United States Eventing Association

Viral Video Star Heads to East Coast Young Event Horse Championship

Event horse prospect Commando became an internet sensation when a video of one of his first cross-country schools from 2015 went viral. In the video you can watch as Commando eagerly approaches the ditch, only to become instantly skeptical. After some persuading from his rider, Rose Agard, he finally decides to go for it very enthusiastically.

While he is a young horse and always learning, his owner, Amanda Braun, laughed when she explained that video was of his second time over the ditch. Braun and trainer Rose Agard had taken Commando for a cross-country schooling at Loch Moy Farm with their main goal of exposing the green Holsteiner to more natural elements. “The first time he went over it, he jumped it like it was no big deal. The second time it must have clicked him his head like, ‘I don’t know what I Just did,’” Braun explained. “He took time to actually process it. He’s kind of that way all the time. That’s just his personality, but he is always thinking ‘I have to get to the other side.’”

The video showed that Commando certainly has the heart for the sport, and he’s learned a lot on his journey to the 2016 USEA East Coast Young Event Horse Championship, which will take place October 13-14 during the Dutta Corp. Fair Hill International in Elkton, Md. The USEA Young Event Horse (YEH) Program gives 4- and 5-year-old horses the opportunity to compete in age-based events where judges identify which horses are most suitable for the top levels of eventing.

Commando shows off his gallop at a YEH Qualifier. CatchLight Artistry Photo.

Now a 5-year-old, Commando came into Braun’s life in January of 2015 as a coming 4-year-old. “When I went to meet him I fell in love with her personality,” she said. “He was gentle, sweet and willing and in your pocket. He’s kind of got that puppy dog personality and enjoys being playful and goofy.”

Braun purchased Commando directly from his breeders Grosvenor and Rosemarie Merle-Smith. After deciding she would give up her horse hunt for the winter in 2015, Braun came across the Merle-Smith breeding program. “I was only looking at horses owned by breeders. I wanted to be able to meet the stallion and the mare,” she said. “I wanted a horse that had the right mentality.” He is Holsteiner, by Concerto Grosso and out of Isis du Desert. Braun visited the mare, stallion and Commando soon after. “We walked into Concerto Grosso’s pasture and walked right up to him and he was very chill and relaxed. Even though he’s a stallion he’s really mellow. I get where Commando gets his personality from for sure.”

After her farm tour and researching the bloodlines, Braun was hooked. “They purpose breed for the amateur friendly horse. I want a quality horse, but I’m also an amateur. I thought it was a really good fit,” she described.

In addition to his charming personality, he also boasts an impressive pedigree. Braun said the damsire, Voltaire (Furioso II x Gogo Moeve), was the first name to jump out at her, and she was thrilled with the prospect of having the blood of one of the most influential sires in show jumping. Commando’s stallion, Concerto Grosso (Concerto II x Caletta VII), also brings a lot to the table, boasting multiple ties to both Cor De La Bryere and Ladykiller.

With help from trainers Rose Agard and Caitlin Siliman, Braun started Commando under saddle last year, and decided to get him involved in the YEH program as a 5-year-old at the suggestion of many of those at her barn.

CatchLight Artistry Photo.

They introduced him to jumping last fall, and he took to it quickly, but Braun admits that year-end championship initially seemed like a lofty goal. “I was afraid that it would push young horses a bit in their 5-year-old year,” she explained. “When you start the year just learning to jump you think, ‘how will he jump to training?’ But it gives you a good goal and focus toward getting somewhere. I have appreciated that aspect of the YEH program.”

Now that Commando has participated in a few YEH competitions, Braun thinks the education alone is priceless. “You get so much feedback that you don’t get in all three phases [at an ordinary competition]. It’s like getting a clinic and doing a show at the same time. It’s phenomenal. You really need that feedback to keep growing and getting better, especially with young horses,” she said.

In his first YEH competition at Wardaca Horse Trials in June, Commando earned a score of 73.38%, qualifying him for the Championship. “The first one he went and got a qualifying score. I wasn’t shocked, but I was very impressed,” she said, but she was nervous the first score was a fluke. Commando proved her wrong picking up a score of 73.34% at his second YEH competition at Surefire Horse Trials three weeks later. “When you look at the competition I feel so impressed that he’s doing well enough to maintain that type of score even against these upper level riders and all the horses that they’re training. I give a lot of credit to my own trainer. He’s only been under saddle a year and a half, and he’s come such a long way. The two of them are just an amazing pair to watch,” Braun smiled.

That just leaves one question before Commando takes on the 2016 YEH East Coast Championship, has he tackled his apprehension about ditches? “It depends who he is that day,” Braun laughed. “Some days he’s really relaxed and other days he has his own option. I swear the 5-year-old year with the warmblood is like dealing with an ornery teenager.”