Thursday News & Notes from SmartPak

Because who DOESN'T like tip toeing up and down an icy packed dirt road?? Photo by Kate Samuels.

Because who DOESN’T like tip toeing up and down an icy packed dirt road?? Photo by Kate Samuels.

It’s official, I’m over it. In fact, I’m #snowoverit. When I can’t ride for almost a week in total because it’s below 20 degrees and literally every option is covered in ice and snow and frozen rock solid, there is only so much a girl can take. Granted, my baking has been given a good run, but my horses are starting to get bored (and feral). So yesterday I attempted to go on a walk/trot down the dirt road where I live. There were a few short stretches where it was ok, but most of it was packed down ice. Good thing I took Nyls out first, as he’s a champ at mincing along and very sure footed.

U.S. Weekend Preview:

Stable View Aiken Opener H.T. [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times]

Three Lakes January H.T. [Website] [Entry Status]

News From Around the Globe:

Badminton tickets are officially on sale! Get your tickets today to one of the hardest four-stars in the entire world, which runs May 3rd-7th in the Duke of Beaufort’s Gloucestershire park. This year they are offering a first prize of £100,000 for the first time, with money prizes going all the way down through 20th place with an expected field of eighty starters. This year will also be the first time that Eric Winter is designing the cross country course, but he is well known for designing Blenheim 3* for the past ten years. [Badminton Tickets on Sale]

Are you an amateur rider who owns and competes a horse in Dressage, Show Jumping and/or Eventing? You are invited to participate in a short online research study conducted by Michael Willham from Otterbein University. The study is regarding behavior patterns with new market media trends in the horse industry, specifically the advertising considerations of buying and selling sport horses. After completing the survey, you can enter to win one of four $25 SmartPak gift cards! [Otterbein Amateur Owner Survey]

After coaching the German Eventing team for the past 16 years, British born Christopher Bartle is delighted to be back coaching his home team. After a successful riding career of his own, including trips to the Olympics as a rider, Bartle helped Britain at Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000 before switching to coach the German national team. With them, he scooped team eventing gold at both Beijing and London. Will he bring the British team back to the podium in four years time? [Yorkshire’s Chris Bartle Happy To Be Back]

Interested in becoming a course designer? Here’s how. You can follow Beth Perkins’ lead, by signing up for the USEA Training Program for Licensed Officials, which is a general program about how to design courses, because designers need to recognize how to have a progression from novice to training to prelim so horses and riders are ready. After that, the next step is to apprentice with two upper level designers for a minimum of 8 hours each, work as an assistant designer at a recognized event at the preliminary level, and design a training level course under the advice of a licensed designer. [Become a License Course Designer]

Thursday Video: Who says squeaky toys are only for dogs? Olympic bronze medallist Rosevelt disagrees.