Start ’em young…

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What gorgeous scenes did you miss from the Longines Global Champions Tour stop in Monaco? Check out our sister site Jumper Nation’s favorite shots.

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Meagan DeLisle of Jumper Nation closes one door and opens another.

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Amateur rider Alma Bjorklund grew up as a pony-loving child in Sweden, but has spent the past five years with her family in Wellington, Florida. With a whole new horse show scene to tackle, Alma began to push herself to new heights under the guidance of trainer, Eddie Macken. As life begins to take her down the road to a new adventure, JN caught up with Alma to talk about her riding career up until this point and what the future may hold for her.

A Family Affair

Alma can’t quite remember at what point she started riding, as horses have always been a huge part of her life. Both of her parents rode throughout her childhood and Alma grew up immersed in the horse show atmosphere. It was only natural that she would follow in her parent’s footsteps and begin to ride herself.

Alma with her mother and brother. Photo courtesy of Alma Bjorklund.

“My dad was often traveling during the week,” Alma shared. “Going to horse shows with my pony on the weekends kind of became our ‘thing.’” Both Alma’s mother and father were extremely supportive of her desires to grow as a horsewoman and with each passing year, Alma blossomed. At the age of 12, Alma attended the Swedish championship for small ponies and later competed at the European Championship in the large ponies before making the leap to horses. Looking back, Alma cherishes the opportunities she had as a pony-jockey in Europe.

“Personally, I find that getting the opportunity to compete at a higher level and on a team on ponies is not only fun and an amazing learning experience, but also a way to introduce younger riders to the workings of the highest level of the sport,” she noted.

Hello USA

With Alma and her brother, Viggo, so deeply invested in the horse show scene, the Bjorklund family was willing to do whatever it took to help them pursue their passion, including making a major life change. After visiting Viggo’s trainer at the time in Wellington, Florida, the Bjorklund family fell in love with the atmosphere in Wellington and decided to extend their visit.

“Originally we were only supposed to stay for a year,” Alma recalled. “But once it was decided that I would go to an American college and Viggo was able to attend his remaining years of high school here, we ended up permanently moving. I believe that to my family, Wellington was unique in the sense that it is so completely centered on the equestrian lifestyle, and it very quickly became home to us!”

Alma and her mother celebrating after winning the high classic in Wellington this winter. Photo by Annie Lever.

Alma enrolled in the University of Miami with a major in political science, but she didn’t want to slow her momentum in the show ring. When the chance to train with Ireland’s highly decorated trainer Eddie Macken opened up, she jumped on the opportunity.

“I feel very lucky to be able to learn from someone who not only has won pretty much everything there is to win, but who also is an inspiration outside of the show ring. Despite all of his accomplishments, Eddie is humble and considerate to everyone around him and he always puts the horses first,” said Alma.

Having been raised with a German-style riding foundation while in Sweden, Alma is very thankful for her strong foundation in flat work, but says that she had a couple of things to focus on upon moving to the States.

A great week for these two siblings @almalinneab and @viggobjorklund winning the under 25 Nations Cup and the High Amateur Classic. Well Done Alma and Viggo! #WEF4

A post shared by Eddie Macken (@e.m.training) on Feb 5, 2018 at 6:33pm PST

“When I first started training with Eddie, the main thing we worked on was for me to be lighter in the saddle. I remember that during one of my first lessons with Eddie, I was jumping around on one of my horses, and when I finished he said something along the lines of, ‘that’s good, but you ride with a lot of seat and leg, and it doesn’t suit you.’ Up until that point I had always kind of assumed that a strong rider was a better rider, and Eddie helped me realize that that isn’t always the case. I think that lightening my seat up has made a big difference for me in the ring in the sense that it has made me a smoother rider and helped me stay out of the horses’ way, trusting them to do their part.”

A Summer of Success

That little bit of polishing, thanks to Eddie’s guidance, gave the young amateur the edge she needed to step up her game in the ring. Partnered with some phenomenal horses, Alma has worked her way up to competing in several grand prix classes up to the 1.50m level. Most recently, Alma brought home two first-place finishes at the Lexington International CSI2* stop of the Split Rock Jumping Tour aboard the 14-year-old Swedish Warmblood, Flecu.

