Wakefield SOLD

Silva Schooling Wakefield

I would like to congratulate Laila Bolsteins on her recent purchase of Wakefield, an impressive six-year-old English Thoroughbred gelding.

Wakefield has been with us for about a year, since Katie and Cuyler Walker imported him from England and placed him in training with Boyd. Wakefield has had a successful training level career with Boyd and Caitlin, most recently placing third at Flora Lea, with previous accomplishments including wins at Pine Top, (GA) and Sporting Days, (SC) in 2012. He is an impressive young horse with a wonderful temperament, beautiful movement on the flat, and a scopey jump. He has not had a single cross-country penalty to date and has all the ingredients for the making of a super event horse.

Wakefield has a strong future ahead of him and we are very excited that he will be able to continue his eventing career with Laila!

-Lindsey

Boyd on Evention: How to School a Horse that Drifts Over Fences

Direct link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldBJm0M5MR4

Working Student Position at Windurra USA

Think You've Got What it Takes?

Windurra Eventing is on the search for a very specific person who wants to be part of the future of the sport in this country. Make no mistake, this position is not suitable for 99% of people out there. As history shows, the majority of established eventing legends are a product of a program. I am a firm believer that the only way a talented rider turns into a champion is through thousands of hours of grueling work, surrounded by brilliant trainers, horsemanship, riders, sponsors and owners. To get a complete understanding on how to be successful in all aspects of running a business and being a great trainer, you have to immerse yourself in a system that is the equivalent of a university degree. This apprenticeship is more than just riding lessons, it is years of experiencing all aspects of what it take to be America's next top eventing rider.

I am offering a working student position to a desperately hungry young rider who is committed to a long term working agreement. To start out, we ask you to pay for your horse's hard expenses. As time goes on, this role often turns in to a paying position with us. I believe this is a great opportunity for someone out there to get an understanding of what is involved in all aspects of eventing. This role is more ideal for someone who is an accomplished rider who wants to learn the intricacies of the top levels. Please understand that this job involves a lot of ground work, assisting with the management of the farm and horses.

One of Silva's and my proudest accomplishments has been transforming the promising kid from down the road into a successful 3* rider who is on her way to Rolex in 2013. Over this time, Caitlin Silliman has had plenty of ups and downs, screaming and shouting, working in the sleeting rain, going weeks on end without a day off, but the hard work, dedication, and willingness to learn has made her into one of America's leading younger riders.

If this sounds like something for you, please email Operations Manager Lindsey Taylor. If you are a person who posts comments on The Chronicle of the Horse's chat room, this job is probably not for you...

Lindsey Taylor

Lindseyktaylor@yahoo.com

630-338-3331

Quote from current working student, Beau Guimond: "The working student position is either sink or swim. No floating allowed."

Otis Update and Boyd's Thoughts on Training Lists

The USEF announced their brand new winter training lists yesterday, which has caused a great amount of excitement, mainly due to the fact that there is not much else going on in the eventing world in mid-December. I'm thrilled and honored to say that the selectors have recognized four of my horses to be worthy of these lists. I have three up and coming young advanced horses in Trading Aces, Crackerjack and Master Frisky who have all debuted on the lists for the first time, in addition to my old war horse Neville. I was also glad to see that my assistant rider, Caitlin Silliman, has been placed on the Developing Rider list with her horse Catch a Star.

Obviously there are a couple of big names absent from the list including my Olympic horse, Otis Barbotiere. I think it was a fair call by the USEF leaving Otis off these lists as he is still in the final stages of his rehabilitation from the Games. He is trotting up sound and is currently hacking for 40 minutes twice a day on the roads. He may or may not be back in time for Kentucky this year, but there are also Luhmuhlen and Pau on the 2013 calendar, both of which would suit him perfectly. I'm in no hurry to accelerate his comeback to have him ready for winter training sessions, as I want to make sure he is 110% healthy before putting him back into intense work.

I believe the lists of the horses and riders is a strong group for the future. There are a lot of new names of riders and horses that will be very relevant coming into the Normandy 2014 WEG. At the end of the day, lists are just lists. I remember being disappointed when Remington wasn't on any list at the beginning of this year, and he ended up being a reserve horse in waiting at Greewich Park on trot up day.

