British Eventing opened its doors to riders of all levels over the weekend, after debuting their Elite events for top-level riders over the latter part of March – and it’s been so great to see everyone enjoying outings in the sunshine, catching up with friends and putting their lockdown lessons to the test. Four-star rider Holly Woodhead certainly came back with a bang, taking two wins from her first event back after a nasty injury last year saw her spend months on crutches. Welcome back, Holly – and welcome back, BE!
National Holiday: It’s Easter Monday – and it’s also, erm, National Hug a Newsperson Day. Maybe don’t though, because ‘rona.
US Weekend Action:
The Fork at TIEC: [Website] [Results]
Pine Hill H.T.: [Website] [Results]
Rocking Horse Spring H.T.: [Website] [Results]
Global Eventing Round-Up:
The Wayer Osborne Equine International Horse Trials took place over the weekend in Brigadoon, Western Australia, with short and long international sections at two- and three-star level, plus a CCI4*-S on the roster. Olympic silver medallist Sonja Johnson and Misty Isle Valentino took the win in the small (just three starters!) four-star, while Will Baxter and Kdale Mr Collins followed up their CCI3*-S win of two weeks ago at Capel with victory in the CCI3*-L here. Check out the full results here.
Your Monday Reading List:
I’ve been waiting to watch Netflix’s Concrete Cowboy for like, ever. Whether you’re the same as me or whether this is the first you’re hearing of the newest horsey offering on the streaming platform, you’re guaranteed to get drawn in by the remarkable true stories behind the film. [The True Story of the Black Cowboys of Philadelphia Depicted in Concrete Cowboy]
How often do you closely inspect your horse’s mouth after a cross-country run? I’ll hold my hands up and say that other than a cursory glance and a quick feel, I don’t do any serious examination – partly because my mare’s not that keen on letting me, and partly because I always assume I’ll know if there’s an issue that requires a closer look. Consider me proved wrong by this new study that suggests we all need to exercise more care. [Study: Bit-Related Lesions Found in 52% of Eventing Horses]
Trakehner breeder Anissa Cottongim sadly passed away in January of this year, but her legacy lives on through a remarkable selection of Trakehners. One of those — Jon Holling‘s Prophet — is making waves at Advanced this season. [Cottongim’s Legacy Lives on in Prophet]
Are you competing in international events this spring? Then CCI5* rider and Harvard scholar Ashley Johnson needs your input. She’s collecting data on elite eventing athletes — click here for more information and to get involved with the study.
The FutureTrack Follow:
Horses are getting cleverer (and somehow more dexterous) – and Liz Halliday-Sharp‘s Deniro Z is the latest eventer to show off his grasp of hashtags with his own Instagram account. Follow him for a behind-the-scenes look at life in the big leagues.
Open Door of the Week: Are you a talented, British-based young rider without the financial resources to source a quality competition horse? Hambro Sport Horses have launched a unique scholarship opportunity, which will pair you with an exciting BE100 horse and see you join their roster of riders – including CCI5* competitor Tom Jackson – to benefit from support and mentorship. Applications close on the 16th of April, so head over to their website for more information and to apply.
Morning Viewing:
Honestly, I’ll be thinking about Natasha Baker‘s mum crying in this video for like, the whole week.
