Category Archives: Eventing/H.T.

Optical Illusion Makes Magic in USEA Preliminary Three-Day at the Virginia Horse Trials

Hope Nicyper-Meryman and Optical Illusion lead the victory gallop as winners of the Preliminary Three-Day. Leslie Mintz/USEA Photo

What could likely be the very last Classic Preliminary Level Event at the Virginia Horse Trials concluded today in Lexington, Virginia. Seven riders entered the SmartPak Equine/USEA Preliminary Three-Day Event, five started the competition, four completed all the phases of Endurance Day, but only one took home the blue ribbon.

Seventeen-year-old Hope Nicyper-Meryman traveled with her own ten-year-old Thoroughbred gelding, Optical Illusion, from Pine Plains, New York to tackle the Preliminary Three-Day. Despite being the youngest competitor by nearly ten years, Hope proved she had what it took to win by adding no jumping penalties to her dressage score of 39.8.

“I competed in the Training Three-Day competition at GMHA about four years ago and absolutely loved it,” said Hope. “So when I was thinking about a goal for this year I looked at the calendar and decided that the Preliminary Three-Day would work well with my school schedule. I have been preparing since January, and it was all worth it as there is nothing like the feeling of doing steeplechase on a fast Thoroughbred.”

Continue reading Optical Illusion Makes Magic in USEA Preliminary Three-Day at the Virginia Horse Trials

Tragic Fire at Boyd Martin’s Barn at True Prospect Farm

Phantom Pursuit, owned and ridden by Abbie Golden, was one of the horses who was lost in the fire last night. Phantom is pictured above competing with Boyd at Rebecca Farm. Emily Daily/USEA Photo.

At 12:30am this morning, a barn fire of unknown cause tragically destroyed Boyd Martin’s barn at True Prospect Farm.  Eleven horses were in the barn at the time.  Lillian Heard, Caitlin Silliman, and Ryan Wood were able to evacuate five horses. Four horses are currently in treatment at The University of Pennsylvania – New Bolton Center; they are: Neville Bardos, Otis Barbotiere, Catch a Star, and Ambassador’s Rose. Lillian, Caitlin, and Ryan were treated and released from Jennersville Hospital.  Tragically, six horses perished in the fire.

We all wish to extend our deepest condolences to all those connected to Call Me Ollie, Charla, Ariel, Phantom Pursuit, Cagney Herself, and Summer Breeze.  Our thoughts and prayers are with Boyd and his team at this time.  All other horses have been relocated to area barns.  Further information on how you can help Boyd will be released shortly.

Tax Deductible Relief Fund | Boyd and Silva Martin’s Blog

Purchase Denny Emerson’s Book, How Good Riders Get Good, and 50% of the royalties between now and Christmas will be donated to Boyd and Silva.

United States Eventing Association | 525 Old Waterford Rd, NW | Leesburg | VA | 20176

In Memoriam: Bill Roycroft (AUS)

Lausanne (SUI), 31 May 2011 – Australian equestrian legend James George “Bill” Roycroft OBE passed away on Sunday 29 May at the age of 96.

Bill Roycroft was one of Australia’s greatest Olympians and one of only five Australians to have competed in five consecutive Olympic Games.

His Olympic début was in Rome in 1960 where he helped secure Australia’s first-ever equestrian medal – team gold in Eventing.

He went on to compete in three Summer Olympics with his sons. In Tokyo (1964) he competed with his eldest son Barry, in Mexico City (1968) he was joined by Wayne where they won bronze together and in Munich (1972) he competed with youngest son Clarke. In Montreal (1976) he secured bronze with Barry and Wayne, becoming Australia’s oldest Olympic medallist and competitor at 61 years and 31 days.

Bill Roycroft became an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1969 for his service to sport, and was awarded an Order of Merit by the Australian Olympic Committee in 1978 for his outstanding achievement in sport.

