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26 SIDELINES MAY 2011 FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE E V E N T I N G

“Behind The Ears” with Peter and Henny

By Lauren R. Giannini

Peter Atkins (AUS) offers a unique schtick when it comes to three-day eventing. With a small video camera mounted on his helmet, he rides cross-country, flming every jump and every galloping stride from start box to fnish. His superb horsemanship and the wonders of digital technology result in an absolutely fabulous view. “People love seeing what we see,” says Peter. “I have had hundreds of comments saying how amazing and even how emotional it is to go along for the ride. That’s a really cool feeling, especially when I hear from someone who can no longer ride for some reason. The Australian Federation used the video at Equitana in Australia last year. They projected the image onto a big screen and used a mechanical galloping horse that jockeys use to get ft. It was meant for kids, but apparently there was quite a line-up of all ages wanting to ride Henny around the WEG cross-country.”

In addition to the Alltech World Equestrian Games cross-country, you can ride the 2010 Rolex four-star cross-

country and a few other horse trials, as well as a lesson and a woodsy galloping trail in Vermont. It’s an amazing experience, whether you ride or have yet to sit on a horse.

“It’s not a wild ride the way some people seem to think,” says Peter. “If you watch the side views that are on YouTube, I think you must agree that I’m pretty sedate and steady.”

Steady defnitely describes Henry Jota Hampton, aka Henny as in Run, Henny, Run – the cheer heard from spectators lining galloping lanes. The athletic Selle Francais from Argentina who supposedly did hunter shows was “brain-fried” when he came into Peter’s keeping. Truth to tell, Henry didn’t know much of anything, but he sure loved going cross-country and proved the merit of Peter’s skill with horses.

“To me, eventing is the ultimate in horse training: three very different phases out of one horse and throw into that mix the ftness required to gallop for 12 minutes and jump 40 huge jumps,” says Peter. “I always try to go out just to train my horses, to teach them to be better than they were the time before. If we come home with a ribbon, that’s a bonus. To me, winning is when my horse tries hard and does the best job he can and has fun doing it.”

Peter thinks that if horse and rider aren’t having fun, then that sport is not the right game for them to play. He also believes that riding should be a stress release for amateurs, not stress creating, and adds, “As professionals, we make our living doing this, but I feel I always get better results when I am enjoying myself than when I am stressed out. My goal was to make competing fun for Henry and get him to relax and enjoy his work.” Henry’s dressage isn’t his strong suit and tension defnitely impacts on his scores. He’s very sensitive to environment even if spectators try to be quiet during the test. At Rolex 2010 his dressage put him at 50th, but his fnal result improved to 23rd on the strength of jumping clear cross-country with a few time penalties and one rail in show jumping. Not bad for Henry’s frst

Run, Henny, Run! On the cross-country at 2010 Rolex: note the helmet cam just behind Peter’s right ear

No video camera on this “helmet”: Peter Atkins won the Dubarry Style Award at the 2010 Rolex 3-Day Event for his turnout at the veterinary inspections. Henry looks pretty dapper, too

Photos by Lauren R. Giannini