McLain Ward & Sapphire win the $1,000,000 Grand Prix at Spruce Meadows!

McLain & Sapphire, who ride in ECOGOLD's Forward Flap Hunter pad, showed they were the best of the best at Spruce Meadows, winning the $1,000,000 CN International Grand Prix, by 0.2 seconds in the jump-off. Wow!!!

Burghley: Phillip 4th, Oliver Townend wins!

Videos from Burghley Horse Trials' spectacular showjumping finale where British favorite Oliver Townend signed, sealed & delivered his victory. Ecogold-sponsored rider Phillip Dutton finished in 4th place with TruLuck. Buck finished in 11th (came up from 16th) and will undergo surgery for his hernia in the US on Wednesday...

Day 3: Cross-country madness!

Early this morning, the road to Burghley was jammed with cars as far as your eyes could see. Plus the train station was closed for maintenance (excellent timing from the National Railway Co. to choose the busiest weekend of the year to do repairs...)so they had buses instead of trains, which clogged the roads even more. Once at the show, it was difficult to walk there were sooo many people. I'm sure I stepped on a few feet, maybe even a couple of chihuahuas. Anyhow, it was a perfect, sunny day to watch cross-country. The course seemed to be very technical & and not many riders were able to finish clean under the time allowed.
ok, here are a few videos! I should have more tomorrow. - Patricia

Day 2: Gusty winds & a 7th place for Allison!

Day 2 at Burghley was super nice sunny day, except for the gale-force winds. Ok, I'm no meteorologist but it felt like hurricane Bill had decided to cross the pond. At a certain point, I even had to take off my hat, I was so afraid it would end up in the dressage ring while someone was competing.
The nice surprise today was the great perfomance from Allison Springer & Arthur who scored 47.3 to place 7th overall. Yay!!!
Tomorrow is cross-country day and Emma Ford (Phillip's super-groom)suggested I go film near jump 14-15 to get a nice view of a few jumps. That sounds great except it looks like 25 miles away, across a bridge, up a hill...I hope they have nice Land Rovers to take us there! My feet are seriouly killing me from getting lost around the 600+ shops.
Enjoy today's videos!

Burghley Day 1: Phillip in the lead!!

So I have finally arrived at Burghley (see how pretty it is on picture above) and on the first day, Phillip Dutton gets 1st place and Karen O'Connor 6th (out of a field of 49 riders). What a great start!! The show is really well organized with a giant screen outside the arena with live scoring so you never miss any of the action. The shopping is incredible with more stores than I have ever seen at an outdoor horse show - there's everything from pillows to traditional woven baskets. The weather has been typical English/Canadian weather that changes every 5 minutes.
On a personal note, my new UK cell phone spent the day browsing the web, wasting all the $40 of minutes I had just bought...
ok, enjoy today's videos!! - Patricia

Secure saddle pad - the choice of US Team at Burghley

Top US riders competing at Burghley CCI4* will be riding in ECOGOLD's newest saddle pad, the Secure™ Saddle pad, specially designed to improve the safety, comfort & performance of horse and rider.

- No Slipping, no sliding! The non-slip material at the top and underside keeps the saddle secure, reducing pressure on the girth & breast plate and making the horse more comfortable.
- Quick moisture evaporation! The high-tech Air-Knit fabric has a waffle-like texture which doubles the moisture evaporation surface to keep the horse cool & dry.
- Impact protection without compromise! The 100% breathable high-density foam in the seat area protects the horse's back from impact without adding bulk.
- Innovative design for a better rider position! There is no foam on the flaps, for the closest possible leg contact and a more stable riding position.

The Secure™ Saddle pad is priced at $160. Available in cross-country, dressage and jumping styles.
To order Call Toll-Free 1-866-432-6465 or visit our website: SECURE SADDLE PAD

See technical video explaining the pad at Phillip Dutton's Eventing Academy.


See the pad in action with Buck Davidson riding Ballynoe Castle

More from Burghley! We will be posting daily updates & videos on this blog as we follow the US team: www.ecogold.blogspot.com

John French wins USHJA Hunter Derby!

John French & Rumba, riding in ECOGOLD's Forward Flap Hunter pad, won the 100K USHJA International Hunter Derby in Lexington, KY. John and his dazzling grey wowed the crowds, scoring a perfect 400 points and claiming the classic round victory on Friday. On Saturday, they returned to post a beautiful performance that clinched the victory. Enjoy John & Rumba's winning performance!