United States Eventing Association

Galway Downs CCI3* Champion Barbara Crabo and Everready II from Area X, the West Coast Young Event Horse 4 and 5 Year Old Champions from Area VI; Amber Levine's Otter Pop and Tamra Smith with Judith McSwain's Fleeceworks Royal tell their stories and what their wins mean to them. Visit the website for the report of the YEH Championships, photos and full results here.

Transciption:

Chris: This is the United States Eventing Association’s official podcast. Hello and welcome to the program. I’m Chris Stafford. On this week's episode, we focus on the Galway Downs winners - the CCI3* winner Barbara Crabo and the Young Event Horse Champions. Our first guest is Amber Levine, owner and rider of 4 -YO YEH champion, the gray gelding Otter Pop.

Amber: We are so proud of him and he is such a fun horse that hopefully has a bright future ahead of him.

Chris: How did he get his name?

Amber: His Jockey Club name is Ought to Win and they called him Otter, and Andrea Pfeifer, who I work for here at Chocolate Horse Farm couldn't come to terms with calling him Ought to Win. We started calling him Otter Pop and it just kind of stuck; everyone loves the Otter Pop popsicles so we just started calling him that and now everyone in the barn has brought a box of Otter Pop popsicles to the barn.

Chris: Where did you first meet him? How did you come about this partnership?

Amber: Shirley and Dan Aronson do a lot of off-the-track-thoroughbreds. Shirley works with a few organizations to give Thoroughbreds a life after racing and she is here in Petaluma and she brings quite a few horses here to Andrea and myself. She brought him here for me to ride and I rode him and then wouldn't let him leave!

C: What was it about him that you fell in love with?

A: He's so game. He's beautiful to look at and is put together really well. He has a natural presence about him. Uphill, leggy, and he's super brave. If you tell him something is okay, he believes you and off he goes. He's a great mover and he's just got something about him that we just couldn't him go.

C: Let's talk about [the competitions] that you've done so far with him.

A: We bought him a couple of months ago and kept it low key and kept him at home. I'd ride him for a few weeks and stick him out in the field whenever we went to shows. We took him to the October Woodside and he went Novice and was super. Then the Fresno County Horse Park and I did the 4-YO class just for fun and to get him in the ring. We thought if he qualified for finals that it'd be fun to do with him and he did qualify and also did the Novice there and off we went to Galway which he was super at.

C: At what point did you decide to enter him in the 4YO Championship?

A: After he won the qualifier and received a high enough score at Fresno.

C: Let's talk about his breeding - he's off the track,so what can you tell us about his breeding so other people can look out. Obviously you've got a winner on your hands!

A: I have his Jockey Club papers and I've looked it up online. He has Mr. Prospector, Raise a Native further back in his lines. He raced 6 times and was a dud, so they pulled him off the track and that's when Shirley bought him.

C: That's not too shabby a pedigree he's got. He's got the credentials for speed but you say he wasn't fast enough. How do you think this will translate to eventing?

A: He's got a great jump and for eventing he's got plenty of gallop.

C: You said he is brave and that he's got a nice uphill balanced horse as well. Is someone helping you with flatwork?

A: Yes, Andrew Pfeifer helps me with all of my horses and has a dressage background herself. We're very excited about him.

C: What do you have planned for him now? What will you do with him over the winter?

A: We're going to give him a month off - I stuck him out in one of our paddocks this morning. We'll bring him back this winter after he's had a little downtime. We hope to do the 5 YO's next year is the big plan.

C: What did he make of it all at Galway?

A: He does have a great mind about him and the atmosphere makes him try a little bit harder. He goes in the show ring and just seems to know and jumps a little bigger and tries that much harder.

C: You started off impressively with conformation and type - he scored the highest with an 8.18 I believe it was. And the rest of the competition he must have just done everything right for you. The temperament is right as you said, and he's got what it takes to gallop and perform in the sport. Do you see him as a horse that could go all the way to 4*?

A: That's our hope; that was the intention in buying him. We hope he lives up to all the expectations.

C: So you wouldn't be tempted to cash him in now that he's made such a good start to his career?

A: No, I think we're going to hold onto him a little bit.

C: Its very prestigious to win the USEA YEH 4YO Championships.

A: Yes, we're very excited.

C: We're going to see a lot more of Otter Pop. Presumably mainly on the west coast?

A: Yes, I have 2 others that will hopefully run the 2* next year and then we may come up to Fair Hill and if Otter is ready, to do the 5-year-olds out there.

Chris: Congratulations again. Our next guest is Tamra Smith who rode Judith McSwain's Fleeceworks Royal to win the 5YO Championship. Welcome to the program. You not only were runner up in the 4YOs last year but now this mare wins the 5YO's this year.

Tamra: It's been really fun. She's been very nice to produce and we're having a great time with her.

Chris: It was all about gray horses in the Championships and fillies in the future event horse. Let's talk about this horse - you've been partnered for a while.

T: She technically was 4 when we bought her but she still hadn't turned 4. We bought her from a breeder in Central Calif., Charlotte Rather. Wendy Wergeles who is an official and has been around eventing since I can remember, her and I spoke about the mare and she put us together. Judith McSwain who has been a longtime supporter of me with other horses stepped up and purchased her. She loves mares and gray mares so she happened to be the right piece all the way around and I'm really excited about her future.

C: She's a Holsteiner mare by Riverman, and she's a full sister to R-Star, the 4* horse. She's got some great credentials to start off with. Apart from the little hiccup at the AEC, in the last 12 months you've been in the top 2 with this mare - she's very consistent. What do you attribute that to?

T: She's got a bit of an attitude. When I first got her, I knew there could be a little of that because I watched Rosie (Kristi Nunnink's horse) grow up and go through the levels, so I had a predisposed opinion of what Rory would be like. The second that I saw she was a little bit tricky, I sent her to a guy I work with by the name of Allen Clark, an Austrailian horse-savant if you will. A really impressive trainer with the tougher horses and she was quite difficult with him, but I think because we nixed it right away, she's been literally foot perfect ever since.

C: Are you saying you've got a mare with an attitude?

T: [Laughs]

C: How big is she?

T: She may not be 16.1 yet, she's a little on the smaller side. Which is surprising because Rosie was bigger and more filled out, and maybe Rory will end up being bigger later on, but I actually like that she's smaller.

C: Apart from her temperament, she's quite the performer. She's got the movement for dressage and she can obviously gallop and jump. Talk about this competition and how it came about. You had a hiccup at AEC a few weeks ago, so what had you been doing since then to get her back on track?

T: She cut her stifle quite significantly when she landed in the water and it was just a baby mistake. David O'Connor was right at the water and he chuckled and said, "Don't be mad at her." She just made a mistake and the way the shadows were at the water - she almost over jumped and tried to jump the shadow - it was a log drop in the water by itself. She kicked up really high behind and she just kind of fell on her knee and her hind legs just crumpled and her front right shoe went into her stifle and cut it. Not into the muscle or anything but she was really sore. We had to trailer her off the cross-country course and I didn't think she was going to compete at the 5YOs. We were slated to do the T3D at Galway and do the 5YO Championships as well. Judy and I went "so much for this year." But the veterinarian was really incredible and helped and Hawley Bennett and Robin Fisher were there and they helped us get her cleaned up since I had other horses to ride. The vet stitched it up and it healed the best it could have possible healed in a short amount of time. She still had a superficial cut during the competition but she came up very sound after 10 days after the AEC. I had a couple weeks to prepare her and I took her XC schooling before Galway and she was much more willing to listen to me. That's been a bit of her problem - she's a bit of a know it all. She's so brave. She's the bravest horse I've ridden and she's very athletic. Typically with a horse that's brave you can let them make a mistake but she doesn't make mistakes. I go to soften to her and she just makes her feet quicker. It's going to be a tricky process bringing her up the levels, making her understand the jumps are something to respect. She is careful and quick on her feet. I just feel like not a fence you could build that she would ever care about. She just is extremely brave. I'm really fortunate to ride her.

C: She took another win at Copper Meadows in the Training, but you qualified for the Galway Downs 5YO Championship at Twin Rivers. You knew you could always take her there if you wanted to. How was she going close to the event?

T: I think the mistake at the AEC served us well because she's much more respectful of what I have to say. [Laughs]. Prior to that, she really wasn't. Early in the year she got her foot stuck in a feeder and had some time off, and when I brought her back to Copper Meadows before the AEC, I thought that she hadn't done anything XC-wise so she'll be a bit backed off and pay attention but she wasn't. At the AEC I had already ridden my first horse and there was significant trouble on course - as there should be at a Championship. I wasn't sure how she'd handle it, but there's nothing you can build that she's worried about. I even thought at times of putting an amateur rider. I think sometimes when you put a professional on a young horse we protect them and they dont see very many mistakes. We ride them too well and protect them too much sometimes. I've made a conscious effort not to help my young horses so much and I guess at the AEC I should have helped her more.

C: She obviously dealt well with it - it was very tight in the scores there at the top. That's a pretty prestigious title to have under her belt.

T: What's so amazing about the program is it's really evolving into an amazing program, having William Micklem be able to come and judge and Bea Digrazia. I can't remember the lady that judged the conformation. But I think we had really world-class judges, the best we've had to date. It was an honor to be in that class. And then to be able to be in the running for the Tim Holekamp grant for Le Lion in France - the program is really evolving into something very special. I think the USEA and everyone who stepped up to support it should be really given a lot of kudos for that because we went from a nonexistent young horse program to a very good program and something that got a lot of respect throughout the year. It's a very good thing to be a part of. It's the icing on the cake to win the West Coast 5year olds. Wasn't expecting it because of the luck of preparation but she stepped up to the plate.

C: What a terrific record - runner up in the 4 year olds and winning the 5 year olds. What's next?

T: All of our horses that competed all season will go out in a field for a few months and have time off. I plan to do some jumper shows with her in January and February and then plan to move her up to Preliminary. In the dressage she's very broke on the flat, I can already do the 1* test comfortable. She's very rideable and compliant on the flat. I did the 5 year olds in some jumper classes last year at Thermal which she did very well at and I want to work on the rideability, so I'll take her and another mare and do some of the A-circuit jumper shows over the winter and then look at moving her up to prelim and spend next year at the prelim/1* level. Hopefully we have better luck -- she get's bored and she stepped in her feeder and she just gets herself into trouble every now and again. So hopefully those things don't happen next year.

C: She should have her own blog with the character that she is. She's compliant on the flat but seems to have an attitude in everything else.

T: I know I can rely on her in the dressage every time. She never gets tense, she's very rideable and through in the contact. The second she gets jumping, she's raring to go which I think will serve her well in the upper levels but for now it's a bit of a challenge.

C: You're based in Temecula right down the road from Galway. Will you campaign her exclusively on the west coast next year?

T: Yeah, Judith McSwain (the owner) and I have talked about taking her somewhere - depending on how this season goes and how her education is. I'm taking possible two seven year olds to the Championship in France next year, and if that does happen, knock on wood, I would possibly take her to do the six year olds. Judy has been such a huge supporter in wanting to produce the young horses with the best chance and we both feel like going over there earlier before they are 3* horses might serve both of us well - to compete and see how we stack up. Should next season go very well the possible goal would be maybe to do the 6 year olds in France with her but there are so many months ahead, you never know. I just try to train every day and whatever happens, happens.

C: Whats her barn name?

T: Rory.

C: Does that change a bit with her attitude?

T: You know, on the ground she doesnt have an attitude at all. You'd think she was a 15 year old gelding. On the ground she's a complete pleasure - very easy. But the second you go to get on her to the jump she is a spicy little thing. We call her Rorasaurus, that's her little nickname. I've never had to call her a name that I couldn't repeat.

C: Obviously she's got a very exciting future. Very exciting for Judy as well. Judith McSwain, the loyal owner as you say. Best of luck in the future.

Finally, Barbara Crabo joins us having won the CCI3* at Galway with Eveready II which came down to just 1 rail to decide the winner. Barb joins us now from Scottsdale, AZ. What a fantastic weekend for you, Barb. Obviously a career highlight because this is a horse you bred, didn't you?

Barb: He is, yes. Our first born actually.

C: Obviously he has a very special place in your heart. So he's 15 now, and getting to the autumn of his career. What a way to celebrate the senior years in competition, to win a 3*. Let's talk about that weekend, but before we do, tell us about the lead up to the competition.

Barb: Well, he's had a couple of injuries and so after his last one when we went to Rolex in 2012, he didn't get to finish because he had an injury and I decided that he wouldn't hold up to the that so I decided to stop doing CCI's with him and just do horse trials and CICs because he could handle those no problem, but this whole season he has just felt so good and the area of his injury was looking better than it has since when he injured it. My husband Martin and I had been joking around about maybe going back to the CCI but I didn't want to break him. He just kept looking better and better and at Rebecca Farm he was so good and so fit and super sound. So it started wiggling its way into my brain for real but I refused to talk about it and we went to the AEC in september. He came through the finish feeling like he could turn around and start over. He was so strong and fit and the next morning he was super sound and feeling great and 2 days after the show he was ready to go again, so we thought, 'Let's go for it.' So I decided in September to take him [to Galway]. The majority of his fitness training is swimming. He gallops as little as possible. I actually only galloped him once since AEC and he's been swimming twice a week and it seems to do the trick. He's so fit but his legs feel great so we didn't have a whole lot of time to stress about it. It's just been the last 6 weeks or so.

C: What about his dressage? Do you have help?

