Today’s post is in loving memory of dressage judge Lucy Eddins, who passed away over the weekend. Lucy touched many lives over the years in the sports of dressage, eventing and beyond. As one COTH commenter wrote, “She was such a wonderful judge. Even if she was giving a competitor a lousy score, she would take a few minutes to motivate and inspire them with things to work on, and give them the confidence that they could do much better. Everyone always rode off smiling.” Lucy, we forever salute you.
Events Opening Today: Virginia Horse CIC2*, CCI1* & Horse Trials (Virginia, A-2), The Event at Galisteo (New Mexico, A-10), Mystic Valley Hunt Club H.T. (Connecticut, A-1), Corona del Sol Spring H.T. (Texas, A-5), Paradise Farm H.T. (South Carolina, A-3), The Spring Event at Woodside (California, A-6), May-Daze at the Park H.T. (Kentucky, A-8), Flora Lea Spring H.T. (New Jersey, A-2)
Events Closing Today: University of New Hampshire Spring H.T. (New Hampshire, A-1), Loudoun Hunt Pony Club Spring H.T. (Virginia, A-2), Fresno County Horse Park H.T. (California, A-4)
USEA Happenings: The USEA welcomes Rob Burk as the newest member of its professional staff working at the organization’s headquarters in Leesburg, Virginia. Rob joins the USEA in the newly created position of Senior Director of Programs. And, US Eventing TV wraps up its coverage of the Adequan USEA Gold Cup and PRO Tour Series CIC3* at The Fork with a video of cross-country highlights. [US Eventing]
Olympic Qualification Procedures: The FEI’s proposed changes to terms of Olympic qualification could mean only a single nation from the two continents of North and South America go to the 2016 Olympics except for host Brazil, which gets an automatic reservation. [Dressage-News]
WEG Preparations: With 500 days to go until the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2014 in Normandy, France, a campaign to recruit 3,000 volunteers for the Games and test events in 2013 begins on Wednesday. [HorseTalk NZ]
Best of the Blogs: Molly Rosin is home to Pennsylvania after wintering in Aiken, and happy to be there! “You don’t realize how good you have it until you miss it,” she writes. [Havarah Equestrian] Rick Wallace had a disappointing weekend at the Fork but it’s onward-and-upward from here. He writes, “The old phrase in the south always resounds in my head: GET’ ER DONE. And we will.” [Wallace Eventing]
SmartPak Product of the Day: We put all this time and energy and expense into finding the perfect saddle, and then we’re OK with just strapping it on with… whatever? That’s like putting on a fancy dress and curling your hair and having your makeup done and then walking out of the house in a pair of Crocs because you forgot to think about shoes. Check out my glowing review of the SmartPak Air+ Neoprene Girth. [SmartPak]
Video: Irish Olympic event rider Joseph Murphy presented an eventing demonstration day in aid of the Jack & Jill Foundation, a charitable organization that provides support for families with very sick children. The event took place over the weekend in Kildare and included presentations by Olympic team showjumping coach Ian Fearon, international coach William Micklem and top racing jockey Johnny Murtagh.
