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It’s Day 8 of the Mongol Derby and the epic race rages on. The team behind the event have put out extra content this year which has made following the whole thing even more fascinating than it was previously, and it was already pretty cool. The photographers have been happily snapping away and sharing some stunning images of horses, humans and views from across the steppe, the media team have curated a daily round-up video series entitled ‘Ride to Survive‘, there are detailed blogs of all the action published each day, and Facebook lives are happening regularly, in which the riders get to talk about their experience as they arrive at various horse stations along the route and shout out to the ‘dot watchers’ who are following their every move, including USA competitor Josh Edwards’ kindergarten teacher. Get your own dot-watching geek on here.
I have it on good authority that ‘giddy-up’ in Mongolian is ‘chew chew’, therefore, chew chew and go eventing!
U.S. Weekend Preview
Applewood Farm YEH & Mini Event (Califon, NJ) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times]
Bromont CCI-S Horse Trials (Bromont, Quebec) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring]
Caber Farm H.T. (Onalaska, WA) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]
Full Gallop Farm August HT (Aiken, SC) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring]
Genesee Valley Riding & Driving Club H.T. (Pending USEF Approval) (Geneseo, NY) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times]
Hunter’s Run H.T. (Metamora, MI) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring]
Ocala Summer H.T. II (Ocala, FL) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]
The Event at Archer (Cheyenne, WY) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]
Waredaca Farm H.T. (Laytonsville, MD) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]
UK International Events
Frickley Park International and Regional Championships (South Yorkshire) [Info] [Entries] [Scoring]
European International Events
FEI Nations Cup (Arville, Belgium) [Website] [Entries] [Scoring]
Wednesday News and Reading
I’m not generally particularly hot-headed, but boy did this piece get me riled up. Good natured arguments every four years about whether certain sports should be included in the Olympics have become a bit of a tradition, really, and just the other day I had a friendly debate with my family about the addition of breaking in Paris, albeit moot as it was a one time only deal, although LA will see five other new sports included in a roster that has been expanding with each successive Games. Personally, I love the variety of sports on offer and try and watch at least a little of all of them. It’s what the Olympics is all about – an epic celebration of sport. Not so much for the writer of a piece I spotted in the British press yesterday, however, who really got my goat with his suggestion that “anything with a horse” is surplus to requirements. There are very serious reasons why horse sports fans are worried about our future at the Olympics, and the majority of us are level-headed enough to know there are in fact some valid points on both sides of the argument. We’ve for sure got much more going for us than this piece suggests though. Read on if you don’t mind being p’d off.
All in the genes. When Britain’s show jumpers took the team gold in Paris, two of the riders were pretty familiar with the top step of the podium already, having taken the team title at their home games in London, whilst the third member of the Paris trio watched on from the sidelines, aged 12, cheering for his dad. Peter Charles’ gold in 2012, and subsequently Harry Charles’ in 2024, make them the first father-son Olympic champions since 1948 and 1908, and how cool that Harry did it with two of his dad’s teammates.
Talking of Britain’s success in the equestrian events in Paris – the Queen of England has congratulated Team GB’s riders, saying how “full of admiration” she is for their “skill, passion and determination”. Read more about the royal approval they received along with reflections from the British Equestrian performance director on a job well and truly done across all three disciplines.
When your horse loves his buddies a little too much. I’ve taken my guy back to basics following an unfortunate experience with a trainer and am slowly and gently working with him on some of the things he finds stressful, such as leaving his pasture pals. Here’s a horse-first real-life example of how to help your horse through separation anxiety that I’ve found useful.
And finally, I feel it’s pertinent to wrap things up on a celebratory note after the kinda angry start to this week’s reading material – and what’s more celebratory than a cake fit for a double Olympic medalist? Enter Laura Collett’s awesome team and this amazing creation.
Sponsor Corner
Will Coleman and former Morven Park CCI4*-S winner, Chin Tonic HS. Photo by Erin Gilmore Photography.
Are you coming to the Morven Park International & Fall Horse Trials? Watch in style and comfort as your favorite riders compete. VIP Tent passes are now on sale! Relax in the shade of a luxurious VIP Tent while keeping an eye on the exciting competition in the Grand Prix Arena on Friday and Sunday. Plus, follow the thrill and beauty of cross country on a livestream monitor. Food and non-alcoholic drinks will be provided! Buy your VIP Tent Pass here.
Video Break
Take some time out to enjoy the stunning scenery of the Mongolian steppe and find out what makes the ‘longest and toughest horse race on earth’ so special in the latest edition of ‘Ride to Survive’.