B: Minimal. Occasionally I take a lesson but there's not a deep pool of help in Arizona. There are some dressage riders but a lot aren't really familiar with eventing. So having a hot skinny horse trying to do upper level dressage, they kind of take him for what he is instead of trying to get everything out of him. Sometimes when you push him he can get pretty reactive which they don't necessarily know what to do with so I've found that it's hard to get the help I want. I did actually have a woman who is from Germany but she's working in New Mexico right now and she came out just last week. My father in law Bo knows her quite well and he thought she could get a little more out of the horses and she really pushed Ready and I beyond what we've been doing to get a little extra pizazz out of him. And I was able to take that to the show last weekend. And I think it helped me push him to the edge a little bit more where I was riding that fine line of obedience and energy vs. too much energy and disobedience which he can go to very quickly. So the few lessons I took with her helped and I'd like to work with her more but we're in different states so it's going to take some planning.

C: You produced a 49.6 in the end for fifth place so how were you feeling at the end of dressage and having looked at Ian Stark's cross country course? Did you feel ready to give it a crack and maybe finish in the top three?

B: That's what I was hoping but I was elated after my dressage. I've been trying for 2 years to break into the 40s in FEI and I've gotten close and we've had obedient tests but we've not been able to break into the 40s and I won't say that with a 49.6 that we busted our way in there but we edged in. It was really exciting. I can't even tell you, it pretty much made my season. I walked the course and Ready has gotten so reliable and so experienced now that I felt pretty confident. I was worried about a couple of questions but only a couple - the rest I felt confident about. So, I wanted to go out and do the best I could and you hope like you always do when you leave the start box that you come back with a sound horse. I was feeling pretty good - fifth after dressage was a nice place to be sitting especially looking at who I was competing against.

C: So coming through the finish again, how were you feeling about your performance?

B: I was ecstatic - he came through the finish like he had plenty more to give. He could have gone another couple of minutes without getting tired. He was not tired at all and he was jumping phenomenally right to the very end. Most of the course we were absolutely on the same page. A couple of spots we weren't quite together and he was like 'Just grab mane, I got this.' And he did it and he was just fantastic.

C: Clear jumping, just a little bit of time. No one made the time on Saturday. That bumped you into second place - how were you feeling Sunday morning? You obviously flew through the jog but you must have been nervous knowing you were so close to the top and there was only a rail separating.

B: I was very nervous and the pressure gets me for sure. My head can get in the way a little bit. Most of the time I get rid of it once I start cantering around, but before I was extremely nervous. Ready felt fantastic. He felt a little tired, but was jumping great. He's a very good show jumper. It definitely was helpful to have everybody in front of me take at last a rail because they gave me a little bit of breathing room and typically if Ready pulls a rail its only one. I can't remember when he's taken more than that. But he went out there and did his stuff and once he started jumping I felt pretty confident that he was going to jump clean.

C: The only horse to do so, and how satisfying was that alone? It was a very special competition for you all around as you say, coming into the latter part of his career, winning the CCI3*. There's a lot to celebrate isn't there, Barb?

B: Yes, and being the only clean round made it feel special and being the fastest on XC - for me, that's something I battle with. I'm not typically one of the fastest out there. I struggle to really go, and coming up to a couple of fences I was wanting to half halt a little too soon, but I [forced myself to wait]...But it paid off and he came back to me and it saved us a few seconds here and there and that's something I've been really practicing and it paid off.

C: And your husband Martin and your daughter Jordan were there to support you. Great family celebration at the end of the day I'd imagine.

B: It was pretty fun, it was a good ride home. My daughter is on a new pony - it was their third event together, they're still learning. Her last pony was quite old and taught her a ton, but she had to work for every bit of it. Getting her to gallop took everything that Jordan had to keep kicking her around and keep her moving and usually they'd have time penalties and this little pony, he's just such a go-er, he wants to fly and she thinks that's more fun than ever. Sometimes I'm like, 'Can you slow him down a little?' but she's like 'But it's so fun!' Its fun to see her blossom with him and gain so much confidence. Martin loves watching all of it - he just thinks it's so much fun and he's a veterinarian and he's all these horses vets so it's rewarding for him to see them stay sound and feel good at the end of the day.

C: Did you breed Jordan's horse?

B: No we bought him 2 months ago.

C: So a new partnership there and a very seasoned partnership with Ready as you call him. Obviously it didn't do any harm to carry home that nice check for $7,000.

B: It'll pay for a semi-load of hay. Every check you get has a label on it.

C: So now what, he's 15 and you won a CCI3* with him, what do you expect of him now?

B: He's on vacation so he'll have 6 weeks or so of total R&R and then I'm not sure - we'll play it by ear and start next season and see how he feels. If he's feeling good maybe Kentucky and if he's not, we won't. He owes me nothing but he loves this. I'd love another shot at Kentucky - we've tried it twice and haven't gotten to finish so maybe that would be our golden time when he's 16. He'll let me know.

C: You'll find a report, photos, and results of Galway Downs at USEventing.com. This podcast is available for download from the iTunes podcast store to your smartphone podcast apps. Until the next time, enjoy eventing.