Friday News & Notes from World Equestrian Brands

Just some buddies together on a chilly barn day. Photo by Kate Samuels.

Even though now the calendar has many more events prior to Pine Top, I will always think of Pine Top Advanced as the first big event of the year. It’s the real, old school first Advanced of the year, anyway. Also, the two times in my life when I have been the coldest have also been at this competition, which tells you something about the wisdom of trying to go south to stay warm!

National Holiday: National Sticky Bun Day

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Pine Top Farm Adanced H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Three Lakes Winter II H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

Full Gallop February II [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Live Scores]

News From Around the Globe:

Irish Olympian Padraig McCarthy recently lent his wisdom to riders in Aiken for a two-day jumping clinic. With one day of show jumping at Five Henry Stables and one day of cross country at Full Gallop Farm, riders from Novice to Advanced learned about his emphasis on holding one track between jumps, establishing a bouncy canter, and keeping confidence through all exercises. [Clinic Report: Padraig McCarthy]

College students take note! Brook Ledge Horse Transport is giving one lucky student a round-trip horse ticket to anywhere from anywhere for the next college year! Open to any incoming or current college student under the age of 24, this opportunity is perfect for the young equestrian who doesn’t have the means to get their horse to a far away college. You don’t even have to be on an equestrian team to qualify, so check it out! [Brook Ledge 2020 Road Scholar]

We’re all suckers for horse movies, let’s face it. Even though they always feature excessive whinnying (PLEASE STOP), we just can’t help ourselves. This year, we look forward to Dream Horse, which is the true story of a Welsh bartender who rallies her whole small town to chip in money towards breeding and racing an unlikely champion racehorse. [Dream Horse Comes to Theaters in May]