Eventing Nation
Red on right, white on left, insanity in the middleFriday Video Break: Take a Tour of Chateau de Versailles 3 May 2024, 11:00 am
The famous Chateau des Versailles will be home to all equestrian events during the Olympic Games 2024. In this episode of RIDE presented by Longines on FEI TV, take a tour around the historic grounds that will connect equestrian sport with Parisian culture. It’s going to be a thrilling week in Paris later this summer, and the anticipation is building!
View more of EN’s coverage of the Paris Olympics here.
Harbin Takes It to the Next Level at Kentucky CCI5* with Joe Meyer 3 May 2024, 9:00 am
Joe Meyer and Harbin. Photo by Sally Spickard.
Somewhere buried in my Facebook photos reside some exceptionally poor Sony CoolPix photos from my various trips to what we then called Rolex Kentucky. When I think back to those years and teenaged me, one moment stands out to me for no particular or obvious reason. I was standing at the start box, and New Zealand Olympian Joe Meyer was circling with the great little Thoroughbred gelding, Snip.
There weren’t many other people around, and even Joe didn’t bring an escort down to the start box with him. He quietly walked in a circle as he awaited his countdown, the traditional New Zealand silver fern brushed meticulously onto the gelding’s fleabitten gray coat.
Joe wouldn’t have noticed me on that day, too focused on the task at hand, but for one reason or another, I’ll always remember that moment as one of those “I’ve been hit with the eventing bug” memories.
So you can imagine my curiosity about another little gray Thoroughbred that Joe purchased a few years back from fellow eventer Rebecca Brown.
While he’s always shown the talent for the top levels and more than a few similarities to his predecessor (“He’s little, he’s nippy, he’s fast, he’s hot,” Joe described), it was last weekend at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event that Harbin would truly burst from “potential” to “confirmed” 5* horse.
Joe Meyer and Harbin finish a clear show jumping at Kentucky. Photo by Sally Spickard.
Joe describes his own and Ruthie Meyer’s, along with Theresa Foote’s Harbin (Verglas – Rainbow City, by Rainbow Quest), who raced in Ireland before coming to the U.S., as “a cross country machine”, but noted that his biggest question coming into Kentucky was whether the horse would handle the nearly-12-minute distance. It’s a question forefront in any rider’s mind as they bring a horse to the level for the first time; you don’t know until you know. Even in the mixed zone following Harbin’s dressage test, Joe was realistic.
“He gallops quite high up, a lot of knee action,” he described the 14-year-old gelding. “So it will be a question of whether that will take it out of him at all.”
He needn’t have worried. In fairness, he had tested Harbin with Long format terrain before: he traveled to the UK in 2023 to compete in the notoriously tough and terrain-heavy Blenheim Palace CCI4*-L (Harbin finished cross country clear with four time penalties there), but of course a 5* is a different animal.
Harbin delivered, though, collecting 9.2 time penalties to otherwise finish his first 5* cross country clear. He’d go on to cement his status as a 5* horse with one of just six jump penalty-free show jumping rounds on Sunday. Joe’s elation on crossing the finish was palpable.
I caught up with him shortly after, still grinning from ear to ear.
Joe Meyer and Harbin. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
“He came out feeling amazing today,” he said. “And he was jumping out of his skin, unbelievable. What a little rockstar, and for a little Thoroughbred he’s just awesome.”
Joe recalled the first moments of meeting Harbin, how the gelding did toss him some reminders of Snip. “There’s a couple of little differences, but yeah, that’s why when I had to chance to have him from Rebecca Brown I thought, ‘This could be my horse,’ because I know all about what that kind of horse is. And he’s exactly that: he’s nippy, he’s fast, and you know, he’ll spin you off and things, you always have to have a neck strap on him, but that’s what makes him special. And he tries, I don’t think he knows how to give up, and that’s really huge.”
For the Olympic and World Championship rider, the result also means more personally. Joe’s had several other horses come up the levels following Snip, but he hasn’t quite captured as competitive of 5* results as he did this weekend’s 14th place finish. I wanted to know how this felt to him.
Joe Meyer and Harbin. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
“It feels awesome, and like, you know, I’ll probably have to try a bit harder now because he’s got a few more years in him! And I feel like we’ve got a few coming up underneath as well.” Here he notes the longevity of the careers of riders such as Phillip Dutton and Matthew Grayling. “I think it’s all doable. But I do love the sport so much, and it really is inspirational to have a really nice horse and get a good result like this.”
“It’s sort of easy to fade into obscurity a little bit,” Joe continued after a moment. “I mean, you know we work away and we sell horses and we do a lot of other stuff, but it is quite nice to be doing what you want – what you came here to do.”
Harbin jumped super today around his first 5 star. A bobble after the ditch in the coffin so I opted for the long route…
Posted by Joe Meyer on Saturday, April 27, 2024
EN’s coverage of the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event is presented by Kentucky Performance Products, your one-stop shop for science-backed nutritional support for all types of horses. Click here to learn more about Kentucky Performance Products. You can catch up on all of our stories from Kentucky here.
Friday News & Notes from Stable View 2 May 2024, 11:01 pm
If you can remember as far back as last Friday, you will remember that Jessica Phoenix and Meghan O’Donoghue were asking for a little help with their Badminton campaign, or more to the point, in paying for their trusty steeds’ flights over here. Well, as you can see, Palm Crescent and Wabbit have made the flight to the UK, and are settling in nicely. Meghan and Jessica have now joined them too, basing with Team Price at Chedington Equestrian ahead of Badminton next week.
Yes, hot off the back of Kentucky, we have just one week to go (actually less now, ‘cos it starts on Wednesday) before we dive right back in to 5* MADNESS. I don’t know about you, but I CAN’T.WAIT. I mean, admittedly, it took me until Wednesday to recover from the excitement of Kentucky, but there is no such thing as too many 5* is there?!
You might want to get a Badminton TV subscription set up, to make sure you catch all of the action as it unfolds, starting with the first trot up on Wednesday afternoon. Standby for yet another edition of the Golden Chinch awards, arguably one of the best parts of of any 5*….There’s loads of other behind the scenes footage on there, as well as coverage from previous years’ event too. It is an INVESTMENT, I’m telling you.
Oh, and we will be bringing you top tier coverage, as per usual. Make sure you add these links to your favourites, grab your favourite snacks and set yourself up for another week of fantastic sport!
MARS Badminton Horse Trials [Website] [Entries] [Timetable] [Tickets] [Radio Badminton] [Livestream] [Cross Country Course] [EN’s Coverage]
U.S. Weekend Preview
Riga Meadow at Coole Park Combined Test (Millbrook, NY) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring]
Stable View Local Charities H.T. + USEA Interscholastic/Intercollegiate Eventing Championships (Aiken, SC) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]
Texas Rose Horse Park H.T. (Tyler, TX) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]
The Event at Skyline (Mount Pleasant, UT) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]
Waredaca H.T. (Laytonsville, MD) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]
Windridge Farm Spring H.T. (NC) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring]
UK International Events
Osberton International I (Nottinghamshire) [Info / Schedule] [Entries / Scoring]
European FEI Events
Jardy Standard Show (France) [Info / Entries]
Pratoni del Vivaro Standard Show (Italy) [Info / Entries]
Sopot Standard Show (Poland) [Info / Entries]
Friday News and Reading
It’s nearly time for the USEA Interscholastic and Intercollegiate Championships, happening this weekend at Stable View! While we’re sad not to be there in person, you can bet the USEA will have tons of content coming your way to celebrate these hardworking young riders of the future. Click here to follow the USEA’s coverage. We’ll also be running press releases from the competition here on EN to help you keep up. Meet the teams here and check out the live stream on Horse & Country here.
Would it even be Friday News and Notes if I wasn’t adding in a podcast recommendation?! I mean, I can’t help it if the EquiRatings Eventing podcast is constantly churning out brilliant shows. This week, our very own Sally Spickard is the guest, reviewing all of the action from Kentucky – the best weekend all year. She and Diarmuid also did a mini episode on Friday night reviewing all of the action from the dressage, so if you want to relive any of that action, they are both well worth a listen. Oh, and if you need a show to prepare you for next week’s event, then there is also a new episode of their ‘Horse of a Lifetime’ series. This time, Piggy March is talking about her phenomenal horse, Vanir Kamira, winner of both Badminton and Burghely. I defy you not to cry.
Speaking of Vanir Kamira, and er, Badminton, she is the latest horse to feature on the Badminton Facebook series ‘Where are they now?’ Turns out that she, like Wesko, has turned her hoof to a new career and is competing with 13 year old Annabelle Wesley in Children on Horses dressage classes. They’re doing pretty well, too – together they have been longlisted for the dressage youth European Championships, in St Margarethen, Austria (16-21 July). Is there no end to this mare’s talent?!
Gosh, Vanir Kamira is getting a lot of coverage here, but this is EXCITING NEWS. Laura Collett – also a Badminton winner – has a couple of Vanir Kamira’s babies…..enter Billy, out of Vanir Kamira, by Jaguar Mail. I mean wow – I can’t wait to see what this guy is capable of! As if that wasn’t exciting enough, Laura has also welcomed his half sister, Bella to her yard. This little lady is by Chilli Morning. Seriously, London 52 better watch his back: the young guns are coming up behind you, and my GOODNESS have they got some talent running through their veins.
I am sure you will all have been and had a sneaky peek at Eric Winter’s Badminton course by now. But, if you want even further assessment of the trickiest fences facing competitors next week, then who better than Eventing royalty, Nicola Wilson, to talk us through them?!
Another appeal to your charitable side now.This time on behalf of Kiwi horsewoman Penny Pearce, who is having, quite frankly, a diabolical time of it. Last year, she lost everything to a Cyclone, and now she has been diagnosed with kidney cancer, which requires a lot of expensive treatment. If you can spare anything, I am sure she will appreciate it. Join us in sending Penny and her family our very best wishes. Everything crossed she manages to get the treatment she needs, and that her luck takes a better turn very soon. Our thoughts are with you and you family, Penny.
Fancy making your equine pals some yummy treats for the weekend?!Well, we got you covered; here are a few recipes to get you started. I mean, why not make them all?! It is the weekend after all.
Sponsor Corner
The prizes are being revealed for the USEA Intercollegiate and Interscholastic Championships at Stable View! Get a sneak peek at these prizes donated by Equestly.
Weekend Watching
Well this is fun! A whistle stop tour of the early history of Badminton Horse Trials. We’re talking proper vintage here…enjoy!
USET Foundation Awards 2024 Jacqueline B. Mars Spring National Competition and Training Grant to Mia Farley 2 May 2024, 2:36 pm
Mia Farley and Phelps. Photo by Sally Spickard.
The 2024 Jacqueline B. Mars National Competition and Training Grant has been awarded to 24-year-old U.S. eventing athlete Mia Farley of Ocala, FL, who finished in 13th place at the 2024 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5*-L riding her trainer David O’Connor’s 11-year-old thoroughbred, Phelps, by Tiznow.
The national grant is awarded by the United States Equestrian Team (USET) Foundation through the generosity of USET Foundation Honorary Life Trustee Jacqueline B. Mars to support preparation and attendance at a national competition.
The grant awarded to Farley was to prepare for and compete at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event.
Mia Farley and Phelps. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Farley said: “When I was told I had won it three weeks before Kentucky, I was very surprised and thankful. The grant helped with the travel expenses to Kentucky, and I was able to ride with [U.S. Eventing Emerging and Development Coach] Leslie Law a bit more.
“In Kentucky, it assisted with the cost of Phelps’ therapies for the five-star, ensuring he felt his best. The grant is going to be a huge help as I’m pretty limited on funds, and I’m really excited to see what else I can do with it,” she continued. Farley will spend this summer in Lexington, Kentucky, for the first time before returning home to Ocala, Florida. “I plan to use the grant to improve, particularly in the show jumping, with Phelps. I’m hoping to do another long-format with him this fall.”
The annual grant aims to support the Eventing Pathway Programs’ goal of sustainable success on the world stage. Specifically, these grants are designed to assist athlete/horse combinations already competing at four-star level to achieve Pre-Elite or Elite Program criteria within the next 12 months.
