Login
Mar 04, 2019
USEA Horse of the Month: Danito
Congratulations to Danito, the March 2019 USEA Horse of the Month! Owned by Ruth Bley and ridden by Tamra Smith, Danito is a 10-year-old Hanoverian chestnut gelding (Dancier x Wie Musik). Danito won the CCI3-S at the Fresno County Horse Park on February 15, the first FEI event of 2019. No stranger to earning the blue ribbon, Danito has 12 wins to his USEA record including a win in 2014 at Lone Tree Farm’s Young Event Horse (YEH) competition with John Michael Durr in the irons.
Thanks to our friends at EquiRatings, we can share that Smith and Danito’s win at Fresno put Danito in a category with top event horses like Veronica and Mystery Whisper.
Smith explained what he’s like around the barn, his favorite treats, and described him as a horse with “a heart of gold.”
About Danito:
- Barn Name: “We call him Cheeto. Burrito. Flaming Hot Cheeto. It’s kind of whatever is rhyming at the time.”
- Favorite treat: “He likes everything, even Cheetos.”
- Favorite phase in eventing: “He’s pretty fun in all three phases. Cross-country is my favorite and he seems to love it the most.”
- Introvert or extrovert: “He’s a bit of an introvert. Intellectual type. Kind of the nerd in the class. He reminds me of the dorky guy who nobody really thinks is that hot, but after you meet him and get to know him he’s the hottest guy around.”
- Fun fact: “He is only 15.3 hands with a heart of gold. He knows when it’s show time and really has a special spark about him.”
EquiRatings Statistic
Danito’s win at the Fresno County Horse Park gives him three wins from three international runs with Tamra Smith. This means they become only the 20th combination since 2008 to win their first three international runs as a combination. Two other combinations on this list are Veronica and Lauren Kieffer and Mystery Whisper and Phillip Dutton.
About the USEA Horse of the Month
New in 2019, the USEA is recognizing an event horse each month on the USEA website and social media. The USEA Horse of the Month is determined based on statistics and event results and announced at the beginning of every month. The March Horse of the Month was selected based on the performance of the first FEI event of 2019, Fresno County Horse Park CCI. Danito and Tamra Smith won Fresno’s CCI3-S wire to wire, earning him the title of USEA Horse of the Month in March 2019!
Nov 22, 2024
Sponsor
Research In Action: Purdue Studies Convinced Trainer To Steam His Horses’ Hay
The horses in trainer Joe Davis’ barn at Horseshoe Indianapolis don’t just get standard hay in their nets each day. Throughout the afternoon, Davis or one of his employees opens the HayGain machine that sits at the end of his shed row and pulls out a warm, beautiful-smelling bale of freshly-steamed hay to fill their nets.
Nov 21, 2024
News
Weekend Quick Links: November 23-24
Are you following along with the action from home this weekend? Or maybe you're competing at an event and need information fast. Either way, we’ve got you covered! Check out the USEA’s Weekend Quick Links for links to information including the prize list, ride times, live scores, and more for all the events running this weekend.
Nov 21, 2024
Volunteers
The VIP Volunteers: Ed and Leanne Barnett Dedicate Nearly 40 Years to Volunteering
Last month, readers met VIP Volunteer Rebecca Proetto, who volunteered at the MARS Maryland 5 Star horse inspection. This month, the focus turns to husband and wife Ed and Leanne Barnett who introduced Proetto to the art of running an efficient horse inspection at Maryland. Ed and Leanne undertake a 12-hour drive from their home in Indiana to Maryland just to volunteer at the event.
Nov 20, 2024
News
In Memoriam: As You Like It (1990-2024)
The USEA is saddened to share the passing of Sara Kozumplik’s five-star partner As You Like It at the age of 34. The gelding died in his sleep at his retirement home at Kozumplik's parents' residence.
