Phillip & Mystery Whisper
I didn’t even go to Red Hills this weekend and I’m worn out. Checking live scores every three minutes, reading EN constantly, watching Henny’s helmet cam over and over again while crouching in two point over my laptop… it can really wear a girl down. It’s early in the season, though. I’ll be in better shape by Galway.
Red Hills: [Final Scores]
Full Gallop: Sarah Cousins was to Full Gallop what Phillip Dutton was to Red Hills, sweeping 1st, 2nd and 5th in Intermediate A, 3rd and 6th in Intermediate B, and a 6th in Prelim. You have permission to sleep in this morning, too, Sarah. Holly Payne took the blue in Intermediate B. A special EN shout-out to our own Abbie Golden, who finished in 7th in Intermediate A. [Final Scores]
Southern Pines: Another Sarah, Sarah Dunkerton, held down 1st and 2nd in JYOP. Lucia Strini won Open Prelim and Kimberly Keeton won Prelim Rider. [Final Scores]
Flintridge HT & CT: Tristen Hooks won Open Prelim, while Gina Economou did a double sweep on Open Training and Open Beginner Novice. [Final Scores]
Random, useless trivia:
-A grand total of 12 Fernhill horses were out competing this weekend in USEA recognized events. I will recite their names to you: Fernhill Stowaway, Fernhill Fugitive, Fernhill Cubalawn, Fernhill Flutter, Fernhill Eagle and Fernhill Fortitude (Red Hills); Fernhill Flag (Full Gallop); Fernhill Shannondale, Fernhill Okay, Fernhill Solar, Fernhill Colin and Fernhill Teddy Two Two (Southern Pines). P.S. Eventing Nation, my offer still stands to buy the first person who registers their horse as “Fernhill Fail Sauce” a beer.
-Eleven horses with the surname “Full Gallop’s” were competing at, you guessed it, Full Gallop.
-The “Best Name of the Weekend” award goes to Quit Bucking, ridden by Shellie Sommerson in Open Beginner Novice at Southern Pines.
On other fronts:
Hands down, former eventer Jim Koford gives the best interview of anyone in the dressage world. In his latest, he describes his ambition to go to the World Cup Final on his borrowed horse, Pharaoh, whom he describes as “a scrappy little street fighter.” They’re in a good position to do so, as he’s qualified for one of the two places reserved for North America. The championships are in the Netherlands, and Koford says he will get there “if [he] has to put on water wings… and start dog paddling now.” A big batch of EN karma is headed your way, Jim. Good luck! [Dressage-news]
A fire destroyed a thoroughbred breeding facility in Round Lake, Illinois, on Saturday afternoon. The fire started when hot embers from a fire the owner started on the other side of the property to clear brush blew toward the barn. Six of nine horses stabled in the barn perished in the fire. [Chicago Tribune]
Controversy continues to surround a proposal for a new horse park in Aiken. Most recently, Jenne Stoker wrote a letter-to-the editor supporting the idea that a feasibility study should be conducted before the park is built. [Aiken Standard]
Rather than taking a limo, Prince Harry “drove” himself to a polo match in Brazil in a carriage pulled by two grey horses. The story includes a photo of Harry, his polo team and a random Brazilian supermodel holding up their winning trophy. [The Press Association]
Scientists were recently able to isolate the gene which allows sprint horses to run very fast. It has been traced to a few mares some hundreds of years ago, and while the gene was previously rare, now it is selected for and widespread. [Radio National]
What other people do with their helmet cams.
