Current Blenheim CCI*** leaders Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen. Photo by Samantha Clark.
Good morning! We are getting spoiled with these event filled weekends, and this one is no different. The Fidelity Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials (whew, that’s a mouthful!) are in full swing and currently making me want to skip across the pond and put down my roots right in front of (or in?) that beautiful castle. American Clark Montgomery and Loughan Glen currently hold the lead going into day 2 of dressage on a 42.7. Dressage kicks off again today at 9:30 am local time. EN’s own Samantha Clark is on site bringing us tons and tons of updates and photos, so stay tuned for plenty more action throughout the day!
Blenheim Links:
[U.S. Riders @ Blenheim Preview] [XC Course Walk]
[Blenheim Website] [Ride Times] [Live Scores] [FB Updates via USEF High Performance]
Events This Weekend:
Poplar Place Farm September HT: [Website] [Ride Times]
Flying Cross Farm HT: [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]
Feather Creek HT: [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]
GMHA September HT: [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]
Windy Wyoming HT: [Website] [Ride Times]
Dunnabeck HT: [Website] [Entry Status/Ride Times]
Seneca Valley Pony Club HT: [Website] [Entry Status]
E.I. Horse Trials [Website] [Ride Times]
ESDCTA Eventing Championships [Website]
Your Friday News:
In case you live under a rock, FLAIR is holding a pretty great contest right now. You can win $250 by winning back to back horse trials between now and October 31. Be sure to use FLAIR strips for both your cross country and stadium rounds (take photos so we can see you rocking them!), and then spend your $250 on…oh, who am I kidding, I would spend it on my vet and farrier bills. [Eventers Win Big With FLAIR]
Lifelong eventing supporter Shockey Gillet has passed away. A dedicated and honored member of the Maryland Combined Training Association, Shockey will long be remembered as a champion of our sport. A celebration of Shockey’s life will be held on Saturday from 4:30-6 PM at the family home, Hunting Ridge Farm 14300 Green Rd, Glyndon 21071. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Shockey’s name may be made to Maryland Combined Training Association, C/O Sue Page, 1940 Hunter Mill Road, White Hall, MD 21161 or Wounded Warrior Project, 112 G Street NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20005. [Click here to send memory tributes to the family.]
Rachel Alexandra is one of the top divas to ever set foot on the racetrack. Earlier this year, the mare battled through some serious complications after giving birth to her 2013 foal. This feel good story is about her main caretaker through this period, Brent Comer, and the special relationship the two developed during Rachel’s recovery. [Rachel Alexandra and Brent Comer]
Our resident rock star, Kate Samuels, was recently a guest on the Horse Radio Network. She made an appearance on the show Stable Scoop and gives us the inside scoop (see what I did there?) on her life pre-eventing mania. Turns out she is a foodie like me; ok maybe I’m not a foodie, I just like to eat. A lot. [The All Food Episode]
Sinead and Tate have been tearing it up at the Devon Horse Show. I guess Tate got word from across the pond that Burghley had gone on without him and he launched a protest. Nonetheless, Meg Kep has been keeping us up to date with photos from Devon — is it just me, or does Tate look slightly displeased that there is not a big cross country track waiting for him on the other side of the in gate? [Sinead and Tate at Devon]
The AECs are almost here! Over 430 entries have been received for this year’s contest, so Texas is about to get even bigger! The USEA is keeping us up to date on the happenings, but we also need some eyes and ears on the ground! Yeah, that’s right, we mean you! [Seriously, Email Us Now]
Are you a strong writer/editor who loves eventing? In anticipation of some big changes coming to EN this fall, we’re looking to add a new member to our team. So dust off your writing samples and apply by Friday, Sept. 13 at midnight EST. Bonus points for applications that include chinchilla poems. [Write for EN]
Flora Lea Fall Horse Trials (Area II) to be held on September 28th and 29th is accepting post entries. They host Preliminary and Training on Saturday and Novice and Beginner Novice on Sunday. Quality footing and quality XC fences make this competition a valuable experience for both horse and rider. Some on site stabling is still available.
Best of the blogs: The Chronicle’s Lauren Keeton brings us up to speed on being “Olympic” in everything we do.
Friday Video Break:
This story is making its rounds on Facebook currently, and it really is a great story. A wild stallion, nicknamed Champ by his observers, rescued a filly who was getting swept upstream by an unfriendly looking river.
