28 August 2024
“The king is back.” Tsetserleg TSF and Boyd Martin take the lead in the $60,000 Adequan USEA Advanced Final
Lexington, Kentucky – August 28 –With a Pan-Am team and individual gold medal, two FEI World Championships in Eventing and a victory at the Olympic Games, Tsetserleg TSF has earned the title of “King” in the Boyd Martin stable.
And today the King was back in fine form at the USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC) presented by Nutrena Feeds, in his first appearance since completing the Badminton CCI5*-L (England) in May.
The 17-year-old Trakehner gelding (Windfall 2 x Thabana) owned by Christine and Thomas Turner and Tommie Turner jumped to the top of the $60,000 Adequan USEA Advanced Final with a dressage score of 24.0.
“He’s been in top form in training,” said Martin, of Cochranville, Pennsylvania. “Our last event was badminton, of course, and he’s a little older now, so we only let him compete in the important events. And we thought the AEC would be an important event.”
“Thomas” will go to the MARS Maryland 5 Star (Elkton, Maryland) in October and Martin is well aware of the gelding’s age and experience.
“Right now he still feels young and fresh,” he said. “He’s just a gladiator. I always promised myself that we would stop as soon as he started to feel a little old. As soon as he started to feel old, we made a deal with the Turner family. But right now he looks like a million bucks. To be honest, I’ve never had a horse that was this healthy in my career, so fingers crossed.”
Martin always thanks his wife, Grand Prix dressage rider Silva Martin, for her help in flat riding his horses, but last week he had a camp at her farm in Pennsylvania and was also able to benefit from the help of his showjumping coach Peter Wylde and Grand Prix dressage rider Anna Buffini.
“Between lessons, they helped train all the horses for the AEC, so I’m a little embarrassed to say that a lot of the great results we had this weekend were not due to my training,” he said. “We had Grand Prix dressage riders and Olympic gold medalists in show jumping all in camp helping me prepare this group of horses.”
Martin said he has changed Thomas’ training over the last year, focusing on keeping him “loose” and not drilling dressage every day. His groom, Stephanie Simpson, mainly looks after the gelding’s conditioning work, which is the most important thing at his age.
“He probably does half as much dressage work as he used to, just because he knows his craft and keeps his body fresh and his mind happy,” Martin said. “He does more riding and conditioning and then trains on the flat a few times a week.”
Martin will go into tomorrow’s cross-country races without much breathing room, as Carolina Pamukcu and King’s Especiale are in second place with a score of 25.9.
The 9-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Connect x Cha Cha Cha Special) has been stabled at Pamukcu since he was four years old. He was purchased by Paul Hendrix, who still owns him together with Emil Spadone and Gail Davis under the Redfield King’s HX Group.
“He’s special. He’s great. He’s over 18 hands tall,” she said. “He still goes in a bridle in all three phases, which is pretty unheard of for a horse his size and his long stride, I think.”
The pair represented the U.S. team at the Millstreet Nations Cup in Ireland in May, and this is “King’s” first appearance back. Pamukcu, of Riegelsville, Pennsylvania, doesn’t have any big plans for him this fall.
“He’s so mature, even though he’s only 9,” she said. “I thought he didn’t need any advance notice. He knows his job. I should know my job by now, so I thought, just bring him here and have a little look around and try to win and make some money.”
“He’s one of those horses you only see once in a lifetime,” she added. “He’s such a gentle soul. Even though he’s absolutely massive, he’s so sensitive and so body-aware. He knows exactly where you are. He just cares so much about you; like he cares too much. He gives you 200% even on the ground and he just has so much heart.”
Sharon White and her five-star partner Claus 63 (Catoo x Tina II), a 12-year-old Holstein gelding, are in third place with a score of 27.4.
“We work on being very reliable and consistent and I’m happy that he got the same score from both judges and was just amazed at how professional he was,” said White, of Summit Point, West Virginia. “You have to look after yourself first – I have to be reliable too, which means I have to be focused all the time and that’s very tiring. I have to be there for him, so I’m working on being there for him.”
White has looked at the course for tomorrow and said: “It definitely suits my needs. There are some really interesting questions, not necessarily about a particular stride, but just proper cross-country riding. Hopefully I can go out and do that.”
Cross-country for advanced riders starts tomorrow at 9am
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About the USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC)
The USEA American Eventing Championships (AEC) presented by Nutrena Feeds is the pinnacle of the sport on a national level. The annual competition brings together the best juniors, adult amateurs and professionals to compete for national championship titles at all levels from Starter to Advanced. This ultimate test of horse and rider draws hundreds of pairs from across the country competing for fantastic prizes, a share of the substantial prize money and the chance to be crowned National Champion at their respective levels. In fact, the 2021 AEC attracted over 1,000 entries and is now considered the largest eventing competition in North American history. The 2024 USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds will be held August 27-September 1 at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. Click here to learn more about the USEA American Eventing Championships.
The USEA thanks Presenting Sponsor: Nutrena feed; Advanced Final title sponsor: Appropriate; Platinum level sponsor: Bates Saddles, Horse & Land; Gold Level Sponsors: ARMA, Parker Horse Insurance, PulseVet, Schneider’s Saddlery, Smartpack, Standlee; Silver Level Sponsors: Auburn Labs, Canter Culture Riding Clothing, Kerrits, The Jockey Club, Rood & Riddles; Bronze Level Sponsor: 70 degrees, Athletux, The Chronicle of the Horse, DG Stackhouse & Ellis, Dubarry of Ireland, Equestrian teamwear, Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, Power horse walkers, Majyk team, Project for retired racehorses, Ride EquiSafe, Santa Cruz Animal Health; Contributing level sponsors: Cross Country App, Georgetown – Tourism in Scott County, Lexmark, LV Harkness, #WeDriveTogether; and sponsors of the prize levels: BEMERS, Big Ass Fans, Boyd Martin Fan Shop, Ecogold, EquiFit, Equilab, FarmVet, FLAIR Equine Nose Strips, Horses for your attention, I love my horse Eventing boutique, Jack’s Favorites, Jane Heart Jewelry, Kentucky Equine Research, LeMieux, Mare goods, Neighborhood Tack, Outlaw Diet, Palmera Polo, Parkmore Additions, Practical rider / horse network, Rachel Dory Equine Fine Art, Remond Minerals, Secretariat Center, Shapley’s, Sidelines Magazine, Progress towards equal rights for ridersAnd VTO Saddlery.
About the Adams Horse Supply USEA Adult Team Championships
First held in 2014, the Adams Horse Supply USEA Adult Team Championships is the pinnacle of the USEA Area Adult Team Challenges, offering adults the opportunity to compete as a team and represent their region of the country in a friendly and fun environment. In the past, adult riders have had three regional team challenges where they could compete in a team environment with other adults. The venues have changed each year. In 2013, the USEA Adult Rider Coordinators decided to support the Adult Team Challenges in all 10 regions across the country. The finale is the ATC at the USEA American Eventing Championships presented by Nutrena Feeds. Each region can send up to eight teams from the novice to preliminary levels to the ATC. Adult riders know how to have fun, and they undoubtedly add more excitement and camaraderie to the AEC! Click here to learn more about the Adams Horse Supply USEA Adult Team Championships.
The USEA thanks the title sponsor, Adams Horse SuppliesAnd ARMA, The Chronicle of the Horse, Equilab, FLAIR Equine Nose Strips, Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, Kerrits, Nutrena feed, PulseVet, Driving-iQ, Santa Cruz Animal Health, Schneider’s Saddlery, Sidelines MagazineAnd SmartPak for sponsoring the adult team championships.