Full Moon Farm’s Spring Festival Fundraiser is coming up this weekend, and in advance of the fun a local news station even highlighted the Maryland venue’s efforts to raise funds and promote good horsemanship, prevent marginalization, and foster diversity, equity, and inclusion. There’s also an online auction happening in conjunction with the Festival (EN is thrilled to have donated a three-month advertising package to the auction!) that will kick off on April 12. You can get a preview of the auction and plan out your bids here.
U.S. Weekend Preview
Twin Rivers Spring International (CA): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times] [Scoring] [Volunteer]
Longleaf Pine H.T. (NC): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times] [Scoring] [Volunteer]
F.E.N.C.E. H.T. (SC): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times] [Scoring]
Unionville H.T. (PA): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times] [Volunteer]
Spring Bay H.T. (KY): [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring] [Volunteer]
Major International Events
Barefoot Retreats Burnham Market International: [Website] [Entries/Ride Times/Scoring] [Live Stream]
News & Reading
Tamie Smith is a mother, grandmother, and the first American in 15 years to win the Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5*—and she’s not slowing down. In a recent Horse Illustrated feature, Tamie shares insights on patient horse development, hill-based conditioning, and the value of empathy, shaped by her background in mental health. Her philosophy? Respect the horse, trust the process, and never rush the journey. “They don’t choose to do what we ask—they do it because they love us.” Read the full story by Shoshana Rudski here.
A legend has left us: Authentic, the iconic partner of Beezie Madden and one of the most decorated U.S. show jumpers in history, passed away this week at age 30. Known fondly as “Bud,” the Dutch Warmblood gelding helped the U.S. team to Olympic gold in both Athens (2004) and Hong Kong (2008), plus an individual bronze and two FEI World Equestrian Games silver medals. From his Grand Prix win at Aachen to countless Nations Cup heroics, Bud’s career—and his joyful retirement as “Uncle Bud” at Madden Mountain—left an indelible mark on the sport. Read more about this legend of a horse here.
Four-time Olympian Richard Davison is calling for urgent reform in dressage judging, highlighting it as the top concern following this year’s FEI Sports Forum. Writing in Horse & Hound, Davison stressed the need for clear, evidence-based rules to eliminate inconsistencies and protect equine welfare—warning against a return to outdated systems like collective marks. With growing political scrutiny and public concern over horse sport’s social license, he says the time for compromise and clarity is now. Read his full opinion piece here.
Sponsor Corner: Stable View
Look back on some sights from the Stable View spring CCI4* last weekend:
Video Break
Ahead of jumping at Defender Bramham in the UK, check out a great throwback to Harry Meade’s winning cross country from 2024:
