Eventing News and Notes: October 2009 Archives

Our sources tell Eventing Nation that the first horse on XC course at Galway, Chummin, ridden by Lisa Peecook collapsed and died.  The pair was competing in the CCI* w/o.  Lisa was uninjured.  Apparently, she felt something wrong and was in the process of pulling up as the horse collapsed.  No word on the exact cause yet, but the post-mortem started last night.  Eventing Nation extends well wishes and prayers for Lisa and her family.  We will give you more info as we get it.

Sunday Update: Press Release from Galway

Jennie Brannigan talks about Cooper on Eventing Radio Episode 47.

YEH Results from Galway, Pictures

Are bits soon to be a thing of the past?-Probably not, but this is still interesting.

Finally, just some good XC video from Badminton.  Have a great day!

Breaking News: Cooper Continues to Struggle in Recovery-*Jennie's Oct. 28 blog post.  More info on Salmonella.

Here is an interesting article from the New York Times about today's horse market.

Also, please join Kelly Sult, Hannah Burnett, and the rest Eventing Nation at 7pm EST Thursday for our live blog.  Remember to bring your questions!

Click here for a nice article about Galway Downs.

In times like these: Cutting Costs, Ditch Supplements that Are Unnecessary.

This is a great Video from BE about safe XC riding.

...which would have helped this guy on national TV.  "Cav. Man down!"

This is an amazing article about the galloping position for jockeys.  I guess this is one reason my coaches always tell me to shorten my stirrups more for XC.  

Now, watch as the biggest idiot ever gets what he deserves.  I love how he gets right back up but forgets his hat.

Check out Eventing Radio Episode 46, featuring Eventing Nation's good friend, Boyd Martin.

Tamarillo Retires: thanks to "lionstigerbears" at the COTH Forums for finding this one.

The "other" competition at FHI, and no, I am not talking about the dog agility, was the YEH East Coast Champtionship, with Kim Keeton and Accolade winning the 4yo division, and Matt Flynn and BreakThrough topping the 5yo compeition.  Read more here.  

Bettina Hoy's amazing horse Ringwood Cockatoo was retired at Boekelo.  Ringwood Cockatoo was probably the best event horse on the planet for several years and was a technicality away from winning double-gold at the Athens Olympics.  Click here for some video of Ringwood Cockatoo.

The London 2012 equestrian symbols have been released:

A top notch new training facility is being built in NZ by Frances Snead.  Ms. Snead owns horses for Donna Smith (who worked with OCET before moving back to NZ in 2008), and other top NZ riders.  All the horses whose names begin with "Clifton," you may have heard of some of them, come from Ms. Snead's program, Clifton Eventers.  They want to win international events and they are willing to shell out the cash to do just that.

The Senate is investigating horse welfare and slaughterhouses, click here.

It looks like Red Hills is back on track for 2010.  It will be interesting to see WEG hopefuls deal with the challenging course, which I think is second toughest US course in the Spring, after Kentucky.

If I missed anything important, please leave a comment.  Thanks for reading.

In an email sent out to all Long Listed Riders, Sarah Ike from the USEF explained that US Eventing Chef d'Equipe Mark Phillips will be leaving the position in 2013: "As some of you may know, Mark Phillips' contract expires in 2013.  He is not seeking to extend it."  Mark leaving is pretty old news, but this the first public acknowledgement from the USEF that I have seen.  The email also mentioned that there will be an open rider forum at Fair Hill this coming Wednesday.  I have several thoughts on Mark leaving and the future coach, but I will save them until after the forum.  Stay tuned.

As we all know, the International Olympic Committee selected Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for the 2016 Games, in a controversial decision against Chicago.  Rio is certainly less favorable than native soil, but Team USA Eventing's last trip to Rio ended with a victory in the 2007 Pan American Games.  Also, because Rio is in the Southern Hemisphere, the seasons are reversed, leading to some pretty decent average highs and lows during August.  Wow, middle school geography, science, and math all wrapped into one sentence.  Kinda makes me feel like riverdancing.  As a final note, several members of the '07 Pan Am contingent have talked about how they were struck by the poverty and squalor in Brazil.  Hopefully the Olympics will be a good opprtunity to influence Brazil for the better. 

Thanks for reading our very first News and Notes post!!!