Continue reading In Memoriam: Bill Roycroft (AUS)

Colorado Horse Park Three Day Event and June High Prairie Dressage Canceled

Parker, CO — In order to add one more buffer week to ensure that there is no possibility of EHV-1 infection at The Colorado Horse Park (CHP), the organization has canceled the following events scheduled for June 2-5, 2011: Colorado Horse Park Three Day Event and June High Prairie Dressage. This is merely a precautionary measure; no horse exposed to the virus has been on the property. In fact, no horses with EHV-1 symptoms have been identified in Douglas County. FEI veterinarian and CHP consultant, Terry Swanson D.V.M., stated that he believes there is very little likelihood of EHV-1 being discovered at the Park and he felt that the extra buffer week would lay the issue to rest.

“We wanted riders and owners to be absolutely confident that their horses were safe at The Colorado Horse Park,” explained Helen Krieble, founder and president of The Colorado Horse Park. “Our hearts truly go out to the competitors who were planning on showing next week. We are truly sorry for them. However, we want everyone to feel extremely certain about the remainder of the season.” Of course, riders who have already entered the CHP Three Day Event and June High Prairie Dressage Show will receive full refunds.

The remainder of CHP’s show season will run as scheduled, beginning with the first week of the expanded Colorado Summer Circuit on June 8, 2011. “I am confident that with the additional buffer week, the 2011 horse show season will not only be able to continue, but will be extremely successful,” Krieble stated.

Continue reading Colorado Horse Park Three Day Event and June High Prairie Dressage Canceled

Eventing Radio Episode 143 by Bit of Britain – British Week

It’s British Invasion Week on the show as we welcome Horse & Hound and also hear from Chatsworth World Cup winner Emily Baldwin. Plus Kit Houghton tells us what’s behind the new multi-media website, Visions of the Horse. Tune in to hear the all-British episode…

Eventing Radio Episode 143 by Bit of Britain – Show Notes and Links:

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Eventing Radio Episode 138 by Bit of Britain – Rolex Day 3 XC

Cross Country day wrap up show done live from the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event. Listen as Chris reviews the day with Mary King, Clayton Fredericks, Boyd Martin, Sinead Halpin and many more. Tune in right here…

Eventing Radio Episode 138 by Bit of Britain – Show Notes and Links:

  • Show Host: Chris Stafford
  • Photo Credit: Chronicle of the Horse
  • Guest: Boyd Martin
  • Guest: Clayton Fredericks
  • Guest: Mary King
  • Guest: Bobby Costello
  • Guest: Michael Pollard
  • Guest: Sinead Halpin
  • Guest: Natalie Pollard
  • Guest: Hugh Lochore
  • News: The Eventing Radio Show and HORSES IN THE MORNING show will be live from Rolex Kentucky 3DE: April 27 – May 1, 2011 from 4-5:30pm Eastern.

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Win a Chance to Ride at the O’Connor Equestrian Camp

Want to ride with Olympic three-day eventers David and Karen O’Connor? Kentucky Equine Research (KER) is proud to offer one grand prize winner a rider’s slot at the 2011 O’Connor Equestrian Camp, to be held at the Virginia Horse Center June 26 – July 1. Enter the contest.

The grand prize winner will take his or her own horse to camp to learn:

• O’Connor safety system for cross-country
• Horsemanship and stable management skills
• Professional show-grooming techniques
• O’Connor “horses-first” training methods
• Secrets of dressage
• Fundamentals of show jumping
• Keys to success in cross-country

In addition to the grand prize winner, second- and third-place winners will be drawn. The second-place winner will receive $250 in KER nutritional supplements, and the third-place winner will receive $150 in products. All winners will get an additional prize package that includes a nutrition consultation for one horse, an embroidered saddle pad, and a hat.

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America’s Favorite Equestrian Round 2 Closing on May 31!

WESTPORT, CT – May 23, 2011 – One more equestrian with the lowest number of votes in each discipline will drop off the list at the end of Round 2 on May 31, 2011. Don’t let it be your favorite! All it takes is a $5 gift to The EQUUS Foundation to keep your favorite in the competition.

