Aug 09, 2011

Bit of Britain Road To The AEC Blogger Post 9

My road to the AEC this year started off with a suspensory injury to my horse Brio and a back injury for myself. I was hoping that this would be the year that I qualify, and me and my daughter would be able to ride and compete together at the AEC, but as fate has it, I will be her groom and will be enjoying every moment cheering my daughter Madeline and her faithful stead Carson, aka "Hope to star" in this spectacular event.

After a few months off, I was able to compete at my first full event at Fairhill over the weekend finishing in an honorable eighth place in the Open division. So, I will aim again for next year and I am sure I will be riding but not competing in the same division as my talented daughter Madeline and Carson.

As far as my daughter goes, Madeline and Carson have had a tremendous year with a new trainer, Molly Rosin, and her wonderful Havarah Team. She has exploded into the eventing world in the Junior Open Training division qualifying early on in the year and her riding skills continue to improve at every event. Madeline and Carson make a great impression on everyone that watches them at every event because she is only 12 and Carson is 17 and she is a tiny little rider on a 16h "very" flea bitten gray TB.

This weekend they are competing at Waredaca horse trials. This is one of Madeline’s favorite places to compete. Her first event last October at Waredaca she placed third in the Junior Open Novice division and her last event in June at Waredaca she placed second in the Open Training division, who knows maybe she will get that first place this weekend. Since she is already qualified, I am sure this weekend is going to be a great weekend since there is no pressure other than just finishing and having a great time doing it. Stay tuned for results and we will keep you up to date on her training progress for the AEC.

Interested in becoming a Bit of Britain Road to the AEC Blogger? Check out this post for more details and send your story and photos to [email protected]

May 19, 2025 Interscholastic

USEA Podcast #387: Flashbacks to the USEA Intercollegiate & IEL Eventing Championships

Were you one of the competitors at this year's USEA Intercollegiate & Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL) Eventing Championships? Or do you dream of the day that you can participate yourself? Are you just a huge eventing superfan and love seeing young riders of all ages enjoying the sport? No matter where you fall, you will love this week's episode of the USEA Podcast where we chat with a member of the USEA IEL champion team and the president of this year's Intercollegiate Spirit Award winners, the University of Georgia. Get a behind-the-scenes look at what it feels like to participate in one of these championships from Olive Dumais and Katlyn Parker.

May 18, 2025 Education

How to Ride the Horse You Thought You Bought

In this excerpt, trainer and educator Anne Buchannan explains bit contact connection and why it matters for true collection and healthy movement.

May 17, 2025 Education

Eventing 101: The Show Secretary is Your New Best Friend. Here’s How to Keep Them Happy

Familiarizing yourself with the key players at each horse trial is an important step to your success at your next competition. One of those important figures is the show secretary. Think of the show secretary as the mastermind behind most of the organizational efforts related to each horse trial. They manage entries, the show schedule, ride times, stabling, and so much more. Without the hard work of the show secretary and their office staff, a horse trial simply would not be able to operate.

May 16, 2025 Officials

USEA Foundation Announces the Janet Briggs Fund for the Continuing Education of Licensed Officials

The USEA Foundation is pleased to announce a new initiative, the Janet Briggs Fund for the Continuing Education of Licensed Officials. Established in memory of Janet Briggs, this fund honors her lifelong dedication to the sport of eventing by supporting the ongoing education and development of eventing licensed officials.

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