Rolex 2011 Preview - Part 2: Sinead Halpin and Hannah Burnett

Here are our next two ECOGOLD-rider profiles for the 2011 Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event. Two lovely ladies! One that I know well....the other I just met a few weeks ago and am looking forward to getting to know better because she is charming. (Sinead is also charming. We only sponsor charming riders)

Oh, before I forget...I have to mention that our first Ammie Rider article was posted this morning. This is a cool project where a team of Ammie Bloggers (aka Rolex spectators) will bring you a fresh perspective on the 2011 Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event. We'll have a few more articles before we actually get to Kentucky next week and once there, prepare yourselves for heaps of fun. (read it here: Carrie's Rolex Experience!)

Sinead Halpin

Sinead and Tate at Boekelo

Before I start profiling Sinead, those of you who read and enjoy her blog on the Chronicle of the Horse, can start sending me Thank You cards at Patricia c/o ECOGOLD, 4180 de Courtrai Suite 388, Montreal, Quebec H3S 1C3 - Canada. I bug our riders relentlessly love to nurture and encourage talent and have always enjoyed Sinead's writing, so I have been annoying the heck out of her encouraging her to keep it up. Thank God, she is gifted with superior intellect and listens to me (sometimes). :)

Sinead will be competing at Rolex for the first time, with her partner Manoir de Carneville (aka Tate), a 2001 Selle Francais with heaps of personality and flair. I just pinched that from her website and have no idea who wrote it, but the "heaps of personality and flair" part is a spot-on description of Tate's rider. 

Last year, Tate was qualified for the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event, but an unfortunate injury kept him from competing. After months of rehab, work-out sessions in the pool (see video), he was able to rebuild his strength and come back last summer to compete at Boekelo, Holland.  The pair is on a roll this year, with a 4rd place finish at The Fork CIC*** a couple of weeks ago, and a win in the Southern Pines Advanced in March.  Go Taters!

Tate in the pool... you've come a long way, baby!

When I asked Sinead her thoughts about competing at the 2011 Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event, she said: "I started dreaming about riding at Rolex as a young kid. As a teenager, I made the decision that I would do whatever it took to make Rolex a reality. Now as an adult, approaching Kentucky, I almost feel like that kid again; inspired, excited and looking forward to participating in America's ultimate event". Wow! Did I tell you she was great? 

 And did I tell you she was fun?

 

Last piece of news, Sinead doesn't have a jog outfit yet, but she's working on it. Going shopping tomorrow!

 Hannah Burnett

Hannah and St-Barths

You probably know Hannah from her blogs: for EN, the USEF Eventing High Performance Blog and also her own blog on her website and for being a rider of the O'Connor Event Team.

I'm really grateful that I had the good judgement to contact Hannah this afternoon, to verify a few things, because what I had written previously in her profile would have been a bunch of lies... well, basically 1 lie. I thought she was competing at Rolex Kentucky for the first time and this will be her second... but her first on St-Barths (aka Nike), thus the confusion. 

In 2007, she rode the now retired Keep the Faith, who also was her 2006 NAJYRC partner. Here's a cool article profiling them. (click here for article - Love Google!)

I also learned that she is from Kentucky (thought she was from Virginia...oops), which should give her the home-field advantage and get her the biggest cheers from all the local fans, specially the Kentucky Pony Clubbers. 

When I asked her thoughts about competing at Rolex, she said: "I've been trying ever since 2007 to get back to compete in my home state of Kentucky. I feel very blessed to be on a horse that not only can get me there, but also be a contender. Not only am I excited to compete at Rolex, I can't wait to see everybody who has been supporting me since I did my first Pony Club Rally. This week, I am a bit antsy! I just can't wait to pull into the Kentucky Horse Park"

Hannah and St-Barths are on the 2011 USEF High Performance List, won the Fair Hill International CCI** in 2009 and the CCI*** last year. I was there in 2009, and her win was quite memorable...Cue video (I'm lucky she is super sweet or I would be in big trouble...)

 

Hannah is super talented, not only can she ride but she is also a fantastic singer. I'm working on getting her to do a duet with Clayton Fredericks at our stand.... Oh, and for the record, if Hannah wins Rolex, it will be because of my great motivational skills and the power of positive thinking.

Ok, let's plug some good stuff! Here are a few products that Hannah and/or Sinead will be riding in. Click photos to view the products!