America’s Favorite Equestrians Round 2:

Dressage: Todd Flettrich, Courtney King-Dye, Debbie McDonald, Leslie Morse, Steffen Peters, Guenter Seidel
Driving: Tucker Johnson, Fred Merriam, Lisa Singer, Suzy Stafford, Rochelle Temple, Chester Weber
Endurance: Garrett Ford, Becky Hart, Dave Rabe, Robert Ribley, Julie Suhr, Bill Wilson
Eventing: Tiana Coudray, Phillip Dutton, Boyd Martin, Karen O’Connor, Kimberly Severson, James C. Wofford
Jumping: Margie Engle, Joe Fargis, Laura Kraut, Anne Kursinski, Beezie Madden, McLain Ward
Para-Dressage: Jennifer Baker, Robin Brueckmann, Laura Goldman, Mary Jordan, Susan Treabess, Jonathan Wentz
Reining: Casey Deary, Andrea Fappani, Shawn Flarida, Tom McCutcheon, Tim McQuay, Randy Paul
Vaulting: Megan Benjamin, Ali Divita, Kenny Geisler, Devon Maitozo, Mary McCormick, Katherine Wick

How to Vote:
Visit the link at http://www.equusfoundation.org/vote.

Continue reading America’s Favorite Equestrian Round 2 Closing on May 31!

Eventing Mandatory Outing Information for 2011 Pan American Games

Lexington, KY – The USEF has announced that the Mandatory Outing for Eventing for the 2011 Pan American Games will be held at the Richland Park Horse Trials in Richland, Michigan, August 25-28, 2011.

The event will run a separate division for the USEF Short Listed riders.  Their division will include the FEI CCI2* dressage test and the Advanced Cross Country and Jumping tracks. The USEF will name a partial Short List for the Games after the Bromont CCI, which will be held June 9-12, 2011. The Event at Rebecca Farm (July 21-24) is the last selection trial designated in the Selection Procedures, after which the final and complete Short List will be named.

Short Listed horse/rider combinations must compete in the Mandatory Outing, unless excused for veterinary, medical or exceptional circumstances.

The Pan American Games will be held in Guadalajara, Mexico this fall and eventing will be run at the CCI2* level. The eventing competition will take place from October 20-23, 2011.

Richland Park features Horse Trials from Novice to Advanced, a CIC3* and a CIC2* as well Young Horse Divisions.

More information about Richland Park is available here: http://www.richlandpark.com/index.html.

More information about the 2011 Pan American Games is available here: http://www.guadalajara2011.org.mx/eng/01_inicio/index.asp.

USEF High Performance Eventing Information is available here: http://www.usef.org/_IFrames/breedsdisciplines/discipline/alleventing/hpeventing.aspx, which includes a list of applicants for the Games.

All the Lights in Sinead Halpin’s Chandelier Shown Brightly at the Rolex Kentucky 3-Day Event

Photos by Mary Quarles

Having known Sinead Halpin since she was a preteen, riding and training here in South Carolina, I can object to a few of the comments made by Jimmy Wofford in his pre Rolex commentary, in reference to Sinead’s chances of placing in the top ten (which he felt she would accomplish).

I remember her first “Event Horse” quite well. He was a flea bitten gray Arabian named “Jazz”, better known as the “Energizer Bunny” for his unique jumping style. Sinead and about a half dozen young riders, such as Michael Pollard for one and my own daughter, were very determined to become Olympic 3-Day Eventers.

As young riders, they were extremely focused on gaining the skills necessary to ride and compete at the top levels of competition. They all have been successful, both in competition as well as in their personal lives as maturing young adults.

Parents of young riders who have the interest and determination to become successful equestrians should understand that beyond the apparent costs of participating in equestrian sports, the return on their monetary investment, is that these young people’s determination and drive for the sport gives them the tools to become successful adults in their future careers, if not as Olympic level equestrians, then in the business world, no matter what career path, they eventually choose.

Continue reading All the Lights in Sinead Halpin’s Chandelier Shown Brightly at the Rolex Kentucky 3-Day Event