Insanity - and a river - in the middle
Colorado eventer Sally Dalton – and her horses – watched in horror as floodwaters tore through the cross country course she completed just weeks ago in Longmont, Colorado. As chinook helicopters continue continue to buzz back and forth from rescue missions, like massive black flies, plucking residents stranded by the 500-year flood, people are just beginning to comprehend the damage. Sally, her family, horses, dogs and chickens are safe. Our hearts go out to those who have not yet reached higher, safer, ground and to those in Washington, D.C., who never will.
Ease random violent acts of mother nature and humanity with non-random acts of help. This week’s news begins with an opportunity for one that probably includes a free sandwich, and definitely includes a great view.
Events Opening Today: Full Gallop Farm Horse Trials (South Carolina, A-3), Galway Downs International Three-Day Event & Horse Trial (California, A-6), The Virginia CCI1*, CIC2* and Horse Trials (Virginia, A-2), Rocking Horse Horse Trials (Florida, A-3), Pine Hill Fall Horse Trials (Texas, A-5).
Events Closing Today: Fair Hill International Three-Day Event (Maryland, Area II), Hagyard Midsouth Three-Day Event & Team Challenge (Lexington, Area VIII) CCI, P3D and T3D close today.
News:
Feel powerful. Wear a walkie talkie. Judge champions. The Morven Park Fall Horse Trials in Leesburg, Virginia needs jump judges. The Area II Championships, running beginner novice through advanced, will be held Oct. 4-6. [Volunteer Here]
2013 FEI European Eventing Championships for Juniors and Young Riders. “Appalling” weather conditions in France didn’t stop the French from claiming the Junior Individual and Young Rider Team titles. A brave Irish steed named Chuckelberry was part of the Junior Team that splashed through to grab gold. [Horse Canada]
Aussies ban shots. Shots of anabolic steroids, that is. Suggesting they’d ban shots of the alcoholic variety, or bar imbibing of the alcoholic sort is sillier than George Morris on a unicorn. The Australian Racing Board threw down a total ban on the use of anabolic steroids both in and out of competition. Currently, in Australia, anabolic steroids are prohibited in horses only on race day. The new ban, which starts Nov. 1, applies to all thoroughbreds from the age of six months. [Horsetalk]
Forget bareback puissance. How about jump-n-strip? Blenheim riders lose their shirts in masters’ gate jumping challenge. Alas, co-winner Mike Jackson was only made to strip to the waist by the final round, in which he and co-winner Alice Dunsdon (shirted). Both cleared 5 feet, 8 inches. [Horse & Hound]
Navajos oppose slaughter. This week Navajo Nation elders and medicine people unanimously approved a resolution opposing any action that leads to the slaughter of horses. The resolutions states “The Great Horse Nation is a part of the Great Covenant, as a supernatural being, it possesses incredible power, it is inextricably tied to our spiritual way of life and our cultural traditions… and must be given respect and honored for their sacred place within the Creation as they possess the same fundamental right to Life as we, Five Finger Ones, do.” Navajo Nation. Great Horse Nation. Eventing Nation. If only our groups of five finger ones had more power. [Horsetalk.co.nz]
SmartPak Product of the Day: Yeah, yeah, yeah it’s super-sturdy, spacious, and comes in fashion colors, but a critical feature SmartPak doesn’t mention about the Burlingham Pony Sport Trunk is that it floats! For example, on the off chance floods of biblical proportions roiled your farm’s lazy little stream into a 250-ft. wrath of mud with Class II rapids that surged through your barn, it’s not those lovely, wooden trunks crafted by master cabinet-makers that will be bobbing around in the barn aisle/creek like turds in a toilet when you finally force the barn doors open. It’s the plastic ones. Plus, they make swell life boats for barn cats. Designed for a padlock. Or a rope to tie them to the barn in high tide.
Video: Much more cheerful footage of horses & friends in water than what we’ve been seeing from Colorado:
Thanks HunterJumperBudd!
