As 2022 comes to an end, it’s time to give recognition to those who made an impact during not only this year, but previous years as well. And until Dec. 29, you have an opportunity to participate in the honors that will be presented next month by the U.S. Equestrian Federation.
Each USEF affiliate already has handed out its share of plaques and trophies at annual meetings this month. Go to the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association website to read about the salute to jumper icons Anne Kursinski of Frenchtown, N.J., and Floridian Margie Engle, as well as a host of other accolades for the deserving.
Margie and Anne, both Olympians, have contributed much during their long careers to the hunter/jumper industry. It is so nice to see people honored while they can still enjoy the recognition.
The U.S. Eventing Association installed a distinguished group in its hall of fame, including author and three-time Olympian Brig. Gen. Harry Chamberlain; Janie Atkinson, director of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day event from 1984-2010; Badminton winner Eagle Lion, ridden by Bruce Davidson; Trish Gilbert, who played a key role in getting 5-star status for the Fair Hill International and Sally O’Connor, a judge and commentator (who also happens to be the mother of eventer David O’Connor and announcer Brian O’Connor.
The U.S. Dressage Federation named its former president, Lisa Gorretta, a governance stalwart and technical delegate as its Lifetime Achievement Award winner, and for its Hall of Fame selected longtime technical delegate and steward Janine Malone, a virtual walking rulebook.
The USEF will be giving out honors at its annual meeting in Kentucky next month where the late para dressage mover and shaker Hope Hand is remembered with the Lifetime Achievement Award (if only it had happened while she was alive to enjoy it.),
But you can have a direct vote in deciding who is getting the major titles for horse and rider of the year by voting using this link.
The international horse nominees include Salvino, the top U.S. finisher in the dressage freestyle at the world championships this year, with rider/trainer Adrienne Lyle, who is nominated for international rider of the year.
Adrienne Lyle and Salvino at the world championships.
The other horse/rider combination nominated for both awards is world number five-ranked eventer Will Coleman and his Irish Sport Horse Off the Record, seventh at the world championships.
Nationally, Hunt Tosh and Cannon Creek, winners of the USHJA International Hunter Derby, are among those nominated.
“Tally ho, ho, ho” a Christmas-spirited rider joyfully called out as a merry group on horseback set off to sing carols at three farms in Bedminster, N.J., today.
The event was organized by the Somerset Hills Pony Club, which invited others, including members of the Essex Fox Hounds, to join them. The group met at the farm of Jean and Peter Clark, where they were braced against the chill with hot cider.
The caroling concept had lots of appeal, both for the singers and those for whom they sang.
“It’s a nice thing to do, so I think everyone’s really excited to be out in the neighborhood,” said Peter, serving gingerbread and other goodies from a table on his front lawn.
“It’s really in keeping with the spirit of the season, and just another great expression of community around here, the neighbors going out and doing things with one another,” he added.
The horses were decked out for the occasion in (fake) holly, felt reindeer horns and glittering garlands. Riders favored red and white capes and Santa caps.
The procession of 20 or so riders included everyone from children to a grandmother. They rode along at the walk for four miles, stopping to serenade delighted members of the community who came out to watch and listen.
The tunes they sang sounded pretty good, considering each rider was an amateur and there were no rehearsals.
Doug Tansey, husband of Pony Club District Commissioner Brita Tansey, enthusiastically played Santa Claus, leading from the back of a pickup truck as the group wound its way around the unpaved roads.
The lineup of songs they offered included “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing,” “Jingle Bells,” “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” and their favorite, a heartfelt, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”
Hester De Voogd, who rode with her friend, Joy Custer, is from the Netherlands and noted that a similar caroling ride wouldn’t take place there. Christmas celebrations involving equines are confined to the stable. But as she pointed out, until she came to this country she had never experienced hunter paces or tailgating afterward.
“Completely new for us,’ she said, and called the experience, “amazing. It’s so much fun.”
Rebecca Casey, who was the main organizer, “really did an awesome job,” said Brita.
A friend of Rebecca’s “had planted the seed a few years ago. We have a lot of fun pony clubbers and a lot of people who enjoy getting out and spreading good cheer,” Rebecca said, explaining the genesis of the concept.
Frank Crisola, who greeted the singers at his house, was obviously enjoying himself.
“Loved it. It’s a great tradition. I hope everybody keeps it up.”
Lizzy Chesson and her mother, Sharon Chesson, gathered with their family at Bailiwick Farm to welcome the singers with cider and candy.
“It’s such a great tradition to have everybody out and celebrating Christmas and part of the countryside. Having the kids here singing, it’s just wonderful.”
Here’s a short video of the caroling:
The EQUUS Foundation has estabblished the Judith Richter Memorial Horse Whisperer Award as a tribute to the trainer and author, who died last month.
A mentor to aspiring young riders, many of whom are professionals today, Judy was also a mentor to the EQUUS Foundation 20 years ago.
“The EQUUS Foundation was just a concept when I approached Judy for her advice about forming an organization to assist local equine charities based in Connecticut and nearby in New York ,” said Lynn Coakley, EQUUS foundation president.
“Without hesitation, Judy joined the inaugural board of directors to help raise awareness of our mission. Throughout the next 20 years, Judy continued to offer guidance–and kind words on our progress.”
“My mother added so much value to so many lives. This is a wonderful way to honor her,” said Philip Richter, Judy’s son.
The EQUUS Foundation Board of Directors designates individuals posthumously as Horse Whisperers in recognition of their life-long dedication to and impact on protecting America’s horses from peril and strengthening the horse-human bond.
The board also designates individuals and organizations as Horse Whisperers in recognition of their commitment to provide substantial and much needed resources to ensure that America’s horses are safe and live with dignity throughout their lives.
EQUUS Foundation Horse Whisperers are honored by the EQUUS Foundation with the establishment of an award in their names to be presented to equines charities selected by the Equus board from among grant recipients that best align with the interests of the Horse Whisperers.
The Judith Richter Memorial Horse Whisperer Award will be presented in September 2023 in recognition of her life-long dedication to horses as a horsewoman of the highest standards and mentor to aspiring riders.
In the wake of Virginia Institute of Technology’s new helmet ratings (to read about them, click on this link) helmet manufacturers are replying.
Here is the comment from Tipperay Equestrian:
Now that the much-anticipated results from the Virginia Tech equestrian helmet study are available, Tipperary Equestrian can review and apply these learnings to our manufacturing process and continue to provide you with the best equestrian protective gear.
Product advancements in protective equipment often come from independent innovators, Mips® for example. A person or company has an idea that they study, research, and develop, then work with manufacturers to apply new technology or a concept to their products. The Virginia Tech study is a great example of this.
Much like we did with Mips®, it is our job to stay on top of innovations and update our processes accordingly. Regarding the VT results, we must explore how to incorporate the new learnings while ensuring that we continue to meet the ASTM F1163-15 equestrian standard; a requirement for us as a North American brand. Most importantly, the VT evaluation is weighted towards low velocity impacts, while the current ASTM standard focuses on high velocity impacts known to cause catastrophic injuries like a skull fracture, or worse. Both impact types are entirely possible and now that the importance of low velocity impacts has been brought to light by VT, addressing both vastly different fall scenarios is necessary.
Important for all equestrians to know, the ASTM standard is updated every 5 years to capture new research. We’re eager to see the update and subsequent changes in the equestrian industry, which is unfortunately often the last to see new innovations. Other sports get this treatment first; just as Mips® was initially seen in cycling, and the VT ratings began in Football. We encourage all organizations who have the ability, time, and resources to help make our sport better. Tipperary Equestrian is always open to new information; it is the only way forward.
This is One K’s response:
As you are likely aware, Virginia Tech has published a study of 40 equestrian helmets that have been tested and assigned a rating using their STAR evaluation system. The safety of our consumers is a top priority for One K , and they know that selecting the right helmet means finding one that performs on impact and is properly sized and fitted. We applaud the efforts of Virginia Tech to explore these helmet safety issues.
Please note that the VA Tech rating system is not a pass/fail system. OneK helmets have passed the safety standards for equestrian helmets set by ASGTM F1163-15. Those results are then certified by the Safety Equipment Institute “SEI. It is important to note that the ASTM standard is based upon high impact falls that could result in catastrophic injury. Helmets built to the highest levels of this standard often do not score high on studies that include low impacts. It has been our mission to supply products that meet or exceed those standards for protection. VA Tech expressly acknowledges that helmets pass ASTM F1163-15 and thus are considered safe. Additionally, they are tested to and certified by CE to the European standards EN 1384:2014 and VG1 01.040 2014-2.
