Artistic rendering of the imagined CCI5* cross-country water jump and temporary hospitality facilities looking toward the grandstand area. Image courtesy of the Fair Hill Foundation.
The Maryland Board of Public Works voted today to approve the Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area Equine Improvements Project, which will bring facility upgrades to the venue in preparation of hosting a CCI5*-L event starting in 2020.
A formal groundbreaking ceremony will take place during the 80th Fair Hill Races on May 24-25. Three new arenas will be installed on the in-field of the existing turf racecourse for dressage and show jumping. Ian Stark, who was named course designer for the new CCI5*-L cross country course in March, has already made his first site visit to lay out the track.
Fair Hill confirmed to EN that Ian will also design the CCI3*-L course at the venue starting in 2020, and a CCI4*-L will not run in 2020 due to the planned addition of the CCI5*-L. Derek di Grazia is still the designer for the CCI4*-L and CCI3*-L courses for the 2019 event, which will be held Oct. 16-20.
Artistic rendering showing the potential main arena, warm-up arena, irrigation pond and turf course. Image courtesy of the Fair Hill Foundation.
Fair Hill’s historic turf racecourse, built in the late 1920s and modeled after Aintree Racecourse in England, is also receiving a facelift. The course will be resurfaced, realigned and irrigated in anticipation of hosting world-class turf racing and steeplechase racing at the venue.
Jay Griswold, Vice President of the Fair Hill Foundation’s Board of Directors, said the facility improvements will help create a stronger revenue model for hosting major equestrian and recreational events at the venue
“The approval by the Board of Public Works is a very big step toward sustaining the future of Fair Hill,” Jay said. “We look forward to construction getting underway and advancing the plans for the five-star event next year. This is an exciting day for Maryland and all of our great partners who have been supporting this project from the beginning.”
Visit FairHillFoundation.org for more information about the planned venue upgrades. Go Eventing.
Canadian young rider Olivia Alstad moved to the UK to pursue a working pupil (WP) position and has since chronicled her experience via her blog Livin’ Eventing. EN is excited to share her two-part series, “The Ultimate Working Pupil Startup Kit.”
“Here is all the information that I wish I had at 18, when I decided I wanted to try the whole ‘WP experience’ but I had no clue on what it actually meant or entailed,” she explains. “If I help even one person who is interested in pursuing this path truly understand and make a plan towards finding their dream WP position, then this article will have succeeded.”
Everybody starts somewhere! A working pupil (WP) position can be the base of your education and career, potentially leading you to a variety of career options in the horse industry. Whether your long-term objective is to become a trainer, a professional rider, or just a well-rounded and educated horse person, I believe that one of the best places to figure out where you fit in within the industry is by jumping into a WP position — with a plan!
Let’s begin with a seemingly simple but incredibly important question:
What Is a Working Pupil?
The British Groom’s Organization has a clear, matter-of-fact definition of a working pupil: “In the equine industry the term ‘working pupil’ is typically associated with someone who works at a yard, lives on the premises and keeps their horse there and, in return for this, they get training. There is no legal definition of a ‘working pupil’ and this term is not a legal employment status. If you are a working pupil you are more than likely an employee.”
Right off the bat, you can see that a WP is not an employment status, and there is NO legal definition of the position. If that worries you slightly, you’re not alone. I’m not going to get into the legalities of becoming a WP in this particular article, but I wanted to give you the heads up. Doing some further research into this will help protect yourself, and whoever may be giving you an opportunity to learn. This article from Horse & Hound is a good place to start investigating.
Photo courtesy of Olivia Alstad.
As a WP you help your mentor/rider, and they help you! Here is a rough idea of the give-and-take within a WP position.
The WP helps their mentor/rider:
With yard and exercise work (generally six days per week)
Grooming at home and at competitions (when needed and often when you yourself are competing!)
Basically, you are an extra set of hands on the yard to help groom, be jump crew, be an exercise rider, become a master lunger, and be the navigator to events. You might even become a social media assistant, and have sleepovers with the dog!
The mentor/rider helps their working pupil:
Accommodate their horse on their yard
Teaches the student lessons on their horse or their own horses
Finds them suitable accommodation
Trucks them to competitions and offers coaching (if they aren’t competing at the same time)
Provides them with training opportunities, often with their own trainers (dressage/jumping lessons, cross country schooling, etc.)
