What is the Ranch Riding Trail Class?

Ranch riding patterns include obstacles such as poles to sidepass, logs to drag, poles to trot or lope, and segments of extended trotting. The class requires horses to move at slow and fast speeds—and always to listen to their rider’s directions.

“In the ranch riding trail class, there are obstacles where you need your horse to focus and go slow, and times when you want to show that your horse can move out,” Crow says. “It’s important to plan your warmup time so that you can bring the fast horses down to the speed you want and make sure they are patient for the poles or gates. With slower horses, you’ll need to know you can pick up their speed when you want an extended trot.”

Warmup for the Energetic and Speedy Horse

Crow says that many horses labeled “too fast,” “too much,” or “high strung” may need some longeing as part of their warmup, but they will definitely need a warmup that helps activate their brain.

“It’s old school mentality that you go lope them for an hour to wear them out,” says Crow. “Instead, what you need is to get the horse’s brain working with downward transitions, turns, stops, and backs. Otherwise, their bodies are tired, but their minds are busy, and they won’t pay attention to you.”

Focus on trotting and walking transitions, Crow advises.

“Loping can escalate some horses, and makes it harder to get their brain focused on you,” he says.

If competing, Crow advises that once you have warmed up an energetic horse, make sure to go straight to the show pen for your ride. Don’t warm up and then stand around watching others. If busy and energetic horses get a long break, they may need a whole new warmup.

You may also consider starting the night before. If your horse will be stalled overnight, you may choose to longe him when you arrive. Allowing him to move out will help wear off the adrenaline from travel.

Turning for Attention

At a show, begin your warmup about an hour before your scheduled ranch riding trail class so that you have time to work your horse’s body and mind. Crow likes to work his fast horses in a box formation. He trots straight ahead, then if he feels the horse being strong or going faster than he asks, he makes a sharp turn while continuing the trot.

“Pick up your reins and redirect the horse in a square maneuver,” says Crow. “This takes away the forward motion and asks him to focus on your direction.”

Work your horse in the middle of the arena and avoid going around the entire outside. Trot ahead four to five steps, then pick your reins up and to the side to direct your horse on a new straight line, creating a box or square. Move ahead again and turn when you feel your horse wanting to go faster.

Be careful not to pull on the reins to keep your horse slow. Instead, the box formation will teach your horse that he needs to pay attention, and he will be redirected when he speeds up. When your horse is going at the speed of trot you want, place your hand down in front of the saddle’s horn and allow him to move without interference.

“As soon as I make that square turn, I’ll set my hands down and let my horse go straight again,” says Crow. “If he stays focused and I have his attention, he’s earned the right to just keep going forward and I will leave him alone. If I lose his attention, I pick up and redirect, turning on a new line of the square.”

Crow says if a horse looks around and doesn’t settle in, he’ll pick up his inside rein to tip the horse’s nose in as he also applies leg pressure to encourage a bend. He will walk small circles with his horse’s nose tipped in to one side, then the other. Then he’ll repeat the box pattern again.

When it’s time to warm up at the lope, a “go” horse may pick up speed again. Crow says if you have spent time warming up at the walk and trot, the lope should be manageable, too.

“I do the same thing at the lope that I did at the trot,” says Crow. “Do your square turns and keep your body balanced.”

At the lope, Crow says many riders turn too sharply, using inside direct pressure to pull the horse’s head inside. This can cause your weight to shift to the outside, making your horse scramble to regain his balance. To avoid this, keep him straight through his body and open your reining hand up and out to guide the horse through the turn.

Mix it Up

Instead of just riding around the arena at a walk, trot, and lope and then being done, mix up your warmup.

“Bringing your horse up in speed and then back down is really important,” says Crow. “Some horses are just wired to keep that adrenaline going once they move fast. [Going up and down in speed] keeps them going strong and doesn’t wear them out. If you allow them to move from the trot or lope back to the walk, they realize how tired they are. When you ask for speed again, you aren’t fighting the adrenaline and you seem to get their minds engaged much more quickly than just running full out.”

Warmup for the Slow Horse

If your horse is known to be slow or needs to be pushed to move out, your plan needs to help boost his energy.

“With a slow or lazy horse, our goal is to get his focus and make sure he moves out when asked,” Crow says. “I’ll walk in a straight line and use a direct rein to turn the horse and drive him around in a small circle with my outside leg pressure. I want to get his feet moving.”

Crow says asking for sharp turns can help the horse know that you’re requesting a quick response. He says to be careful and not allow the slower horse to pause after you’ve asked him to move his feet.

“I want these horses crisp and sharp,” he says. “You don’t want a lag between the moment you give the horse something to do and when he does it. You don’t want to have to nag to follow up. If you have a horse that’s too dull and lazy, you can see that the rider is having to beg this horse to step forward or to move his feet. That’s not a good picture in the show. We need to sharpen up those cues.”

If your horse is on the slow side, adjust your warmup time so that you only warm up for 10 to 15 minutes before going into your class. Make sure not to use up all his energy. Instead, warm up just enough to remind your horse that he should respond quickly to your cues.

After walking for a few minutes, it’s time to get the slow horse to work. Ten minutes before the show, Crow says he will ask a slow horse to extend at the trot and the lope.

“I’ll give the horse a verbal cue and then go to my legs for a cue,” says Crow. “I will really get that horse moving and sharpen him up.”

Keep in mind, it’s all about efficiency. You may only be able to cue a horse for speed once or twice. If you warm up too much and ask for speed over and over, you may wear out your horse and not get the speed changes you want in the ring.

If you feel like you need more practice time than your horse does, run your patterns in your mind or practice the key obstacle. Don’t wear out your horse because you feel like you need more practice.

“It’s all about knowing yourself and your horse,” says Crow. “When you know how much practice you both need, you’ll go straight to the pen in good shape.”

A few notes of caution for riding the slower horse: Make sure you don’t pull back on the reins when you’re loping. Some horses will look for any excuse to slow down. Don’t train him that it’s OK to break gait because you inadvertently pulled on the reins. Also make sure you aren’t micromanaging your horse. He should go at the speed and in the direction you choose without having to hold him there. Make sure your reins aren’t tight and that you allow your horse to move out.

“If you tend to tighten up your reins too much in the extended lope because of your comfort level, remind yourself to look up, straighten your arm and put your hand down,” says Crow. “Make sure you aren’t the reason your horse is slowing down or learning that it’s OK to be a little lazy.”

Having a riding buddy or coach remind you to look up and reach forward when you ask your horse to move out can help you be in the best position and keep your horse moving.

Show Plan

Crow advises using the time that you have to walk the trail pattern to think about the body position and cues you’ll need to help your horse go the speed that you want.

“You get to walk the trail course first,” he says. Make sure you plan how you’ll ride, where you’ll look, and how and when you’ll cue your horse. Having a plan and knowing your horse’s habits—and your habits—will help you know what to do if your horse speeds up or needs a push.

“The goal isn’t just to complete the pattern, it’s to have a confidence-building pattern for your horse so he’ll come back better next time,” says Crow. “From the moment you start warming up until the moment you’re done with your trail class, your main goal is to keep building that horse up so you’re both successful and can keep going and enjoy the ride.”

This article about the ranch riding trail class warmup appeared in the August 2024 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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Looking back, what an exciting and action-packed event it was! The 102^nd year of “The Royal” offered loyal and new visitors both expected and unexpected happenings over the ten-day run from Friday, November 1-Sunday, November 10. International and Canadian champions were named in the horse and agriculture shows. In addition to the those exhibitions, audiences were entertained with live music, cooking classes, high-flying aerial performances, Canadian Cowgirls mounted drill team appearances, a play and education area and petting zoo for the little ones, and a full agenda in the Animal Theatre. One-stop holiday gift shopping was easy-peasy and dining and beverage options were vast.

2024 Royal Horse Show Summary

For Horse Illustrated readers, the Royal Horse Show is undoubtedly the main point of interest. The Horse Show opened with the two-day Mad Barn Indoor Eventing Showcase, followed by Canadian Championship hunter and jumper classes, and a Royal Grand Prix Dressage CDI-3* Division (Grand Prix and Grand Prix Freestyle classes) over the first five days. Then, four days of international jumper classes filled the coliseum with the Royal Rodeo capping things on the final Sunday.

On the last Saturday morning, the prestigious Governor General and Lieutenant Governor General Cup classes for 3-year-old Canadian-bred sport horses were contested with matching Royal Pony Cup classes for sport ponies. The “cup classes” are in-hand and under-saddle classes which are judged on conformation, movement and general impression for suitability to become a sport horse.

Throughout the Royal, breeding and performance classes were interspersed into the horse show schedule for draft horse breeds (Belgian, Clydesdale and Percheron), Hackney Horses and Ponies, Welsh Ponies and Cobs, Canadian Sport Horses, Standardbreds, and Thoroughbreds. It was gratifying to see many ex-racehorses in the Standardbred road horse and roadster performance classes. And, the Green Meadows antique coaches pulled by matching four-in-hand horses harkened to an earlier time when genuine horsepower was the method of public transportation.

