We started the weekend off with the CCI4*-S dressage here at Woodside International Horse Trials. With 15 riders taking part in this competitive division and twelve points separating the field after dressage, the pressure is on for show jumping and cross-country.
Tamie Smith has taken the early lead, placing first on Ruth Bley's Danito (Dancier x Wie Musik), an 11-year-old Hanoverian gelding, and second on Judith McSwain's Fleeceworks Royal (Riverman x Marisol), an 11-year-old Holsteiner mare.
Tamie Smith shares thoughts on her rides at Woodside International:
Erik Duvander, who is on site this weekend, has been working closely with Smith on keeping her horses supple, soft, and fine-tuning everything in preparation for her CCI4*-Ls in these upcoming weeks.
Coming in .30 behind Smith in third was Erin Kellerhouse on her own Woodford Reserve (Tinaranas Inspector x Laharns Laughton), a 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding. Kellerhouse has produced this horse up the levels and their relationship continues to shine through. "Ian [Stark] worked with me for him to be a little bit more up and not be so strict about him being deep anymore. He was kind of testing me a couple of times but after that I felt like he was good and smooth,” Kellerhouse stated. Still green at the level "Woody" improved throughout his test showing he is one to keep an eye out for. The division rounded out with top competitors Derek di Grazia, Lauren Billys, and Amber Levine leaving no room for mistakes in these final two phases.
With dressage and show jumping taking place tomorrow it promises to be a competitive, action-packed day. Make sure to follow along with all the excitement on our Facebook and keep up with live scores on EventEntries.com.
With 2025 just days away, we thought it would be fun to take a look back at some of the top moments for the USEA across the 2024 season. Take a trip down memory lane with us and relive these high-performing moments from our online news, the USEA Podcast, and our Instagram account!
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.