Equisearch.com (brought to you the makers of such gems as EQUUS, Dressage Today, and Practical Horseman) just posted up a WONDERFUL article by eventing legend Jim Wofford. He talks about the evolution of the sport, the trends he sees, possible answers as to why accidents are all too common these days as well as a few solutions,and of course entertains us in his usual witty way.
I recently took a clinic with Jim and my only lament from the experience was not having the chance to record all of his valuable advice, training tips, and experience for me to treasure. Though Jim has ridden in three Olympic Games, two World Championship teams, and won the U.S. National Championships five times, he still manages to provide a genuine fresh outlook on our sport. This piece is TRULY an intriguing work of art… here’s just a brief little snippet, so you’ll have to refer to the online article for the rest of the story:
"First of all, don’t even think of competing without competence. You are in this sport because you treasure the partnership the sport gives you with your horse. Work on your competence to the exclusion of any competitive desires. Bert de Némethy said, "A good feeling after the round is better than any ribbon." That statement is as true today as the day he made it, over half a century ago."
Enjoy!
By Doug Payne
Walking amongst the crowd I heard a lot of comments, suggestions and complaints about eventing and it’s safety. Everything from the courses are too technical, too big, too long…where are the officials and why didn’t they stop that rider…
Eventing has the most diverse, friendly and supportive group of participants in all of equestrian sports. People want to see others do well, and if that means they are defeated that day so be it. It’s about doing your personal best, and helping others do theirs. You don’t see this cut throat, out–to-get-you attitude that is so prevalent in other disciplines. Eventers spend so much time with their horses, feeding, grooming, conditioning and training, they have a bond that is difficult to match. Seldom do you see riders showing up at the ring to meet their groom and get on their horse like they’re just a vehicle; hopping off when finished to resume social activities. There is a personal tie that will not be broken. When successful it’s rewarding beyond an outsider’s comprehension. When there is a tragic accident, we are reminded of how precious life is.
Unfortunately, the sport’s popularity and financial boom is a double edged sword. It has allowed more and more people to choose eventing as their discipline of choice, some very well qualified and some not. I believe some riders take too many risks, knowingly or not. Unfortunately, as in every sport, dollars can trump reason. There are some coaches who have the balance between business and safety skewed. As a result, in an effort to progress with the competition, clients who want results at higher and higher levels may leave a confident coach who gives their objective assessment for one who may bow to pressure and allow inexperienced horse and rider combinations out on course.
The same holds true for the relationship between horse owners and riders; many would like to see their horse at the next Olympics even though the horse may not be mentally and physically ready until the Olympics four years hence. In the world in which we live, instant gratification is the name of the game, but for horses this spells impending trouble, patience, dedication and time will get your there.
Over the years cross-country courses have become increasingly complex, requiring a higher level of proficiency. The questions asked now require a greater depth of knowledge in dressage, the foundation of the horse’s training; many riders look at dressage simply as a necessary evil whose completion is an obligatory step before jumping. The instant gratification mentality, so prevalent in modern society, has triggered a bidding war for horses who have been successful at the top levels. Once this hundred thousand dollar horse is purchased, some feel this animal should go out to compete at the upper levels; unfortunately a significant majority of these riders are lacking key skills learned at the lower levels. The consequences of this can be grave.
National and International organizations have focused an enormous effort on making the sport safer, but unfortunately it’s not only the responsibility of the organization, but of the riders themselves. The consequences are real, and should be respected. Time should be taken to make sure a solid foundation is in place. Riders should seek the opinion of other well respected seasoned riders at the international levels. Rider should be observed, and follow the advice given staying honest to themselves regarding their abilities, knowing the instructor has their best interests at hand.
The answer does not lie in the hands of the officials, the show management, course designers or the federation. While all of above can help mitigate the risk, the solution lies in the hands of the competitor. Riders have to become infinitely more objective and honest with themselves, their horses and their collective abilities. Like any sport or any activity, it is important to be realistic and keep the risks in perspective. Safety will always be paramount, and constant improvements have been made. Eventing will continue to flourish and its increasing popularity will make its greatness obvious as long as each rider can truly see who’s in the mirror, not just the remnants of last night’s dream.