Canadian Kendal Lehari topped the Indoor Eventing Showcase with the 11-year-old Canadian Sport Horse gelding Audacious, who she owns with her mother Gwen. American Boyd Martin riding Catarina for owner Nancy Hathaway took second in indoor eventing, and Canadian Olympic rider Jessica Phoenix guided Charlotte Schickedanz’s Trakehner Watson GS to third.

“It’s such a rush having that many people in there cheering you on, as well as my family and supporters,” said Lehari, 37, from Uxbridge, Ontario, Canada. “Everyone’s got your back and wants to see you do well. I think this is a really good showcase for our sport. Not a lot of people know much about eventing, so to be able to do it inside [in this environment] is so much fun.”

Martin, who last competed at The Royal in 2017, commented on course designer Captain Mark Phillips’ track, his experience at the Royal, and his fellow eventers after the competition, “I love this show. What a huge honor and privilege it is to ride here. It’s high-energy, nerve-wracking, and it happens fast. At a normal horse trial, we have a couple days to process how things are going to ride. I think Mark built a course that was horse-friendly, but still challenging enough. These Canadian girls sure are quick!”

The Royal Horse Show offered two hunter derby classes, as well as many divisions of hunter classes for adult and junior riders. Winner of the $15,000 Braeburn Farms Canadian Hunter Derby on Sunday, November 3, was Kelly Soleau-Millar (Wellington, Fla.) and Nitecap, owned by Jeff Brandmaier and Margaret Guthrie’s Knightwood Stables, who topped a field of 21 entries. Ashley Arnoldt (Langley, British Columbia, Canada) rode Light My Fire, a 12-year-old Hanoverian stallion owned by Jennifer Arnoldt, to win the $25,000 Knightwood Hunter Derby on Tuesday, November 5.

In addition to the Canadian Open Jumper Championship and international jumper classes, there were a number of amateur adult/junior jumper classes too. The $125,000 Henry Equestrian Canadian Show Jumping Championship was contested over the first two days with Olympian Amy Millar (daughter of famous rider and Olympian Ian “Captain Canada” Millar) taking top honors with Jelvinia MB, a 10-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare owned by J Team. Mario Deslauriers (New York, NY), an FEI World Cup Champion and Olympian, was Reserve Canadian Champion riding Costa Quick PS, owned by Aram Ampagoumian, LLC. Three-time Olympian Tiffany Foster (Langley, British Columbia, Canada) finished third in the Canadian Championship riding Electrique, a horse she owns together with 5 Roosters.

Millar, 47, (Perth, Ontario, Canada) enthusiastically described her mount Jelvinia B after taking the Canadian Championship, “She is one of the nicest horses I’ve had the privilege of riding. I had been looking for [a horse like] her for a long time. When I tried her, I just knew. She is super careful and scopey, and has great technique. She has all of it.”

In the Royal Dressage CDI-3* Division Naima Moreira Laliberte (Outremont, Quebec, Canada) and her long-time partner Statesman won both the $15,000 Grand Prix Qualifier class on Monday, November 4, and then the $20,000 Grand Prix Freestyle class (75.745%) on Tuesday evening, November 5. Statesman is a 17-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Sandro Hit x Brentano II) owned by KML, Inc. and Guy Laliberte.

“We’ve been all over the world together,” said Laliberte of Statesman who carried her to two Pan American Games medals and two Olympic Games. “We were traveling reserves in Tokyo and competed in Paris, we did two Pan American Games, as well as [FEI competition in] Herning [Denmark], Doha [Qatar], Aachen [Germany], and a couple of Nations Cups in Florida. He’s always been a reliable partner and such a fun horse to travel with.”

Turning to the international jumper classes, the USA’s Aaron Vale and I.Adermie R4 captured the first major class of the Royal, the $43,860 McKee Family International Challenge on Wednesday, November 6. His countryman McLain Ward riding First Lady was runner-up and Ireland’s Daniel Coyle was third on Farrel.

Thursday afternoon, November 7, British rider Jessica Mendoza won the $43,860 Brickenden Trophy International Jumper class with I-Car CL Z. That evening, it was Richard Vogel’s (Germany) turn to top the $170,000 Mad Barn/Big Ben International Challenge with Levi Noesar (the class was named in honor of Ian Millar’s legendary jumper Big Ben). Vogel is now based in the USA part-time and trains with McLain Ward.

Vogel, 27, talked about his horse and the Royal after his win in the Big Ben. “Levi is an amazing horse, but he’s only eight which is why I had to compromise and not risk everything. He’s green, but with the way he performed in the jump-off tonight, you can see his abilities and his will to give everything in the ring. A lot of people told me that I was going to like this show, and it has exceeded all those expectations. It’s a unique show and you can feel the history.”

On the final Saturday of the Royal Horse Show, winners of the two afternoon international jumper classes were two brothers from Ireland. Daniel Coyle and Farrel, paired with Super Dog (dog agility) Doberman Zeus and his human handler, were victors in the K9-Equine Challenge class. Then, Jordan Coyle and Keep Me With You N.C. won the $50,000 CSI2* Grand Prix.

But, the biggest Royal international jumper accolades were garnered by 28-year-old Alex Matz who won three classes during the week and was named the Leading International Rider at the Royal at the end of the show. He and Cashew W won both the $43,860 Strength & Speed International Challenge on Wednesday, November 6, and the $85,680 Canadian Open/Centennial Cup on Friday, November 8. He is the son of Michael Matz, U.S. Show Jumping Hall of Fame member and trainer of Grade I Thoroughbred race horses, who had won top honors at the Royal 47 years earlier (in 1977).

In the $200,000 FEI World Cup Toronto, the final international jumper class of the show on Saturday night, November 9, Matz and his other mount, Ikigai, sailed around the course to top four other competitors in a jump-off for the win. Runner-up in the World Cup class was Canada’s Tiffany Foster on Electrique (who also won Leading Canadian Rider honors) and third was the USA’s McLain Ward on Ilex, his Paris 2024 Olympic mount.

This was Alex Matz’s first five-star World Cup qualifier win. He has been riding Ikigai, an 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood (Elvis Ter Putte x Iroko) stallion owned by 5 Star Partners, for three years. He talked about their triumph in the World Cup in the press conference after, “I’m honored to be in this position with two incredible riders behind me and so many good riders in the field. It’s for sure the biggest win of my career. I probably told everybody I know how good a horse he was, but a lot of people didn’t believe me until recently.”

The Leading Lady Rider award from the international jumper classes went to the USA’s Lillie Keenan. Incredible, owned by Ariel Grange of Lothlorien Farm (Cheltenham, Ontario, Canada) and ridden by Daniel Coyle, won the Leading Canadian Horse Award.

Find all of the results from the 2024 Royal Horse Show here.

Royal Fair Rewind 2024

The 2024 and 2023 Royal Horse Show international jumper classes, including the FEI World Cup Toronto, were livestreamed on ClipMyHorseTV. On-demand replays of that action are available on ClipMyHorse (subscription required, although a free test period may be available). You can watch those international jumper classes in Toronto, including the K9-Equine Challenge class, here.

Fans of the Royal Winter Fair may also enjoy 2024 highlights by going to the Royal’s Facebook photo gallery here and their YouTube Channel here.

Looking Ahead to Next Year

The 2025 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and Royal Horse Show runs November 7-16, 2025. For more information, visit the Royal Fair website.

This article about the 2024 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair is a web exclusive for Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post A Royal Wrap: 2024 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair Synopsis appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

There’s only one place in North America where you can experience top international horse show competition combined with all the best a great state agricultural fair has to offer: the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. It really is something that anyone who loves horse shows and/or state fairs should not miss. Read on to find out what the 2024 Royal Winter Fair has in store.

The Uniqueness of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair

Think back to a time when the pomp and circumstance of VIP box seats and glamorous evening wear were a part of the spectacle at almost all of the large fall indoor horse shows around North America. Such was the case with the old National Horse Show in Madison Square Garden in New York City, among others. While the National still exists and is a great show, the venue has changed to the Kentucky Horse Park, and gowns and tuxes in preferred seating at Madison Square have given way to blue jeans and riding attire parked in the stands of the Horse Park’s Alltech Arena.

One key indoor show stands alone now, combining this historic charm and ambience―the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair held every November in Toronto, Canada. There really is nothing like the “Royal.” It spans ten days and has been held at the same location for over 100 years. It still features a horse-show audience in formal wear watching a mixed program of various breeds and disciplines performing each evening (although tickets are available for those who wish not to dress in evening wear). The horse show, combined with daily livestock shows, entertainment, educational events and more, makes the Royal a unique and fun-filled event that all may enjoy.

This year’s Royal Winter Fair runs November 1-10, 2024, at the Canadian National Exhibition grounds situated along Lake Ontario in Toronto. It is the 102nd renewal of this iconic event.

More About the Royal Winter Fair

The Winter Fair, which began in 1922 and has run almost continuously since that time (with only brief pauses for World War II and COVID-19), is billed as the largest combined indoor agriculture fair and international equestrian competition in the world. Approximately 300,000 visitors from a number of countries go through the doors over the ten days. Fairgoers can see everything from the daily horse show to other livestock and agricultural product exhibitions to entertainment, shopping, dining, and educational displays.

