Pau, 5 November – Two of the world’s best exponents of the Dressage phase are sharing the lead at Les Etoiles de Pau (FRA), the eagerly awaited finale to the 2010 HSBC FEI Classics.
Karin Donckers (BEL), who only just missed an individual medal at the recent Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, was the first of the field of 38 to score below 50, and about an hour later there were no surprises when Britain’s Ruth Edge equalled her score of 41.8 penalties.
Their two horses have contrasting experience: Donckers’s Lamicell Charizard, who she bought as a two-year-old from racing sales in Germany, is now 10 and contesting his first CCI4; Edge’s 17-year-old Two Thyme won Luhmühlen in 2007 and led the Dressage at Burghley this year before a Cross-Country refusal put paid to their chances.
Washington, D.C. (November 4, 2010) – Combined Driver Chester Weber, the eight-time USEF National Four-In-Hand Champion, recently shared his passion for driving with thousands of enthusiastic spectators at the Washington International Horse Show. In addition to the driving demonstrations, Weber also autographed posters and signed copies of the book, For the Love of the Horse, Volume III, which features a story about his highly decorated equine teammate Jamaica.
Weber, who helped the U.S. Combined Driving team clinch the Silver Medal at the 2010 World Equestrian Games, said the driving demonstrations at the Washington International Horse Show went extremely well. “The show always draws large crowds and it’s always a great experience for me when I get to introduce new people to the sport of combined driving,” Weber said.
Fairhill winner Clark Montgomery joins Max and me on this week’s show and Jo Whitehouse tells us what to expect at this year’s U.S. Eventing Association Annual Meeting. Take a listen right here.
Eventing Radio Episode 104 – Show Notes and Links:
Guenter Seidel brings us up-to-date on his road to recovery, we welcome Mary Phelps as an HRN Affiliate, and Heather Blitz reviews iPhone Apps. All here on this week’s show.
Lisa Williams and Sanmorino Named National Horse Show Grand Hunter Champions
Cazenovia, NY – November 4, 2010 – Hunter divisions at the 127th National Horse Show concluded on Thursday afternoon with the presentation of championship awards followed by a special $50,000 National Horse Show Hunter Classic, held to honor Charlie Weaver. Hannah Goodson-Cutt rode Caretano to victory in the $50,000 Hunter Classic and was also named Best Child Rider on a Horse for her excellent success over the two days of hunter competition. Lisa Williams rode Sanmorino to the prestigious National Horse Show Grand Hunter Championship and Jennifer Alfano received the Leading Hunter Rider prize.
The $50,000 NHS Hunter Classic was held in a two round format with the top twelve horses and riders competing over a second round handy course to determine top standings. With a two round total of 177 points, junior rider Hannah Goodson-Cutt and Caretano came out in first place, just half a point ahead of second place finishers Molly Ashe-Cawley and Back in the Game with a score of 176.5. Maggie Boylan and Poetic finished in third place, Hasbrouck Donovan and Quality Time earned the fourth place prize, and Jennifer Alfano rode Jersey Boy to fifth place.
The 8th annual Arabian Horse Association Sport Horse National Show was held September 22-25th in Nampa, Idaho. KB Omega Fahim+++// and daughter KB Jull Fahim+//, swept the open FEI dressage division. This is the first time a father and daughter have dominated the entire open FEI dressage competition of this national championship show. Fourteen year old KB Omega Fahim+++// won Grand Prix and Intermediate 11, while eleven year old KB Jull Fahim+// captured Intermediate 1 and Prix St. Georges. People were on the edge of their seats for the final Grand Prix test to be performed on the last day of the championships. Omega, under his exceptional trainer and rider, Chelsey Sibley, completed this monumental task with grace and ease. During the evening’s special ceremony, both horses were presented and awarded as champions of each test. Jull also achieved the open FEI high point of the show.
Approximately 400 horses displayed their athletic abilities at the Idaho Horse Park. The Sport Horse National Championship Show featured 90 classes in several divisions that included in hand, hunter, jumper, dressage and driving, to name a few. Horses from forty-one states and two Canadian provinces came to compete in this national event. The prominent dressage judges were Marlene Schneider, Brian Ross, Jacqueline Lindberg and Sandra Chohany. Sport Horse Nationals is the only single-breed sport horse event in the nation offered just for Arabian, Half-Arabian and Anglo-Arabian horses registered with the Arabian Horse Association or the Canadian Arabian Horse Registry.
The breeder of Omega and Jull, Elaine Kerrigan, has devoted the past 35+ years creating these amazing Arabian sport horse athletes. According to Chris Bailey, “Not only is Omega amazing but he also produces the perfect get; kind, smart and athletic. I have not seen one Omega offspring that I would not want.”
