Photo by Shawn Mcmillen
Good Morning Eventing Nation! Well the 2011 eventing season is certainly starting to feel like it’s on the way out, with the final international competition of the season concluding last weekend and number of competitions taking place each weekend on a steady decline, it won’t be long before it’s time to baste the turkey and hang the Christmas lights. I have to say I won’t be too disheartened to see the backside of 2011, maybe because this hasn’t quite been the year I’d hoped for, but also because there’s something so exciting and alluring about the prospect of a fresh start at the new year. What are your goals for this next year, Eventing Nation?
Anyway, now that you’ve had a dose of positivity this morning, let’s move on to the news:
The first order of business is the FLAIR November contest, with a chance to win ten FLAIR strips! All you have to do is answer three simple questions in the comment section of this page. To double your chances of winning you need to be proficient enough on Facebook to share the contest information in a wall post, and to triple your chances of winning, you need to ‘tweet’ the entry page and then write in the comment section that you tweeted.
Jessica Springsteen, daughter of Bruce of course, had a banner weekend at the National Horse Show in Kentucky, placing third in the $250,000 Alltech Grand Prix (behind Richard Spooner and Nick Skelton) as well as taking home the prestigious Jolicoeur Leading Lady Rider title. Jessica said of her ride, “My mare was fantastic. This was a very exciting night for me. To be on the same podium with these two great, veteran riders is a real honor. I couldn’t be happier.” Springsteen has been a rising star in the show jumping ranks for some time now, after graduating through the pony, junior, and equitation ranks, she is now becoming one of the fastest growing names in the international show jumping ranks. She certainly seems to have all the ingredients to become a true international star, It will be exciting to see what she accomplishes in the future. [Horsetalk]
Gill Watson, legendary British rider and trainer of the junior and young rider teams for over 30 years, has devised a new system to bridge the void she feels is present in the juniors move up from the one-star level to the two-and-three star levels. Her plan calls for not only for more in-depth instruction for juniors while in the saddle, but it also calls for further education in preparing and managing a horse in the lead up to a big three-day event. Gill said, “Generally riders go to a trainer to learn a specific riding skill and do not seek an overall view of what is needed at different levels of competition, so they often end up not being aware of all parts of a complex equestrian puzzle.” [Horse and Hound]
I know John wrote a post about the sad news of Dr. Mary Alice Brown’s death a couple days ago, but the USEA has done a great article with background to her life and accomplishments that is worth sharing. From reading these biographies of Mary Alice upon her death, it’s very evident that she was a prolific horsewoman and a tremendous contributor to the sport. She will be missed. [USEA]
Should texting while driving a carriage be considered the same offense as texting while driving a car (as it is in Montreal)? Well that is the question after several carriage drivers in Montreal have been fined for cell phones while driving a carriage. The drivers claim that texting while driving a horse shouldn’t be on the same plane with driving an automobile (with the reasoning that carriages travel at a much slower pace and that the horses can see where they are going. I admit to using my phone while on horseback far more frequently than I should, it is dangerous, although so tempting to use those long hacks to catch up on missed phone calls. What is your take on cell phone use while riding? (No big deal, avoid at all costs, etc) [Horse Network]
British Dressage star Laura Bechtolsheimer is the latest inductee into the British Horse Society’s Equestrian Hall of Fame. She will join the ranks of some of the greatest stars (both human and equine) there ever were in British horse sport, Jennie Loristen-Clarke, Milton, and Over To You, to name but a few. [Horsetalk]
This week’s Eventing Radio Episode is all about the amateurs, with guests Clare Stringer and Jeremy Lawton of Shearwater Insurance. Click here to tune in.
That’s all for now, Eventing Nation. Have a great Friday, I’m on weekend duty while John is off visiting some friends, so I will see you all soon.
