Since moving from the U.S. to the UK to base with Australia’s Kevin McNab, Alexa Gartenberg has put her goal of putting the building blocks of future success into place into practice. She’s quietly racked up some strong results, and even when her Nations Cup team debut went unluckily sideways in 2024 at Boekelo, she didn’t allow it to define anything. This weekend in Ireland, Alexa earned a big achievement, taking the Goresbridge Horse Sales CCI4*-S title at Ballindenisk with the 13-year-old Cooley Kildaire.
Alexa and “Kili” have grown more and more consistent as their partnership — which begun in 2022 — solidified, and this win is the latest result of that cultivation.
Tom Continues the Tear: Meanwhile, Tom McEwen continued his winning ways at Ballindenisk, winning the NutriScience CCI4*-L (Class Romance), the TRM CCI3*-S (Maestro) and the CCI2*-L (GHS Diamanta). This makes seven four-star wins for Tom this season and, according to EquiRatings, since at least 2008 no rider has collected eight wins at the level in a single season (and we can see how that would be difficult, through the sheer issue of both horse numbers and event numbers). While he’s near certainly not chasing this record as a goal, if he were to achieve it even by accident he’s not got many chances left on the year. He’s got a definite entry at Boekelo this weekend with Isa, but just a couple of options, event-wise beyond that.
[See full Ballindenisk results]
Major International Event Results
FEI Eventing Nations Cup – Lignières (France): [Website] [Scoring] [FEI Eventing Nations Cup 2026] [Live Stream Replays – FEI YouTube] [Live Stream Replays – ClipMyHorse.TV]
Ballindenisk CCI4*-L (Ireland): [Website] [Scoring]
Eventing at the Parks and Canadian Eastern Eventing Championships (Ontario, Canada): [Website] [Scoring]
U.S. Weekend Preview
Stable View Oktoberfest CCI4*-S (SC): [Website] [Scoring] [Live Stream Replays – H&C+]
Spokane Sport Horse 12th Annual Fall H.T. (WA): [Website] [Scoring]
Sundance Farm H.T. (WI): [Website] [Entries/Timing/Scoring]
Jump Start H.T. (KY): [Website] [Scoring]
Tomora H.T. (CO): [Website] [Scoring]
Old Tavern H.T. (VA): [Website] [Scoring]
ESDCTA New Jersey H.T. (NJ): [Website] [Scoring]
Course Brook Farm Fall H.T. (MS): [Website] [Scoring]
In the News
- #ICYMI, Bouckaert Farm in Georgia announced the addition of dedicated U25 FEI divisions at its upcoming October event as well as its three 2027 offerings. Venue owner and Belgian Olympian Carl Bouckaert said it’s a step near and dear to his heart, providing next gen riders the chance to measure up against others of the same generation.
- The American Horse Council has expressed support for the recent introduction of H.R. 10611, the Temporary International Movement of Equines (TIME) Act. The bill, which would bring international equine transport regulations in the U.S. into alignment with the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) — presumably making it easier for horse to move into the U.S. for competitions, etc. — now enters into the next steps of legislation.
Recommended Reading & Listening
- “Soak time.”: An appropriate name for taking the time that it takes for information to absorb when working with horses. Read more.
- “How to ride better for your horse”: Missives from Carl Hester’s Masterclass at Dressage at Devon. Read it.
- Burghley champion Gemma Stevens joined the Jon & Rick Show for their latest episode
Sponsor Corner: Which John Deere Discount Program is Best for You?
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Coaching Corner
Go Eventing Moment of the Day
Another reminder of the Thoroughbred’s place in the sport:
