By Valerie Pride
How can it be that I’m writing a year-in-review article? Feels like just yesterday I started these columns—and what a year it has been!
First and foremost, I am sending out so much love and light and all the positive vibes possible to Liz Halliday, who wrote this column before me #keepfightingliz. A fluke fall on home turf with a solid equine partner and yet her resilience and mental toughness are helping her defy the odds and succeed on her comeback. We wish her all the best and she is inspiring our rides every day!
An Olympic year is truly special. There are many high-profile competitions: the World Championships, Europeans and Pan Ams just to name a few. But nothing is as special as getting to be an ambassador for your country on the Olympic world stage. In Paris, there were unprecedented crowds watching the most talented of all horse-and-rider pairs tackling true challenges in the most artistic backdrops at the Palace of Versailles. I do think Los Angeles has a lot of work to do for 2028! Ultimately, however, that is a tribute to the job well done by the French Federation. I know the results in Paris gave us major insight and motivation into what it takes to bring home the top medals on home turf. It will be an intensive and exciting four-year journey, for sure.
We are so fortunate now to have two five-star competitions in the U.S. Kentucky is a destination event for so many and established on that bluegrass for oh so many years every April. Add to it the recent installment of the Maryland 5 Star taking over next to the old Fair Hill venue in October, and what opportunities to compete our horses on these international stages without having to ship across the pond! There’s a phrase in eventing, “horses for courses.” Each established five-star has been known for certain signature features throughout history. How exciting that Maryland has entered the five-star scene—I was a proud member of that ground jury this year—and will continue to develop its strengths and attract the horses that are ready to tackle the toughest terrain in all the world.
This year emphasized how many exciting prospects are currently campaigning at the three and four-star levels. If anything, we’re fortunate to have almost too many quality events to choose from to really highlight the depth of talent in this bracket. The three-star level is the international equivalent of the Intermediate horse trials, which a horse can do when it is 7 years old. The four-star level is the international equivalent of the Advanced horse trials, and if you see a horse entered that is 8 or 9, that is truly exceptional. This spring and fall have seen multiple venues that serve as destination events for these horses that inspire our hopes and dreams for the future!
The new Modified level has really come into its own this year. In the FEI world, it’s called a one-star or the Intro level, as in introduction to international competition. At first, I admit I thought it was rather silly to add more tests and dimensions when it’s not necessary as a qualifier for any of the upper levels. However, I think the entire game is changing and things that are on the cross-country courses of today were questions asked at least one or two levels below in years past. For example, when I went to the North American Young Rider Championships, it was controversial that a two-star horse had to jump a corner without an option. Fast forward to this year when corners are on the Beginner Novice tracks! At this point in my career, I don’t need a modified qualifier but I can’t imagine taking a horse Prelim without doing at least one. There’s nothing wrong with a whole season at Modified for an experienced pair. I’m so glad that this level has bridged a gap between safety and education, and introduced both horses and riders to the beginning of the elite realms of eventing.
We also saw more starters than ever before at the new lowest level of eventing, the Starter division. I’m so thrilled that riders at this level can attend serious competitions and get exposure to the rules and expectations of what happens at recognized events—it’s what raises the bar for your understanding of the national standard. Modern eventing faces so many challenges with access to land and terrain, which in turn makes it harder and harder to prepare our Junior and Amateur riders. But this newer recognized level will, I hope, continue to grow and encourage all eventing enthusiasts to give it a go and catch the eventing bug!
If you and your horse are not quite ready yet for that recognized event, have no fear—I encourage you to get involved in the next horse trials near you by volunteering! Be a part of the inside scene, gain valuable information and help your local organizing team at the same time. It’s truly a win-win for everyone. Seriously: We can’t win without volunteers. #loveya
Keep winning and keep kicking on!
Photo:
The five-star ground jury at the 2024 Maryland 5 Star, left to right, Valerie Pride, Christina Klingspor and Xavier Le Sauce.
Photo by Shannon Brinkman
