Jump Day at Buck Davidson's farm in Florida! (photo courtesy of and featuring the amazing Lainey Ashker)
Happy Thursday Eventing Nation! I hope everybody is staying dry and mostly warm, and is super excited for the weekend! I’m trying my best to stay out of the rain (and mostly failing) down in South Carolina, for what feels like the wettest season ever. However, rain or shine, I am excited for this weekend’s competition at Pine Top, which I consider the first big boy of the year. All of the top names bring out their horses for a test run, and a lot of newcomers try their hand at the Advanced level. This always makes for an interesting time!
Event This Weekend:
Pine Top: [Website] [Ride Times]
News from Around the Globe:
Have you done your duty and listened to the Eventing Radio Show this week? Jess Montgomery hosts and talks to kiwi eventer Jesse Campbell who’s based with Caroline Powell at Maizey Manor, and they start a new series on xc course design with the brains (& brawn!) behind the courses at Red Hills and Chattahoochee, Hugh Lochore. Check it out! [Eventing Radio Show]
Want more on the ICP Symposium? Would you like to hear how David, Linda and Yogi felt about it? Check out the USEA Podcast! U.S. Team Coach David O’Connor and British Team Coach Yogi Breisner joined Linda Zang at the ICP Symposium at Longwood Farm on February 18-19, 2013. They gave their reaction to how the two-day symposium went from their perspectives. [ICP Podcast]
The US Environmental Protection Agency has approved a long-acting contraceptive for wild female horses and burros. GonaCon is the first single-shot, multiyear wildlife contraceptive for use in mammals. This non-lethal tool will provide another option to wildlife managers working to reduce overabundant wild horse and burro populations in the United States.The Bureau of Land Management estimates about 37,300 wild horses and burros (about 31,500 horses and 5,800 burros) are roaming its managed rangelands in 10 Western states. [GonaCon Approved for Wild Horse Contraceptive]
Ever thought about becoming an FEI Eventing Steward? Well now is your chance! The USEF in cooperation with Equestrian Events Inc. is hosting an FEI Level 1 Eventing Steward Course on April 23 and 24 in Lexington, Kentucky at the USEF office. [Become an FEI Steward]
New Zealand Young Riders Championships are this weekend. Riders will compete at the CCI* level (17 and under) and the CCI** level (21 and under) for the top prize at the Rotorua A&P Showgrounds at Ngongotaha, with the cross-country running over the adjacent Ngati Whakaue Tribal Lands. Only 9 young riders will contest the Intermediate division, while 10 will ride against one another in the Preliminary division. [NZ Young Riders]
Best of Blogs: Rick Wallace’s Working Student, Taylor Dileo, Tells Us About Rocking Horse
Dom and Jimmie explain how to get your horse properly accustomed to water!
