Rolex Part II: Flatwork Takes Many Forms.
Saturday, April 30 2011
It was all about the flatwork Friday at the Kentucky Horse Park. Flatwork, in the form of the Rolex KY 3-Day Event’s dressage phase, and flatwork in the form of sleek and shiny reiners inside the Alltech Arena. On the Line has a great appreciation for reining , enough so that even after staying awake (kidding, kidding, it was all excellent) through the eventing dressage, I was motivated to watch today’s reining competition via USEFnetwork’s excellent live online coverage. For those of us who can’t be onsite in KY this weekend, USEF’s online stream has provided a great window into Rolex and now the Kentucky Reining Cup, so three cheers for them. I plan on parking myself in front of the computer tomorrow morning at 10:00amEST for the broadcast of cross country day, to watch 45 riders much braver than I navigate the soggy footing that’s been the topic of so much conversation this week.
- Published in On the Line, Z-Blogs
Rolex Part I: Where Luck and Talent Coincide.
Friday, April 29 2011
On the Line has every excuse for dropping off the Internet blogosphere for a week or so. First of all, there is very little that could top John French’s epic save , as featured in the previous post. Second of all, post-WEF recovery takes up a significant amount of one’s time. Pools need laying next to, cocktails need sipping. . . .well, actually, it seems that it doesn’t matter whether or not it’s season, certain equine bloggers are perpetually buried in “real” work. And most importantly, just what has been happening in the horse world these past two weeks?
- Published in On the Line, Z-Blogs
The Close Call Fall.
Saturday, April 16 2011
Who among us hasn’t had one of those am-I-or-aren’t-I, eyeballing the ground, thrown up the neck, hanging on for dear life close calls? You know what I’m talking about – when you’re very, very close to ending up with your butt in the dirt, but at the last possible second, you pull your shoulders back with a mighty effort, your horse puts his neck back up instead of farther down, and you’re saved -this time- from picking sand out of your shirt collar. It’s the close call fall. John French experienced a very public close call fall yesterday afternoon during the $10,000 USHJA International Hunter Derby class at the Blenheim Spring Classic III in San Juan Capistrano, CA. With six mounts entered in the class, and being the freakishly consistent competitor that he is, John rarely leaves a high level derby without a ribbon in hand. And yesterday was no different; he placed 4th with Pimm’s Cup, owned by Whitney Miller. But after fence 1 during the handy round, a big, bright white wall going towards a crowd of spectators, his round on Oscany Inc.’s Clooney took a surprise turn. ”I don’t know what happened,” said John after the class.
- Published in On the Line, Z-Blogs
Mainstream In All the Wrong Ways.
Thursday, April 14 2011
Guess what? Horse sports are making mainstream headlines this week! Is it all that On the Line was hoping and dreaming for in the previous, heartwarming post about stellar horseman Buck Brannaman’s big-screen debut? Are previously uninterested riders considering taking up riding themselves, and spreading love for horse sports around the globe? Sadly, no. This horse news is, in fact, the opposite of what On the Line was hoping for. The shining spotlight of the mainstream news media has been squarely focused on one event that has caught attention in all the wrong ways: The Grand National.
- Published in On the Line, Z-Blogs
End of Days.
Tuesday, April 05 2011
The sun is shining, the champion is here... Just one more reason that we all wish we were Laura Kraut….. above, Laura walks Cedric out of the ring after being awarded the Oliver O’Toole Perpetual Memorial Trophy during Saturday’s Parade of Champions on the second to last day of the 2011 Winter Equestrian Festival. Laura and Cedric were the top money winners over the 2011 WEF season. Who can guess how much they won? Anyone? Let’s see, they won three big classes this season: $75,000 Adequan CSI2* $150,000 FEI World Cup Qualifier Grand Prix $500,000 FTI Consulting Finale CSI5* Grand Prix And placed in a slew of other classes.
- Published in On the Line, Z-Blogs
Their Moment to Shine.
Wednesday, March 30 2011
Semi well-behaved polo stallion. There’s never a dull moment in Wellington. Even though the show jumping season is winding down, polo season is still in full swing, with the U.S. Open brackets being fought out during most of April. And last night the 2nd Annual National Polo Pony Show was held over at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center, which normally hosts CDI dressage shows, and of course, the recent Masters. But with nary a dressage horse in sight, polo ponies had their night in the spotlight with this event, dreamed up by one of polo’s most talented female players, Sunny Hale
- Published in On the Line, Z-Blogs
Cream of the Crop.
Monday, March 28 2011
And the hooooome of the, braaaave...... Photo ©Kym Ketcham Because if a skydiver trailing an American flag hadn’t touched down in the International Arena just as Ki-Juan Minors sang the final, pitch perfect note of the National Anthem, the night would have seemed incomplete, somehow. Fortunately, that is how the 2011 WEF season’s finale class opened, and the 7,000 show jumping fans filling every available space in the International Arena (a sight that warms On the Line’s heart) were thoroughly impressed.
- Published in On the Line, Z-Blogs
If Louboutins Were Saddles, They Would Be Called Voltaire.
Thursday, March 24 2011
Va-Va-Voltaire! When was the last time a saddle was likened to Sex and the City, or designer shoes? I would venture to say, um, never ! Until now, that is. If you hang around horse shows, chances are you’ve already met Brice Goguet. The tall, 32-year-old Frenchman is on quite the mission to tell the world about his Voltaire saddles. With a prime vendor booth at WEF that is right on the path where all the warm ups intersect, Voltaire has been impossible to miss all season
- Published in On the Line, Z-Blogs
Spring has Sprung, the Grass has Ris’
Thursday, March 24 2011
Spring in Aiken is unfolding in all its glory. Azaleas are in bloom, Banksia roses are open, the city has become a haze of lavender Wisteria
You Gotta Start Somewhere
Monday, March 21 2011
Several weeks ago when I was the photographer at Sporting Days March Horse Trials, late Sunday afternoon featured the Beginner Novice and Tadpole Division starters finishing their Eventing debuts with the cross country phase. I was struck by how many horses were getting their first serious start at Eventing that afternoon, piloted by some of the most capable in the sport. I’ve put together a collection of photographs of these Beginner Novice horses paired with their same riders at Intermediate and Advanced events over the last year or so. I think it is fun and I hope you do, too.