Based in Oldwick, NJ, Doug Payne is the oldest child of Marilyn Payne, who recently judged the Rolex Kentucky CCI4* and will judge at the 2008 Olympics in China. Doug grew up on his parents’ horse farm & was exposed to competitive riding from an early age. He successfully competes at the international levels of dressage as well as eventing, and also shows in hunter/jumpers. This January Doug became the youngest person to receive the ‘r’ Eventing Judge and ‘r’ Technical Delegate licenses which allows him to officiate through the preliminary level. He trains horses and offeres instruction at the 14-acre facility he leases. Visit his website at www.dpequestrian.com
 Jose Ortelli of Buenos Aires, Argentina & Jos Aquiles, a 9yo 17h Arg. TB gelding |
 Didn’t have one of their better days… a stop in the water & chunk of time faults. Withdrew before show jumping to play again another day! |
 Karen O’Connor of The Plains, VA seemed to have recovered well from her fall with Allstar earlier, and had a nice round on Mandiba, a 16.1, 8yo TB gelding owned by Joan Goswell. |
 Karen’s looking FIERCE and competitive in these pics! They jumped clear, but had quite a few time faults to bump them from 3rd to 9th. |
 Karl Slezak of Tottenham, ONT and Showdown, a 10yo, 17.1 ISH owned by Don Good had a wonderful ride - only 7.2 time faults & clear jumping, jumping from 35th to 17th. |
 Kristen Bond of Ocala, FL & Three Wishes II, a 17.2 ISH gelding, jumped around clean, but had a chunk of time faults unfortunately. |
 Lauren Kieffer of Mt. Carmel, IL on David O’Connor’s 17yo 16.2h Thoroughbred gelding Tigger Too |
 Sadly, Tigger died on course just before the last water combination. A brave soul to the very end, Tigger will be missed by his fans. |
 Awesome shot of Lesley Grant-Law of Bluemont, VA (although she’s Canadian) aboard her 16.2, 12yo English TB gelding Timber Spirit. They had a fabulous round - adding only time faults to their score. |
 Here’s her husband & reigning Olympic gold medallist Leslie Law (also of Bluemont - but he’s originally from Great Britain) aboard Guy & Beatrice Reyherme’s Selle Francais gelding Fleeceworks Mystere du Val |
 Leslie & Mystere du Val led the field at the start of the competition with a respectable 38.0, but sadly had a stop on XC to drop them in the standings. |
 I just had to include this photo of them leaping over the ditch & wall - because it looks like they’re jumping right over my BF (in the red) :) |
 Lisa Marie Fergusson of Langley, BC & Uni Griffon a 10yo 17h bay Welsh Sport Horse gelding (awesome!) |
 Unfortunately, this pair were eliminated towards the end of the course. They’ll be back in full force in no time! |
 Young Rider Madeline Blackman of Ringoes, NJ & Gordonstown, a 10yo 16.1h Irish gelding |
 These guys jumped clear, but Madeline played it safe and went for a nice, slow round…gaining a slew of time faults, but giving her horse a ton of confidence |
 Mike Winter (Canadian) of Newnan, GA competed three horses in the 3* this weekend. |
 Here he is on Glen Morangie, a 9yo 16.2h TB gelding owned by Cathy Sigman. They had a clear round and only 12.6 time faults. |
 Here’s Mike on the 2nd of his dark bay TB geldings (honestly!) - this is Manhattan IV, a 16.3h, 10yo owned by Mary Bess Sigman. |
 The last of the tall, dark, and handsomes - Sher Schwartz’s 11yo TB gelding Wonderful Will. At 15.1 - Will’s probably the shortest in the field - but certainly has a whomping stride! |
 I like the action & intensity of this shot…and Will looks like a fire-breathing dragon :) The determination paid off - they jumped from 17th to 3rd! |
 Nate Chambers of Vienna, VA aboard his 12yo Hessen gelding Rolling Stone II. Unfortunately, Nate took a little tumble before the water and was later eliminated. |
 Here’s Nicholas Cwick of Gilroy, CA & his 16.2h, 11yo Oldenburg gelding Asterix. |
 Saw this horse at Twin Rivers (CA) last year - LOVE him! They had a great XC round - jumped clear! |
 Phillip Dutton of West Grove, PA & Nina Gardner’s 9yo 16h Australian Stock Horse (neat!) Loose N’ Cool. |
 Reigning Rolex Champion Dutton & the gelding had a very solid ride, earning only a sliver of time faults. |
 Sara Dierks of Berryville, VA was very pleased with Edith Rameika’s English TB Somerset II. |
 They had a nearly foot-perfect round, bumping them up from 9th to 2nd after accumulating only 2.4 time faults! |
 Stephanie Boyer of Ocala, FL & Macloud, a 16.3h 17yo TB gelding also finished with no jumping penalties. |
 Tamra Smith of Temecula, CA & Chaos Theory, a 16.2h, 17yo TB gelding jumped around cleanly, moving up from 34th to 23rd. |