Each position varies in what is offered to a WP and what a WP is expected to do in return. For example: I’ve had WP positions where I’ve had to pay reduced livery/board, and others where it is completely covered. This should be discussed and made clear before you proceed with a WP position.
Is a Working Pupil Position Right for You?
It will be a little bit of this…
…but even more of that!
The best way I’ve been told to look at your WP experience is that they are your ‘college years’ and to see it for what it is: an education. You will live and breathe horses, you will have long days and it will be tiring, but if you find the right position it will be worth it!
You should look into a WP position if:
You have a strong desire to learn, ride and care for horses
You have a positive attitude and are ready to take a WP position as seriously as you would take a college course
You want to learn from a rider you admire, follow their system and learn how a professional yard operates
You want to improve yourself and your horse’s training as well as get an opportunity to compete (and learn to be competitive)
You should not look into a WP position if:
You want a fun holiday where you get to do lots of riding on top horses
You already believe yourself to be the next Michael Jung, you just need to be discovered
You want a 9-5 job where you get your horse and your accommodation paid for
Rosegarth at sunset. Photo by Olivia Alstad.
A Day in the Life of a Working Pupil
This is an example of an average day when you are not preparing for an event, going to an event or going training. These mornings can start anytime in the a.m., end anytime in the p.m. and really shake the day around! There can be many differences between yards.
Anytime between 8-10 a.m.: Rider arrives (might have a cup of tea and chat with the team), fills in and reviews diary/schedule.
Starting anytime from 8:30 a.m.: Start tacking up horses in rider’s preferred order & start riding/exercising horses yourself.
Anywhere from 1:30-3 p.m.: Clean all the tack, make sure all the horses are happy then take lunch break — it can be anything from a mad dash for a bite of a sandwich to a one-hour sit down meal, depends on the day!
Anywhere from 3-6 p.m.: Afternoon chores: skip out, turn horses in/out, hay, feed, sweep/blow for a 5-6 p.m. FINISH
Anytime between 8-9 p.m.: Lates/evening check — give late feeds and check that all the horses are OK (also give scratches — see video below).
Time to Make a List
If you’d rather be making lists like this, you might have come to the end of the line!
If you are still reading and are not scared off by the daunting list of chores, then you are ready to do some serious thinking about your next step! I’ve found the best place to start is by gathering your thoughts onto a list. You want to take the time to figure out what you truly need in a position. I can’t stress enough how important this part of the process is! When writing your list you will decide what you absolutely cannot go without, and what you are willing to negotiate on.
This is an example of a wants and needs list. Once you have that organized, write down a list of questions you want to ask about the position:
Where Do I Find a Working Pupil Position?
Now that you know what you’re looking for, it’s time to start the search! There are many ways to find a WP position, from word of mouth to online listings. The good news for you: people are always taking on WPs. Before you jump in and start making calls, do some research.
First, find out if the position fits in with what you need (from your list) BEFORE giving the number on the ad a ring or a message. For example: An ad will generally state wether or not it is possible to bring a horse with you. If you have a horse and the yard cannot accommodate one, it would make little sense to call-up and ask about the position!
To start your search, it is useful to ask around and make your equestrian community (pony club, local riding school, connections from your trainer) aware that you’re on the hunt for a WP position. Online listing are a fast and easy way to find what you’re looking for. It can also be helpful to make a list of people you’d really like to learn from, and check their social media pages/websites to see if they are currently looking. If they aren’t currently advertising for WPs, it’s always worth it to shoot them a message inquiring about availability in the future!
Photo by Olivia Alstad.
What to Ask
Now that you’ve found a potential position: It’s time to phone or message to inquire about it. If you are calling, have your list of questions ready and be prepared to answer all the questions they might have for you. (Example: Do you have a horse? Have you worked in eventing before?)
It’s easiest for everybody if you avoid wasting time in this process. If you don’t waste time getting to the point in a conversation or email by saying something like: “Hi, my name is Ali, I’m interested in your WP position available. I have a horse currently competing at BE100, I would need accommodation, I have my own vehicle and would like the opportunity to compete this coming season.” It saves an awful lot of time (as nice as a leisurely chatting about the recent stretch of sunny weather is!).
