Riders enjoying a P Dutty clinic this weekend, photo courtesy of Retreadeventer
With the conclusion of 2010’s last fours-star on Sunday, today officially begins the off-season of eventing. By my count, there are just 5 USEA events left on the 2010 calendar, which means that we will have about two months of winter calm before the southern eventing season cranks up in mid-January. Three months from now we will already be taking an early look at the Rolex 2011 horses.
Most riders use November and December to go to a few clinics and maybe some schooling shows with the younger horses. I like to spend the winter getting yelled at by my German dressage coach–there’s just something wonderful about freezing to death coupled with German cursing.
Fear not friends, we will keep a steady stream of the ridiculousness you have come to know and love throughout the winter here on Eventing Nation. If you were an Eventing Nation reader last winter, you know we like to use the off-season to relax and bring our readers behind the scenes at the EN corporate headquarters. As always, Eventing Nation will be your place for at least three posts a day of eventing fun and insanity. Let’s get the first off-season post started off right with a quick set of eventing news and views:
–One of the big things still on the Eventing Nation radar is the Asian Games in China. As we have been writing, two US based riders from Thailand–Terri Impson and Nina Ligon are competing in the Asian Games CCI1* eventing competition next weekend. Their horses have arrived in China, which is a relief considering the problems that some countries have had getting their horses across the border. The Games are a huge event in China, where nationalism is taken to a whole new level, so the competition will be fierce. Kim Severson has taken over as the Thai coach and we will hear from the riders about the trip and their preparations for the competition soon. Hopefully no one at the Games will do anything silly to get them arrested and thrown in a prison camp for 20 years, like use a Bible.
–Over the weekend, Clark Montgomery won the Poplar Place open intermediate on ArdCeltic Art. A good friend of mine and my future vet, Marty Whitehouse won the open prelim/training division aboard Tzarina. Former US team member Julie Richards won the open training with My Boy Sam. One* timezone away, Rachel Birkes and Cabana Boy won the prelim/training at Corona Del Sol. Everyone gets three guesses as to the drink of choice at that competition.
–Because I’m not sure I have ever written a post without a link, I’ll include this story from New Zealand about a family who has been in two serious accidents with their horse truck. The article oddly doesn’t mention whether horses were in the vehicle either time, but it seems that, sadly, lightning can strike twice. And by lightning I mean incompetent other drivers going 200mph.
–Last and most importantly, my fantasy football team is in second place in my league. Thank you Roddy White.
Stay tuned for a full day of eventing coverage on Eventing Nation, hopefully including a final recap of Adelaide from John Lechner and a clinic report from Samantha Clark. The backup plan, as spelled out in the Eventing Nation Corporate Governance Handbook, is of course for me to find a goofy video and post it. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. See you soon…
