Upperville’s Oaks vs Heat Wave…
Thursday, June 09 2011
It’s tough for the oaks at Upperville to counteract this horribly muggy heat wave – like breathing underwater. We just don’t have much energy tonight
- Published in Lauren Gallops, Z-Blogs
Upperville – Under The Oaks
Wednesday, June 08 2011
This is the 158th year of the Upperville Colt & Horse Show – the oldest show in America boasts some great improvements, but more than anything else it is a timeless tradition in the heart of Virginia’s horse country. The week is young, but already competition is heating up on both sides of John Mosby Highway just east of the picturesque village of Upperville. Here are a few photos to make you wish you were there… Oh, and we have to tell you that we were very remiss about jotting quick notes while catching quick pix of winners and we simply can’t figure out who is on #149 or what class it was on Tuesday, but the shot is win-win all the way. Be sure to check out the results on horseshowsonline – Upperville has two listings, one for Hunters and one for Jumpers. First stop at Upperville - get your golf cart! We do a lot of running back and forth between hunter and jumper rings.
- Published in Lauren Gallops, Z-Blogs
Results of “Field Study” Prove Personal (Work) Theory
Thursday, May 26 2011
Okay, this is a quickie – have a CEQE about Lord Peter pending, but must finish deadlines first. This is all about why we stand up at our drafting table as if we are rock stars to write and edit pix. Sitting down broadens the bum, spreads the derriere, widens the caboose! We borrowed a wooden stool from dear friends who had a couple of extras. We liked the idea of the curved “saddle-seat” – yeah, well, there’s a reason why we got into the habit of standing up to work. It’s like standing in your irons in two-point or riding without irons: standing to work produces isometrics and movement.
- Published in Lauren Gallops, Z-Blogs
Mary King Crowned at Rolex!
Sunday, May 01 2011
Wow – it all came down to the last six rides at Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event – Mary King went early with the second-placed Fernhill Urco, putting in a double clear to maintain their score of 49.7 – the only question was whether her top-placed Kings Temptress would leave up all the rails. Before that happened, however, Oliver Townend and ODT Sonas Rovatio put in their double clear, William Fox-Pitt hunted Neuf des Coeurs around for a double clear, then Hannah Sue Burnett and Exponential took out two rails to drop a bit. Next it was Manoir de Carneville and Sinead Halpin who put in a double clear. The tension amped up as 3rd-placed Clayton Fredericks and Be My Guest pulled one for four faults, which dropped them one place, because Mary King and Kings Temptress came in and showed the world how a first class rider rides double clear rounds under pressure. They left all all the pretty painted fences untouched and we had our Rolex Champion and Reserve Champion – making history and scoring a first. Sinead Halpin and Manoir de Carneville (“Tate”) earned the four-star championship as highest placed American, along with third place, a rosette above William Fox-Pitt and Neuf des Coeurs with Fredericks and Be My Guest in fifth.
- Published in Lauren Gallops, Z-Blogs
Britannia Rules Rolex XC, Dramatic Impact On Leaderboard
Sunday, May 01 2011
Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes – David Bowie’s rocker kept playing in our head as the Cross-Country, designed by Derek di Grazia for the Rolex Kentucky 3-Day Event, presented by Bridgestone, provided its own dramatic footage to rival the opening credits of the old Wide World of Sports show hosted by Jim McKay for ABC, featuring the kettle drum roll as film rolled about The Thrill of Victory, The Agony of Defeat. But at Kentucky Horse Park it wasn’t that luckless ski-jumper tumbling off the end of the jump run, it was the Rolex four-star cross-country course that looked straightforward and yet tested the best of our riders. Right now, Mary King (GBR) reigns in the two top spots with Kings Temptress and Fernhill Urco, 2007 Rolex winner Clayton Fredericks (AUS) sits in third with Be My Guest, and the highest placed American, Sinead Halpin and Manoir de Carneville follow in fourth place – both of them contesting their first-ever four-star. Allison Springer & Arthur - bittersweet disappointment after a brilliant start.
- Published in Lauren Gallops, Z-Blogs
OMG! KA-CHANG! Cross-Country Rings Huge Changes!
Sunday, May 01 2011
The leaderboard has turned inside out and upside down in a glorious day of cross-country at Kentucky Rolex Three-Day Event presented by Bridgestone. The press conference just ended and the top three are: 1st & 2nd: Mary King (GBR) – Kings Temptress (47.7), Fernhill Urco (49.7) “I can’t believe it—lying in first and second places! I’ve never been in this position before, especially not at this level, on two very different horses,” said King, who’s thrilled to be eventing still at 49. “I’m going to celebrate tonight, because you never know what’s around the corner.” 3rd: Clayton Frederics (GBR) – Be My Guest “She’s a pretty good cross-country mare, if I can keep her quiet. She was fantastic today—I really enjoyed it,” said Fredericks, 43, who won his Rolex watch in 2007. 4th – Sinead Halpin (USA) – Manoir de Carneville “I was kind of excited when I first walked the course, because I thought it would be perfect for him,” said Halpin, 29, her horse is 11; this is their first four-star together and they jumped clean but ran 11 seconds slow. “I watched Mary [King] go, and then I didn’t want to watch any more.
- Published in Lauren Gallops, Z-Blogs
Rolex: Ka-Chang, Ka-Chang! XC Rings Up Major Changes
Saturday, April 30 2011
- Published in Lauren Gallops, Z-Blogs
Leaderboard Changes at Conclusion of Dressage
Friday, April 29 2011
Mary King (GBR) and her second ride, Fernhill Urco, scored 41.7, good enough for second place behind Tiana Coudray and Ringwood Magister who are still in the lead. Allison Springer and Arthur are in third, followed by King’s other hope, Kings Temptress. Twizzel and Will Coleman round out the top five
- Published in Lauren Gallops, Z-Blogs
Minor changes after Friday Morning Dressage
Friday, April 29 2011
Three horses from the morning session moved into the top 10 for minor changes in the leaderboard. Tiana Coudray (USA) and Ringwood Magister put in a test that had Beth Harpham calling us with the announcement that she had just photographed the new leader – even before Tiana’s score of 40.8 was announced. Allison Springer and Arthur slipped into second on 42.3, which dropped each of the following down one spot: Mary King and Kings Temptress, Will Coleman and Twizzle, Kim Severson and Tipperary Liadhnan, Boyd Martin and Remington XXV. Dubarry Style Award winner Clayton Fredericks (AUS) and Be My Guest scored 50.5 for seventh, which shifted south one place Michael Pollard and Icarus, Heather Morris and Slate River. R Star and Kristi Nunnink took over 10th place
- Published in Lauren Gallops, Z-Blogs