Andre Dignelli’s Life Goes Full Circle: From Humble Beginnings to Helping His Students Win, the Top Trainer Continues To Pay It Forward
Tuesday, July 05 2016
By Lauren R. Giannini People go to Andre Dignelli because they want to win or they want their children to win. He’s a bit of a wizard in the Big Eq world. He’s also calm, cool and conservative — a hard-working, well-dressed professional with impeccable manners. After 25 years, he’s as sharp, driven,
- Published in General, Sidelines Feature
Mason Phelps, a Man of Many Disciplines: Lifetime Achievement Award Tops Long List of Accolades
Monday, April 18 2016
By Felice Vincelette Renowned horseman Mason Phelps was honored in 2015 with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the New England Equitation Championships (NEEC) on the 40th anniversary of the leading regional championships, which he cofounded. The recognition was well deserved, given that Mason has spent his entire life improving and elevating equestrian sports across
- Published in Weekly Feature
Boyd Martin Is Crazy for Eventing: The Gold Medal Eventer Shares About Life, Cross-Country, Broken Bones and First-Time Fatherhood
Monday, April 18 2016
By Lauren R. Giannini Boyd Martin, a top member of the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team, is the progeny of an Australian father, the late Ross Martin, and an American mother, Toy Dorgan, who met competing in the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France. His father’s sporting passions for skiing, bicycle racing and horses
- Published in Sidelines Spotlight
JEM links, Saratoga Special (available on-line), and a few thoughts about life in general…
Wednesday, September 03 2014
Okay, we lost sleep, following the Jeux Equestres Mondiaux, the acronym WEG in English-speaking countries, but we’re going to be quirky (what else is new?) and refer to them as JEM – because the world championships are gems. In retrospect, now that the first week is complete and the US reining team earned all of the medals, one might question why our other teams didn’t do as well and medal somehow, some way, in eventing, dressage, paradressage and endurance… Well, listen up, because we’re only going to say this one time: to qualify and compete in the world championships is not easy – just getting there is a victory of sorts.
- Published in Lauren Gallops, Z-Blogs
Warrenton Horse Show – East Coast site for 2014 Sallie Wheeler B Wheeler US National Hunter Breeding Championships – WOO HOO!!!
Tuesday, August 26 2014
Okay, we have been trying to find out why the heck FEI TV does not offer replays of the WEG ParaDressage rides – the way it does for all the other FEI disciplines being contested at WEG!!! – because we would love to write some posts about ParaDressage and its importance, as well as rave about the return of Lee Pearson to the GBR team, but hélas! (you don’t want to know what we had to do to find that French e with the ‘accent aigu’!) – no replays exist for ParaDressage! But you can get every single round of the reining and every test of the Grand Prix – WTH!?! We tried to find the French equivalent of What The Heck and the first thing that popped up was Que diable! okay… what the devil might work, also Sacre Bleu!!! Mon Dieu!!!! Needless to say, we’ve had it up to here with internet glitches the last few days… ON TO SOMETHING LOVELY LOCALLY – if you live in Horse Country VIRGINIA!!! Warrenton Horse Show, founded in 1899 (that’s right, it’s 115 years young!) – a great one-ring old-fashioned, small-town, historic horse show in Warrenton, VA and the home of Warrenton Hunt Night – will host again (no clue how many years running, but a lot) the East Coast Sallie B Wheeler National Hunter Breeding Championship. Under the able leadership of show manager Tommy Lee Jones, the horseman, not the actor, Warrenton Horse Show has evolved into a series of one-day shows, and this year runs from August 27 to 31. It is a Labor Day Weekend tradition and a labor of love for all involved!!!! (We wrote a pretty big story about it in 2008 for In & Around Horse Country and you can read it HERE ) FYI – thought you might like to see the USEF release about the Sallie B Wheeler National Hunter Breeding Championship, which takes place on Saturday, August 30.
- Published in Lauren Gallops, Z-Blogs
BAREBACK PUISSANCE at MORNINGSIDE, TWILIGHT POLO & JUMPERS at Great Meadow
Tuesday, August 19 2014
Yowza – lots going on, have been trying to find time for a new post, but weeks went by… at last, a quick one – literally at a gallop! On Saturday, August 23, Morningside Training Farm (The Plains, VA) will host a Young Rider Fundraiser & Special Event , featuring Bareback Puissance (High Jump) & Speed Classes (Jumpers). Start time is 4 pm
- Published in Lauren Gallops, Z-Blogs
Bay My Hero & William Fox-Pitt (GBR) Win Rolex, Lauren Kieffer & Veronica earn USEF National 4-Star Championship, Buck Davidson & Ballynoe…
Sunday, April 27 2014
William Fox-Pitt won his third Rolex championship and watch in five years – on the less experienced of his two horses, Bay My Hero, with Seacookie TSF earning ninth place. William rode both horses to clear cross-country rounds (no jump penalties), although Seacookie picked up 7.2 time penalties. In the final show jumping test, both horses jumped double clear (no time, no jump penalties)
- Published in Lauren Gallops, Z-Blogs
corrected with new pix: Bay My Hero & William Fox-Pitt (GBR) Win Rolex, Lauren Kieffer & Veronica earn USEF National 4-Star Championship, Buck…
Sunday, April 27 2014
Pre-PS: Sorry for the mistake in original post – our bad – when we identified Sinead and Tate as Lauren and Veronica – big oopsie! – we know the difference, but were dazzled by smiles and feeling a wee bit fatiqued after an exhilarating Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, presented by Land Rover. Also, stay tuned for a post about the inaugural Dubarry of Ireland Nations Team Challenge, won by the USA – Lsuren Kieffer/Veronica, Sinead Halpin/Manboir de Carneville and Buck Davidson/Ballynoe Castle RM. We think that’s the main reason why we inserted Sinead’s photo by mistake – we noticed the blue rosette and kicked on with our brain asleep at the mouse… NEW IMPROVED POST RE ROLEX KENTUCKY 3-Day Event, presented by Land Rover: William Fox-Pitt won his third Rolex championship and watch in five years – on the less experienced of his two horses, Bay My Hero, with Seacookie TSF earning ninth place
- Published in Lauren Gallops, Z-Blogs
Rolex: Cross-Country’s Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
Sunday, April 27 2014
Lots more emotion today… The testing Derek Di Grazia track was deemed fair, but the four-star offered little mercy to anyone with so much as a momentary blip of inattention or last minute – and very costly – change of game plan. William Fox-Pitt, aboard Bay My Hero, appears poised to win his third Rolex watch after a double-clear cross-country round that moved him into first place. Seacookie added 7.6 time penalties and sits in 16th place on 59.1 ppts.
- Published in Lauren Gallops, Z-Blogs
WELCOME TO ROLEX: THE BEST WEEKEND ALL YEAR!
Wednesday, April 23 2014
Here we are again – and the first thing we saw walking into the Press Center presided over by Marty Bauman, assisted by his Classic Communications/Rolex team is this poster! AMEN!!!! Rolex Kentucky 3-Day Event, only CCI**** in North America, is for eventing enthusiasts the “best weekend of the year!” © Lauren R Giannini Not only the best, but also one of the most exciting weekends in terms of the equestrian triathlon of dressage, cross-country and show jumping, which pretty much sums up eventing. The roster of 60 entries (we hope we counted correctly) is all-star with quite a few four-star debutantes. Needless to say, the jog has taken place, a couple horses were spun or withdrawn, and the excitement of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event will continue to increase until the winner is crowned on Sunday afternoon
- Published in Lauren Gallops, Z-Blogs