Many thanks to Pam Eckelbarger from Hoof Pix for sending us a first-hand report from Southern Pines over the weekend. As seen from the official results, there was a fair amount of trouble in the Advanced division; hopefully this will help shed some light on what happened. Thanks for this report and photos, Pam! And as always, thanks for reading.
I was at Southern Pines yesterday
to see Babette compete my horse Little Oliver. I was not there as an
official photographer but had time to watch & photograph some of the
advanced rides at the water complex
to see Babette compete my horse Little Oliver. I was not there as an
official photographer but had time to watch & photograph some of the
advanced rides at the water complex
As
reported earlier on EN, there were a number of falls early in the first
advanced division, most related to fence 15AB which was the up bank out
of the water with a bounce to skinny logs.
reported earlier on EN, there were a number of falls early in the first
advanced division, most related to fence 15AB which was the up bank out
of the water with a bounce to skinny logs.
After
the consecutive falls of Jan Byyny on Why Not and Matt Flynn on Cheval
Z, the course was held while Roger Haller gathered information from the
jump judges and other eye witness. During these few minutes, the
announcer asked Bobby Costello to comment why he thought many horse were
having difficulty at this water complex. Bobby’s remarks were very
interesting (to those of us not likely to every experience this daunting
line of jumps!). He said this was a gymnastic line that when ridden
very straight and very forward can be completed successfully. However,
when the horse takes a huge leap up and over the log that drops off the
island, the striding to the up bank (15A) changes by a half-stride and
the result is the horse leaving too far back from the bank, or running
in to it.
the consecutive falls of Jan Byyny on Why Not and Matt Flynn on Cheval
Z, the course was held while Roger Haller gathered information from the
jump judges and other eye witness. During these few minutes, the
announcer asked Bobby Costello to comment why he thought many horse were
having difficulty at this water complex. Bobby’s remarks were very
interesting (to those of us not likely to every experience this daunting
line of jumps!). He said this was a gymnastic line that when ridden
very straight and very forward can be completed successfully. However,
when the horse takes a huge leap up and over the log that drops off the
island, the striding to the up bank (15A) changes by a half-stride and
the result is the horse leaving too far back from the bank, or running
in to it.
As with
all things wonderful about eventing, information on how to ride this
line must have filtered back to the advanced riders still waiting their
turn. One couldn’t help but notice the look of determination on each new
face that approached the water complex! Those who kept eyes focused on
the line, stayed straight and kicked on, jumped through in classic
style. A few horses experienced a moment of hesitation or wavering of
course but luckily got through the line in one piece. In either case,
the riders who continued on to fence 16 galloped away to the loud cheers
and applause from the spectators.
all things wonderful about eventing, information on how to ride this
line must have filtered back to the advanced riders still waiting their
turn. One couldn’t help but notice the look of determination on each new
face that approached the water complex! Those who kept eyes focused on
the line, stayed straight and kicked on, jumped through in classic
style. A few horses experienced a moment of hesitation or wavering of
course but luckily got through the line in one piece. In either case,
the riders who continued on to fence 16 galloped away to the loud cheers
and applause from the spectators.
Matt Flynn and Cheval Z, making a HUGE leap into the water that ultimately ended in troublePhotos used with permission
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