Mia Farley and Phelps. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
“To young riders who are in a similar situation with limited funds, grants like this and surrounding yourself with good people mean that anything is possible. On days when it doesn’t feel possible, it’s inspiring to be able to apply for these grants and look forward to the opportunities they can provide,” added Farley.
The Jacqueline B. Mars National Competition and Training Grants provide training and competition resources for U.S. athletes who have never competed on an Eventing Olympics or FEI World Championships Team and have earned, via results and potential, the opportunity to travel to another part of the country to compete.
For additional information or to support the USET Foundation and the U.S. equestrian athletes headed to the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, visit https://www.uset.org/donate/.
Focus On the Horses: A Documentary with Will Coleman Equestrian 2 May 2024, 11:00 am
We enjoyed this short documentary following Will Coleman ahead of the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, his and his team’s focus on their horses wellbeing and care always paramount to any discussion. Follow Will and take a few notes, and catch up on more Kentucky videos on the USEF YouTube channel here.
You Can Lead a Horse to Water… 2 May 2024, 8:30 am
The following is an excerpt from “Riding Out, Strategies for Training Outside the Arena to Improve Horse Health and Performance” by Ingrid Klimke. Pick up your copy here.
Queen Ingrid! Photo by Tilly Berendt.
All horses need variety in their training. They gain important experience outside the arena, and the different sights and experiences out on the trail help make horses calmer and more balanced. Whether you go for a relaxing ride or do some suppling work on hills, your horse will thank you, and his new-found strength and energy will help him shine in the arena.
An Essential and Refreshing Exercise
Crossing water is an important skill for all horses. Dressage horses need to perform movements obediently, without being distracted or worried by puddles in the arena. A heavy shower can leave a show jumping course underwater, so show jumpers can’t let water bother them, either. And eventers obviously need to be able to jump boldly into water and even canter through it. That’s why I try to incorporate riding through different types of water. In the summer months, it is refreshing for horses and riders, and is often a welcome activity.
Start with a Lead Horse
Take the time to gradually get your horse used to water. The first thing you need to do is make sure the water you are crossing isn’t too deep and the ground conditions are good. Young horses will find it easier to take their first wet steps in a group, behind an experienced lead horse. You will find that most horses enjoy going into water once they get over any initial worries.
When getting a horse used to water for the first time, you need a good lead horse who will go into the water and won’t kick if another horse gets too close. An inexperienced horse might suddenly decide to leap into the water. If that happens, he could end up getting too close to the lead horse, so be sure to maintain a safe distance.
Start by approaching the water at a walk, approximately two horse lengths behind the lead horse. Ideally, your horse should follow the lead horse into the water. If he hesitates, wait a moment and allow him to have a sniff on a long rein. Then ask him to go forward again and follow the lead horse.
Encourage your horse with your voice and leg. As soon as he takes a step in the direction of the water, praise him, and give him a pat to encourage him. An inexperienced horse will probably be able to pull himself together on his second attempt and start to follow the lead horse, albeit hesitantly.
Stand in the middle of the water and give your horse lots of praise. He will have a sniff, and might even dip his muzzle into the water or have a drink. Let your reins slip through your fingers and wait. If your horse tries to paw or splash, ride forward. Holes in the ground caused by pawing are dangerous, and pawing is often a precursor to getting down to roll.
Have the lead horse leave the water and ride on at the walk, and then follow him, one behind the other. If your horse follows willingly and walks behind the lead horse without stopping, have the lead horse return to the water. Ride the inexperienced horse out of the water and then ride back into it—this time on your own while the experienced horse remains standing in the water.
Walk, Then Trot, Then Canter
The next step is to trot into the water behind the experienced horse. Some horses don’t like the spray from the horse in front of them, so you need to be prepared for hesitation or stopping. Then trot through the water without the lead horse. You should post in the trot to take strain off the horse’s back.
Some horses enjoy water crossings right from the outset. You should always make use of this motivation, especially in warm weather, because riding through water not only cools off a horse’s legs, it creates trust that will benefit your relationship both in and out of the arena.
This excerpt from Riding Out was published with permission from Trafalgar Square Books. For more information, or to purchase the book online, go to: https://trafalgarbooks.com/products/riding-out
Thursday News & Notes from Ecogold 1 May 2024, 11:01 pm
Artwork by Caroline Bromley-Gardner, via badminton-horse.co.uk / CrossCountryApp.
Badminton beckons.
Last week we got down in the bluegrass and up to our eyeballs in Kentucky and next week we get to do it all again at the Great British spring 5* offering. Man I love the eventing season!
Next Thursday and Friday we’ll be dressaging ‘til we can’t dressage no more when almost 80 competitors take to the ring at the 75th edition of Badminton Horse Trials. And then Saturday – oh Saturday! – we get to go 5* cross country. If you just can’t wait to feast your eyes on the iconic fences adorning the Badminton Estate, you’re in luck because the course is set and ready for your perusal right here. As well as beautiful paintings of each fence, course designer Eric Winter and four-time winner Sir Mark Todd are on hand to take us through every question and conundrum the riders will be facing when they set out from the start box and take to the track. Sunday’s show jumping will determine who lifts the famous trophy as 2024 champion, and with a field stacked to the rafters with exciting talent – including Kentucky winner and live Grand Slam contender Oliver Townend, who brings forward last year’s runner-up and Burghley winner Ballaghmor Class, hoping to go one better this time around to take the triple crown and become the third rider ever to win the big one – it sure is going to be a thrilling competition from start to finish flags.
If you’re planning on watching all of the action live or on demand, you’ll need a Badminton TV subscription – find out how it works here.
And of course we’ll be here for All. Of. It. We’ve got live updates from every phase headed your way, daily round-up reports, our epic form guide, the ultimate guide to all things Badminton, and so much more. Keep it locked onto EN and get your eventing geek on.
MARS Badminton Horse Trials [Website] [Entries] [Timetable] [Tickets] [Radio Badminton] [Livestream] [Cross Country Course] [EN’s Coverage]
International Day of Note: It’s Harry Potter Day today, so wishing you wizardry in your horsey endeavors, plenty of Wingardium Leviosa-ing over whatever you’re jumping, and the power of the Accio charm to find all those shoes that have mysteriously disappeared to only your horse knows where. Solemnly swear you’re up to no good, and go eventing!
U.S. Weekend Preview
Riga Meadow at Coole Park Combined Test (Millbrook, NY) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring]
Stable View Local Charities H.T. (Aiken, SC) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]
Texas Rose Horse Park H.T. (Tyler, TX) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]
The Event at Skyline (Mount Pleasant, UT) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]
Waredaca H.T. (Laytonsville, MD) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]
Windridge Farm Spring H.T. (NC) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring]
UK International Events
Osberton International I (Nottinghamshire) [Info / Schedule] [Entries / Scoring]
European FEI Events
Jardy Standard Show (France) [Info / Entries]
Pratoni del Vivaro Standard Show (Italy) [Info / Entries]
Sopot Standard Show (Poland) [Info / Entries]
Thursday News and Reading
It’s USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championship week. This exciting competition sees 150 entries from 18 schools split into 39 teams to contest the championship this weekend. Find out more and meet the teams here.
Want to walk the Badminton course with 2019 champion Piggy March? Of course you do! Well, here’s your chance to win a virtual course walk with Piggy where she’ll give you a rider’s view of the fences and insider insights into what we can expect come cross country day. It’s easy to enter – just like this post and follow @racesafeeq and @piggy.march, tagging a friend who you’d like to tag along. Entries close at 11:59pm BST / 6:59pm EST on Monday 6th May. Good luck!
And speaking of Badminton, this month’s Director’s Blog has dropped. Find out everything that’s going down – well, up – on the estate as they prepare for their special 75th anniversary edition.
Think you want to work for a horse trainer? If you’re dreaming of getting into the training world, the best place to start is working for a trainer who fits your goals as a horseman. And once you get the chance, make sure you’re ready to show up with a good attitude and a willingness to put in the work – a trainer’s time and talent is the biggest gift for someone who wants to learn. Here’s how to make sure you make the most of the opportunity.
Sitting trot – the pros make it look so smooth. If you feel like a sack of potatoes in the saddle with your hands seeming to have a mind of their own, you’re not alone. Luckily, USDF gold medal dressage rider Amelia Newcomb has some tips for us mortals who are keen to learn how to go with the flow.
Not so much reading as watching, but this interesting offering about the use of horses to support long-term healing for some of Australia’s most vulnerable young people from The Guardian is well worth a look. The communities in the Kimberley region of Western Australia are beset by suicide among young Aboriginal people. Professor Juli Coffin offers hope in the form of her herd of horses, using a culturally appropriate setting to support those in need through the connection between horse and human. Watch the video here.
Sponsor Corner:
Did you know Ecogold carries more than just saddle pads? Check out the full line of items you can pick up in this one-stop shop here.
Video Break
Treat yourself to Ros Canter’s exceptional cross country round with Lordship’s Graffalo at last year’s Badminton in today’s Video Break.
Second at Badminton on his 5* debut in 2022, when he finished on his dressage score of 26, ‘Walter’ came back the following year and led the competition from start to finish, proving that he’s good to go on any ground and showing that there are no chinks in his armor when it comes to the all-around event horse.
Walter won’t be at Badminton to defend his crown this year, but Ros is, with exciting young talent Izilot DHI, who won Pau last season on his debut at the level. Will she do the double? It’s all to play for!
Wednesday Video Break: Navigating the Unjumpable 1 May 2024, 2:00 pm
Have you ever wondered why course designers put an unjumpable object like a bush or a gate right in the middle of a line to the jump? Well, as FEI course designer and builder Alain Ponsot explains, it’s because that’s not the line to the jump that they want you to use!
‘Non-jumpable’ or ‘unjumpable’ elements are not used by course designers simply to frustrate riders or throw them off. They’re actually used to help the rider ride the line to the fence in the way that the course designer has intended. You can think of them as little hints or cheat sheets, if you will — they’re guiding the rider on how to answer the question that the course designer is asking.
In this video, the last in a series of cross country videos safety videos produced by Tiggy’s Trust, Irish Olympian Sam Watson sits down with Alain to talk all about the various purposes of unjumpable elements on a cross country course, including how they can affect the type of MIM clip used on a fence.
You can watch all of the videos in the Tiggy’s Trust ‘Cross Country at it’s Best’ series right here on YouTube.
5 Things We Learned From Jon Hollings’ Conditioning Workshop 1 May 2024, 11:00 am
We’re pleased to introduce a new training series from our friend at Ride iQ! Be sure to check out the Ride iQ app for coaching in your ear, progressive series, podcasts, and much more here.
Jon Holling and Downtown Harrison at Carolina International 2014. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Conditioning is one of those topics that most certainly stirs up a lot of confusion. Whether you’re new to the sport or preparing for a show, knowing a baseline of exactly what you should be doing with your horse in order to reach your fitness goal is crucial.
Throughout Ride iQ’s Conditioning Schedule Workshop, we discussed all things conditioning with Jon Holling, a US 5* event rider. Jon shared an example 6-week conditioning schedule for each level and the discussion included how to adjust based on your specific horse, your circumstances, and your goals.
To get started, here are five key things we learned about conditioning.
You Can Track Your Horse’s Fitness Without a Heart Rate Monitor
The best way to track your horse’s fitness without a heart rate monitor starts by wearing a wristwatch. Go ahead and try this during your next interval day and begin to compare each of your rides throughout the conditioning program.
- After a trot or canter set, walk for 3 minutes.
- Then halt..
- Look at your horse’s nostrils or flank and count their breaths for 15 seconds.
- Multiply that number by 4. What’s the result?
This is your horse’s respiration rate. Jon generally treats a respiration rate below 80 breaths per minute as an indicator that your horse is ready for their next set. If their respiration rate is above 80 after three minutes of walking, give them a minute or two more to recover before checking again. If their respiration rate then indicates readiness, continue with your next set. If not, call it a day and continue to monitor how they’re reacting to the fitness work.
Six Days Of Riding May Not Always Be Feasible — And That’s Okay!
Let’s face it — we all live busy lives. While Jon’s conditioning templates offer six days of work, this may not always be feasible or realistic for your personal riding schedule.
Ideally, at least five days of riding a week is key, as four days doesn’t allow for the variety and consistency of work needed to prepare for novice level and above.