 Here’s West Coaster Tory Smith of Camarillo, CA aboard Bantry Bay V, a 16.1h, 10yo ISH gelding |
 These guys jumped well around the course, but unfortunately dropped in the standings after quite a bit of time faults. They were 4th in the CIC3* at Galway Downs (CA) this spring…they have quite a future! |
 Here’s Wendy Bebie of Round Hill, VA (hi neighbor!) & Phoenix a 16h, 16yo Selle Francais gelding. |
 Love the reflection on the water here! Unfortunately, they didn’t have one of their better weekends, and had a stop on XC. |
 Will Coleman & Kiki du Manoir, a 16.2 10yo Selle Francais gelding. |
 Wheee - galloping for home! Sadly, these guys had an uncharacteristic stop, which dropped them out of contention. |
 Allison Springer of Marshall, VA aboard Destination Know, a 16.3h, 10yo TB gelding - looking confident over the skinny brush to the water! |
 "Burger" says "Ehhh….water! In my eyes!" But like a good boy, he jumps awesome anyway. |
 Big leap over the Lighthouse. These guys had a great round, finishing just over the time allowed (something like 10:20 or so?). |
 The winners! Amy Tryon of Duvall, WA & Leyland, a 16.1h, 8yo TB gelding over the HUGE ditch and wall. These type of fences scare the poop out of me, but really no one had any trouble here. |
 Leyland’s actually jumping a ditch here…not just frolicking gleefully across the countryside :) |
 Now he’s frolicking! These guys were closest to optimum time, adding only 1.6 time faults to their dressage score of 52.4, bumping them up from 9th to 1st. |
 Ashley Adams of Southern Pines, NJ & Vaunted, a 16.1h, 10yo TB gelding. This horse is so neat… very typey. |
 This one’s fun because he’s all "YEE-HA!" He has substantiated reason to celebrate - they went around fast & jumped clear, adding only a handful of time faults, bumping them up from 16th - 6th |
 Neat crowd shot as Barbara Crabo of Scottsdale, AZ & Eveready a 15.2h, 9yo Swedish Warmblood gelding jump into view. |
 Isn’t he adorable?? What a great face! |
 Barbara & Eveready jumped around clear, but were very careful and took their time, coming home with hefty time faults. Good for you, Barbara! |
 Here’s the 2nd place finishers Buck Davidson of Pottersville, NJ & Cassandra Segal’s Ballynoecastle RM, a 16h, 8yo Irish TB gelding. They jumped from 12th to 4th after only a sliver of time faults. |
 Here’s Chelan Kozak of Abbotsford, BC aboard Tasman Sea, a 16.1h 11yo New Zealand TB gelding |
 Chelan had to have been pleased with Tasman’s clear jumping round! |
 Here’s Debbie Rosen of Calabasas, CA & The Alchemyst, a 9yo, 16.2h Canadian Sporthorse gelding (this jump was HUGE…you can’t tell but it was incredibly wide and square…the horses jumped it super!) |
 Lookin’ good over the big wide table! |
 Debbie & her red-head boy had a wonderful round - clean & tidy in jumping, and didn’t seem to mind they were a bit over the time! |
 Diana Burnett of Blackstock, ONT & Manny, a 16.2 8yo TB-cross, owned by John & Nadia Lennox. |
 These guys had a great, clear jumping round. (Isn’t the reflection in the water neat?) Love Diana’s style..very soft & efficient. |
 One of my favorite West Coasters - Hawley Bennett (originally of Langley, BC) but trains out of Temecula, CA. Here she is on John & Pam Hudson’s 16h, 12yo Splendorofthesun. (Pam & John are incredibly nice & dedicated owners, by the way, flying out to watch Sunny compete). |
 These guys had a clear jumping round to move them up from 24th to 10th. |
 Another cool action shot - just because! |
 Fifty-eight-year-old Jane Sleeper of E. Fallowfield, PA & New Moon, a 17h, 10yo Irish gelding. |
 These guys had a commendable round, jumping up from 26th to 15th after some time penalties. |
 Jessica Phoenix of Uxbridge, ONT and Exploring, a 16h TB gelding had a wonderful trip - moving from 23rd to 8th! |
 David O’Connor said they had one of the best rides of the day - how’s that for a compliment! Those Canadians are lookin’ better and better… |
 Jolie Sexson of Martinez, CA & Killian O’Connor, a 17h, 9yo Selle Francais/TB gelding |
 I like her face in this one… hehe. They had a great round - clear jumping, and only a few time faults. |
John Nunn (of Nunn Finer Tack & Bit of Britain Saddlery) is one of the USEA’s longest sponsors (as well as one of the nicest guys around!) & normally I don’t do specific blogs on all of our sponsors - unless they’ve done something really awesome. But I couldn’t let this press release slip by - there’s a HUGE sale going on now at Bit of Britain… 50-80% off! 
Bit of Britain has generously allowed for USEA members to get a 5% discount on their purchases - and in return, that money comes back here to help support the programs we all love and enjoy like the AEC’s, Young Event Horse program, ICP program, etc… We owe it to the one of the best of tack shops in the world (yes, world) to lend our support!
So jump over to the Bit of Britain website to snatch up these goodies before they’re all sold out!
Oh, and speaking of goodies - if you haven’t added Tack of the Day (also one of John Nunn’s amazing inventions) as one of your "favorites" then you’re missing out. Each day a couple of AMAZING products are offered for sale at super cheap prices (think 50-80% off…yeah…that good). But you have to hurry - the stuff sells out quick, and it’ll be gone in 24 hours! Forever! And it’s not bottom of the barrel junk, this is top quality tack, clothing, equipment, blankets, etc. GOOD stuff. I know where my tax return’s going this year!
One last little scrumptious site to feast upon - Horse Froogle.com. Weird name, awesome deals - and free shipping! Can’t beat that! Brought to you by the makers of TackoftheDay.com, so you KNOW it’s good!
By Amy J. Daum
Listen to the news, go on-line, open a magazine … everywhere you look there are increasingly pessimistic evaluations of today’s economy, with even worse predictions for the future. Don’t despair though. First, economies are by nature cyclical and historically have a way of turning themselves around (fingers crossed!). Second, there are lots of ways to cut corners during this currency crunch. Here are a few…
 Kerri Short of Bluemont, VA aboard Fantasia, an 11yo Westphalian mare |
 Sploosh! I love the look on Kerri’s face, hehe. If I’m not mistaken, she trains with Leslie Law & Lesley Grant-Law. |
 These guys were having a foot-perfect round, but sadly Kerri fell at the 2nd to last jump (I think) - she was okay, but understandably upset with that clear round just out of reach. Better luck next time, Kerri! |
 Lauren Lambert of Goshen, KY on Martha Lambert’s Baba Creek, an 11yo Thoroughbred gelding |
 Dropping down into the water - ears pricked, and lookin’ good! By the way - this guy has the best forelock. My only lament on this photo is that you can’t see it! |
 These guys had a great round and moved up from 35 to 16th after adding only 6 time faults to their total. |
 Here’s the winner! Maya Black of Clinton, WA & her Swedish WB/TB mare Kejsarinna |
 These guys were so incredibly smooth - here they get ready to drop down the steep hill on the "Camel Back" mounds. |
 There’s a drop down and then a few strides back up the mound to another log (followed by another drop) |
 Piece of cake! Of course Maya is a graduate A-level Pony Clubber! These two posted one of only 4 double-clear XC rounds in the 2*. |
 Here’s another Maya - this is Maya Studenmund of Unionville, PA with Business Class, a 11yo TB mare. |
 HUGE leap over the coffin! This pair made an equally big jump up the leaderboard from 20th to 9th after adding only a handful of time faults to their score. |
 Melissa Roddy of Kennett Square, PA & Never Summer, her 15yo TB gelding |
 Boink! Look at his cute little face! And those tidy little knees! |
 Splooshing down into the water - a few moments later Melissa had a spectacular save at the coffin after she nearly popped off. Way to go, Melissa! |
 Michael Pollard of Chatsworth, GA aboard Midas Mulligan, the 17.2-hand, 8yo Dutch Warmblood gelding. |
 This big horse did not look like an easy ride at all…kudos for Michael for some great riding! (Unfortunately, they did have one stop…) |
 Here’s Missy Miller of Gulf Shores, AL riding Missy Ransenhousen’s (name ring a bell? Dene Court, a 13yo Irish TB gelding. |
 Missy & Dene Court were looking great early in the course, but unfortunately decided to call it a day mid-way around. |
 Here’s Phillip Dutton & Bailey Wick, a 9yo Irish Sport Horse gelding owned & bred by Acorn Hill Farm. They had a wonderful trip and posted a double-clear round (Phillip posted two of the four…go figure!) |
 Funny story - my friend & fellow journalist Amber Heintzberger did a story on this pair and someone saw the photo of Bailey Wick and said he bears a striking resemblance to a Haflinger! |
 Hm….what do you think? If you dyed Bailey Wick’s mane & tail white, and squashed him down about two hands, then maybe they’d pass for long lost cousins! Think Phillip would ride him then? I did hear a funny story awhile back about Phillip riding a mechanical bull for a benefit…so who knows! |
 Here’s Stephanie Rhodes-Bosch of Summerland, BC aboard Port Authority, a 10yo Selle Francais/TB gelding |
 These guys had no jumping faults and only a handful of time penalties. |
 They leapt from 29th to 11th after XC!! |
 Tamra Todorovic of Phoenixville, PA (but originally from Serbia, I believe!) riding Susie Beale’s Funshine Bear, a 10yo TB gelding. |
 These guys opted to retire on course, and try their luck another day. |
 Tiffany Foster of Vass, NC and Robin Hood, a 12yo Irish TB gelding unfortunately had a stop. |
 Wendy Lewis of Medford, NJ and Catalyst, a TB mare owned by Buck Davidson. |
 These guys had a great round, moving up from 31st to 10th after gaining only a few time faults. |
 Here’s Will Coleman of Gordonsville, VA on the first of his two rides, Twizzel, owned by his Tivoli Farm. LOVE his equitation in this photo…gorgeous! |
 Twizzel’s a 12yo Westphalian/Thoroughbred gelding |
 These guys were just a hair over the optimum time, and added 1.2 time faults to their dressage score to keep them in 4th place. |
 Here’s Will’s other ride Nevada Bay, a 9yo TB gelding owned by Nanki Doubleday. I have to do this whole sequence…it’s priceless. Here he is looking pretty good on the drop down into the water… |
 Uh oh, Will, what happened to your stirrup? (Notice him smiling! That goober!) |
 Cowboying his way to keep the horse on his line - love it! He’s got gumption! |
 No sweat - he just pops out over the maxed-out table with perfect postition…minus a stirrup iron. George Morris would be proud of that equitation! |
 Alyssa Peterson of Waldorf, MD aboard Stormin’s Barbie, her 10yo TB mare. Love the hat cover - easy to spot (like a lost tennis ball!) |
 This was a gorgeous big, fat Trakehner that so many horses jumped really well. I couldn’t bring myself to crop this picture any closer - the background was so lovely and it framed Barbie so well. Unfortunately, it looks like Alyssa had a fall on course - but was back up in no time, and finished the event. |
 Amy Mulhern from Blairstown, NJ & Ghost of Figgy, an 8yo TB gelding. (What a cool name!) |
 These guys had one stop on course, but other than that looked great. |
 Lookin’ good over the big corn-husk table. |
 Andrea Leatherman of Rock Hill, SC on Revere Road, her 10yo TB gelding |
 These guys finished with one of only four double-clear rounds in the CCI2*. Go Andrea! |
 Anisa Tracy of Parker, CO & Tigger VIII - her TB gelding. |
 These guys have had a phenomenal year…they were last year’s gold medal winners at Young Riders in the one-star! |
 Obviously this pair have quite a bright future ahead of them! (Love this jump through the brush) |
 Ashley Kehoe of Purcellville, VA (howdy neighbor!) and Magic Man, a 10yo TB gelding. |
 These guys had a great XC round, and finished their day with no jumping penalties and a little over ten time faults. |
 Caitlin Romeo of South Royalton, VT & Spirit of the Outback drop down the mounds (you can’t tell, but the landing side is super steep) |
 The 17.1h, 9yo Irish gelding performed well ("Good boy!" pats from Caitlin) |
 Unfortunately, these guys had two stops on XC, dropping them from 9th to 22nd on Saturday |
 Carol Kozlowski of Geneseo, NY & Lynn Blades’ Take Time drop down into the water complex |
 This 16.3 hand gelding is a Connemara/TB by the famous Connemara stallion Hideaway’s Erin Go Bragh (whom Carol evented to Advanced!) |
 Although they jumped clean around the course, they added just a smidge of time faults to bump them into second place behind Maya Black & Kesjarinna. |
 Here’s Casey McKissock of Doylestown, PA riding her Special Blend, an 8yo TB gelding. They retired on course. |
 Colin Davidson of South Conway, NH & Mocha Fusion, his 13yo TB mare also retired on course. |
 Colleen Rutledge of Frederick, MD and Dillon an 11yo Irish gelding |
 Unfortunately they had a stop on course, but still finished the event in 18th place. |
 Here’s reigning Rolex champion Phillip Dutton of West Grove, PA on Risk Taker, an 8yo TB gelding owned by Mardie Faucette |
 Hannah Whalen of Madison, WI and Bungee, her 14yo TB/Clydesdale cross (I bet he’s got big feet!) |
 Though this pair finished the day with a stop and hefty time penalties, they decided to withdraw from show jumping on Sunday. |
 Holly Hillenbrand of Steamboat Springs, CO & Woodrow, an 11yo TB-cross gelding |
 This pair had an unfortunate run-out at the coffin, but were still able to move up a few places at the end of the day. |
 Jane Jennings of Stockton, NJ & Ringmoylan, an 11yo ISH gelding (who’s one of my new favorites!) |
 They drop down the log on the "Camel Back" mounds and head for home adding only 4 time faults to their dressage score. |
 Jonathan Ketzler of Belleville, WI appears to be having a good ol’ time aboard Gabriel, his 13yo TB gelding. Sadly, Jonathan popped out of the tack after the coffin, and was later eliminated. |
 Juliana Hutchings of Landenberg, PA & Fling’s Dream a well-seasoned 18yo TB gelding |
 I believe he earned a special award for being the oldest horse in the competition - he certainly didn’t look old (he was very frisky in dressage, too!). Unfortunately, they, too, had a stop on course. |
 Here’s Kate Brown of Lexington, KY with Mojito, a 7yo warmblood-cross gelding. (Love the expression on her face here…hehe) |
 Check out that smile! Kate must’ve been over the moon to get around with only time faults - she and Mojito moved up four places to 13th after XC. |
 Here’s Anisa’s sister Kendyl Tracy (also of Parker, CO) with the 9yo TB gelding Mr. Incredible. |
 Love the look of concentration on Kendyl’s face as she gets ready to drop into the water. |
 Sploosh! Unfortunately they had a chunk of time faults and dropped from 2nd to 8th after XC. |
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Read the official press release here - and see the complete results here. More photo galleries & Blogs to follow!
 Allison Springer & Destination Known |
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 Andrea Baxter & Estrella |
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 Ashley Adams & Vaunted |
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 Barbara Crabo & Eveready |
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 Buck Davidson & Ballynoecastle RM |
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 Diana Burnett & Manny |
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 Jane Sleeper & New Moon |
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 Karen O’Connor & Mandiba |
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 Lisa Marie Fergusson & Uni Griffon |
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 Madeline Blackman & Gordonstown |
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 Mike Winter & Manhattan IV |
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 Nate Chambers & Rolling Stone II |
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 Sara Dierks & Somerset |
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 Stephanie Boyer & Macloud |
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 Tamra Smith & Chaos Theory |
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 Wendy Bebie & Phoenix |
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 Will Coleman & Kiki du Manoir |
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Jersey Fresh as a Daisy
Author: Emily Daily
Heads up! Jersey Fresh CCI2*/CCI3* at the Horse Park of New Jersey in Allentown, N.J. is this weekend - so if you’re in the general area, you’re definitely not going to want to miss one of the biggest events of the year. Hold the phone, you say, isn’t Jersey Fresh usually held on one of the last weekends in May/first weekend in June? Normally it is, but the date was changed for many user-friendly reasons such as the hope for less-sweltering weather, and a chance to allow horses to run in the Bromont (which will be running a CCI3* as well as a CCI2*, CCI*, CIC2*, and CIC1*!) in June.
So, off I go this weekend for my virginal visit to the Garden State, with photographer boyfriend (a must-have accessory for journalists!) and token Jack Russell in tow! I’m packing up the car with coolers, tent, Cliff bars, and lanterns, because we’re camping, believe it or not (I hear they have showers… hooray! I might not be basking in my sweat all weekend, after all)! If you see a frazzled-looking blonde girl with camera in one hand, and dog leash in the other - come introduce yourself!
Who am I rooting for? Who are you rooting for? Well, let’s go over the roster, shall we?
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