Thursday News & Notes from SmartPak

Everyone loves a funny face! Alex Ahearn and Mai Baum. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Everyone loves a funny face! Alex Ahearn and Mai Baum. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Dressage day one! The CCI2* starts bright and early tomorrow at 8 a.m. and eight of the CCI3* competitors ride later in the afternoon, starting with Boyd Martin & Steady Eddie at 4:15 p.m. I’ve seen several photos of rain deluging down on the stabling, which is only to be expected to be honest. Jenni will be there feverishly taking photos and videos and updating us all day long, so you can enjoy the action without the cold and the rain! The internet truly is a wonderful place.

North American Weekend Preview:

Fair Hill International CCI  [Website] [Ride Times] [Schedule] [EN’s Coverage] [EN’s Instagram] [@eventingnation] [Live Scores] [YEH Live Scores]

The Event at Kelly’s Ford H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

Paradise Farm H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

Fresno County Horse Park H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

Hagyard Midsouth Three-Day Event & Team Challenge CCI & H.T.  [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Grass Ridge H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

FEI Global Weekend Preview:

Goulburn NSW (AUS) CCI1/2/3*, CIC1/2/3* [Website] [6-Year-Old Scores] [7-Year-Old Scores]

Le Lion d’Angers (FRA) CCI1/2* [Website]

Colina SP (BRA) CIC2/3*

Cuballing WA (AUS) CIC1/2/3*

News From Around The Globe:

Morven Park is not only hosting several clinic this winter, but they are gearing up for a series of winter equine seminars. If you’re in the area, you might want to check out the following: Equine Nutrition for the “Easy Keeper” versus the “Hard Keeper”, a Health Series on Colic, Ulcers and Choke, and finally a seminar on Sport Horse Nutrition. Most of the seminars are free, but require prior registration. [Morven Park Equestrian Calendar]

Interested in riding with five-time Olympian Karen O’Connor? If you’re near Tryon, North Carolina, on November 1-2, you might be able to participate in her clinic! Riders should fill out an application, and auditors are welcome for both days, as well as the dinner on Saturday night. [Karen O’Connor Clinic in Tryon]

Harry Meade won the hearts of the eventing world with his comeback following two exploded elbows last fall, and his heartbreaking end the the WEG had us all rooting for him. Harry’s wonderful 4* horse Wild Lone took him to an unbelievable comeback at Badminton, placing third and cementing his spot on the British WEG team. After they dominated an incredibly challenging cross country course, Wild Lone collapsed and died in the vet box. Now, looking forward to Rio, Harry is without a horse, and searching for hope for the future. [Two Exploded Elbows And No Horse]

What makes watching horses competing a visceral experience? How about the sound? Dennis Baxter is THE sound man, in fact the one that famously brought you the sound of arrows whizzing through the air by placing microphones between the archers and the targets. He did the sound for the video coverage of the 2012 Olympic games, and says that the key is putting microphones on the jumps so that you can hear everything. You can hear the riders speak to their horses, hear them tick the poles, and hear them hold their breath over a fence. [A Very Cool Article On The Sound of Horses]

And this is why we have protective boots! (Warning: not for the squeamish)

 

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