Jon’s conditioning templates map out 6 days of riding each week: (1) hack, (2) dressage, (3) trot set, (4) jump, (5) dressage, (6) intervals or cross-country school. In the workshop, Jon explained how to choose which days to skip or combine if you’re limited to 5 rides per week. If you’re someone who doesn’t have a full five days, it’s important to get creative here and use your best judgment. If your schedule only allows you to make it to the barn four days a week, maybe you ask a fellow rider at the barn to trail ride your horse on that fifth day to keep them moving.
You can also combine your days as you see fit. For example, you can combine your long walk with the dressage day. A great rule of thumb if you are combining days is to keep your horse’s recovery in mind. Keeping jump days and gallop days with either a rest or hack day in between will ensure your horse get’s enough rest and recovery.
Another rule of thumb Jon suggests: be on your horse for at least 45 minutes each time you ride. That includes a generous walk at the beginning of every ride.
Conditioning in a Field is Great for You and Your Horse
If you’re able to do your fitness work in a field, take advantage of that! Riding in a field gives you the opportunity to work on rideability, improve your strength, and expose your horse to varied footing, which is great for injury prevention.
Jon recommends doing canter sets in your gallop position, which benefits your strength and balance as a rider while your horse improves their fitness, too. A lot of riders will struggle in the gallop with their horses, insisting they become too strong. The best way to improve this is by — you guessed it — practice galloping your horse! Just as you would on course, allowing your horse to come through its shoulder and rocking back onto their hind end encouraging self-carriage will allow you to feel more confident at this gait with your horse.
Even better, riding in a field is great for practicing rideability up and down hills and away from or toward the barn.
If you miss a day or even a week of the program, don’t panic. Backtrack as needed and pay attention to your horse’s fitness.
Switch Up The Footing For Soft Tissue Conditioning
Even if you have a horse who’s already fit, riding on a variation of surfaces is still just as important in order to condition your horse’s soft tissues. Not only does riding in the arena get boring, but it doesn’t allow your horse to adapt to other surfaces you might face at a show.
It’s important to note that any sudden surface changes can be hard on horses, but working in the field can allow the connective and soft tissues to get used to moving, flexing, bending, and using itself. In turn, this will strengthen the soft tissues.
Take Advantage of Your Hack Days
On your hack days, of course, you want your horses to be relaxed, but it’s important to make these days purposeful. For example, Jon has most of his horses to hack in a ‘round and down’ frame and he’s diligent about keeping them at a marching pace. Alternatively, if you have a horse who has a tendency to pace it may be best to keep the horse more in a frame during your hack, but again, still marching and moving forward.
Your hack days are your friend. Use these long walking sessions as an opportunity to reconnect with your horse between training sessions. Allow your horse to stretch and relax, all while maintaining their fitness level.
Want to listen to the full conditioning workshop with Jon Holling and download his 6-week conditioning schedule templates? Start your Ride iQ 2-week free trial to all of that and more at Ride-iQ.com.
Horse & Country To Provide Livestream Coverage for 2024 Stable View Competitions 1 May 2024, 8:30 am
Morning at Stable View Photo by Shelby Allen.
Horse & Country (H&C), the leading international equestrian sports network, has welcomed four Stable View events to its line-up of 2024 competition coverage.
Located in Aiken, SC, Stable View has quickly grown into a diverse multi-use facility staging a wide range of equestrian activities since its establishment in 2010. Four of its key competition events will be showcased by H&C during the 2024 calendar year, beginning with livestream coverage of the United States Eventing Association (USEA) Intercollegiate & Interscholastic Championships running May 4-5, 2024.
Next up will be the “Too Hot to Trot” I and II dressage competition from August 14-18, 2024, followed by livestream coverage of the final day of the “Oktoberfest” Horse Trials where cross-country competition will be featured on September 28, 2024. As Stable View’s “Oktoberfest” Horse Trials will be hosting three divisions of FEI-sanctioned eventing competition – CCI2*- S, CCI3*-S, and CCI4*-S – there will be three important titles determined during the final phase of show jumping.
Wrapping up the 2024 schedule will be the “Winter Wonderland” Dressage competition running December 6-7, 2024. The action from Stable View will be available exclusively on Horse & Country’s streaming service, H&C+.
Next up will be the “Too Hot to Trot” I and II dressage competition from August 14-18, 2024, followed by livestream coverage of the final day of the “Oktoberfest” Horse Trials where cross-country competition will be featured on September 28, 2024. As Stable View’s “Oktoberfest” Horse Trials will be hosting three divisions of FEI-sanctioned eventing competition – CCI2*- S, CCI3*-S, and CCI4*-S – there will be three important titles determined during the final phase of show jumping.
Wrapping up the 2024 schedule will be the “Winter Wonderland” Dressage competition running December 6-7, 2024. The action from Stable View will be available exclusively on Horse & Country’s streaming service, H&C+.
H&C will live stream the entire 2024 IHSA National Championship with coverage of Hunter Seat and Western disciplines. Photo courtesy of Stable View
“Stable View offers a diverse range of equestrian competitions throughout the year, making it an ideal addition to our streaming line-up,” said H&C Director of Content Jonathan Rippon. “Our global audience will appreciate the opportunity to livestream several of Stable View’s key 2024 events, and we look forward to the future growth of our partnership.”
Following the live stream of Stable View competitions, on-demand content will also be available for H&C+ members.
“We are thrilled to offer live streaming of our events and open our competitions to a wider audience of appreciative horse sport fans,” said Stable View owners Barry and Cyndy Olliff. “This marks our first time partnering with Horse & Country, and it will be exciting to explore the possibilities that lie ahead for our facility in this new capacity.”
Beyond H&C’s extensive sports coverage, both live and on demand, H&C+ members also receive access to more than 1,800 hours of equestrian programming featuring content from all disciplines, masterclasses and training series, barn tours, rider profiles, and documentaries. With two annual membership options and a pay-per-view offering, H&C+ Freestyle, there are even more ways to access H&C’s vast library of content. Full details on how to join can be found at horseandcountry.tv/select-plan.
Annual membership of H&C+ is only $119.99 as a one-time payment, or there is an option to pay in 12 monthly installments of $13.99. Non-members who wish to watch can choose H&C’s Freestyle option and buy a pass for each event for just $24.99.
H&C offers numerous high-profile opportunities for equestrian brands to advertise around live events including in-stream billboards, in-stream video ads, and pre-roll video ads. For further details, contact Tattie Singer, H&C Director of Strategic Partnerships, North America, using the contact information below.
Wednesday News & Notes from Ocala Horse Properties 30 Apr 2024, 11:01 pm
When you come home as Defender/USEF CCI5* National Champion and your buddies throw you a surprise party 🥳
If you weren’t already in love with ‘Bug’ before Kentucky, chances are you got all bug-eyed over this special guy as he smashed out a superb performance across the three phases to finish up best of the US and take the National Champion title. At seventeen he’s been there done that: World Championships team silver medal ✅ Nine 5* starts ✅ Three 5* top-5 placings ✅ Top-10 at Burghley ✅ 2024 5* National Champion ✅
With these older horses, it truly is a testament to the team at home and the training program that they can come out at these big events in their late teens and not only look incredible, but demonstrate the athleticism and stamina required to deliver the goods at the highest level.
We salute you Bug, and the whole team, for a job very, very well done.
U.S. Weekend Preview
Riga Meadow at Coole Park Combined Test (Millbrook, NY) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring]
Stable View Local Charities H.T. (Aiken, SC) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]
Texas Rose Horse Park H.T. (Tyler, TX) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]
The Event at Skyline (Mount Pleasant, UT) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]
Waredaca H.T. (Laytonsville, MD) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]
Windridge Farm Spring H.T. (NC) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Scoring]
UK International Events
Osberton International I (Nottinghamshire) [Info / Schedule] [Entries / Scoring]
European FEI Events
Jardy Standard Show (France) [Info / Entries]
Pratoni del Vivaro Standard Show (Italy) [Info / Entries]
Sopot Standard Show (Poland) [Info / Entries]
Wednesday News and Reading
A terrifying situation in Elkhorn, NE as a category EF-3 tornado hit the Quail Run Horse Centre during an active competition. Multiple horses were injured and the property sustained extensive damage. The Chronicle of the Horse has more information here.
The FEI Sport Forum features discussions on issues affecting all FEI disciplines and has just happened this week in Lausanne, Switzerland. Some interesting facts around FEI Championships were among the items discussed. More on this to come on EN, but you can catch up on what was discussed here.
Every single time I watch an event I’m reminded why I love this sport. It’s not just the amazing horses and super talented riders that have me wide-eyed in awe. Eventing is a melting pot of so many wonderful things: passion, excitement, emotion, horsemanship, teamwork, celebration, cheerleading, picking each other up and dusting each other off when things get tricky, helping your competitors to do their best, gratitude, and a very obvious love for the horses that make the whole thing possible. As we come down from Kentucky and shake off the eventing jetlag a great event inevitably leaves behind, enjoy this throwback article celebrating the awesome spirit of eventing.
Research suggests that horses have discerning taste when it comes to music. It turns out that they find jazz annoying, but don’t mind country or classical. Best of all when it comes to providing enrichment for stalled horses and encouraging natural behaviors is, perhaps unsurprisingly, nature sounds. We’ve all felt the zen descend when we hear the birds singing, or the immediate drop of the shoulders when we’re immersed in a spa soundtrack (although, perhaps not, I certainly haven’t have the funds for a spa visit since getting a horse). Having an equine on box rest is not easy to manage, or even just one who’s stabled through the winter, or for competition reasons – perhaps a little nature playlist might do everyone in the barn some good.
Last week I shared news of an incident in London involving Household Cavalry horses running loose through the city streets. At the time of writing, it was a breaking news story, so here’s an update on what we now know about what happened. Seven horses were involved in the incident which was caused by noise from nearby construction work. The horses were taking part in a routine exercise at the time. Four of the six riders were thrown from their horses, with five horses bolting. Two of the horses traveled 6 miles through the city during rush hour and, in the ensuing panic and chaos, one horse hit a stationary taxi cab and another a bus, shattering the windscreen; both horses sustained serious injuries which required surgery. In total, three of the Household Cavalry riders were injured and four civilians. The latest news is that the injured horses are stable and making progress, with many offers of rehoming coming forward should the horses not be able to return to duty.
And finally, horsegirl hair – you know it. This self-professed “hair artist” knows it too, and has banished us from his salon for being so disgusting. Based in Wellington, Florida, The Blow & Go Bar was the equestrian snowbirds’ go-to place to fix up all the hell they put their hair through. But owner Piers Reims has taken a stand after seeing his clients “slapping a dirty, sweaty helmet” over his “blood, sweat, and tears”, claiming the trauma has had an impact on his mental health. “Old hairnets, chewing gum, baling twine,” he whines. And so we are banned. No equestrians are allowed to cross the threshold of his studio, because us horsegirls are just too much for him to handle.
Video Break
Although we got 5* fever over Kentucky, there was a battle going on in the 4*-S competition – dubbed ‘mini Kentucky’ because it’s just such a dang tough course – which ultimately, Will Coleman won with new ride Diabolo. The only combination to jump clear inside the time ’round a truly tricky track, they followed up with another faultless performance in the show jumping to finish on their sub-30 dressage score of 29.9. That’s gotta feel good when the Olympic selectors’ eyes are wide open and watching.
Pierre Le Goupil Named New Maryland 5 Star Cross Country Course Designer for 2025 Event 30 Apr 2024, 2:28 pm
Paris designer Pierre le Goupil at the 2023 Pan American Games. Photo by Shannon Brinkman Photography.
Sport & Entertainment Corporation of Maryland today announced that Pierre Le Goupil, a former elite-level eventing athlete, turned decorated course designer in charge of designing the Eventing course at this year’s Paris Olympics, has been appointed the new cross country course designer for the MARS Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill presented by Brown Advisory, beginning in 2025, succeeding famed designer Ian Stark.
Stark, who has overseen the design of the cross country courses as part of the construction of the new Fair Hill Special Event Zone (completed in 2020) and since the start of the inaugural event in 2021, will be retiring at the end of 2024. Le Goupil will be the designer at Fair Hill through at least 2027.
