Vote for Neville for USEF Horse of the Year!!!

Lexington, KY - To reach the highest level of excellence in equestrian sport takes talent, perseverance, a tremendous spirit and often, unwavering courage. In 2011, six horses have shown the world those qualities and more. And on January 13, the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) will bestow two of them with the prestigious title of Horse of the Year, the highest honor the USEF awards a horse. This year - a change from years past - both a national and international horse will win. The six champions have earned their place on the elite list as USEF Horses of Honor, and each will be recognized at the USEF Horse of the Year Awards gala and dinner in January - part of the USEF Annual Meeting - at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza in Cincinnati, OH. It will be up to you to choose the two special horses, selecting from a range of talents and from across the Federation's breeds and disciplines. Your vote will help determine the champions that join the pantheon of past winners including reining horse Gunners Special Nite (2010); dressage horse Ravel (2009); driving horse Jamaica (2008); eventer Theodore O'Connor (2007); show jumper Authentic (2006); and dressage horse Brentina (2005).    Neville Bardos. StockImageServices.com. Neville Bardos (Mahayaa x Zambia) 1999 Australian Thoroughbred Gelding Owner: Neville Bardos Syndicate 2011 marked a year of tragedy for eventing rider Boyd Martin. He lost six horses in a horrific barn fire on Memorial Day but was able to save five. One of those saved was Neville Bardos. The failed Australian racehorse was trapped in the fire for nearly 45 minutes before Martin was able to pull him out. Neville suffered burns and severe smoke inhalation that required extensive rehabilitation. The prognosis was grim, but he fought through it and defied every odd. He made a miraculous recovery to return to competition two months later. Martin lost his father and father-in-law over the summer and he set a big goal for Neville to try to get him through the tragedy. Neville and Martin went on to not only compete in the CCI4* at the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials - but they placed seventh out of 81 entries in September. He jumped only one of nine double-clear cross-country rounds over arguably the world's toughest cross-country track. Voting Is Now Open! Two of these six exceptional horses will be honored as the overall 2011 USEF Horse of the Year, a mark of distinction that will last a lifetime. Now, it is up to you to decide who will receive the top tribute in 2011. Simply visit http://www.usef.org/_IFrames/hoty/Default.aspx and type in your email address to access the voting portal. Voting will end at Midnight [ET] on Monday, January 2, 2012. For more information regarding the Equestrian of the Year program or any of the six Horses of Honor, contact Trisha Watkins, USEF Awards Manager, at 859.225.6944 or tlwatkins@usef.org.

Three-Year-Olds Finish Marathon Trip from Australia

A shipment of four three-year-old horses finally arrived at the farm today after a lengthy trip from Australia. Silva and I bred all of these horses in Australia, and with the help of a few investors they made the voyage without too much trouble.

The two dressage horses are:
Hannah Montana (pictured above) - 3-year=old filly by His Highness out of Rosa Cha. Rosa is one of Silva's top up and coming young horses. Thanks to Sarah Reese of Malvern, PA for helping us get her here.
Junno (above) - 3-year-old filly by Jive Magic, who happens to be Jeff the Chef's sire, out of a Wolkenstein II mare, that was also the dam of Fendi, a horse that we sold here in the States two years ago. Thanks to Faye Woolf for getting her here.

The two event horses are:

Wallaroo (photo above) - 3 year gelding by Stacatto, who happens to also be the sire of Stuart Tinney's Adelaide 4-star winner Panamera . He is out of Brilliant Silva, the dam of Waranga, and also by Brilliant Invader who sired Olympic and World Champion Ready Teddy. Wallaroo is 75% Australian Thoroughbred and 25% Dutch Warmblood. Thanks to Amy Lindgren for helping me get this stunning horse on the plane.
Ray Price (above) - 3 year old gelding by Raise A Stanza who has sired many 4-star horses in Australia, out of Fair Fiona, a mare that we sold last year that both evented and did dressage with Silva. Ray Price is the name of a tough Australian Rugby league player. Ray is also 75% thoroughbred and 25% Dutch Warmblood. Big cheers to Amy Lindgren for helping me get this guy here.

All in all, it took 13 days of travel to get these young horses from Lochinvar, NSW in Australia to Sydney airport, then to LAX, then to Kentucky by truck, then up to our place in Cochranville. All of the horses looked exhausted from the trip. They were all glad to see some green grass and a paddock after being locked up for so long. My plan is to leave them here in PA for the winter to recover, then start them up in the spring when we get back from Aiken.

Cheers,
Boyd

The Journey to Germany

Ashlea , Mintie , Donna and I have arrived in the Mecca of Dressage: GERMANY!

Mintie traveled very well, with Ashlea and Donna on the plane with him. I got here a day earlier and borrowed my sister Laura`s car and trailer and drove to Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam to pick up the three of them.

We then drove back over the border to Germany; Mintie is staying at Laura's barn in Willich, Germany until we leave for Frankfurt on Wednesday or Thursday morning.

Ashlea rode Mintie lightly today and he looks great. Tomorrow we will start working harder and focus on the test that she will ride on Friday morning and the Freestyle that she will ride on Sunday.

We will keep everybody posted. Fingers crossed!!!!

Silva

The Night of Nights at the USEA Convention

The last leg of the USEA Annual Convention in Nashville, TN featured the awards dinner hosted by eventing legend Jimmy Wofford. While Buck Davidson took home most of the loot, we managed to snag a couple of awards, most notably with super groom Lindsey Taylor walking away with the 2011 USEA Christine E. Stafford Groom of the Year Award last night, along with lucy Beard of Kalispell, MT. There are two winners for this award - a professional and amateur. Lindsey won the jacket, shown in the photo below, and $500.(This is not to be confused with the PRO award, which Lindsey also won!) Jimmy noted in his presentation that Lindsey groomed for me at all 175 of my eventing starts this year.
My good mate and vet, Dr Kev Keane took home the Advanced Amateur Rider of the Year and the Adult Amateur Rider of the Year which landed him a brand new saddle.

I received the Advanced Rider of the Year thanks to a lot of success with a large pool of Advanced horses that I rode throughout the year, including the indomitable Neville Bardos, Otis Barbotiere, Ying Yang Yo, Cold Harbour, Last Monarch and Remington XXV. I am very lucky to have had the opportunity to ride this great group of horses this past year.
I was surprised at the end of the evening to win an award for showing courage and resilience in the past year of eventing. Jimmy spoke very kindly of my ups and downs in 2011 and talked about Neville's comeback to top level competition at Burghley after the fire. It is a magnificent trophy that weighs a lot!

All in all it was a brilliant convention.
Boyd

PRO Salutes Lindsey!

Myself with Lindsey and Karen O'Connor

Last night my groom Lindsey Taylor was awarded the award for Best Groom in the USA at a cocktail party at the American Eventing Association's annual convention in Nashville, Tennessee. There was a huge turnout for the awards night, at which Karen O'Connor presented Lindsey with a silver cup and a check for $5,000.00. PRO also donated $500 to charity for the occasion. Lindsey made a sensational speech thanking PRO for the award.

A huge thanks Lindsey for all that you do!

-Boyd

Training Solutions from Top Event Riders

Boyd took part in this popular seminar at the USEA Convention in Nashville, TN this year. Click here to read the audience's questions and answers from the panel of top riders.

H.H. Lancaster arrives from Canada

A big congratulations must go to Ron & Densey Juvonen and Justina & Art Dodge on their purchase of a very, very impressive 5-year-old gelding: H.H. Lancaster is a Canadian-bred, 17hh Thoroughbred/Hanoverian/French cross gelding that Silva and I found on a tour of horses a couple of weeks ago in Ontario.
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Silva and I spent a few days cruising around Canada searching for horses. Waylon
Roberts had Lancaster in training at Dreamcrest Equestrian thanks to Sue Ockendon. Lancaster looks to be a super mover and a scopey jumper that has plenty of ability. The plan is to get to know him and start eventing him midway through the season in Aiken next year.



His name was thought up between the two couples of owners: Ron and Densey own Henley House Stables and Art and Justina are from Lancaster....thus H.H. Lancaster. Again, a big thanks to the new supporting sets of owners!

On our way home from looking at around 50 horses
we managed to do a little sightseeing at Niagara Falls.

-Boyd