First Rolex Finish

Our first Rolex Kentucky three-day event is complete and I am so happy for Macloud (above, Amber Heintzberger photo) to have such a great finish to his career.

Saturday after cross-country, since he's an older horse I really had to make sure I took the best care of him. It was a really hands-on aggressive approach to making him comfortable and then leaving him alone to rest. Sunday morning he wasn't nearly as tired as I thought he'd be - he looked and felt great.

They gave us two hours to walk the course and I walked it three times and really made sure I knew where I was going, I really took my time. He didn't need much warm-up, he knows how to jump and knows his job.

Going into the arena, show jumping has always been my weakest point. But even with the two fences with rails down I came back from it and that was huge for me. I'm disappointed with the rails but we completed the event and I'm just thrilled that Elliot had the event he deserved.

It was definitely a group effort (photos courtesy of Katie Ryan Walker) and I could not have gotten through it by myself. Obviously I had a stellar horse, and I appreciated the help of Phillip Dutton and everybody at True Prospect Farm, Boyd and Silva Martin, Dr. Kevin Keane and everyone Sports Medicine Associates of Chester County, our farrier Dave Kumpf and of course Colby Saddington who was amazing and a complete lifesaver, and Katie and Cuyler Walker, Randy from Forging Ahead, Doug Hannum, Dr. Keelin Redmond of Avoca Equine, Maui Meadows, of course my parents for coming out and supporting me through all of this and everybody who sent text messages and emails - I had a lot of support from everybody and I'm really grateful for all of that.

Macloud is going back to Katie and Cuyler's to a big field for some R and R. He's retired now, and I'm glad he went out the way he deserved with a big event and a big crowd, and that I gave him a ride that did him justice.

-Steph

Clear Cross-Country at Rolex!

Stephanie and Macloud had a clear cross-country round at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI****, adding 37.2 time faults for a total current score of 94.4 and to stand 33rd going into tomorrow's final show jumping phase.

When I was walking the cross-country course I kept in mind that I was riding an older horse – even though he’s experienced, I had to look out for him. I walked all the options and had a plan A and a plan B. When I rode today, I actually took the option at the double corners because he was going well and I didn’t want to push my luck.

I warmed up the same as for a long format event and got off for ten minutes and cooled him out then, got on and jumped a jump and went to the start box. His confidence was there and he was on a loose rein in a snaffle, how many horses did that today? There were no bad jumps; everything came out of stride. My main goal for this event was to look out for him and I never pushed him for speed, I just let him pick his pace and go for it. It’s hard going after somebody as big as Bettina Hoy but I just kept my mind on my own riding.

We did go slow but it was my first Rolex and it was huge – every time you go into a different field or a different area there’s a huge crowd and you hear the announcer, even though I couldn't hear what he was saying, and you’re galloping down between the ropes...it's not something you can recreate.

I've never ridden at an event like that before. Elliot's owner Katie Walker was in tears, they were all ecstatic as they were helping me cool him out in the vet box. It was wonderful to have everyone's support.

As for show jumping, I haven’t seen the course yet so for now I’m trying to enjoy my Saturday and I’ll take tomorrow as it comes.

-Steph

Photos by Amber Heintzberger

Dressage at Rolex

Stephanie Boyer and Macloud, ranked 32nd out of 50 starters with a score of 57.2 after dressage at the Rolex Kentucky CCI**** three-day event.

I was really excited with the test. Elliot's trot work was phenomenal - it was tough going after the leader Bettina Hoy who scored a 28.8, but I was so thrilled to be in there and my horse put in a great test. His flying changes have never been good, so they were no surprise, but it was the best advanced score we've gotten at a CCI, and it was especially good for a four-star. It was also a big improvement over Fair Hill's dressage. I just walked the cross-country course with Mark Phillips and I am excited and nervous for tomorrow!

-Steph

Photos by Amber Heintzberger

Rolex Time!

Photos by Amber Heintzberger

I am so excited to be at my first Rolex Kentucky three-day event! We drove down yesterday - my best friend Colby Saddington is with me and I am very lucky to have her helping me this week. She groomed for Phillip Dutton at the World Games and the Olympics so I know I am in good hands. Phillip is here with a couple of horses and will be coaching me and my vet Kevin Keane is here as well, so I have a great team behind me. I am thrilled too that my family came out from California to watch the event, (photo with Mom at right).

Today I did a little flatwork at the warm-up area by the big grandstand. Elliot knows something is up, that it's a big event, but he's handling it with total class. He always likes a crowd - some horses get nervous but he steps his game up a bit. Eric Smiley from Ireland used to ride him and he's been to the World Games in Jerez and around Badminton so he knows his stuff!

This will be Elliot's last event and then he'll retire at Katie and Cuyler Walker's farm in Pennsylvania. I hope that their kids can keep him going at the novice level or maybe he can do some foxhunting so that he still has a job to do. I'd like for him to go out with a great, confident round here. He deserves a positive finish to his career.

The jog (above) today was fun, it was like going down the runway at Fashion Week with all the photographers lined up at the end! I wanted to go with a traditional, classy look but still look like I'm 23 years old. My outfit is from Bloomingdales and my hat is from That's Hats on Highway 202 in Delaware. My shoes were a bargain!

Tomorrow I'm going to flat Elliot again and then Phillip and I are going to get a look at the course. This is my first visit to the Kentucky Horse Park and when we drove in my jaw dropped - it's just amazing.

Stay tuned for more updates from the event!

-Steph

Plantation Field Horse Trials

Path of Perfection placed second in his division of novice at Plantation Field last weekend and I am so proud of him! There were so many novice horses they divided it into about six divisions and it was very competitive. There was a torrential downpour but the footing on cross-country held up well and he handled the course brilliantly. His dressage is getting better; it's still not where I want it, but there's definite improvement. He was jumping really fantastic.

Now he is qualified for the American Eventing Championships at novice level, so that is my goal to work towards. I plan to keep him at novice for the season to make his dressage more competitive before I move him up to training level. It's early in his career - this was only his second event - and after doing poorly at the track, he is showing so much promise as an event horse.

We are also counting down the days to Kentucky. Macloud has been training well; we had our last jump school with Phillip on Saturday and it went really well.

-Steph

Photos from the event are available at Amy Dragoo's website: click here.