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When I’m not sprinting around fields in my role as an eventing journalist and photographer, you can usually find me deep in the pit at a music festival – the second great love of my life. And that’s why the idea of the Fair Hill International Eventing Festival appeals to me so much. A huge range of divisions, both recognised and unrecognised? Plenty of space to camp out in an RV or trailer with your best barn friends? A seriously beautiful spot for a weekend of eventing? A headline performance from Lana del Rey? Okay, okay, sorry, the last one isn’t actually happening. But there’s an idea for you for free, Fair Hill – a weekend of cover bands in the evenings to truly shore up those festival vibes. Get that ball rolling and I’ll be there with glow sticks and face gems on, ready for all the action.
Events Opening Today: Morven Park Spring H.T., Jumping Branch Farm Spring H.T., Bouckaert Equestrian H.T., The Event at TerraNova, The Event at TerraNova
Events Closing Today: Sporting Days Farm March H.T. II, Rocking Horse Winter III H.T., Twin Rivers Winter H.T., Full Gallop Farm March Wednesday H.T.
Tuesday News & Notes from Around the World:
Michael Jung’s fischerChipmunk FRH is a remarkable athlete. But is he, as Horse & Hound‘s Pippa Roome posits, the unluckiest horse ever to hold a world record? If it sounds preposterous, have a read through this retrospective of his championship career so far and see if it changes your mind. And then, join us in hoping for a turn of fortunes in Paris, because we reckon the gelding deserves a medal at some point.
It’s hard to find any good in animal abuse, but if one decent thing can come from the Cesar Parra revelations, it could be this. USEF has proposed an extraordinary rule change that, if passed, will bolster its ability to punish abuse that occurs off show grounds. Currently, only abuse that takes place in conjunction with a competition is sanctionable, which means that an awful lot of nastiness can go on behind the scenes at home. The rule change will be on the table at this year’s mid-year meeting in June and will then, hopefully, come into force in December.
There have been so many horror stories of horse-sale lawsuits lately. From Eric Lamaze to, well, Eric Lamaze, it’s been a big-ticket issue that’s been popping up seemingly constantly over the last few months. And if you’re horse-shopping yourself, especially if you’re planning to purchase a high-cost competition horse, that could, quite reasonably, give you the fear. So how do you protect yourself as a buyer? Here’s some solid tips.
Valentine’s Day is looming! Get in the spirit of the thing (if that’s what you’re into) with the US Eventing Podcast’s Big Valentine’s Quiz special, featuring Boyd and Silva Martin, James and Helen Alliston, and an awful lot of silliness. Tune in here.
If Galentine’s is more your style, though, that’s cool too. Personally, I’m a Pancake Day kind of girl, myself (here’s the recipe I’ve always used, for Delia Smith’s light, melt-in-your-mouth crepey pancakes with lemon and sugar; you are welcome), but I can always get into anything that gives us all an excuse to fawn over some of equestrian sport’s greatest mares. Here’s Heels Down‘s Galentine’s celebration of the four-legged women of our world.
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Sponsor Corner: What do you love about your horse? Kentucky Performance Products wants to know! Spread some love this Valentine’s Day, tell us what you love most about your four-legged bestie here.
Watch This:
Improve your jumping rounds this season with some expert advice on turns from Swiss ace Martin Fuchs.