Ask everything from your list of questions, and keep a notepad out to write down the answers. If anywhere along the line of communication you can tell something isn’t realistically going to work, tell them right away (respectively). If it seems to be a good match, set up a time to meet for an interview. This will also give you a chance to check out their yard.
When you go for your interview, bring a notepad! Any remaining questions, and any you come up with as you tour the yard, should be written down. It might seem nerdy to bring a notepad with you but keep in mind — with all the information you have documented, you will be better able to make an informed and educated decision that seriously effects your future.
Photo by Olivia Alstad.
Now What?
After your visit to the yard you believe you’ve found the right position, and the rider is happy to have you as their WP. Awesome! …. Now what?
My next blog post: ‘The Ultimate Working Pupil Startup Kit: Part 2’ will give you a run down of where to go from a successful interview. We’ll start by talking about trials, going into your first day/week/month, the (inevitable) difficult days, and where to go from a WP position with a note about financial security.
For 673 accepted trainers, the journey to the Retired Racehorse Project‘s 2019 RPP Thoroughbred Makeover has begun! Between now and the Makeover, to take place Oct. 2-5 at the Kentucky Horse Park, four of those trainers will blog 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.
As the 2019 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event has come to a close, many of us are exhausted, as we clearly rode around the course with every single competitor. I would go so far as to say that we are even more taxed than the actual riders. I mean, at the end of the day, we’re the ones who rode that course many more times. We even fell off and then rode around it again, thirty-whatever times. Emotions are high, people!!
Hot on that event’s heels was the Kentucky Derby. Horse enthusiasts and laypeople alike are picked their favorites, a winner was crowned, and Makeover competitors are anxiously waiting to pounce on the opportunity to take home a new hopeful, because clearly, we’re all getting a Derby horse (well, Rosie Napravnik anyway, but she’ll probably let us pet it).
Close on the heels of these iconic events is the Thoroughbred Makeover.
-Ish.
Anyway, pretty close. While our horses may not have run for the roses, and they may be a little way out from navigating the Head of the Lake, we are hard at work preparing for our trips to the Kentucky Horse Park.
I plead the fifth on this one, except to say that we eventers will do anything for a water school. Photo by Sara Myers at the 2018 Thoroughbred Makeover.
From our home base in Middleburg, Virginia, there are really two ways to get to Kentucky. One is taking I-64. It’s pretty straightforward, easy roads, relatively smooth sailing, barring a flat tire or three.
Thanks for the pic, Amanda Cousins, and the rest of the RRP trainer group who all have a similar one!
The other takes you through the mountainous roads of Wild and Wonderful West Virginia. In a car, it’s sketchy. With a horse trailer, it is white-knuckled, gripping the steering wheel, jaw-clenching, eye-straining hours of up and down, twisting and turning, sheer drop-offs, and sometimes random patches of dense, treacherous fog. And, of course, it is stunningly beautiful. That’s our God. He’s got a great sense of humor.
So how does one get from the Kentucky Derby to Land Rover Kentucky, or like, at least somewhere in between?
Mmhmm. Blasted dandelions.
Well, you gotta pick a few dandelions, that’s for starters. Sometimes you blow and all the seeds fly and all your wishes come true. And sometimes it takes a few twists and puffs. Sometimes you need to pick a new weed, er, flower. The good news is that apparently there are dandelions all over the darned Horse Park, and I’ve actually seen them in Virginia as well, I’m not sure about your state.
Recently I spent a few (ha) hours at the Loudoun Hunt Pony Club Horse Trials at Morven Park, alternating between schooling a 2019 Makeover hopeful, competing a 2018 grad, and watching the Kentucky live stream. I should probably mention that my husband and I cared for our two children, walked courses, braided multiple horses (OK, that was me), taught lessons, pulsed horses, doctored horses, cheered each other, took videos, provided snacks (not for ourselves, obviously), and finished our days late, falling asleep on the couch. Horse showing when we were single was vastly easier, but way less fun. Our kids are the best cheering section ever.
We don’t compete a tremendous amount anymore, but when we do, it is specifically for the training of the horse. We do not train to compete. We compete in order to further the training of the horses entrusted to us, and to prepare them for their owners, or future owners. Even the Makeover is not any kind of resulting culmination of the training of our horses, but a fantastic spring board to their future careers.
This is contrary to some thinking. I know that competitions are expensive, especially recognized ones. While a lot of homework can be done at the unrecognized levels, at some point, the vibe and atmosphere of recognized shows needs to be experienced. You want to go and be successful, but not necessarily mean competitive, YET. Now, if any horse is going to come out as a seasoned pro at their first show, it will probably be an OTTB, but that’s not always the case. However, we can teach them how to compete, largely by, well, not competing.
Alarming was entered in the Beginner Novice division of Loudoun. He’s been training beautifully, but we had a plan going in that if the cross country seemed like it would back him off, he would simply do a combined test. If he needed a to circle or trot mid-course, that was fine. If he needed to hang out on a rope for the day, perfectly OK. Earlier in the week, he pulled a shoe galavanting in the field and his foot was a little ouchie.
This horse is like a freshman on the varsity basketball team who has trouble making class on time but he charms all the teachers and always scores the winning shot.
Each day, he got progressively better, but we’d lost some rather valuable training time and certainly didn’t want to compete him if he wasn’t 100%. That said, we knew we weren’t going to get our entry fee back, so instead of scratching, we just decided to go, maybe do a dressage test, hang out, and “pretend” we were competing.
He got a bath, stayed in a stall overnight, got braided, rubbed his braids, got his braids fixed, got his feet polished, loaded in the trailer early … all things that he really didn’t need to do to go and pretend to horse show, but all things that will prove valuable as he progresses.
Why you rub my braids, punk??
He hacked over to the warm up (which is super scary, btw), ate a little grass, and warmed up through his excitement beautifully. He went into the dressage arena and llama-llama-ed himself through the test, not really understanding why we weren’t hanging out with the other horses, but still performing each movement shockingly accurately, all things considered. It should be mentioned that the wind was blowing approximately six million miles per hour. That’s just a guestimate. It could have been more.
I hold to the fact that the wind actually blew his haunches over in the halt. Look at poor A! Photo by Tom Mansmann.
After the halt and salute, and great big pat, he went and ate more grass (we like to eat our feelings), and then stood tied like a perfect gentleman at the trailer while the other horses competed. His friends came and went (though he had his constant friend, alfalfa), he drank water, and watched about 12 soccer games (complete with fog horns).
Were we competitive? Um, no, not at all. But was it a waste of time, money, or rubbed mane? The mane is questionable but really, Alarming’s mane is untamable anyway, so I’m not worried. The experience was invaluable to him, it was positive, it was focused on the long-term. It was a decided success on his road to becoming what we believe to be a truly wonderful and talented partner for someone, as long as you get him out of bed in time.
Remember Zach from Saved by the Bell?
The routes to Kentucky will be full of highs and lows, injuries or illnesses, dandelions or roses. We can’t control all of that, but we can control our expectations, our enjoyment, and our joy in the process. And at the very least, plan to take I-64.
Now that the weather is good, it’s been a huge benefit to have my Thoroughbred turned out all night instead of fighting the flies and the sun all day. Not only am I thrilled that his bay coat won’t get bleached by sun and sweat but I generally think giving as much turnout time as possible to the horses is the best possible thing for them.
One of the horses I was most excited to see in Kentucky was Quarrycrest Echo. I’ve been a fan since his top finish at Tattersalls and knowing he is a ‘crafty bugger’ as Piggy fondly puts it just makes me love him more. Because he was cut late, this horse has oodles of personality. [Behind the Stall Door]
We jokingly refer to a tough Novice course as the ‘Novice Olympics’ but Britain legitimately has something similar. The Mitsubishi Motors Cup is a BE90 (the equivalent of Novice) championship course running concurrently with Badminton. Check out the course to see what these competitors face. [Mitsubishi Motors Cup BE90 Course Walk]
Vanir Kamira actually started her career with Piggy French but spent some time in other riders’ yards as well. Izzy Taylor rode the mare for a year before Paul Tapner took her on, bringing her to the top levels. Piggy only regained the ride in 2017, when Paul Tapner took a step back from the full-time competition scene. [Vanir Kamira in Photos]
“Horses might not be the best therapy for everyone but they certainly are for me.”
