W. Springfield, Mass. — Wondering what’s waiting for you at the 2024 Equine Affaire? Horses, horses, and more horses! For more than 25 years, Equine Affaire has proudly served North America as its premier equine exposition and equestrian gathering for equestrians from all corners of the industry. Join us at the Eastern States Exposition in W. Springfield, MA, on November 7-10, for four days of educational and fun clinics, seminars, and demonstrations; exciting competitions; hands-on activities; a sprawling trade show; and lots more, including Fantasia, a thrilling nighttime show that combines music with the beauty and grace of horses to create magic for horse lovers of all ages.

If you love horses, Equine Affaire and Fantasia are can’t-miss entertainment! Tickets for both events are on sale now via equineaffaire.com and the Western Edge mobile app for iPhone and Android. Whether you purchase your tickets online or through the app, you’ll receive them in your email – but make sure you keep the app on your phone! Through Western Edge, you’ll have all the event details available at your fingertips, including a venue map, the event schedule, exhibitor listings, and much more. Stay up to date on all things Equine Affaire with Western Edge and enjoy some exciting surprises along the way!

General admission tickets to Equine Affaire are $18/day for adults or $55 for a four-day pass; children’s tickets are available for $10/day for children ages 7-10; and children six and under are admitted for free. Bring the whole family and enjoy access to the trade show, theme pavilions, the Versatile Horse and Rider Competition, the Great Equestrian Fitness Challenge, the Breed Bonanza, and all clinics, seminars, and demonstrations, as well as a variety of immersive activities. Hours for the show are from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. While you’re buying your general admission tickets, don’t forget to buy your Fantasia tickets! Review the seating map in the app to select the right seats for you and your friends. Tickets for Fantasia range from $16-$27.

Sponsored by Equine Medical and Surgical Associates, Fantasia will take place for three nights only on November 7, 8, and 9 in the Coliseum. Doors open at 6:45 p.m. and the show begins at 7:30 p.m. each evening.

What to Expect at the 2024 Equine Affaire Event

◆ NEW! The Breed Bonanza, sponsored by Sentinel by Kent and Blue Seal, is a brand-new competition coming to Equine Affaire on Sunday, November 10! Featuring both a Youth and an Adult section, this unique under saddle rail class will showcase all three gaits (or equivalent for gaited horses) in both directions. A carefully curated panel of three judges, consisting of a breeder, a horse show judge, and a professional trainer, will bring their unique backgrounds and perspectives to the ring as they select and crown the inaugural Breed Bonanza winners. Make sure to attend and cheer on these horses and riders! They’ll be dressed in their Sunday best and ready to shine.

◆ Equine Affaire is home to the largest horse-related trade show in the east. Browse acres of booths sprawled across multiple buildings – and while you shop, support your favorite trade show exhibitors through the Best Booth Award contest. On Thursday afternoon of the event, the Equine Affaire staff will tour the show to select the top five finalist booths based on a selection of criteria, including innovation, creativity, and visual interest. These booths will be photographed and then posted on our official Facebook and Instagram profiles so that fans can vote for their favorites until Saturday, November 9 at noon. Keep an eye out for the winning announcement on Saturday, then visit the winner’s booth on Sunday to congratulate them!

◆ Brimming with horse breeds ranging from the familiar to the exotic, Equine Affaire’s Breed Pavilion is home to dozens of horses who serve as friendly and beautiful ambassadors for their breeds. Visitors can walk through the Breed Pavilion any time during the event and take selfies with the horses, meet their owners, and learn more about their registries and associations.

◆ Looking for a new horse? Visit the Horse & Farm Exhibits in the C-Barn and find the Adoption Affaire! Featured in partnership with the ASPCA Right Horse, the Adoption Affaire showcases healthy, adoptable horses of a variety of ages, breeds, and disciplines from multiple rescues and sanctuaries. You can meet the horses, go on a test-ride with the appropriate releases, and apply to adopt.

◆ Like winning free stuff? Don’t forget to enter Equine Affaire’s free online raffle! Enter online or through the Western Edge app for a chance to win any number of fabulous prizes from companies like 100X Equine, October Design Equestrian Decor, Triple Crown Nutrition, Kelly Cosby Photography, US Equestrian, Zesterra by Pro Earth Animal Health, State Line Tack, and Equine Affaire. Click here to enter.

