Havre de Grace and Neville Bardos. Click here to see photos and read my TDN blog entry about both superstars.
Rolex 2009: Cross Country Phase
Fierce and fast! It’s exhilarating to see these horses go from dressage to cross country. The horses look so elegant on the first day, crisply braided and executing perfect transitions, collection, and extension. On Saturday, the clothing and tack changes, but the accuracy needed for that perfect 20 meter circle is used on cross country day for a fast and clean run. The determination on the riders’ faces and the intensity on the faces of their horses is remarkable. The excitement is contagious- the crowd really appreciates the hard work and skill that goes into a good run.
But nobody likes to see a good run ruined by an unleashed dog- check out this frustrating video of Buck Davidson’s unfortunate encounter with an unleashed dog on course.
Kentucky Derby 135: What a Ride!
I’ve been back in New Jersey for a few days now, but my head is still spinning from the amazing experiences I had in Kentucky. Rolex, the Derby, the Oaks, the farms, the Horse Park… it was an unforgettable adventure.
When I first arrived at Churchill Downs, I must admit I was underwhelmed. It was raining, I was lugging a lot of equipment, and my amazing experiences at Rolex were fresh in my mind (more on that soon!). I expected to gasp at the sight of the Twin Spires and marvel at the experience, but it was not until Oaks Day when I was shooting the races when it really hit me. The history, the tradition, the horseflesh. Rachel Alexandra in her epic run. Mine That Bird battling the field and winning by 8. And I had the best seat in the house. I’ll break the weeks down into bite-sized pieces and share them with the RNR Blog community.
Cigar: Still the King
I visited Cigar several times during Rolex. The Horse Park was abuzz from dawn to dusk every day with international competitors, and The King watched from his castle atop the hill. He is a benevolent ruler, and most of the time he dines on fine grasses. But if something is out of place or if some horse dares to come too close to his kingdom, he alerts. He marches to the intruder. His mane flutters. His ears fly forward. His chiseled head swivels. And his subjects ooh and ahh. Shutters click. Then The King goes back to his meal.
I left Cigar’s palace today and began my tour of Kentucky farms. Never in my life have I seen such beauty. The rolling hills, the warm breezes, the iron gates, the stately barns. If you see me driving, just pass my car, because I’m a rubbernecking fool when I see these farms.
I watched a mare foal today. She’s a stout filly, well-bred and full of promise. In light of the tragic loss of Kingpin and the reminder of how fragile these creatures are in spite of the best possible care, life springs forth in the Bluegrass.
Greetings from Rolex!
Sarah Andrew reporting in from the Bluegrass for a quick hello :^) Lexington, Kentucky is beautiful! Imagine my delight to finally arrive at Rolex for the first time after so many years of watching and reading about it. I feel like a kid in a candy store at the Kentucky Horse Park. I saw the immortal Cigar (a favorite racehorse from my youth), as well as the great CH Gypsy Supreme, pictured here:
Day 1 of Rolex was fantastic. Check out the Rolex website for updates and standings. The two standout dressage tests for me were Jolie Sexton riding Killian O’Connor and Tim Lips riding Concrex Oncarlos. Both tests were remarkably harmonious and the rides were exemplary.
On to Day Two!
Rolex 101 (Last post from NJ!)
The Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event is the highest level of the sport of three-day eventing. International horses and riders at the Olympic level compete at this four-star event. There are only four events of this caliber in the world.
Phase One of eventing is dressage, a test of strength, balance, and discipline for horses and riders.
Phase Two is cross country, which highlights the heart, speed, and endurance of the teams.
Phase Three is stadium jumping, which requires precision, accuracy, and rateability.
The official Rolex website explains it well:
DRESSAGE on the first day of the competition tests the gaits, suppleness and obedience of the horse through a series of prescribed movements. While judging the Dressage Test on the first day is based on specific criteria understood in detail only by experienced judges and riders, it is basically an evaluation of beauty of movement and obedience. Anyone can judge these characteristics and the spectator’s opinion often agrees with the judges. The number of competitors may require that Dressage be held over two days but it remains the first competition day.
The CROSS-COUNTRY test on the second competition day proves the speed, stamina, courage, boldness and jumping ability of the horse and the rider’s knowledge of pace and use of the horse across country. Horses jumping over obstacles designed and constructed to represent what might be found on uncharted grounds , virtually flying over ditches, leaping up and down banks, dropping into and galloping through water prove examples of athletic prowess, and trust between man and animal, that can be seen in no other sporting event. While the rider walks the course beforehand, the horse doesn’t see any of the course until it leaves the start box.
JUMPING in an arena on the third day of competition provides the final test of the horse’s athletic ability, conditioning and training. The Jumping Test in a stadium arena on the third day is again simply a matter of jumping the obstacles cleanly. Its significance is that it comes the day following the test of cross-country jumping at speed and clearly illustrates the horse’s willingness to listen to its rider. It must now move at a more sedate pace and not touch the obstacles, which are not solid and will fall down. A single rail knocked down can make the difference between winning and finishing far down in the placings.
The best way to learn more about the sport of eventing is to see it for yourself. Check the Chronicle of the Horse‘s Sporting Calendar for local competitions. And subscribe to the Chronicle of the Horse or another eventing publication like Eventing USA for the most current news and commentary.
An added bonus of attending Rolex in person is the famously fabulous shopping :^)
The official Rolex website is an excellent resource for this year’s competition. Click here for the schedule, click here for the entries, and click here for the timetable.
I’m leaving for Kentucky Wednesday morning and I’ll post about Rolex and the Kentucky Derby as time permits. And you can watch live on-demand coverage as it unfolds!
Blogging about Beautiful Big Bertha
Big Bertha is in the house. She’s not mine for keeps, but we’ll be spending a few days together. Wanna meet her? Here she is. I only hit myself in the ear once with Big Bertha so far. It’s the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
Spotlight: Mike Winter and Wonderful Will- From Racehorse to Rolex
As the clock ticks down to the 2009 Rolex Kentucky 3-Day Event, it is time to learn about this year’s contenders. Who are the favorites? Who are the underdogs? And how did these spectacular athletes get where they are today?
The Lexington Herald-Leader ran a story today about Canadian rider Mike Winter and his Rolex mount, Wonderful Will (TB). I remember seeing them on-course at Jersey Fresh two year ago, but I did not know their story.
Wonderful Will is a racehorse, turned track pony, turned event horse. Kentucky outrider Joe Riggs trains ex-racehorses for a second career as track ponies, but Wonderful Will was not so hot in either profession.
“I’ve had a lot of success on racehorses,” Winter said from his farm in Newnan, Ga. “They have boundless energy and athleticism. What I always say is that, in your training, you have to convince them to look to you for answers because they think and move so quickly, they try to solve everything themselves.”
Wonderful Will is only about 15.1 hands, not much above a pony, and Winter bought him for a client, a woman named Sher Schwartz.
But the son of Woodman proved too much horse for most everyone but Winter. He remembers training the horse over his first jump, a small cross rail on the ground. The horse jumped as high as the standards on either side.
“Mike had this expression on his face like, ‘What just happened?'” said Schwartz, Wonderful Will’s owner. “Then he did it again. He just always took to jumping. He was supposed to be my little event horse to go novice, but he jumps me out of the tack.”
This year’s Rolex has a strong international contingent, as riders are getting their feet wet for next year’s Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.
Winter will be riding Wonderful Will and Kingpin at Rolex. He’s one of several international Olympians coming to Rolex in anticipation of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Others include Germany’s Bettina Hoy, Australia’s Lucinda Fredericks and France’s Nicholas Toussaint. Last year’s champion, Phillip Dutton, will return to defend his title on Connaught.
I’m looking forward to seeing this team compete at Rolex. Best of luck to their connections.
Rock and Racehorses: Sarah K. Andrew 