Boyd to Appear at the Md Horse Expo!!

The Horse World Expo offers the Best of the Best in the horse industry. Top quality seminars and clinics - meet and learn from industry professionals from all over the country. The experts will join us to discuss topics covering virtually every aspect of horse care and training. There are two arenas and two seminar halls, which will have activities scheduled continuously throughout the weekend.

Boyd will be presenting on Friday January 22nd & Saturday the 23rd.  His presentations are as follows:

Friday Jan 22nd
2 - 3pm, Main Arena - Eventing - Fine Tune Your Horse's Rideability & Adjustability Over Fences
6-7pm, Main Seminar Hall - Finding Your Next Event Horse & Getting Fit for Competition

Saturday Jan 23rd
11am - noon - Main Arena - Training for XC at Home, Steps for Building & Using a Home Course

1 - 2pm - Main Seminar Hall - Training Techniques to Get Your Young Horse Started in Eventing

Topics in the arena are mounted, topics in the seminar hall are lectures only.

Come enjoy an educational day of teaching seminars and shop till you drop!!
For a full list of the Expo's seminars, please visit their website.

Greetings from Germany!

Boyd and I have spent our first Christmas apart from each other since we met. Since both our families are so far away, and we miss them both, we decided to go different directions this year!


I am enjoying spending time with my family in Germany, but I have to say that I would prefer the Australian weather much more than the cold rainy days in Germany.  I am hoping to see Boyds family some time in the next year too!!!

My older sister Nina has a little son called Niels (pictured) and I have very much enjoyed getting to know him since I hardly ever get to see him.

I am flying back home on sunday and I am looking forward to working again!

Silva

Doing it tough in Australia!!

Hey guys.. Life is tough here in Australia! I have been running around checking out horses here and there. I jetted up to Queensland to see my good mate Kevin McNab. We took two days living the good life up at Airlie Beach in North Qld. I did a fair bit of swimming and surfing on the beautiful North coast, and then flew home to get Betty served to Jive again....


Christmas is at Auntie Jans, then its the boxing day horse races at the Royal Randwick on the 26th... After that I am heading back to reality in PA!!

Merry Christmas - Boyd

Happy Holidays from Boyd and Silva

We’d like wish everyone a Merry Christmas and thank everyone involved with our continuing success in the United States. We owe a debt of gratitude to the team of workers and coaches around us for putting in a huge effort in 2009: our two riders, Lillian Heard and Caitlin Silliman; our groom, Shannon Kinsley; and all the working pupils: David Silva, Randall Pearve, Emily Van Gemeren, Devon Seery and Maddie Blackman; our blacksmiths, Doug Neilsen and Todd Meister; vets Mary Griffen and Kevin Keane; and our coaches Phillip Dutton and Jessica Ransehousen.

Of course we owe a huge thanks to all of our sponsors and the owners who have put horses in training with us: without them none of this would be possible. We understand that it has been a long tough financial year for everyone and we appreciate those who stuck by us even as their financial advisors were telling them not to!

Without our horse owners we would have nothing to ride; they are the backbone of the sport and the reason we employ all these hardworking people. Owning a horse can be rewarding and also have its drawbacks: while the highs are high, the lows are often very low. We are lucky to have a group of owners who understand when things don’t go perfectly, and who understand that eventually things will start coming good.

On a personal level this has been a very rewarding year for me. I have ridden a number of top horses from the three-star level down to beginner novice. Some people thing my biggest thrill is my Fair Hill win on Neville but I get the same enjoyment from riding the young horses with a bright future on a daily basis. I think the quality of young horses that we have in training at the moment is outstanding and I can’t wait until next year to showcase their talent.

In hindsight the big decision of turning into an American rider this year is one of my best decisions. It was a huge call but there is not one moment that I’ve regretted it. I’ve felt the full support of the eventing community and been embraced by the high performance groups of riders and officials. I thought there might be one or two people with weird feelings about it but if there are, they’ve done a good job of hiding it.

Obviously we have a big year coming up in 2010. First and foremost I want to ride a couple of horses around Kentucky, and then I really want to work on turning some of these young horses into big-time horses.

Another goal is to take Caitlin and Lillian from promising Young Riders into proven, experienced high-level riders. Part of my new found satisfaction in life this year is watching the riders I teach be successful at every competition they turn up it. It’s very rewarding as a coach to know that the hours I spend yelling at my students every day actually benefits them in the long run.

We wish everyone the best in 2010!
Happy Holidays,


Boyd and Silva Martin

A New Foal by Felicity!

Silva's Wolkenstein II broodmare Felicity (Fendi's Mum) had a gorgeous filly foal by Jive Magic (Jeff The Cheff's dad) this morning in Lochinvar, NSW, Australia. She looks great, with nice long legs. The birth was a bit of a surprise to my mum this morning as she sipped on her cup of coffee and noticed a new foal prancing around the paddock.