One K in the prestigious 2021 Folksam’s test in Sweden earned top ratings for safety
We view the VA Tech test as an opportunity to take these additional learnings and apply them to continue to deliver safe, durable, and high-quality helmets to the English rider.
The Mips response from Sweden:
The Virginia Tech Helmet Lab has just released their ratings of equestrian helmets, the first time to apply their STAR evaluation system to them. At Mips, we welcome the new benchmark initiative to evaluate equestrian helmets, yet aspects of the test and rating methods leave room for improvement.
Mips, which stands for Multi-directional Impact Protection System, provides the Mips® safety system, which is intended to help reduce harmful rotational motion that might be otherwise transferred to the user’s head for certain impacts.
After carefully evaluating the test method and ratings process, Mips believes that the STAR ratings system should adopt additional testing methods. Mips Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer Peter Halldin further explains below:
● The Virginia Tech rating program conducts tests to the helmet that primarily include compression forces to the helmet, mimicking an accident situation where the rider falls straight towards the ground, a vertical velocity relative to the ground.
● However, even if rotational kinematics are measured, rotation is principally induced due to the head rotating around the neck, not at the first contact with the impacting surface.
● If a horse and its rider have a speed forward during their fall, there will be both vertical and horizontal velocity relative to the ground, and rotation could also be induced at the initial contact with the ground due to tangential force. To be able to replicate this phenomenon another test method is required.
● This could explain the discrepancy between Virginia Tech Helmet Lab’s ratings, and those from Swedish insurance company Folksam; for example, a helmet rated 1-star by Virginia Tech are rated 5-star by Folksam.
● The Folksam rating program includes impacts that have a tangential force acting on the helmet, which we suggest Virginia Tech implements to complement their current test method.
● Additionally, the Virginia Tech rating system weights the front impact location and the lower impact velocity of 4.0 m/s higher than the impact velocity of 6.3 m/s. Therefore, the final rating of the helmets in the Virginia Tech rating program is more dependent on the performance of the front of the helmet and low velocity impacts.
While we appreciate the new initiatives to evaluate equestrian helmets and promote helmet safety more generally, we at Mips believe that the new rating systems may be cause for confusion.
Virginia Tech just released the safety ratings for 40 equestrian helmets following an initiative undertaken with funding from eventing supporter Jacqueline Mars, the U.S. Equestrian Federation, U.S. Eventing Association and the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association.
The project involves the same system Virginia Tech uses for its football helmet ratings. The best helmets get the most stars. The interesting thing is the wide variance in price among the top choices. So yes, you can afford a top-rated helmet. Click here to see where your helmet fits in.
Over the past two years, Virginia Tech researchers analyzed over 100 videos of riders falling off horses, precisely measured the hardness of the sand, dirt, grass, and synthetic surfaces underfoot at equestrian events, and dragged dummy heads and other equipment — and boxes and boxes of helmets — out to Virginia Tech’s equestrian facilities to simulate falls.
Then the team of researchers from the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics took all that data back to the lab to recreate those events in a series of controlled, quantitative tests. They used those tests to assess 40 equestrian helmets from different manufacturers. The result is the first set of equestrian helmet ratings from the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab.
If a rider’s head hits the ground in a fall, their helmet can determine whether the rider makes it through without an injury. That’s why the Helmet Lab wanted to determine which helmets perform better than others. Of the 40 models included in this initial set of ratings, two earned the top score of five stars. Eleven earned four, and the rest earned three or below. Price isn’t necessarily a predictor of quality: One of the two five-star helmets retails for $460, and the other for $58.
The ratings apply to falls that occur at all gaits, as well as jumping.
The lab’s extensive testing also shed more light on what happens during real impact in the equestrian arena and illuminated some gaps between the required safety standards these helmets have to pass before going on the market and the actual impact they’re subjected to when a rider is wearing them.
“Standards for equestrian helmets are typically based on severe impacts,” said Stefan Duma, director of the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science at Virginia Tech.
“What we found is that a lot of riders come off at lower velocities, and many helmets are too stiff to effectively cushion those softer impacts. The helmets that perform better are able to deal with different energy levels.”
Virginia Tech’s ratings also go beyond the existing standards by using a formula that considers the rotational acceleration that occurs when a rider’s head hits the ground, in addition to linear acceleration.