Jonty Evans was the guest of honor during Friday’s lunch break aboard his 2018 Badminton ride Cooley Rorkes Drift. The crowd was absolutely delighted to see him back in the saddle.
Go Jonty. Go eventing.
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It’s time to vote for the winner of EN’s 8th Annual Kentucky Top Dog Contest, presented by World Equestrian Brands! With beautiful weather this year at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event, the dogs were out in full force at the Kentucky Horse Park.
Unique prizes offered by Waredaca to its starter horse trial competitors. Photo by Holly Covey
For many riders, winning an event means the culmination of a dream. The importance of the achievement dwarfs the color of the ribbon.
And, to be truly fair, winning does mean you’ve done a great job and you and horse together figured it out. And even if you don’t end up at the top of the leaderboard, a really great effort should still stand for you as an achievement of note.
Last year, my very best event, I finished 9th, just out of the ribbons — but it was truly a great event where I made no mistakes, jumped double clear show jumping and cross country rounds over a course myself and my horse had never competed over before. In addition, it was the first event that my horse had stabled overnight at, too. There was no ribbon for that weekend, but I was thrilled with myself and with my horse because it just came together.
You may think that is all there is, but if you compete recognized USEA events, that is not all you gain. Because the USEA pulls out juniors and amateurs from open divisions, I actually placed as the third-highest placed amateur, and received USEA grading points for that placing. In addition, because the competition was a championship, the Area gave double points to any placing, and these points were enough to scoot my horse up the leaderboard on the Area II Year End Awards, too.
So while you may not get much more than a ribbon sometimes for placing at recognized events, bear in mind that the points you gain that are recorded do go down on your record and your horse’s record, and that is part of the entry fee you pay, too. Those rewards are important, and not always seen.
At a starter or unrecognized event, the prizes are even more fun. I attended an event in my area that has a wonderful promotion with a sponsoring feed company where kids get “bucks”, cute fake money, for things like “starting the event”, “completing all three phases”, and “picking up their dressage test”, and of course, winning a ribbon.
The little barn group I went with had most of the riders under 12 and when I marched back to the trailer after my competition was over with the bucks in hand they all figured out they had to ride well and finish the event to get their bucks, too.
Of course, it’s just for fun, but I like the incentives. Picking up a dressage test means you are interested in what the judge had to say about your performance and how to improve your riding and scores. Starting means you got up at 4 a.m. and got to the barn and got your pony on the trailer. Finishing means you didn’t stop trying and cry when your pony stopped at the ditch or black pipe, but stayed on, gave him a pop with your crop, and got the job done the second or third time.
These small victories should be rewarded, and mean something. Competing today as opposed to 20 or 30 years ago I think requires a bit more of a rider. The rules are definitely more complicated. The performance level expected is higher. Winning is harder. Placing is harder. Doing well is harder. So I’m for the rewards for the small things, which in the end, are really big things – or lead to the big things.
Unlike regular horse shows, eventing competitions base your performance on getting it right the first time – there are no additional rounds to perfect the course. In addition, dressage requires memorizing a pattern and displaying it for a judge. And finally you have to send your pony or horse down over a cross-country course that he has not seen and must jump at first asking – by you, the rider – without a trainer coaching you at the rail 15 feet away. I am in awe of a 10 year old that can do that! I couldn’t do it at that age!
Many, many Olympic medalists, USET team riders, international competitors and national champions have beloved memories of getting a clean round at Beginner Novice as a child rider, or finally remembering a dressage test without mistakes, or getting a recalcitrant pony over a nemesis ditch.
Those feats alone requires a dedication to purpose and a certain amount of self-criticism. These are hugely important concepts for young riders in particular to gain, and that is why eventing is so attractive for many families as a worthwhile youth sport. We all need to remember this. All of us, the professionals at the top of the sport, the owners of upper level horses like Tim and Nina Gardner who supported young rider Alexa Lapp with national champion event horse Cambalda, the officials, the judges, the organizers. Youth sport helps make good adults.
So if you are an organizer, a parent, or a supporter of the starter and unrecognized events, or interested in any other way — it’s worth pointing out that rewards in this sport are often intrinsic. Any time you’ve got a kid who placed well, even if they didn’t get into the ribbons, but overcame a difficulty or just made a day without mistakes — it’s to be celebrated, no matter what color the ribbon, or even if there is a ribbon. And if you’re in a position to offer awards, and contribute to youth competing in eventing, do it. It’s needed.
