by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 6, 2023
If you wanted to pick a winner in the opening classes of dressage and show jumping at the FEI World Cup classes, very little handicapping was required.
Hours after defending dressage Cup champion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl of Germany topped the field in the Grand Prix (see second story on this page), world champion Henrik von Eckermann took the speed round in show jumping.
Henrik von Eckermann takes a victory gallop, followed by Scott Brash. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
When last he was at the CHI Health Center arena in Omaha for the Cup’s first run in the city in 2017, Henrik finished third behind Romain Duguet of Switzerland and winner McLain Ward of the USA. At that time, the Swede was a fresh face for me; not on my radar. He had worked for German star Ludger Beerbaum before going out on his own in 2016.
So his 2017 Cup placing was important for him, he explained after last night’s victory, because it was an achievement that contributed to the success of his new business.
Henrik, a 2020 Olympic team gold medalist ranked number one in the world with his partner, King Edward, had the advantage of going last in the Cup’s 40-horse field over a course laid out by Bernardo Costa Cabral of Portugal.
(Ironically, at the draw ceremony for the order of go on Tuesday, it was McLain who plucked the 40th spot out of a basket for Henrik.)
One of the complex course’s most interesting features was a “double of doubles,” a vertical/oxer one-stride (10A and B) on the long side of the ring that was four strides from an oxer/plank-topped vertical. On the opposite side, there was another double, 7A and B, two verticals that caused less trouble for competitors.
The time to beat was 59.23 seconds set by Britain’s 2012 Olympic team gold medalist Scott Brash on Hello Jefferson, 13th to go. The fact that it stood up until the end of the class spoke volumes, and Henrik only beat it by 0.14 seconds. Leaving the fences up was key, naturally, but that was doubly important because each dropped rail added three seconds to a score.
Henrik has a great love for King Edward (very understandable), noting that outside of the ring, he’s like a pet you could bring in the house (though that might get messy!)
“The horse, as most people know, is an unbelievable, fantastic horse and he’s done so many great things, and thanks to the owner Georg Kähny, I can ride him,” said von Eckermann of the 13-year-old gelding, a former 1.40-meter amateur mount originally bought for Henrik’s wife, Janika Sprunger.
“It was love at first sight. At home and to take care of, he is like a dog,” he observed, but added that when the Belgian warmblood gets to a competition, the easy-going part is over.
His nerve shows, and “he has incredible power. He’s a small horse, but somehow the engine he has behind is unbelievable, and that’s why he can jump such big jumps — and of course, he’s very careful.”
His task was made more difficult, Henrik said, by the fact that “the ground (footing) was not great,” explaining it was “deep in the corners.”
Scott first saw Hello Jefferson jumping in Peelbergen with Charlotte Philippe.
“It took a bit of time to buy him, she was very attached to him,” Scott said.
That was five years ago, and the two have a great understanding now.
“He’s strong minded, so it’s taken a bit of time to grow the partnership,” Scott observed, “but I feel it’s there now and he’s an amazing horse. in
They enjoyed support from the spectators in what Scott called, “Great atmosphere. It’s nice when the crowd cheers for us Europeans, too.”
Under the Cup scoring system, Henrik leads with 41 points, followed by Scott with 39. Germany’s Daniel Deusser who was third with Scuderia 1918 Tobago Z (59.45 seconds) is one point back of that, and so on down the list.
Hunter Holloway is the highest-placed American on her reliable Pepita con Spita with 33. She was eighth after posting a 61.35-second trip.
Hunter Holloway and Pepita con Spita. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Her family has a farm in Kansas, two hours from Omaha, and before she came to the show she was doctoring sick calves. Hunter is a woman of many talents who has been a regular at shows in Omaha.
McLain, seeking another Cup title, has 30 points to stand 11th after a 61.69-second trip. He rode Callas, a mare he characterized as “not probably the speediest horse in the whole world. I hope the jumps get a lot bigger and it gives us some room to climb.”
McLain Ward and Callas. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
He said since it was his first championship with her, he erred on the conservative side and could have left out another stride.
McLain added, “Her greatest quality is that she’s totally predictable. To be honest, you really have to make a mistake to screw something up.”
