United States Eventing Association

The Training Three-Day Event at Waredaca, sponsored by the Area II Adult Riders and part of the SmartPak USEA Classic Series, has a rich history of drawing in long-format enthusiasts from far and wide, and last weekend’s event proved to be no exception. Over 40 riders from across the East Coast traveled to the popular facility in Laytonsville, Maryland to enjoy a weekend of education, excitement, and camaraderie with their fellow eventing peers.

The competitors were thrilled to have such esteemed trainers on site, who volunteered to help them feel at ease during the three-day. The ever-popular and highly regarded Eric Smiley of Ireland was on hand during the week to provide several clinics, including a dressage test critique, cross-country course walks, and several seminars on long-format topics such as the history of the three-day, surviving the chaos in the ten-minute box, and how to prepare for the endurance phase and the horse presentations.

Other highly qualified and enthusiastic local eventing instructors also gave their time to help the riders. Melissa Hunsberger and Natalie Hollis demonstrated how to present horses for the inspections. Danny Warrington partnered with Eric for the roads and tracks discussion, as well as the steeplechase practice. Karen O’Connor and Stephen Bradley both led cross-country course walks, while Phyllis Dawson and Steuart Pittman offered helpful hints during the show jumping course walk.

During one of the nightly dinners, Karen O’Connor’s longtime groom Max Corcoran was on-hand to give the highly anticipated lecture about the groom’s job during the three-day, and “Dr. Julie” assisted with competitors with veterinary questions.

When all was said and done, it could be argued that all the competitors were champions in their own right, but there were three horses who came home with blue ribbons--two young homebreds, and one seasoned campaigner.

Contortionist Straight as an Arrow

Nicole Coffey, 21, of West Friendship, Maryland and Contortionist finished on their dressage score of 36.3 to lead the victory gallop in the T3D-A division.

Nicole’s no stranger to the long-format, having competed in her first Training Three-Day at Waredaca seven years ago on her previous horse, Down Under Wunder. “He went on to complete two long format CCI* events at Morven and Virginia, and was short listed for Young Riders in 2005 and 2006. I leased Bonnie Mosser's horse Tuco Territory and was fortunate enough to do the Virginia CCI* in 2006, so I had two horses in the long format that year, which definitely made me appreciate Phillip Dutton riding three horses around the long format Rolex! But I hadn't competed a long format (or any three-day) since 2006, so it was a re-introduction after a break.”

Though she can be a bit of a terror on the ground, Contortionist, a homebred 6-year-old, 17.1 hand Dutch Warmblood/Thoroughbred mare (Mystic Connection x Jacinth Gem) is all business under saddle. ‘Tori’ is closely related to Bruce Davidson’s four-star mare Mystic High, and is showing promise for the future. “With the help of my mom I broke her and have slowly introduced her to eventing. After I sold my older Prelim horse, she stepped up to the plate and has really taken to eventing, fortunately for me.”

For Nicole, the best part about this year’s event was the feeling of coming out of the start box on phase D and attacking the first fence with gusto. “Tori is typically fairly nonchalant about everything and doesn't get too fired up for cross-country, but after steeplechase she had a different attitude and came out ready to go.”

If she had to describe the steeplechase in one word it would be, “Educational, because a horse new to the three-day really doesn't know what's going on over the first two fences, but once they settle into their rhythm they jump right out of stride. It sets the tone for the cross-country on that day, and makes the horse a better cross-country horse in the future. But beyond educational, it was exhilarating and just plain fun!”

“All the clinicians were so generous to donate their time and knowledge to help out us as riders,” added Nicole. “They all seemed genuinely happy to be there and share their experience and love of the classic format.”

Eric Smiley was a new clinician this year, as all the others were returning volunteers. “Eric is obviously incredibly accomplished and knowledgeable, but still down to earth, and was willing to help out anyone and everyone,” said Nicole. “At dinner on Friday night, he showed a series of video clips of his horse Enterprise and it really made you appreciate what eventing is all about. From the lake at Badminton to Beginner Novice, he stressed the importance of the partnership between horse and rider, and that you want to do your homework so when the horse has to make the decision for you he makes the right one.”

The best advice Nicole got all weekend was from Eric, who said: "Let your horse be a horse." “Eric was talking about how riders fuss over their horses endlessly at three-days and the horses just need some time to themselves amidst all the activity. My horse particularly hates being braided and groomed in general so I try to let her have some time to herself throughout the weekend. I didn't stable on the grounds, so she was able to be turned out at home and relax without the atmosphere of the show around, which is not typical of three-days, but was an added benefit for me this weekend.”

"Also, Eric stressed that we were competing against the course and the course designer, not each other, which is an element that makes eventing so special and sets it apart from other sports which fierce head-to-head competition."

Nicole has just one semester left as graduate student at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, but is still fitting riding into her busy schedule. “School comes first,” admitted Nicole, “but horses and friends are a close second, so finding the time for everything is a challenge. I'd love to give my horse the opportunity to prove herself at Prelim as long as I don't get in her way!”

Nicole was grateful to the organizers and volunteers, congratulating them on their dedication to the make three-day experience a success. “I'd just like to thank all the volunteers who made the three-day possible, the Area II Adult Riders who organized everything, Gretchen and Robert Butts who donated their wonderful farm once again, the USEA, and the sponsors that believe in the classic format!”

Sudden Eclipse is Over The Moon

Dawn Beach, 48, of Lewes, Delaware and Sudden Eclipse, a homebred 6-year-old Paint/Throughbred gelding (Eclipse x Puddle Tumper) added just a rail to their dressage score of 34.6, to hang onto their overnight lead after the endurance phase and claim victory in the T3D-B division.

