Four U.S. riders received USEF grants to compete at Boekelo CCI3* in The Netherlands this coming weekend – they’ve all arrived safe and sound and are preparing for this weekend’s exciting event… check out the latest blog entries from the riders to see how their trip is going so far!
Doug Payne (competing with Running Order) reported on Tuesday: “Nothing all that important or exciting happened today. We all had lessons with Mark Phillips, except for Will who continued his work with Sandy Phillips. We then took them all for walks…all good…
We did find out were the 7th nation to go and I’m going to be first in the order which means I’ll be going about 7th to go on thursday. Jogs tomorrow and the xc course walk at 8:30!”
Tiana Coudray (competing with Ringwood Magister) reported on Monday about her flight: “Our flight was mostly uneventful and I enjoyed the privilege of leaving my seat and going through the secret locked door to the back to hang out with Finn. He, sadly, was the only horse on the flight so his only company was a crate of fine paintings and a classic car and I think it was a little dark and lonely back there for him. I was greeted with a very sweet little nicker each time I visited, but otherwise he was very stoic about the whole thing. Our KLM attendant informed me that while I was sleeping one time we had some pretty bad turbulence and that I must be a bad trailer driver because when she checked on him, he was not bothered by it at all! Anyways, he traveled like a pro.
Sinead Halpin (competing with Manoir de Carneville) reported on Tuesday: “We are here!!! We landed in amsterdam yesterday am and headed straight to the horse hotel to see tiana and wait for our horses to arrive. 5 hours later they all arrived looking like they traveled fantastic! We arrived to Boekelo and were greeted with more than 5 people to help us unload, coffee,tea, and cookies! The horses got out for grass and settled in easily. We then headed over to the "bar" on the property which was already filled with people, several beers on tap, music blaring! Franz ( who basically runs everything) told us they normally have over 40,000 spectators!! We hacked out this am and the ponies were wild but can’t blame them its all so exciting! Ill blog some more this afternoon when I get on my computer just wanted to let everyone know we made it!!”
Will Faudree (competing with Andromaque) isn’t blogging from the event, but you can learn more about him on his website: http://www.willfaudree.com/index.html
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New Zealand’s Monica Spencer found herself in a familiar position at the end of the second day of dressage at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event today—in first after dressage in the five-star aboard her longtime partner Artist.
Try as they might, not a single horse and rider pair could top overnight leaders Tamie Smith and Danito’s dressage score of 27.0 in the Cosequin Lexington CCI4*-S at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, however there were two new pairs who joined them on the leaderboard following the second day...