Devin Ryan, whose top level career was launched by a second-place 2018 Cup finish in Paris, stands 21st with Eddie Blue after a fault-free effort in 64.62 seconds.
“Everything came up nicely, but there wasn’t much of an option,” he observed.
“The couple of inside turns, you had to do them. Sometimes it’s fun when there’s an option where you can leave out (a stride) with a big-strided horse, but that wasn’t part of the course.” (Click here to read more from Devin)
Interestingly, the designer did such an artful job that no one was eliminated. It’s quite a task to build a layout suitable for the top of the sport while seeing that those of far less experience don’t come to harm. The field is quite diverse, with riders from the Middle East and Asia in the mix.
Shout-out to Nurjon Tuyakbaev of Uzbekistan, who turned in a careful round with just one fence down to stand 30th on Lancelotta. It is the first time I have ever seen a show jumping competitor from that country.
Nurjon Tuyakbaev of Uzbekistan on Lancelotta.( Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
The competition continues tonight with a time first jump-off class.
Click here for results. Click on this link for overall standings.
by Nancy Jaffer | Mar 29, 2023
There’s a reason why it’s not wise to assess the quality of an event’s entry until the closing date has passed. We had some late starters for next month’s 5-star Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event, and they are special. Not sure why so many waited until yesterday’s deadline to declare, but the end result is a very intriguing field.
First and foremost is world champion Yasmin Ingham of Britain and Banzai du Loir, who was an unknown when she came to Kentucky last year. The British rider was, in fact, so unknown that many people passed up a press conference with her on one of the dressage days; after all, everyone was busy and who had ever heard of her?
Yasmin Ingham and Banzai du Loir at Kentucky. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
Now we’ve all heard of her, and it will be interesting to see if she can improve her second-place finish from her Kentucky debut. Other Brits joining her include Zara Tindall, a former world champion, with Class Affair and Tom McEwen (JL Dublin). Three-time Kentucky winner Oliver Townend is no longer on the list.
Three-time winner William Fox-Pitt also will be on hand with Grafenacht. Another three-time winner, Germany’s Michael Jung, is not making the trip this time, but there will be plenty to keep track of without him.For other bits of international flair, France will be well represented by the very veteran Maxime Livio (Carouzo Bois Marotin), while Germany’s Sandra Auffarth also is competing.
Phillip Dutton, the last American to win the fixture in 2008, is in with Z, while perennial crowd favorite Boyd Martin has two options with the reliable Tsetserleg and a newcomer to this level, Contessa. Doug Payne, who always does well at Kentucky, is riding Quantum Leap. Other big names from the U.S. include Will Coleman (Off the Record, Dondante and Chin Tonic), the top American finisher in the world championships last year; Liz Halliday-Sharp, Buck Davidson and Tamie Smith.
Will Coleman and Off the Record. (Photo © 2022 by Nancy Jaffer)
If the 5-star isn’t enough action for you at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, there’s also a 4-star eventing competition and a 3-star show jumping competition.
On the Thursday, there will be a 6 p.m. celebration of the life of Jim Wofford, the great eventer and author we lost in February. Everyone is invited to attend at Spindletop Hall, just down the road from the Horse Park.
If you want to see the Kentucky action in person, buy tickets at this link.
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 12, 2023
Have you been looking for something new to do with your horse, something that isn’t hunters, jumpers, reining, endurance, eventing or any of the other disciplines that first come to mind when considering the options?
Why not take a look at Western Dressage, which is increasing in popularity for many reasons. It works with any type of horse (you don’t need to import one from Europe), equipment can be purchased for a reasonable price and the atmosphere is friendly and low-key.
It is a welcome hybrid. As the Western Dressage Association of America puts it, the discipline combines the “western traditions of horse and rider with classical dressage.”
Erin Gale and I’m Willy Hot doing their dressage test. (Photo by Victoria Morano Photography)
WDAA’s roots stretch back to 2010, when a group of trainers realized “there were some core concerns shared by everyone involved in today’s horse industry.”
