Busy Weekend at Fair Hill Starter Trial and HPNJ

Lilybridge had an especially busy weekend, competing at back-to-back events. I spent the weekend coaching as all of my horses had a more relaxing weekend back at home.

Fair Hill:

On Saturday, we headed to Fair Hill Starter Trial in near-monsoon conditions. Cassidy Heitzenrater gave her own Go Devil Go great rides in the Novice, having one of their best dressage tests to date, a clear show jumping round and an educational cross country round. 

Jesse Connell added just two rails to her competitive dressage score aboard Tamulligan Fly for eighth place in her Novice division. Coloured Gem made his return to eventing with owner Emma Stradley. "Gem" didn't seem to have skipped a beat during his hiatus and added just one rail to his dressage score. A huge congratulation to my student Lyndsay Poole who moved her young horse Forte up to Novice and added nothing to their dressage score to WIN the division!

In the Beginner Novice, MacKenzie Verna sat second after dressage and added one rail to finish third with Your Lucky Day. Working student Jenn Catalano brought her mare Validation to do only a dressage test, and "Koffee" was very excited to be out and about. Joy Atwell made her much-anticipated eventing debut in the Beginner Novice with her young horse Ryker. They schooled us all in the jumping phases, finishing on their dressage score for third place. Emma also rode her young horse Good Prize in the Beginner Novice and he showed off his great brain with three great phases other than one baby moment at the ditch.

I was very pleased with all of these pairs' performances, but perhaps even more pleased to get home and out of the torrential downpour!

HPNJ Horse Trial:

We turned right around to head to the Horse Park of New Jersey Horse Trial on Sunday.  Tori Kager rode sales horse Stonewall Winters in the Training Level and they added just a rail and a bit of time cross country. We were so excited for Zehra Gundogan and Captivate to get back out there. "Cap" was feeling uncharacteristically fresh in dressage, but put in a clear show jumping round and finished the Training cross country confidently to redeem himself. 

Stonewall Winters and Tory

Annelise Aurillo rode Rasher to a great dressage test and a clear show jumping round. Though he had a disappointing problem spot on cross country, Rasher had a constructive day and overcame down bank demons that have been following him around lately.  Aberjoy had many things on the brain and dressage was not one of them, but Nicole Spiropolous put in excellent jump rides to finish on their dressage score for 12th of 23 in their Training Level division. 

In the Novice, Braden Speck rode Rosenharley Romello to a fifth place finish on his dressage score. Hannah Daneker rode Peace Proposal to finish on her dressage score for ninth in another Novice division. Tori Kager's young horse Sage Advice also added no faults to her dressage score.

It was a long but rewarding weekend as I am always excited to see my students' hard work pay off.  Next weekend we do not have a competition scheduled and then we will be back out at the Maryland Horse Trials the following week. 

Wishing everyone a happy and relaxing Fourth of July weekend!

Exciting New Sponsorship With KL Select & USG

For Immediate Release: Date:  June 22, 2015

KL Select

www.klselect.com

Stonington, CT 06378

KL Select & USG (United Sportsproducts Germany) are thrilled to welcome American 3-Day Event Rider, Erin Sylvester, to their team of sponsored professional riders.  

KL Select is the exclusive distributor of USG’s products in the USA since 2010, quickly climbing to the top of the US sales charts by offering a vast array of colorful & functional breeches, socks, saddle pads and matching fly veils.  KL Select also offers within the US market USG’s and Europe’s #1 rated Body Protector and Equi Air Bags.

Erin Sylvester, an established 4-Star Rider, owns & operates Lilybridge Eventing, located in Cochranville, Pennsylvania.  Lilybridge Eventing is a full-service training facility with a barn full of competition horses and developing riders of all levels who campaign at USEA sanctioned events.  

Erin and her horse, No Boundaries, received USEA’s 2014 Horse of the Year title following their string of international successes.  

Erin is currently using USG Safety Equipment, both the Flexi Body Protector and the Equi Airbag, joining the ranks of International riders like Ingrid Klimke, who only use Germany’s #1 rated Safety Equipment.  The USG Safety Equipment recently received the BETA 2015 Safety & Security Award, a top international recognition.

You can expect to see Erin sporting her USG breeches, in a variety of styles and fun colors, during her every day rides and in competition.  Erin’s horses will also be outfitted with USG Saddle Pads and matching Fly Veils.

Watching this talented young lady compete is a breath-taking experience, and it is with pleasure that USG-USA welcomes Erin to their team and    looks forward to keeping her safe and looking fabulous on her journey to the top.  Erin Sylvester’s talent clearly knows “No Boundaries”.

Learn more about Erin Sylvester and  Lilybridge Eventing atwww.lilybridgeeventing.com

Great Meadows Recap!

No Boundaries and Mettraise attended Great Meadows CIC3* this weekend as the first lead-up event for their Fall CCIs. I am extremely proud of both horses' performances.

This was Missy's first 3* completion and only her second Advanced run, and she took it all in stride. I was pleased with her dressage test on Friday evening; while she is still quite green at the movements, she is trying very hard to maintain composure and I was disappointed that her score did not reflect her efforts. She jumped out of her skin for a clear show jumping round on Saturday and then absolutely skipped around the cross country on Sunday.  I ran her quite slowly as her confidence was my top priority this weekend.

Missy Earned A Well Deserved Nap!

Bucky only did a combined test, and he couldn't have been any more bitter about it on Sunday when he had to watch all of the other horses going back and forth from cross country.  Next time, Buckster… 

His dressage test on Friday was very relaxed and obedient and he sat 9th on a 50.8. I am hopeful that his next time out I can ask for even more from him since he is so confirmed in the flatwork now.  He put in a great effort and pulled out a clear show jumping round on Saturday.

Great Meadows proved to be an excellent event, in spite of atrocious weather on Saturday.  I look forward to my two "big kids'" next outing to replicate and improve upon their results and to let Bucky run fast and jump big! 

A big thanks to Emma Stradley for taking great care of them this weekend and to Jess McCabe and Jenn Catalano for keeping the farm running at home.  Next weekend Team Lily is going back to back at the Fair Hill Starter on Saturday and Horse Park of New Jersey on Sunday.  The majority of our riders will be competing, so check back for a full recap!

Busy Weekend for Team Lily at Plantation June HT!

It was a busy weekend for Team Lily at Plantation, with twelve horses from within the barn competing across the two days.

On Saturday, Kaelen Speck and her mare Sweet Rebellion put in another stellar performance at Preliminary, adding only time to a competitive dressage score to finish second.  In the Training, Gabbie Ciccone had a great dressage test to sit in third with her Some Kind of Wonderful.  Her two rails in stadium were unfortunate but they followed that up with a double clear cross country round to bring home third in her Training division!

Nicole Spiropolous and her new ride Aberjoy completed their first Training together in good form, save for one unlucky rail and a green moment at the ditch on cross country.  I rode my young OTTB, Bold Tiger, in his first event of the year and he impressed us with a respectable dressage (in spite of a very short warmup) and exuberant jumping rounds to finish on his dressage score for seventh in the Novice.  Finishing right behind us in eighth on his dressage score was Stonewall Winters with Tori Kager in the irons. We were also happy to see students Miranda Webb and Lyndsey Barrett have great outings and add only time to their dressage scores in the Training and Novice, respectively.

Braden and Weasel in the warm up.

On Sunday we returned for the Unrecognized competition.  Annelise Aurillo and Rasher started the day off at Training level with a great dressage test followed by a near-perfect show jumping round and an educational cross country round. Rasher is still green at this level, and Annelise persevered to get it done out there and made us all proud.

In the Novice, Braden Speck won the dressage on an amazing 25.40,  unfortunately Weasel bested his jockey with a pony move in stadium but Braden redeemed himself with a great clear cross country round!  Heather Cooper finished on her dressage score for second in the Novice with Regal Dancer, with Jesse Connell and Corduroy close behind in fourth after a strong cross country ride.

Heather Cooper on Regal Dancer

Cassidy Heitzenrater competed Go Devil Go in her first outing of the season, and Cassidy rode extremely well through some rusty, green moments to have a confidence-building day. Summer working student Jenn Catalano had her mare Validation in the Novice and put in a nice dressage test but sadly their day was cut short after disagreements in show jumping.  We were disappointed that Mackenzie Verna and Hannah Daneker were unable to compete due to unfortunate circumstances and look forward to having them back out with the team in the near future!

All in all, it was a great weekend at our favorite local event and I am proud of all of my students for their hard work thus far this season.  Team Lily was also so pleased with our eventing community pulling together for our friend Seema; the love for her over the weekend was so apparent and well represented by all the riders sporting purple gear.  She was an incredible contributor to the sport and will be greatly missed!

(Almost) End of Season Wrap Up!!

Well its been an exciting fall season for our crew of riders and horses, and it's hard to believe its coming to an end!  Our fall season started off with a bang at Richland Park, and we have been powering through one competition after another every weekend since then!!!  

Last weekend we wrapped up our traveling fall season with a huge showing at Virginia Horse Trials, bringing home several top placings across the levels.  We have two more starter trials to look forward to before hanging the show clothes up for the season.

Lilybridge Eventers at the Virginia HT
Gayle Hughes Photo

I am so proud of the progress several of our riders have made in the past few months, and it's certainly making this season wrap up on a sweet note.  We have two new-comer combinations at the FEI 1* level, Annelise Aurillo riding Peace Proposal, and Kaelen Speck riding Sweet Rebellion.  These two combinations have been plugging away at preliminary since the summer, and have really impressed me with their progress leading up to their 1*s at Plantation and Virginia.  Kaelen's stellar weekend at Virginia CCI1* was cut a bit short with an emergency dismount on cross-country, but no doubt they will be back at it and kicking butt at the 1* level in the spring.  Annelise wrapped up with a stellar third place finish at the Virginia CCI1* in the Young Rider division.

We have had several novice riders cleaning up at the events all this fall, and they finished the season with a bang at Virginia.  Hannah Daneker has been schooling all of us riding Classy Lady at the novice level this fall, finishing up with a win at Virginia. Sarah Hughes has been educating her young Charlie at novice, and they now have two solid finishes at the level.  They will be wrapping up the season at Full Moon Farm.  Nicole Spiropoulos has been rocking around at the novice level as well, finishing fifth in her last two starts.  

It was also exciting to have Gabbi Ciccone and Lucie Hughes competing with us for the weekend, Gabbi finishing 8th in the Training Championships and Lucie winning her Novice division!  MacKenzie Verna was our Beginner Novice rider for the weekend at Virginia, enjoying her traveling competition experience.  She rode exquisitely to add just two rails and a few cross country time to her dressage score.  It was exciting to have so many riders with us at Virginia, and even more exciting to watch their success!

A few of our riders will be wrapping up their season at the local starter trials in the coming weekends at Saint Augustine Pony Club and Full Moon Farm.  Among those riders will be Heather Cooper, Jesse Connell, Braden Speck, and Tori Kager who has kindly been bringing along a young prospect of mine while I have been traveling!  Here's to hoping for warm weather, although the forecast is not indicating such luck!!!

As for my own fall season with my string of competition horses, it has been a hectic yet incredibly rewarding one.  Bucky and I have just made it home from our best CCI 4* yet, finishing 6th at the Pau CCI in France.  I am overwhelmed with the support and encouragement that got me there, and I am so pleased that we could bring home such success.    Check out this great USEF Article on the event, and thanks to Libby Law for this fun photo!

