Screenshot via Sara Kozumplik on Facebook.
You know you’ve done something right when an eventing legend seeks you out to give you a compliment. Sara Kozumplik had the ride of the day through the very trick Park Question fence on the Lexington 4*-S cross country course this past weekend with Rubens d’Ysieux. The coffin combination did a number on the competitors, causing problems for almost half of them, but Sara and Rubens delivered. This prompted World Champion and Olympic medallist Lucinda Green to reach out to Sara — we’ll call that a career highlight!
Badminton: Website, Entries, Live Stream, Dressage Start Times, EN’s Ultimate Guide, EN’s Entry Form Guide Course Preview, EN’s Coverage, EN’s Twitter, EN’s Instagram
U.S. Weekend Preview
Catalpa Corner May Madness H.T. (Iowa City, Ia.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Volunteer]
The Event at Skyline (Mt. Pleasant, Ut.): [Website] [Ride Times / Scores] [Volunteer]
Miami Valley H.T. at Twin Towers (Yellow Springs, Oh.): [Website] [Ride Times / Scores] [Volunteer]
Poplar Place May H.T. (Thomson, Ga.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Photography Sign-up] [Volunteer] [Scores]
Waredaca H.T. (Gaithersburg, Md.): [Website] [Entry Status] [Ride Times] [Photographer] [Scores] [Volunteer]
Wednesday News & Reading
Want to stay in the loop with Badminton Horse Trials? We’re sending our Daily Digest each evening this week with the latest news, information and stories from Badminton. It’s free to sign up + there are opportunities to win items from our new #goeventing merchandise line each day! Sign up here.
You can also join the Eventing Nation league in your Equiratings Eventing Manager app — pick your team and play against your fellow eventing nerds, what could be more fun?? EN merch to the league winner when the dust settles! Download the app here — our league code is EQYLJD.
Many of the horses running Badminton are powered by Haygain Steamed Hay. Yours can be, too! Enter to win an Haygain HG One High Temperature Steamer in person at Haygain’s booths at both events, or online at this link.
Healing humans with horses is the mission of the STAND Foundation. This really insightful interview at The STAND Foundation in Washington, DC demonstrates the intrinsic benefits of time spent with horses. The STAND (Strengthening Thoughts and Nurturing Dreams) Foundation provides provide opportunities where individuals gain knowledge, skills and confidence through wellness workshops, horsemanship and horseback riding — you can learn more about them here. Click here to watch the interview!
“In an unusual training regimen for Kentucky Derby contenders, Crown Pride canters perfect 20-meter circles behind the chute at Churchill Downs. He is composed, quiet and focused. Minutes later when he enters the track, he flips a switch internally and becomes an intense Thoroughbred pulling for his head to run faster.” Ahead of this weekend’s Kentucky Derby, read up on one of the more interesting storylines that will be lining up come Saturday to Run for the Roses.
What’s it like to be a vet at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event? Vet student Jackie Guezille, who is currently attending Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, got a behind-the-scenes look as a part of the accepted group of students who would be shadowing attending vets during the event. Read all about her experiences here.
Fleeceworks Royal is on the road to recovery after undergoing surgery to repair a pastern injury sustained on cross country at Kentucky. The latest update shared by Tamie Smith shows Fleeceworks Royal walking in her recovery stall — once she’s able, she’ll return home to California to continue her rest and recuperation.
Just two weeks until we get our first sneak peek at the venue for this fall’s FEI World Championships for Eventing, to be held in Italy at Pratoni del Vivaro. The venue will host a test event for WEG later this month, and we’ll have eyes on the ground to bring you all the must-know information. Read the latest from Italy here.
Wednesday Video Break
I’m always appreciative of Elisa Wallace’s helmet cam videos — here’s one from her Kentucky trip with Let It Be Lee. Be sure to watch all the way through to the end; Elisa didn’t have the end she wanted to with Lee, who lost some confidence after losing his front shoes and wound up eliminated on refusals. But, as Elisa says, you don’t know until you try and now she has more information to move forward with. It’s an interesting watch, and I’m sure we’ll share this on its own at some point but I thought it worth sticking in!