Together with representatives of the Western Horseman magazine, they saw the need for founding an organization to “honor the horse in its rightful place as the living symbol of the American West, value the partnership between the horse and rider, and also celebrate the American West as the beautiful and legendary place where it all began and continues today.” Everyone agreed the discipline should be built on love of the horse.
Are you intrigued? Want to learn more? There will be an opportunity on Saturday, April 15 to see the first recognized Western Dressage show at the Horse Park of New Jersey in Allentown, at 9 a.m. The show is approved for points by WDAA, the American Quarter Horse Association and the East Coast Regional Dressage Association. WDAA also is an affiliate of the U.S. Equestrian Federation.
Not only that; after the show at 12:30 p.m., a clinic in the discipline will be held, featuring Lynn Newton, an R-rated judge. She also is one of the judges for the WDAA 2023 International World show in Oklahoma in September, which last year included over 1,200 rides. Admission for those who want to audit the Horse Park clinic is $20/person.
“This is an up-and-coming sport,” said Mary Alice Goss, the show manager. It was pointed out that having a show at the Horse Park is an opportunity for people from the region who otherwise likely would be traveling a distance to participate, to get to a WDAA show in a nearby venue because of the Park’s central location.
Erin Gale, a vice president of the Horse Park who is also a Western Dressage competitor, said this show and others could pave the way for even more at the Park, depending on the turnout.
She mentioned that grading work and general improvements to footing have been made to rings at the Park over the winter, saying, “I’m hopeful people will acknowledge the difference. We’re using the surface we have for maximum performance.”
Any breed of horse, such as this Arabian, can compete in Western dressage. Note the dressage whip with the western saddle in this salute. (Photo courtesy WDAA)
From a personal standpoint, she observed how complementary Western Dressage is to the other riding interests she has involving her mare, I’m Willy Hot.
“I also show on the AQHA cicuit and I do the Ranch Riding,” said Erin.
“I felt that incorporating dressage into my everyday training really helped me in my other disciplines. My horse really excelled, it was really comfortable for her to do Western Dressage and so we started making a more conscious effort to focus on it.
“We’re excited about the growth we see in Western Dressage as a whole, not only as a competitor, but also being involved with the Horse Park. I’m thrilled we’re hosting one of the events.”
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by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 5, 2023
Consider it almost a foregone conclusion: Olympic champion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl of Germany won the Grand Prix at the FEI World Cup Dressage Finals today, earning 79.22 percent on her dependable16-year-old mare, TSF Dalera BB.
Defending her 2022 Cup title, Jessica was marked in first place by each of the seven judges on the elastic 16-year-old Trakehner, whose steps were light, a perfect complement to her supple movement.
The judges loved the performance. She got a total of 12 marks of 10, which is perfect, including for piaffe and transitions, as well as buckets full of 9s.
“Dalera was on fire,” said Jessica. “A little bit too much energy for today, but the good thing is, we could all see she is in top form. I definitely enjoyed the ride.”
The competition is great, but it would have been even better had world champion Lottie Fry been able to come with Glamourdale. But he’s a breeding stallion, and his handlers didn’t want him to miss part of the season, so that matchup will have to wait. The two didn’t meet up at last year’s world championships because Jessica was pregnant and didn’t compete.
Jessica von Bredel-Werndl and TSF Dalera BB. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Right behind Jessica was that World Cup veteran of veterans, her countrywoman, Isabell Werth. She has been to the finals 24 times and was the winner in Omaha when the competition was last held at the CHI Health Center in 2017. Isabell’s ride, Quantaz, a German sport horse, was marked at 77.485 percent.
Isabell, despite her mileage, knew she could have problems with Quantaz after two days in quarantine and what amounted to three days off. So she didn’t have a lot of time get him in shape for the Grand Prix.
“He has a strong temperament and is strong-minded and he was a bit scared in the first familiarization with the noise, and so that was not so easy for him to become more focused. I did not expect that it could work so good today. So I am totally happy that he was so focused.”
Isabell didn’t get any 10s, but she got 9s for the initial halt; Isabell always dots her i’s and crosses her t’s. She doesn’t lost points on neglecting the basics.
