Horses in the Headlines

There are some things that you just don’t think you will ever see. A pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, pigs flying and the dirty laundry basket empty all rank highly on this list for me. 

The jump-off of a Grand Prix contested by some of the best combinations in the US ending in a tie is like the empty dirty laundry basket for me. Every now and then you hear people say it can happen or that they have seen it. But come on, what is the chance that I would ever witness this?

Well, I saw this impressive feat on Saturday night at the $55,000 Mary Rena Murphy Grand Prix at the Kentucky Spring Classic. Todd Minikus and Pavarotti scorched to a time of 35.24 seconds in the jump-off. At this point Pavarotti and Minikus, who have won more than a few classes on the strength of lightening fast rounds, seemed to have the class all but sewn-up. 

However, Cara Raether and the stallion Ublesco were not ready to concede the victory to Todd. Ublesco has a very deliberate jumping style, which often means he spends more time in the air than other horses. This meant that Cara would need to leave out strides and make tight-turns to be competitive in the jump-off. 

After jumping the second-to-last, Raether was a half-second behind Minikus’ time. Making potentially the tighest turn that has been attempted in the Main Stadium at the Kentucky Horse Park, Cara laid it all on the line to the last. 

Ublesco proved he was more than up to the challenge. Jumping the final vertical clearly and stopping the timers at an identical 35.42 seconds to Pavarotti.

The tie was cool. But what made this feat extra special was that the co-champions were teammates on the US team at the 2007 Pan American Games team. And will once again be teammates on the US team during Tour 3 of the Meydan FEI Nations Cup. 

Both Pavarotti and Ublesco jumped successfully in the USEF Selection Trials for the US Show Jumping Team in Wellington, FL this winter. This meant that they were named to the Show Jumping Long List for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.

These were not the only pairs on the long list that were competing in the Grand Prix on Saturday night. Bob Kraut who will also jump for the US on Tour 3 of the Meydan FEI Nations with Minikus and Raether contested the jump-off with Graf Lando. Candice King who jumped successfully at the USEF Selection Trials for the US Show Jumping Team jumped Skara Glen’s Davos, her partner for Tour 2 of the Nations Cup, in this class.

Everyone in the class brought the best they had, which made for phenomenal jumping all night. However, in the end it came down to Pavarotti and Ublesco in a dead-heat.

I can now say I have seen a Grand Prix end in a tie.

The empty laundry basket still remains to be seen, though.


To find out more about Todd Minikus and Cara Raether visti their equipedia pages;

http://www.clubequestrian.com/wikis/encyclopedia/todd-minikus.aspx

http://www.clubequestrian.com/wikis/encyclopedia/cara-raether.aspx


To learn more about the 2010 Meydan Nations Cup and the US riders visit the Meydan Nations Cup Page.

In 2010, the sport of Para-Dressage will be included in the FEI World Equestrian Games for the first time. This is the first time the sport will be held alongside the other FEI disciplines and not in a separate World Championship or Paralympic Games. This discipline allows riders with physical disabilities to compete in equestrian sport at the highest level. 

Great Britain has had a strangle-hold on medals won in Paralympic Games and Para-Equestrian championships for many years. Since 2000, the Brits have been led by nine-time Paralympic gold medalist Lee Pearson.
Pierson was born with arthrogryposis multiplex congenital, meaning that the muscles in his arms and legs formed as scar tissue. 

From an early age Pierson showed a great interest in horses. Lee’s parents bought him a donkey named Sally to ride and keep him occupied while his two older brothers were out riding BMX bikes. 

Lee rode in his first Paralympics in 2000 in Sydney, Australia. He rode a borrowed horse to a hat trick of gold medals.

Blue Circle Boy, also known as Gus, was Lee’s partner at the 2004 Athens Paralympic Games, where Pierson once again rode away with three gold medals. The 17.2 Dun Hanoverian/ Welsh cross also collected gold medals at the European Championships. In addition, to great success in Para-Dressage divisions, Gus and Lee won many championships in able-bodied divisions as well.

In the 2008 Paralympic Games, Lee rode Gentleman, a 16.2 Hanoverian gelding that was just seven years old in Hong Kong. The pair once again returned to Britain with a trio of gold medals.
Pierson is a formidable horseman in his own right. He has a resume of experience outside of the dressage ring that would make many people envious. He has show jumped, ridden cross country, taken part in long distance trail rides and broken horses himself. Additionally, Lee runs an active breeding business with the Oldenburg Stallion, Gold Bacardi, currently standing at stud.

Lee has been awarded the titles of MBE (Member in The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) and OBE (Officer in The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire). These are the highest honor anyone can receive in Great Britain short of knighthood.
Pierson was appointed Chairman of the FEI Athletes Committee in 2008.

To learn more about Lee visit his website; http://www.leepearson.co.uk/

 

When looking over the entries for this weekend’s Chatsworth CIC3* in England a familiar name to eventing enthusiasts on both sides of the pond will appear.

Paris.

The thirteen year old Selle Francais gelding is back at top level after being competed lightly over the past two seasons due to nagging injury. 

Many North Americans will remember the horse being campaigned by Virginia-based Canadian Kelli Temple. Paris and Temple collected many prizes up and down the east coast, including winning an advanced section at Pine Top in 2005 and placing second at the CCI2* at Foxhall later that spring.

Always known for his superb skills on the flat Paris had a high-profile year in 2006. With Temple, he completed his first CCI4* at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. Laying ninth after the dressage an unfortunate run-out dropped them down the leader board. However, Paris was still selected to represent Canada at the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games.

In Aachen, Temple and Paris once again performed a good dressage test but were forced to withdraw prior to the cross-country as the horse was not quite right.

In 2007, the gelding was sold to British rider Piggy French. Paris and French immediately began collecting excellent results. This included winning their first advanced outing together at Aston-Le-Walls. The pair completed their first season together by finishing twelfth at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials.

Not known as one of the most careful horses in the final phase, this season Paris has jumped three double clear rounds in the show jumping. This new found respect for the colored rails has helped him earn a win in the CIC2* at Burnham Market and a third place in the advanced at Auchinleck.

With Paris, Piggy French appears to have another strong horse in her string which is headed by European Bronze Medalist Some Day Soon.

 

To see a full list of entries from Chatsworth International visit; http://www.bdwp.co.uk/cha/

To learn more about Piggy French; http://www.piggyfrench.co.uk/

To learn more about Kelli Temple vist; http://wyndemerefarm.com/html/kelli%20profile.htm 

Reaching the upper-echelons of your sport is nearly impossible then becoming the best in the game is an achievement few ever garner. After winning the top prize the question becomes; what next?

These are all experiences Megan Benjamin has had.

At just eight years old Benjamin got her first glimpse of vaulting and was immediately intrigued. Megan took to the sport like wildfire and progressed through the levels rapidly.

By the summer of 2006, Megan Benjamin had been crowned USEF/AVA Vaulting National Champion three years running. Additionally, she was part of the A-Team National Champions for the fourth time with her F.A.M.E. teammates.

At the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games held in Aachen, Germany, Benjamin did double-duty representing the US in both the team and individual vaulting competitions. In Aachen, Megan made history, with her F.A.M.E. team winning the silver medal (the highest placing an American vaulting team had ever earned). Additionally, Benjamin became the first non-German to win the individual gold medal.

Megan left Germany ecstatic but with one dilemma, her goals had always revolved around 2010. Having achieved what she had always dreamed of four years ahead of schedule, meant that Megan had new plan to make.

Ultimately, she chose to step back from vaulting and focus on her life outside the sport. As a student at Cornell University, Benjamin dove into her academic interests and the pursuits of “normal” college kids.

Megan’s retirement from the sport only lasted two years. In 2008, after having been contacted by one of her silver medal winning teammates, Benjamin was persuaded into joining the Dark Side of the Moon team. This team went onto win the bronze medal at the World Championships in Brno, Czech Republic.

Making this achievement even more special the team used Megan’s horse, Leonardo. This is the same horse that Megan won individual gold on in 2006.

The 2008 season re-ignited the fire in Benjamin and she chose to give vaulting another go around and compete individually.
Since returning to the sport, Megan has collected a win in the CVI 2* at the Kentucky Cup Event in 2009 and a second place finish at the Ermelo CVI in 2010.

Benjamin is making a big push to defend her gold medal in 2010, this time vaulting on home soil. And she once again plans to use her 2006 partner, Leonardo.

P.S. Megan has vaulted herself back to the top of her sport all while earning her degree from Cornell this spring and writing a honors thesis in history.

To learn more about Megan Benjamin visit her Equipedia page; http://www.clubequestrian.com/wikis/encyclopedia/megan-benjamin.aspx

The musical freestyle in dressage is one of the most fun classes to watch in all of horse sports. It is also one of the most complex events a horse and rider can prepare for. Not only do the standards of movement, submission and accuracy have to stay high but the horse must move in rhythm and harmony along with the tune.

There has been a growing trend among competitors to incorporate music from pop culture into the freestyle. 

At last week’s Kentucky Cup CDI3*, Tina Konyot and Calecto V performed a winning freestyle that had everyone’s feet tapping. Despite having only ridden the freestyle twice before in competition Konyot scored a 76.25%. This left them more than six points ahead of second place finisher Chris von Martels. 

Calecto is a 17.1 dark brown Danish Warmblood, so when KT Tunstall’s signature hit “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree” came over the sound system it was hard for spectators not to smile.

The freestyle also included music from Beyonce and Jennifer Lopez, which meant that the Johnson Arena was really rocking. 

All of the music selected by Tina highlight Calecto’s beautiful and expressive canter. 

And you could tell that the horse was convinced that “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree” was written with his freestyle in mind.

To find out more about the Grand Prix Freestyle at the 2010 Kentucky Cup CDI3* check out;http://www.clubequestrian.com/news/article/konyot_and_her_big_black_horse/5655.aspx

Holly Hudspeth is no stranger to the Kentucky Horse Park or the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. However, more than one person might be questioning who Mrs. Hudspeth was, as this is a relatively new surname to eventing. Many spectators this weekend know this tall blonde as Holly Hepp.

Holly completed the 4* in 2002, 2003 and 2004 with Lester Piggot and did double duty in 04 completing with Damian as well. Also on her resume is representing the US at the 2003 Pan American Games with Lester Piggot.

In November, Holly married Chuck Hudspeth, a sales manager of Biomet Orthopedics for the State of North Carolina. Chuck and Holly live in Raleigh, NC but came to Lexington, KY this week for Holly to ride Last Monarch, a horse they co-own.
Stewart, as he is known in the barn, performed a very consistent dressage test Friday afternoon to sit in thirty-first on a score of 57.8.

Holly and Chuck took a few minutes to answer some questions after Stewarts test.

How long have you been married?

Holly: 5 months

How did you two meet?

Holly: In a bar in Southern Pines.

Chuck: Don’t say that, it’s a restaurant.

Holly: Chuck’s friend sent me chocolate cheesecake. I fell in love.

(For those familiar with the Southern Pines area, they met at the Belltree)

Chuck, how many horse shows had you gone to before you met Holly and how many since?

Chuck: I went to zero before we met. And I’ve seen everyone since. When she goes advanced I’m usually there.

Holly: He’s only missed one since we met, Millbrook last year.

Where was the last place you went without the horse trailer?

Holly: When we got married.

Chuck: St. Lucia in November.

Holly: But we do have plans to go away in May.

What is Chuck’s job at events?

Chuck: Stay out of the way! And take care of the boys (Lance and Tug their two cute and high energy yellow labs).

Have there been any pre-Rolex nerves for Holly and how have you dealt with them?

Chuck: She has been pretty intense the last month. I have mentioned putting Stewart on E-bay.

Who gets more attention Stewart or Chuck?

Chuck: Stewart!

(Holly stayed very quiet in response to this question)

If Stewart were a person would Chuck still be on the market?

Holly: No, I couldn’t put up with his attitude. He’d be too high maintenance.

If you win, who gets the Rolex?

Holly: Chuck gets it, because he no longer has a boat or a Harley. What else did you lose?

Chuck: My weekends.

When is Chuck riding at Rolex?

Holly and Chuck simultaneously: NEVER!

Thank you very much to the Hudspeths for taking a few minutes to answer these questions. They are both great and fun people to have in the sport.

Welcome to the game Chuck!

Phillip Dutton is one busy man this weekend. Everyone that shipped down from True Prospect Farm knew that this was going to be a busy time for them. Phillip was originally scheduled to ride three horses (The Foreman, Waterfront and Kheops Du Quesnay), at the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event presented by Bridgestone. He was then supposed to hop on a plane Sunday night to ride Woodburn at the Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials next week. Then things blew-up.

Literally.

Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano erupted and left European air travel in limbo. Woodburn was supposed to ship to England the week of Rolex but volcanic ash was not going to allow for that to happen.

So thanks to some quick thinking and many phone calls, Woodburn stepped onto the Lexington bound trailer and not the transcontinental flight.

The chestnut gelding has come to the event for the past two years. In 2008, he and Dutton finished ninth in the horse’s first 4* and was twelfth in 2009.

Nobody would have blamed Woodburn this morning if he was a bit confused about whether he was at Rolex or Badminton. When he trotted down center-line at 9:30 there was a definite chill in the air with quite a few raindrops.

Phillip has been riding the horse in a double-bridle this season and he has been going better and better at each competition. He scored a 47.7, the best score Woodburn has gotten in the Johnson Arena.

Tomorrow the horse will be in his element. With a great gallop and phenomenal jump, he is a cross-country machine.
Woodburn may be a bit disappointed to not be at Badminton but that is not holding him back from his best start ever at Rolex.

To learn more about Phillip visit; http://www.clubequestrian.com/wikis/encyclopedia/phillip-dutton.aspx

Aaron Beale is a Detriot, MI native who has spent considerable time in the past couple of years building cross country courses at the Kentucky Horse Park. Aaron took a few minutes away from building the course for the 2010 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event Presented by Bridgestone to answer 11 of the most pressing questions about his profession.

1.      How long have you been building at Rolex?

A.B.: 3 Years.

2.      What is your involvement with horses outside of course building?

A.B.: There isn’t any, none.
3.      What other courses do you build?

A.B.: Young Riders, and I help Aaron Rust with Flying Cross Farm, Team Challenge out here, the Pony Club Event and Kentucky Classic.

4.      What is your favorite type of jump/complex to build?

A.B.: It’s fun to build an interesting portable. At Young Riders the Hour Glass was real fun, real curvy.
5.      What are three things a good course builder should never leave home without?

A.B.: A rain coat, muck boots and lunch.

6.      Do you use the Pythagorean theorem (a²+b²=c²) when building a corner?

A.B.: Sometimes, yea.

7.      How many carved animals are being used this year?

A.B.: Just 2, no with the ducks 5.
8.      How many flags do you think you are going to have to pick up and reattach on Saturday?

A.B.: Probably going to rain, I’d say 9.

9.      How many splinters have you gotten building this year’s course?

A.B.: 40 and I always wear gloves.

10. What the first thing you are going to do when the last horse crosses the finish on Saturday?

A.B.: Start reroping for WEG.

11. Do you fix electronics?

A.B.: Yea.

Thank you very much to Aaron for taking the time to answer my questions and the course looks great!!!!!

As a side not I got one splinter while conducting this interview, next time I will wear gloves.

 

The 2010 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final began today with the Speed Round and the Americans did not disappoint. Rich Fellers and the fleet-footed Flexible currently sit on top of the leader board having crossed the timers just a 1/2 second faster than American teammate McLain Ward and Sapphire.

 

To listen to an audio interview with Fellers check out; http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/RGE%20Rich%20Fellers%20RD1.mp3

To listen to an audio interview with Ward check out; http://www.lloydbell.co.uk/access/client_zone/RGE%20McLain%20Ward%20Rd1.mp3

 

To find out more about today's action read; http://www.clubequestrian.com/news/article/fellers_flies_to_the_lead_with/5621.aspx  

To learn more about the 2010 Rolex/FEI World Cup Final and the American riders visit;  http://www.usef.org/_IFrames/breedsDisciplines/discipline/competitions/RolexWC.aspx

 

 

Two weeks ago at the USEF National Four-in-Hand Championships held at Live Oak International some of the best drivers in the US took part in a hard fought competition. One of these drivers was David Saunders.

Saunders finished fifth at the end of the competition after having placed third in the dressage phase behind eventual Champion and Reserve Champion, Chester Weber and Jimmy Fairclough.

In a division that is heavily dominated by European-bred and Warmblood horses, Saunders drives a team of Morgans.

Alan and Maureen Aulson own the team of black geldings. Saunders drives a set of full-bred brothers Nordby Shadow's Rocky and Nordby Shadow's Sam Spade in addition to thirteen year old Nordby Coalie's Duke and sixteen year old Nordby Coalie's Coal Dust.

Live Oak was not the first competition that Saunders and his team have had successful results. At the Little Everglades CDI Saunders picked up a fifth place finish in January. The following month, David was third behind Weber and Fairclough.

Morgan horses have been successful in the singles and pair division of Combined Driving for years, including representing the US in World Championship competitions. David Saunders is doing his best to demonstrate that they are equally competitive in the “fours” as well.

To learn more about David Saunders visit his equipedia page; http://www.clubequestrian.com/wikis/encyclopedia/david-saunders.aspx

To learn more about the Morgan horse visit their Club Equestrian breed page; http://www.clubequestrian.com/breeds/morgans.aspx