◆ Want to compete at Equine Affaire, but you don’t have a horse? No problem! The Great Equestrian Fitness Challenge, sponsored by Boot Barn, is a competition that’s free to enter for all Equine Affaire attendees, no horse required! Happening Saturday, November 9, at 3:00 p.m. in the Young building, the GEFC will feature a barn chores marathon and a bouncy pony race. To sign up, visit the announcer’s table outside the GGT Arena in the Young building prior to the competition. Prizes will be awarded to the top ten participants in each event. Flex your hard-earned barn muscles and have a great time, or just come ready to cheer on your friends and enjoy commentary from our master of ceremonies, Coach Daniel Stewart!

◆ NEW! Enjoy a leisurely drive in regal style around the Eastern States Exposition fairgrounds in a gorgeous stagecoach, drawn by two beautiful Percherons. Stagecoach rides can accommodate up to six people and will be available each day of the event for an extra fee. To sign up, visit the Whispery Pines Percherons’ stalls in the C-Barn during Equine Affaire. Stagecoach rides will begin on the south side of the Coliseum.

◆ Speaking of Percherons, the highly popular Drive a Draft activity is back! Hosted in partnership with the Whispery Pines Percherons, attendees can learn how to ground drive a draft horse or a pair of draft horses under the supervision of expert drivers Sam and Kellie Rettinger! This activity is free with the price of admission, but sign-ups will be required at the event. Drive a Draft will take place on Friday, November 8, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and on Saturday, November 9 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. To sign up, visit the Whispery Pines Percherons’ stalls in C-Barn on the morning of the activity.

There’s even more waiting for you at Equine Affaire, but you’ll have to visit to experience it for yourself!

Please note that the Eastern States Exposition charges for parking. Single-entry parking passes and four-day parking passes will be available for purchase at the gates. You can also purchase a four-day parking pass in advance by visiting the link here. Upon purchase, you’ll receive a QR code which you’ll present at the gates to be scanned and redeemed for a 4-day hanger.

 — Edited Press Release | Source: American Horse Publications

The post Equine Affaire 2024: A Celebration of Equestrian Excellence appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

“It is exciting to see the support and collaboration from the U.S. Eventing CCI4*-S Organizers around the country, and we thank them for their participation in the US Equestrian Open Eventing Series,” said USEF Managing Director of Eventing, Amber Braun. “This is a great opportunity to showcase the top of our sport to a broader audience. The Open also marks an unprecedented amount of prize money available to athletes in the U.S. competing at the CCI4* level, which shows further investment into the future of our sport. Morven Park and their team share our vision and excitement for the potential of this series and the venue offers a world-class CCI4*-L cross-country course to create an exciting finals experience.”

The following locations will host qualifying events for the US Equestrian Open of Eventing. This list may be subject to updates throughout the Qualifying Period.
*Pending final confirmation. 

2024 Competitions:

◆ Morven Park International & Fall Horse Trials CCI-4*-S: October 10-13

◆ Bouckaert Equestrian Horse Trials International CCI4*-S: October 25-27

◆ The Event at Terranova CCI4*-S: November 11-13

2025 Competitions:

◆ Bouckaert Equestrian Horse Trials International CCI4*-S: March 6-9

◆ Carolina International CCI4*-S: March 13-16

◆ The Event at Terranova CCI4*-S: March 27-30

◆ Stable View Spring  CCI4*-S: April 4-6

◆ Twin Rivers Spring International CCI4*-S: April 10-13

◆ Ocala International Festival of Eventing CCI4*: April 17- 20

◆ *Cosequin Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI4*-S: April 23-27

◆ Tryon International Three-Day Event CCI4*-S: May 7-11

◆ Aspen Farm Horse Trials CCI4*-S: June 12-15

◆ The Maryland International CCI4*-S: July 3- July7

◆ The Event at Rebecca Farm CCI4*-S: July 16-20

◆ Bouckaert Equestrian Horse Trials International CCI4*-S: August 29-31

◆ The Fork at Tryon CCI4*: September 11-14

◆ Plantation Field International CCI4*-S: September 18-21

◆ Twin Rivers Fall International CCI4*-S: September 19-21

◆ Stable View Oktoberfest CCI4*S: September 24-28

◆ Woodside Fall International CCI4*-S: October 3-5

◆ US Equestrian Open of Eventing FINAL – Morven Park International & Fall Horse Trials CCI4*-L: October 9-12

The US Equestrian Open of Eventing Series will award $50,000 in prize money to the three-highest placed combinations following the conclusion of the qualifying period.  $200,000 in prize money will be distributed at the US Equestrian Open of Eventing Final in 2025.

To learn more about the US Equestrian Open of Eventing specifications and qualifying requirements, click here.

