London 2012 | Team Talk - The 5 Nations

Team Talk | A Team Gold Medal for GBR Would Crown Both Of These Mens' Careers Nicely

I haven't played any team sports since I left school, a bit of Badminton doubles maybe or Sunday soccer, but that's as close as I've come to being in a team for some time. Eventing isn't really what you'd call a team sport, I mean it's not like they pass a baton to one another, but this is a home games and there are team medals to play for so I'll park that discussion!

What I love about the team game is how it highlights the uniqueness of the equestrian disciplines amongst the Olympic mix. Look at the ages of some of the guys in these teams; Mark Todd, Mary King, Andrew Hoy, Andrew Nicholson,- all in their 50's, these guys must have been born into the games, not to mention some of the showjumpers, and the 71 year-old dressage rider from Japan. To me this illustrates just how difficult it is to control half a ton of horse flesh around a given task, and how much effort, skill and experience that requires. Yet we also have some of the youngest competitors giving these living legends a run for their money, now that's real talent! I just wish our only Rolex Grand Slam winner, Pippa Funnell, was in a position to challenge for a home games, that really would complete the set. 

Thirteen teams, from every continent bar Africa, are all dreaming of chalking up a victory of some sort in London. When you consider what you need to do just to get a team qualified for the Olympics - just understanding what's needed, let alone qualifying, it's quite an achievement in a sport such as ours for so many to get a full squad to the games. Hats off to them all!

Barbury 2012 | Friday - Kiwis, Colletts, Coat Tails & Cross Country

Mark Todd & NZB Campino | Olympic Selection Contender - 5th After Dressage

The New Zealanders pretty much owned Barbury Castle Horse Trials today in the final day of CIC*** dressage, probably the largest, and most competitive 3 star class we've ever seen. With a truly international field of 110, four nations dominate the top ten, New Zealand (4), Great Britain (4), Australia (1), USA (1). The next ten tells a similar story with just Ireland's rising star Camilla Speirs on Portersize Just A Jiff in equal 15th, adding another nation into the mix.

I missed the rainy start to the day, and sadly also Phillip Dutton's ride on Mystery Whisper. I was however very pleased to have caught Mark Todd's ride on NZB Campino, probably his best team selection candidate for the London Olympics. Campino's test today might not have been the most exuberant & stunning we have seen over the past few days, or perhaps as good as his Houghton score in warm sunny conditions, but this was a very nice relaxed, athletic and correct test to score 44.0, just 2.4 marks off Andrew Nicholson's leading score of 41.6 on Avebury. I think Mark's horse has every chance of finishing on his dressage score here.

Barbury Dressage | Is Going To Be Interesting (No Really, It Will!)

Laura Collett & Rayef | Last Year's CIC*** Dressage Leader

 Barbury Castle Horse Trials is, along with many of the other European events, as the cliche goes, not a dressage competition. Last year, one of our rising stars, Laura Collett lead the dressage (and showjumping) on a sub 40 mark, one of only two, the other being eventual winner Pippa Funnell. Laura dropped to third after 6 time penalities on Cross Country - but I doubt a few time penalties was her key concern with European selection on the cards at the time. Rayef has continued to prove a strong performer in the CIC/One-day classes, only last week notching a 13 point advantage at Salperton. 

Barbury 2012 | Officially Time To Get Your Games Face On

Barbury Castle Horse Trials | The Place To Be This Weekend

Wonder Horse Neville Bardos

Barbury Castle Horse Trials is about to become host to the most exciting pre-Olympic warm-up event ever seen. The Olympics being held on home turf has attracted the world's biggest names to camp in the UK during the build up to the games. The Australians & New Zealanders were first to arrive a year ago, joined by a smattering of other nations, including America's Tiana Coudray, who laid many a ghost to rest when coming second at Blenheim last year. She is now joined by the entire American Olympic shortlist, the latest contingent to arrive for their final selection trial at Barbury this coming weekend, including the two US wonder horses, Neville Bardos & Mystery Whisper.


Barbury has grown in stature over a very short space of time, and since the demise of Savernake Horse Trials, is my most local, and one of my favourite events in the calendar. Taking a look through the entry list for the CIC*** it's really hard not to get excited about the Olympics - it reads like a who's who of eventing, and pretty much anyone that is missing from this list can be found in the 3 CIC** sections, along side many of the horses that made Salperton so memorable.