The Royal’s shopping choices are extensive, with offerings from tack, riding apparel, horse care products and horse trailers to Canadian-produced food (yes, there is maple syrup!) and gifts, clothing, home décor, health and beauty products, to Royal Fair logo sportswear, and more. It’s a great place to do your holiday shopping.

Dining options are varied, too. Attendees can indulge in the ever-popular homemade apple dumplings or variations of the Canadian dish poutine (cheese curds, gravy and fried potatoes with the option of topping it with bacon or pulled pork), plus a wide variety of Canadian and international foods. Samples of various Canadian-grown foods are often available in the shopping area, too.

On any given day, in addition to the horse show, attendees can watch dairy and beef cattle, sheep, goats, hogs, alpacas, rabbits, cavies (guinea pigs) or poultry being shown. They may also tour the displays of competition winners for garden and agricultural crops, wool fleeces, jams and jellies, pickles, honey, meats and cheeses, and other farm products. The butter sculpture competition is another thing not to be missed. Every year, artists carve amazing figures chosen to match a theme that are crafted from huge blocks of chilled butter. The results are truly amazing.

There is also daily live entertainment on the OLG Entertainment Stage which also features a square dancing competition on the final day. Visitors may sign up for only $20 to participate in cooking classes conducted by professional chefs or tour the University of Guelph’s “The Future of Food” walk-through exhibit. Children will enjoy activities designed just for them (Royal Petting Farm, Spirit of the Horse, Dairy Education Center, Farm & Play Zone and more).

The Royal Animal Theatre combines education with entertainment to the delight of both adults and kids. Appearances by the Global Pet Foods SuperDogs and demonstrations by birds of prey and handlers, sheep herding dogs, Double Dan Horsemanship, and a number of equestrian groups fill the calendar for the Royal Animal Theatre. The Royal Canadian Horseshoeing Classic competition takes over the Theatre on November 5 when the audience will witness hot-forged blacksmithing.

Royal organizers designate an animal ambassador each year and this year’s picks are two alpacas named Dawson and Pacey, from All In Alpacas, owned by Derek and Lindsay Stoltz and their teenage daughters in Rockwood, Ontario. Over the last several years, Heartland television show star Amber Marshall has made frequent appearances at the Royal, too; she’ll be there again this year appearing during the horse show and emceeing the Royal Rodeo on the final Sunday.

The Royal Horse Show

In today’s specialized horse-show world, it can be difficult to find an event where many breeds and disciplines are showcased at one venue, but the Royal offers that chance. There are two show arenas, one in the huge Royal Horse Show Coliseum and the other a smaller competition ring in the center of the two-story stabling barn called the “Horse Palace.” All competing are vying to win a red ribbon, which in Canada signifies first place. To get a glimpse of all of the action at the Royal Horse Show watch this preview of the 2023 Royal.

Canadian and international jumpers, hunters, fast-paced indoor eventing, and dressage musical freestyle share the same coliseum arena with massive draft horse hitches, zippy roadster ponies, high-stepping fine harness horses, Welsh Pony driving classes, and elegant antique coaching. While over in the Horse Palace, breed classes take place for Belgian Drafts, Canadian Sport Horses, Clydesdales, Hackneys, Percherons, Sport Ponies, Thoroughbreds and Welsh Ponies. Most of these classes are open to competitors from anywhere in the world, not just Canada. The Royal Rodeo on the last Sunday is the final equestrian event each year.

The Royal also stages two classes for 3-year-old sport horses in the coliseum, the Governor General’s Cup (an in-hand conformation line class) and the Lieutenant Governor’s Cup (in-hand line and under-saddle classes combined to name one winner). These are important showcases for Canadian-bred sport horses and entries must have qualified earlier in the year to compete. Even though contested at 7:30 a.m. on the final Saturday of the Royal, they attract a large audience.

A fan-favorite event held during the international jumper competition is the K9 Equine International Challenge class which combines a horse and rider jumper duo with a human and canine dog agility pair. Held on the final Saturday afternoon, the fastest combined time from the horse/human and canine/human pairings wins. See the 2022 Royal K9 Equine International Challenge competition here.

In jumper competition, the first four days of the Royal involve Canadian jumper classes with a Canadian Championship capping the series. Then, four more days are devoted to international jumper classes including the McKee Family International Challenge, the Mad Barn Big Ben Challenge International Challenge (named for Canadian Olympic rider Ian Millar’s famous horse), the International Speed Challenge, and finally the $250,000 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Toronto, the next-to-last North American League leg of the season’s FEI World Cup qualifying series (for next spring’s World Cup Final in Basel, Switzerland).

At the end of the Royal jumper classes, a Leading Rider, Leading Lady Rider, Leading Canadian Rider, and Leading Canadian Horse are crowned. Find a video spotlight of one of the Canadian jumper riders, Sean Jobin, talking about his road to the 2024 Royal Winter Fair here.

Track the results from the 2024 Royal Horse Show here.

How to Purchase Tickets or Watch Online

Tickets to the Royal Winter Fair may still be purchased online or at the door. Entrance to morning and afternoon matinee Royal Horse Show classes is included with Royal Winter Fair general admission tickets. Evening Royal Horse Show and Royal Rodeo tickets require a separate purchase. For more ticketing information, visit here.

If you can’t attend in person, you may watch the 2024 Royal Horse Show online (subscription required) via this livestream.

You may tune in on FEI TV via ClipMyHorseTV to watch the $250,000 Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Toronto. A subscription to ClipMyHorseTV is required; go here for more information.

Regardless of whether you attend in person or watch online, don’t miss the action of the 2024 Royal Winter Fair, a one-of-a-kind horse show!

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The following athletes have been selected to represent the NetJets U.S. Jumping Team and are listed in alphabetical order.

U.S. Team for Longines League of Nations Final

◆ Lucy Davis Kennedy (Brooklyn, N.Y.)

◆ Laura Kraut (Royal Palm Beach, Fla.)

◆ Alex Matz (Coatesville, Pa.)

◆ Spencer Smith (Wellington, Fla.)

◆ Aaron Vale (Williston, Fla.)

Competition Information

The 2024 Longines League of Nations™ Jumping Final will take place at Real Club de Polo in Barcelona, Spain, and feature the top eight teams from the LLN qualifying season, alongside a team representing the host nation of Spain. The Grand Prix of the City of Barcelona CSIO5* will take place on Friday, October 4, beginning at 9:00 p.m. GMT+2/3:00 p.m. ET, while the first annual Longines League of Nations Final will begin at 2:00 p.m. GMT+2/8:00 a.m. ET on Sunday, October 6.

Learn more about Longines League of Nations here.

Event Website | Schedule | Start Lists & Results

—Edited Press Release | Source: US Equestrian

The post US Equestrian Announces NetJets U.S. Jumping Team for Longines League of Nations™ Jumping Final appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Taylor Bradish (Windsor, S.C.) and Jennifer Matheson’s 2009 Welsh Pony Cross mare, Katydid Duchess (Danyloo x Besame) had an outstanding event, finishing in sixth place individually out of 79 starters thanks in large part to an impressive marathon phase where they finished in fourth overall.

Leslie Berndl (Lexington, Ky.) and her 2013 Dutch Warmblood gelding Impressive (First Class x Olizandra) turned in three solid phases to finish in 45th place. Raymond Helmuth (Cambridge, Iowa), and Kendro (Globetrotter x Genderose) his own 2015 Dutch Warmblood stallion, had a strong start but an unfortunate elimination during the marathon phase.

The team was led at this event by Chef d’Equipe Jeff Legg, who saw many positive takeaways from the experience.

“Highlights of the competition included the excellent marathon performance by US team member Taylor Bradish finishing fourth,” said Legg. “This result against some of the most talented single horse drivers in the world is amazing. In addition, her final placing of sixth was great. Our team position after dressage in sixth place was hopeful. There was a lot of positivity after Friday. I have to tip my hat to our most experienced competitor, Leslie Berndl, who provided a solid performance throughout.”

Legg added that the team also earned recognition for their turnout. Helmuth won the overall Elegance award, Bradish won the Brass Elegance award, and individual competitor Marianna Yeager with Kami Landy’s 2015 KWPN gelding, M.V.A. Famtijn (Famous V x Ginova) were honorable mention for the Elegance award.

In addition to Yeager, three U.S. combinations competed at this world championship: Jennifer Thompson (Lodi, Wisc.) with Lexus (Grote Wonder x Werina), her own 2016 Dutch Harness Horse; Tasha Wilkie (Paso Robles, Calif.) with Van Dyk 4 (Vincent x Nadine), her own 2009 German Riding Pony gelding; Paula Bliss (Hillsboro, Va.) with Burr (Black Knight x Carla), her own 2013 Dutch Harness Horse cross gelding; and Jennifer Thompson (Lodi, Wic.) with Funnominial CG (Alex x Phenomeen), her own 2010 Dutch Warmblood gelding.

