“In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes – and the sure knowledge that, in the hours after the Badminton course is released, Robin Dumas will be out in his field with a hammer and a tractor, rebuilding the questions for the UK’s highest flyers to practice over.” – Ben Franklin, probably.
Where is the lie, though? The Badminton TV course preview programme dropped last night, and just moments later, we spotted fences on the move at Rosamund Green Farm, the Somerset base of the Dumas family. Their expansive schooling facility has always been one of the top options for upper-level riders, and even boasts its own schooling Vicarage Vee – a real boon for those riders heading to Badminton who’ve just discovered they’ll need to jump the iconic fence not just once, but in duplicate, because course designer Eric Winter has BUILT ANOTHER ONE.
We were delighted to get the chance to walk the Badminton course with Eric last week, so you can expect a bumper debrief on the course to come tomorrow evening – but in the meantime, you can watch the preview show with Eric, Andrew Nicholson, and presenter Nicole Brown here.
National Holiday: It’s Easter Monday. It’s also tax day. Hope you’ve retained some chocolate eggs.
US Weekend Action:
UK Weekend Results:
Barefoot Retreats Burnham Market International: [Results]
Ascott Under Wychwood (1): [Results]
Voltaire Design Eland Lodge: [Results]
Are you attending this year’s Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event? Join EN and Ride iQ for a ridiculously epic course walk led by Kyle Carter and Buck Davidson on Friday, April 29. If you register ahead of time, you’ll be entered to win prizes such as a limited edition signed tote bag and goodies from our sponsors. Click here to learn more.
Your Monday Reading List:
There’s nothing wildly glamorous or exciting about hauling ourselves to the gym – but it’s really important to ensure we’re riding our best. USEA touches base with Badminton-bound Ariel Grald to find out more about her own gym routine and what she prioritises in her workouts. It might just offer the inspiration you need to get back to it after some serious weekend feasting.
For every aid you’ve got, there’s a long list of subtly different ways you can use them. For example, your rein aids can be direct or indirect, bearing or opening, or you could activate the pulley rein in case of an emergency. Brush up on how they all work and what you might need them for here.
Word nerds and history geeks, unite: this in-depth examination of the history of the curry comb and its spicy name will give you plenty of, um, food for thought this morning.
Equine outreach programmes are gaining traction, and now there’s a study to prove how much of an impact they can make. Researchers studied a number of groups around the world, focusing their attention on indigenous youth, and found that groundwork-based programmes that focus on communication and relationships had the biggest overall impact. Find out more here.
And finally, Piggy March steps into a new role this week as a guest columnist at Horse&Hound. Tune in for her reflections on Thoresby’s first four-star, producing blood horses to their peak performances, and the big issue of prize money at international competitions.
The FutureTrack Follow:
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EquiReel are out and about all over the UK and Ireland, filming competitors’ cross-country rounds, and that’s all well and good – but really, you need to follow them for the blessed weekends in which they cover lead-rein classes. I’ve never enjoyed tuning into sport more than I did when watching this video.
Morning Viewing:
Ever wondered what it’s like to have a jolly good time with the Kiwi eventing crew? Go behind the scenes at their recent owners’ and sponsors’ day and get a glimpse of the good life:
