How cool is this? This year’s Breyerfest, which was held over the weekend at the Kentucky Horse Park, saw a seriously special new model debut: that of jockey Cheryl White, who was the first Black woman to hold a jockey’s license in the US back in the 70s. I love that we’re now moving towards a point where any young rider can see someone who looks like them succeeding, and we’re highlighting increasingly diverse role models. There’s still a whole lot of work to be done, but it’s a positive step in the right direction. Read more about Cheryl – and her new Breyer model set – here.
Events Opening Today: Seneca Valley PC H.T., Chattahoochee Hills H.T., Silverwood Farm Fall H.T., USEA AEC, $60,000 Adequan Advanced Final, and ATC Finals
Events Closing Today: Area VII Young Rider Benefit H.T. at Caber Farm-Pending USEF Approval, Cobblestone Farms H.T. II, Hoosier Horse Trials, River Glen Summer H.T., Catalpa Corner Charity Horse Trials, Olney Farm H.T., Huntington Farm H.T., Spring Gulch H.T., Early Bird Summer Event at Galway Downs
News & Notes from Around the World:
Great news for the Dubarry Young Event Horse series, which culminates in a finale at Burghley: both Nicola Wilson and Andrew Nicholson have been signed on as judges for the final. Between them, they have an extraordinary wealth of experience in spotting talented young horses — and exacting standards, too. I can’t wait to see which horses they pick out as their best in show.
We’ve all had an experience with a particularly spooky horse, right? It’s not always fun — but where’s the line between managing a flighty personality and suppressing a horse’s base instincts? This op-ed from a show barn picks a side, and I’m inclined to agree.
She’s not an eventer,but I reckon most of us have watched McLain Ward’s HH Azur jump and felt no shortage of emotion when the Grand Slam contender was retired from the sport at Aachen. The Chronicle of the Horse sat down with the rider to reflect on his journey with the plucky mare and some of the highlights of their career together. Check it out.
Here’s a great listen for your morning muck-out: the latest episode of the US Eventing podcast takes stock on the pathway to Paris, what the team has been up to lately, and how it all shapes the training and planning over the next year. Give it a spin.
Sponsor Corner: All signs point West! Eventing Nation’s coverage of the legendary Event at Rebecca Farm will be sponsored by Kentucky Performance Products. First up: A total of 19 riders will receive financial support to assist with travel costs for competition in the 3* or 4* divisions. Read more here!
Watch This:
Head down a 90s rabbithole with this compilation video from Badminton in 1997:
