United States Eventing Association

A USEA MEMBER’S PERSPECTIVE ON OUR SPORT.

Eventer Amy Lopez, a witness to the tragic fall of Laine Ashker and Frodo Baggins at the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event, provided us with her reflections and insights. We believe that her message, and the obvious love and respect for her horses with which it is infused, stands as a beacon of hope in this difficult time for our sport. Kevin Baumgardner

Lemons or Lemonade?

I was sitting atop the hill overlooking fence 5, the flower basket, this past weekend at the Rolex Kentucky 3 Day Event and bore witness to the crash of the lovely Frodo Baggins and Laine Ashker.

It was a scene I will never be able to erase from my mind.

Sitting on the hill while they were clearing the area and valiantly trying to save Frodo I considered not only my beloved sport of eventing but my life as well.

For the first time I questioned why I competed in this sport and agonized over the anguish a similar crash would cause my family and friends.

More importantly I questioned my justifications for asking my trusting, loyal horse to take part in a sport *I* wanted to do.

For the first time in my riding life I considered quitting eventing, oddly enough not due to fear for my own safety or to spare my loved ones but because I could not reconcile my feelings over what I was asking my horse to do.

I did not find all of the answers but left the hill that day sure of one thing –I am an eventer.

I have chosen to grieve for Frodo Baggins and The Quite Man as well as the other horses and riders that have experienced tragedy this year. I have also chosen to not let their sacrifices be in vain.

You see Frodo gave me a great gift that day –he made me realize I had started letting my own ambition, not my horse, be my compass as I traverse the levels of eventing.

It is my hope that the death of Frodo Baggins and The Quite Man as well as the grievous injuries sustained by Darren and Laine will serve to protect countless other horses and riders. I believe their personal tragedies have already impacted and changed many lives -we will never know the number of horses and riders saved from injury (or worse).

In researching the meaning of colors I found that the color red often represents courage, revolution, hardiness, as well as warning.

So I plan to affix a red ribbon to my cross country vest to serve as a visual reminder of the lesson offered to me by two great horses.

1. I must let my horse be my guide. I must remember he is a willing partner and when me tells me something is wrong I must listen and not automatically assume it is reluctance or stubbornness on his part.
2. When I think it is time to move up I will consider it carefully and think twice –make that three times- before proceeding.
3. I will seek out truly expert instruction. I will invest in my eventing education. When a lesson or clinic is needed it will hold precedence over my desire to compete (and thus use lesson funds).
4. It is cliché but you are either part of the problem or part of the solution. I will stand by my association and work to better the sport in all aspects. No more “they” and “them” –it is “we” and “us”. Thinking otherwise allows me to stand idle.

This is how I have chosen to deal with the current tragedies and I refuse to believe that something positive will not result from the loss of life. It is my hope that others will find something positive to take away as well-I know we all have heavy hearts but our eyes should be looking to the future and filled with hope.

Now is the time to grab mane and kick on. I hope to see you at the start box with a faraway look in your eyes and then grinning wickedly as you pass through the finish flags!