Legg said the competition at the historic venue was a challenging but positive experience for all U.S. combinations, who represented a wide range of experience at this level.

“All three team members competed at this venue in 2022, with this being the sixth world championship of Leslie Berndl,” he said. “While it is helpful to return to a venue in which one has previously competed, the vast improvements in the facility since 2022 almost made it a novel experience. From excellent stabling facilities to world class arenas, we were able to enjoy a spectacular venue.

“Personally, I think course designer Johann Jacobs is at the top of the pack as far as developing thoughtful yet challenging courses,” said Legg. “There were very good routes to be driven. However, one must have stayed on their route or they could fall into a trap. The footing held up well, and the slight terrain change for the track added a challenging element for some. I believe this was a world championship worthy-course, and one could easily see the care taken by the course design and support team.

“We were fortunate to have three individuals competing, not only in their first world championship, but also their first European competition,” Legg added. “We have some young, talented horses for whom I see a lot of promise in 2026. It is so important to gain the initial experience with international competitions within a team framework. I am thrilled that they gained this experience as it can only benefit future U.S. driving teams.”

Individual Results | Team Results

—Edited Press Release | Source: US Equestrian

The post Defender U.S. Driving Team Completes Outing at the 2024 FEI Driving World Championship for Single Horses appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

All exhibitors must complete the Mustang Trainer Readiness Curriculum prior to entering the Mustang Challenge completion. The goal is to improve training techniques. All exhibitors must show proof of pre-Classic show competition experience prior to the Classic competition September 13-15, 2024. The goal is to give more time and require competitor to expose their Mustang to other audiences to prepare for competition.

Mustang Classic Championship Finals

Kentucky Horse Park, Rolex Stadium | Sunday, September 15, 1 pm. – $50,000 to the Champion

The top 10 performing Mustang and exhibitor pairs from the preliminary classes will be invited to compete in the championship finals to determine the Mustang Classic Champion. Scoring will be based on training level dressage scores and a freestyle performance. The finals event is designed to encourage exhibitors to exhibit the athletic abilities of their Mustang to the crowd in an exciting and appealing way. The exhibitors will incorporate props, costumes, and music to demonstrate their skills and the talents of their Mustang.

◆ For Classic Championship Finals tickets, click here.
◆ For more information, click here.

The Schedule (Tentative)

Friday, September 13
◆ Rolex Stadium: Training Level Dressage

Saturday, September 14
◆ R Ring: Working Equitation
◆ Rolex Stadium: Arena Cross-Country/Show Jumping
◆ Awards Presentation and Top 10 Announcement

Sunday, September 15
◆ Rolex Stadium
◆ 10 a.m.: Doors open (ticket required)
◆ 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.: VIP Brunch (separate ticket required)
◆ 1 p.m.: Classic Championship Finals

Preliminary Classes

Training Level Dressage

The Training Level Dressage test is designed to showcase the foundation of training and partnership between a Mustang and rider through balance, flexibility and obedience.

Show Jumping

Horses will complete a show jumping course of 8-12 efforts, that includes one combination. Heights will be 2’3” (Maximum).

Arena Cross Country

All Mustangs will be judged over a cross-country course of approximately 10 obstacles in an arena. The jumps will be horse Trial Starter level with maximum height of jumps at 2’3” (27 inches).

Working Equitation

Working Equitation is a real test of the Mustang’s temperament and training, the riders skill and ability and of course the relationship between horse and rider combining dressage with obstacles.

Mustang Classic Championship Finals

◆ Rolex Stadium
◆ $50,000 to the Champion: 1 p.m. competition start

The top performing Mustang and exhibitor pairs will be invited to compete in the championship finals, a freestyle performance to determine the Mustang Classic Champion. Scoring will be based on training level dressage and your freestyle performance. The finals event is designed to encourage riders to exhibit the athletic abilities of the Mustang to the crowd in an exciting and appealing way. The exhibitor will have three and a half minutes to showcase their Mustang through a creative display of choreographed maneuvers that entertain the crowd and demonstrate their horsemanship. The exhibitor should incorporate props, costumes, and music to demonstrate their skills and the talents of their Mustangs.

—Edited Press Release | Source: Mustang Champions

The post Mustang Classic: $125K Competition Showcases Mustangs in English Disciplines appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Jim Fairclough (Newton, N.J.) and his team will drive their dressage test on Thursday, Sept. 5, at 3:03 p.m. CEST (9:03 a.m. ET). Chester Weber (Ocala, Fla.) will drive on Friday, Sept. 6, at 12:38 p.m. CEST (6:38 a.m. ET). The marathon phase will run on Saturday, followed by cones and final awards.

The FEI Driving World Championship for Four-in-Hand Horses is held every other year, and this year will be the first since the FEI World Equestrian Games Tryon 2018 that the U.S. will be in contention for a team result. Two team members are required to complete the four-in-hand world championship to qualify for a team score; in 2022, the U.S. had only one athlete compete in the championship, and in 2020, the championship was cancelled due to COVID-19. In 2018, the U.S. team earned its first-ever team gold.

Event Information

The championship is being held Sept. 4-8, 2024, at Hungary’s State Stud Farm at Szilvásvárad, a historic breeding center for Lipizzaner horses. A total of 43 athletes from 14 nations will compete for world championship titles at this year’s event.

◆ Official Website

◆ Order of Go and Results

◆ FEI Schedule

—Edited Press Release | Source: US Equestrian

Thanks to CareCredit for our spring and summer equestrian coverage.

The post Defender U.S. Driving Team Ready to Compete at the 2024 FEI Driving World Championship for Four-in-Hand Horses appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Once you’ve been rattled, it’s hard to calm down and refocus on why you’re there, sometimes in both the short-term (the day of the show) and the long-term (showing in general).

What Is Causing Your Horse Show Anxiety?

Most horse-show fear falls into two categories: fear of getting hurt and fear of making a fool of yourself. While one may strike you as easier to deal with than the other, fear in any form can be crippling.

No matter where your fear stems from, there are multiple ways you can head off anxiety overload. Preparation is key, both mentally and physically. Here are some ways to be as prepared as possible next time you have an off-farm adventure.

Physical Preparation

1. Create checklists. While you need not carry around a physical sheet of paper (having it on your phone is fine), knowing exactly what you need before the show and confirming that it’s in your trailer can ease a lot of showing anxiety.

Keeping everything in its designated place in the trailer ensures you know exactly what’s missing at a glance. Other things to keep on hand for last-minute questions and clarification include rulebooks, dressage tests, patterns, and courses.

2. Schedule like you’re leaving on vacation. Preparing for vacation can be time-consuming, but the result is always worth it. Plan your show day like you plan a trip, working backward from your ride time. Knowing when you need to be in the ring will allow you to plan when to groom, tack up, get dressed, get on and warm up.

Physically writing it all down lets you have a focused plan and quiets the mental chatter and doubt, according to Jessica Bollinger, a licensed clinical social worker who assists athletes from a variety of disciplines. Consider posting your schedule on your stall so it’s easily accessible. Rushing creates stress and is something you want to avoid.

3. Fuel up on quality foods. While nerves can make eating anything iffy, it’s crucial that you take in enough calories to prep for a long show day. Eat a healthy breakfast and pack nutritious snacks. Avoid sugar, which may give you a brief uptick in energy, but will leave you crashing later. Also ensure you’re hydrated.

“Water gives you a clear mind and focus,” says Bollinger.

4. Practice tapping. Take your dominant hand and tap side-to-side at your sternum with your middle finger and thumb for a few minutes at a time, says Bollinger. This rhythmic pressure on specific acupressure points on the body have been shown to lessen anxiety and reduce stress. This can be done before you get on or while you’re astride—any time you feel your anxiety ramping up.

5. Activate your vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is part of your parasympathetic nervous system, which controls your heart rate, digestion and immune system. Taking a long, deep breath and a long exhale when your heart begins to race activates this nerve and helps slow your heart and respiratory rates.

“Whenever a thought enters [your mind] that triggers your anxiety, take that long, deep breath,” Bollinger says. It will help to calm and relax you.

6. Hang loose. Unfortunately, anxiety causes you to tense your entire body, making it a rigid form that your horse must work against. According to Bollinger, your horse feels everything you feel. Tension can cause you to raise your shoulders, lock your arms and clamp down on your horse’s sides, none of which helps you relax.

One of the easiest ways to loosen up is to let your jaw flop—literally. It may feel strange at first, but you can’t clench your jaw if your teeth aren’t together, so breathe through your mouth and let your chin wag!

Mental Preparation

7. Find your focus. This can tough to do, especially when our brains tend to go into overdrive during a show. It’s important to focus on what you can control; don’t worry about the weather or what you think your horse will spook at or anything else that’s out of your hands.

If you can’t let go of a particular thought (“Is he going to spook at that tent at the end of the ring?”), create a plan to get your horse’s attention back and redirect his energy. Bollinger suggests using positive thoughts and positive visualization (“Inside leg!”).