— Edited Press Release | Source: US Equestrian

The post US Equestrian Announces 2024/2025 US Equestrian Open of Eventing Qualifiers and Launches New Digital Hub appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Beginning in 2025, which also marks the 10th anniversary of the Thoroughbred Makeover’s move to Kentucky, the Finale Championship event will be replaced by individual discipline championships, welcoming back the top ten highest-placed horses after preliminary competition. Discipline championships will take place in the same locations as preliminary rounds, and will call back twice as many horses to participate as the current Finale format; horses will go into the championship round on a clean slate score. Prize money previously awarded to the overall Thoroughbred Makeover Champion will be divided across all ten disciplines, allowing the RRP to pay out through sixth place.

“Over the past decade, the Thoroughbred Makeover has directly supported the transition of over 5,000 horses. While our Finale format has served us well, we felt it was time to freshen things up in a way that enhances the experience of our trainers,” said RRP executive director Kirsten Green. “We’ve always been cognizant of what a commitment it is to get a horse to the Thoroughbred Makeover, and we want to recognize that commitment by opening up the path to the top for more participants. Logistically, this change also allows us to better showcase a greater number of talented horses to the public than previously possible via the Finale. We’re excited to kick off this new format on our 10th anniversary year in Kentucky.”

The 2024 Thoroughbred Makeover and National Symposium, presented by Thoroughbred Charities of America, will be the final competition year to take place in the current format. This year’s event takes place October 9-12 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, with 353 horses having made a final entry. The event is free and open to the public: learn more about the Makeover at the RRP.org.

—Edited Press Release | Source: American Horse Publications

The post Retired Racehorse Project Announces Format Changes for 2025 Thoroughbred Makeover appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Come to the Eastern States Exposition in W. Springfield, Ma. on Nov. 7-10, and seize the opportunity to learn from such equestrian all-stars as Guy McLean, Chris Irwin, Tik Maynard and Ryan Rose. Our four-day event schedule is jam-packed with hundreds of clinics, seminars, and demonstrations presented by these horsemen, as well as dozens of other elite equestrian educators, each of them with their own perspectives and their own ideas about how to work with horses. No matter what your skill level is or what corner of the industry you ride in, there’s something for you to learn at Equine Affaire in Massachusetts!

Equine Affaire is pleased to recognize our 2024 Massachusetts class of clinicians:

◆ Guy McLean is a self-taught, Australian-born horse trainer and teacher who possesses an uncanny ability to entertain an audience with his magnetic personality, authentic bush poetry, quick wit, cracking stock whips, and almost supernatural connection with horses. Through a complete love of horses and a burning desire to “find better ways” of building relationships with horses, Mr. McLean developed his own training methods to “ask” the horse to do the job as a partner. He has won multiple colt-starting championships in Australia and America, is a two-time Australian Bush Poetry Champion, and was recognized as “Ambassador of the Outback” in 2002 and 2006. While maintaining a home base in Australia, Mr. McLean now travels throughout the United States to perform and present at prominent equestrian events, including the World Equestrian Games, the National Rodeo Finals, Dressage at Devon, the Washington International Horse Show, and major equine expos and fairs. He has also produced an educational DVD series to share his training approaches and philosophies with riders of all disciplines.

◆ Chris Irwin is an internationally renowned horseman, best-selling author, and innovative personal development coach. In his early days in Nevada, Mr. Irwin trained 18 U.S. National Champions with wild mustangs in riding and driving events. Now with a focus on “training the trainers,” Chris lectures at veterinary colleges, coaches Grand Prix and Olympic Dressage riders in Europe, and delivers a variety of equestrian programs from his American base at Ray of Light Farm in East Haddam, Ct. In 2017, the FEI reached out to Chris for consultation on improving the education of FEI officials due to his “tremendous experience and reputation as a horseman.”

◆ Tik Maynard began riding in Vancouver, Canada where he achieved his ‘A’ in Pony Club. He is a 4-star-three-day event rider who has earned many accolades both in and out of the show ring. Mr. Maynard has won the Freestyle at the Thoroughbred Makeover twice and judged it once. This past March, he won Road to the Horse, the World Championship of Colt Starting, at the Kentucky Horse Park. In addition to being an accomplished writer, Mr. Maynard is an instructor for Noelle Floyd Equestrian Masterclass. He is the author of “In The Middle Are The Horsemen,” published in 2018, and has contributed articles to Practical Horseman, Chronicle of the Horse, Horseman’s Journal, and Off-Track Thoroughbred Magazine.

