Millbrook, N.Y. - July 28 - The Millbrook Horse Trials, held July 27-30 in Dutchess County, New York, wrapped up the first two days of competition today, with the upper levels taking to the dressage phase at Riga Meadow at Coole Park Farm, and the lower levels heading out on the cross-country course across the road.
In the Advanced division, Woods Baughman and C’est La Vie 135, a 15-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Contendro I x Anette), owned by Baughman, Kim Baughman , and James Baughman Jr, took the lead on a sore of 25.7. With a heat advisory in the Millbrook area today, Woods said that the big, black gelding was feeling the effects of the weather and was less energetic than usual.
“He’s a really fun horse; at home he’s normally pretty terrible to ride but he really knows his job. I usually work on suppleness and keeping him feeling good in his body. At shows he’s like a different horse and all I really have to do is guide him.” Woods has been working with German dressage coach Bettina Hoy on improving his performance in the first phase.
For tomorrow’s cross-country, hot temperatures would be to Woods’ advantage, as “Contendro”, as he calls C’est La Vie at home, tends to be strong and hard to handle in the cross-country phase. But the forecast appears cooler tomorrow, so time will tell if the weather helps or hinders their performance.
“He’s a bit of a beast,” said Woods. “We’ve tried everything. I’ve been working with Will Faudree on adjustability and he’s helped me with cross-country technique, managing rather than trying to control the horse, trying to regulate him and take advantage of his unreal athleticism.”
They’ll be heading to the USEA American Eventing Championships, presented by Nutrena Feeds, in Kentucky next, and will plan their fall season depending on their performance there and at the Plantation Field horse trials in September.
Woods' coach, Will Faudree, holds second and third places in the Advanced division riding Pfun, a 16-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding (Tadmus x Celerina) owned by Jennifer Mosing with 27.3 after the dressage and Mama’s Magic Way, a 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding (Mighty Magic x Straightaway), also owned by Mosing and Sterling Silver Stables, who scored 28.6. Young Rider Cassie Sanger is in fourth place on a score of 29.8 riding her own 15-year-old Anglo European gelding Fernhill Zoro, (Verdi x Oronia 2).
Faudree has competed Pfun internationally and said that since the gelding is 16 years old he plans to back him down from the five-star level. He said that the lesser demands on the horse’s fitness have resulted in him being more supple in the dressage.
Of Mama’s Magic Way, he said, “He’s one the nicest horses I’ve ridden – he’s amazing – but he’s tough. We’ve been working really hard with Bettina Hoy; he’s done four five-stars now and he’s mentally strong enough that he’s handling the pressure at home to really train him. I was conservative on him today but he went in the ring and really stayed with me, I was thrilled.”
In the Open Intermediate A division local rider Ariel Grald, who represented the USA at last year’s World Championships at Pratoni, Italy took the early lead riding Annie Elridge's 12-year-old Hanoverian gelding Forrest Gump 124 (Furst Nymphenburg x Amaterasu). In the Open Intermediate B division, Caroline Pamukcu (nee Martin), who just returned to the US after representing the U.S. on the Nations Cup team is Strzegom took the lead riding Luann McEldoff and Sherrie Martin's 7-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding HSH Connor.
Beginner Novice through Training level did the cross-country phase of the event today and Preliminary through Advanced will go cross-country tomorrow.
Did you know that the USEA Foundation awards over 150 grants each year to deserving individuals who are involved in the sport of eventing? With grants that assist riders with accomplishing their competition goals, grants geared toward licensed officials, grants that are specific to continuing education for coaches, grants that assist competitions with obtaining frangible technology, and so much more, there really is a grant opportunity available to almost anyone!
With the start of the New Year just days away, now is the time to consider how your actions can have a positive impact on the sport of eventing in 2025. Each and every member of the eventing community has an important role to play in ensuring the sport continues to grow and thrive. From fostering educational opportunities to supporting grassroots initiatives and participating at all levels of the sport, there are so many ways to get involved.
Ride iQ’s popular “Ask An Expert” series features professional advice and tips from all areas of the horse industry. One of the most-downloaded episodes is an expert session with Peter Gray, an accomplished dressage judge and Olympic eventer. He has recently judged at events like the five-star at the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, and he served on the ground jury at the 2022 FEI World Eventing Championships in Pratoni, Italy. His background as a competitor in the Olympic Games riding for Bermuda and as a coach and selector for the Canadian eventing team adds depth to his understanding of the sport.
With a total of 382 volunteer hours in 2024, Catherine “Cathy” Hale not only topped the USEA Area III VIP Volunteer leaderboard, but she also ranked fourth out of all eventing volunteers across the country. Hale (The Villages, Florida) has worked as a travel agent for over 30 years, a career that suits her love of travel nicely. At the time of being interviewed for this article, Hale was passing the equator on a cruise to Tahiti, New Zealand, and Australia.