We also owe all of our blog followers the final decision on the last foals name.  We've got our homework to complete over the holiday!

- Boyd

Silva Heading to Germany for Christmas

Photo courtesy Laura Stigler

I am going to visit my family in Germany for Christmas. I am especially looking forward to seeing my younger sister Laura ride since I don't see her and her horses very much. Laura works in a dressage stable in Holland just on the border to Germany and has a few FEI horses for competition as well as sales horses.

-Silva

Lidcombe Sold!!!!

Lidcombe was sold today to Angela Hambrick of Ohio.  Angela has made a quick purchase after selling her Riverman gelding "Legado de Rios." 

Lidcombe is a sweet horse that joined us on our first journey here to the states, thanks to our great friend Janet Mudge.  Janet bred Lidcombe at her farm in Singleton, NSW, Australia.  He arrived with us and has done very well in all of his training. Silva took him too Wellington this year and had wonderful results on him, winning many classes. I took over and successfully competed him up to Training in eventing.

We wish Angela all the best!!  -Boyd and Silva

Silva's Winter Clinic Schedule

Silva has a posted her packed clinic schedule for this winter.  Beat the winter blues & join us at one of her clinics in Pa, Md or Aiken.  Please go to the clinic page on her website to see how many opportunities there are to ride with Silva this winter!

Photo credit Amber Heintzberger.

Legado de Rios is Sold!!

Today we said good by to Legado de Rios, known around the barn as Essor.  He was sold to a young rider from California.  Essor is a talented warmblood event horse in which has all of the tools for a champion. The best result I had on Essor was his last event at Rubicon.  He finished 2nd in the Open training on a score of 24.2.

I wish the new owners the best of luck with him.  I also wish to thank the past owner of Essor, Angela Hambrick, for having the horse in training with us.  Boyd

USEA Convention Recap

Boyd relays his experiences from the USEA Convention:

I had an entertaining three days in Reston, Virginia for the USEA convention. For the first time I was involved with a few of the high performance meetings with Captain Mark Phillips and some of the US officials. We had a good couple of meetings making plans for next year and it gave me the opportunity to talk to some of the coaches about my horses’ plans for 2010 and getting them set up for Kentucky.

Mark Hart and Ann Jones have organized the Owners Committee, helping US riders get owners together. I’m still working on a syndicate for Belmont and I think this is the way of the future: syndicating gives people the opportunity to own a top event horse at a fraction of the cost. Belmont is begging to go to Kentucky and I think a good performance there would put in line for the WEG.

The awards ceremony was a big thrill, especially seeing Amy Lindgren receive the award for Min- he has easily been the best in the country at the preliminary level and she has supported me since I came to this country.

The finest hour was seeing the likes of Bruce Davidson and Denis Glaccum inducted into the Eventing Hall of Fame. It was really touching seeing these champions get up and receive their applause.

Boyd is USEA Adult Preliminary Rider of the Year

Boyd attended the US Eventing Association Annual Convention and awards banquet this past weekend:



Boyd Martin receiving the Adult Preliminary Rider of the Year Award



Amy Lindgren receiving the Preliminary Horse of the Year award for Minotaure du Passoir (ridden by Boyd Martin) from USEA President Kevin Baumgardner



Photos linked from the USEA Website

Winter Clinic Schedule for Silva!

DECEMBER
Dec. 5th & 6th - Boyd and Silva Martin Clinic at Jen Simon's, Middleburg
Filled!

Dec 12th - Silva Martin Dressage Clinic Earlesville, Md.
Contact Barbara Weinbrecht's

Dec 20th - Silva Martin Dressage Clinic Earlesville, Md.
Contact Barbara Weinbrecht's

JANUARY
Jan 2nd & 3rd - "New Year Revolution" German Position Clinic
Contact Mary Grace.

Jan 10th - Silva Martin Dressage Clinic Earlesville, Md.
Contact Barbara Weinbrecht's

Jan 17th - Silva Martin Clinic, Earlesville, Md.
Contact Barbara Weinbrecht's

Jan 26th - 28th - Silva Martin Clinic, Aiken, SC
Contact Boyd Martin

FEBRUARY
Feb 9th - 11th - Silva Martin Clinic, Aiken, SC
Contact Boyd Martin

Feb 13th - 14th DVCTA Dressage Clinic
Contact Gayl Bowden

Feb 23rd - 25th Silva Martin Clinic, Aiken, SC
Contact Boyd Martin

Photo Credit BHS Photography

Video: Silva and Jeff in Morten Thomsen Clinic

Silva rode in a clinic with trainer Morten Thomsen yesterday at Hilltop Farm in Maryland. Thomsen represented Denmark at the 1988 Olympic Games with Diplomat and at the 2000 Olympic Games with Gay. He also was the official Danish young horse trainer from 2005 to 2007.