The TEAM GB Olympic Quest | Rockers, Ravers, Lovers & Sinners

WFP & Lionheart Headed To Greenwich | The Olympics Are So Nearly Here It's Scary

The waiting is over (well almost - we wait to see who is on the subs bench), Team GB Eventing has been announced amongst much comment, opinion, and heated discussion - it's all a little scary! Some are ranting, some are raving, and others are just loving the debate about selection choices.

The 5 members making up the team are:

Kristina Cook - (41)  Miners Frolic
William Fox-Pitt (43) Lionheart
Piggy (Georgina) French (31) Jakata or DHI Topper W
Mary King (51) Imperial Cavalier
Zara Phillips (31) High Kingdom

Zara Phillips | On The Team

Personally I think Zara is an inspired choice. The Olympics is nothing but pressure, and a home Olympics is like turning up the gas and leaving the lid on! Her horse has continued to grow, mature and improve event after event, and Zara has achieved more than any other her age at senior level. I would suggest aided by the fact that she can handle the pressure better than most due largely to the attention she attracts because of her royal connections.

If you look down this list you'll notice that each of these riders is predisposed to handling pressure very well.   I've always thought this is what separates the best from the very best, and given the right horsepower you'd expect to see Pippa Funnell in that list, given how well she has learnt to manage nerves when it matters most.

The Nick Turner Interview | Team Coaching & The Brazilian Job

Nick Turner | Brazilian Team Coach

I became 'acutely' aware of Nick Turner a year or so ago. For those of you who don't know him, Nick is the Eventing Team Coach for Brazil (I know, dream job - sun, sea & sand!), he's also on the UK panel of selectors for eventing, has a string of letters after his name that leaves you in no doubt about his credentials as an equestrian coach, and has been round Badminton & Burghley on horses he has produced, so he knows a thing or two about talent.

Team Success: It's All About The Horses

Eric Smiley | Another Coach On The Transfer List

I'm off to train the Barbados Eventing Team! Eric might be all smiles after getting a call inviting him to cross the world's busiest sea lane to train the Belgian eventers, but I recon you can have the best trainers in the world from the Roycrofts & Woffords to the Bartles and Breisners, but if you haven't got the horse power you're a dead duck!

So after careful reflection [at least 5 mins], my best chances of success with the Barbados team is just a matter of hanging out in some of the playgrounds of the rich and famous, like Palm Beach, Dubai, Monte Carlo, and my favourite - Garrisons Savannah, and then chatting up the uber wealthy to assist in purchasing some of the world's best event horses.

If recent ownership disputes are anything to go by it should just be a matter of how many zero's you can pen on the cheque (US: check). Armed with a Battalion of 4* 4-legged talent I should be able to wage war, and lay siege to the London 2012 Olympics.

WEG 2010 Eventing: The US & CAN Selections, Finally!

Kim Severson | Off To WEG

After something that looked nothing like a selection trial at the US national championships last weekend, the American eventing selections for the World Equestrian Games has finally been announced, and there really are few surprises - the two Australians, the two stalwarts, the two tough greys.

They are:

Philip Dutton - Woodburn (T)
Boyd Martin - Neville Bardos (T)
Buck Davidson - Ballynoe Castle (T)
Karen O'Connor - Mandiba
Kim Severson - Tippery Laidhnan (T)
Becky Holder - Courageous Comet

US WEG Team Final Selection Trials at Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia

So we set off in high spirits on thursday after school, for the American Eventing Championships in Georgia  at Chattahoochee Hills, the amazing 8,000 acre farm that belongs to Carl Bouckaert.  Sadly, I have no sense of direction, I had no sat-nav, and no sense, so although we made it to Atlanta in good time, we then spent several hours driving around, and around, and around, trying to find the exact location. Maybe I'm spoilt by all those lovely yellow AA signs escorting me off the motorway to Horse Trials in England, but until we got to the last lane and a handwritten sign with an arrow, there was nothing.  By this time it was dark,  late,  (or early! 2am!) and I was on the verge of tears and a nervous breakdown. Thankfully, the children and the labrador slept oblivious in the back.  We rumbled down the track, past the trailers, and parked in an empty space, only to wake up a few hours later practically on the cross country course, minutes from the start of the lower divisions.

