Classic Eventing Nation

Jennie Brannigan and Pascal. Photo by Marie Cobb for Shannon Brinkman Photography.

FEI dressage wrapped up on Friday, leaving most of the standings tight at the top. In fact, there’s a tie atop the CCI4*-L between two pairs with many similarities. Karen O’Neal and Clooney 14 and Jennie Brannigan and Pascal share the lead on a 33.8. Both have been bringing these horses along for several years and both horses are debuting at this level.

Karen O’Neal and Annika Asling’s 10-year-old Westphalian showed off their progress since competing Beginner Novice here in 2018. The Washington-based rider was thrilled with Clooney’s shoulder-in and half-passes and with the flying changes that have been a struggle. Despite Clooney’s familiarity with the venue, the atmosphere in Ring 1 made him “a little spooky, but still he listened really well to me.”

Karen O’Neal and Clooney 14. Photo by Marie Cobb for Shannon Brinkman Photography.

The judges were Helen Brettell, Robyn Fisher and Gretchen Butts, who also judged Friday’s CCI4*-S and CCI3*-L.

Jennie Brannigan and Pascal, a 9-year-old Holsteiner owned by the Pascal Syndicate, were last year’s CCI3*-L winners, and Jennie acknowledged feeling a little extra umph to take this next title. Her favorite part of Friday’s test was the manifestation of many years work in developing Pascal.

Above all, she is a huge advocate for Rebecca Farm, making the trip annually from her East Coast base and encouraging others to do so.

Rebecca Farm first-timer Ashley Adams, of Virginia, and Roderick Stuart’s Charly earned a 35.4 to sit third.

A Course Walk To Remember

Friday ended with a special course walk led by renowned and retiring course designer, Ian Stark. In a special event honoring horse owners, the USEF invited guests to tour the course by golf cart and enjoy the legend’s insights. He was the loudest of many to praise the ground and the year-round efforts that have gone into making the tracks “the best ever.”

As he discussed key points on the 3* and 4* courses for Saturday, Ian shared his frequent advice to forget about counting strides in favor of riding what comes up in the moment. “Horses love to know where they’re going,” he stressed. “So show them that. I don’t mind causing the riders a sleepless night, so long as the horses can understand what the question is.”

Brickman and Finally DG lead CCI4*-S

Rachel Brickman and Finally DG. Photo by Marie Cobb for Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Several of the 8 horses in this division are new to the level, and the atmosphere and new questions asked played their part in the scores.

Rachel Brickman and Finally DG are among the newbies as a pair, and their 35.1 put them into the lead.

The Seattle area resident and the 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood are Rebecca Farm regulars over the last several years, so the big atmosphere was not an issue. “While there’s always room for improvement, he was excellent today,” said Rachel of the horse she co-owns with friend and The Event organizer Sarah Broussard.

“The course looks great and I am excited to get out there,” Rachel said of Saturday’s cross-country. She plans to tackle it one fence at a time. “Him being new to this level, I’m going to ride the horse I have. He’s an animal that shows up and tries to do the things you ask him to do.”

On the recommendation of several friends, Kentucky-based Alexa Thompson loaded Just To Be Clear into the truck and hauled across country for The Event. Her second place standing, on a 39.1, was icing on a cake she already felt good about upon arrival.

“You could call my horse a ‘try-harder’,” Alexa said of her 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood. “He always wants to do right, and sometimes too badly, but today I felt like he was with me the whole test. I took my leg away going into the walk, and that was our only bobble.”

Rebecca Farm has been on the young professional’s radar a long time. Over the years, the Broussard family has given over $200,000 in Travel Grants to riders and Alexa was one of several to gratefully receive one this year. “With that, the stars finally aligned for us to make the trip.”

Another Alliston Takes Spotlight with CCI3*-L Lead

Helen Alliston and Call Me Rudi. Photo by Marie Cobb for Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Three-time Rebecca Farm 4*-L champion James Alliston has dominated the limelight lately, but it was his better half, Helen, spotlit in the CCI3*-L dressage. She and Call Me Rudi, a 9-year-old Bavarian Warmblood owned by Alliston Equestrian, were elegant, on point and powerful to lead the 10-horse field with a 30.7.

It was the latest of a few outings in which Rudi has continually upped his game, reported the Northern California-based professional. “He’s always been very willing, and he has a good mind. It’s been a matter of getting him stronger. This and his last show were the first time that he’s done really correct canter-to-walk transitions. Plus, he’s never been in Arena 1 before. It has a lot of atmosphere and, even with his good mind, it was really something for him to stay that focused.”