“I am delighted to design for the Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill starting in 2025, and I am filled with gratitude towards the organizing committee for their trust,” said Le Goupil. “It’s a fabulous opportunity for me, and it’s also a great honor to succeed Ian Stark, who in less than three years, has greatly contributed to the event’s reputation.”
Le Goupil, 61, has also been at the lead as course designer for last year’s Pan American Games that were held in Santiago, Chile and the 2023 FEI European Championships that were held in Haras du Pin, France.
“We’re thrilled that Pierre has agreed to be our cross country course designer starting in 2025 for the MARS Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill presented by Brown Advisory building upon the incredible foundation that Ian Stark has created through this year,” said Jeff Newman, President & CEO of the Maryland 5 Star Event Committee. “There is no position more important in Eventing than the course designer as it’s paramount both to ensure horse and athlete safety and the entertainment of our fans globally. We’re so fortunate and honored to have two of the very best supporting Maryland as we continue to build upon our legacy as a world-class event at the highest level of the sport.”
Le Goupil began competing in high-level international events in 1975, doing so for nearly thirty years before retiring from Eventing in 2002. He began organizing events in 1995, working with his family to create the “Le Grand Complet.”
“Upon announcing my retirement, there was obviously going to be a new designer and I’m thrilled for the event that Pierre will be the new man,” said Stark. “He has the talent, the imagination and the flair to succeed and I look forward to following his plans for the future of the course.”
According to a prior US Equestrian news release, Le Goupil’s expertise in consulting, cross country building and designing for all levels continues to make the equestrian sport shine, not only in his home country, one of the world’s greatest equestrian nations, but to a global audience during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, in one of the most exhilarating and prestigious setting at the Château de Versailles, an iconic symbol recognized worldwide.
His skill and proficiency in course designing has taken him to many parts of the world, working in ten different countries including Brazil, Bulgaria, Belarus, China, Hungary, India, Japan, Russia and Chile.
Who Jumped It Best? Defender Kentucky CCI5* Edition 30 Apr 2024, 1:02 pm
It’s time to play Who Jumped It Best? as we continue to look back at the 2024 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event! This series of shots comes from the newly-added Walnut Mound question on the CCI5* course, which involved a narrow, wide oxer at A followed by an angled brush off a sharp right handed turn. While we thought this question might elicit some trouble with the added complexity of terrain, the combination actually rode very well and caused no problems for the division.
I’ve collected a few shots here for you to peruse. While I acknowledge they aren’t all exactly taken at the same moment, they should still provide some context to cast your vote below! Happy voting, and Go Eventing.
Miss out on any of our Kentucky coverage, sponsored by Kentucky Performance Products? Click here to look back.
Monica Spencer and Artist. Photo by Sally Spickard.
Mia Farley and Phelps. Photo by Sally Spickard.
Lisa Marie Fergusson and Honor Me. Photo by Sally Spickard.
Lauren Nicholson and Vermiculus. Photo by Sally Spickard.
Joe Meyer and Harbin. Photo by Sally Spickard.
Jennie Brannigan and FE Lifestyle. Photo by Sally Spickard.
Christoph Wahler and D’Accord FRH. Photo by Sally Spickard.
Buck Davidson and Sorocaima. Photo by Sally Spickard.
Andrew McConnon and Ferrie’s Cello. Photo by Sally Spickard.
EN’s coverage of the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event is presented by Kentucky Performance Products, your one-stop shop for science-backed nutritional support for all types of horses. Click here to learn more about Kentucky Performance Products.
Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event [Website] [Ultimate Guide] [EN’s Coverage]
Tuesday News & Notes from Kentucky Performance Products 29 Apr 2024, 11:01 pm
Meanwhile during Defender Kentucky weekend, there was one other international event running: Ireland’s Ballindenisk International 1. The feature class, the NutriScience CCI4*L, was won by British 24-year-old StormStraker with Fever Pitch. Also riding in this division was what could very well be this year’s Japanese Olympic team in Ryuzo Kitajima (who finished second), Yoshiaki Oiwa, and Kazuma Tomoto. Plus, Great Britain’s Mollie Summerland and new-to-the-level Flow 7 rounded out the podium.
You can check out the results from all the divisions here and visit the Irish Eventing Times Facebook page for lots of great photos.
Events Opening Today:Kent Horse Trials, Horse Park of New Jersey H.T. I, Seneca Valley Pony Club H.T., Full Gallop Farm June H.T., Silverwood Farm Spring H.T., Shepherd Ranch Pony Club H.T. I, Aspen Farm H.T
Events Closing Today: Hitching Post Farm H.T., Hunt Club Farms H.T., The Vista Spring YEH/NEH Qualifier, Bouckaert Equestrian H.T., Otter Creek Spring H.T., Spokane Sport Horse Spring H.T., Spring Gulch H.T.
Tuesday News & Notes from Around the World:
Eventers aren’t the only ones who obsess about footing. Not by a long shot (I know a couple footing snobs from an assortment of other disciplines, in fact) but you can add Thoroughbred horse racers to the list, too. In fact, there’s a whole lab in Kentucky called the Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory, a non-profit company, dedicated to keeping racetrack surfaces consistent and making them safer for horses. They’re in the process of establishing federal standards for racetrack safety. As they test surfaces they also collect a boatload of data which have helped to inform researchers about how track surfaces affect Thoroughbred bone health and longevity.
We all make a lot of joke about dressage being, ugh, the worst. But in the next breath anyone who’s worth their salt as an event rider will also sing it’s praises and knows exactly how it all plays into the fun jumping phases. That said, you don’t aways have to be practicing your twenty meter circles inside the sandbox — you should be working on your flatwork out in the field too. That’s called … you guessed it … fieldwork. Here’s a guide on fieldwork from Olympian Phyllis Dawson to get you started.
HorseHubby.com is back with a refreshed website and Mr. Horse Hubby himself, Timothy Harfield, husband of five-star eventer Elisa Wallace, has published a helpful blog post to guide future horse hubbies on how to survive their first horse show. Send this to your new beau.
Sponsor Corner: Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent tackled the Defender Kentucky Three Day Event and came out on top. Read all the details in this report sponsored by Kentucky Performance Products.
Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Watch This: While Doug Payne ultimately withdrew Quantum Leap from the holding box at the second horse inspection, we can still re-live their ride across country from Doug’s point of view! Check out his helmet cam recapping the big complexes on this year’s Defender Kentucky cross country course:
Catch Up on the Top Rounds of Defender Kentucky 29 Apr 2024, 12:30 pm
It’s hard to believe the 2024 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event has come and gone already, but luckily there’s plenty of content to chew on as we make our respective journeys back home to nurse our horse show hangovers.
I’ve collected some of the top rounds USEF Network has posted of the winning/top rounds of the weekend. You can also find live stream replays on USEF Network or ClipMyHorse (outside of the U.S.) here.
The links below are embedded from Instagram — if you can’t see any of them, you can also view the videos on the USEF Network Facebook and Instagram pages.
Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent – Winners of Defender Kentucky CCI5*
Lauren Nicholson and Vermiculus – USEF National CCI5* Champions
Will Coleman and Diabolo – Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S Winners
Tom McEwen and JL Dublin – CCI5* Cross Country Leaders
Mia Farley and Phelps – Double Clear on Cross Country
Tom McEwen and JL Dublin – CCI5* Dressage Winners
Liz Halliday-Sharp and Miks Master C – Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S Dressage
Yasmin Ingham and Banzai du Loir – CCI5* Dressage
Boyd Martin and Commando 3 – Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S Dressage
Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event: [Website] [Entries] [Schedule] [Tickets] [Scoring] [Live Stream] [Ultimate Guide] [EN’s Coverage]
Weekend Winners: New Jersey, Loudoun, Archer YEH and NEH, & University of New Hampshire 29 Apr 2024, 8:56 am
Naturally, many Eventers flocked to Kentucky this week – to compete, groom, or support. However, we saw plenty of Eventing action through New Jersey, Virginia, Wyoming, and New Hampshire this weekend as well.
Shout out to these Weekend Winners for successful outings! And an extra special shout out to the winner of our Unofficial Low Score Award, Emily Bradford and Ben-jamin’ Traveler, who won the Open Novice at New Jersey on a 22.8!
Horse Park of New Jersey Spring H.T. (Allentown, NJ) [Website][Scoring]
Open Preliminary: Alexander Conrad and Layla Q (26.4)
Open Modified: Fylicia Barr and Quantum Cooley (26.0)
Open Training: Holly Payne Caravella and Rock Me Mama (29.3)
Training Rider: Charlotte Carrajat and As Is (31.7)
Novice Rider A: Charlotte Carrajat and Late Night (Conan) (31.5)
Novice Rider B: Geneva Auckett-Stowe and Big Berry (28.9)
Open Novice: Emily Bradford and Ben-jamin’ Traveler (22.8)
Beginner Novice Rider A: Rachel Barmore and Just One More / “Travis” (31.6)
Beginner Novice Rider B: Kelly O’Brien and B.E. Never Say Never (26.6)
Open Beginner Novice: Brita Tansey and Calliope (31.9)
Starter: Lindsey Norris and Painted Arrow (32.9)
Loudoun Hunt Pony Club Spring H.T. (Leesburg, VA) [Website][Scoring]
Open Intermediate: Katie Lichten and Fast Company (33.0)
Open Preliminary A: Michael Pendleton and Adorrado (26.1)
Open Preliminary B: Lucia Strini and DHI Kevin G (31.6)
Open Preliminary C: Michael Pendleton and Lorian de la haute Semois (31.6)
Junior Open Training: Raina LaBonte and Quite Quality (35.0)
Open Training A: Courtney Olmstead and Macalistair (30.6)
Open Training B: Michael Pendleton and Schwarzrotgold (28.9)
Preliminary/Training: Emma Jones and Union Jack (40.1)
Training Horse: Lynn Symansky and Caramba (26.1)
Training Rider A: Nanette Schumaker and La Cosa Nostra (34.8)
Training Rider B: Mary Hope and Rule of Thumb (31.7)
Junior Open Novice: Madeline Riley and Bobbie Burns (27.2)
Novice Horse: Samantha Homeyer and SISTER ACT.COM (26.1)
Novice Rider A: Emma Whitaker and HSH Golden Boy (35.3)
Novice Rider B: Mary Ann Ghadban and Capture The Spirit (30.8)
Open Novice: Katherine DeLaney and Canto Royale (27.5)
Beginner Novice Horse: Martin Douzant and Delta Dawn PVF (28.5)
Beginner Novice Rider: Katura Harvey and Captain Regan (30.9)
Junior Open Beginner Novice A: Reagan Loker and Snappy Bullet (26.8)
Junior Open Beginner Novice B: Scarlett Knull and Frenemy (29.1)
Open Beginner Novice: Michael Pendleton and Let’s Fetz (27.4)
The Event at Archer Spring Fling YEH and NEH (Cheyenne, WY) [Website][Scoring]
Novice: Elizabeth Gillmor and Felix Felicis (24.4)
Beginner Novice: Louise Walker and Get There John (26.8)
YEH 4 Year Old: Allison Deveraux Murphy and Gemini Nuerburgring (61.050)
YEH 5 Year Old: Ryleigh Leavitt and Neverland RTL (80.250)
Starter: C’Dale Jore and A Mannhattans Lady Liberty (39.7)
NEH Starter: Ainsley Barker and Mouillage (63.950)
University of New Hampshire Spring H.T. (Durham, NH) [Website][Scoring]
Open Modified/Training: Julia Hulett and Ardeo Krafty Warren (27.3)
Open Training: Anthony Lambert and Killinick Lace (41.1)
Open Novice A: Kim Lyons and Remington (29.4)
Open Novice B: Sophia Miller and Big Platinum (33.3)
Open Beginner Novice A: Nancy Roche and Saphyra (24.4)
Open Beginner Novice B: Samantha Marcoux and Seeing Is Believing (34.3)
Open Beginner Novice C: Gabriella Johnson and Velvet Rose (32.4)
Open Starter: Faith Langley and Folk Lure (32.0)
Monday News & Notes from Futuretrack 28 Apr 2024, 11:12 pm
The best part of any event is always the care the horses are shown by their riders and grooms. You know we love to celebrate the efforts of the hardworking #supergrooms here at EN, and we’ll be sharing more groom content with you in the coming days, including the winners of the Achieve Equine Supergroom Superlatives contest at Kentucky this week.
