Few horses capture the heart of fans quite like Off The Record. Known simply as Timmy to his team, he has become one of the most beloved eventers on the international circuit. An Aachen winner, World Championship team silver medalist, and five-star campaigner, Timmy’s story is one of grit, consistency, and the magic of the right partnership.

In this episode of Through the Owners’ Eyes, Nicole is joined by syndicate members Rich and Roxanne Booth and Vicky Castegren to share the journey behind Will Coleman’s superstar. From Timmy’s cheeky beginnings to his historic Aachen triumph, they reflect on the highs, the heartbreaks, and the camaraderie that makes syndicate ownership so special.

• The early days of Off The Record and why his cheeky Irish personality made him a true professional’s horse
• How the Off The Record Syndicate came together and grew into a community of supporters
• Memories of his landmark wins at Great Meadow and Aachen and why he is seen as a “once in a lifetime” horse
• Balancing the roller coaster of elite sport with the joy of seeing Timmy’s fan base grow worldwide
• Looking ahead to the US Equestrian Open Final at Morven Park and how the syndicate keeps perspective through the ups and downs of the journey

• Rich and Roxanne Booth — Longtime supporters of Will Coleman and founding members of the Off The Record Syndicate
• Vicky Castegren — Owner and breeder with Hyperion Stud, syndicate member for Off The Record and multiple other top horses

EquiRatings Eventing Podcast:

Don't forget to follow us on Instagram and Facebook.

This episode is powered by EquiRatings Horse Sales — the data-driven way to find your next superstar. From performance metrics to potential and price, EquiRatings helps take the guesswork out of buying and selling horses. Find out more here.

Five years in, MARS Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill presented by Brown Advisory has gone from ambitious newcomer to a cornerstone on the international calendar. With a new Olympic course designer, world-class fields from both sides of the Atlantic, and a unique mix of sport and spectacle, Maryland 2025 (October 16–19) promises to be its biggest year yet.

Nicole is joined by Event CEO Jeff Newman and Competition Director Joanie Morris to take us behind the scenes of one of the sport’s youngest but most important five-star fixtures.

Highlights

• Maryland’s journey from idea to established five-star in just five years
• What to expect from new course designer Pierre Le Goupil, fresh from designing at the Paris Olympics
• How the event showcases the pipeline of US event horses, from Young Event Horse Championships to the top level
• Local color: from Cecil County’s equestrian roots to cider donuts, corgi races, and even betting on eventing
• A first look at this year’s international entries, with top US names joined by big European challengers

Guests

• Jeff Newman – CEO, MARS Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill
• Joanie Morris – Competition Director, MARS Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill

The Inside Maryland series is supported by Dubarry of Ireland, long-time friends of eventing and champions of the Maryland 5 Star. We’re proud to have their support again in 2025.

Discover their full collection at row.dubarry.com/ and follow @dubarryofireland for the latest.

EquiRatings Eventing Podcast: Follow the EquiRatings Eventing Podcast for more data-led insight, top-tier guests, and everything you need to keep up with the 2025 season on Instagram and Facebook.

On this special episode, we've teamed up with the US Equestian Open Podcast to bring you an inside look leading up to Morven Park. As one of the most respected course designers in eventing, Derek di Grazia has shaped some of the sport’s most memorable tracks from Fair Hill to Burghley, Kentucky, and now Morven Park. With the US Equestrian Open Final just around the corner, Annie and Diarm sit down with Derek to explore his journey from rider to designer and the philosophy behind the courses that challenge and educate horses while inspiring confidence in riders.

Derek reflects on his early days at Pebble Beach, his competition career on both coasts, and the transition into course building that has defined the past two decades of his life. He also shares what makes Morven Park such a special venue, why terrain and footing matter as much as fences, and how he balances risk and reward when setting the questions at the highest level.

