The famous cross country jumps housed at Kentucky Horse Park have a new shelter with the erecting of a new hoop barn on site this week! This new building will help keep the jumps safe from the elements and improve storage capacities in other facilities on the property, which of course hosts competitions across disciplines all year round — that’s a lot of equipment to store!
U.S. Weekend Preview
Millbrook H.T. (NY): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times] [Scoring]
Hunt Club Farms H.T. (VA): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times] [Scoring] [Volunteer]
Stone Gate Farm Mini Trial (OH): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring]
Major International Events
Burgham International (UK): [Website] [Timetable] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring] [Live Stream]
FEI Eventing Nations Cup – Avenches (Switzerland): [Website] [Entries] [Timing & Scoring] [Live Stream]
News & Reading
What is the target of USEF’s new hair testing rule that has just gone to effect as of July 1? Unfortunately, there exist people who have chosen to use jaw-dropping drugs such as the barbiturate pentobarbital, which is commonly used in humane euthanasia, to reduce a horse’s energy before competition, and this new rule aims to have a better chance of detecting these highly illegal usage cases. The advantages of using hair testing? The test can go back further in time — some 12 to 18 months, in fact — providing a larger window in case a drug has been used well in anticipation of competition. But the euthanasia drug isn’t the only substance on the target list for this rule — you can read more about it here.
Blanka Bodi, a young rider in Hungary, and her mother, Réka Lestyán, are being hailed as heroes after their brave efforts to save horses from a raging barn fire near their hometown. “I didn’t want anything to happen to the horses – I wasn’t thinking about myself. I just wanted to save them and help them get to safety. Someone had to,” Blanka told Horse & Hound. “I was a bit scared, but mostly because of the horses. We were feeding off each other’s energy. I was more nervous that they might get loose or run off, so my fear was really about them – not the fire.” Hungary’s Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky honored Blanka’s bravery at the Hungarian Derby meeting at Kincsem Park. Read more about the courageous efforts that helped to save the lives of four horses here.
Back pain, for a variety of reasons, is a common issue plaguing many horses, and it’s not always easy to know how to manage it. Of course, it starts with understanding the root of the issue. Does your horse have any conditions that would create pain? Does your saddle and equipment fit well? Are they properly conditioned for the work they are doing? Among other reasons, these causes can help you find a path forward to navigate the back issues. You can find more advice on what to consider when it comes to managing back pain here.
Sponsor Corner: Stable View
Have you checked out an Eventing Academy schooling or competition at Stable View yet? This fun, low-pressure (and low cost!) option provides the opportunity to practice over flagged cross country courses and participate in an unrecognized event on the final day of the Academy. Competitors can earn leaderboard points throughout the year. There are three more Eventing Academy weekends coming up before the end of the year, so you can find out more and send your entry in for the next one here.
Video Break
Belgian team manager Kai Steffen-Meier stopped by the latest episode of The Jon and Rick Show:
