It was with shock and sadness that I learned of Jon’s unexpected passing earlier this week. I did not know Jon well, but I do have a vivid memory of our first meeting, because he was the first international dressage rider I ever interviewed in person, after he won a class at the CDI Blainville […]
If you didn’t see my post from last week, you might want to take a wander back there before reading today’s, which is an update to the story I wrote about last week, a story that is getting weirder by the minute. First of all, I’d like to give my weekly ‘intrepid reporter’ kudos to […]
I thought I would be posting this yesterday, but due to some mysterious British logic, Badminton’s show jumping round was today and not on the ‘traditional’ Day of the Sun. And I certainly didn’t want to jinx Rebecca and Rupert by gushing about how awesome they had done until the last rail on the last fence of […]
Racing: the domain of rich people in silly hats Way back in her first term as FEI Prez, I remember hearing HRH Princess Haya mention that the disciplines of racing and polo were on her radar as potential future FEI family members. Because WEG isn’t big enough already, right? And because equestrian sport isn’t already […]
The Dressage Summit, that is. No, I didn’t go. I wasn’t even invited, which doesn’t surprise me THAT much, given my muckraking ways. Believe it or not, though, no one is more keen to write good news about Canadian dressage than yours truly. Truly. But I broke my rose-tinted glasses back in elementary school (actually […]
You’d think that in the world’s most populous country – one with an ‘authoritarian regime’ no less – they could compell some bums into seats, even if it IS to watch third rate show jumping. You’d also think there would be at least one photographer on hand who understands that nose-first is not the most […]
Given that I’ve kept you all in the dark these past couple of weeks, I thought I ought to let you know what you can look forward to here on Straight-Up over the spring and summer. I plan on catching all the Badminton action the first weekend of May (thanks to the miracle of FEI […]
Today’s post is only peripherally connected to actual horses, but I feel compelled both to explain and garner your sympathy for my failure to keep you entertained over the past couple of weeks. Two days ago, I performed one of the strangest duties I have ever been asked to do – correction: THE strangest duty […]
Or is it? It depends on whether you are a dressage rider from Mexico. Or an eventer from Canada. The FEI Sports Forum was the talk of Lausanne these past few days. And it was the filler of my inbox. Holy sheesh that was more press releases per diem than they have during the Olympics. […]
They’ll eat anything in China. But apparently the people of Beijing will be holding off on the horse, at least until a bunch of top European show jumpers have done their best (or worst) on borrowed equines in the Olympic Bird’s Nest stadium during the fabulously important sounding Longines Beijing Equestrian Masters, set to take […]