This is the lab’s ninth major ratings release since researchers began rating helmets in 2011. They have tested and rated helmets for varsity, youth, and flag football; soccer; cycling; hockey; snow sports; and whitewater sports, transforming the science of sports safety by giving athletes, parents, and coaches unbiased, quantitative data they can use to choose the safest equipment.
“With every sport we look at we go through detailed analysis to make sure that the biomechanics we’re testing relate specifically to those athletes,” said the director.
“For these ratings, we determined what the acceleration profile would look like for a rider falling on the ground. Then we take that trace and bring it into the lab and recreate it, to make sure that our testing matches what a rider would experience if they fell off a horse.”
The pendulum impactor used for the equestrian helmet testing sits in a lab space outfitted with custom-built test equipment in the basement of the headquarters of the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science.
When the pendulum strikes a head form protected by one of the helmets being tested, sensors inside the head form record the blow. Each helmet model was tested at three impact locations and two impact speeds that are representative of real-world falls.
T“The U.S. Equestrian Federation is not only fully committed to the welfare and protection of horses but also of our people,” said David O’Connor, chief of sport at the U.S. Equestrian Federation.
“The launch of the rating system developed through the helmet research done by the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab is an exponential step in improving equipment in the world that will reduce the risk of injuries. We are proud to have supported this research and congratulate the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab on their progressive work for the benefit of all equestrians.”
The amazing blind Appaloosa Endo, who has the ultimate trust in his rider, is always busy. Now he has set the mark high again in the Guinness World Records. Read a story we ran about him in 2020 by clicking here.
To learn about this amazing horse’s current accomplishments in jumping and dressage, go to this link
World Dressage Champion Lottie Fry of Great Britain picked the right place to be close to perfect with the magnificent Glamourdale, winnning the FEI Dressage World Cup Freestyle at the London International Horse Show tonight.
Her overall score was 90.995 percent, but one of the five judges gave the 26-year-old rider an artistic marking of 98 percent, totally amazing. Lottie’s total bettered her world championships freestyle mark of 90.654 on the 11-year-old black stallion.
Lottie Fry and Glamourdale enjoy their victory lap in London. (Photo courtesy FEI)
“The support from the crowd tonight was incredible, and to end this amazing year here is wonderful! It is almost impossible to sum up 2022–it has been incredible and coming to London and performing in front of my home crowd is the best feeling and the best way to end the year,” Lottie said.
Talking about Glamourdale’s performance tonight, she added, “I had such an easy, fun ride. He is better than he was in Herning (world championships) and we keep improving, so I can’t wait for the years to come. Paris (Olympic Games 2024) is for sure the goal, and we will see how it goes until then”.
Glamourdale and Lottie Fry at the World Championships, where they were stars.
Her countryman, Gareth Hughes and Classic Briolinca, also a Dutchbred, were second but far behind, even on a very respectable score of 84.590 percent.
Third went to Germany’s Ingrid Klimke, better known as an eventer, who finished on 82.170 percent with Franzikus FRH. Ingrid leads the Western European League as she seeks to qualify for the Cup finals this spring in Omaha.
The new Channel System that went into effect this month for the 2023 season has nothing to do with TV. It’s an initiative for restructuring horse show competition licensing that takes some explaining, which is just what happened today during a forum at the U.S. Hunter Jumper Association’s annual meeting in Washington State
Britt McCormick, a member of the USHJA board, sees the system “as a way to broaden our sport, to grow the grassroots, a way to put something out there that is innovative; something different, something new.”
USHJA President Mary Knowlton, presiding at the State of the Association meeting, said the concept, implemented through the U.S. Equestrian Federation, started with the USHJA as an answer to the eternal question about showing, “Can we make a more affordable experience for exhibitors?”
The idea is “to open the competition calendar to more horse shows and to provide a robust program of awards for the regional level–an awards program equal to the program that exists now for the top of sport,” said Sissy Wickes, who served with Britt on the USEF Competition Task Force that created the Channel System proposal. It eases the mileage rule, which for decades had been an impediment to the growth of new shows.
Britt McCormick and Sissy Wickes. (USHJA photo)
Some find the Channel System a concept that they just can’t get their heads around, however.
“I would definitely say that there are moments when people are struggling with feeling overwhelmed and pushed down by the Channel System,” noted Mary.