Originally her brother’s mount, Flecu has been in the family since 2015. However, when Viggo started college in California this past fall, Alma took over the reins. “He is quite the personality,” she shared with JN. “He is very obnoxious. He knows just how good he is and insists he is treated accordingly. God forbid someone walks by his stall at the show without stopping to give him a treat or a pat. He is, however, lovely to ride both on the flat and in the ring. He always wants to win and is both careful and scopey.”

FLECU & ALMA BJORKLUND took the win in the $1,000 High Jr/AO Speed class! ????? #splitrockjumpingtour #srjt #winner #fistpump #winninground #showjumping #podium #usashowjumping #equine #equestrian

A post shared by Split Rock Jumping Tour (@splitrockjumpingtour) on May 26, 2018 at 3:29am PDT

Coming off of their first place finish in the High AO/JR Jumper class at the Kentucky Spring Classic, Alma knew Flecu had what it took to come out on top at Split Rock. “I was going into both classes trying to win,” Alma stated. “Flecu had been going fantastically the past couple of weeks and I figured we had nothing to lose.”

And Alma was right! The duo tore through the $1000 High Jr/AM Speed round on Friday and came out a whole four seconds faster than the second place finisher with a time of 49.602 seconds. While the round was lightning fast, Alma and Flecu made it appear effortless as they floated around the ring in style.

Hoping to continue on with their momentum, the pair returned to the ring on Sunday for the $7500 Horseflight 1.40m JR/AM final where they delivered a flawless first round. Four riders were clear for the jump-off and Alma knew she and her partner were going to have to deliver their best in order to bring home another blue. Their expertly navigated jump-off course helped them seal the deal. With each finalist just shy of a second apart from one another the race was tight, but Alma and Flecu secured the win on a jump-off time of 35.538 seconds.

Next on the show docket for Alma is the CSI2* in Bolesworth, England where she hopes to maintain her competitive edge before she begins to focus on a career. “My long-term goals and riding career in general are a little more up in the air. Although, I hope to be able to continue to compete on a smaller scale,” she shared.

As much as Alma loves riding, she is content competing as an amateur. “I love riding and it is a huge part of who I am, but it is first and foremost a hobby,” Alma told JN. “I have always been very focused in school, and determined to eventually pursue a career outside of the horses. I think this is partly due to the fact that I grew up in a family where academics are valued very highly, but I also think that I realized pretty early on in my riding career that making it as a professional rider at the top level is no easy task — even the most talented and hardworking riders don’t always make it. So I kind of looked at it and decided that although I love riding, there are other things that I am passionate about as well, and perhaps better suited for.”

For now Alma, just wants to enjoy her time in the saddle and continue to grow and learn as a rider. With the undying support of her family and a fantastic trainer to guide her along the way, there is no doubt that Alma has all the opportunities in the world to see her dreams unfold. JN wishes Alma the best of luck in England this week and we hope to continue to see her across our radar in the years to come.

“That’s the way life goes, though, especially in the horse world. There are ups and downs, ebbs and flows. It can’t always be easy, but does it have to be so hard? I sat there sniffling into the phone as my loose horse trotted around like a fancy dressage mount in glee.”

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Like Father, like son.

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If the mark of a good equestrian is making their discipline of choice look effortless, then Susan Sisco has crossed over into true greatness.

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Seriously though, why has no one made a good equestrian drama? We’ve got all the characters…

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Watch exactly where Harrie Smolders was able to get the jump on his competition at last weekend’s Global Champions Tour event, courtesy of our sister site Jumper Nation!

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“Has talent; needs direction.”

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Little research has been conducted on indoor riding arena environments. To remedy this gap in understanding the effects on horse and human health from indoor arenas, a graduate student in the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment’s Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering is conducting a survey to learn more.

Master’s degree candidate Staci McGill intends to gather information on how environmental exposures and arena design impacts heat transfer, air quality and the health of both horses and riders. The survey will be available through July 24 HERE.

Photo by Alissa King / JN

The survey asks owners, managers and riders about air quality, conditions, arena footing and associated health outcomes in horses and humans. It also includes questions about arena design, such as footing, maintenance, number of windows and doors, the arena environment and if horses are stabled in the same building.

“I am a rider who has always been conscious of the fact that our horses are athletes. We ask them to do so much for us, and yet I’ve seen so many who are coughing or tripping and just not performing to the best of their ability,” McGill said. “I wondered if the environment they are in affects them, and I wanted to learn more.”