8. Break it down into bite-sized goals. Though we all want to walk into the show ring and own our course, pattern or class, sometimes you need tangible things to do to feel a sense of accomplishment. But just something might be small doesn’t mean it won’t add up to big results in the end.

Sitting tall, not looking for your lead or riding deep in your corners are all important keys to allowing you to (one day) go in and nail every jump or movement.

9. Visualize. Ride your pattern or course by closing your eyes and taking long, deep breaths, says Bollinger. Add in tapping while you visualize for an added effect.

Though many people visualize watching themselves ride from the sidelines, use the perspective from the back of your horse like you’re actually riding your course or test.

10. Be grateful and positive. Don’t forget how lucky you are to get to show! You get to be outside with your four-legged best friend, surrounded by people you enjoy.

To help remain focused on these things, Bollinger suggests gratitude and positive manifestation journaling. Think about and write down the answers to these prompts either the night before or the morning of the show: “What I am grateful for? How will the day culminate in a positive way?”

Extra Tips for Calming Horse Show Anxiety

11. Be present. This one is tricky, as it’s easy to think ahead (When will we get home?) or behind you and obsess over what went wrong. To remind yourself to stay in the present, focus on something very specific, like rubbing your horse’s ears and feeling how soft his coat is or listening to your horse’s footfalls beneath you.

12. Take some quiet time. It’s OK to take some time for yourself, even if your cheering squad is there to celebrate your time in the ring. A few moments to gather your thoughts, run over your pattern, and pat your horse will help you give it your best shot.

13. Give yourself an escape. This doesn’t mean you don’t try; it means you give yourself an out if things start to go sideways and you can’t correct your course.

This means thinking, “If after 20 minutes of warmup he’s still spooking at everything, I’ll scratch,” instead of, “He’s going to be bad, I know it. I’m not even going to get on.” Once you give yourself permission to leave, you won’t feel as trapped.

This article about how to calm your horse show anxiety and nerves appeared in the June 2023 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Calm Your Horse Show Anxiety appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

The Paris 2024 Olympic equestrian stadium on the grounds of the French Palace of Versailles has gone quiet for now. The throngs of spectators, and the riders, grooms, officials and horses have all gone home to rest. Over the last two weeks, the competition has been top-notch and the setting breathtaking.

In less than a month’s time, the world’s top para-dressage riders and horses, and their entourages, will once again fill the stadium during the Paralympics. After that, the task for Games organizers will be to restore the grounds to original condition―pristine parkland.

But for just one more moment, let’s savor the Paris 2024 Olympic Games equestrian action. Here’s a recap of what was.

Opening Ceremony

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony took place on a rainy Friday, July 26, not in a stadium this time, but on the River Seine. The athletes’ parade was staged on boats floating on the river with spectator stands lining the banks.

The Opening Ceremony was actually designed with television viewing in mind, however, and following the athletes’ parade, a visually appealing artistic show worthy of Broadway or Vegas floated down the Seine. That, coupled with performances by Lady Gaga and Celine Dion (who sang from the Eiffel Tower), made for an enjoyable show.

Equestrian fans, if you didn’t watch the Opening Ceremony, you might want to view a replay. The final bit of the show featured a galloping mechanical horse gliding at a good clip on the water’s surface along the Seine. Once the mechanical horse and his hooded rider reached the river’s banks, it magically transformed into a real horse, a lovely grey, and rider who climbed up the ramp and moved down the streets of Paris until they were out of view.

Another reason to watch a replay of the Opening Ceremony is to see if you can spot U.S. Equestrian Team members among those on the U.S. athletes’ boat during the parade. While the eventing athletes were presenting their horses for inspection on the 26th, some of the U.S. dressage and jumping riders decided to take part in the Ceremony. U.S. Dressage Team members Steffen Peters and Endel Ots (traveling reserve) donned Ralph Lauren-designed uniforms and joined U.S. Jumping Team member McLain Ward on the U.S. boat. It was the sixth Olympics for Peters and Ward and the first for Ots.

Eventing Up First

First up on the Paris 2024 Olympic equestrian schedule, eventing took place July 26-29. Sixty-four horse and rider combinations from 27 different countries took part. The cross-country took place around the Grand Canal and through the parkland on the Palace of Versailles estate. The dressage and jumping phases were in the stadium, strategically positioned to use a view of the Palace as a backdrop.

The eventing dressage phase brought record-breaking scores for Great Britain’s Laura Collett and London 52 (17.50) and Germany’s Michael Jung and Chipmunk FRH (17.80), both eclipsing the USA’s David O’Connor and Custom Made’s 2000 Sydney Olympic score of 19.30 (converted to match the current scoring system).

After it was all said and done, the very strong British Team prevailed to capture gold and the home-country French Team silver. In another Olympic milestone, the Japanese Team took bronze, the first-ever Olympic medal for Japan in eventing. (The last Japanese equestrian to win an Olympic medal was Takeichi Nishi who won show jumping gold in 1932.)

The final individual standings showed Michael Jung winning his third consecutive Olympic individual gold medal, another Olympic record. (He rode La Biosthetique-Sam FBW to gold in the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games.) Australia’s Christopher Burton riding Shadow Man captured silver, and British rider Collett and London 52 bronze.

The U.S. Eventing Team (Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake, Elisabeth Halliday and Nutcracker, Boyd Martin and Fedarman B) finished seventh overall. Individual placings for the U.S. riders: Martin and Fedarman B, 10th; Halliday and Nutcracker, 19th, and Pamukcu and HSH Blake, 37th.

While it was a disappointing finish for the U.S. Team, two of the three U.S. horses are quite young yet (HSH Blake is 9 and Nutcracker is 10), so high hopes for the future there. The final U.S. placings don’t really tell the entire story; there were some nice moments. Martin and Fedarman B only added 1.6 time penalties on cross-country and then nothing else to their dressage score (30.50) for a final score of 32.10. It was his best individual finish to date in four Olympics.

It was an Olympic debut for both Halliday and Pamukcu and their young horses. Halliday and Nutcracker had a good dressage score (28.0) and jumped clear on cross-country with only time penalties there, and then no rails in their first show jumping round and only one rail in the second. Were it not for an uncharacteristic stop (and the resulting time penalties) on cross-country, and one rail in the show jumping, Pamukcu and young HSH Blake’s performance showed promise as well.

◆ Full Eventing Recap
◆ Team Eventing Results
◆ Individual Eventing Results

Dressage Brings More Records

Second up on the Paris 2024 Olympic equestrian docket was dressage. The Grand Prix Tests (which served as a qualifier for both team and individual competitions) were on July 30 and 31, then two days’ rest. Then, the Grand Prix Special Test on August 3 determined the team medals. Then finally, the Grand Prix Freestyle for individual medals was on August 4. Sixty horse and rider combinations representing 30 countries competed in dressage.

The team competition (which included the top ten teams based on rankings from the Grand Prix Test) was hotly contested between Germany and Denmark, with Great Britain breathing down their necks as well. Germany won gold by super-small margin of 0.121 (235.790) with Denmark silver (235.669) and Great Britain bronze (232.492). It was a record 15th Olympic dressage team gold for Germany.

The top 18 horse and rider combinations (representing 10 countries) based on scores from the Grand Prix Test moved on to the individual finals in the Freestyle. The crowd was treated to an enjoyable day of music and dancing. The individual medal winners were: TSF Dalera BB ridden by Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, Germany, gold; Wendy ridden by Isabell Werth, Germany, silver, and Glamourdale ridden by Charlotte Fry, Great Britain, bronze.

This was the second consecutive Olympic gold medal for von Bredow-Werndl and Dalera since they also won in Tokyo in 2021. The silver for Werth was her 14th Olympic medal (eight gold and six silver); she continues to be the most decorated Olympic equestrian of all time thus far.

The U.S. Dressage Team members were Adrienne Lyle and Helix, Marcus Orlob and Jane and Steffen Peters and Suppenkasper. They encountered huge disappointment with the elimination of Marcus Orlob and Jane during the Grand Prix Test on the first day (due to a small amount of blood from a tiny cut on Jane’s right hind fetlock, which is cause for elimination under FEI’s rules). This also resulted in the elimination of the U.S. Team and meant that Lyle and Peters and their horses would only compete as individuals going forward.

Lyle and Helix scored 72.593 percent in their Grand Prix Test on the first day to finish 20th in the overall standings. They just missed qualification for the individual finals by just 0.823.

Peters and Suppenkasper competed on the second day of Grand Prix. As they worked in their test, Suppenkasper became more and more tense, evidentially spotting something outside the ring that spooked him. Peters did a good job of keeping the lid on the situation until the final line when Suppenkasper stopped in the piaffe and resisted going forward. They did finish, but the incident cost them and they scored 66.491 percent, much lower than their normal. It wasn’t their day, proving once again that horses each have their own mind and things can happen even to the most experienced riders.

The U.S. Dressage Team will now focus on building toward the 2026 World Championships in Aachen, Germany, and the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, USA. Dressage fans will, no doubt, be there to cheer on the team’s riders at these events.