Chattahoochee Hills is vast, and very much still a work in progress. Getting around is problematic; realistically if you were competing you needed a golf cart to transport kit from trailer to stables (about half a mile)  as there was no parking at the stables, but there were no golf carts available from about 10 days before the event. Bicycles were a help, ( I love my bike which has taken on it's own personality - are you surprised?! ) and there were lots of vespas and mini mopeds.

Jose Ortelli's Path To The 2010 WEG

Argentinian Eventer Jose Ortelli | Road To WEG 2010

Inspired by Monty's blogs about foreign riders and trainers, and the cross-fertilisation between countries, and then of course, as it so often is, I happened to be in the right place at the right time, chatting oddly enough with my son's teacher, although, personally that's a rare occurence (being in the right time...) Nonetheless, yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting Jose Ortelli Jr.

At just 26 years old, Jose already has a wealth of 3* and some 4* experience under his belt; he has completed Rolex these last two years on his WEG horse, JOS Aladar, and has been quietly earning respect in his own right as an accomplished, hard-working and well-liked rider on the US circuit.

Burghley Horse Trials - A Great Result

Caroline & Lenamore | Burghley 2010 Winners

As you will have read all over the internet already, Lenamore is a very popular winner, and an extremely well deserved win it is too. I've always liked this horse and rider, since I first saw them at Badminton in 2005, and I'm probably a little bias as Lenamore is a lovely grey!

A win like this is bound to lift the spirits going into the World Equestrian Games, and I've long thought the New Zealanders are on song this year, and have an excellence chance of at least a team medal, and Andrew Nicholson should be able to drum up a good dressage score without the day-to-day distractions he would usually face here at home.

Burghley Horse Trials Dressage

Mary King | A little too relaxed in the Burghley Dressage

I almost forgot about Burghley this year, with all the noise around the World Equestrian Games, and whilst the dressage hasn't really produced any shocks, apart from the two senior GBR Team members (Mary & William) getting additional penalty points, due to lack of concentration! Let's hope they're a little more switched on at the WEG.

Ruth Edge leads after the dressage, which is not that surprising, and all credit to her as I think she's made a good choice to concentrate on pure dressage when she can. At Badminton this year she had a very unlucky elimination which could possibly have been avoided but that might be a little harsh, but if she can find a good rhythm cross country at Burghley, Ruth will have a good chance of maintaining her lead and picking up a top prize in championship year, something she's very good at doing.

The Unofficial Cultural Exchange Program

Flying The Union Jack in Richland, USA

Following the Richland CICs in the US from across the pond, reminded me to resurrect a subject I had long thought of writing about, and seeing Leslie Law doing so well over the in the States has provided the perfect opportunity.

One of the things I love about eventing is the "international community" feel it has, no matter which country you are in. Within a 20 mile radius of my yard we have riders from Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Brazil, Portugal, and the US. Whilst most eventing migration is to the UK and Europe, there is still plenty that flows to other nations, particularly the US. Some years ago I rode in continental Europe and the west coast of America, and loved every minute of it.

Kiwis Clean Up At Highclere Horse Trials

NZB Land Vision | London 2012 Bound

Apart from my own competition experience at Highclere this year, I went back on the Monday to watch the remaining Intermediate classes and the first running of the Advanced classes, which with 3 full sections and the World Equestrian Games only weeks away meant plenty of top classes horses out for last chance prep run.

Highclere is one of those great tracks when you can be guaranteed a good testing run without blowing the brain of your horse. In the five or so years I've competed here I've never seen an overly technical track, just good galloping, big-ish fences, and a real fitness tester. Rain earlier in the week meant good ground, which considering it's all short downward slopes and long hill climbs is a godsend as when it does get soft here the ground becomes spongy and saps energy. I love it, and it always rides better than it walks.

The place was awash with national team selectors, which produced a real buzz, especially around the Advanced dressage, tucked away in a corner of the park with plenty of flat ground to practice on. It was so busy up there you had to watch where you walked for fear of being mown down by a WEG hopeful, one lady on crutches nearly lost her 'good' leg as she tried to pass in front of NZB Land Vision.