Thoroughbreds made up 4.8% of the horses running at Badminton Horse Trials over the weekend, and among them was the American-bred off-the-track-thoroughbred Captain Jack. “Cappy” is a 2003 New Jersey-bred gelding who actually raced under the Jockey Club name Captain Frank 19 times without breaking his maiden before finding his second career in eventing. Badminton marks the fourth five-star completion free of cross country jump penalties for Cappy and Woodge Fulton.
In honor of Cappy, this week we bring you three bay OTTBs ready for a new career of their own:
We Wilburn You is a real barn favorite thanks to his kind and easy-going personality (notice that there is no one holding his lead …) His trainer says he’s “just a good egg” and actually wanted to keep him for herself as a foxhunter. Time contraints for his sale, however, so her loss is your gain! We Wilburn you last raced at the end of March and has made a total of 41 career starts with modest earnings of $47,000.
Box of Cash — we wish, right?! But this little filly could still prove pretty valuable someday. “Ashlee” is described by her connections as hard working, but hard headed. She’ll need an experienced owner for this reason, but if you get a mare like this on your side they’ll jump the moon for you. Ashlee isn’t showing potential in her race training and therefore hasn’t made a start yet, but she’ll continue in training until someone nabs her for a new career.
Tall, dark, and handsome, three-year-old Lucky Bull is still growing and may very well top out at 17.0-hands or over. “Lucky’s” trainer says he’s a real gentle giant and calls him “incredibly docile.” Lucky has raced eleven times without a win so his connections think he’ll be better suited to a different sport. This is the kind of youngster that could benefit from a little downtime to grow into himself after leaving the track. Once he’s matured a little more
We are sad to say that Whidbey Island Horse Trials will not run this summer. The event does not own the land on which the competition is held, and depends on adjacent property for stabling, dressage, and cross country tracks. Recent changes have made that land unavailable. After looking at every angle, the Organizers determined that they would not be able to hold the event this year, BUT it will return in 2020.
Whidbey Island Horse Trials is Area VII’s longest running event. They held their first competition in 1974 before facing a similar relocation dilemma in 1996. We can’t wait to see them back and better than ever! Kudos to this team for all their efforts.
The Kentucky Trade Fair felt a little empty without the Bit of Britain setup. The retailer, who sponsored the USEA for over 20 years, has officially been sold. [Longtime USEA Sponsor Bit Of Britain Sold]
Oliver Townend and Cooley Master Class. Photo by Shelby Allen.
It honestly took over a week plus Badminton coverage to truly reflect (recover) from The Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event. The Best Weekend All Year, held April 24-28 is one of EN’s busiest, so I’d like to bring you a few odds and ends that might have been missed in our coverage as well as a look inside of the madness that is LRK3DE:
Kentucky was a different beast for me this year. I went to the former four-star for the first time as a spectator, then for a number of years as an intern for Press Officer Marty Bauman and his Classic Communications team, who organize the Media Center, and then again when I worked for the U.S. Eventing Association. Kentucky feels familiar, and I know, generally, what to expect, but that got a bit flipped this year as I found myself taking on the role of Lead Writer for Eventing Nation.
This past Sunday marked two years since I joined the team, and I’ve covered enough events that I know what to do, but the how to do it was truthfully a little daunting. Jenni Autry has fearlessly led the EN coverage in Kentucky for the last seven years, so I certainly had big shoes to fill. If you’ve never met Jenni, picture every single Marvel Universe character rolled into one — being Jenni is a superpower on its own. As I took the reins that week, I wanted to maintain the quality and flair our readers have come to expect as literally thousands and thousands of you guys visit EN every day during Kentucky.
Fortunately, the Nation Media team is quite frankly the best out there, and there was not one second that I didn’t have ample support, encouragement and friends eager to help me. I have Jenni, Leslie Wylie, Abby Powell, Maggie Deatrick and Tilly Berendt to thank for that. And don’t worry, Jenni hasn’t gone anywhere, she was on the other side of the camera this year as field reporter for USEF Network (which she did brilliantly! You can find more of her excellent coverage here).
Merrick Haydon supporting journalists the best way possible – with boxed wine. Photo by Shelby Allen.
Outside of our own happy EN bubble — there is nothing more encouraging than working alongside the many, many talented journalists and photographers who descend on Kentucky every year.
Our content came to life that week through the photos of Shannon Brinkman and her team, which included the talented Bryce Lankard and Erin Gilmore. I feel very lucky that our little corner of the Internet had such incredible visual thanks to them.
I’d also like to take a second to congratulate Jenni, Shannon and The Chronicle of the Horse’s Mollie Bailey, who all received McCauley’s Alltech ‘A+’ Awards for outstanding coverage of international equestrian sport. It’s very encouraging to see their talent and hard work recognized.
Now to the competition — I’m happy to say that this was one of the safest years in Kentucky. The one major injury was a broken collarbone sustained by Buck Davidson, and I’m happy to report that he’s on the mend. Before he underwent surgery for some new hardware, he was at the competition Sunday, coaching and supporting other riders with a smile on his face. He was rightfully awarded the The Equis Sportsmanship Award for this.
A post shared by Liz Halliday (@lizhallidaysharp) on
An early and uncharacteristic fall had Liz Halliday-Sharp and Deniro Z eliminated from the competition at fence three on the cross country. Liz said Deniro didn’t feel himself — he was unusually laid back and a bit lazy in the first minute — but we’re happy to hear that he’s feeling right as rain again. Liz has made her usual spring pilgrimage back to the UK, and we’re looking forward to following their summer season across the pond.
One of the biggest points of discussion over the weekend revolved around Will Coleman and Tight Lines, who were penalized by the new missed flag rule. Will posted this on his Facebook page the following Monday:
“As I understand it, the intent of this rule is to prevent horses that are trying to run out from having their head, neck, and shoulders simply held inside the flags by the riders, while their bodies don’t actually jump the obstacle. In my case, I think there was no question my horse tried to jump between the flags. Did I ride it perfectly? Absolutely not. Was the distance too long? Yes. There were lots of awkward rides there throughout the day. Did the horse jump it well? No, he is not the scopiest, and he scraped over it, and it was hairy as hell. That’s eventing. It ain’t all roses. But punishing this horse for trying his absolute hardest to the do the right thing in that moment just seems wrong, especially when the actual intent of the rule is to penalize combinations who are trying to NOT negotiate the fence and are simply wrangled between the flags. Unequivocally, that was not the case here. It was as honest an effort on the part of the horse as you can get. If you want to punish me for having one dicey fence on an 11 minute 5* track, the rest of which the horse made look like child’s play in one of only four double clear rounds, then give me a yellow card for not riding well enough.”
This new rule has received heavy criticism this spring, as riders and fans argue that it introduces an element of subjectivity to the cross country phase. EN is actively following this rule and its implementation as the season continues.
Dom Schramm and Bolytair B. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
We’ve seen a smaller pool of Kentucky first-timers in the last two years, mostly due to a more stringent qualification process, but their stories are always the most special to me because they are out there chasing a dream that many of us have shared.
I’d like to highlight Ariel Grald, who turned heads on Saturday for her incredible cross country performance that made her look like she’d been around that track a thousand times before, and Dom Schramm, who handled the seemingly overwhelming pressure of going first in the show jumping with one of the most stylish clear rounds of the day.
Lauren Kieffer and her crew. Photo by Shelby Allen.
Speaking of show jumping, there is no more emotional moment than when a competitor completes their round and comes back to join their team. A five-star completion is special to all riders whether you’re a rookie or a seasoned veteran. They say it takes a village to get a horse to this level, and that moment when the village reunites on the backside of a completion is truly special.
Welcome to the EN team, baby Thomas! Photo courtesy of Leslie Wylie.
Amid the madness that is Kentucky, I have to admit I had one ear flicked another direction for a large portion of the competition as our very own Leslie Wylie was facing an entirely different challenge — labor and delivery. In true eventer spirit, her bundle of joy arrived on cross county day. I missed Leslie’s cheer in the Media Center this year, but am so excited for her and her husband.
Working for this sport is often a labor of love, but I feel very fortunate to toil away for something I am truly passionate about. Thank you to all the readers that rode the emotional roller coaster that is Kentucky with us.
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