Rudi is equally good on cross-country, but tomorrow’s track will test his courage, especially jumping into big waters. “I’m going to have to give him a very good ride,” Helen said. “He’s only been here once – in Novice. He’s green for this, but his footwork is excellent, he’s very smart and he has a lot of self-preservation instinct.” Access to on-site conditioning hills at the Alliston’s home base has Rudi fighting fit for the next task.

Ashley Adams and her own 9-year-old Swedish Warmblood Quicksilver Gräns stand in 2nd with a 31.9. Receiving one of the Broussard family’s “Little Becky” Grants early this year helped them gain mileage needed to make a solid move up to the 3* level this spring.

Based in Virginia, Ashley was also grateful for tips from another Broussard grant recipient, Tamie Smith. “She suggested some tweaks that really agreed with my horse,” Ashley said. “He’s a quirky horse, but also workmanlike and he does not want to make a mistake. He’s green at the level, and there’s a lot more brilliance in there. So, it’s a matter of getting him stronger and more confident.”

Cross-country should be a great next step in that process. “Ian’s courses lend themselves to the horse getting better and better as we go along.”

Marc Grandia and his longtime partner Campari FFF sit third on a 32.5. The 14-year-old Holsteiner is owned by Team Rebecca.

Stephanie Goodman and Elwinda Hold CCI2*-L Lead

Stephanie Goodman and Deanna Briggs’ Elwinda DP topped the first half of the 34-horse division that concluded yesterday and their 26.7 held when the rest of the class completed this morning.

“She is getting better and better,” Stephanie said of the 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare with whom she’s been partnered for three years. “We left a few points on the table, but she was excellent. She’s braver and is going for it more.

“I got her three years ago as a dressage horse,” continued the Idaho-based professional. “She just keeps amazing me.”

Stephanie and Elwinda don’t have much wiggle room. James Alliston and HMR Rolan, owned by Anna Nicolas, are 2nd on a 27.1. Todd Trewin and Tracey Trewin’s Cooley High Society are 3rd with a 29.1 and the rest of the top 10 is tightly bunched.

Saturday’s FEI Cross-Country

CCI3*-S – 8:00 am

CCI3*-L – 9:40 am

CCI4*-L – 10:40 am

CCI4*-S – 11:25 am

CCI2*-L – 12:25 pm

The USEA’s Classic Series Three-Day at Training and Novice conclude with show jumping finales on Saturday.

The Event at Rebecca Farm: [Website] [Entries] [Competitor Information] [Volunteer] [Halt Cancer at X] [Ride On Video Live Stream] [H&C Live Stream] [Live Stream Schedule] [Spectator Information]

Tommy Greengard and That’s Me Z. Photo by Marie Cobb Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Tommy Greengard and That’s Me Z sit atop the CCI3*S, the first of The Event at Rebecca Farm’s five FEI divisions to conclude the dressage phase. The second half of the 34-horse CCI2*-Long field will be staged Friday, along with dressage for CCI4*-Long and Short, and the CCI3*-Long.

That’s Me Z is owned by Chocolate Horse Farm’s Andrea Pfeiffer. The 7-year-old Zangershiede jumped into the national spotlight as the USEA’s Young Event Horse 5-Year-Old Champion and has ticked all the advancing boxes since then.

This is Z’s second year at Rebecca Farm, following last year’s Preliminary outing. “If anything, I think he grew a little bit in this atmosphere,” Tommy reported of their 25.2 effort from judges Valerie Pride, Sara Miller Leary and Christel Carlson. “When he was younger, he’d get quite shy in the bigger rings. It’s exciting to have him take ahold of the bridle and show off his great gaits in the ring.

“He’s been doing exactly what we ask in his training at this point,” Tommy continued. “He showed that in the ring.”

Tommy and Z have a big Fall planned. They’ll head to England next week to spend three months riding with New Zealand Olympic eventers Tim and Jonelle Price. Doing well here was part of the plan for a hopeful appearance with Z at the FEI WBFSH Eventing World Championships in France later this year and today’s performance is a great waypoint on that journey.

The young Northern California professional is excited about the CCI3*-S cross-country on Saturday. “It looks very good and I always love Ian Stark’s courses. It’s a great test for Z and where he’s at right now.”