It likely won’t be everyone’s choice, mused Britt, chair of the USEF’s National Breeds and Disciplines Committee.
“We’re going to have a lot of people that jump on board and go, `Yeah, we love it.’ We’re going to have people that just say, `This isn’t for me and I’m going to go somewhere else.’ ”
He added, “We’re not trying to be all things to all people. We’re trying to encourage people to collaborate in their area… the idea is that organizers…figure out how to do circuits….and how to share the limited pool of exhibitors that is in their area, if that’s the case.”
USEF President Tom O’Mara assured those at the meeting that they “can’t find a smoke-filled room where people sit making rules to make other people’s lives miserable.”
He noted the Channel System generated “huge feedback. thousands of surveys came back.” He called the effort to devise the rule “supercollaborative. If there are things that need to be adjusted, they will be adjusted.”
Shelley Campf, chair of the USEF’s Member Services Council, is concerned that the system could “really affect the viability of shows.” She noted that in her home zone in the Pacific Northwest, “there are not that many people to go around.”
“When the weather is such that you can show locally,” Shelley said, she would like “USHJA help foster local programs, even if it’s at the Channel 1 level.”
A rotating team of presenters commented on other matters at the meeting. Joe Dotoli, who shepherded the Helmet Ratings initiative, noted that with sponsorship from Jacqueline Mars, USEF and U.S. Eventing Association, the project wound up costing USHJA only 75 center per member.
“That’s a pretty good return,” said Joe.
“It is a huge jump forward in the safety of our sport,” he continued, noting USEF has come a long way since the first helmet safety rule in 2001.
To read about the helmet study, click on this link. For the helmet manufacturers’ reaction, click here.
So what safety project is on the horizon now? That would be a study of the air vests riders are wearing in increasing numbers.
“Many of us think the next logical step is airbags, which is what air vests are,” said Joe, who had compared the helmets to automobile seatbelts in the way they progressed. He noted, however, there is less information available on the effectiveness of the vests than there was on the helmets, so he expects that study “will take longer and probably be more expensive. But that’s the route I”m sure our safety committee is going to be promoting next.”
Another important development is the growth of the Outreach program, which introduces riders to USHJA and the USEF.
In 2014, there were 93 Outreach competitions with 318 riders. In 2022, with “Outreach 2.0,” that had swelled to 654 competitions and 7,500 riders. Some Outreach classes are part of a show; others are stand-alones.
“Outreach for us is a give-back to our the sport,” Mary said. “It’s not a money-making endeavor. It’s our way of reaching out to the unrecognized (show) world,” she explained.
“It’s a way to make connections.”
The USHJA is reaching out in many ways. As Mary put it, “We’re offering a lot of success to people across many, many platforms.”
With tears running down his face, McLain Ward talked about his stunning victory today in the Rolex Grand Prix of Geneva, Switzerland, aboard the 16-year-old HH Azur.
A double exposure of a victorious McLain Ward on HH Azur juxtaposed against an overall shot of the Palexpo arena.
“It’s something I always dreamed of,” he said, after putting in an amazing time of 38.43 seconds to defeat hometown hero and defending champion Martin Fuchs of Switzerland on Leone Jei, clear in 39.77 seconds.
Coming down to the final obstacle in the race against the clock, Azur put in an extra stutter stride that seemed certain to result in toppling one of the green and yellow rails.
Yet miraculously, everything stayed in place to assure McLain’s win in the prestigious class at the Palexpo Arena, which looked like Aachen moved indoors with its lake and trees.
“I don’t know how she cleared the last fence. Really amazing,” declared McLain, only the third American to win the featured class in the history of Geneva’s December show..
“But that’s what you have to do to beat Martin Fuchs.”
Rolex runner-up Martin Fuchs and Leone Jei.
His face a study in joy and amazement, McLain started celebrating as soon as he realized he had done it, waving and fist-pumping as joy washed over him.
McLain added about his 2017 World Cup champion, “Azur is an incredible partner and friend. ”
He offered thanks to her team and owners, mentioning the late Hunter Harrison and his father, Barney Ward, who he is sure was looking down on his effort today.
