Going for Gold - By Jacqueline Duke

re: Going for Gold - By Jacqueline Duke

Rachel — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 17:36:05 GMT

My bad on "just" show jumping, I was quite young...doesn't matter he wasn't an ex-racehorse or if ANY of the TB's are OTTB...that's the point, TB's ruled 3-day and jumping when I was a teen...

I saw at the WEG site the TB's horse's "nationality" on the American teams...I think 2 are from Ireland, one is a "down-under" & 2 are American...(I think, don't have time to go check again)

It's great, if the Jockey Club invested just a tad of publicity for what else the TB can do (like take a page from the Quarter Horse world) then just maybe the breed could get out of the mindset it has to be "rescued".

re: Going for Gold - By Jacqueline Duke

Melissa — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 19:04:34 GMT

Thanks for the overview! While 3 out 4 of the eventing team are riding full TBs....only one is an ex-race horse and Buck is riding the only non-full TB. His horse is an Irish cross (so there is a lot of TB blood in there). Boyd Martin is riding the only ex-race horse on the team...one that he bought for $300 off a meat truck in Australia. Becky is riding the other ex-race horse as an individual (Courageous Comet --an outstanding horse). But much TB blood is flowing in many of the horses from all the countries at the WEG. And many ex-racers do go on to great success in the sport world--especially eventing. Your blog is just a bit incorrect in details but spot on in spirit.

re: Going for Gold - By Jacqueline Duke

farrier — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 15:30:38 GMT

I will never forget watching the diminutive TB mare "Touch of Class" and Joe Fargis canter down to the jumps that towered above her ears, in the '84 Olympics. The crowd held its breath as we watched her soar over them all, and do it round after round! Our show jumping team won the team gold and the individual gold and silver that year. She was one of the 4 team horses and also one of the individual medal winners. I still get chills thinking of her jumping there in the infield at Santa Anita. I hope the WEG will leave people with memories like mine. Those that last a lietime.

re: Going for Gold - By Jacqueline Duke

Lynne — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 12:35:28 GMT

Good luck to all competitors & to the success of the Games!

re: Going for Gold - By Jacqueline Duke

Annalisa — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 22:15:26 GMT

Hi Jackie, Winsome Adante is mostly thoroughbred but not 100 percent. Neither is Buck Davidson's horse (Ballynoe Castle). Poggio was indeed an OTTB but is now retired and packing Amy's neice around.

re: Going for Gold - By Jacqueline Duke

Michael Martin — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 14:50:47 GMT

It is important to all breeders, owners, and trainers to recognize the contributions of thoroughbreds to the World Equestrian Games. Even in dressage, if you scratch the surface of the pedigree, you will find registered thoroughbred stallions such as Furioso and Ladykiller, amongst many others, in the background of most warmbloods.

On a related note, retraining off track thoroughbreds for these disciplines should receive more emphasis from all involved in racing.

re: Going for Gold - By Jacqueline Duke

Katie — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 13:07:08 GMT

Sorry to burst your bubble, but here goes:

* Winsome Adante is cross-bred (84.5% TB; 9.5% Arabian, and 6% Irish sport horse)

* Mandiba's dam is only 7/8 TB.

* Buck Davidson's horse, Ballynoe Castle RM, is a Belgian WB/Irish TB cross.

Also, Amy Tryon's horse, Leyland, is an American-bred TB...and he did have a brief career on the track.

re: Going for Gold - By Jacqueline Duke

Bellwether — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 04:24:10 GMT

EVEN THOUGH JOHN & HIS PEOPLE NEVER GOT BACK WITH BELLWETHER PRODUCTIONS LLC WE HOPE THEY DUE WELL...BUT THAT WONDERFUL HORSE PARK WILL NEVER BEE THE SAME WITH OUT "THE GREAT ONE"...JOHN HENRY!!!...LONG LIVE THE KING BABY!!!...ty...

re: Going for Gold - By Jacqueline Duke

Pat, A Canadian Watching — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 13:20:52 GMT

Thx for the overview, Jacqueline. Good to know that our Roger Attfield will be there, albeit as a spectator. He, in his own rite, is a horseman of excellence. I've been to KHP in the past and plan to travel there again next summer, so I know what a tremendous venue it is at which to hold these Games. I have some American friends who will be attending to watch and have tickets to see Moorlands Totilas in action. What a privilege! I hope you will continue to file reports with BH. If not, will they be posted elsewhere? We are definitely interested here in Canada and cheering for our Canadian team. Our CBC/BOLD TV will be covering about 20 hours of live coverage, thank goodness. Have a great WEG!!!

re: Going for Gold - By Jacqueline Duke

txhorsefan — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 23:26:43 GMT

Thank you for this article focusing the spotlight on the upcoming WEG and the Thoroughbreds who will be competing in many areas. The Kentucky Horse Park is hallowed ground to me and I'd love to see all these equine athletes in action over the next several weeks, but it's not a trip I can make at this time. I do hope that many people are able to get there to be a part of it and it will be held in the US again. Thank you.

re: Going for Gold - By Jacqueline Duke

Jackie — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 20:06:55 GMT

Gem Twist was not an eventer but a show jumper who earned two Olympic medals in 1988. He was a Thoroughbred but not an ex-racehorse.

re: Going for Gold - By Jacqueline Duke

Smarty Cat — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 19:38:05 GMT

While you mention "eventing" and the reference to "galloping" 3 times in the same paragraph, this gives the incorrect impression that eventing is only galloping through cross-country courses. And nowhere in your references to "3-day event" and "3-day team" do you mention what the equine & human competitors do on the other 2 days of eventing. Our magnificent Thoroughbreds must show incredible strength, flexibility, balance & restrained obedience to do the rider's bidding in Dressage (the 1st day of eventing) & they must exhibit great agility, speed & timing to negotiate a tight course of huge jumps over 5 feet in Stadium Jumping (the 3rd & final day of eventing). Eventing horses are amazingly fit, talented & fearless, and I will be cheering loudest for our retired Thoroughbred racehorses when I attend the WEG. Thank you for this article and bringing the upcoming WEG and its importance to KY to the attention of the Blood Horse readership.

re: Going for Gold - By Jacqueline Duke

Rachel — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 16:59:20 GMT

PS You left out the number one Olympic/Eventing TB of all time: Gem Twist

re: Going for Gold - By Jacqueline Duke

Rachel — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 16:57:17 GMT

Are Poggio II (OTTB) and Woodbourn there, too?