-Boyd

Boyd and Four Horses Named to 2013 Eventing High Performance Spring Training Lists

 We are excited to announce that Boyd has been named to the 2013 US Eventing High Performance Spring Training Lists with the following four horses:

World Class

Boyd Martin (Cochranville, PA) and Trading Aces, LLC's Trading Aces
Trading Aces is a 2004 Irish Sport Horse gelding

Photo of Trading Aces from EventingNation.com

 

National List

Boyd Martin (Cochranville, PA) and Colin Davidson and Lucy Boynton's Cracker Jack
Cracker Jack is a 2003 Thoroughbred gelding

Cracker Jack

Boyd Martin (Cochranville, PA) and Stephen Blauner's Master Frisky
Master Frisky is a 2004 Irish Sport Horse gelding

Photo of Master Frisky from EventinNation.com

 Boyd Martin (Cochranville, PA) and Neville Bardos Syndicate's Neville Bardos
Neville Bardos is a 1999 Thoroughbred gelding

Neville Bardos photo from USEventing.com

 According to the USEF, The Global Talent and World Class combinations will be participating in training sessions with Chef d'Equipe David O'Connor in Aiken, South Carolina, Gilroy and Temecula, California or Ocala, Florida. These combinations will also receive training allowances for individual coaching.

National Listed combinations will be invited to participate in training sessions when time is available. Additionally, combinations on all three lists will have continuous access to coaching by O'Connor throughout the season.

The following dates and locations have been determined for the 2013 Winter Training Sessions: (subject to change)

January 21-24 at Flying Tail Farms at Red Fox Farm in Gilroy, CA (in conjunction with the 2013 Developing Rider/Eventing 25 session)

February 2-3 at Headley Stud in Berkshire, UK

February 6-8 at Meredyth South in Ocala, FL

February 12-14 at Stable View Farm in Aiken, SC

February 20-21 at Flying Tail Farms in Gilroy, CA

February 26-27 at Stable View Farm in Aiken, SC

March 4-5 at Meredyth South in Ocala, FL

March 18-19 at Stable View Farm in Aiken, SC

March 26-27 at Galway Downs in Temecula, CA

Super Owner Amy Lindgren Visits Her Horses

Amy Lindgren, a loyal owner and supporter of Boyd's, was out at our farm yesterday to visit with her horses and watch them jump. Amy has been generous enough, and I have been lucky enough, to have the opportunity to ride Minotaure du Passior, Amy's 12 year old Selle Francais gelding. This has been a wonderful opportunity for me, giving me the chance to ride a horse who really knows his job. "Min" has a heart of gold, and is always eager for work. Amy, the ultimate horsewoman, retired Min from competition after he won the CCI* at Bromont three years ago. Since then, Min has been enjoying life at Windurra, doing some light dressage work, going for long hacks on the nearby Runnymede hills, but has most recently returned to his one of his favorite activities, jumping. Boyd has also been hunting Min with the Cheshire Hunt this season, and Min has shown his aptitude as a true hunt horse, enjoying every minute of it.

Amy also has been supportive of the breeding that Boyd has done in Australia, importing two of his three year olds last winter and buying half shares in each of them. Ray Price and Wallaroo, both now four years old, have shown huge promise for their future eventing careers, easily understanding every lesson that they are taught and jumping small courses with ease. Both of these horses will spend the winter turned out in a huge pasture here in Pennsylvania, enjoying some much deserved time off after their first year on the job. They will continue with their training in the spring, after we return from Aiken with the fleet of competition horses.

I love when Amy comes out to watch her horses go; she has a very true love for each one of them and her happiness for spending time with them spreads throughout our barn. Thanks Amy for your support of these wonderful horses!

-Lindsey

SILVA'S CHOICE: STUBBEN SADDLES!

Approximately a year ago Silva made the choice to start riding in Stübben saddles, a saddle company which is rich in history, and who has recently added an amazing line-up of saddle designs to their offerings. Stübben recently introduce Biomex technology into their saddle design, a technology in rider and horse comfort that truly addresses back pain and discomfort.  Since making these enhancements to their saddle design, Stübben's sales have been on fire!

Per Stübben's website:

"Stübben has partnered with Biomex* Technology Center at Klinic Gut, a leading hospital for orthopedics and sports medicine in Switzerland, to create an innovative seat design that can greatly reduce a rider’s back pain. Introducing the Patent Pending Stübben Biomex*... it will revolutionize your idea of a comfortable saddle."

Read more about the Biomex Technology HERE

"Build your own Saddle with the company that has over 100 years experience custom fitting saddles to horses and their riders. With the number one focus being the horse's comfort, Stubben saddles are built on the exclusive flexible spring tree.  Why? The flexible Spring Tree allows for optimum movement and therefore performance."

Silva recognizes the benefit of the flexible spring tree to her horses.  "My horses' backs have never been better, and I hardly have any back problems at all since I have been riding in my new saddle!!"  Silva Martin.

For more information on Stubben saddles and the flexible spring tree, visit http://stubbennorthamerica.com/index.php and set up your appointment to consult with one of their expert saddle fitters!