Everyone has a different way of celebrating success, but Laura Collett, who received her first Olympic call-up for the British eventing team last week, is our kind of gal: for her and her crew, it’s all about the cocktails. We recommend following her lead and celebrating your wins this week – whatever they are. For me? I’m raising a few glasses to getting my mare out cross-country schooling for the first time in a month. That’s enough of an excuse, right?
National Holiday: It’s National Bikini Day, so don your finest skivvies and relax in the sunshine after all that celebrating. Oh, and it’s also my birthday. Not that I’m being that person or anything. (I am.)
US Weekend Action:
Larkin Hill H.T.: [Website] [Results]
The Maryland International + Horse Trials: [Website] [Results]
Chattahoochee Hills H.T.: [Website] [Results]
Twin Rivers Summer H.T.: [Website] [Results]
Cobblestone Farms H.T. I: [Website] [Results]
Great Meadow Mandatory Outing: [Results]
UK Weekend Action:
Keysoe International (2): Results
Kirriemuir: Results
Offchurch Bury: Results
Global Eventing Round-Up:
Though internationals up to CCI3*-S ran at England’s Keysoe, the US’s Maryland Horse Trials, and Austria’s Feldbach over the weekend, the major focus was on CCI4*-S classes at Ireland’s Kilguilkey Horse Trials and the Netherlands’ Maarsbergen.
Ireland’s Clare Abbott, who you probably know best from her partnership with five-star mount Euro Prince, took the Global Event Horses CCI4*-S at the Sema Lease Kilguilkey House International Horse Trials with Jewelent. Their pillar-to-post victory was Clare’s second win of the weekend; she also claimed top honours in the Eventing Ireland CCI2*-S aboard Miss Matana.
Jewelent is certainly a horse to keep an eye on, particularly if your eye has been caught by Oliver Townend’s 2020 Le Lion silver medalist Cooley Rosalent: the nine-year-old Jewelent is a full sister to the mare, and won his first event of the year, an Advanced at Ballindenisk. Second place in the CCI4*-S went to Steven Smith and HHF Elegance, while Joseph Murphy claimed third with the former Michael Jung mount Choclat. You can check out the full results from Kilguilkey here.
Over in the Netherlands, a small field convened for the feature CCI4*-S class. Just four of the nine starters went on to complete, and the influence of the cross-country course allowed the Netherlands’ Raf Kooremans and nine-year-old KWPN gelding Houdini to step up from initial third place to take the win. Second place went to Germany’s Arne Bergendahl and Checkovich, who climbed from seventh place.
Japan’s Kenki Sato, who stepped away from his life as a monk to base himself with Michael Jung, took top honours in the 57-strong CCI3*-S, climbing from eighth to first with the twelve-year-old Vick du Gisors JRA,
You can check out the full results from Maarsbergen here.
Your Monday Reading List:
Ariel Grald and Leamore Master Plan once again proved that they’re among the US eventing scenes biggest rising stars when they finished third at Luhmühlen last month. Find out more about this exciting pair – and their epic journey to Germany – in this feature. [Luhmühlen, Leamore Master Plan, and Learning Experiences: A Conversation with Ariel Grald]
New Zealand is certainly known for producing some of the world’s best event riders – but that’s not all they can do. In this piece from the FEI, you’ll get to know some familiar faces, but also a few Kiwi stars across the other disciplines. [Local Heroes: New Zealand]
Road safety for riders remains a huge point of concern in the UK, and this exciting new innovation could help drivers and equestrians share the road with more ease. [Rider hopes exercise sheet with built-in indicators will improve horse road safety]
USEF has hosted an expertly helmed panel on LGBTQIA inclusion in the industry, featuring an array of perspectives and voices that shared ideas and experiences to help create a more welcoming industry – and boost allyship. [USEF Hosts Panel Discussion On LGBTQIA Inclusion In Sports]
We all know Boyd Martin in his ordinary role as Aussie-American eventing superstar – but now, he’s also moonlighting as an agony aunt. Check out his advice for readers’ burning horsey questions. [Eventing with Boyd Martin]
Can’t get enough Olympics? Every Monday beginning July 5 and daily beginning July 28 through August 3, you can get all of the latest Olympic eventing news delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for EN’s Olympic Digest newsletter for free here.
Donation Station:
Inner-city riding school The Urban Equestrian Academy is fundraising to secure its own land after a shock eviction from its long-term premises in Leicester, England. For more on the campaign, and to donate, click here.
The FutureTrack Follow:
Want to dive deeper into Germany’s eventing scene? Friend of EN Juliane Barth is your go-to girl for interviews, behind-the-scenes sneak peeks of events and yards, and an exciting glimpse into her own competitive endeavours. The only downside? Her content is all in German – but she’s so fun and watchable that you’ll find yourself picking up the language as you go, helped along by on-screen captions.
Morning Viewing:
I don’t know about you guys, but something about Valegro always hits me right in the Monday morning feels.