A fun surprise that shined a light on the U.S. Equestrian Team was the visit of celebrities Snoop Dogg (who was an Olympic commentator for NBC) and his buddy Martha Stewart to the equestrian venue. They arrived in shadbelly riding coats and visited with U.S. riders Steffen Peters and Endel Ots and their horses Suppenkasper and Bohemian, respectively. They talked with the riders and fed carrots to the horses. U.S. show jumping riders Karl Cook, Laura Kraut, and McLain Ward also had their photos taken with Snoop and Stewart. During the visit Snoop admitted that he was afraid of horses, but in the video he seemed to genuinely want to overcome that fear. Watch Snoop Dogg’s equestrian segment here.

◆ Full Dressage Recap
◆ Team Dressage Results
◆ Individual Dressage Results

Jumping Closes Paris Olympic Equestrian Schedule

Show jumping was the final sport on the Paris 2024 Olympic equestrian schedule. Thirty-five countries were represented, 20 teams of three riders each and an additional 15 riders competing as individuals for their countries. There were two days of team competition (a team qualifier on August 1 and team final on August 2) and then, two days of individual competition (a qualifier on August 5 and a final on August 6).

Throughout the team competition, the U.S. riders (Laura Kraut on Baloutinue, Karl Cook on Caracole de la Roque, and McLain Ward on Ilex) performed very well with two clear rounds from Kraut and Cook, and Ward with only one rail (four faults) and two time faults in the qualifier. Then, in the final, Cook and Ward each jumped clear rounds with Kraut having only one rail. That earned them team silver behind Great Britain, who won gold with only two penalties. The home country, France, took bronze with seven penalties. It was the third consecutive team jumping silver for the USA, having also earned one in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and in Tokyo in 2021.

In the individual qualifier, the U.S. riders again jumped very well, with team rookies Cook and Caracole de la Roque producing another clear round and Kraut and Baloutinue dropping one rail, but in a fast enough time to qualify to move on the next day. Ward and Ilex also had only one unlucky rail at the last fence, but their time was slower and they did not qualify to move on.

On individual final day, there were a number of unexpected happenings, among them the reigning World Champions Henrik von Eckermann and King Edward parting ways during their round, eliminating them from the competition. Of the 30 horse and rider combinations competing in the final, only three jumped clean. This forced a jump-off for the medals between Germany’s Christian Kukuk and Checker 47, Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat and Dynamix de Belheme and the Netherland’s Maikel van der Vleuten and Beauville Z.

Only one of the three pairs jumped double clear in the individual final jump-off, Kukuk and Checker 47, to earn gold. Guerdat and Dynamix de Belheme took the individual silver with van der Vleuten and Beauville Z bronze (each dropped one rail, but Guerdat had the quicker time). U.S. riders Kraut on Baloutinue took down one rail to finish eighth, and Cook on Caracole De La Roque dropped two to finish 16th.

◆ Full Team Show Jumping Recap
◆ Full Individual Show Jumping Recap
◆ Team Show Jumping Results
◆ Individual Show Jumping Results

Final Paris 2024 Olympic Equestrian Medal Count

In the overall equestrian venue medal count, Germany and Great Britain tied with five each (four gold and one silver for Germany and two gold and three bronze for Great Britain). Second in medals won was France with two (one silver and one bronze). Australia, Denmark, Japan, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the USA all garnered one medal each.

Germany left its mark on these Games by winning individual gold in all three equestrian sports (Jung in eventing, von Bredow-Werndl in dressage and Kukuk in jumping) in addition to their team gold and individual silver in dressage. Great Britain, too, made a statement with their team gold and individual bronze in eventing, team and individual bronze in dressage, and team gold in jumping.

The Amazing Paris 2024 Olympic Equestrian Venue

Riders had nothing but praise for the amenities offered at the Olympic equestrian venue at the Palace of Versailles estate. And, the views from the grandstands were nothing short of one-of-a-kind spectacular.

Many spectators, and some competitors, also took the opportunity to tour the Palace and its stables and grounds. There was also a special exhibit of equestrian art at the Palace, “Horses in Majesty at the Heart of a Civilization”. Everywhere you looked, the horse figured conspicuously into the architecture, art and history of Versailles.

Celebrity Sightings

The equestrian venue attracted its fair share of celebrities who came to watch the action. In addition to Snoop Dogg and Stewart, the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, was there for show jumping and Great Britain’s Princess Anne for eventing (she was a medal presenter). Then, actors and spouses Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes were spotted watching on dressage freestyle day.

Looking Toward Los Angeles 2028

The Olympic Games return to U.S. soil in 2028 when Los Angeles is scheduled to host for a third time. The equestrian venue is set for Galway Downs, an equestrian facility in Temecula, California. While it was announced by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in October 2023 that all three equestrian sports were to be included in the 2028 Olympics, a conflicting statement was issued in January 2024 that a format for eventing had yet to be accepted for the 2028 Games.

Rumors of one of the three equestrian sports being in danger of not being included in 2028 are circulating now too, but it remains to be seen what will ultimately happen. Possible reasons run the gamut from the costs and logistical challenges of including equestrian sports to recent reports of animal welfare issues surfacing. Fans of equestrian sports should consider providing positive feedback to the IOC and the television networks to make them aware of how much interest there is for these competitions to continue in the Olympics and Paralympics.

In a statement during the Olympic Games, Isabell Werth called on all equestrians and horse lovers to step up and lead by example by providing a good life for horses, “We need to establish a culture of respecting the horse as a creature. Education is important, but this senseless violence must not happen, because otherwise, we’ll have a hard time making our case to the rest of the world.”

Paris 2024 Paralympics Para-Dressage

The stadium at the Palace of Versailles will fill with fans one last time September 3, 4, 6 and 7 when the para-dressage competition will take place. Thirty countries are expected to send athletes to compete. The U.S. Para-Dressage Team was named on July 11. They are:

◆ Rebecca Hart (Loxahatchee, Fla.) and Floratina, a 2008 Hanoverian mare (Fidertanz 2 x Rubin Royal OLD) owned by Rowan O’Riley and cared for by Mackenzie Young

◆ Fiona Howard (Boston, Mass.) and Diamond Dunes, a 2013 Hanoverian gelding (De L’Or x Wolkentanz) owned by Dressage Family LLC and Hof Kasselmann and cared for by Helen Claire McNulty

◆ Kate Shoemaker (Wellington, Fla.) and Vianne, a 2016 Hanoverian mare (Vitalis x Ramiro’s Bube) owned by Nocordia USA and cared for by Katherine Barrett

◆ Roxanne Trunnell (Royal Palm Beach, Fla.) and Fan Tastico H, a 2017 Oldenburg gelding (Fuersentaball OLD x Weltmeyer) owned by Karin Flint and cared for by Rafael Hernandez-Carillo

Helpful Links

◆ Horse Illustrated’s Paris 2024 Olympic Equestrian Main Page
◆ Overall Paris 2024 Olympic Equestrian Results Book
◆ Final Equestrian Medal Standings

Thanks to CareCredit for our spring and summer equestrian coverage.

The post 2024 Paris Olympics: Equestrian Recap appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Check out Horse Illustrated’s latest updates from the 2024 Paris Olympics on equestrian sports for the three disciplines of dressage, eventing, and show jumping. 

U.S. Olympic Equestrian Teams

◆ U.S. Olympic Eventing Team
◆ U.S. Olympic Dressage Team
◆ U.S. Olympic Jumping Team

Latest News from the 2024 Paris Olympics

Equestrian Recap

The Paris 2024 Olympic equestrian stadium on the grounds of the French Palace of Versailles has gone quiet for now. The throngs of spectators, and the riders, grooms, officials and horses have all gone home to rest. Over the last two weeks, the competition has been top-notch and the setting breathtaking.

In less than a month’s time, the world’s top para-dressage riders and horses, and their entourages, will once again fill the stadium during the Paralympics. After that, the task for Games organizers will be to restore the grounds to original condition―pristine parkland.

But for just one more moment, let’s savor the Paris 2024 Olympic Games equestrian action. Here’s a recap of what was.

Read more >>

Dramatic End To Show Jumping Individual Final

The 2024 Paris Olympics equestrian competition closed with the Show Jumping Individual Final today, a dramatic end to 11 days of equestrian competition here at the Château de Versailles southwest of Paris. The huge course, co-designed by Santiago Varela Ullastres from Spain and Grégory Bodo from France, was higher, wider, longer and required a faster pace than previous courses in the last week.

Read more >>

Show Jumping Individual Final Results

The 30 riders returning for the 2024 Paris Olympics individual jumping final today faced a really tough track co-designed by Santiago Varela from Spain and Grégory Bodo from France―higher, wider, longer and requiring a faster pace. Only three went double clear in the first round, requiring a jump-off for medals: Germany’s Christian Kukuk on Checker 47; the Netherlands’ Maikel van der Vleuten on Beauville Z, and Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat on Dynamix de Belheme.

When the last fence of the jump-off had been jumped, the medals were set: Kukuk gold, Guerdat silver, and van der Vleuten bronze. The USA’s Laura Kraut was eighth with Baloutinue and Karl Cook was 16th with Caracole de la Roque.