Boyd Takes a Jump Lesson with Olympic Champion Joe Fargis

On Wednesday I was treated to a real tune-up to my jump riding with show jumping Great, Joe Fargis. I rode Charla, one of the best young horses I have. She is a new horse owned by Ron and Densey Juvonan, and she is a real fire cracker!

I was in a group of riders from True Prospect farm that included my two working students, Lillian Heard and Caitlin Silliman; my vet, Dr. Kevin Keane; and my good mate Ryan Wood.

We had a very focused two hour session with Joe mainly concentrating on perfection in riding.He was into me about my leg position and about being loose with my upper body. He gave me a few exercises that I need to work on over the winter to help with these issues. I left the lesson very impressed with the detail Joe showed to his teaching. It was a real honor working with a true champion.

Boyd and Neville Named to USEF "A" List

U.S. Equestrian Federation Eventing High Performance Committee members announced the revised 2010 Eventing High Performance Training List, and Boyd and Neville made the cut for the "A" list. These horse-and-rider combinations may participate in winter training sessions with Capt. Mark Phillips and may receive training grants. The committee will announce session dates and locations in December; expected locations are California, Florida and South Carolina.

USEF officials welcome the public to attend the training sessions and ask that auditors be respectful of lessons and the property on which they will be held.

The "A" list is as follows:

* Will Coleman, a 26-year-old from Gordonsville, Va., with Twizzel, a 13-year-old Westphalian gelding owned by Tivoli Farm
* Buck Davidson, a 33-year-old from Ocala, Fla., with Ballynoe Castle RM, a 9-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by Carl & Cassandra Segal
* Phillip Dutton, a 46-year-old from West Grove, Pa., with Truluck, a 12-year-old Thoroughbred gelding owned by Shannon Stimson and Ann Jones
* Phillip Dutton with Woodburn, a 13-year-old New Zealand Thoroughbred gelding owned by Acorn Hill Farm, Mardie Faucett and Ann Jones
* Boyd Martin, a 30-year-old from West Grove, Pa., with Neville Bardos, a 10-year-old Thoroughbred gelding owned by Windurra USA, LLC
* Amy Tryon, a 39-year-old from Duvall, Wash., with Leyland, a 9-year-old Thoroughbred gelding owned by Elisabeth Nicholson

The Last Dance

Silva and Caitlin wrapped up the season at Morven Park this past weekend. It is always good to finish off the season with a final good result, and they certainly did!

Silva said: Fendi W was the star of the show this weekend. He really really impressed me and showed me that he is the real deal. I showed him for the first time in training level and he tried his little heart out.

He got off the trailer and nothing fazed him; we got to the warm up and he was all business. There was none of that drama that you usually get when you take young horses to their first shows. He warmed up beautifully and when he went into the ring for the first time all by himself he tried even harder to impress me. He was showing off to everybody!

Fendi and I won both our classes with great scores: 73.3% the first day and 75.5% the next day.I am a little sad that I have to sell him, but I think the person that buys him will be a lucky person and is going to have so much fun.



Jeff the Chef W did his first Intermediaire 2 test at Morven! I was very happy with him. The I-2 test is very difficult and he really tried his best. We had some especially great moments in piaffe and passage and did all our one-tempi changes. All of these things are new to him in the show ring and he handled them very well.I really think he is going to be a big-time horse.



Caitlin and her beautiful mare Gabriella Rossellini placed second on Saturday in their first time competing at third level and won on Sunday at second level with very good scores.

A New Horse for Boyd

Well guys, there is a new addition to the barn this week.... and she is a top sort!

Andy and Kristen Sparks of Unionville, PA have bred a stunning 5-year-old mare by the English eventing stallion Welton Ambassador. 'Rose' was born and bred down in Florida at Andy's dad's farm and she is one of the only Welton Ambassador babies that have been born in the US. (The stallion's semen did not seem to freeze very well, losing its viability, and there were only a few positive pregnancy tests recorded in the US.) There are a lot of unhappy breeders because of this, but not Kristn and Andy!

To me she is perfectly bred for eventing: her dam is an American Thoroughbred and Welton Ambassador is nearly all Thoroughbred. Funny enough, she has the movement and the look of a European jumping horse; she looks athletic and classy. She is carrying a bit too much weight at the moment, but she will trim down in time.

Rose seems like she has all of the tools necessary to become a top class event horse: she is a beautiful mover and has the look of a supermodel! She was briefly broken in for riding down in Florida, so I was able to hop on her on the first day. I am really impressed with her personality: she seems dead quiet and willing to try whatever I ask of her,(except the steering).

My plan is to just keep gently ticking away on getting her rideable over the next month, and then start trotting some fences. So far I am very excited about her!


Boyd

A Win for Min at Final Horse Trials of the Year: Rubicon Farm

This past weekend was the final horse trials of the year at Rubicon in Maryland. It was a successful finish for the USEA Preliminary Horse of the Year Minotaure du Passoir, who won the prelim on a 28. His owner Amy Lindgren was ecstatic to have her horse go out a champion.

Shatzi W had a nice easy prelim and finished fifth. She's basically had a good year and moved up to advanced level but after a fall at Richland she was a bit shaky so I decided to do a couple prelim runs with her to keep her happy and confident.

In Training level I rode Angela Hambrick's Legado de Rios, a seven-year-old Oldenburg sales horse by Riverman that we've had in training for a month or two. He had his best performance so far with me, placing second with 24.2. He's got all the tools to become a top horse: he's a good mover and a good jumper and he's a beautiful horse as well. At the first event I took him to he was a bit green and lacked concentration but he has improved a lot and now he does well at competitions and under pressure. It's been a lot of fun working with him and seeing him develop this way.

Melissa Studenberg's Muggle did his first training and found this event a bit overwhelming. He was injured earlier this year and hasn't had the best preparation but he is a high quality horse that just needs a bit more exposure to get the scores he deserves. He's been a catch ride for me most of the this year but I think he'll come to Aiken for a couple months of more intensive work.

I had two novice horses at Rubicon and they are two of my very favorite young horses. In second place was Laurie Cameron's mare Lillian Pink, a very well-bred horse that's out of the same mare as Kristin Bond's Are You Ready. Laurie bred her and is committed to keeping her as a competition horse for me. She really has it all and is only four years old. She scored a 27 in dressage from Olympic judge Brian Ross; I don't always put much weight on the dressage score but when Brian gives you good marks you know you've earned them.

Densey Juvonen's just bought a six-year-old mare named Charla that's a little French, a little Thoroughbred and a little Holsteiner. She's a firecracker and a very good jumper; she came from the jumper world out in California and basically all we've got to do is improve the dressage.

Both Charla and Lilly will move up to training level in Aiken and I'd like to think that by this time next year they'll both be real good quality prelim horses.

Two of the girls working here also had a very good weekend: Caitlin Silliman and her young mare Gabriella Rossellini, whom Caitlin purchased in Florida over the winter, placed second in the Training Horse division. This is a very classy horse and Caitlin has worked hard with her.

Emily Van Gemeren, from Connecticut and Berkley II came third in the JYOP. Emily has been working hard for us for the past couple of months and has improved herself and her horse into a competitive combination.

Next week I'll bring Neville and Remington out from their rest and start getting them ready for Rolex next year. We are looking at heading down to Aiken at the end of February and I'll be renting a farm next door to Phillip's down there. I'll also spend some time next week mapping out a plan for all the horses.

-Boyd

Video of Silva and Jeff Schooling Piaffe and Passage

To view a video of
Silva and Jeff the Chef
schooling piaffe and passage,
click here.

Summer Breeze in Training

Anne Hennessey's new 4-year-old mare 'Summer Breeze' is starting to look the goods. 'Summer' arrived from Australia about a month ago after a couple years off since she was broken in (in Australia) as a two-year-old. She is by the Dutch/Thoroughbred stallion 'Staccatto', out of 'Batwoman', a Thoroughbred mare that I competed to Advanced level in Australia. 'Batwoman' is also the dam of my newest Advanced eventer 'Shatzi'.

Summer's career in the US started a bit rough: last week while I was riding her around the farm she got a fright and leapt into a fence post. She had to get a few stitches from the doctor from a bit of wire that cut into her. Other than that, its been going well for my new favorite little gal. I jumped her for the first time today, (check out the youtube.com video below), and I am impressed! She feels really scopey and has lots of power. I think she is going to be pretty flashy on the flat as well.

Anne's and my plan with Summer is to keep her going with light work here in Pennsylvania for a couple more weeks until it gets really cold. Then we will ship her to Anne's winter Equine Luxury Resort in Southern Pines, N.C. for some well-earned rest and relaxation. We will start to get serious with her sometime early next year.

Check out the first time Summer Breeze jumps a jump on THIS VIDEO...

Cheers,

Boyd

Fernhill Figaro Sold!!

Fernhill Figaro was sold to an up and coming rider from Texas this past week.  The sale was set up by my good friend Courtney Cooper from C Square Farm (www.csquarefarm.com) whom has been the agent for a number of sales that Silva and I have gotten done this year.

'Fig' was a great horse to have in the barn for the couple of months that he was here.  Silva competed him successfully in straight dressage, and I ran him around a few horse trials.  The new owner looks to be a good rider and I wish them both well.

EventingNation.com Live Chat Recap

To read the script from a very candid, educational and entertaining live chat with Boyd, moderated by John Thier on www.eventingnation.com, click here.

John commented after the chat, "Boyd is funny, a little controversial, intelligent, and always straightforward in person, so that's exactly what we gave you tonight. I was flat out laughing several times and I hope you were as well. At Eventing Nation, we are operating at the very edge of technology, of news, and of inside information. Some people might be afraid to take risks, but we are not. With the Fair Hill live blogging and Boyd Martin as our guest tonight, we have set the bar very high for future content. I look forward to rising to the occasion."