◆ Ryan Rose began his career as a professional horse trainer and clinician in 2005. In 2007 and 2008, he won the Equifest Colt Starting Championship. Throughout his career, he has studied with many top world-class horsemen, including Pat Parelli. Mr. Rose teaches workshops and clinics all over the world and teaches a comprehensive training program based out of Rose Horsemanship in Brooklyn, Wi. His skills in horse development and his ability to teach equestrians set him apart from other clinicians. He also enjoys competing and training horses in ranch versatility. Mr. Rose specializes in colt starting, solving behavioral problems in challenging horses, and ranch versatility. You can see more from Ryan Rose by visiting his YouTube channel, @ryanrosehorsemanship, and by attending Equine Affaire in Massachusetts.

Attendees will also enjoy participating in clinics, seminars, and demonstration presented by the following experts and industry professionals:

◆ Lauren Sammis: Dressage

◆ Traci Brooks: Hunter/Jumper

◆ Barbra Schulte: Cutting & Sports Psychology

◆ Beth Baumert: Dressage

◆ Marci Quist: Driving

◆ Daniel Stewart: Jumping & Sports Psychology

◆ Ben Longwell: Vaquero

◆ Kevin Raber: Reining

◆ Ivy Starnes: Easy Gaited Horses

◆ Solange: Stable Riding

◆ Mary Miller Jordan: Liberty

◆ Kellie & Sam Rettinger: Draft Horses

◆ Mini-Doves Equestrian Drill Team: Miniature Horses

◆ Rebecca Platz: Mini Obstacle Course

◆ Celisse Barrett: Mounted Archery

◆ Renegade Drill Team: Drill Team

◆ Copper Hill Vaulting Team: Vaulting

Elevate your equestrian experience with tickets to Equine Affaire, on sale now. The event will take place Thursday through Sunday at the Eastern States Exposition in W. Springfield, Ma. on Nov. 7-10, 2024. Hours for the expo are from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets to Equine Affaire are $18 per day for adults or $55 for a four-day pass; children’s tickets are available for $10 per day for children ages 7-10; and children six and under are admitted for free. Admission includes access to the trade show, all theme pavilions, the Versatile Horse and Rider Competition, the Great Equestrian Fitness Challenge, the Breed Bonanza, and all clinics, seminars, and demonstrations. To purchase your tickets, click here or download the Western Edge app and utilize the Equine Affaire portal.

Please note that the Eastern States Exposition charges for parking. Single-day parking passes and four-day parking passes can be purchased at the gates upon arrival. You can also purchase a four-day parking pass in advance by clicking here. Information about host hotels and additional information are available here.

—Edited Press Release | Source: American Horse Publications

The post Equine Affaire 2024 Massachusetts Clinicians Announced appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

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.

After surpassing an Olympic record yesterday in dressage, Michael Jung (GER) and Chipmunk FRH went clear to take the lead. The pair heads into the jumping phase tomorrow with only 17.8 penalty points in pursuit of Jung’s third Olympic individual gold medal.

Laura Collett (GBR) and London 52, who set an Olympic record themselves on Saturday with a 17.5 in dressage, completed the cross-country course with only 0.8 in time penalties. The horse and rider combination trails Jung and Chipmunk FRH by just 0.5 with a total score of 18.3.

Four penalty points back in third is Christopher Burton (AUS) and Shadow Man with a score of 22.0, followed by Felix Vogg (SUI) and Dao De L’ocean in fourth (22.1). Yoshiaki Oiwa (JPN) aboard MGH Grafton Street completes the top five after cross country with a 25.5

Great Britain still leads the team standings with a score of 82.5; France is not far behind in second with 87.2 total penalties. Japan (93.8), Switzerland (102.4) and Belgium (111.0) round out the top five heading into show jumping.

Team USA’s highest ranked rider after cross-country is Boyd Martin aboard Fedarman B, currently in 17th with a 32.1. The U.S. Eventing Team is now in ninth with a score of 128.5, slipping from their previous sixth-place position.

Tomorrow, eventing medals will be decided during the show jumping phase. The eventing jumping team final and individual qualifier begins at 5 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time, and the individual final begins at 9 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time. NBC’s Peacock and NBCOlympics.com will livestream the competition.

Please enjoy a photo gallery from today’s cross-country phase at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

1 of 8

Helpful Links

◆ Individual Results
◆ Team Results
◆ Cross-Country Fence Penalty Analysis

Stay tuned for more to come. For more coverage, visit our 2024 Paris Olympics main page.

Thanks to CareCredit for our spring and summer equestrian coverage.

The post 2024 Paris Olympics: Eventing Cross-Country Photo Gallery and Results appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

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.

There were six groups of 10 riders each and one final group of four riders, with each separated by breaks to groom the ring footing. Judges for the day were: Christina Klingspor from Sweden at C; Robert Stevenson from the USA at E (in his Olympic judging debut), and Xavier le Sauce from France at M.

The dressage test ridden was the Olympic 5* Short Test, specially designed for the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo to produce a shorter trip around the boards for a viewer-friendly experience and a more compact competition schedule favored by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and television networks. The test takes only about three minutes and 50 seconds to complete versus the old test, which took over six minutes. It is intense because all of the required movements have to be packed into such a short time.

For more coverage, visit our 2024 Paris Olympics main page.

First to compete was the reigning Olympic gold medalist (from Tokyo 2021), Germany’s Julia Krajewski and Nickel 21. They earned a good score of 26.9 (which put them in 15th at the end of the day), setting up the day for a game of “how low can you go.”

Five riders later, the first U.S. rider, Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake — one of only three 9-year-old horses in the competition (the youngest age allowed by the FEI in Olympic eventing) — took their turn scoring 30.4, very respectable for such a young combination. Although Pamukcu and Blake were individual gold medalists in the 2023 Santiago Pan American Games, this was an Olympic debut for both. They ended the dressage phase in 25th place.

Pamukcu talked about her focus, “The big goal is I want to be a team score. I am here to give the best, consistent dressage test, the best, consistent cross-country, and the best, consistent show jump round. So, the whole goal for this weekend is not individual performance, it is team performance. Team medals are more important than anything else, especially looking toward Los Angeles [in 2028]. Blake is my best friend. I take him for hacks. I am with him nearly every single day. I adore him and he adores me.”

Two riders after Pamukcu, Great Britain’s Tom McEwen and JL Dublin lowered the top score again, earning 25.8 to take the early lead and later in the day putting them in 11th after dressage.

The next U.S. rider to compete was Elisabeth Halliday and the 10-year-old Nutcracker, who were last to go in the third group right before the lunch break. Also competing in her first Olympics, Halliday is known for laying down great dressage scores and they did just that, garnering a 28.0 to move them into fourth at the time. By the end of the day, they were in 19th individually.

Halliday and Nutcracker had moved from the teams traveling reserve spot onto the team less than 48 hours ago due to Will Coleman’s horse developing a foot abscess. She was elated after her ride, yet said she felt devastated for Coleman, having experienced that type of disappointment before.

She said she went through a range of emotions leading up to competing for the team, “I went from shock to ‘oh my gosh’ to ‘OK, now I’m just a competitor’ again. I am absolutely thrilled with how my young horse performed in there. He has actually taken a big leap forward in his work in the last two weeks.”

Then, a few scores in the high teens and more in the 20s started dropping with some regularity. The third rider out after the lunch break was Laura Collett from Great Britain riding her long-time partner London 52. Great things were expected from this pair who had won the 2022 Badminton 5* Horse Trials  and were members of the British Team at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. And, boy, did they deliver! As instrumental strains of The Beatles’ hit “Yesterday” appropriately played in the background, their test was nearly foot perfect and beautiful to watch. When their mark of 17.5 was posted, the crowds cheered and they were in the history books as the best-ever Olympic eventing dressage score. They eventually topped the leaderboard at the end of the day.

Several more horse and rider pairs posted impressive scores in the 20s, then Germany’s Michael Jung, a four-time Olympian, and his Tokyo 2021 mount Chipmunk FRH stepped into the ring. Great expectations for them were fulfilled as well and they notched another fabulous score, just below Collett’s, a 17.8 and another Olympic record-breaking score. After Jung and Chipmunk, more 20-something scores dropped, too.

The final U.S. rider was Boyd Martin on Fedarman B, riding in honor of Fedarman’s previous owner Annie Goodwin, who died in a riding accident. Martin is representing the USA in his fourth Olympic Games. They put in a nice test, slightly marred by a couple of bobbles in canter flying changes to earn 30.5. Still, it was a good start for them looking toward cross-country tomorrow.

Martin summarized their test, “Awesome test except for two moments which were disastrous. I really feel like Bruno went in there and was such a champion; he was with me every step of the way. But, our left-to-right lead changes in there were a bit of a muddle. In the lead up to this event, we had been getting those really good at home in training. Today the atmosphere was electric out there and he got a bit of anxiety and I think I mistimed my aids a little bit. I feel like I gave my all today and it would have been awesome to have four great changes, but I feel like we still came out of it with a respectable score. Other than the flying changes, I feel like it was our best work ever. I feel like it [the cross-country] is a hell of a course out there, but I feel like my horse is custom made for it.”

One rider, Emiliano Portale of Italy riding Future, was unfortunately eliminated today in the equipment and welfare check after their test. They had earned a score of 30.5, but unfortunately blood was discovered in Future’s mouth. Finding blood on a horse is cause for elimination with no exceptions. The FEI issued this statement regarding the discovery: “The horse, Future, ridden by athlete No. 13 Emiliano Portale (ITA), was eliminated during the Eventing Dressage test after blood was found in the horse’s mouth during the post-competition check on 27 July. Elimination under this Rule does not imply that there was any intention to hurt or harm the horse, but the FEI discipline rules have been put in place to ensure that horse welfare is protected at all times.”

Find a complete list of the individual eventing results after the dressage phase here.

In the team competition, eyes were on the scoreboard and calculators were out, as national federations figured and refigured their standings during the day. Each team has three horse and rider combinations, with no drop score, so a lot is riding on each member’s performance.

The British Team has so, so much depth and they showed it today, posting the best score of 66.7. Standing in second after dressage is Germany on 74.1 and third is the French Team, which rose to the occasion in front of their home crowd scoring 81.2. Not far behind, New Zealand is fourth with 83.0 and fifth is Japan (87.4). The USA stands in striking distance in sixth place on 88.9.

Find complete eventing post-dressage team results here.

Tomorrow’s cross-country begins at 10:30 a.m. and runs to 3 p.m. Central European Time (4:30 a.m. U.S. East Coast Time, 3:30 a.m. U.S. Central Time, 2:30 a.m. Rocky Mountain Time, 1:30 a.m. U.S. Pacific Time). NBC’s Peacock and NBCOlympics.com will livestream the competition from 4:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. U.S. Eastern Time.

Individual and team cross-country orders of go and results, as well as obstacle descriptions and a cross-country course map, can be found at these links:

◆ Team
◆ Individual

Thanks to CareCredit for our spring and summer equestrian coverage.

The post 2024 Paris Olympics: Olympic Records Broken & Team Standings After Eventing Dressage appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

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).

O’Connor’s and Custom Made’s 19.3 score (converted to match the current scoring system) from Sydney stood for 24 years, but today Collett and London 52 earned a 17.5 and Jung and Chipmunk a 17.8, to make them both new Olympic record holders and dropping O’Connor to third best.

Collett and Jung are currently one-two in the standings with China’s Alex Hua Tian and Jilsonne van Bareelhof and Australia’s Christopher Burton and Shadow Man tied for third on 22.0. Switzerland’s Felix Vogg and Dao de L’Ocean are in fifth on 22.1.

In the all-important team standings, Great Britain leads the pack with strong performances from all of their riders (66.7). Germany is second (74.1), France third with (81.2), New Zealand in fourth (83.0), Japan fifth (87.4) and the USA in sixth (88.9).

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.

Stay tuned for more to come. For more coverage, visit our 2024 Paris Olympics main page.

Thanks to CareCredit for our spring and summer equestrian coverage.

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

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. On Wednesday (July 24) it was announced that Will Coleman, who had been named to the U.S. Team with Off The Record on the evening of June 3rd, would now be riding his direct reserve horse Diabolo instead.

Then early this morning, fate intervened for Coleman again. Diabolo had a foot abscess, and Coleman made the difficult decision to withdraw. With their departure from the roster, traveling reserve pair Elisabeth Halliday and Cooley Nutcracker moved onto the team. The U.S. second reserve pair of Sydney Elliot and QC Diamantaire (who had traveled to France but were stabled off site) moved into Olympic stabling as the new traveling reserve for the team.

After the shuffle, the new U.S. Olympic Eventing Team line up is:

◆ Elisabeth Halliday and Cooley Nutcracker, a 2014 Irish Sport Horse gelding (Tolan R. x Cobra) owned by Chris Desino, Rob Desino, Deborah Halliday, Liz Halliday, and Renee Lane and cared for by Abby Steger
◆ Boyd Martin (Cochranville, Pa.) and Fedarman B, a 2010 KWPN gelding (Eurocommerce Washington x Fedor) owned by the Annie Goodwin Syndicate and cared for by Stephanie Simpson
◆ Caroline Pamukcu (Springtown, Pa.) and HSH Blake, a 2015 Irish Sport Horse gelding (Tolan R. x Kannan) owned by Mollie Hoff, Sherrie Martin, Caroline Pamukcu, and Deniz Pamukcu and cared for by Chloe Teahan
◆ Traveling Reserve: Sydney Elliott (Hoffman, N.C.) and QC Diamantaire, a 2010 Oldenburg gelding (Diarado x Sandro Hit) owned by Carol Stephens and cared for by Caitlin Martin

U.S. Chef d’Equipe Bobby Costello explained the series of events that transpired, “The last 48 hours have truly been tough for our team, but particularly for Will Coleman. Off The Record looked well in training camp, but Will’s direct reserve, Diabolo, continued to impress, and was physically in such great condition, so we made the decision to place him into the team roster before moving to the venue. Diabolo trotted up 100% sound prior to shipping from training camp and arrived at the venue happy and fit. Unfortunately, shortly after settling into stabling, he showed significant signs of discomfort and the team immediately got to work to address a potential abscess in the right front foot. Team Farrier Beck Ratte, Dr. Susan Johns, Diabolo’s groom Hailey Burlock, and Will’s wife, Katie, were so diligent and tireless in treating Diabolo, and he did in fact trot up sound last night. With that said, we felt after weighing the risk, it was not in Diabolo’s, or the team’s, best interest for him to move forward with the competition this week. We’re all truly devastated for Will and his entire team. It takes so much work to get to this moment, and it’s just such an unfortunate turn of events. We’ve got to look forward though. We are heading into this competition with four competitive horses and l feel very confident in this team’s ability to be successful here in Paris.”

Of the other horses presented to the Olympic Eventing Ground Jury for inspection today, there were five horses from other countries that were held, four of which returned for re-inspection and were accepted to start competition tomorrow (Moroccan horse Cash in Hand ridden by Noor Slaoui, Swiss horse Toubleu de Rueire ridden by Melody Johner, Sweden’s horse Golden Midnight ridden by Malin Asai, and Great Britain’s 2022 World Championship gold-medal horse Banzai du Loir ridden by Yasmin Ingham). Sadly, Austrian horse, DSP Fighting Line, to be ridden by Lea Siegl was spun from the Paris Olympics competition; that pair had competed in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, but it was not to be this time.

Eventing competition starts tomorrow at the Palace of Versailles at 9:30 a.m. Central European Time (3:30 a.m. U.S. East Coast Time, 2:30 a.m. U.S. Central Time, 1:30 a.m. Rocky Mountain Time and 12:30 a.m. U.S. Pacific Time). NBC’s Peacock and NBCOlympics.com will livestream the competition from 3:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time.

Find the full Olympic equestrian television and streaming schedule here.

Find the order of go for the dressage phase here.

For more news, visit our 2024 Paris Olympics main page.

Thanks to CareCredit for our spring and summer equestrian coverage.

The post 2024 Paris Olympics: After Roster Shuffle, U.S. Eventing Team Ready to Roll in Paris Olympics appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Versailles, France — 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.

“The last 48 hours have truly been tough for our team, but particularly for Will Coleman. Off The Record looked well training camp, but Will’s direct reserve, Diabolo, continued to impress and was physically in such great condition, so we made the decision to place into the team roster before moving to the venue. Diabolo trotted up great prior to shipping from training camp and arrived at the venue happy and sound. Unfortunately, shortly after settling into stabling he showed some significant signs of discomfort and the team immediately got to work to address a potential abscess in the right front foot. Team Farrier Beck Ratte, Dr. Susan Johns, Diabolo’s groom Hailey Burlock, and Will’s wife, Katie, were so diligent and excellent in treating Diabolo and he did in fact trot up sound last night,” said Chef d’Equipe Bobby Costello.

With that said, we felt after weighing the risk, it was not in Diabolo’s or the team’s best interest for him to move forward with the competition this week. We’re all just really devastated for Will and his entire team. It takes so much work to get to this moment and it’s just such an unfortunate turn of events. We’ve got to look forward though, and with that said, we’re heading into this competition with four very competitive horses, and l still feel very confident in this team’s ability to be successful here in Paris.”

For more news, visit our 2024 Paris Olympics main page.

This will be Liz Halliday’s (Lexington, Ky.) first Olympic appearance for Team USA, and will bring forward Nutcracker, a 2014 Irish Sport Horse gelding (Tolan R. x Cobra) owned by Chris Desino, Rob Desino, Deborah Halliday, Liz Halliday, and Renee Lane and cared for by Abby Steger. She will join Boyd Martin (Cochranville, Pa.) and Fedarman B, a 2010 KWPN gelding (Eurocommerce Washington x Fedor) owned by the Annie Goodwin Syndicate and cared for by Stephanie Simpson, and Caroline Pamukcu (Springtown, Pa.) and HSH Blake, a 2015 Irish Sport Horse gelding (Tolan R. x Kannan) owned by Mollie Hoff, Sherrie Martin, Caroline Pamukcu, and Deniz Pamukcu and cared for by Chloe Teahan.