Read more >>

Show Jumping Individual Qualifier

In an exciting first day of individual show jumping competition, two of the three U.S. riders qualified to move on to the Paris 2024 Olympics individual jumping finals tomorrow. Seventy-three riders attempted the course co-designed by Santiago Varela from Spain and Grégory Bodo from France today.

Two U.S. riders qualified for to tomorrow’s Paris 2024 Olympics show jumping final: Karl Cook aboard Caracole de la Roque, and Laura Kraut aboard Baloutinue.

Read more >>

Dressage Freestyle Recap

The final day of the Paris 2024 Olympic dressage schedule dawned blessedly cool and a bit overcast, in the high 60s (Fahrenheit), a nice break after the extreme heat and humidity of the Grand Prix Test days last week. Earlier this morning, all 18 horses to go in today’s Grand Prix Freestyle Test were inspected by the Ground Jury again for fitness to compete and all were accepted without issue.

So the stage was set for an enjoyable day of dancing in the sand. With the gorgeous backdrop of the Palace of Versailles (with its glittering fountains and manicured gardens) shining behind the entrance at A, the day felt a bit like attending a classical ballet performance in one of the great halls. The huge crowd was ready. The first horse and rider, Patrik Kittel and Touchdown, had warmed up and stepped into the arena. Anticipation and excitement filled the air.

Read more >>

Dressage Individual Final

Dressage competition at the 2024 Paris Olympics concluded this afternoon with riders from Germany taking the top two of the three individual medals and Great Britain taking bronze. Reigning Olympic Champions from Tokyo 2020/21, Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and the amazing 17-year-old Trakehner mare TSF Dalera BB repeated in wining gold here in Paris, finishing on a score of 90.093 percent. The pair rode to a medley of French songs in a nod to the host city Paris.

Read more >>

Dressage Team Final

The top ten dressage teams, based on scores in the Grand Prix Test competition from July 30 and 31, returned to the main arena for the FEI Grand Prix Special Test here at the Château de Versailles today for the 2024 Paris Olympics. After a string of four hot, humid days dotted with intermittent thunderstorms, the skies were mostly overcast (but without rain) and temps were in the high 60s (Fahrenheit) when competition began. The stands were full to witness today’s battle for team medals.

In a close finish, Germany secured a third straight gold medal in dressage and 15th ever in Olympic history.

Read more >>

Three Times Olympic Silver for U.S. Jumping Team

The U.S. Jumping Team captured their third consecutive Olympic silver medal today in the Show Jumping Team Final here at the Château de Versailles in France. In addition to Paris 2024, they also won silver in the Tokyo 2020/21 Olympics Games and Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games. Great Britain won gold today with a total of two penalties (their last Olympic jumping team medal was gold in 2012 in London). Home country France took the bronze on a score of seven penalties (their last Olympic show jumping medal was gold in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro).

Read more >>

Show Jumping Team Final Results

In an exciting finish to the 2024 Paris Olympics team show jumping final, Great Britain’s riders all jumped clear, but incurred two time penalties to grab the gold ahead of the U.S. team, who captured silver with only four penalties. The home nation, France, finished on seven penalties for bronze.

Laura Kraut and Baloutinue, the lead-off pair for the USA, brought down only one rail and stayed within the time allowed to start the U.S. team out with four faults. The USA’s Karl Cook riding Caracole de la Roque, the middle rider to go for the U.S. team this afternoon, jumped clear and was the fastest (75.88) for the team. Team anchor rider McLain Ward on Ilex jumped clear as well in 76.57 to add no penalties to the team’s score.

Read more >>

Jumping Competition Underway with Jumping Team Qualifier

Changes were announced to the U.S. Show Jumping Team roster for today’s 2024 Paris Olympics Jumping Team Qualifier Class before the sun came up (at 3:55 a.m.). US Equestrian (USEF) issued a press release saying that, due to a slight allergic reaction, Kent Farrington’s mare Greya would be replaced.

This did not deter the American team, though, as they posted the second best score in the qualifier. With that, they will advance to compete against nine other countries in tomorrow’s Jumping Team Final.

Read more >>

U.S. Show Jumping Team Qualifies for Team Finals

With great rides by all three U.S. riders, the U.S. Show Jumping Team here at the 2024 Paris Olympics have qualified to move into tomorrow’s jumping finals on a score of only 6 faults. They were the second best team in the rankings today, behind Germany who finished in the top spot on zero faults.

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US Equestrian Announces Pre-Competition Change for U.S. Olympic Jumping Team Prior to Start of Team Competition Today

US Equestrian has announced a pre-competition change prior to the start of team competition for the U.S. Olympic Jumping Team today at Versailles. Kent Farrington and Greya will be replaced by Karl Cook and Caracole de la Roque for today’s Team Qualifier competition, which begins at 11:00 a.m. GMT+2/5:00 a.m. ET.

“There is a small question mark with Greya, which is allergy related, and erring on the side of extreme caution and with the no drop score in the format, we have made the decision to bring in Karl Cook and Caracole de la Roque,” said Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland.

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Show Jumping Begins Tomorrow

Tomorrow, Thursday, August 1, is the 2024 Paris Olympics show jumping debut, beginning with the team qualifier. There will be 20 teams of three riders each for a total of 60 competing in the qualifier class. Competition runs from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Central European Time (5:00 a.m. – 8:00  a.m. U.S. Eastern Time).

Then, the next day, Friday, August 2, is the jumper team finals and medal ceremony. For the team final, the number is whittled down to 10 teams of three for a total of 30 riders. Competition runs 2:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Central European Time (8:00 a.m. -10:30 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time).

Then the jumpers will take two days off while the dressage horses finish up. Finally, jumping returns to close out the 2024 Paris Olympics equestrian competition with the individual qualifier (75 starters) on Monday, August 5, 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. CET (8:00 a.m. – Noon U.S. ET) with the individual final (30 riders) and medal ceremony on Tuesday, August 6, from 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. CET (4:00 a.m. – 6:30 a.m. U.S. ET).

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Scores Climb Higher On Final Day of Dressage Grand Prix Qualifiers

As the calendar closed on July 2024, so did the Paris 2024 Olympics schedule for Grand Prix Dressage. Day two of competition saw more international stars enter the ring at the Château de Versailles and the level of energy ramped up even further as did the scores. Luckily the day wasn’t quite as hot as yesterday, but after a grey start this morning, the sun did reappear and temperatures soared near 88.

Three more groups (D, E, and F) of ten horse and rider combinations took their turn performing the FEI Grand Prix Test, which serves as both a team and individual qualifier. The team medals will be decided by the Grand Prix Special (top ten teams including any ties for tenth place qualified from today) on Saturday, August 3. Then, the top 18 horse and rider combinations (including any ties) after today will return to contest individual medals in the Grand Prix Freestyle on Sunday, August 4.

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Dressage Grand Prix Day 2

Germany’s Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and the Trakehner mare TSF Dalera BB wowed the judges again today, scoring 82.065 percent for the best Grand Prix score of both days of dressage competition here at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Not only did this put them in good stead going into the individual medal competition in next Sunday’s Grand Prix Freestyle competition, but it boosted the German dressage team past Denmark in the team standings. The Germans sit on 237.546 going into the team medal finals, the Grand Prix Special Test, on Saturday.

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Dressage Grand Prix Day 1

On day one of Grand Prix Dressage at the 2024 Paris Olympics, thirty horse and rider combinations from 19 countries took their turns performing the FEI Grand Prix test in the arena, including two from the USA, Marcus Orlob and Jane and Adrienne Lyle and Helix. The riders competed in three groups of 10 each with each group being assigned a letter (A, B, C). Other countries represented today were: Australia; Austria; Belgium; Brazil; Canada; Denmark; France; Finland; Great Britain; Germany; Ireland; Lithuania; the Netherlands; Poland; Portugal; Singapore; Sweden, and Venezuela.

Denmark’s Nanna Skodborg Merrald and Zepter topped the leaderboard.

With the elimination of U.S. rider Marcus Orlob aboard Jane, the U.S. team has also been eliminated. Now, Adrienne Lyle (Helix) and Steffen Peters (Suppenkasper) will compete as individuals only.

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Eventing Wraps Today; Dressage Takes Center Stage Tomorrow

Olympic eventing’s final phase, show jumping, took place today at the 2024 Paris Olympics. With sunny skies above and the stunning backdrop of the Grand Canal and the Palace of Versailles behind, it couldn’t have been a better setting for the roughly 16,000 people who filled the stands for two rounds in the arena today.

Great Britain took team gold in eventing for the second Olympics in a row. In individual competition, Michael Jung made history by becoming the first eventer to ever win three individual gold medals.

As the eventers go home, the dressage specialists will take center stage tomorrow, July 30, in the first of two days of Grand Prix tests.

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Eventing Individual Final Results

Germany’s superstar equestrian Michael Jung etched his name into the record books again today by winning his third Olympic individual eventing gold medal, the first person in Olympic history to do so. His three gold medals came riding only two horses, first La Biosthetique-Sam FBW (London 2012 and Rio 2016), then this year on Chipmunk FRH.

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Eventing Team Final Results & Riders To Jump For Individual Medals

Great Britain held on to win gold in team eventing this afternoon at the 2024 Paris Olympics, winning by 12.3 points (91.3) over France in silver position (103.6). Tom McEwen and JL Dublin jumped double clear for Great Britain to finish on their dressage score of 25.8, while their overall scoring top rider, Laura Collett aboard London 52, dropped one rail and added 0.8 time faults to finish on 23.1. Rosalind Canter and Lordships Graffalo dropped one rail, but jumped within the time to finish on 42.4.

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Eventing Cross-Country Summary & Show Jumping

After two days of rain here in the Île-de-France at the 2024 Paris Olympics, it was sunny and cool-ish with temps beginning in the high 50s and ending the day near 80 degrees (Fahrenheit) yesterday during the cross-country phase of eventing. Although there was plenty of mud in the walking paths for the estimated over 40,000 spectators arriving here, the galloping track on course looked to be fairly nice―not too hard, not too muddy, but perhaps sticky in a couple of spots.

As always in this sport, especially with the current super-intense format of Olympic eventing, the story of the day boiled down to “it was the best of times and worst of times” to paraphrase Charles Dickens. There were some spectacular rounds, the current leader Germany’s Michael Jung and Chipmunk FRH among them; they pulled ahead of Great Britain’s Laura Collett and London 52 by 0.5 going double clear when Collett and London had 0.8 time penalties.

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Eventing Cross-Country Photo Gallery and Results

With the stunning backdrop of the Palace of Versailles, eventers took to the cross-country course for the second day of eventing at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Two-time Olympic individual gold medalist Michael Jung (GER), riding Chipmunk FRH, now tops the individual leaderboard as Great Britain holds onto its lead in team rankings. The U.S. Eventing Team is now ninth, with Boyd Martin aboard Fedarman B the top-ranked American rider in 17th.

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Olympic Records Broken & Team Standings After Eventing Dressage

Olympic records were broken during the team and individual eventing dressage competition today at the Palace of Versailles, located about half an hour southwest of Paris, during the 2024 Paris Olympics. Home to several generations of French kings, and now the venue for equestrian sports in the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games, the iconic chateau and manicured gardens served as a beautiful backdrop behind letter A of the dressage arena. Though rain fell the entire day, crowds still mostly filled the stands by midday and few left early.

For the first time in recent memory, and perhaps ever, the eventing dressage competition was completed all on one day. Sixty-four horse and rider combinations from 27 different countries cantered down centerline from 9:30 a.m. until just after 6 p.m.

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Eventing Dressage Recap

The day was soggy and grey, but the competition today in the 2024 Paris Olympics eventing dressage phase was as hotly contested as it gets. Two horse and rider combinations, Laura Collett (GBR) on London 52, and Michael Jung (GER) on Chipmunk FRH, bested the Olympic record score set in 2000 at the Sydney Olympic Games by gold medalists David O’Connor and Custom Made (USA).

Team USA sits in sixth with a 88.9. The top rider for the USA was Elisabeth Halliday on Nutcracker; they currently stand in 19th place (28.0). Second best scorers for the USA were Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake in 25th (30.4). Boyd Martin and Federman B scored (30.5) for 26th.

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After Roster Shuffle, U.S. Eventing Team Ready to Roll in Paris Olympics

The good news is that all of the U.S. Olympic Eventing Team horses (including their reserve horse) presented this morning at the Olympic equestrian venue in Versailles passed the first inspection today. The bad news is that the last two days here in France have been a roller coaster of ups and downs for the members of the U.S. Olympic Eventing Team, with Will Coleman having to withdraw. Traveling reserve pair Liz Halliday and Cooley Nutcracker have now moved onto the team, and Sydney Elliot and QC Diamantaire will now become the traveling reserve combination.

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US Equestrian Announces Changes for U.S. Olympic Eventing Team Before Start of Paris 2024

US Equestrian has announced a change to the U.S. Olympic Eventing Team prior to the start of competition at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Traveling reserve combination Liz Halliday and Cooley Nutcracker will move into the three-member team, replacing Will Coleman and Diabolo.

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2024 Paris Olympics: Equestrian Schedule

Check out the full schedule of equestrian sports at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Find times listed in Central European Time (Paris local time) and then converted to U.S. Eastern Time. Equestrian competition will take place July 27 through August 6.

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2024 Paris Olympics: Equestrian Preview

The Olympic torch is currently winding its way through France on the way to the “City of Lights” to ignite the cauldron on the evening of July 26 during the opening of the 33rd Modern Olympiad in Paris. Meanwhile, in national equestrian federation offices and training stables around the world, strategies are being formed for the best possible performances at the Olympics. It’s all about representing one’s country, achieving personal bests, and Olympic dreams now. The Paris 2024 Olympic Games take place July 26-August 11 (with equestrian events July 26-August 6).

Read on to find out who’s representing Team USA, which competitors to watch, schedule details, how to watch, and more.

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US Equestrian Announces U.S. Olympic Jumping Team for Paris 2024 Olympic Games

US Equestrian is pleased to announce the athlete-and-horses combinations selected to represent the U.S. Olympic Jumping Team as a part of Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, to be held in Versailles, France, from July 27 – August 9, 2024. The jumping competition will begin on August 1, 2024, and continue through August 6, 2024, at the equestrian grounds of Versailles.

The athlete-and-horse combinations are Kent Farrington and Greya; Laura Kraut and Baloutinue; McLain Ward and Ilex; and the traveling reserves, Karl Cook and Caracole de la Roque.

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US Equestrian Announces U.S. Olympic Dressage Team for Paris 2024 Olympic Games

US Equestrian is pleased to announce the four athlete-and-horse combinations selected to represent the United States as a part of Team USA at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games hosted from July 26 – August 11, 2024. The dressage competition will begin on July 30, 2024, and continue through August 4, 2024, at the equestrian grounds of Versailles.

The athlete-and-horse combinations are Adrienne Lyle and Helix; Marcus Orlob and Jane; Steffen Peters and Suppenkasper; and the traveling reserves, Endel Ots and Bohemian.

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US Equestrian Announces U.S. Olympic Eventing Team Ahead of Paris 2024 Olympic Games

US Equestrian is pleased to announce the athlete-and-horse combinations selected to represent the U.S. Olympic Eventing Team at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games hosted from July 26 – August 11, 2024. Eventing competition will be the first equestrian discipline on the overall Paris 2024 sporting schedule and held at the equestrian grounds of Versailles, beginning on Saturday, July 27, and concluding on Monday, July 29.

The athlete-and-horse combinations are William Coleman and Off The Record (direct reserve Diabolo); Boyd Martin and Fedarman B (direct reserve Commando 3); Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake; traveling reserve Elisabeth Halliday and Cooley Nutcracker; and various team alternates.

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Olympic Extras

Olympic Equestrian Trivia and Fun Facts

Get ready for the Games with these Olympic equestrian fun facts and trivia. You’ll enjoy interesting tidbits of history about equestrian sports at the Olympic Games, from the early days of modern Games to more recent years of competition.

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The Paris 2024 Equestrian Venue

The Olympic equestrian competition, as well as the pentathlon, will all take place at the iconic Château de Versailles estate (Palace of Versailles). Not since the London 2012 Olympics, when the Queen’s House and Greenwich Park hosted equestrian sports, has an Olympic venue backdrop been so breathtaking. Learn more about the venue and its history.

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Q&A with Hallye Griffin, US Equestrian Chef de Mission

A member of the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) team since 2011, Hallye Griffin was appointed as the Director of FEI Sport in March 2023. With that role, she assumed position as Chef de Mission at the Olympic, Paralympic, and Pan American Games, as well as the FEI World Championships. In taking this post, Griffin has made history as the first female US Equestrian Chef de Mission.

Horse Illustrated had a quick chat with Griffin ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics to discuss this year’s Games and what her role as Chef de Mission entails.

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Equestrian Sports’ Close Ties With Paris

The 33rd modern Olympics being hosted by Paris is fitting since the city will host the Games for a third time in 2024. Paris first hosted the Olympics in 1900, then again 100 years ago in 1924 and both years have significant ties to equestrian sports. Hosting for the third time ties Paris with London at the top of the list in number of times a city has hosted the Games. Dive deeper to Olympic history’s ties to both Paris and horse sports.

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Q&A with Adrienne Lyle of the U.S. Olympic Dressage Team

Making her third Olympic appearance for the U.S. Olympic Dressage Team, Adrienne Lyle will arrive in Paris with two new additions: her new mount, Helix, and her 9-month-old daughter, Bailey. A 2012 Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Zen Elite Equestrian Center and cared for by Marina Lemay, Helix was purchased with the Olympics in mind for Lyle in late 2023. The horse and rider team competed together on just a handful of occasions in spring 2024, but quickly made it clear that they make for an impressive duo.

Horse Illustrated had a quick chat with Lyle ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics to discuss this year’s Games.

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Thanks to CareCredit for our spring and summer equestrian coverage.

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