United States Eventing Association

The weekend presented two opportunities for riders wanting to try their hand at the long-format style of eventing through the SmartPak Equine USEA Classic Series. The Indiana Eventing Association Horse Trials, held in Edinburgh, IN, offered Area VIII riders a chance to experience the roads and tracks and 10-minute box at the Training and Novice levels. The Colorado Horse Park CCI* and Horse Trials (Area IX) also offered a Training Three-Day (T3D) division.

Erin Strader grabbed the top spot in the T3D division at the Indiana Eventing Association’s Horse Trials aboard Irish Red, ending the weekend on her dressage score of 30.6. Strader acquired the 8 year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding 3 years ago, and has been competing at the training level since the end of last year. Strader, who currently lives in Kentucky as a working student for Dorothy Crowell, says that her horse rose to the challenge of the long format with plenty of spunk to spare.

“I think the long format helped a ton. He’s not a thoroughbred that comes with the endurance part already there, so he needs more work to get fit. He loves roads and tracks and thought the steeplechase was the best thing ever,” she said. “For a horse that isn’t super energetic, to have him get really excited at a horse show is very cool.”

Strader used the experience to prepare her horse for a move up to Preliminary at Midsouth Pony Club Horse Trials, June 21-23 in Lexington, KY. “I think IEA does a really good job. The cross-country is more like a championship course, and there were a lot of really good questions.” She also competed Irish Red at the IEA Novice Three-Day in 2012.

Although this was Strader’s first Training Three-Day, it may not be her last. “I will definitely consider doing it again, and I know that there is a Preliminary Three-Day at Hagyard (Midsouth Three-day Event & Team Challenge, October 17-20, Lexington, KY), so that may be in our future.”

Kimberlee Branscom moved up the leaderboard in the N3D division after her dressage score of 32.8 initially put her into third place. After racking up no penalties in endurance phases A-D, and a double clear show jumping round, Branscom and her own Murphy’s Grey Trooper took home the win.

At the Colorado Horse Park, Summer Peterson and Jake the Fish won the T3D despite a stop on cross-country. Arden Stephens, riding All That Matters, finished second, picking up a stop in the field as well.

The next leg of the SmartPak Equine USEA Classic Series will be held at Rebecca Farm, July 24-28 in Kalispell, MT (Area VII).