Speaking of Kentucky, if you’ve been living under a rock, we’ve had a thrilling finish to the #BestWeekendAllYear and you can catch up on all of our coverage by clicking here.
U.S. Weekend Results
Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event: [Website] [Entries] [Schedule] [Tickets] [Scoring] [Live Stream] [Ultimate Guide] [EN’s Coverage]
Horse Park of New Jersey Spring H.T. (Allentown, NJ) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]
Loudoun Hunt Pony Club Spring H.T. (Leesburg, VA) [Website] [Entries][Ride Times] [Volunteer][Scoring]
The Event at Archer Spring Fling YEH and NEH (Cheyenne, WY) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer]
University of New Hampshire Spring H.T. (Durham, NH)[Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Volunteer] [Scoring]
International Events
Ballindenisk International (Ireland) [Website] [Entries] [Ride Times] [Timetable] [Eventing Ireland Facebook Page]
Monday Reading List
The Badminton course is now ready for previewing!
Preview the course in full on CrossCountryApp here, and stay tuned for Tilly’s more extensive preview on EN coming soon.
How to manage a horse with seasonal allergies
Monday Video Break:
Catch up with rising star and USEF Eventing Pathway Program athlete Cassie Sanger:
Cooley Rosalent Rises to the Top of All-British Podium with Oliver Townend for Defender Kentucky CCI5* Victory 28 Apr 2024, 8:45 pm
Waking up this morning, a few scenarios ran through my head. In one, Tom McEwen or Yasmin Ingham took home the crown, each of them having somewhat of a comeback storyline when it comes to competing in Kentucky, having both come close to earning a victory here over the last few years. In another, top-ranked U.S. rider after cross country Mia Farley would climb to the top and achieve a feat no one would have ever predicted at the outset of the OTTB Phelps’ career. In a third, FEI World #1 Oliver Townend would somehow climb the board with the precocious 10-year-old Cooley Rosalent after starting Sunday in third place. To me, the first scenario was what I’d be writing about tonight.
Oliver Townend had other thoughts.
Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
A Win for the Superstar
We in the U.S. got our first glimpse of Diana and Paul Ridgeon’s Cooley Rosalent (Valent – Bellaney Jewel, by Roselier) last year at the Maryland 5 Star. She was a 9-year-old, and Oliver was quite high on her. Born to a dam who had won the Scottish Grand National, contributing a gallop and speed, and a show jumping sire who contributed scope and movement, “Rosie” had all the makings to be a star. Oliver described her when he first laid eyes on her as a four-year-old. “Is this fool’s gold?” he thought at the time. Surely a horse that could move as correctly as she did as a gangly young horse was too good to be true. Add in the Thoroughbred blood on the dam side and Oliver knew he might have something special on his hands.
At Maryland, the mare impressed, answering all the questions on Ian Stark’s cross country course to very nearly take the win in her CCI5* debut.
Oliver made a plan to bring the mare to Kentucky this year as he makes a bid for the upcoming Paris Olympics. But after scoring a 31.4 to go into 8th place after dressage, Oliver thought he might be disappointed on the plane ride home to not have been more competitive.
“I was fairly upset with myself after the dressage and looking at the last three times up until this we’ve always gone home with a win from here, so I kind of thought to myself that it’s gonna be a bit depressing going home on that plane and having not won,” Oliver said. “And then I sort of, you know, just gave myself a kick into gear and thought she’s a very good horse and I knew she was an incredible galloper both from the feel of her and from her pedigree. I had a plan in my head after Maryland last year. Again, I mucked that one up, she should have won that one and I got in her way in the show jumping. So I just had a very clear picture in my mind of what I wanted to do and how I wanted to do it and if it was gonna be my week, what will be will be. Just do my job and try and look after her for the future but also try and be as competitive as possible.”
He entered a buzzing Rolex Stadium (thankfully free of any bird of prey hunting today) as the third last to go, delivering a clear round to put pressure on the top two, who had no rails in hand.
Yasmin Ingham and Banzai du Loir. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
It was then reigning world champion Yasmin Ingham‘s turn aboard Janette Chin and The Sue Davies Fund’s Banzai du Loir (Nouma D’Auzay – Gerboise du Cochet, by Livarot)., out for revenge after dropping out of contention in 2023 due to a penalty on cross country. She nearly did it, but lowered a rail at fence 8, which came just before the triple combination. This error might have given Tom a rail in hand had it not been for Oliver’s clear round, so as it stood the 2019 Pau winner entered on JL Dublin (Diarado – Zarinna by Canto), owned by James & Jo Lambert, and Mrs. Deirdre Johnston, without a cushion.
Tom was nearly home, but then it happened: the vertical at the penultimate fence, which had come down for four previous riders, rattled and clattered to the ground.
It had happened. The falling of two poles — one for Yasmin and one for Tom — would give Oliver Townend his fourth Kentucky victory and a win on the weekend his historic 100th CCI5* start.
“I was lucky that it didn’t go the other two guys ways,” Oliver joked in the press conference. “You know, they’re on very established and famously good jumping horses. The pressure was kind of off me in a way, which I quite enjoyed because normally it’s me going in there in Tom’s position and having a fence down sometimes. It swings in roundabouts.”
Tom McEwen and JL Dublin. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Despite this success for Oliver, it’s hard not to feel for Tom and Yasmin, who once again will board a plane back to Kentucky without a trophy in hand (though a podium finish at a 5* is hardly a failure, but it’s no doubt hard to put it into this perspective with the pressure of Olympic selection looming).
“Dubs has been amazing,” Tom noted. “I really feel like this weekend we’ve really cemented our partnership. It’s just taken a bit longer. He’s such a nice, polite, kind character and Nicola has done the most extraordinarily great job with him. It’s just taken a little bit of time for me to find the path with him. And this weekend I thought he did the most incredible dressage test and I was a bit gutted with the mark that I came out with, I thought it should have been better, personally.”
“To be honest today with the show jumping,” he continued. “He’s a great jumper and it’s just one of those things. I’m sure I’ll beat myself up about it, but I’ve only got a week to do it and then back to Badminton. But for me, Dublin is the most crazy special. I mean, the dressage test sort of showed half of what he can produce. It’s been a lot better than it has been here, so that was that was a bit of a gutting shame. But yeah, I know on his day that actually he will wipe floors clean. So it’s very good and exciting coming up into an Olympic year that he’s put himself in a great position, and sort of onwards and upwards really.”
Yasmin echoed Tom’s disappointed pragmatism. “I think overall he jumped super today. We just had a really unlucky rub on an oxer. So overall, I’m delighted with him and unfortunately it wasn’t our day and these things happen for a reason and we’ll come out stronger next time. But I’m absolutely delighted with him from the beginning of the week until today, so it’s really exciting to be on a podium at five-star, the highest level in the sport. And of course, it’s a very important year so he’s feeling amazing and obviously we ‘will go away and work even harder is the next thing on the list.”
Notes and Notables
Malin Hansen Hotopp and Carlitos Quidditch K. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Finishing fourth in Carlitos Quidditch K‘s (Quiwi Dream – Amsterdam, by San Patrignano Cassini) first CCI5* is Germany’s Malin Hansen-Hotopp, who delivered the sole other double clear round today aside from Oliver’s to finish on a score of 37.9, moving from 10th place after cross country. I unfortunately did not get to catch up with Malin after her round, but will try to add some more perspective from her as she certainly experienced the weekend of a lifetime on her first trip to Kentucky.
The newly-crowned USEF National CCI5* Champion is Lauren Nicholson, who brought the cheeky Vermiculus (Serazim ox – Wake Me Gently xx by Be My Native xx), who is owned by the wonderfully supportive Ms. Jacqueline Mars, to Kentucky to contest his ninth CCI5* at the age of 17 years young. After a minor injury prompted Lauren to keep “Bug” on the sidelines for the majority of 2023, she brought him out with a very big goal looming in the back of her mind: a spot on the Olympic team for the USA.
Coming into Kentucky, Lauren kept her expectations realistic: Vermiculus hadn’t run at the level since 2022, when he was fourth at Luhmühlen. His most recent major outing was at the FEI World Championships for Eventing, where he and Lauren assisted team USA to a silver medal.
“I mean certainly we came feeling a touch rusty because he hasn’t had a proper big outing since Pratoni and especially because in his career he hasn’t actually missed a season before,” Lauren said. “So we certainly came here wanting to be competitive and he has the experience to do so.”
Lauren did lower one rail — the first element of the triple combination at 9 — but her finishing score of 39.0 was enough to secure fourth place and the National Championship ribbon.
Lauren Nicholson and Vermiculus. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
“I would have liked to beat this lot,” Lauren said, gesturing to her left at the podium finishers. “But he certainly, not outperformed expectations, but I was just very pleased, especially for such the fan following he has — he’s such a character anyway — that I was able to deliver what he deserved to get on the day.”
This achievement is Lauren’s third time winning the USEF National CCI5* Championship, second only to Phillip Dutton. She’s won the award twice before with her 2016 Olympic partner, Veronica, in 2014 and 2016. Vermiculus is another horse sailing toward the tail end of a lengthy career at the top levels, a testament to the program Lauren has designed under the advice of her longtime mentors David and Karen O’Connor and the team she has surrounded herself and her horses with.
With this result, and with two potential Olympic hopefuls for the U.S. dealing with minor injuries, the race for U.S. team selection seems like it’s nearly been blown wide open with a little over a month to go before team selections begin rolling in.
Lauren Nicholson and Vermiculus. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
“It’s not a bad feeling, but you know, I think all these guys can agree you get to a point your career that you don’t want to go just to get the completion,” Lauren said when asked for her thoughts on the Olympics. “I’m eager that the U.S. has such depth too. If I get put on [the team], I want to get put on because I’m going to contribute to bringing home a medal, not just to go there for fun. I think it’s going to be a really hard choice for selectors to make because the three person team certainly is going to be a heavy factor in that decision. So we’ve done what we can this weekend and done our job and now it’s just wait and see what’s in the cards.”
Buck Davidson and Sorocaima. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Also securing a competitive finish at Kentucky are Buck Davidson with the off-track Thoroughbred Sorocaima (Rock Hard Ten xx – Sankobasi xx, by Pulpit xx), who jumped a clear round with a few seconds’ worth of time to finish sixth on a score of 41.8.
“I thought if I took the top rail off every jump, I might have a chance,” he joked after his ride. “After we jumped through the triple I thought, ‘my god, I didn’t think we had a chance at that.’ I’m just so proud of him, all three phases he just did better than he can do. Two years ago, I think I had eight [rails] down and he just keeps trying.”
Sourced originally by Jill Henneberg and sent to Buck as a training or resale horse, “Cam” has become a barn favorite amongst the Davidson clan, carving out his place as a sleeper top prospect with this result. “He’s stronger, he’s more mature, he’s been there and done that now,” Buck described. “You can’t underestimate the heart of a Thoroughbred. I mean, they just try and try and try, and he never didn’t try, he just didn’t know how to do it.”
Oliver Townend picks up his fourth Kentucky victory. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
This year’s Steve Stephens-designed show jumping track stayed fairly on par with its statistical history, yielding only six clear rounds for a 26% clear rate and just a 9% double clear rate (Kentucky has averaged a 21% clear rate on Sunday over the past few seasons, according to EquiRatings).
Problems were scattered throughout the course with no real clear bogey fence, though the penultimate vertical came down for five riders and fence 3 also causing trouble for five riders. Time was also a factor: the time allowed of 1 minute, 20 seconds was not enough for 16 pairs.
There was one withdrawal between the trot-up this morning and show jumping: Ariel Grald made the decision not to jump with Leamore Master Plan, who had been in 31st place after cross country. “Although he passed the trot up, I ultimately decided to save him for the future,” Ariel told us. “He’s a horse of a lifetime and doesn’t owe me a thing!”
Oliver Townend now stands in line to become the third rider to capture the elusive Rolex Grand Slam (Pippa Funnell was the first rider to win in 2003, followed many years later by Michael Jung in 2016) with his win at Burghley aboard Ballaghmor Class. He’s entered at Badminton in two weeks’ with Tregilder and Ballaghmor Class — arguably his top chance to win the event and the Grand Slam.
Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this report said Ballaghmor Class had been withdrawn from Badminton, but we are unsure if this is true due to how Badminton is listing their entries. I’ve taken that out while we confirm the status.
The End of Another #BestWeekendAllYear
Lauren Nicholson and Vermiculus. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
It’s been an absolute pleasure following along with Kentucky alongside you this week. I have many stories I’d love to tell yet, so please stay tuned as I catch up on some of the conversations I missed out on this weekend.
I chatted briefly with an elated Joe Meyer, who brought the Meyer family’s and Theresa Foote’s Harbin (who reminds Joe very much of his famous former partner, Snip) to the 5* level for the first time and delivered two incredible clear jumping rounds — look for more on that later. James Alliston also enjoyed a stellar weekend with the debutant Karma, owned by Alliston Equestrian and Ric Plummer, also delivering a clear cross country and show jumping.
I’ll be telling these stories and more throughout the week upcoming in between Kentucky and Badminton, plus much more, so stay tuned and as always, Go Eventing.
EN’s coverage of the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event is presented by Kentucky Performance Products, your one-stop shop for science-backed nutritional support for all types of horses. Click here to learn more about Kentucky Performance Products.
Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event [Website] [Entries] [Schedule] [Tickets] [Scoring] [Ride Times] [Live Stream] [Ultimate Guide] [EN’s Coverage]
The Diabolo is in the Details: Will Coleman Goes Clear for the Win in the Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S 28 Apr 2024, 3:37 pm
Will Coleman and Diabolo win the Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Since the inception of the Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S, last year’s champions Karl Slezak and Hot Bobo have been the only pair who managed to finish on their dressage score — but now Will Coleman and Diabolo have added their names to that record. They will also boast the second-lowest finishing score in history, just 0.6 behind Karl’s score to end on a 29.9.
Only 40 horses entered the stadium this morning after a few leaderboard changes overnight — Lyndsay Traisnel withdrew her mount Bacyrouge soon after cross country, and previous leaders Lucienne Bellissimo and Dyri also bowed out before the start of the day’s events this morning.
Show Jumping Hall of Fame member and USHJA Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Steve Stephens presented a lovely, balanced course to the Kentucky entrants today, which saw scattered faults across the 15 total jumping efforts without too much focus on any one specific question. Stephens has designed for three Olympic Games in 1984, 2000, and 2008, as well as for hugely influential competitions, including the Washington International, National Horse Show, Royal Winter Fair, Winter Equestrian Festival, and the American Invitational.
Show jumping in this division has always been highly influential, Karl Slezak’s 2023 victory being the only time a cross country leader has gone on to win. With an optimum time of 77 seconds and a historic average clear rate of 26%, today’s course saw just one in three of our competitors without jump faults and within the time.
Safety has always been at the forefront of Stephens’ designs; the five-time Team USA Chef d’Equipe’s course today being described as very attractive while still maintaining a difficulty level worthy of Kentucky’s 4* field. “He’s a legend in course design, and the way he uses the stadium is just really unique I think from all the people that have designed here,” said Will Coleman of Stephens’ process. “I think he builds some of the best tracks that we do, and the stadium is always electric.”
(@equiratings)
As one of the top ten horses in the field, despite his and Will Coleman’s fresh partnership, Diabolo (Diarado – Roulett M, by Aljano 2) was the only horse clear within the time on Derek di Grazia’s “four-and-a-half-star” course yesterday. Another record can be added to their growing repertoire as this also made them one of only five pairs ever to finish double-clear in the CCI4*-S cross country.
The leaderboard after cross country showed incredibly tight margins, with less than a point between the top three, and only 3.6 faults separated Liz Halliday and Miks Master C from her overnight seventh-place mount, Cooley Quicksilver. In a shocking twist, a single dropped pole at the penultimate fence from post-cross-country leaders Liz and Mikki opened the door to Will and Diabolo’s first win together. Will and Liz are known to be incredibly supportive of each other, often referring to the other as most deserving of a win at any given competition, and both riders left the 2023 USEA American Eventing Championships with first place victories — Liz and Mikki in the $60,000 Adequan Advanced Final and Will with Chin Tonic HS in the Intermediate Finals, where Diabolo took second place as well.
Will was originally predicted to win the Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S with a 24% win chance on Chin Tonic, but despite having made the difficult decision to withdraw the field favorite to win before the start of the competition, he is certainly leaving Kentucky having had an excellent few days at the office.
This is the first faultless finish the 12-year-old Holsteiner has seen with Will — his only other dressage-score finish attained with previous rider Gemma Tinney at the 2019 Adelaide CCI3*-L, which was coincidentally also his most recent first-place victory. “This horse came from Australia and his transition to the northern hemisphere was actually really difficult for him,” Will explained. “For most of last year to be honest, he just struggled to feel like he was his normal self. He had various issues adjusting to life in a different hemisphere — I think the season change and all that kind of stuff definitely took a toll on him — so we were just really patient.”
Will explained that he and Diabolo “laid low” for most of the 2023 season, thus explaining their multiple withdrawals from competitions, in order to focus mainly on getting to know each other and learning how to navigate their new partnership. “We bought the horse last year and I can’t thank the people enough who came together to acquire him for me,” he said of the Diabolo Group LLC. “I think we’re only just getting started and I really hope that we can just continue to bring him to his full potential.”
Will has plans for Diabolo to make his 5* debut at Luhmühlen this summer, which will also be their first competition outside the US. “Even at home, [Diabolo] was starting to give me the feeling that he was on the verge of doing something competitive at a big event, and we obviously have a lot of belief in the horse’s talent,” Will said of the horse’s potential. “We kind of have just been patiently biding our time until he was ready to sort of show it to the rest of the world. I think he still has a long way to go, but I’m really keen on him and I’m excited about his future.”
When asked about how this placement may affect his plans for his potential Olympic qualification, Will replied with a laugh, “I wouldn’t even try to answer that.” Off The Record and Chin Tonic have both been considered as highly likely candidates for Will, and likely for the selectors as well, but this win — as well as Off The Record’s third-place finish — has definitely brought another contender to light.
“I think highly of both horses, and as you know, it’s still many months away and there’s a really competitive group of horses and riders here in America competing for just three spots,” Will explained with his trademark humility. “I don’t count myself in by any stretch of the imagination, and we’re just going to keep trying to get a little better each day. If we end up at that horse show at the end of July in France, that’s one thing and we’ll be very happy, and if we don’t, there’s other things we can go and do.”
Boyd Martin and Commando 3. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Boyd Martin was all smiles and big pats for his newest Olympic hopeful Commando 3 (Connor 48 – R-Adelgunde, by Amigo xx) after their second-place finish in Rolex Stadium this morning. The Yankee Creek Ranch LLC’s gelding was a pleasure to watch, achieving a clear round under optimum time in lovely, near-slow-motion form.
“I think it was a great course — the top jumpers all jumped well,” said Boyd of taking to Steve Stephen’s track with his two horses. “The time was a little bit tight; you had to sort of scoot around the corners.” Nothing, he said, quite beats the feeling of the atmosphere present at this competition. “There’s no question that American crowds are the best anywhere in the world,” he noted. “They love the sport, they cheer when things go well, and they even cheer when things go bad. It’s a wonderful atmosphere here at Kentucky — it’s almost a bit of a let down when you go to the other five-stars in Europe.”
A newcomer to the US circuit, “Connor” was previously campaigned by Louise Romieke of Sweden to much success, from taking fifth place in his first international competition at the 2019 Haras de Jardy Young Horse 2*-S — his only finish to date with double-clear rounds in both cross country and show jumping — to multiple podium finishes at the 3* level.
Since acquiring the ride at the start of last year, Boyd has piloted Connor to maintain a flawless cross-country jump record. Fast and clear in the stadium is also a usual for them, with less than a handful of scattered poles on their books. The pair added only three seconds of time to their dressage score yesterday, with their foot-perfect ride this morning putting them on the podium at a 30.1.
“I’m very blessed with the two horses that finished in the top group here, and they’re pretty hard to split actually,” Boyd mentioned of Connor and fourth-place finisher Fedarman B. “They’re about as good as each other, they’re very strong in all their phases. It’s a wonderful position to be in to have a couple of [Olympic] hopefuls. Like your children — you should never favor one more than the other,” he said jokingly.
Will Coleman and Off The Record. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
Will Coleman is just as thrilled about his overall victory with Diabolo as he is of his podium finish on long-time partner Off The Record (Arkansas VDL – Drumagoland Bay by Ard Ohio). He and “Timmy” have been around the world and back together, with a myriad of successes lining their excellent record together — with this achievement marking their 21st time on the podium.
“Off The Record is a proven champion and has been one of the greatest horses I’ve ever ridden in my career,” Will said of the 15-year-old gelding. The only US Aachen winner in history was tied with Boyd Martin’s Fedarman B for the second-fastest run across the country yesterday, and finishes on a 30.9 with just 2 seconds during cross country added to his dressage score.
“We haven’t had that many great Sundays here,” Will admitted after learning of both his final placings. “I’m just so proud of both my boys, they were awesome.”
Of Chin Tonic HS, Will’s original hopeful to win the 4*, he explained that their season may look a bit different after this weekend’s events. “I couldn’t really say whether [Chin] is definitely out for Paris,” he admitted. “We’re going to need to explore the issue with this carpal sheath a little bit more, but I would think having missed this event that this was sort of the key event for him to do in terms of selection. I would say it’s low odds that he’d be available for that, but I still don’t really have the full picture on what we’re going to have to do regarding this carpal sheath issue. The horse is 100% sound and he’s really well, but we don’t want to put him at any sort of risk and do anything that could threaten the rest of his career.”
Rated as one the best show jumping pairs in the field, it was no surprise that Boyd Martin and Fedarman B (Eurocommerce Washington – Paulien B, by Fedor) managed a double-clear round today, finishing in fourth place on a 32.5.
“I think I’m in a wonderful position with both Commando 3 and Fedarman B,” Boyd said of his plans for the season — and that one season highlight everyone has on their minds. “Obviously the Olympic Games now looks like it could be real. There’s the Luhmühlen five-star — which, geez, I’d love to win that — and then there’s Aachen four-star short. I don’t think this run took much out of them, so I think those are the three events coming up in the next couple months that I’d hopefully see them at.”
The pair’s score still tied with Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake (Tolan R – Doughiska Lass, by Kannan) since yesterday’s cross country conclusion, but “Bruno” was ultimately closest to optimum time yesterday after running the second-fastest in the field, leaving 2023 Pan American Games Gold Medalists Caroline and Blake to end the day in fifth position.
“Honestly, Blake would be the top one in my string at the moment,” Caroline said enthusiastically of the young gelding’s future. “I’m kind of in a different position than these guys — the oldest horse that I have at the moment is nine years old. My other two big time four-star long horses are actually going to head over to Europe about May, because I got selected to do the European tour.” Chatsworth, Millstreet, and Aachen are all in sights for the up-and-coming US Team Member, and she certainly has enough quality horses to see some great results. “Blake is supposed to run in about fifteen days time to do Tryon’s four-long — and if that goes well, then hopefully we’ll be looking on towards the Olympics.”
All three of Liz Halliday’s mounts make up the rest of the top 10 — Cooley Quicksilver, Miks Master C, and Shanroe Cooley — along with her fellow Pan American Games team member Sydney Elliott and Carol Stephens’ QC Diamantaire in eighth position. Dani Sussman from Colorado aboard her and Carol Mavrakis’ Jos Bravio round out the leaderboard in tenth place. Click here to see the final scores for all contenders in the Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S.
It’s been yet another whirlwind week here at Kentucky, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. Congratulations to all on an excellent weekend, and continue to watch this space for our report on the finale to this year’s Defender Kentucky CCI5*. Head over to our Instagram @goeventing for what are sure to be some beautiful moments captured by our EN team on the ground. Only 364 days until next Kentucky – but we’ll hopefully see some of these friends again soon at “that horse show at the end of July in France.”
Go Kentucky, and Go Eventing!
EN’s coverage of the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event is presented by Kentucky Performance Products, your one-stop shop for science-backed nutritional support for all types of horses. Click here to learn more about Kentucky Performance Products.
Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event [Website] [Entries] [Schedule] [Tickets] [Scoring] [Ride Times] [Live Stream] [Ultimate Guide] [EN’s Coverage]
The Kentucky Crown Awaits – Live Blog from the Conclusion of CCI5* Competition at Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event 28 Apr 2024, 1:12 pm
Game face on and going for the win – Tom McEwen’s on track for the top spot with JL Dublin. Photo by Tilly Berendt.
And so we find ourselves at the finale of the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, which feels like it’s been going on for months and seconds all at once. We’ve seen some very smart dressage, masses of cross country excitement, and talent, tears, bravery, love, passion and horsemanship to spare in what’s truly shaping up to be The Best Weekend All Year.
Team EN’s been here for it all – in the Horse Park and glued to live streams at home – bringing every second to you, fellow eventing nerds. Here’s everything you need to catch up on the story so far:
Dressage Day One – [Round-up Report] [Test-by-test Live Report]
Dressage Day Two – [Round-up Report] [Test-by-test Live Report]
Cross Country – [Round-up Report] [Ride-by-ride Live Report]
In true cross country fashion, yesterday’s competition saw a real game of shoots and ladders happening on the leaderboard – with valiant climbs toward the top and unfortunate tumbles downwards – as the horses and riders took to Derek di Grazia’s course and evented the heck out of it. It’s a British 1 – 2 – 3 at this point in the competition, but the scores are tight all the way through the field and we all know just how easily those poles can roll when the pressure’s on. Here’s how things look at the top as we head into the final phase:
1️⃣ 
Holding onto his spot as leader of the pack – Olympic team gold and individual silver medalist – Tom McEwen and last year’s runner-up JL Dublin are looking to level up this time around. They delivered the goods for a 24.6 in the dressage, then swooped ‘round the track yesterday with just four time penalties to add, and are now sitting pretty on a score of 28.6. There’s not a single pole between him and the next two places.
2️⃣ Just 3 points behind are 2022 runners-up and reigning World Champions Yasmin Ingham and Banzai du Loir, who also held their position after yesterday’s cross country. They put their marker down on day one with a 26 in the dressage, then showed just how world class they are out on cross country yesterday, adding just 5.6 time penalties to sit less than a pole behind the lead on a score of 31.6. They have nothing in hand as just 0.2 penalties separate them from the next spot on the board.
3️⃣ Galloping his way from 8th after dressage into the top 3 is Tom’s Olympic gold teammate and multiple 5* winner – including three-time Kentucky champ – Oliver Townend – who’s made his 100th top-level start here this week – and the 10-year-old Maryland third place finisher Cooley Rosalent. Their 31.4 in the dressage was a tad disappointing as we’ve seen much lower scores from this lovely mare, but boy did she take to the track like a total pro yesterday, crossing the flags just one second over the time for 0.4 of a penalty. That sees them less than a pole from the top of the podium, with nothing between them and second place, on a score of 31.8. It’s tight the other way too – there’s not a pole between them and 7th on the leaderboard.
4️⃣ 
Another pairing making strides up the scoreboard are Kiwi combination and World Championship team bronze medalists Monica Spencer and Artist. They too scored higher than their form suggested in the first phase, landing them in 10th after the dressage on 31.9, but the Thoroughbred proved his mettle on the galloping track, adding just 0.8 of a time penalty and propelling them to within touching distance of the podium coming into today’s finale.
5️⃣ 
They were 5th at Maryland 5* in the spring on their debut at the level and delivered our first clear inside the time yesterday (one of only two to manage that feat), exciting young US talent Mia Farley and $1 (yes, he cost a single dollar) racing-trained Thoroughbred Phelps stormed eight places up the leaderboard from 13th after their flawless performance across the country yesterday. They remain on their 33.8 dressage score, just one pole off the lead with just a few seconds separating them from second place.
With scores this tight, and after two poles dropped them from the top spot at Maryland, Oliver and Rosie have some work to do if they want to hang onto third place, but Yas and Banzai’s Kentucky form suggest they’re on track to pull out the clear they need to secure their spot on the podium. Dubs is the highest-rated show jumper in the field according to the EquiRatings stats; he jumped clear here last year, but rolled a pole at Pau – he needs to keep them in the cups to secure the win today. History is on his side: eleven of the last thirteen cross country leaders have gone on to claim the title.
Meanwhile, the Defender/USEF CCI5*-L Eventing National Championship presented by MARS Equestrian is running alongside the 5* competition. Here’s how things are looking for the US riders:
1️⃣ Leading the charge and best of the US at this point are Mia Farley and Phelps on 33.8.
2️⃣ Sitting in second are Lauren Nicholson and everyone’s favorite Love Bug, seventeen-year-old Vermiculus on 35. Bug sure looked ready for it at the Horse Inspection this morning!
3️⃣ Liz Halliday and 5* debutant, USEF CCI4*-L National Champion 2023 Cooley Nutcracker are in third as things stand on 37.
I’ll be bringing you round-by-round updates, right down to the final fence of the competition, so keep this page refreshed as we find out who’ll be crowed Kentucky champions 2024. If you’re catching up on this later, scroll ⬇️ and read ⬆️.
If you’re craving more Kentucky, EN’s got your back – and if you want to follow the form as we wrap up The Best Weekend All Year, you’ll find EN’s epic Form Guide right here. As if that isn’t enough, we’ve got loads of great IG content happening courtesy of our team on the ground too @goeventing.
With less than a pole between the podium places, this is sure to be edge-of-your-seat, butt squeezing stuff.
Let the clenching begin, and go eventing!
EN’s coverage of the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event is presented by Kentucky Performance Products, your one-stop shop for science-backed nutritional support for all types of horses. Click here to learn more about Kentucky Performance Products.
Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event [Website] [Entries] [Schedule] [Tickets] [Scoring] [Live Stream] [EN’s Coverage]
2:23pm ET
What. A. Weekend. What. A. Competition. What. A. Kentucky.
After all’s said and done, we have new Kentucky champions:
1️⃣ All hail Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent who’ve delivered the goods and taken the top spot with a score of 31.8.
2️⃣ 2 points behind – taking the runners-up spot for the second year in a row – are Tom McEwen and JL Dublin on 33.8.
3️⃣ And rounding out the top three we have Yasmin Ingham and Banzai du Loir with on 35.6.
It’s a British 1 – 2 – 3 at Kentucky.
Winners of the Defender/USEF National Eventing 5*-L Championship are Lauren Nicholson and Vermiculus – a well deserved victory for this special little horse.
Click here to see all the 5* results.
And there you have it. Kentucky is over, eventing hangovers beckon, and I’m off to rest my digits before we start all these shenanigans back up again for Badminton.
Keep an eye or two out for our full round-up of what’s been a truly excellent competition and for sure The Best Weekend All Year – coming soon. In the meantime, click here for all the Kentucky content you can handle.
I officially have eventing jet-lag, have eaten nothing but pizza since last Tuesday and am running on single digit hours of sleep. But I’ll do it all over again in a heartbeat. Until next time…
Over and out and go eventing!
2:20pm ET
OLIVER TOWNEND AND COOLEY ROSALENT HAVE WON KENTUCKY 5*!
He came into Kentucky as the live contender for the Rolex Grand Slam after winning Burghley last season. He’s still on track with the win here today – two legs under his belt, one to go – Badminton, and that’s in just over a week’s time!
2:18pm ET
This is it! The final horse and rider of the 5* competition take to the ring!
Team GB gold and individual silver Olympic medalist Tom McEwen and last year’s runner up JL Dublin are jumping for the win. They’ve already got a second and third place at 5* under their cinch, will they add a win here today? Let the clenching commence!
5⭐ form – 3rd Pau 2023; 2nd Kentucky 2023.
They rolled a pole at Pau, but that was an unlucky blip in this horse’s otherwise incredibly clean record.
Score after dressage and XC: 28.6
Place: 1st
Phew, it’s tense to the end in Kentucky! Hold your breath. They set out and Dubs is a total star over the first fences. They have a beautiful shot over number 3 and get the distance to the double at 5 spot on. Everything’s so smooth and efficient, this is a brilliant round. They’re clear through the treble at 9 and roll back to the final line. They clear 10 and 11 but 12 goes. They clear the last but that’s 4 penalties for them and 1.2 time. Such a shame for them, and they drop into 2nd place.
Tom McEwen and JL Dublin round off their trip to the States on a score of 33.8.
2:13pm ET
Two to go!
Reigning World Champions Yasmin Ingham and Banzai du Loir get their chance now. They’ve been runners-up here before and are sitting in second as they head into the ring.
5⭐ form – 2nd Kentucky 2022; 18th Kentucky 2023.
They jumped clear on the final day at each of their two previous outings at the Horse Park.
Score after dressage and XC: 31.6
Place: 2nd
Yas and Banzai set off looking like the World Champions they are and are easily clear over the first few fences. Yas really is a classy rider. They wrap round to the oxer at 4 and make nothing of the double at 5. 6 and 7 are no trouble at all, but oh my! The Liverpool at 8 goes. They’re beautiful through the treble at 9 and find no problems with the rest of the fences. They’re inside the time but that fence has dropped them behind Oliver.
Yasmin Ingham and Banzai du Loir finish up with a score of 35.6.
3:11pm ET
We’re down to the podium places! Three Brits incoming…
World No. 1 and three-time winner of the 5* here at Kentucky, Oliver Townend and Maryland 3rd place finisher Cooley Rosalent are currently in third. Will they hang onto their podium place? Let’s see…
5⭐ form – 3rd Maryland 2023; 27th Luhmuhlen 2023.
Two poles at Maryland dropped them from the top spot. They kept it to one at Luhmuhlen. There are plenty of clears on this mare’s record though.
Score after dressage and XC: 31.8
Place: 3rd
‘Rosie’ clear the first with room to spare, and then jumps really beautifully over the tricky fence at 3. The double at 5 is no problem at all – this round is looking very classy so far. They’re clear through the treble at 9 and then loop back round to the final line. They’re clear all the way to the last. Uh, there’s a moment for them at the final fence, but luck’s on their side. CLEAR INSIDE THE TIME and a certain podium place for them.
Oliver Townend and Cooley Rosalent bag another top level finish on a score of 31.8.
3:08pm ET
Kiwi combination Monica Spencer and Artist are heading for another 5* completion as they take to the ring.
5⭐ form – 7th Maryland 2023.
They had two poles at Maryland, and three at the World Championships at Pratoni, but there are plenty of clears on their record at 4*.
Score after dressage and XC: 32.7
Place: 4th
Monica and Artist jump really carefully over the first three fences and don’t look to be touching anything in the ring. They manage the double at 5 and then make it through the treble at 9 still clear. They come back round to the final line, but oh dear, the Liverpool at 12 goes and then the last as well. There’s a shrug from Monica, that’s horses. That’s two down for them and 1.2 time.
Monica Spencer and Artist end their Kentucky on a score of 41.9.
3:05pm ET
And we’re down to the final 5!
Mia Farley and Phelps are next up. They’re sitting atop the USEF National Championship leaderboard as things stand.
5⭐ form – 5th Maryland 2023.
They rolled two poles at Maryland.
Score after dressage and XC: 33.8
Place: 5th
Oh no! The first fence comes down. Ah, that’s such a shame for them. They fly over the second but unfortunately the third goes. Mia puts it behind her and does a lovely job through the double at 5. They clear 6 but 7 comes down and then the first part of the treble at 9 goes also. This is a shame for Mia, but they continue clear and complete at Kentucky. That’s 16 jumping and 0.8 time penalties for them. They drop out of the running for the USEF National Championship, which will go to Lauren Nicholson and Vermiculus.
Mia Farley and Phelps get another top-level completion on their card with a finishing score of 50.6.
3:02pm ET
Germany’s Christoph Wahler and D’Accord FRH join us in the ring next.
Horse’s first 5⭐
In their last five runs, there’s just one pole at the Nations Cup in Boekelo on their record.
Score after dressage and XC: 34
Place: 6th
D’Accord drifts slightly between the first two fences – he’s really big striding and Christoph has to make room for him. That has a knock on effect though and they have number 3 down. Christoph really manages all that power and scope so well through the double at 5, and then through the treble at 9. They wrap back around to the final line, still clear, and oh no! The last fence goes. That’s expensive for them. 8 jumping and 0.4 time.