Listen to Boyd Co-Host The Eventing Radio Show

Boyd co-hosted the Eventing Radio Show for the first time this week. Click here to listen in as he and Chris Stafford discuss the Fair Hill International three-day event.

Live Blog with EventingNation.com

Join us on  Thursday 10/22 at 6:30pm for a live blog with Boyd and www.eventingnation.com. 
A live blog is a chatroom style format converstion with Eventing Nation, Boyd, and his fanbase.  Come join the fun & have the opportunity to interact with one of the top event riders in the nation!

Eventing Radio Show Interview with Boyd and Silva

Amber Heintzberger photo

Boyd and Silva are featured on Episode 45 of the Eventing Radio Show with Chris Stafford. Click here to listen!

Nancy Jaffer's Audio Interview with Boyd from Fair Hill

Click here to listen

Also check out Nancy's article on Equisearch.com

Videos of Boyd Jumping at Fair Hill

Check out Silva's video footage of Boyd at Fair Hill:

Remington XXV Show Jumping

Neville Bardos Show Jumping

Boyd and Neville Win Fair Hill!!!

Photo by Amber Heintzberger. More photos coming soon!

Boyd and Neville Bardos won the CCI*** and placed sixth on Remington XXV. After his winning ride Boyd grabbed a celebratory beer and sat down for a quick update:

I just wanted the horse to jump well, I felt in the warm-up he was full of life and making a good shape in the air. I wasn’t worried about having rails down, I just wanted him to jump well. I think if you get stuck on the result and the mathematics of the course rather than riding as well as you can. I basically want to ride as well as I can and focus on each jump.

For me personally I have come second a number of times in [CCI] three-stars, and finally I have won one. I’ve won a one-star, two-star and four-star before and it was eating away at me a little bit. I’ve come close and just couldn’t quite do it so I had a little pressure on myself because it was a mark in my life.

Neville’s a tough mongrel of a horse, a lot of the horses here today were not fancy show ponies – if you saw them as people they’d be barflies. When it comes down to a gladiator style fight you get the tough horses and riders, the ones who can man up when things aren’t perfect.

Remington came out and jumped a fantastic round – that was nearly more of a highlight for me than winning the event because at Richland and Wits End we had terrible show jumping rounds. It goes to show that good hard focused riding does pay off – you’ve got to be careful not to label a horse a bad jumper. I take my hat off to Phillip who’s helped me with the horse to jump a clear round, also a rewarding moment for Ron and Densey Juvonen, who have been supportive through disappointing events where we had a chance to win or come second but had a train wreck in the show jumping. Not once did they give me a hard time, they stuck through and I’m happy about the way the horse jumped today.

It’s rewarding beating Karen and Phillip just because they are true champions for so many years. It does come down to the best horses in the game and this competition suited Neville because he’s such a hearty number and it was tough conditions and a tough course.

I think the WEG is a long long ways away – I have three or four horses that have a shot at it but to start thinking about making the team now is a big mistake, I need some good performances and sound horses and to keep improving the stock that I’ve got and at the end of the day it’ll work itself out.

Boyd Martin and Neville Bardos Take the Lead at Fair Hill!

I woke up this morning to a torrential tornado-style storm and probably the worst cross-country conditions I have seen. I got a phone call from Rock On Rose’s owner Bruce Davidson that he didn’t want his mare to run because he was afraid of injuring her in the tough conditions.

In hindsight it was a heartbreaking moment for me because I knew this mare was fit as a fiddle and a fantastic cross-country machine that I truly believe would have gone under the time, but I was quite respectful of Bruce’s decision because he’s a true horseman who had a real concern for his mare. In the end we both agreed that she’d be better off saved for Kentucky next year.

Neville (pictured above) is in the lead in the three-star division after the only double clear round of the day. He’s only nine years old, still pretty young. He’s a real thoroughbred so he was really suited to these kinds of conditions; he galloped right over the mud, I didn’t feel like I was pushing him. Phillip told me to not over rider the horse in the first three minutes and try to find good footing, which meant galloping close to the ropes and if he had energy then to go on with it. The horses that tried to stay close to the first four minute markers ran out of petrol at the end.

Remington (pictured below) put in a great performance today. He was one of the last to go in the three-star and the track was truly trashed, it was knee-deep in mud. He jumped the course very well but really struggled with the muddy going and I decided just to stay off his back and not push him too hard because I felt he was laboring a bit. He finished well and pulled up very well.



I think that tomorrow it’ll be good to show jump Remi before Neville and get a feel for the course, though they’re quite different to jump. Neville’s pretty good – both of them run at the fences a bit so the key is to make sure they’re not in cross-country mode tomorrow. I hope today knocked the edge off, it might make it a bit easier if Neville’s a bit tired tomorrow! The footing’s really good in there so I don’t think that’ll play a factor at all.

I had two students in the two-star today: my working pupil Lillian Heard had a great round and is fourth in the two-star and Erin Sylvester is one place behind her in fifth. I was proud of both the girls today, they showed some heart getting out there and riding in the rain and showing their horses to their potential.


-Boyd

Boyd and Remington XXV

Photo of Boyd and Remington XXV compliments of Andrew Bailini

Boyd in Top Ten after Dressage at Fair Hill

Boyd is currently tied for 8th on Remington XXV and standing 16th on Neville Bardos and 46th with Rock on Rose after a wet and cold start to the Fair Hill International CCI3*. For complete results click here.

For a video of Remington's dressage test click here

Colonel Bengt Ljundquist Memorial Championships

I rode at the CBLM's last weekend: Jeff, Sea Lord and Concorde competed in the PSG championships and Comet V in the third level championships.

The third level championships was a very competitive class. Comet was such a good boy! I am so proud of him - he has come such a long way this season. We had a great warm up and in the ring he tried his little heart out for me. We scored 66 percent and ended up reserve champion!

In the PSG Championships Jeff was first on and since I did not have the best result at Devon I was really hoping that Jeff would not get too nervous this time. He did not, but I also have to say that I rode him much better this time. It just takes such a long time to find out what the best warm up is for each horse and how you go about riding each horse in the ring.

I have worked with Jessica a lot on working out how I can get the best result out of Jeff in the ring and we did much much better and scored 66.8 percent and finished fifth.We still made a few expensive mistakes in the canter but over all I was very happy!

My second horse in the PSGwas Sea Lord: the great thing about my Thoroughbred, who we call Big Bird in the barn, is that he never lets me down! However he is in the warm up, he going to be the same in the ring. And the more people that are watching, the better he goes. He is a real showman.

Sea Lord is still green at the FEI level but I was very happy with his test. He was beautiful in the trot and did not really make any mistakes in the canter; he just needs to be more supple and loose in his back. He still needs to get stronger. But I LOVE him! We scored 65 percent and finished seventh.

My third horse in the PSG was Concorde. I have only worked with Conorde for the last 3 months and he has come a long long way. We showed in our first third level not long ago and here we are in October showing in the PSG championships. He really did a good test with a few little mistakes here and there but over all very good for such a green horse. We finished 6th on 66.3 percent.

All the scores in the PSG were very close!

On Sunday I showed Jeff in the I-1 championships. Again he did not let me down, this time doing an even better test than in the PSG. I could have ridden the canter a little better - I gave some marks away being a little in untidy in some parts, but we moved up to third place! I am so happy that we are back on track!

On Sunday Comet, Sea Lord and Concorde showed in the fourth level championships.

Concorde was the first horse in the class. He was not as good as he was in the PSG on friday - I think he was a little tired because he has been working very hard. We finished seventh.

Sea Lord was the next one for me. He was great one again. That is the nice thing of riding a TB: they never give up. Sea Lord finished reserve champion in fourth level!!

Comet V who is still new at fourth level was really very good. We had the best warm up ever; he felt so great! In the ring we had a good trot and got a little tangled in the changes in the the canter. But still I am so proud of Comet for making it to the championships and finishing so great.
We finished just in front of Concorde in 6th.

Now the boys can have little vacation!

-Silva

Clifton Jade Sold

Clifton Jade was sold this past weekend to Valerie Vizcarrondo, an advanced rider from Maryland. Jonathan Pageant, (pictured riding Jade), a top New Zealand event rider, used to compete him for Clifton Stables. www.nzhorses.com sent him to me to sell and he was only here for a couple of weeks. He's only eight years old and did some three-star World Cup events in New Zealand; he's a real technician, an exciting, fantastic horse and he really suits his new rider. They'll spend the next month getting to know the each other before she competes him. Valerie trains with Karen O'Connor, and Karen came to see the horse and liked him a lot too. I wish them all the best!

-Boyd

First Foal of Season Needs a "J" Name!

We had the first foal of the season yesterday morning in Australia!!

This is a little dressage girl! She is by Jive Magic, (Jeff's dad), out of Betty Barkley, who is by Brentano 2. Betty Barkley is out of the same mare as Rosa Cha, who we just flew over to the USA.


NOW WE NEED A NAME FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL GIRL. IT HAS TO START WITH 'J'!!


WE ARE OPEN FOR IDEAS!!


Silva

Boyd to Co-Host Eventing Radio Show!

Following the Fair Hill International CCI3* Boyd will begin co-hosting the popular Eventing Radio Show, an Internet radio show that is broadcast around the world.

"I've been interviewed a few times on the radio show in preparation for some of the big events and I quite enjoy getting on there," said Boyd. "They thought they needed a personality from the sport, and I plan to ask the tough questions. I'm just putting a warning out there - I'll put the people I interview on the spot and I want some answers!"