Sydney Elliott (Hoffman, N.C.) and QC Diamantaire, a 2010 Oldenburg gelding (Diarado x Sandro Hit) owned by Carol Stephens and cared for by Caitlin Martin, will now move into the team’s traveling reserve position and join the team at the venue.

The first phase of dressage will begin at 9:30 a.m. GMT+2/3:30 a.m. ET on Saturday, July 27, with ride times published following the first horse inspection.

— Edited Press Release

Thanks to CareCredit for our spring and summer equestrian coverage.

The post 2024 Paris Olympics: US Equestrian Announces Changes for U.S. Olympic Eventing Team Before Start of Paris 2024 appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Bern, Switzerland — The U.S. Vaulting Team took on the top competition in the world last week at the 2024 FEI Vaulting World Championship for Seniors. The team finished fourth overall, with individual competitors turning in good performances over four days of competition in Bern, Switzerland.

Kimberly Palmer (Half Moon Bay, Calif.) earned a strong fifth-place finish in the Individual Senior Female division, which saw a total of 28 competitors. Vaulting on Rosenstolz 99, a 2007 Rheinlander gelding owned by Club Ippico Monzese, with lunger Laura Carnabuci of Italy, Palmer placed sixth in the compulsory and technical tests, then earned an impressive 8.803 in her freestyle test to finish fifth with an overall score of 8.349.

Senior World Championship first-timer Caroline Morse (Los Gatos, Calif.) also earned a top-10 finish overall, vaulting on Grasshoper AF, a 2009 American warmblood gelding she co-owns with Jana Morse and lunged by Samantha Matson. Morse finished eighth individually with a personal-best score of 8.156.

Paula Hampshire (Kaysville, Utah), who has represented the U.S. Vaulting Team at past championships as part of the squad, made her international senior debut as an individual at Bern. Hampshire vaulted with Bellmiro, a 2006 Swiss Sporthorse gelding owned and lunged by Dimitri Suhner of Switzerland.

Individual Senior Male

Daniel Janes (Stanwood, Wash.) turned in the top performances for the American contingent in the individual male division, finishing 11th in a competitive division with Caretes Auhoern, a 2009 Holsteiner gelding owned and lunged by Jana Leib of Germany. Janes, a veteran member of numerous past senior championship teams, finished on an overall individual score of 7.818.

Also competing for the U.S. were Jace Brooks (Eagle Mountain, Utah) with Dorian, a 2003 Württemberger gelding owned and lunged by Claudia Petersohn of Italy; and Todd Griffiths (Salem, Utah) with Lightning, a 2015 Quarter Horse/Percheron gelding owned by Raelyn Snyder and lunged by Nicholas Hansen.

Squad

The Pacific Coast Vaulters represented the U.S. team in the squad competition with lunger Carolyn Bland of Great Britain and Eldoctro, the 2009 KWPN gelding Bland co-owns with Emily Rose. The squad placed fifth in the compulsory test and fourth in the freestyle test to come in a close fifth overall with a score of 7.628.

The Pacific Coast Squad at the 2024 FEI World Championships was composed of Francesca Foster (Las Vegas, Nev.), Daniel Janes (Stanwood, Wash.), Maria McLean (Cedar Spring, Mich.), Emma Milito (Brighton, Colo.), Naomi Morgenthaler (Menlo Park, Calif.) and Emily Rose (Santa Cruz, Calif.)

Pas de Deux

Two pairs represented the U.S. in pas de deux competition at Bern. Shaina Hammond (Eagle Mountain, Utah) and Alyssa Stoddard (Eagle Mountain, Utah) earned an overall eighth-place finish for their two tests with Corocoro 2, a 2005 Deutsches Sportpferd owned and lunged by Gudrun Lenz. Allegra Hart (Mebane, N.C.) and Raelyn Snyder (Elysburg, Pa.), finished in ninth place with Snyder’s 2015 Quarter Horse/Percheron gelding, Lightning, and lunger Nicholas Hansen.

Team France won the team gold with a score of 9.239. Germany secured silver with a 8.923 ahead of the host country, Switzerland, which won bronze with an 8.970.

See the full results here.

Replay

The replay of the 2024 FEI Vaulting World Championship for Seniors is available on ClipMyHorse.TV/FEI.TV with a ClipMyHorse.TV Membership.

— Edited Press Release

Thanks to CareCredit for our spring and summer equestrian coverage.

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