Arabian stallion KB Omega Fahim+++// is owned by breeder Elaine Kerrigan of Kerrigan Bloodstock in Eureka, CA and Half-Arabian KB Jull Fahim+// is owned by Chris Bailey, also of Eureka. Both horses are trained and shown by Chelsey Sibley of Sky Ranch, in Sonora, CA.
Cazenovia, NY – November 3, 2010 – The 2010 Syracuse Invitational Sporthorse Tournament featuring the 127th National Horse Show continued with its second day of competition on Wednesday with the start of the professional, amateur-owner, and junior hunter divisions. Horses and riders showed two rounds over fences and went under saddle in the day’s competition. Horses with multiple top ribbons included Red Panda, Superman, Goosebumps, Last Call, Fabricio, and Back in the Game.
The Green Working Hunter division began the day with a win over fences for Amanda Steege and Majestic, owned by Lisa Arena. Cookie Beck rode Last Call, owned by Lisa Cudahy, to the blue ribbon in the flat class and the win in the handy hunter class.
Steege was thrilled with her excellent first round this morning and praised Majestic. “I’ve never won here before and his owners are from Fairport, NY, which is very close. They were excited just to get to show here, and for their horse to win a class, I’m sure they are over the moon,” she smiled.
Washington, D.C. – November 3, 2010 – The 52nd Washington International Horse Show (WIHS) hosted the best hunter, jumper, and equitation riders in the nation competing for top prizes at Verizon Center in downtown Washington, D.C. over six days of competition, and the WIHS thanks all of the sponsors, employees, exhibitors, volunteers, and spectators for making this year’s show an incredible success.
“The WIHS was a success,” said horse show manager Robert Ridland. “We felt, and it seems to backed up by input from riders, that it was run very smoothly in terms of the unusual logistical problems it has inherently. It’s a unique challenge, and we don’t want it to disappear. We are happy to go through what it takes to keep this show going. We have the support of many riders who come to this show because they feel the same way.”
Show manager David Distler agreed, “I was happy with the way everything went. There was a lot going on at the same time in the city, with the The Daily Show and President Obama next door, to the rally, and the marathon all in the same week. A lot of issues could have been very difficult, but we overcame them in large part because we have a great staff.”
Dennis Moreland shows the one-buckle leather curb strap commonly used on snaffle bits.
Curb straps and chains are an integral part of the bridle.
Curb straps or chains send very important signals to the horse. When a rider picks up on the reins, a shank bit will begin to rotate in the horse’s mouth. Then the curb will come up against the horse’s chin and stop the bit action. It says “Whoa.”
Whatever kind of curb you use, it’s important to have it adjusted correctly. If you’re using a curb chain, make sure the links are laying flat. And you’ll want to adjust it so you can get a couple of fingers underneath it. If it’s too loose, the bit shanks will be able to come all the way back before the curb ever touches the horse. And if it’s too tight, it can pull the bit shanks forward.
There are a variety of curbs on the market. The most popular is a two-buckle curb chain with leather on each side. A basic curb chain has stainless-steel buckles and a stainless-steel chain. It’s a good all-around piece of tack and is very easy on the horse.
The “dog chain curb” is also very popular. It’s a small chain with nylon tie strings. It is more severe than the flat curb chain. You’ll fasten these onto the bit with bowline knots, just like you use to tie a rope halter. There is a safety issue with these curb chains; when you put one on your bridle, be sure to check it the first few times you ride. Once the knots are pulled down good, they will be set, but sometimes they’ll slip at first.
The two-buckle leather curb strap is very mild, and a lot of times, people use these on young horses who are just being introduced to a shank bit.
The one-buckle leather curb strap is used on snaffle bits. It actually doesn’t have any curb action and never touches the horse’s chin. Its only purpose is to keep the snaffle-bit rings from being pulled through the horse’s mouth. Make sure the curb strap is put on the bit below the reins. (Note the pieces of garden hose on the reins. I use these as martingale stops.)
By Dennis Moreland in America’s Horse
American Quarter Horse Association
1600 Quarter Horse Drive
Amarillo, TX 79104
Lausanne, 3 November – The 2010 HSBC FEI Classics are set to come to a thrilling climax this weekend (November 4-7) at Les Etoiles de Pau in south-west France.
Three out of four of this season’s CCI4* winners are entered for what promises to be the closest finale yet to the series in which the leading rider will scoop a fabulous US$150,000.
William Fox-Pitt (GBR), the inaugural HSBC FEI Classics winner in 2008, leads the table with a win at Kentucky (on Cool Mountain) and a second placing at Burghley (on Seacookie), but he is not invincible, and will need to achieve a high placing at Pau on Navigator if he is to stay ahead of the chasing pack.
Fellow CCI4* winners Paul Tapner (AUS) and Sharon Hunt (GBR) are both entered; only the Burghley victor, Caroline Powell (NZL), is absent, but her 21 points may well be enough to keep her in the top five money-earning places.