Fresh off their 5th place win in the Training Horse division at the AEC, Dawn and ‘Major’ looked right on target for a great weekend at this year’s T3D, after finishing third there last year.

“He was a young Training horse last year and it gave him a lot of confidence,” explained Dawn. “He has done four Prelims this year and I hope to do the Virginia three-day in the spring, so I thought this would be another confidence booster for him. Years ago, we did not have the Training three-days to prepare our horses for their first three-day experience and so I probably would have waited with a young horse, but now he has had two Training three-days to learn what it’s all about and I feel he will be mentally prepared.”

Dawn is a firm believer in the long-format and the education it gives the young horses. “Endurance day is what it is all about. Having a horse pulling at the bit and wanting to eat up the steeplechase is a great feeling, and then to have him break out of the start gate with as much enthusiasm makes you realize you did a great job of preparing him and making it fun for him.”

The towering 17.3-hand Paint gelding doesn’t bear much resemblance to his 13.2-hand grand dam. “Funny when you see how big he is, he looks like a sport horse with rich bloodlines!” said Dawn. “The whole family seemed to be able to jump no matter what size they were. I waited and broke Major at 3 1/2 and took it slow because of his size. The only time you get a sense of his age is in stadium, when he can be a bit spooky. Moving him up to Preliminary helped because it made him pay attention more. He is fun and kind hearted and an easy keeper (that’s the pony part)!”

Like Nicole, Dawn enjoyed the clinicians as well. “Eric Smiley was a wonderful story teller and reminded me of Jimmy Wofford in that way. He had very nice things to say about everyone’s horses, I found him to be an extremely pleasant, insightful person. We thank him for coming.”

Dawn has attended the last three Waredaca Training three-days with either her son Chase or her own horses, and hopes that by next fall she or Chase will have another horse ready to participate in the event. “We have a few in the works and would not want them to miss the experience!”

No Smoke and Mirrors for Baugher

Brooke Baugher, 16, of Stanardsville, Virginia and Smoke Signal, an Appendix Thoroughbred gelding held steady to move up from third after dressage, and finish on their dressage score of 37.3--a mere 0.1 ahead of the second placed finishers Bennett Camp-Crowder and Robinson.

‘Gilly’ is an almost-18-year-young Thoroughbred gelding who Brooke has had for a little over three years, and after some initial kinks in their partnership, they’ve proven to be an exceptional pair. “He is an amazing horse; everyone just loves him!” said Brooke. “Gilly has been an amazing teacher for me over the past three years, and he has put up with me well! When he was younger, he did compete quite a bit at the upper levels out on the West Coast. He even won a two- star! After his career out West, he moved to Georgia for a bit, and then was sent to Craig Thompson to sell (which is where we found him!. My trainer, Emily Beshear, actually convinced us to buy him. At first he was quite a handful for me--I moved on to Gilly from a very quiet, easy Connemara/TB cross! But the more I rode him, the more I realized how cool of a horse he was. And now, he is a blast to ride!”

Assured by Gilly’s experience, Brooke described the steeplechase phase as “exhilarating,” and said that the best day of the competition was by far the cross-country day. “It was a really neat experience going through all of the phases for the long format! And, cross-country is also our favorite part regardless!”

Like the other competitors, Brooke had high regards for all of the clinicians who kept the mood light-hearted and fun. “Eric Smiley was hilarious, but also very informational. He was very clear and straightforward about everything. My personal favorite of his seminars throughout the week was the one on the dressage test critique; I think listening to him describe how to ride any dressage test well helped me analyze my test that weekend, and it will carry on to other tests I ride later on.”

Sometimes helpful advice can come from unexpected places. “Before we left for Maryland, I got a wall post on Facebook from another Brickland student, Lisa Burnett,” said Brooke. “She won the Training Three-Day a few years back, and she was very quick to warn me to be sure to hack the roads and tracks course... a lot. After jogs on Wednesday, I went to follow her advice with another Brickland student who was competing that weekend, and I am glad we did! The first few times, we ended up getting a little lost, but by the time we needed to know it, we had it memorized by heart (I'm sure we both could still tell someone where to go today). Without that advice, the cross-country day may have been a little more stressful!”

Brooke and Gilly have already made the move up to Preliminary and are aiming for a one-star next season. “I have no doubt in my mind that Gilly would LOVE to do another long format; he had a really good time with it! I hope to come out really strong in the spring, and just get a lot more miles under my belt; between Emily and Gilly, I have two GREAT teachers, so I don't have any worries about that!”

After her success at Waredaca, Brooke advised anyone who is debating on participating in the Training Three-Day to try it out. “Even if you don't end up in the ribbons, the experience is something that you will never forget, and it is worth all of the time and effort that you put into it!”

Fabulous Prizes and Sponsors

For their win in the SmartPak USEA Classic Series event, the USEA provided the three winners with gift certificates from SmartPak Equine, Nunn Finer galloping boots, FITS breeches, and a Five Star Tack bridle. Thank you to the following sponsors for their generous support of the SmartPak USEA Classic Series: Title: SmartPak Equine; Presenting: Stackhouse Saddles; Legacy: Five Star Tack and VitalWear; Silver: Fleeceworks; Elite: FITS, Nunn Finer, and HoofWraps.

Waredaca also had a huge number of sponsors who supported this year’s Training Three-Day, as well as a bevy of prizes. Check out the Waredaca website to see the complete list.