Isabell Werth was totally in control with Quantz. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Oh, here’s a cute story about Isabell. I asked her what she thought when multi-gold medalist Charlotte Dujardin named her baby daughter Isabella Rose. Isabell’s favorite horse is Bella Rose. When she got a call from a journalist asking her about it, Isabell said she got emotional. She still doesn’t know the whole story behind Charlotte’s decision, but she was delighted to get an instagram photo of Charlotte with the sort-of namesake child.
Back to the competition. The podium was completed by the powerful chestnut, Blue Hors Zepter, a 15-year-old Oldenburg ridden to a score of 76.165 by Sweden’s Nanna Skodborg Merrald. Her lowest marks were a series of 4s and 5s for the collected canter.
Nanna Skodborg Merrald and Blue Hors Zepter. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
In fourth was Franziskus FRH, who looked in fantastic shape, with a gleaming coat and powerful build. He was marked at 75.543 for his efforts under the guidance of Ingrid Klimke, daughter of the late Olympic champion and legend Reiner Klimke. But on Thursday, news came that the stallion has been withdrawn from the freestyle due to a “misstep.”
The top-placing American was Steffen Peters, who has been to the World Cup Finals six times and won in 2009. The Californian and Suppenkasper had an impressive performance to finish with 74.581 penalties.
Steffen Peters and Suppenkasper. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
As Steffen pointed out, whatever happens in the Grand Prix, there is “still a chance to win” the title, because the Cup is awarded based on the featured musical freestyle, which will be held Friday. The riders’ finish in the Grand Prix is used to determine order of go in the freestyle.
“To be fifth in this group is wonderful for our placing and for being the oldest rider here in this competition,” said Steffen, who is 58.
“After 50 years of being in the sport, it’s still very exciting to be part of this, and I’m thrilled.”
But as I wrote yesterday, Steffen told me he may consider retiring at age 60 after next year’s Paris Olympics, when Mopsie, as Suppenkasper is known around the barn, is 16. It certainly isn’t definite, and at the moment, he’s focused on the Cup.
Anna Buffini, another Californian, did herself proud, coming in ninth with a nicely modulated test on 70.047 percent with FRH Davinia la Douce.
Anna Buffini is always great about waving to the fans, one of the reasons she is a crowd favorite. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
“We did so much prep work, There isn’t anything we could possibly do more, I think I rode her six times in two days. It’s the best test she’s done in a big arena this electric, this nervous. To go in there and have a mistake-free test is everything you dream of.”
She will spend Thursday night with her family, watching “Top Gun Maverick,” which has become a tradition. That is the music for her freestyle, a tribute to her late grandfather who was in the military.
The third American in the competition, Alice Tarjan, had issues in the first piaffe when Serenade MF kept stopping. Alice explained that she had spent a lot of time practicing the halt, so Serenade was doing what she thought she was supposed to do. Her score was 67.065 to finish last of 15 horses.
“She’s super honest,” said Alice, who is riding in the finals for the first time. “She read my half-halt like a halt. I’m really happy. It’s the best she’s felt all week.”
An assortment of 1s and 2s from the judges for the piaffe and the passage-piaffe-passage transition meant that despite other good marks, her score would suffer.
Now that Alice had competed in the ring, she feels like the pressure’s off and she’ll spend Thursday preparing for the freestyle, done to music arranged by Boy DeWinter.
The field was supposed to be 16 entries, but Dinja van Liere of the Netherlands withdrew Hermes NOP, saying he was “not fit to compete” but did not elaborate on why. The stallion was unruly in the horse inspection on Tuesday and was put in the holding box before being passed by the ground jury.
Click here for results.
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 5, 2023
Show jumper Devin Ryan is, in a sense, back where his rise to the top of his sport began. The venue is different but the event is the same, the Longines FEI World Cup Finals.
In 2018, longshots Devin and the brilliant Eddie Blue were a surprise second place at the Cup finals in Paris. They went from there to a spot on the gold medal team at the FEI World Equestrian Games.
From the highest level on the podium, they were on track for their attempt to make the 2020 Olympics, until a bone bruise on Eddie’s hind leg derailed the effort.
Now Eddie is back in form, and the venue is Omaha for the 2023 Cup finals.
“I’ve been taking it a little easy with him,” Devin said after a training round in the massive arena at the CHI Health Center.
He had a good season in 2022, but the plan going forward involves “saving him and having short- and long-term goals and see what happens. I thought about this in the beginning of the year, the World Cup Finals. He’s really more of a championship type horse, we get outrun often in jump-offs, but he likes to jump clear rounds,” Devin pointed out.
“I thought we’d come here and see what we could get done.”
What has been different over the last few years?
“He’s a little older, things change with horses,” the Long Valley, N.J., rider said of the 14-year-old Dutch warmblood.
“Their programs change and you have to figure them out, so it keeps the sport interesting.”
“My goal with him is just to coast a little bit and do this. It’s a good venue for him. He’s always been really good indoors. The important thing is Paris (the 2024 Olympics). I think it’s in anybody’s sights who has a horse they feel can do it. The horse has to be strong and healthy. We have to also as a country not over-use our horses.”
“I’m so lucky to have Eddie in my life. These animals bless us in a way. Once you have one and you do it with them, you understand what a difference it is when you have a horse who is good at his job and likes doing it, goes out there and performs.”
The U.S. is still trying to qualify as a country for Paris, which puts importance on the Nations Cup finals in Barcelona and the Pan American Games this autumn.
Devin Ryan and Eddie Blue. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Would Devin be interested in those competitions?
“Wherever they need me, I’d sort of put myself out there,” he said
But first things first; we’re in Omaha.
“It’s one of the strongest fields in a World Cup final. There are some good ones who have been doing really well,” observed Devin.
That includes world champion Henrik von Eckermann of Sweden with King Edward and Cup defending champion Martin Fuchs of Switzerland on Leone Jei. And then there’s the USA’s McLain Ward, riding the Holsteiner mare,Callas, as he seeks to repeat his 2017 Cup victory when Omaha put on the finals for the first time.
McLain Ward and Callas. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
So it means even if Devin doesn’t make the podium, finishing well up in the standings would be impressive.
U.S. show jumping coach Robert Ridland made the same point as Devin in assessing the field for the Cup.
The group of exhibitors, he noted, “is as strong a list as it ever had been. Just go down the list from Europe. I was excited to see how strong the contingent is from the rest of the world.”
They do things differently from the U.S. in terms of getting to the finals.
“I don’t think our qualifying system works as well as it does in Europe. Our system stars too early, ends too late. Theirs is much more compact with their indoor circuit.
“Ours, of course, historically combines indoors and outdoors, which is a little bit of an issue. But there’s not much we can do about it because that’s where our top competitions are. I believe we definitely need a revamping of our qualifying system, so that it makes more sense for our top horse-rider combinations. I think if we did that, it would be better for us and better for the future World Cups.”
by Nancy Jaffer | Apr 4, 2023
After Alice Tarjan won the FEI World Cup qualifier at Dressage at Devon last autumn, she wasn’t planning on being at the Cup finals this week in Omaha.
“I was joking to Lauren (Chumley), `Wouldn’t it be funny if we qualified for the World Cup?'” Alice asked her friend.
This morning, she said with a little smile, “The joke’s on me because we came, we actually qualified.”
The Oldwick, N.J., resident rode Serendipity MF today in the warmup at the Chi Health Center Arena, where the atmosphere is always a factor, even with few people on hand for ring familiarization.
Alice Tarjan and Serenade MF. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Although the two made a businesslike picture, Alice observed, “The horse is a little tight; it’s obviously the most environment she’s ever seen.”
But as she noted, “Once you get on the horse, you just kind of have a job to do. We’ll try to learn a lot.”
And there are plenty of people to learn from. They include Olympic champion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl of Germany with TSF Dalera BB; the most decorated dressage rider in history, Isabell Werth, another German with Quantaz DSP (Isabell won at the 2017 final in Omaha with another horse) and the Netherlands’ highly touted Dinja van Liere with Hermes NOP.
“Who would have thought this little foal I picked up would bring us so far?” mused Alice, who usually buys horses very young and brings them up through the ranks.
