Rebecca Farm organizers prepare for 600 competitors to arrive. Photo via the Rebecca Farm Facebook page.
Today festivities will begin in Montana as the The Event at Rebecca Farm kicks off with the YEH and FEH competitions. As the photo above demonstrates, the Rebecca Farm staff and volunteers have been busily preparing for 600 competitors to arrive on grounds. In addition to today’s YEH and FEH divisions, the event will run a CCI*/**, a CIC***, novice and training three days, and every recognized horse trials level from novice up. It’s beyond impressive what the Rebecca staff has organized in terms of logistics in order to accommodate such a large number of competitors at so many levels! Keep checking back for updates as the week progresses. [Rebecca Farm Website] [Facebook] [Entry Status/Times]
Weekend Preview:
Horse Park of NJ [Website] [Entry Status]
USPC National Championships [Website] [Eventing Program]
Stoneleigh-Burnham School [Website]
Three generations of one family will compete on a team together this weekend at Rebecca Farm. 14-year old Brennan Kappes will join his father, John, and grandfather, Randy, to make up a novice team aptly named “XYBoom.” Brennan’s mother and John’s wife Stephanie will also compete in the training division. According to Sarah Broussard, the Kappes are the first three-generation team to compete at Rebecca Farm, which isn’t exactly a surprise. EN wishes the best of luck to the Kappes family and all other competitors saddling up this weekend. [Ravalli Republic]
At the USEF Mid-Year Meeting, board members voted to drastically restructure the organization’s management. The Board of Directors will be reduced to 20 members from the current 54, and the current four working groups will become three councils. The changes will go into effect on January 9, 2014. Thirty-three board members voted in favor of the changes, two against, and several abstained. Several other rule changes were debated and approved, including new rules related to drugs. [COTH]
Know someone competing at the AECs? You can show your support by purchasing ad space in the 2013 program! The program will be given to all competitors as is a great souvenir. Click to find out more about prices and ordering information. [US Eventing]
Remember Talia Czapski? We posted about a fundraiser which was launched to help with her barn expenses after she was injured in a car crash and broke both her femurs, a foot, and a hand. The fundraiser ended up raising $10,000 and will completely cover the expenses of Talia’s mare, Aria, while Talia recovers. The Chronicle’s Haley Burton followed up on the story and talked with Talia about her recovery process, which is still ongoing. [COTH]
British Young Rider Yasmin Ingham has been selected to the British Pony Eventing team for the second year running. Yasmin will travel to Arezzo, Italy next week with six other British riders ranging in age from 12-16 to compete in the FEI Pony European Championships. The 16-year old recently won the final selection trial aboard Craig Mor Tom to secure their place in the team. [IOM Today]
Best of Blogs:
SmartPak’s tips on long distance shipping
Head over to Windurra this afternoon for another stadium schooling day
Today’s video was featured on yesterday’s Horse Nation “Oh Crap” Moment of the Day. It shows Robert Meyerhoff and Smooth Rider at the 2008 Middleburg Horse Trials, where Smooth Rider certainly lived up to his name. The great Buzzterbrown is behind the camera.
