Thanks to Caroline Daly for this little gem!
Dressage Day One is upon us….yet again! It feels like only yesterday that we were anticipating Rolex dressage beginning, and yet, so far in the background. Well, onwards and upwards, we’ve got Badminton starting today after all 84 horses were accepted at yesterday’s jog. Today we have everybody’s first horse doing dressage, including Michael Jung’s Leopin FST, Mary King with Imperial Cavalier, WFP with Oslo and Andrew Nicholson with Avebury (Jenni’s pick to win the whole darn thing). I like that there are “coffee” breaks in between groups of the dressage, it makes it so….British!
Check out the links below for all your Badminton needs, as well as a link to watch it online via FEI TV. Unfortunately, FEI TV is a paid subscription, but if you’re in it for the long haul, it’s worth every penny. It does not show Dressage today or tomorrow, but the XC and Stadium are full coverage, and include some dressage highlights before watching XC on Sunday.
Badminton Links:
[Website] [Ride Times] [Dressage Results]
Events This Weekend:
Heart of the Carolinas 3-day Event: [Website] [Entry Status]
Weatherford and Greenwood Farm CIC2*, CIC1*, HT: [Website] [Live Scores]
Penny Oaks HT: [Website] [Entry Status]
Riga Meadow CT: [Website]
MCTA HT: [Website] [Entry Status]
Poplar Place May HT: [Website]
News:
Boyd finally got that ankle fixed and is through his surgery ready to hobble around and teach lessons! Boyd had four torn tendons and ligaments in his right ankle, and decided to push through the pain in order to get around Rolex with Oscar. While his 4* weekend didn’t exactly end the way he wanted, he did get to the surgeons this week, and in true Boyd fashion, managed to convince the surgeons to take photos with his phone during the operation. If you want to see some gory photos, click here. WARNING: Graphic Images of a Gross Ankle [Boyd’s Surgery Blog]
Looking for some more thrills after Rolex? Happen to be near New Jersey next week? Jersey Fresh needs volunteers! Not only will you get to see some of the top riders and horses in the country, but you might even get to meet yours truly. There is a CCI2*, CCI3*, and a CIC of both those levels running that weekend, and it promises to be a good time. Jersey is always a beautiful event, so volunteer! [Volunteers Needed at Jersey Fresh]
Yesterday at Badminton was also full of Eventing thrills, with the amateur grassroots championships. Badminton’s sun-drenched parklands were the backdrop for the culmination of both the 2013 and the postponed 2012 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Grassroots Championships, a competition series aimed at the amateur rider. Good jumping came to the fore this year with testing cross country courses and an electric atmosphere providing the ultimate championship challenge. [Celebration of Grassroots Championships]
Photos of the Badminton Jogs from British Eventing FB: [Photos by Adam Fanthorpe]
If you need a strong Badminton fix this week, head on over to Horse & Hound, our vastly superior English counterpart. I’ve always had a subscription, just because I’m a little obsessed with British Eventing, but did you know that it’s ridiculously easy to get the digital version right now on your computer? In advance, you’re welcome. [H&H Digital Subscriptions]
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