Host and founder of the show Chris Stafford said, "The Eventing Radio Show is pleased to welcome Boyd Martin as a guest co-host on the show. Boyd will be alternating with Jennie Brannigan, who is also based at True Prospect Farm."

Boyd commented, "The show gets broadcast around the world and reaches a lot of people, from Australia to England to Nigeria and wherever you can imagine. I have a lot of friends in Australia who listen in. That's the beauty of Internet versus regular radio, so it can focus on eventing around the world rather than revolving around the scene here in the US ."

To listen to the show, follow this link: The Eventing Radio Show

Summer Breeze Sold

"Summer Breeze" set foot in her new home today. The 4-year-old mare by Staccatto was purchased by Anne Hennessey late last month. Anne is no stranger to owning top level event horses, as she also owns the Irish Advanced eventer "Benwald" that I have had great success on over the past two years.

I bred "Summer Breeze" in Australia. Her mother is Batwoman, (the same mother as "Shatzi W"), whom is an Australian Thoroughbred that I competed to advanced level. Her father, Staccatto, is a half Dutch Warmblood, half Thoroughbred stallion that has competed up to 4-star level in Australia with Prue and Craig Barrett. So Summer is the perfect mix of three quarters Thoroughbred, one quarter warmblood.

She looks in great condition considering she has been traveling for the past eight days. I wish Anne the best of luck with the little angel!

Boyd

Fendi W is Offered for Sale

Boyd & Silva have decided to put Fendi W on the market.  This lovely young horse is owned by Windurra USA LLC. He is a German Warmblood gelding whose Dam, Felicity, was imported to Australia from Germany. Felicity is by the winner of the three-year-old stallions classification at the Federal Championships in Verden Germany, "Wolkenstein II". Wolkenstein II is the most successful son of one of the all time greatest dressage stallions, Weltmeyer.

Although he is very quiet and behaves like a pet at most times, Fendi W is a very impressive mover and promising dressage prospect. Fendi W made his debut in competition at the end of August and entered the material class at Dressage at Devon, 2008.  He also competed at DAD this year and placed 4th in his breed class.

View his video from DAD 2009 & to view all of his sales information, please click here!

Devon Recap

Photo of Silva riding Sea Lord with owner Shannon Stimson

Sea Lord did especially well at Dressage at Devon: he is a real competitor and very reliable, always the same in the show ring as he is in the warm-up ring. The second day is when you really need a Thoroughbred and Sea Lord's bloodlines paid off when the ring got muddy from the rain and he was tired, but he was still fantastic and placed second and third in Fourth level.

Jeff had a disappointing weekend. I guess he gets nervous in the big atmosphere because it was the same as at Saugerties. If he'd go like he does in the warm-up it would be awesome. I'm planning to do the I-2 with him at Morven and then move him up to Grand Prix next year. The problems in the show ring are not about what he knows; he's got the movements down, he just gets too worked up. I saw the scoreboard after the trot work and we were scoring 71% but it all went downhill after that. It's always disappointing when your best horse has a terrible show.

Concorde still needs to be more supple and forward but he is very reliable and placed ninth in 4th level 2 on Saturday and third on Sunday. He was doing Third level only two months ago so he has come a long way and it's very exciting.

All three of these horses are going to the BLM's in a couple of weeks and then they'll have a break until next year. I decided yesterday that I am not going to go to Florida for the winter. I looked at the calendar and there are not that many big shows, except for the CDI, and I have so many horses here at home, so I may as well stay at home and save some money.

In the breeds show at Devon Fendi was fourth and Uma was third. I was pleased with both of them. Fendi is still for sale and a video is posted on YouTube: click here to check it out.

Silva

Double Exposure Sold!

Photo from Plantation Field International Horse Trials courtesy of Charish Campbell

'Moe', who has been at the barn training for the past couple of months, has been sold to a Young Rider from the Midwest. The highlight of my brief competition career with Moe was winning the Senneca Valley Preliminary, and the low was falling off him at Plantation Fields International. He is a top class young horse who was possibly the best jumper we had in the barn. I have high hopes for his future, and really think he might be a horse that will make it to advanced. I wish the new owners the best of luck with him!!

Boyd

Photos courtesy of Laurie Cameron

America's most historical dressage show started on Thursday with Silva riding two young horses.

In the four-year-old gelding and stallion class Silva rode Fendi W. Fendi is a horse we bred in Australia that we imported last year. He went in and put in a good performance, finishing 4th. He is a top little horse that has got great movement and a good work ethic. The plan is to sell him this year.

In the five-year-old class Silva rode Laurie Cameron's 'Uma'. This mare is a real stunner! I only broke her in two months ago, but she looked liked an experienced campaigner. She has a wonderful trot, and an explosive canter. She finished in 3rd place. Now, I am no dressage judge, but I felt she was easily the best horse in the class. Poor judging!

Silva's biggest test of the weekend is today with Jeff in the Prix St. Georges. She rides in the main arena a 2 pm. The horse looks in good form, and is going the best he has ever gone.

-Boyd

Dressage at Devon Preview

Shannon, groom, and Silva Martin, September 2009.

It's that time of year again: Dressage at Devon! Tomorrow I'm taking two young horses to the show. Uma is owned by Laurie Cameron and is a big, grey five-year-old mare. I love her: she's a beautiful mover. She had a foal and was broken in late, and because she has come so far I am going to take her in a materiale class.

I am very excited to say that Fendi is back in action. He cut his leg in the paddock so I chucked him out and let him get over the trip from Australia - some horses take a long time to acclimate and he was one of them. He's back and I have high hopes for him. He's also still for sale.

Jeff will compete in the CDI in the small tour and hopefully he will appreciate the arena more than he did in Saugerties! I've been working really hard with Jessica Ransehousen to turn him from a 20-hand horse into a 16-hand horse in the arena. He'll show Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Sealord will be showing Fourth level. He's been doing really well in the PDG but I felt he was still a bit green to do that level at this show. In fourth level he feels confident now. He should be great - and he may be the only Thoroughbred competing here. I'll bet he's the only ex-racehorse!

Concorde, owned by Jeff Anderson, has gone up the levels so fast and has been winning at Prix St. Georges. He is also doing Fourth level at Devon. He's a really good competition horse and is even better at shows than at home.

Wish me luck!

-Silva

Sunday at Plantation Field

Densey and Ron Juvonen, Silva and Boyd Martin. Photo by Amber Heintzberger

Minotaure du Passoir did fantastic this weekend - we jumped clear and he's looking like he might be prelim horse of the year for 2009, which has been a goal of Amy's and mine. He's got a couple more events on the calendar and I'm really pleased with him.

Remi (pictured at right) had one of his best dressage performances yet with a 45 and was as fast as he's gone around a three-star cross-country course yet. He show jumped well - they had a downhill combination with two verticals which is kind of his bogey so we had a couple rails but I'm pleased with him.

Shatzi has been going advanced but I just put her back to intermediate because she's a bit green and has been overjumping, so I will let her chill out the rest of the season.

Rock on Rose should have won her division but I had trouble getting her in the start box yesterday, which cost us about 30 seconds.

Neville's back in business and will do advanced at Morven.

Otherwise I rode sales horses in the prelim - Double Exposure has been going well but unfortunately I came into the coffin a bit quick and came off the side. Figaro is proving himself and I think I'll do a couple more prelims with him but my guess is he'll get sold in the next couple of weeks.

-Boyd

Cross-country at Plantation Field

Boyd on Shatzi W Photo by Amber Heintzberger

Boyd and Remington XXV are in second place going into the show jumping for the CIC*** at Plantation Field. But first he is taking on several fellow competitors in the bareback puissance jumping competition - starting at 4'! Be sure to cheer him on in this unusual and exciting event.

Stay tuned for more news from the event, and check out the live results here.

Plantation Field Dressage

Photo of Boyd and Remington courtesy of SJB '09

I had a pretty good day eventing at the Plantation CIC International horse trials in Unionville, PA. I am riding Remington in the 3 star, Rock on Rose in the Advanced, Shatzi W in the Intermediate, Minouture Du' Passoir in the CIC 1 star, Neville Bardos, Fernhill Figaro, Double Expose in the Preliminary.

All of the horses did well yesterday in the dressage. Today will be a tough day, as the cross country course looks like a real test.

Click here for real time scoring!

Join Boyd for the Bit of Britain Course Walk at Plantation Field

Be sure to join Boyd for the official Bit of Britain cross-country course walk at the Plantation Field CIC***, scheduled tentatively for 4:00pm on Friday - the first 50 people to show up get a free T-shirt from The Outback Trading Company!

Jump Clinic With Boyd: Novice Drop Fence

This is a great picture of a rider jumping off a Novice looking drop.

First thing first, the horse looks keen and forward thinking, and the rider really looks like she knows what she is doing... it’s a good start. There is not that much wrong with the whole look of the picture.

If you wanted to be really perfect, I would have the rider’s upper body position a bit further back. If she could take her shoulder blades and have them a few more inches towards her horse’s tail, it would make her a lot more secure if the horse stumbled on landing. If there is going to be a fall here, it will be over the horse’s shoulder, the stride after she lands from the drop. To help with this she could lengthen the reins about four more inches. This would mean that she would land with longer reins, but she would be more behind the motion.

I would also maybe suggest that the rider has her eyes up a little higher. Try not to look at the ground, but straight ahead.

And finally, I would maybe ask for the rider’s leg to be a touch more forward, and her heel pressing down a little more.

The basic rule of thumb here is: try not to get your horse to leap of the bank or drop, but rather dribble off the edge. Any fall that occurs her, is over the front of the horse, so stay back!!


-Boyd