Christoph Wahler and D’Accord FRH end their Kentucky campaign on a finishing score of 42.4.
pm ET
Lauren Nicholson and Vermiculus get their show jumping round underway. They’re currently second in the USEF National Championship.
5⭐ form – 4th Luhmuhlen 2022; 16th Kentucky 2021; 12th Maryland 2021; 9th Burghley and Kentucky 2019.
Their show jumping form in their last four FEI events is 4 | 8 | 12 | 0.
Score after dressage and XC: 35
Place: 7th
Bug looks to be really enjoying his time in the ring as he clears the first fences on course. They’re clear through the double at 5 and choose to take the option at 6. They’re clear through fence 8 but then the first part of the treble at 9 goes, that’s a shame as Bug’s really jumping his socks off. They clear the last few fences and just have 4 penalties to add, they’re inside the time.
Lauren Nicholson and Vermiculus add another 5* to their record, completing on a score of 39.
2:58pm ET
Number 3 on the USEA leaderboard, Elisabeth Halliday and USEF CCI4*-L National Champion 2023 Cooley Nutcracker are next to go. They’re currently sitting in third place in the Defender/USEF CCI5*-L Eventing National Championship presented by MARS Equestrian, which is running alongside the 5* competition
Horse’s first 5⭐
From eight FEI runs since the beginning of 2023, he’s been clear in all but two of them.
Score after dressage and XC: 37
Place: 8th
They easily clear the first three fences, so much scope and ability on show here. He’s clearing the jumps by miles – there’s no sign of him touching anything. The double at 5 is easy for them and they make nothing of the treble at 9. This is a beautiful round so far. They come back round to the oxer at 11 but then, such a shame, the vertical over the Liverpool goes. They’re clear over the last. Just the one pole and 1.2 time for them.
Elisabeth Halliday and Cooley Nutcracker complete Kentucky on a score of 42.2.
2:55pm ET
Winners of the Best First-Timer award at Burghley last season where they finished 12th, next up is Jennie Brannigan with FE Lifestyle.
5⭐ form – 24th Kentucky 2021; 16th Kentucky 2022; 5th Maryland 2022; 12th Kentucky 2023; 12th Burghley 2023.
They had one pole at each of their 5* runs last season, but there are plenty of clears on their record.
Score after dressage and XC: 37.3
Place: 9th
Jennie and ‘Foxy’ are confidently clear over the first three fences and find the distance at the double at 5 no problem at all. They’re clear to the treble at 9 in the center of the ring, and unfortunately they pull the rail in the middle of that – that’s an expensive pole. They put it behind them and are clear the rest of the way. Such a shame about that 4 penalties. They add 1.2 time also.
Jennie Brannigan with FE Lifestyle finish their competition on a score of 42.5.
2:51pm ET
We’re into the top 10!
Germany’s Malin Hansen-Hotopp and Carlitos Quidditch K are next to go.
Horse’s first 5⭐
Their show jumping form in their last five FEI events is 4 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 0.
Score after dressage and XC: 37.9
Place: 10th
Quidditch sure looks beautiful in the Kentucky sunshine. They confidently clear the first three fences and make the toll back to the oxer at 4 really smoothly. They turn quickly after the double at 5 to loop round to 6, going the quicker route there. The treble at 9 is really neatly done. This horse is jumping out of his skin. He keeps it clear and they’re inside the time! Our first double clear! Super!
Malin Hansen-Hotopp and Carlitos Quidditch K end up on a score of 37.9.
2:49pm ET
Bruce Davidson Jr and OTTB Sorocaima are next into the ring.
5⭐ form – 30th Kentucky 2022; 14th Maryland 2022; 22nd Kentucky 2023; 9th Maryland 2023.
They kept it to one pole here last year, but rolled three at Maryland.
Score after dressage and XC: 39
Place: 11th
They clear the first and second then get in close to the 3rd but ‘Cam’ hops over it. The tricky line to the double at 5 is no problem for them. Cam’s looking great as he clears the fences in the stadium today. They are super neat through the treble at 9. There’s a bit of an argument coming round the corner to 11 and a tiny rub but it stays. The final two stay too. A clear jumping round for them with 2.8 time.
Bruce Davidson Jr and Sorocaima complete Kentucky on a score of 41.8.
2:46pm ET
Sharon White and Claus 63 are next to go.
Horse’s first 5⭐
They were clear last time out, but dropped four poles at the Pan-Ams in Santiago. That’s a blip on their record though, they’re generally a one or none kind of combination.
Score after dressage and XC: 42.7
Place: 13th
Sharon and Claus enter the ring to a huge cheer. They make a beautiful job of the first two fences and Sharon really makes sure that Claus gets to a good spot for 3 and they clear it easily. They’re really neat on the turns and making this course look easy up to the treble at 9 – unfortunately the final element of that goes. They put it behind them and are clear up to the last. They add a stride but it stays up. Just one fence for them and 1.2 time.
Sharon White and Claus 63 finish their competition on a score of 47.9.
2:43pm ET
No. 1 on the USEA leaderboard, Phillip Dutton brings Azure forward looking for the mare’s first 5* completion.
5⭐ form – An unlucky fall at Maryland last season means they’re looking for their first 5* completion here.
This mare’s form in this phase is generally clear with the odd pole dotted through her record.
Score after dressage and XC: 44.6
Place: 14th
Oh no! The back rail of the oxer at 1 goes for Phillip and Azure. He’s a total pro though, he won’t let that distract him for the rest of the course. They clear the tricky fence at 3 and make it clear through the double at 5. Ah, the Liverpool at 8 goes. The three parts of the treble stay up and they continue on to the finish line clear. That’s two fences for them and 0.4 time.
Phillip Dutton and Azure complete their first 5* together on a score of 53.
2:41pm ET
Andrew McConnon is back with us now, this time with Wakita 54.
Horse’s first 5⭐
Their show jumping form in their last five FEI events is 12 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 12.
Score after dressage and XC: 49.5
Place: 15th
‘Kiki’ jumps nicely over the first three fences and rolls back to the oxer at 4 really smoothly. Ah, the second part of the double at 5 goes. They put it behind them and continue on clear until the treble combination at 9 and have the first part of that down. They look to be taking things steady. They finish up clear over the final fences. That’s 8 jumping and 0.4 time penalties for them.
Andrew McConnon and Wakita 54 wrap up their Kentucky on a score of 57.9.
2:38pm ET
Kiwi combination Joe Meyer and Harbin are next to jump.
Horse’s first 5⭐
They come here off the back of three consecutive clear rounds.
Score after dressage and XC: 49.6
Place: 16th
Joe and Harbin get their round off to a great start, jumping clear over the first 5 fences. There’s an option at 6 and they take the quick route and clear it easily. Harbin looks quieter in the ring than she did in the cross country where she was very keen. They clip the pole over the Liverpool at 12 but it stays. The crowd goes crazy as they clear the last. No jumping penalties but 1.2 time for them.
Joe Meyer and Harbin end up on a score of 50.8.
2:36pm ET
James Alliston is next to go with Karma.
Horse’s first 5⭐
In 8 international runs, there’s just one single show jumping pole on this mare’s record.
Score after dressage and XC: 50.1
Place: 17th
Karma looks really shiny as she absolutely flies over the first three fences, making that tricky one at 3 look easy. This mare clearly loves to jump, she’s so careful over her fences. They continue on clear and are really accurate through the treble at 9 – really good. Karma seems to cast a shoe, but it doesn’t affect her jumping – she finishes clear over the fences. But there is 0.4 of a time penalty, perhaps because of that shoe. A great 5* completion for this mare though.
James Alliston and Karma complete Kentucky on a score of 50.5.
2:33pm ET
US-based Aussie Ema Klugman brings Bronte Beach forward next.
Horse’s first 5⭐
Their form suggests they’re likely to have at least one pole, but no more than two.
Score after dressage and XC: 55.4
Place: 18th
Ema and ‘Bronte’ look confident as they set off on their round, but unfortunately have that tricky vertical at 3 down. They put it behind them and clear the next three. Oh, the vertical at 7 has gone – the loop back to that fence isn’t easy. They continue on their way and give the Liverpool at 12 a bit of a rub – it stays though. But sadly they knock the last. Three poles and 1.2 penalties for them.
Ema Klugman and Bronte Beach complete on a score of 68.6.
2:31pm ET
Germany’s Calvin Böckmann and The Phantom of the Opera bring their Kentucky to a close next.
Horse’s first 5⭐
Their show jumping form in their last five FEI events is 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4.
Score after dressage and XC: 58.6
Place: 19th
Calvin proved he’s a brave guy out on course yesterday. Phantom’s looking very fit and keen in the ring today too. They clear the first four but have the first part of the double at 5 down. They clear the next few and manage to keep the treble at 9 in the center of the arena up. They continue on clear and keep it to just the one pole. They’re inside the time.
Calvin Böckmann and The Phantom of the Opera complete on a score of 62.6.
2:28pm ET
We have a British combination in the ring next – Kirsty Chabert and Classic VI.
5⭐ form – 24th Pau 2019; 2nd Luhmuhlen 2022; 21st Kentucky 2023; 6th Pau 2023.
They had two poles down at Pau last season, but jumped clear here in Kentucky.
Score after dressage and XC: 62.6
Place: 20th
Classic VI is racing around the first fences and that catches up with her as she comes into the double at 5 – they have the first part of that down. Kirsty collects her though and they continue on round the course clear to the last. They fly that and complete their Kentucky. That’s just one pole for them.
Kirsty Chabert and Classic VI complete their Kentucky on a score of 66.6.
2:26pm ET
Australian Rebecca Braitling brings Caravaggio II forward for his turn over the poles.
Horse’s first 5⭐
Their show jumping form in their last five FEI events is 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 4.
Score after dressage and XC: 64.5
Place: 21st
Caravaggio’s bred to show jump and really shows it as he sails over the first four fences. The distance coming into the double at 5 is very short for this big striding horse, but they make it and continue on clear. The treble at 9 is no problem for them, and the next couple, but oh, they take the pole over the Liverpool at 12 – a late penalty for them. They’re clear over the last though. That’s 4 penalties for them.
Rebecca Braitling and Caravaggio II compete Kentucky on a score of 68.5.
2:23pm ET
Hoping for the luck of the Irish, Susannah Berry and Clever Trick are next up.
Horse’s first 5⭐
They have a 50% clear rate in their last four FEI runs – and kept it to just one pole when they did incur penalties.
Score after dressage and XC: 81.6
Place: 22nd
Susie and Clever Trick start off looking really careful over the fences – they clear the third that’s been a problem for the competitors thus far. They’re really clever through the treble combination at 9. This is a really clean and accomplished round. They come up to the Liverpool at 12 still clear, just the last to go. They clear it! Ah, there’s 0.4 of a time penalty for them.
Susannah Berry and Clever Trick bring their competition to a close on a score of 82.
2:20pm ET
Another rider with two to go in the final phase Andrew McConnon brings Ferrie’s Cello forward for the gelding’s second 5* completion.
5⭐ form – 13th Maryland 2023.
They had four down at Maryland, but mostly keep it to one, sometimes two.
Score after dressage and XC: 82.9
Place: 23rd
They clear the first and second but then has the rails at three – it’s a bit of a loose stride up to that one, a real tricky question. They continue on and clear the next four fences but has the oxer at 8 down. They’re clear through the triple combination at 9 in the center of the ring and carry on clear to the last. They rub the final fence but it stays up. That’s two down and 2 time penalties.
Andrew McConnon and Ferrie’s Cello get another 5* completion under their cinch, finishing on a score of 92.9.
2:16pm ET
This is it! Getting us underway, going out of order as she has two rides, Jennie Brannigan and Thoroughbred Twilightslastgleam are our first combination into the ring.
5⭐ form – 16th Maryland 2022; 17th Kentucky 2023.
Their show jumping form in their last five FEI events is 4 | 0 | 8 | 12 | 4.
Score after dressage and XC: 39.9
Place: 12th
‘Comic’ leaps the oxer at one and clears the vertical at 2. Unfortunately they have 3 down – they’re jumping straight at the grandstand over that one. The second part of the double at 5 comes down too – there’s a really wide spread on that one. They run number 10 and then 11 the oxer at 11 goes. That’s 3 fences down for 12 penalties and 2.4 time.
Jennie Brannigan and Twilightslastgleam end on a score of 54.3.
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