Dressage Day at the AEC

A message from Boyd:

"I'm here at my second AEC and it's bigger and better than last year. Remington did a fantastic dressage test - the best I've had on him. He showed enthusiasm and excitement all in a controlled test, so I was over the moon with him. He scored 34.1 which left us tied for seventh, not too far off the lead.

"The Intermediate Championships cross-country course looks tough and challenging but after a great run at the Richland CIC**, I know he's up to it.

"In the Advanced, Benwald did really well in the torrential rain. It was a bit of a waste of time him washing today: by the time I got through the test he was covered in the footing from the arena. I was happy enough with the quality of the test, but he fumbled both lead changes. That was a shame, because he's been doing them well at home.

"The Advanced Championship cross-country is a big call for Benwald, but he also ran well around Richland Park in the advanced division."

Note: Due to ongoing rain at the AEC, the event organizers have decided to alter the schedule: show jumping will now take place on Saturday afternoon while cross-country has been postponed until Sunday.

Photo of Boyd riding Benwald copyright Amber Heintzberger

Gearing up for the American Eventing Championships

The Wellpride American Eventing Championships have become a major destination for eventing competitors and enthusiasts from across the country. Last year Boyd competed an impressive seven horses at the AEC, mostly young ones. This year he will return to the Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, Illinois with two upper level horses, taking a shot at fame and fortune (oh yeah, the sponsorship is fantastic!)

In the Advanced Championship Boyd will compete Benwald, owned by Anne Hennessey.

"It's gonna be a big course for Benwald, but he's up to it," says Boyd. "He recently ran well around Richland."

In the Intermediate Championship Boyd will be riding Remington XXV, owned by Ron and Densev Juvonen. Boyd says, "This is one of my favorite horses in the barn - he's an unassuming dressage horse from Germany that's now a two-star eventer. I'm having a great time with him at the moment."

Looking forward, Boyd plans on competing Remington XXV at the new two-star event at the Fair Hill International in Maryland this fall.

Good luck at the AEC, Boyd - kick on!

Successful End of Summer for Boyd and Silva

As Lisa and I put the finishing touches on Boyd and Silva’s website, it was an exciting and successful past couple of weekends for them at their respective competitions.

In New Jersey Silva was busy competing at Dressage at Stone Tavern at the New Jersey Horse Park. FS Tiger Lily, owned by Meg Williams, was a real superstar and was First Level champion both days that she competed. Silva’s young horse Fendi, brought over from Australia not too long ago, was Reserve Champion in the breed show.

Moving up the levels, it was a lucky day for Silva’s Irish Sport Horses: Ballatale, a 12-year-old gelding owned by (Tale Quale xx X Punaballa, by Ballinamona Boy), owned by Sara Sanz De Acedo, placed second in Third level, while Felix, (breeding unknown), owned by Cayla Kitayama, placed fourth in Fourth level.

Up at the Seneca Valley Horse Trials, Boyd said he saw the opportunity to pick up a few ribbons since everyone was packing up and heading home due to Hurricane Hannah sweeping through. In spite of 5” of rain falling in 24 hours, Boyd jumped clear around cross-country on all three of his intermediate entries, winning Intermediate B2 riding August Vettorino’s Clifton Imperial and bringing his own homebred mare Shatzi W, also a recent import from Australia, home in third place.

“Shatzi is still quite green and it was a lot to ask of her, so I’m very pleased,” said Boyd.

In Open Intermediate A1 Boyd finished fourth Falcon Splash, another good Aussie-bred horse. Kudos to Boyd’s mate Ryan Wood from Australia who finished second in Intermediate B1 riding Wynella Wolverine.

Boyd also cleaned up in the preliminary divisions, winning open prelim A4 riding Minotaure du Passoir, who is just back in competition after undergoing colic surgery at New Bolton Center earlier this year, and also winning open prelim B3 riding Bellaney Destiny, an Irish gelding imported by Darren Chiacchia and now owned by Deborah Kuhn.

Boyd said, “This is a new horse I just started riding and I really feel he’s super talented on the flat and a good jumper.”

This weekend Boyd heads to the Wellpride American Eventing Championships in Chicago…more to come about the horses he will ride there as he attempts to bring home a pile of prize money and prizes.