Photo: piccsy.com
Some days, compiling N&N requires some scraping of the bottom of the barrel. Like, “Hey! A horse got stuck in a swimming pool in Oklahoma City–that’s news, right?”
Today isn’t one of those days.
The big news, of course, is the announcement of the US’s eventing short list, a.k.a. the 11 horse/rider combinations we’re turning loose in a manmade forest to vie for a spot on the final squad Hunger Games-style sending abroad to compete at Barbury Castle. If you haven’t already read it, EN has got all your Team USA info here. Can’t wait to follow these guys in the coming weeks as they plot to drop killer bee hives on one another’s heads while sleeping pour themselves into preparations for what could be the summer of their lives. Safe travels, everybody, and may the odds be ever in your favor.
On other Olympic fronts, the Brits have named their eventing team as well–check out the EN announcement here. We’re not really seeing the brunt of it here in the United States because we’ve got bigger celebrity fish to fry (Miley Cyrus is engaged-whaaaa?!?), but justsoyaknow, the rest of the world is FREAKING OUT that Zara Phillips, the queen’s granddaughter, made the squad. (My Google Reader feed turned up 397 news articles.) Zara churned out a strong spring and sealed the deal with a third place finish at Bramham last weekend. Royalty or not, it’s a good storyline: Zara was selected for the ’08 squad but narrowly missed the opportunity to compete due to injury, and it seems poetic justice that she’s been dealt a second chance on home turf. [Associated Press]
One final piece of news you’ve already heard, but it’s a big deal so we’re going to repeat it here anyway: The FEI announced that five countries are confirmed as bidders to stage the WEGs in 2018. The five bid cities are Rabat (MAR); Bromont (CAN); Budapest (HUN); Vienna (AUT) and Wellington (USA). Where do you think it should be held? [FEI]
Luhmuhlen CCI****, CIC*** and host of the German eventing championships takes place this weekend. A link to the cross-country course map is here, and FEI TV is broadcasting it live Saturday and Sunday here. With regard to the North American field, there are a few familiar faces in the mix, among them Boyd Martin, Colleen Rutledge, Julian Stiller and Peter Atkins. More on Luhmuhlen later the week. [Website] [Entry List]
If you’re a ICP Certified Level III instructor currently competing at the Advanced level who doesn’t mind putting up with the kind of drama that inevitably emerges when you cram a bunch of highly-competitive teens (and their parents!) in the pressure-cooker that is NAJYRC, consider applying to be the USEA Area II Young Rider Team Coach for 2013. The current team coaches are stepping down after the 2012 season, and Area II is opening up the search to anyone who is qualified and interested in the position. [USEA]
Two Saudi Arabian showjumpers are back on track for the Olympics after their respective eight-month bans, imposed by the FEI tribunal, were shortened to two months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Al Eid, 43, is the 2000 Sydney Olympics bronze medalist in showjumping. Al Sharbatly, 29, won silver at the 2010 WEGs in showjumping. The FEI bans were a result of their horses testing positive for NSAIDs phenylbutazone and oxyphenbutazone (a metabolite of phenylbutazone). [Horse Talk NZ]
Horse Nation has Olympics Fever: HN grills Carley Sparks of GetMyFix.org on her picks for the US showjumping Olympic team, and wonders whether there’s a way to disguise Steffen Peters, rider of the #1 and #2 seed dressage horses in the country, so that he can compete both of them in the Games. [HN]
Best Bloodiest of the Blogs: From Sara, who is in Germany babysitting Ying Yang Yo until Boyd gets there for Luhmuhlen: “There is one technique that is used here that catches me a bit off guard. One of Elmar’s riders asked if I could pull out one of the horses so that she could ‘do the snakes.’ Wait, say what? Snakes? Turns out she meant leeches… a little less shocking but almost as bad. Apparently this technique is still pretty commonly used in Europe, I’m glad I got to witness it but far more grateful that we don’t do this in the USA.” Grode!! [Boyd & Silva]
Found on Facebook: It’s easy to be classy and full of grace when you’re on top of the world, less so on life’s more overcast days. In this Facebook post following a less-than-stellar weekend at Bromont, Selena O’Hanlon shows us what she’s made of: “Three cheers for Mr. C!!! The horse that took me to my dreams and goals and then exceeded them:) What a ride! Don’t be sad… remember ALL the great times we had and amazing places we saw thru the eyes of one of the greatest horses in the world! no bias;) He is happy and sound as a bell. We are both happy and healthy, in the end that’s all that matters. As Bruce says a good show is where you and the horse both come home healthy and safe.”
“No matter what, nobody can take away the dances you’ve already had.” –Gabriel García Márquez
Go Eventing.