How Many FEI Team Championships Do We Need?

I have long thought that running championships 3 out of every 4 years, has a profound and slightly negative effect on the domestic eventing circuits. The withdrawal of 2 horses from Burghley today, that were also on the GBR Team for next month's AllTech FEI World Equestrian Games, has got me thinking "do we really need this many championships?"

WEG 2010 Eventing: French Stalking Horses

Nicholas Touzaint

The French always play their cards very close to their chest, when it comes to eventing championships, and then with typical 'bon vivant' roll out a gatling gun for a sword fight at the last minute. They rarely cross the channel to raid anything other than the highest prizes in the UK, but vigourously defend their CIC***s at home, just like their lorry drivers do at Calais!

This weekend the French team selections have been at Haras Du Pin for some last minute practice, and Laurent Bouquet (French National Coach) is very pleased with what he's seen, and so he should be 7 Frenchmen in the top ten after cross country, and in good company with the likes of Clayton Fredericks, Mark Todd, Paul Tapner and a host of others from numerous nations also competing - that's a pretty good result!

WEG2010 Eventing: New Team Submissions

The list of participating countries has now been announced there are some encouraging trends for eventing, most notably a few nations fielding a team for the first time (South Africa & Japan). Both these countries are not what you'd call well known for producing world class eventers, but then as so many event riders tend to be based in countries other than their own, you can't hold that against them.

WEG2010 Eventing: Hartpury - Silence Of The Lambs

I didn't manage to get to Hartpury this weekend, and I wish I had as the entry list looked like a who's who of UK based World Equestrian Games contenders. So as I can't offer you a bucket load of superlatives about how well presented the course was or how lovely so-and-so's dressage test was, but here's a few observations from looking at the results and a few people I've managed to talk to:

Yogi Breisner - Very Pleased

Yogi Breisner is feeling pretty good right now, he had most of the GBR WEG team at Hartpury (William, Pippa, Piggy, Tina), all of them producing good Dressage Scores, with Piggy delivering the best of the lot and winning one of the CIC*** sections. Showjumping wasn't a disaster with just 3 rails and two clear rounds, and so with bigger prizes on offer next month at WEG, they justifiably didn't push it out on the cross country, except Piggy of course, who stood to win a Mitsubishi 4x4 (and she did). This I hope has silenced the bleating lambs who have questioned her inclusion in the team, because of the lack of form of her horse, Jakata.

Interestingly this horse and Mark Todd's Grass Valley, have both been through the hands of Alberto Giugni, an Italian rider based in Baydon, near Lambourn. Possibly a good place to go shopping.

Personally I think she's as deserving as anyone. I'd even go as far to say she has an outside chance of an individual medal, although I don't think it'll do the image of the sport any good to have a world champion called Piggy!

WEG2010 Eventing: Phillip Dutton vs. The Rest Of The World

Phillip Dutton - Rarely Out Of The Saddle

When you start trawling through his results you start believing this man has more horses than the Terracotta Army (they have 520 according Wikipedia), and he really could take on the rest of the world. I gave up trying to analyse the potential of the American team for the AllTech World Equestrian Games, when I unearthed his scoresheet, not to mention the fact that the US team has 16 horses on the 'shortlist' and USEF "reserves the right to add more". Add more! what on earth for? Four of these reside with non other than P Dutton.

According to US Eventing, Phillip is a keen golfer and tennis player, I don't believe he can possibly have the time, the man's permanently in breeches and probably has a saddle sewn into them for good measure! A wife and 3 daughters will do that to a man.

WEG2010 Eventing: Brace Yourself - Ze Germans Are Coming

Chris Bartle - A lot to smile about now

The German Eventing Team Selections will be announced in a few weeks time after their National Championships at Schenefeld (26-29 August), and I think they could have possibly the strongest team overall.

Having a little German blood myself I've followed the ups and downs of the German team over the last 7 or 8 years with some interest, team coach Chris Bartle's look of dispair over the dinner table after the 2003 Europeans at Punchestown, winning then losing a Gold in the Athens Olympics, triumph at the Hong Kong Olympics, etc. etc. They've also performed pretty well at Badminton, Burghley, and Kentucky 4 stars for a visiting nation, probably second only to the Brits.

The German short list for WEG is: