I’d say Pippa Funnell has a type?? Photo courtesy of Pippa.
Listen, I may have a weird karmic fate for plain brown geldings, but Pippa Funnell seems to be opposed to brown geldings with right socks. And they must be tall and have one LEFT sock, apparently. Very specific, Pippa, very specific indeed.
Keep up with Pippa (and some others) this weekend as we’ve got way more Pau content coming your way – from our form guide, to live updates throughout the competition, to complete round-ups of all the action, so keep it locked onto EN – and follow @goeventing – as we prepare to celebrate the final 5* of the season in true EN style.
Alongside our Pau coverage, we’ll be following all of the eventing goings on at the Games – so go nowhere, and go eventing!
Major International Events
#Santiago2023: [Website] [Sport Schedule] [FEI Info Hub] [Live Stream] [Results] [EN’s Coverage]
Les 5 Etoiles de Pau: [Website] [Entries] [Schedule] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage]
U.S. Weekend Preview
Chattahoochee Hills H.T. (Fairburn, GA) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scores]
Waredaca Classic Three Day Event & H.T. (Laytonsville, MD) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times][Volunteer] [Scoring]
YEH West Coast Championships & Last Chance Qualifier (Paso Robles, CA) [Website] [Entries][Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]
News From Around the Globe:
The announcement that starter level will be recognized in 2024 has some mixed reactions. When the USEA was founded in 1959, Preliminary was the first level available, and boy have times changed. Lower levels make the sport more accessible to more equestrians, and the rule change was member driven. Most of the responses have been positive, but some riders worry that this move will negatively impact grassroots unrecognized competitions. [Organizers Weigh In On New Starter Level]
Best of Blogs: Real Talk About Affording Horse Show Life (Or Not)
The final event in the two-leg Dutta Corp. Young Event Horse Championships kicks off today at Twin Rivers Ranch in Paso Robles, California. With 34 entries across the four and five-year-old divisions, and a last-chance qualifier held today, there is lots of talent to be seen on the west coast. Get your fast facts here! [YEH West Coast Championships]
Spooky Horse Story of the Week: The Curse of Whitehorse Valley
Virginia Horse Center Eventing is hosting a fabulous giveaway! It’s not even a contest, honestly, and you’re guaranteed to win the grand prize of a free cross country schooling session on their BN through 3* courses, a Dover Saddlery gift certificate, $20-$80 donation to a charity of your choice, a swag bag from top sponsors, plus invaluable life experience and educational opportunities. The only requirement to win the prize is a few hours of your time as a volunteer next weekend! [Volunteer for Virginia]
Cross-country is the heart and soul of eventing; it’s what separates us from the other disciplines. The essence of riding cross-country is for the rider to be able to create a good quality canter (or gallop) appropriate for each fence. It is the horse’s job to jump the fence, but it is the rider’s job to present the horse to the jump in the correct canter, to make the horse’s job easier. The rider needs to be able to let the horse gallop on between fences, and then bring him back into the appropriate stride length, balance, rhythm, straightness, and attitude for each obstacle. Making that transition efficiently and seamlessly is the key to good XC riding. [A Good Canter is the Key to Cross Country]
