Move over, Naked Cowboy: Buck Davidson and My Bobby Boy will join Pan Am dressage medalist Heather Blitz, teenage show jumping star Reed Kessler and 78 other Olympians, Paralympians and Olympic hopefuls in a “United States Olympic Committee Invasion of Times Square” today, the start of the 100-day countdown to the Games. At time of posting, the Today Show’s website was inconclusive, but rumor has it Buck will be on the show this morning. Keep an eye peeled. [Team USA]
Not long now: William Fox-Pitt’s Parklane Hawk set flight for the States yesterday, and James Alliston’s Jumbo’s Jake and Parker are en-route from California. Meanwhile, Badminton withdrawals, including Pippa Funnel, Simone Deitermann and Clayton Fredericks, have brought the first 13 horses up from the wait list. Olivia Loiacono, originally 35th on the list, is now 17th. [Horse & Hound] [Badminton Wait list]
They’re headed to Churchill, too: After arriving yesterday, Derby hopefuls Bodemeister and Secret Circle spent the morning walking Barn 33’s shedrow. Kentucky’s the place to be. [Kentucky Derby]
Four mares and a gelding: Callie Schott profiles the five semi-finalists in the Breeder’s Bridge to High Performance Contest for North American-bred jumper prospects. The winner receives three months of free training and board at John Madden Sales, where Schott’s an assistant rider. [COTH]
Support your fellow eventers:
After undergoing surgery to repair his broken leg, Peter Atkins’ Olympic ambitions depend upon a good showing with Henny at Luhmühlen. [Luhmühlen Fundraiser]
Could a pig fit in Tate’s trunk to London? One way to find out. [Sinead Halpin Fundraiser]
Colleen Rutledge will achieve a lifelong dream when she starts Badminton in 15 days. It is an expensive dream. [Badminton Fundraiser]
Kristin Schmolze and Cavaldi, partners for ten seasons, are Badminton-bound, too. “One of only two American entries accepted, this is our big chance to show the 2012 Olympic Selectors what we’ve got,” Kristin says. [Kristin Schmolze Fundraiser]
HN Today: Melanie Eberhardt’s crabby alpha-mare Nickerdoodle; Dia Moya brought her best friend home from Rolex.
Most Ridiculous Headline: “London 2012 Olympics: James who? Expat Briton set to challenge our eventing greats” [The Telegraph]
Best of the Blogs: “If you keep struggling, there’s no assurance that you will prevail. But if you stop trying, that’s an absolute guarantee that you will fail. Winners somehow understand this basic truth.” [How Good Riders Get Good]
Runner Up: “There’s nothing like the satisfaction of producing a horse up through the levels yourself and riding the tide of them learning and growing and then sometimes letting you down too. When they start to get it, it’s the best feeling in the world, and I do feel like Indie is really growing up!” [Jennie Brannigan for COTH]
Top of the Tweets: MegKep: Taterball is getting excited for his test ride next week @RolexKentucky (and so am I!)
Runner Up: London 2012: Which athletes will you support at the Olympics? Tweet #100daystogo
Kentucky Derby update, 4/17/12:
From Horse Quencher: Anytime a horse moves to a new barn – whether to live there or just stay a few days to compete – the natural order of things is upset. And that’s enough to slow or stop water intake, especially for the new kid on the block. So get him a welcoming drink, with Horse Quencher.
As Denis O’Brien, Assistant Manager Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum’s Shadwell Stud, Norfolk, says, “We use Horse Quencher when new horses arrive at the farm, or when horses have undergone surgery and return to us from hospital. At these times the horses can be unsettled for a few days, often going off their food and water. Horse Quencher has been excellent in helping to reduce the risk of impaction colic, a very costly and distressing condition. The hydration of horses when traveling can be overlooked and Horse Quencher will assist those who reduce their fluid intake while being transported nationally and internationally. In a nutshell Horse Quencher has helped whenever the horses have a change of routine, or environment, when moving from trainers to the farm, for pre-and-post sales, for traveling and while recovering from injury and confined to the box.”
