DPEquestrian survived Sandy, but not sure the same can be said about the road.
Good morning EN! Congratulations to those of you in the eastern part of the country on making it through the “storm of a generation.” I’m just happy to have an internet connection to report to you from, but others are not so lucky. The a majority of the US Pau contingent, including Colleen Rutledge, her groom Lara Chance, Buck’s groom, Shiraz, and Ballynoe Castle RM are stranded across the Atlantic. Due to fly into JFK, their flight was canceled because of the storm. Brian Rutledge reports that they will be there until Saturday, when they will hopefully be able to hop a flight back across the pond.
Holly Covey was kind enough to compile a damage assessment from around the Area II region, and based on her report it sounds like many eventers made it though without devastating losses. She did mention that 10 ponies were rescued from flood waters in Sanford, VA, and need new homes. Contact Lynn Matthews at 757-824-5212 if you are interested in helping. If you are looking for more general ways to donate to Sandy victims, The Huffington Post has put together a helpful guide of charities that are assisting storm victims. [Holly’s Sandy Report]
Your weekend event preview:
Galway Downs CCI/HT [Website] [Entries/Times]
Virginia Horse Trials/CCI [Website] [Times]
Rocking Horse Fall HT [Website] [Times]
15-year-old Hailey Patno and her Appendix mare Syncotina won the T3D at the Colorado Horse Park last weekend, finishing on their dressage score. Hailey completed the T3D at Rebecca Farm in July and hopes to move up to preliminary and ride for Area IX at the NAYJRC next summer. Claire Jan and Artistic Flair finished in second place. [USEA]
Apparently that second place finish at Pau wasn’t quite good enough for Jock Paget: he’s off to Germany to train for three weeks with the man, myth, and legend himself, Michael Jung. [Stuff.co]
Does it really surprise you that nearly three months after the Olympics ended there is still athlete vs. FEI drama? It shouldn’t by now. Yvonne Losos de Muñiz, a dressage rider for the Dominican Republic and 2007 Pan American bronze medalist, took a complaint against the FEI for dismissing a protest and appeal she mounted earlier this year to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. This month, the CAS ruled in favor of the FEI, saying it had grounds to dismiss her complaint and reject her appeal, but was highly critical of the organization for its actions that precipitated the original protest. In an online statement posted on Eurodressage.com, Losos de Muñiz wrote that she will be quitting the sport after the way the FEI Dressage and Legal departments handled her protest and appeal. “The FEI legal team went to unacceptable extremes during the entire process by questioning the motives for my protest and appeal, diminishing my professional capabilities and dismissing my personal accomplishments in an all-out attempt to ensure that we lost the case,” she wrote. Click the link to read more about the situation and the full CAS decision, which was posted online after the ruling. [COTH]
HorseHub has added new content: check it out to find training videos from Mary King, Tim Stockdale, and Richard Davison. The app already features videos from the likes of Boyd Martin and Paul Tapner. Videos are between 8 and 10 minutes long and sell for a few dollars. [Horsetalk]
The first annual Global Dressage Forum North America will take place next year from Jan. 28-29 at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center in West Palm Beach. This educational festival will immediately follow the CDI***** World Dressage Masters/Wellington Classic Sunshine Challenge CDI***, and will feature two days of clinics, lectures, and discussion panels. Riders and experts from around will be present to present their training philosophies and more. Check out the event website for more information. [COTH]
Ian “Captain Canada” Millar, the most successful show jumping competitor in Canadian history, will be inducted into the Jump Canada Hall of Fame on November 4. Millar is also the only person from any sport to have ever competed in 10 Olympic Games. The great, late Hickstead will also be inducted next week. [COTH]
Does the thought of cross country make you quake in your boots? A new study suggests that hypnosis can improve a rider’s confidence- even in just one session. [Horse and Hound]
Attention history buffs: A new edition of Memories of the Shires, a collection of late Victorian and early Edwardian hunting reports written by Captain Otho Paget in the 1920s, has been released. It includes tales like that of the the 1890 Melton Mowbray Midnight Steeplechase, where Captain Paget was one of only four competitors to finish while wearing his nightshirt. [Horse and Hound]
Leaving you with the newest FLAIR Master Class Series video featuring Phillip Dutton- this time tackling the tough double corner. Thanks for reading EN, enjoy your Wednesday!
