Happy Monday! I am resisting the urge to talk football. But the Superbowl is just around the corner, so start picking your team wisely. That is all. For those of you who are needing something to do this lovely Monday morning, try checking out Pro’s Derby Cross from the weekend. And just in case you can’t remember how it went, you can check out the recap and results HERE.
Poplar Place HT took place this past weekend. In the Intermediate/Preliminary Carl Bouckaert took the blue with Mensa. This pair is really starting to form a bond and is sure to be very competitive this season. Werner Geven also had a good weekend with a second and forth in the IP and a first and second in the Open Preliminary. Connor Husain had a stellar dressage score of 20.0 in the Preliminary/Training. He went on to finish first in the division with a 24.40. With eleven divisions, there are plenty of scores to check. So get checkin’! [Poplar Place HT]
Heading just a bit further south to Ocala, Longwood hosted its first ever HT. This popular farm played host to many top riders out for a good, educational weekend with their mounts. Longwood is a beautiful farm, with a fantastic cross country and surely created a fantastic weekend. [Longwood HT]
British event rider, Tom McEwen was winner at the 2011 South Essex Insurance Brokers and Retraining of Racehorses Elite Performance Awards in London. McEwen found his mount, Dry Old Party, through former trainer, Pippa Funnell. Tom and Dry Old Party finished 19th at their first CCI**** and plan to compete at Badminton and Burghley in 2012. Here’s to OTTBs succeeding at eventing! [Tom McEwen]
Emily Llewellyn is under the critic’s eyes for entering the wrong classes at a dressage show. Both classes, which she won, were qualifying classes. Neither class was she eligible. Stating that the entering system was confusing, Emily said she entered the classes she thought were correct for her. Also, as of Dec 1, riders are required to wear an approved helmet. Emily went into the ring in a hunt cap, not knowing the rule had changed. [Rule breaking]
Twenty starving and dead horses have been recovered in Bentonia. Among them, a mule. Flying Wind is a mule who is living up to his name. He just can’t be caught. Out smarting the humans, Flying Wind is still on the move. [Mule]
The Retired Racehorse Challenge took place this past weekend. Three trainers were chosen, Kerry Blackmer, Eric Dierks, and Tiffany Catledge. Each trainer had to answer racehorse trivia questions to determine the order which they would pick their mounts. They were then given time to bond with their mounts- but not actually get on them. Finally, they were moved into the ring where each trainer rode the mount for the first time. Each trainer will have their horse for five weeks. At the end of the five weeks, the training will be assessed and a winner will be crowned. [Challenge time]
And for a little harmless entertainment from RAP…
