Welcome to Friday, Eventing Nation! Almost there, guys. You’re almost there.
Weekend Event Links
Abbe Ranch H.T. XXXVI (CO) [Website] [Live Scoring]
Fox River Valley Pony Club H.T. (IL) [Website] [Live Scoring]
Midsouth Pony Club H.T. (KY) [Website] [Live Scoring]
Shepherd Ranch SYVPC H.T. I (CA) [Website] [Live Scoring]
Golden Spike H.T. (UT) [Website]
Invale Farm H.T. and Gallops Saddlery Classic 3-Day (OR) [Website] [Live Scoring]
Great Vista Horse Trials (NY) [Website]
Australia has nominated its Olympic team! But wait… Eventing Australia nominated the following horse/rider combinations to the Australian Olympic Committee for selection to its team: Andrew Hoy (Rutherglen), Chris Burton (Holstein Park Leilani), Clayton Fredericks (Bendigo), Lucinda Fredericks (Flying Finish) and Shane Rose (Taurus). However, a corresponding statement has been released saying that the athletes lodged an appeal against the nominated team within the 48-hour appeal period. The grounds upon which they are appealing remain undisclosed. The appeal will be heard by an independent tribunal in due course. If we hear anything that makes this all seem less cryptic, we’ll let you know. [Australian Equestrian Team] [An Eventful Life]
Six animal protection groups have called for the revoking of plans to use horses in the opening ceremony of the London Olympic Games. As it stands, the ceremony’s opening scene portrays an idyllic scene of the British countryside, replete with 70 sheep and 12 horses. The animal protection groups object on the grounds that: “Subjecting these animals to more than 62,000 cheering people, bright lights, high sound levels and the frenetic atmosphere of the event, while preventing them from exercising their natural instinct to remove themselves or hide, will be a highly stressful and probably terrifying experience for them.” [Horse Talk NZ]
There will be no “special treatment” for Zara Phillips during the Olympics. She’ll stay in the Olympic village with the rest of her team, and no additional security precautions will be taken to protect the royal athlete. “Security is going to be so tight that every athlete will be treated like the queen was their grandmother,” said Anthony Glees, director of the Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies at the University of Buckingham. “Around the Olympic venues there will be a so-called ring of steel that will replicate the sort of security surrounding a head of state. London will swamped with security personnel, and the amount spent on security at the Games will the biggest ever.” [MSNBC]
Hot on Horse Nation: McKenna is officially a training-level rider, readers debate who is the hottest hunk in eventing, and Jacob Fletcher gives an Area V NAJYRC eventing team update. [HN]
Heard on Eventing Radio: Samantha Clark and John Kyle discuss Luhmuhlen with special guest Pippa Roome from Horse and Hound; Brian Rutledge explains what it’s like to be left home alone with three kids on Father’s Day weekend while your wife adds another CCI**** to her bow; and an interview with Rachel Wakefield of Uptown Eventing. [Listen]
Found on Facebook: From Jennie Brannigan, “What company writes you a get well card from every staff member, gets your boss new tails overnighted from Europe before he goes to the Olympics, and sends you a care package when they know your riding a lot of horses in an event that’s hot???” Answer: SmartPak, of course!
All eyes on Zara:
