It’s not just the riders, connections, journalists and fans getting excited for Luhmühlen — the team on site are giddy with anticipation too. They’ve also had to reckon with the travel bans that have meant that some of their usual team members haven’t been able to join them for the preparations – but they’ve kept morale up by tackling a bake-off challenge based on the last fence on course. Wonder if we can persuade them to save us a slice?
National Holiday: It’s National Chocolate Ice Cream Day. I can get behind that.
US Weekend Action:
Genesee Valley Hunt Club H.T. (Geneseo, Ny.): [Website] [Results]
IEA H.T. (Edinburgh, In.): [Website] [Results]
The Spring Event at Archer (Cheyenne, Wa.) : [Website] [Results]
GMHA H.T. (South Woodstock, Vt.) : [Website] [Results]
The Middleburg H.T. (The Plains, Va.): [Website] [Results]
New Jersey Region’s H.T. (Allentown, Nj.): [Website] [Results]
Ocala Summer I H.T. (Ocala, Fl.): [Website] [Results]
Poplar Place June H.T. (Hamilton, Ga.): [Website] [Results]
Unionville H.T. (Unionville, Pa.): [Website] [Results]
UK Weekend Action:
Ascott under Wychwood (2): Results
Belsay International: Results
Little Downham (1): Results
Global Eventing Roundup:
There were nine FEI events held globally over the last week, but foremost were those in Millstreet, Ireland, and Renswoude, the Netherlands, both of which held formidable four-star sections.
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Millstreet’s feature class, the CCI4*-L, went the way of New Zealand’s Tim Price and Falco, who led from wire to wire despite the tough going making the time a serious factor. They added 14.8 time penalties across the country, while the fastest round of the day was delivered by third-placed Tom McEwen and CHF Cooliser, who was rerouting from a planned CCI5* debut at Luhmühlen. Their 8.8 time penalties far eclipsed the times delivered across the rest of the field.
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Mike McNally and Eclipto took the CCI4*-S for their home country, adding just 3.2 time penalties in the showjumping to their first-phase score of 25.1. In an exciting teaser of the month to come, Jonelle Price finished second and third on two of her Luhmühlen-bound horses – McLaren, who will contest the CCI4*-S, and Faerie Dianimo, who heads back to the CCI5*, respectively. Check out full results here.
Germany’s Emma Brüssau and Dark Desire GS won the CCI4*-S at Renswoude, leading every phase and adding just 1.6 time penalties in showjumping and 0.4 across the country to finish on a score of 26.6. Her fellow countrywoman and former World Champion Sandra Auffarth took second and third place on The Phantom of the Opera and Rosveel, respectively. Check out the rest of the results here.
Your Monday Reading List:
Without wonderful volunteers, eventing wouldn’t exist – and so we’re always so excited to see initiatives that honor their hard work. Diane Bird recently became the first-ever silver medal winner in the USEA’s Volunteer Medal Program after clocking up over 1,000 hours of service. What a hero. [The First Silver Medal is Earned in the USEA Volunteer Medal Program]
Equestrian Canada is leading the fight against tight nosebands. They’ve launched a pilot project that’ll lead to refined rules and in the long run, much happier horses. [Canada clamping down on tight nosebands in horse sport]
When Marion Kimball Riese and Freckles competed at the May Dressage Derby in California, they didn’t just earn the rider the high-point adult amateur award. They also joined the prestigious Dressage Foundation Century Club, for horses and riders whose combined age totals 100 or more. [Century Club Just A Stop Along The Way For Octogenarian Dressage Rider]
And finally, here’s your daily dose of cute: meet Colin the ‘miracle foal’, who was born via emergency caesarean while his mother underwent colic surgery. Now, he likes to hang out in the house and enjoys bedtime stories. [Colin the ‘miracle’ caesarean foal is beating the odds to survive thanks to dedicated vet]
The FutureTrack Follow:
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It’s got to be Mollie Summerland, with whom I’m currently on a mad adventure to Luhmühlen. Stay tuned as she tackles her second five-star with her horse Charly van ter Heiden!
Morning Viewing:
I’m sitting here writing this news and notes roundup from the comfort of the lounge at Tim Lips’s incredible base in the Netherlands – and this vlog from a young Dutch pony rider gives you the chance to see my view from the terrace and some of Tim’s cross-country training techniques. Can’t help you with translations though, sorry.