“It’s cool the places horses bring us,” she observed.
“All that really matters is what you put down in the ring. The scores kind of dictate where you go. My goal is to train the horses. I love the journey and the training. Then you follow the scores and where they send you.”
Her trainer, Marcus Orlob, is coaching at the World Cup for the first time.
“I’m really excited for Alice to be here, and myself,” he said.
Marcus observed that while the facilities are great and horse-friendly, “the arena’s a little bit intimidating, all the lights, the people.” While Shrimp, as Serenade is known for her small size was “a little bit nervous inside, as Marcus put it, she overcame it to do her job.
“She’s a good girl,” he said.
Alice is one of three U.S. riders competing, the only one who has never done a World Cup finals before.
Steffen Peters is a six-time veteran, having won in 2009 with Ravel. He and Suppenkasper, better known as Mopsie, looked on their game today as they practiced various moves at the same time as Isabell was in the ring.
Steffen Peters and Suppenkasper. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
Far from being jaded by so many World Cup outings, Steffen is energized. He didn’t go to Florida this winter, electing instead to stay home in California and support the circuit there. So he’s ready to face some different competition and relishes the opportunity.
“Any time you get a chance to ride among the top 16 in the world, it’s still considered a huge honor. Doing this for 50 years now, it’s just as exciting as the first time,” he stated.
Even so, when I asked if he ever thinks about retirement, he replied in the affirmative.
“You know, it has crossed my mind to do that after Paris (the 2024 Olympics). Mopsie will be 16, I’ll be 60. It could be a good time. It’s always a good time and place to make that decision afterwards; not before.”
In the meantime, Steffen is pleased with his mount.
“He’s been so much more mature lately with electric venues,” Steffen mentioned.
“As long as the crowd stays relatively calm when we enter, I think he might stay calm as well.”
I asked whether he thought a podium finish could be in the cards.
“Any time I make predictions, it usually backfires,” he responded.
“All I can tell you is to know I prepared my best, I prepared Mopsie the best, with the most respect and kindness, and since I’ve done that, I absolutely have to be and will be okay with the outcome, no matter what.”
Anna Buffini rode in the Leipzig, Germany, World Cup finals last year and is busy gathering more experience with FRH Davinia La Douce. She contrasted her feeling in Omaha with how she felt last year at this time.
Anna Buffini was quick to acknowledge applause as she left the arena on FRH Davinia la Douce. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
“Knowing what to expect is huge. You’re not just looking around, kind of starstruck by the venue, by the people watching, all the stuff I didn’t know last year.
“It’s so helpful to have gone to one already and to have one in America. I didn’t realize how much of a difference that would make. The food, I’m familiar with the language, the people, the surroundings. I can Uber and get everything I need. It’s totally different. Hopefully, we can go in and put two solid tests down.”
The first horse show she remembers attending was the 2009 World Cup Finals in Las Vegas.
“Ever since then, I’ve dreamed of being here, and it finally came true, which was amazing.”
Anna, a Californian trained by longtime U.S. team member Guenter Seidel, is believed to be the first black rider to compete in the World Cup finals.
“I’m really proud to represent,” she emphasized.
“It shows the melting pot that we are, and I love that.”
Debbie McDonald, a World Cup finals winner who is the U.S. dressage technical advisor, still remembers her first Cup final.
“I know the feeling, like a deer in the headlights,” she recalled.
Debbie McDonald and her former teammate, Guenter Seidel. (Photo © 2023 by Nancy Jaffer)
“Alice probably feels a little bit like, `Oh my gosh, I’m actually here,” Debbie commented, and noted that although Anna has one Cup under her belt, “she’s still a youngster.” So with the two of them, the goal is to gain mileage.
“Any time you can ride in an environment like this, it’s special, so you have to think of it that way. It’s a special group of horses and riders.
At the other end of the experience scale, “You’ve got Steffen, who’s been there and done that. It’s still always great to see him in the ring.”
But she’s not guessing who’s going to be on the podium.
“There are so many players in the game today; it’s just going to be who’s good that day. You can’t really predict.” But as far as the U.S. group goes, she said, “I’m hoping for really good rides.”
