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Aug 17, 2010
Road to the AEC - Summer Fun!
These past few weeks have flown by as Ollie and I prepare for our first Preliminary outing at Loudoun HT and prep for the AEC. So what’s new?
The latest and greatest discovery is that Ollie loves to swim. Not in a fancy swim-center but in a good, old-fashioned pond. I have become an expert at grabbing mane and my father now refers to Ollie as “Das Boot” (which is a really excellent movie if you haven’t seen it).
My coach, Sharon White, is in England showing the Brits how to event wearing only orange clothing (She is handily missing my FREAKING OUT sessions and returns after the AEC, when I will also return to sanity. Planned in advance? Maybe.) so Ollie and I have been bumming around at clinics and with other instructors who have to listen to me FREAKING OUT about going Prelim. The bright side is that I haven’t had time to stress about the AEC. My mantra right now is “not getting around Prelim is better than not getting around Novice.” Positive huh? I need to change it to, “Numbers, not letters!”
Ollie and I were demo riders in a Brian Sabo clinic for the USEA. Last night we got a XC lesson from Boyd who mistook me for a 7-month pregnant friend. I know the air vests add some bulk, but 7-months of baby bulk??? Ok, he did say that I looked really good…. for being pregnant (which I’m not!). Thankfully, the lesson got better from there.
Before Sharon left she had a fundraising Derby (a combination of SJ and XC) at her farm. Ollie was great with the twisty complicated course. He had to think really hard so he bugged his eyes out a lot, but he survived! Last weekend we went to a Preliminary combined test and finished 4th. Go Ollie!
May 04, 2025
Interscholastic
'We Can All Celebrate Together’: Iron Bridge Hounds Pony Club Brings Home the Victory in USEA IEL Championship
Amidst the unbridled enthusiasm of the USEA Intercollegiate teams competing in this weekend’s USEA Intercollegiate & Interscholastic Eventing Championships at Stable View (Aiken, S.C.), the Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL) riders have held their own with displays of teamwork and horsemanship all weekend long. While all teams put their best foot forward, one team rose above the rest. The Iron Bridge Hounds Pony Club came into the weekend with one goal in mind—to win. They achieved that goal by such a large margin, a little more than 16 points, that they were able to claim the title of champions before their last rider, 16-year-old Claire McMillan, had even left the start box.
May 04, 2025
Intercollegiate
GOOO CATS! University of Kentucky Win USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championships for Second Time
The University of Kentucky has claimed top honors at the 2025 USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championship, held this weekend at Stable View in Aiken, South Carolina. With 10 teams and 36 entries, they not only secured the title of “School with the Largest Presence” once again, but also rode away with their second national championship title, adding to their 2021 victory. Their winning team, the Kentucky Wildcats (made up of Callia Englund,Sarah Ertl, Macy Hale, and Emerson Padgett) dominated the championship finishing 11 points ahead of second place with a total score of 77.76.
May 03, 2025
Interscholastic
A Strong Start for Iron Bridge Hounds Pony Club in their USEA IEL Championship Debut
Kendal Fansler, Claire McMillan, Emma Whitaker, and Olive Dumais have been riding together for more than two years through their membership in the Iron Bridge Hounds Pony Club. Together, the teenagers have tackled Pony Club rallies, the intimidating Pony Club tradition of Quiz, and more. But this weekend, they’re tackling one of their biggest obstacles yet—the USEA Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL) Championship.
May 03, 2025
Intercollegiate
Fueled by Fundraising and Teamwork, Aggies Make 1,000 Mile Trek to USEA Championship Stage
For the Texas A&M Eventing Team, this year’s return to the USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championships wasn’t just about competition—it was about perseverance and the power of community. After three years away from the national stage, the Aggies were dedicated to making a comeback, arriving in Aiken with a 12-person squad and eight competing riders (Hailey Alfaro, Bella Koon, Payton McBee, Brenna McDonald, Scarlett Pienado, Sarah Talcott, Brianna Ulmer, and Brett Youssi).
