Natalie Johnson’s Friday News and Notes from FLAIR


photo via the lovely Samantha Clark

Good morning Eventing Nation!

I dedicate this news and notes to Natalie Johnson amidst all the Burghley coverage because Natalie has left the frigid north to take a position as a working student for Michael Pollard. She and her horse Louie are making the trek to Chatsworth, GA. Well, actually Natalie’s already there, and Louie heads there on Monday. All of us at Carriage House Farm and the entire MN eventing community wish Natalie and Louie the best! We miss you guys!

Before we head across the pond, here are the events this weekend:

KY Classique HT: [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Loudoun Hunt HT: [Website] [Status/Times/Scores]

Silverwood Farm HT: [Website] [Ride Times]

South Farm Fall HT: [Website] [Status/Times/Scores]

Steepleview Labor Day HT: [Website] [Entry Status] [Live Scores]

Town Hill Farm HT: [Website] [Ride Times]

Corona Del Sol HT: [Website]

 

It’s all about the Big B across the pond. American riders Friday dressage times:

Will Faudree 9:52am

Sinead Halpin 11:10 am

Kate Hicks 11:40 am

Allison Springer 12:47 pm

Burghley: [Burghley TV] [Live Scores] [Burghley FB Page] [Burghley Twitter Feed]

The Telegraph and Horsetalk have Burghley Day 1 recaps. Of course, Ruth Edge, phenomenal dressage rider and eventer, has taken the lead on Rogersdale on a 45.5. Following them only 0.7 points behind is Jock Paget and Clifton Lush. WFP and Seacookie round out the top three. So what you need to do now is pick your favorite horse and rider combo not at the Olympics that didn’t do dressage yesterday, because they’re undoubtedly going down centerline at Burghley today. Kings Temptress, Manoir de Carneville, Arthur, Inonothing, Avebury, Parklane Hawk, Major Mileston, et al. [Telegraph] [Horsetalk] [Peterborough Telegraph]

Lots of Paralympic news! All 78 horses passed the first inspection. The four US dressage riders, Rebecca Hart, Jonathan Wentz, Donna Ponessa, and Dale Dedrick are looking sharp. Natasha Baker of Great Britain is sitting pretty in the top spot in the Grade II, but is competing as an individual. Britta Napel, of Germany, and 2008’s Individual champion sits in second. US’s Rebecca Hart sits in fourth. Dutch rider Petra van de Sande is sitting in sixth in the Grade II and isn’t happy she wasn’t able to familiarize her horse with the sandbags propped against the dressage arena to keep it in place during story weather. “This time, [familiarization] wasn’t done, and I am really annoyed with the organisers,” van de Sande said. Though the sandbags may have been a problem for some, the record crowds didn’t affect the dressage rides. Probably because the record sold out crowds only filled half the stadium. All 10,000 tickets that were made available were purchased, but the stadium seats 23,000. By lunch time on the second day, the number of spectators in Greenwich will have exceed the total number at Beijing. In carrying on the British medal style, Lee Pearson wants to add three more Paralympic gold medals to the British legacy. [Dressage Daily] [Horsetalk] [Independent] [Telegraph] [Interview with Rebecca Hart] [Mirror-Pearson Interview]

A girth responsible for the UK’s Olympic medals? The Fairfax Performance girth was discovered by Team GBR in early 2011 and was kept from the public until after the Olympics because of the belief in its competitive edge. The girth is launching at Burghley this weekend. It has been under months of testing using Pliance pads and biomechanics to determine pressure points and horse movement. The girth claims to reduce pressure points by up to 85%, increase fore and hind limb extension, and improve symmetry of movement. The girth is cut out behind the forelegs and padded in a way to encourage muscle movement instead of block it as traditional girths do. What do you think EN? [H&H]

Kentucky Governor and father-in-law to 4* rider, Emily Beshear, Steve Beshear, overrode a committee’s decision finding regulation on racing drugs deficient. The Kentucky Legislature’s Interim Joint Committee on Licensing and Occupations voted agaisnt regulations on furosemide, commonly known as Salix or Lasix. The implementations the Governor Beshear instated go in effect today. [Horsetalk]

Molly Rosin is looking for a hard worker! Sounds like a great opportunity for someone looking to work for a top rider. Full training/board and housing or housing and a salary. [Havarah Equestrian]

You may recall my infatuation with Lauren Speiser as I frequently link to her COTH blog. Well, I knew she was a good egg because the woman is dabbling in eventing (training). She’s whipping her horses bums into shape, and she turned to Dr. Stephanie Davis, DVM, intermediate eventer. Stephanie and her horse “were third after dressage, bitches, so the girl’s got skills.” Dr. Davis’s advice on fitness and trot sets? “Don’t do anything stupid.” And now I love Dr. Stephanie too. [COTH]

For a feel good story about never giving up your dreams and overcoming obstacles, check out Mrs. Vita Pacella Banks. She is a retired teacher who had always dreamed of owning a horse. Six years ago, her husband bought her a three month old “male Friesian”. She’s been working with him in saddle seat taking first place and reserve champion among other awards and titles. This, after four years ago when she suffered a “life threatening horseback riding accident.” [Garden City News]

Best of the Blogs: Have you been keeping up with Pye Equestrian? She listened to her gut which got Bounder and her around their first CIC3* at Richland last weekend. She thanks Sydney and Kelsey for all their help over the weekend while they were competing themselves as well.  Jess felt numb and the nothing after she waled the xc course containing seven ditches. [Go Jess and Bounder!]

Ahh, I feel like I’m there: trot up like the pros.

 Go eventing.

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