Having ridden Rebecca Farm’s routes several times, Tommy especially appreciates the efforts to differentiate between the questions asked of Intermediate, CCI3*-Long and Short contenders. “That’s very special to Rebecca Farm. Not every venue is able to do as great a job at that as they do.”

Tamie and Calingsford Hes a Clover. Photo by Marie Cobb for Shannon Brinkman Photography.

Tamie Smith had been on a likely path to the Paris Olympics until a minor mishap with her top horse, Mai Baum, prevented them from being in peak form for the U.S. Team’s mandatory outing.  The upside for fans is that she re-routed to Rebecca Farm and the California-based 2023 Land Rover Kentucky 5* champion is making the most of it.

She and Molly Duda’s 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse, Carlingfords Hes A Clover, earned a 26.2 to sit second after CCI3*-S dressage. Tamie is in third, too, with Julianne Guariglia’s Sumas Tina Turner, an 8-year-old Irish Sport Horse, who earned a 27.9.

Tamie is “ecstatic and over the moon” with both new rides. Riding Carlingfords Hes a Clover for his injured young rider, Tamie said his flatwork has been a challenging and rewarding focus. “He can be quite cheeky and I was thrilled with him today.”

“Tina Turner is a bit of a work in progress,” she explained. “We’ve been working hard to gel with her and to let her be the powerful horse that she is. She’s a chestnut mare and she’s named Tina Turner!”

Saturday’s cross-country presents plenty to do, and looks “up to the standard and fair,” Tamie said. It starts with the challenge of galloping away from the barns out of the start box, an issue for some of the lower level pairs today.

The cross-country footing is the best Tamie has ever seen it in many years coming to Rebecca Farm. “When you imagine the many miles of tracks they have to tend, it’s no small feat. They have really stepped it up and figured out how to make the ground the best it can be.”

The Hills Are Alive…

Rebecca Farm’s green hills and landscape were alive throughout the day with Novice and Beginner Novice pairs zooming over cross-country.

Fans began arriving and the Shopping Fair was abuzz with its first of four days full of gift items, equestrian apparel and gear and great food.

Speaking to a visiting television reporter, The Event’s organizer Sarah Broussard shared her pleasure in The Event’s wide-ranging impact. The competition was founded by her late mother, Rebecca Broussard, largely to help West Coast-based eventers have a high-quality competition and the opportunity to prepare for further international campaigns.

The Event quickly became a renowned fixture in the equestrian community.

Supporting the local community is important, too, hence the Halt Cancer at X campaign. “We started in in 2012 as a one-time thing, and we raised $20,000,” Sarah explained. “I thought, ‘Wow!”  Since then, Halt Cancer At X, administered by Montana Equestrian Events, has passed the $1 million mark in grants and supporting research to halt breast cancer and help those coping with it.

Hot Competition & Weather

Misting fan tents feature for horses and riders to cool down. Kim Miller photo.

Temperatures in the 90s added an extra challenge for horses and riders, but it’s one that most are accustomed to and prepared for. Water stations throughout the property help horses, people and dogs stay hydrated, trees and tents provide shade and a gentle breeze has kept things relatively comfortable.

FEI Associate Veterinarian Catherine Kohn, DVM, is one of several seasoned competition officials on site. She explained that the effect of heat is a combination of the ambient temperature, the wind and the humidity.

Kalispell enjoys low humidity, which is a big help in cooling horses after exercise.

Harnessing the power of “conduction” is key to cooling horses down after exertion. The misting fans that await horses (and riders) near the cross-country finish line are a welcome assist in lowering body temperatures. “The cold water transfers the heat from the horse’s skin to the water,” Dr. Kohn explained. “It accepts the heat and takes it off the horse.”

Most competitors are experienced in preparing, competing and helping their equine partners recover in hot weather. For the less experienced, there are many expert advisers and observers present.

Friday’s Action (MST)

CCI2*-L Dressage 8:00 am (second half of the field)

CCI3*-L Dressage 10:50 am

CCI4*-S Dressage 1:30 pm

CCI4*-L Dressage 3:30 pm

The live stream schedule is as follows (links for the free live stream are below):

 The USEA’s Classic Series Three-Day at the Training and Novice levels continue Friday, starting at 9:25 am, and Horse Trials competition continues.

The Event at Rebecca Farm: [Website] [Entries] [Competitor Information] [Volunteer] [Halt Cancer at X] [Ride On Video Live Stream] [H&C Live Stream] [Live Stream Schedule] [Spectator Information]