Happy 25th birthday to Happy Times, Sam Griffiths’ stalwart five-star partner and London Olympics ride. This sweet boy’s living the dream in his happy retirement, and enjoyed a visit from some of his favourite people to celebrate his big day. We love that he still knows his own angles.
Events Opening Today: Jump Start H.T., Stable View Oktoberfest 2/3/4* and H.T., Sundance Farm H.T., Tomora Horse Trials, Course Brook Farm Fall H.T., ESDCTA New Jersey H.T., Old Tavern Horse Trials
Events Closing Today: USEA AEC, $60,000 Adequan Advanced Final, and ATC Finals, Equestrians’ Institute H.T., Seneca Valley PC H.T., Bucks County Horse Park H.T., Silverwood Farm Fall H.T.
Tuesday News & Notes from Around the World:
Paris is behind us, but LA28 will come along faster than we think. As I pointed out to EN editor Sally while we were in France, it won’t actually be long at all before we have to start getting our accreditation paperwork in – I reckon we’ll be getting those ducks in a row well before we even get to the 2026 World Championships. And over on the West Coast, the planning is very definitely underway – and some of it’s pretty ambitious. Mayor Karen Bass has expressed her intention to make the 2028 Games car-free – a wild statement to anyone who’s ever been to traffic-heavy Los Angeles. Here’s how, and why, she’s hoping to get the job done.
Olympic fever has felt at an all-time high this year. And that’s totally quantifiable by the viewer numbers – NBC has reported viewing times that are higher than all previous Games, summer and winter, combined. But why? Here’s a deeper analysis.
Post-Paris, we’ve all got to look after each other. And that’s even more important for athletes – even, or perhaps especially, if they won a medal. The post-Olympics blues are a very real thing, and understandably so: you spend years of your life focusing so hard on one thing, and when that thing is behind you, it leaves you lost in space. Here’s some interesting reading on the phenomenon, and solid reason to give your favourite Olympian a show of support today.
Hartpury didn’t just host a plethora of international classes over the weekend – it also newly hosted the relocated British Championship classes. Yesterday, we took a look at who scooped the biggest prize, the British Open Championship – today, we’re catching up on the news from the Retraining of Racehorses class and the Corinthian Cup for amateur riders, thanks to our pals at Horse & Hound.
An interesting one for those of you interested in equine behaviour: a group of researchers have discovered that horses do actually have the ability to think strategically and plan ahead, if they’re made aware of both the rules of the challenge and the rewards or consequences on the table. This adds an interesting new layer to how we go about training – if we hit a hurdle, is it simply because we haven’t communicated expectations clearly enough?
Jenny Caras is having a great season in the UK. While Paris was commanding all our attention, she headed north to Burgham and duly won the CCI3*-S with Sommerby, who was using the run as a bit of confidence-boosting education before stepping back up to four-star after a little summer holiday. Jenny shared some interesting insights into working with the talented, occasionally tricky, gelding with US Eventing. Give it a read.
Here’s a good morning listen for you. After a Paris Olympics made up of ups and downs and triumphs and trials, it’s time to take stock of what it all means, and what comes next for Team USA. Nicole Brown sat down with chef d’equipe Bobby Costello to discuss exactly that in the latest episode of the US Eventing Podcast. Check it out here.
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Sponsor Corner: Did you know that late summer is peak season for West Nile Virus? And no, you don’t have to live on the Nile for your horse to be at risk. Equine veterinarians at Colorado State University’s James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital say two important methods will help protect horses against West Nile Virus infection: reduce exposure to mosquitoes and vaccinate against the virus. Are you taking measures to protect your horse? Learn how here.
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We all fancy Christian Kukuk, and that’s fine.