According to McGill, the survey will examine if there are common characteristics or designs used in the construction of indoor riding arenas, determine what ventilation is used and if there are areas of concern from a health perspective. The accumulated date will ultimately result in advice on better design to provide the healthiest environment for horses, riders, trainers, instructors and spectators of equine sports.

Morgan Hayes, livestock systems extension specialist and McGill’s advisor, said, “We suspect there are some common environmental challenges in arenas like dust levels and moisture management. Quantifying the percent of arena owners and occupants with environmental concerns will assist with prioritizing research needs.”

Another of McGill’s committee advisors, Mick Peterson, director of UK Ag Equine Programs, explained the importance of the research.

“In spite of the association of horse arenas with human and equine health, they continue to be built based on experience rather than science. This engineering research will help inform efforts within the industry to develop a more systematic understanding of the materials and designs of equine arenas,” he said.

Kimberly Tumlin is also one of McGill’s master’s degree committee members.

“Environmental and occupational health are fundamental aspects of public health, and this research touches on both in the equestrian population. I am delighted to collaborate on a project that will provide a framework to potentially improve health outcomes across both occupational and recreational use of indoor equestrian arenas,” said Tumlin, assistant dean in the UK College of Public Health. “This survey combines one of the first lines of assurance of environmental and occupational health, the design and engineering controls to minimize or eliminate environmental exposures. The participants in this survey will help us understand how design factors impact health outcomes, particularly in temperature and respiratory exposures.”

McGill’s area of concentration is livestock systems engineering and controlled environment engineering. Other advisors on McGill’s committee include Joseph Taraba, bioenvironmental engineering extension specialist, and Bob Coleman, extension horse specialist.

The indisputable champion of Beezie Madden’s string, Breitling LS is a total rockstar. Here are 10 photos to prove it.

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Trainers can be hard to shop for. Our sister site Jumper Nation has a few great ideas to help you out!

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Horse sales ads can have a language all their own. Meagan DeLisle of our sister site Jumper Nation provides a handy tongue-in-cheek guide towards interpreting what buyers really mean.

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How can you transform your passion into your career? Abigail McArdle dishes to Jumper Nation about the opportunity that opened all the doors.

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I have chronicled several of my husband, Wayne’s, ventures into “horse show husbandry” on Horse Nation. First there was the How to Train Your Horse Show Spouse series, where Wayne navigated the waters of horse showing one step at a time.

Then there was our first anniversary, where Wayne ever so lovingly allowed me to pick the destination: The Kentucky 3-Day Event. And who can forget the time I let Wayne take the reins (metaphorically, not literally) and write up his own thoughts on being a horse husband in “10 Scary Things I Have Said to My Horse Show Husband.”

There isn’t a day in our life together that we don’t get to laugh at the expense of one another over horse related topics. It isn’t uncommon for me to receive a fairly entertaining text message that I may or may not screenshot and send out to my horsey friends for our giggle of the day. That’s when it hit me.

I have a treasure trove of content right at my fingertips.

So I present to you, good people of Jumper Nation, actual texts from the horse show husband himself. Bless his soul.

1) The Donkey Endeavor

2) Out of Order

3) Dear SmartPak, You Are Like the Third Person in Our Marriage

4) The Dream Birthday Present

5) You Broke Your Calculator

6) Wayne is Psychic

7) Press 1 for English

Go Horse Show Husbands!

Today we are throwing it back Longines Global Champion Tour (LGCT) style. Gregory Wathelet is a young professional from Belgium who has made quite the name for himself in international show jumping. He rides with poise and style and keeps his composure in high stress situations… such as, oh I don’t know, having your bridle fall off in the middle of the course.

It was the summer of 2014 and the then 19-year-old Gregory was contesting the Prix du Qatar 1.50m course laid out at the LGCT stop in Paris. All was well for the first half of the course when a wardrobe malfunction aimed to wreck his beautiful ride.

Near the end of this round, the crown piece of his mount Conrad De Hus’s bridle slipped forward, taking the horse’s ear bonnet captive along with it. With only a few jumps left to finish out the ride, Gregory decided to make the best of the situation, despite the fact that the bonnet and bridle were flying up and blocking Conrad’s vision. The horse was a saint, however, and Gregory perfectly executed the remainder of the course.

Just your subtle reminder to…

Go Jumping.

It happens to the best of us.

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ISO: Talented young horse with scope, potential for upper levels, and…. drive to go around a course on his own?

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You’re never too old to start.

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