Thoroughbreds. It makes such a fun goal for trainers who specialize in transitioning OTTBs from the track to their next career. It is a stepping stone towards the future for this amazing breed. The Makeover also fosters continuing education, the benefits of cross training and learning about other disciplines, the importance of camaraderie. The Makeover has created a community of trainers from every corner of the horse world, instead of feeling different or ‘other’ we are a team, we celebrate successes, we hold each other up when hearts break, we laugh together and we cry together. We learn from each other.
Watching the sights with Crash, just the privilege of sitting on him feels like winning. Photo by Lindsey Burns.
Watching the sights with Crash, just the privilege of sitting on him feels like winning. If you are wanting to learn how to win, how to be happy, regardless of what color ribbon you bring home, come check out the Makeover! We’ll show you a good time (and also some really nice sales horses)!
Doug Payne and Starr Witness (USA). Photo by Shannon Brinkman.
Doug Payne and Starr Witness delivered a super performance for Team USA in Lima last week, earning team gold and a 4th place individual result.
The 8-year-old Dutch mare (Chello II x Carmen, by Veneur), owned by Doug, Laurie McRee and Catherine Winter, rose to the challenge of her first team appearance, handling the big atmosphere with poise and confidence. The pair was 7th after scoring a 28.0, then climbed up the leaderboard collecting just 8.4 time penalties cross country and turning in a fault-free show jumping round.
Now we can watch video of their golden performance!
A job well done — that coat looks good on you, Doug!
Catch up on all of EN’s 2019 Peru Pan American Games coverage here.
Go Eventing.
David Adamo and Solaguayre California, winners of the Modified / Training Open Challenge division. Photo by Sherry Stewart.
The show jumping finale of Woodside Summer H.T.’s inaugural Modified Training Challenge took centerstage on Saturday evening at The Horse Park at Woodside. Winners were crowned in two ‘M-Training’ divisions contested by 40 horse/rider combinations.
David Adamo and Solaguayre California led the Modified / Training Open Challenge division from pillar to post, finishing on a score of 31.4. Dana Todd and MMS Amadeus moved up from 4th after dressage into the 2nd place spot thanks to double-clear jumping rounds, finishing just two-tenths of a point behind David on 31.6. David also took 3rd with Dos Lunas Filipo on a 33.5.
Many thanks to the fabulous Sherry Stewart for this photo gallery of the division’s top three:
Meanwhile in the Modified / Training Rider Challenge, Madison Lloyd and Clintwald took the title, moving from 3rd after dressage into the lead on 35.1 when the top two ran into trouble cross country. Second placed Britt Sabbah and Rickamore Rafferty leapt up the scoreboard from 8th to finish on 37.7, and third placed Nikki Lloyd and Mighty Smart moved up from 6th to finish on 43.6.
Madison LLoyd and Clintwald. Photo by Sherry Stewart.
Many thanks to Woodside for shining the spotlight on this relatively new, stepping-stone level and rewarding riders for tackling it!
It’s been an eventful few days at Woodside, which ran Intro through Intermediate horse trial divisions, some of which are still underway this afternoon. Tamie Smith and Danito have just won the Intermediate division, which they led from start to finish. Their final score: 31.2. Tamie also took third with No App for That on 37.0.
Erin Kellerhouse and Woodford Reserve were 2nd after dressage but a dropped rail shuffled them to 4th; Marissa Nielsen and Vinetta M finished 2nd on 36.6. The top three after dressage:
And our final top three:
To kick off the week, eventers brought their babies out to play for two USEA Future Event Horse (FEH) divisions. Earl McFall and Iluminada won the FEH 3-Year-Old class on a score of 77.1, followed by Dear Jack Jack in 2nd and Draydanza in 3rd.
Meghan Lewis and Draydanza. Photo by Sherry Stewart.
Alyssa Schaefer and Hashtag, You’re It won the FEH 2-year-old class on a score of 75, followed by Earl McFall and Royal Cate in 2nd on 70.7.
Alyssa Schaefer and Hashtag, You’re It. Photo by Sherry Stewart.
Many thanks, again, to Sherry Stewart for bringing us ringside via her beautiful photos of the event. Go Eventing.
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