McLain had the fastest time with Contagious on Friday in the Rolex International Jumper Riders Club Top Ten Finals, but finished fourth with a rail down. He kept up the speed quotient of that performance today, going fastest in the first round of 40 starters, which gave him the advantage of running last in the 13-horse jump-off, where he aimed at Martin’s time.
Martin Fuchs and McLain Ward.
World Champion Henrik von Eckermann of Sweden, winner of the Top Ten on King Edward, did not make the jump-off today when a rail near the end of the course scuttled his chances.
Germany’s Daniel Deusser, who was looking to clinch his second segment of the four-part Rolex Grand Slam after winning the competition at Spruce Meadows in September, wound up sixth on Scuderia 1918 Tobago Z in 42.58 seconds.
The Grand Slam cycle starts again next year in s’-Hertogenbosch, Holland, and you can bet McLain will be there at the Dutch Masters, looking toward a sweep to take the bonus.
Scott Brash of Great Britain became the first rider to take the Grand Slam in 2015.
Despite not winning the featured class in Geneva, Martin had a special day, having said on Friday that his main focus this afternoon would be on the retirement ceremony for his great star, Clooney.
Martin Fuchs shows his fondness for Clooney during the star show jumper’s retirement at Geneva.
The horse he rode to the European Championship and individual silver at the 2018 FEI World Equestrian Games is headed for the pasture after recovering from a broken shoulder he suffered last year in the pasture.
The answer to the question above became even more obvious this evening, as world show jumping champion Henrik von Eckermann of Sweden won the Rolex International Jumping Riders Club Top Ten Final on the amazing King Edward.
The excitement level was over the top for the competition, held in Geneva, Switzerland’s Palexpo, the world’s largest indoor arena.
It was packed to the brim with enthusiastic spectators, who were offered a view of a spectacular jumping test set in a landscape highlighted by a lake and trees. That brought a countryside ambience into the city, courtesy of designers Gérard Lachat of Switzerland and Louis Konickx of the Netherlands.
Henrik was clear in both rounds, and his time of 48.42 seconds in the final leg just edged France’s Simon Delestre on Cayman Jolly Jumper in 49.35 seconds. That horse, who looked marvelous jumping his two fault-free rounds, is a son of Hickstead, Eric Lamaze’s 2008 Olympic individual gold medal ride.
Recalling his thoughts upon watching the class in the past, Henrik had said, “I just wish one day I could do this,” then added in awe “and I’m standing here today.”
The world’s top-ranked rider collected $171,000 (160,000 Swiss francs) for his victory.
“It’s unbelievable,” said Henrik, who admitted he was nervous as he watched Simon, the last to go. The Swede thought perhaps he had made a mistake by not taking one less stride to the final fence, but was able to breathe again when Simon fell just short, finishing in 49.35 seconds.
“The luck was on my side today and the whole year,” mused Henrik.
“An incredible horse, King Edward, just a fantastic feeling,” he said of the Belgian warmblood superstar by Edward 28.
His countryman and Olympic and world championships gold medal teammate, Peder Fredricson on Catch Me Not finished third after taking a gamble and going slowly, but carefully.
His plan worked, and the fault-free trip he took in a leisurely 57.30 seconds within the 60-second time-allowed got him on the lower level of the podium with just his 1-penalty time fault from the first round.
The winner, Henrik von Eckermann, and the man who is his regular teammate, Peder Fredricson, shake hands on the podium.
McLain Ward was the only U.S. representative in the field that included riders from seven countries. Making his third appearance in the competition, he came in as number 10.
One of only four riders who were fault-free in the first round, McLain moved up to fourth with Contagious for the second round, but there a turn that didn’t pan out to the third-to-last fence flanked by clock towers gave him a 4-fault total and an amazing time of 46.89 seconds —which would have enabled him to win the whole thing, had he jumped clean. As it was, he finished in fourth as the fastest of the 4-faulters.
McLain Ward and Contagious.
Discussing the mishap, McLain said, “It’s the one place I tried to slow down and got a little too rough. Rider error. I should have just trusted my horse.”
Several riders had a difficult time. Chief among them was Olympic individual gold medalist Ben Maher of Great Britain riding a new horse, Exit Remo, but his lack of familiarity with his mount meant he wound up with 31 faults in the first round.
He came back in a big way, however, jumping clean in the second round. The penalty burden from the first round, however, put Ben 10th and last. He said he’ll once again be aboard his Olympic ride, Explosion, in February.
