Last February, 21-year-old Jennie Brannigan of San Diego, CA was awarded the Jacqueline B. Mars International Competition and Training Grant. Brannigan decided to use the grant to travel to the Bramham CCI3* in England with her eight-year-old, Dutch Warmblood gelding, Cooper.
2008 was a year of great success as Brannigan and Cooper won the Intermediate level of the Adequan/USEA Gold Cup Series and earned individual and team gold in the two-star competition at the North American Junior and Young Riders Championship.
The pair was recently named to the "B" Squad on the USEF High Performance List. Brannigan currently lives in West Grove, Pennsylvania and works for Olympic Gold Medalist Phillip Dutton.
Brannigan and Cooper arrived in England on June 1 to prepare for their first international competition. Bramham CCI3* is considered to be one of the most difficult three-star competitions in the world. However, the duo was ready for the challenge.
After the dressage phase, Brannigan stood at the top of the placings in the under 25 division with a 42.8. An unfortunate stop and 14.8 time penalties on the cross-country course dropped the team down to 15th place. Although, they had three rails down in show jumping, Brannigan and Cooper managed to bump up one place to finish in a respectable 14th place. Complete results for the Bramham CCI3* can be seen here.
The Bramham CCI3* was Brannigan and Cooper's first attempt at a CCI3* and European competition. The pair gained an irreplaceable experience in a tough competitive atmosphere. This exposure will definitely serve Brannigan well as she hopes to represent the United States in future international competitions.
Also, check out Brannigan's blog on her Bramham experience at The Chronicle of Horse's website.
Eventers who are new to the sport may feel a little overwhelmed by the often-misunderstood world of saddle fitting. Riders are often bombarded with information from peers online or self-described experts, putting them at risk of following bad advice related to equipment that impacts horse welfare perhaps more than any other piece of tack. Finding a qualified expert to answer these questions is crucial. Who better to turn to than both a qualified Master Saddle Fitter and a fourth-generation saddle designer to answer some of these questions?
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.