Pau 2014 - Photo Libby Law

Paddy and Missy both endured the CCI2* at Fair Hill, having not quite the result planned.  They came off great finishes at Plantation, and each found their own struggles with the Fair Hill course.  I am eager to get them back out in the spring and iron out the kinks for a strong 2015 season.   I am pleased to have another FEI horse in the ranks with Campgound, a young athletic thoroughbred owned by Marnie Kelly.  Marnie and I have been quietly bringing this one along for the past four years, and he is a smart and athletic guys with potential for the top, and I am excited to see how progresses next year!  

Paddy The Caddy Fair Hill International
Photo Lisa Thomas

Mettraise Fair Hill International
Lisa Thomas Photo

With the end of the traveling season comes time to reflect on the year.  I am so thankful for my sponsors, supportive clients and friends around me…….and all who have trusted me with their kids to bring along through the eventing ranks.  I am proud of all of our riders and the progress they have made this year, and excited to see what next year will hold for us!

To wrap up this post I would like to make and official warm welcome to Jessica McCabe, who has joined our team full-time to work along side Jenn Cain!  She brings experience and skill to the table, and I think she and Jenn together might be unstoppable! 

Until next time, stay tuned ………  Erin

USEF Network's Coverage of Pau CCI 4*!

We just love this photo from Libby Law and article from the USEF Network on Erin and Bucky's recent success at the Pau CCI 4*!!  We're going to have a season wrap up for your shortly, as Lilybridge had a fabulous 2014!!

Sylvester and Kieffer Finish in Top 10 at Les Étoiles de Pau CCI4*

RELEASE: October 26, 2014
AUTHOR/ADMINISTRATOR: Helen Murray

Erin Sylvester and No Boundaries (Libby Law Photography)

Pau, France- The Les Étoiles de Pau CCI4* came to a conclusion on Sunday afternoon as 19 combinations went forward to contest Jean-Philippe Desmaret’s challenging show jumping track. The United States closed out the competition by securing two spots within the top 10.

Leading the way for the Americans was Erin Sylvester (Unionville, Pa.) with her own and Jill Tallman’s No Boundaries finishing in sixth place on 72.9 penalties. By collecting just four faults on Sunday, the pair continued their ascent up the leaderboard that saw them start the weekend in 30th place after the dressage and rise 23 places after a clear jumping effort on the cross country and final climb up another spot in the show jumping.

Land Rover USEF Competition Grant recipients Lauren Kieffer (Ocala, Fla.) and Team Rebecca, LLC’s Veronica lowered three rails in the show jumping to add 12 penalties to their overall score, finishing on 83.4 in ninth place.

Rounding out the U.S. effort was were Sharon White (Summit Point, W.V.) and her own and Richard Weber’s Wundermaske, finishing in 19th place on a score of 128.3 after collecting 16 jumping faults on Sunday.

Germany’s Ingrid Klimke earned her first CCI4* victory on Sunday producing a four-fault effort with Horseware Hale Bob in the show jumping and finishing on an overall score of 44.1. Compatriot Andreas Dibowski with FRH Butts Avedon finished in second place on 54.3, with Arnaud Boiteau and Quoriano ‘ENE HN’ of France finishing third on a score of 56.8.

To learn more about the Les Étoiles de Pau CI4*, visit: http://www.event-pau.com.                            

Welcome Home to April HT at Plantation Field!!

Erin and Henry

WOW what a fun weekend for the Team at Plantation Field Horse Trials! Our riders rode fabulously, their horses jumped great, and we came home with a heap of ribbons ... Topped off with the best weather we've had all year!

Congrats to Zehra Gundogan, Kaelen Speck, Miranda Webb, Melissa Carson, Lyndsey Poole, Hannah Daneker, and Jenn Cain for their awesome performances this weekend!  Full Results

Onto Fair Hill next weekend and then the BIG ONE at Rolex!!!!

I'm also so excited to announce LBE's new partnership with VTO Saddlery! They're the top spot around in eventing, frequenting many of the east coast horse trials with all your tack and equipment needs.  They also have wonderful customer service and will have a large tent at Rolex in the vendor's village, so please come check them out!