Tamie Smith is your overall FEI division winner the Woodside International Horse Trials. Smith continues to prove she is a force to be reckoned with and this weekend was no different. With nine horses in the FEI divisions and one horse in Training, she was non-stop all weekend. We were able to catch up with Tamie to get her thoughts on the weekend and also hear about the behind the scenes that keep Next Level Eventing (NLE) performing at the top level. Smith is headed to the Galway Downs International Three-Day Event and Tyron International Three-Day Event to finish out the year and if her results here are any indication she will be the one to watch.
Tamie Smith shares thoughts on her weekend:
Erin Kellerhouse and her own Woodford Reserve (Tinaranas Inspector x Laharns Laughton), a 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, finished right behind Smith to secure second place at her first-ever CCI4*-S! Kellerhouse and "Woody" came out of the start box on a mission - "He came out of the box wanting to go fast, I didn't have to push him he wanted to run," Kellerhouse said. Despite one green moment in the corner combination, it was a textbook round for the pair. This was the pair's last run before the CCI4*-L at the Galway Downs International Three-Day Event in a couple of weeks, and with a little fine-tuning in the coming weeks, it's safe to say you will see this pair at the top of the leaderboard there as well.
Rebecca Braitling and Arnell Sporthorses' 9-year-old British Sport Horse gelding Caravaggio (Vangelis-S x Courtesan) had a great weekend, only adding 3.6 time penalties to their dressage score to finish second in the CCI3*-S. "I am thrilled with 'Ernie' - he's such an exciting horse to produce," Braitling conveyed. "I can't speak highly enough of the competition here this weekend, it was top class and the cross-country was seriously impressive." This pair is also headed to the Galway Downs International Three-Day Event in a couple of weeks and we look forward to seeing their success there as well.
Lauren Billys and her own and the Can Be Sweet Syndicate's 8-year-old German Sport Horse gelding Can Be Sweet (Candyman x Tres Belle) were one second over the optimum time to knock them down to second place in the CCI2*-S. The pair had a practically foot-perfect weekend and they will also be headed to the Galway Downs International Three-Day Event in a couple of weeks. Billys also had her own and the Purdy Syndicate LLC's 18-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding Castle Larchfield Purdy (Karistos x Hallo Purdy) in the CCI4*-S and finished competitively in fourth place. This event qualified Billys and "Purdy" for the Toyko Olympics and we could not be more excited for this team. We caught up with Billys to hear her thoughts on the weekend.
Lauren Billys weighs in on the weekend at Woodside:
Preliminary through Introductory finished up their divisions Sunday in what was sure to be a great way to wrap a great event. We want to thank everyone who came out to compete, all of our volunteers, stewards, and officials. We could not do what we love without all of you! Stay safe, and we look forward to seeing everyone at Galway October 28 - November 1.
Make sure to follow along with all the excitement on our Facebook and keep up with live scores on EventEntries.com.
After not running in 2020 and 2021, the MARS Bromont CCI Three-Day Event returned to the Bromont Olympic Equestrian Center in Quebec, Canada, in 2022. America's Jennie Saville (née Brannigan) and Twilightslastgleam won the CCI4*-L, as the chestnut Thoroughbred gelding (National Anthem x Royal Child) bred and owned by Nina Gardner moved up from eighth after dressage into the lead after cross-country with the fastest round on wet ground over the tracks designed by Derek di Grazia. Canada's Lindsay Traisnel and Bacyrouge, a bay Selle Français gelding (Mylord Carthago x Lelia) owned by Patricia Pearce, finished second, and they are among four from the top-10 in the CCI4*-L in 2022 that return in 2023.
Hannah Sue Hollberg of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, was on a winning streak at the Essex Horse Trials on Sunday, claiming victory in both the $10,000 Open Intermediate and Open Preliminary divisions with two horses that are fairly new to her. Some difficulty on cross-country did not stop her mount Hachi from claiming victory in the Open Intermediate with a score of 101.6, while Open Preliminary partner Rockster finished on his dressage score of 27.3.
The great football coach Vince Lombardi said, “We win our games in practice.” With the goal of having the most effective practices possible for horses, their riders, and their coaches, Cathy Wieschhoff explains some signs that can indicate when horse and rider should repeat an exercise, switch it up, or be done with that activity. Wieschhoff brings perspective as a five-star rider that has competed at the Kentucky Three-Day Event and Burghley Horse Trials, a USEF “R” Course Designer for eventing cross-country and show jumping, a former Area VIII chair and member of the USEA Board of Governors, and a Level V USEA ECP Certified Coach based out of Carriage Station Farm in Lexington, Kentucky.
The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) is pleased to announce the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team for the FEI Eventing Nations Cup Poland CCIO4*-NC-S at the Strzegom Horse Trials (Poland) from June 21-25, 2023. The team will be under the direction of USEF Eventing Emerging and Development Coach Leslie Law.