We take a look back at some of the highs and lows, best interviews, event highlights and top training tips of 2015 from the world of international eventing, month by month, in our series of articles. Click on the highlighted text to take you to any of the articles mentioned to read in full
Matthew Wright and Cossan Lad
Interviews
You have to be impressed by someone who is willing to take a catch ride around Burghley so we decided to find out more about British rider Matthew Wright who rode Cossan Lad only twice before starting him on the CCI4* course
In Australia we caught up with Jack Hayden and Jes Petherbridge to find out more about their year overseas and future plans for their eventing careers and business in Australia
Training tips
Flatwork is for dressage, right? When you watch the manoeuvrability and control that top show jumpers get from their horses in between the fences, you know this isn’t true. This video takes you through the rider’s position and common faults, the paces, lateral exercises and flying changes with clear explanations and examples
Hoof abscesses are a common occurrence - here is a great little video showing how to properly apply a poultice and bandage your horse’s foot with some handy hints we love
Swedish rider Niklas Lindback (above) is not only a top class eventing rider but also is well known for training young horses. On his visit to Australia we found out more about the methods Niklas uses for starting his own young horses and Niklas also offered some practical and helpful advice for the horse that doesn’t want to go forward or handling a horse that bucks
Freelance groom Lydia Beales has worked for top eventing riders at major competitions around the world – in this article she shared some of her top tips to help your horse look fabulous throughout the season
News and happenings
The marriage of New Zealand eventing riders Tom Lane and Christen Hayde was a real 3 Day Event and a very romantic story in February and South Australian riders Megan Jones and Jaimie Stitchel picked up some gongs, taking out the two eventing Memorial Trophies at Equestrian South Australia’s Award evening
However it wasn’t a good month for French eventing rider Maxime Livio. Whilst awaiting the outcome of his positive test at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, he was suspended by the FEI Tribunal following a positive test for the banned substance testosterone in a horse he was riding in Thailand and another tragic fatal accident marred the start of the year. An accident on course at the Alegra Rancho Eventing Tour de Utrera –Sevilla in Spain claimed the life of the popular Portugese eventing rider Francisco Seabra
Events
Australian events started to get back into the swing of things in NSW and Victoria when Wallaby Hill produced another fabulous event with great going, good prizes and a fun atmosphere - and their team managed to pick up a few ribbons too
Also in NSW, it was a wet and sultry start to the Sydney Summer Classic at SIEC where Tim Boland led the CNC3* after dressage and Stevie-Jade Shakoff was the star of the EvA60 on the Saturday before Shane Rose wrapped up another successful event on the Sunday with wins in both the CNC3* and CNC2*
However he wasn’t the only one as Craig Barrett (above) and Sam Lyle both picked up wins that weekend – we found out a bit about their horses and how their weekend had gone
The Ballarat Summer Hickstead was the perfect way to ease back in to eventing competition in Victoria, giving riders and their horses a chance to combine practice with competition and the pony clubbers were also out in force. PCAV Grade 1 and 2 riders counting on a State Qualifier event were relieved that all went as scheduled at Seville PC ODE where both the pony club and open classes were packed despite the heat
Features
William Fox-Pitt had to be on anyone's "One to Watch" list in 2015 with a stable full of top horses but we thought we’d take a look at some of his stars of the future which came in varying shades of grey
We celebrated New Zealand’s Waitangi Day with a special feature on the New Zealand eventing stallion Internet and his owner Joss Bayly, breeder of the many talented Waitangi horses we are now seeing on the eventing circuit in various countries
At Home With ...........
We do like having a look behind the scenes at top riders' stables - here's a little video taster of what goes on at William Fox-Pitt's yard and while American eventing rider Liz Halliday-Sharp was wintering in Florida, we thought we’d take a quick look around her property in the UK where she is normally based
Top blog of February
Alice Hirst – The Next Chapter
“If riding horses was a theme park ride, it would be the best in the world” said Alice in the top viewed blog of February
Top photo gallery
Libby Law could hardly contain herself as she headed to photograph the ‘aspiring and gutsy Pony Clubbers, and the Horse Trials STARS who absolutely adore the wonderful running of this event’ at Tich Massey and Angela Lloyd’s property in their ‘little pocket of heaven near Hunua just south of Auckland....’
It seems that you liked it too as the Hunua Pony Club ODE was our top gallery of February
