Sep 06, 2022

Steady As He Goes: Steady Eddie Retires From his Second Career

Left: USEA/ Meagan DeLisle photo, Right: USEA/ Jessica Duffy photo

His legacy is in his name: Steady Eddie (Jetball x Tuonela). The 16.1 bay Thoroughbred gelding owned by Denise Lahey, Pierre Collin, and George and Gretchen Wintersteen has officially retired at 19 years old. But before we reminisce his decorated record as an eventer, lets first remember and pay homage to his first career as a racehorse in Australia, where he raced under the name Big Jet.

From January 2007 to October 2009, the Steady Eddie we’ve come to love was doing exactly what we know him to do: galloping hard. Stamina is probably too soft a word to describe his heart and physical ability. And if we’re really being honest, his athleticism is plain insulting.

“Yea, it’s almost cruel, isn’t it?” asks Boyd Martin, who met Steady Eddie under rather casual conditions in Queensland on holiday. “I’ll never forget the day I tried Steady Eddie—I tried him in shorts and a pair of flip-flops.” Despite having won seven races from 36 starts, Steady Eddie’s lasting impression was in his jump, which meant a golden opportunity awaited him in the States with Martin.

“He just finished his racing career, and then to see the horse travel to America and work his way up the grades and compete at so many 5 Stars is a true triumph of where an off the track thoroughbred could end up in his second career,” says Martin. “When you looked at his racing career in Australia, he raced hard. Towards the end of his racing career he had multiple races that were in consecutive days, like he’d race on a Saturday and then again on a Sunday—two different racetracks, six or seven hours apart.”

And his personality was in true fashion of a thoroughbred: on his toes, always with energy. His was born a fierce competitor, being piloted by Martin in all corners of the world.

“I think his best performance for me was finishing in the top ten at Burghley. He was just born for Burghley. He was a fantastic galloper and, I mean, what an epic horse to then transition over to Michael and get Michael to the 4 Star and 5 Star level. Just goes to show what a champion animal he is,” says Martin. The memories, like with any good horse, are right on the tip of Martin’s tongue, segueing from one story to the next until one of humor strikes: “He’ll always be remembered for me—I fell off him and broke my leg in half at Carolina International. I still have a rod down one of my legs from a fall I had on him. Steady Eddie will always be a part of me.”

Michael Pendleton became a working student for Martin in 2013 and later graduated to a full-time member of his staff and assistant rider at Windurra in Cochranville, Pennsylvania, where he rode and competed a ton of young horses. It was when Pendleton returned from a month-long stint in Germany, riding with Michael Jung—a trip Martin encouraged and helped navigate for Pendleton—that Martin quite literally handed over Steady Eddie’s reins to Pendleton for him to get some mileage in at intermediate level. Together, the pair competed at 28 events from January 2019 through April of this year. Steady Eddie gave him three starts at the 5 Star level.

“You wonder where Steady Eddie’s life would have—you know, he was from a really remote part of Australia called Rock Anthem, which is the end of the earth—what his life would have become if we didn’t pick him out,” says Martin. Good thing that’s something that can be left to the imagination, Boyd. We’re overjoyed to bear witness to his outstanding career and a dash gloomy to not see that white blaze tearing through cross-country at the next event.

Mar 18, 2024 Interscholastic

Double the Fun for the Spirit Award Contests at the 2024 USEA Intercollegiate & Interscholastic Eventing Championships

The coveted Spirit Award, which originated from the USEA Intercollegiate Eventing Championship and quickly became as important as the competition itself, will be returning this year with double the excitement at the 2024 USEA Intercollegiate & Interscholastic Eventing Championships! With the two program championships merging for the first time, the organizing team at Stable View is committed to making the weekend an unforgettable experience for these middle school, high school, and undergraduate students. Separate Spirit Contests will be offered for each program , and Stable View has generously donated perpetual trophies for the two contest champions. The 2024 USEA Intercollegiate & Interscholastic Championships will be held at the Stable View Local Charities H.T. on May 4-5, 2024 in Aiken, SC. Click here to learn more and prepare to enter on opening day tomorrow, Tuesday, March 19!

Mar 17, 2024 Membership

Membership Minute: How Lucky I Am to Have My Horse

Sometimes all it takes is a little luck on your side to make your dreams come true. We recently asked our USEA membership to share why they feel so lucky to be partnered with the horses they compete with, and we received over 100 heartwarming stories! We compiled some of our favorites below in celebration of today’s luck-themed holiday.

Mar 16, 2024 Eventing News

Miks Master C Passes the Test at SRF Carolina International CCI4*-S

With Paris Olympic team selection this summer as a big goal, Liz Halliday headed out onto Ian Stark’s CCI4*-S cross-country course today at the Setters’ Run Farm Carolina International hoping to make the time with Miks Master C and show off a smooth round. After leading the division from day 1’s dressage on a 22.5, Halliday was able to accomplish both things and win aboard Ocala Horse Properties’ and Deborah Palmer’s 12-year-old Swedish Warmblood gelding (Mighty Magic x Qui Luma CBF).

Mar 15, 2024 Eventing News

Miks Master C Makes Easy Work of Show Jumping at SRF Carolina International

The standings after today’s CCI4*-S show jumping at the Setters’ Run Farm Carolina International shuffled with 14 double-clear rounds out of 35 to start, but Liz Halliday stayed right where she was at the top of the leaderboard aboard Miks Master C.

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