Episode Highlights

• How Derek’s background as a rider influences his approach to design
• Stories from Pebble Beach and his first major events
• The evolution from competitor to course designer
• Why Morven Park is reemerging as a premier venue in the US
• What riders can expect at this year’s Morven Park four star

Guests

• Derek di Grazia - former international event rider and one of the world’s leading course designers
• Annie Bishop - USEA Podcast Host
• Diarm Byrne - co founder of EquiRatings 

Stay Connected

For the most up-to-date series calendar and latest standings, visit the official US Equestrian Open Series hub at usequestrianopen.org.

Engage on Instagram and Facebook — and use #USEquestrianOpen to join the conversation.

Finding the right coach, making lessons count, and carrying those tools back into everyday training. Five star rider and top coach Justine Ward joins the Grassroots Show to share practical advice for riders at every level.

Justine shares how honesty about nerves, asking the right questions, and planning simple exercises can turn both lessons and at home schooling into real progress.

Episode Highlights

• How to find the right fit in a coach for you and your horse
• Preparing for lessons so you get the maximum value
• Why honesty with yourself and your trainer matters
• Simple ways to structure your training at home
• Setting realistic expectations and learning from not so perfect days

Guests Justine Ward, five star event rider and highly regarded coach who combines her own competition experience with a passion for helping riders get the best out of their training

Presented by Foran Equine, part of the Connolly’s RED MILLS family.

EquiRatings Eventing Podcast: Follow the EquiRatings Eventing Podcast for more data-led insight, top-tier guests, and everything you need to keep up with the 2025 season on Instagram and Facebook.

Charlotte Opperman’s story begins like many others, as a pony mad child who returned to riding later in life through what she laughingly calls “hacks for housewives.” A small advert in Horse & Hound soon changed everything. It was there she found Wild Lone, the horse who carried her into the world of five stars and onto the Badminton podium.

From that fairy tale moment, Charlotte’s journey as an owner gathered momentum. Away Cruising became a Trojan at the level, lining up at ten five stars and always delivering. Then Cavalier Crystal, better known at home as Nell, arrived on the scene. Bold across country and fast when it matters, she has given Charlotte three consecutive podium finishes at Burghley.

Join us for Charlotte’s candid take on the journey of an owner, from muddy fields to five star podiums.

Episode Highlights

• From pony mad teenager to Wild Lone and the Badminton podium
• Away Cruising’s Trojan like consistency across ten five stars
• Cavalier Crystal, Nell at home, and her Burghley podium streak
• Life behind the scenes with Team Mead and Harry’s steady system
• Why Charlotte sums up ownership as exciting, expensive and exhilarating

Guests

• Charlotte Opperman - long-time owner with Harry Meade whose horses Wild Lone, Away Cruising, and Cavalier Crystal have all competed at five star level.

EquiRatings Eventing Podcast:

Don't forget to follow us on Instagram and Facebook.

We’ve just wrapped up a European Championships week at Blenheim that will be remembered for a long time. Laura Collett and London 52 are the new European Champions, Michi Jung and fischerChipmunk FRH added another silver to their record, and Tom McEwen with JL Dublin delivered for Britain with individual bronze. Germany took team gold on British soil, Ireland claimed their first European team medal in 30 years, and Switzerland, Austria, and others proved they belong right in the fight.

Nicole is joined by Diarm and Catherine to unpack it all: the highs, the heartbreaks, the moments that swung the championships, and why this year felt like a changing of the guard.

Episode Highlights

• Laura Collett’s long road to the European title and what it means for London 52’s legacy.
• fischerChipmunk’s consistency and Michi Jung’s unmatched championship record.
• Tom McEwen and JL Dublin cementing their partnership with another major medal.
• Germany’s young squad stepping up to take gold from Britain on home turf.
• Ireland’s first European team medal since 1995 — a breakthrough moment.
• Standout stories from Austria, the Netherlands, and beyond.
• Mark Phillips’ swan-song track: tough on the clock, fair in the questions.
• The bigger picture: what this Europeans tells us heading into Aachen 2026.

Guests Nicole Brown Diarmuid Byrne Catherine Austen

EquiRatings Eventing PodcastFollow the EquiRatings Eventing Podcast for more data-led insight, top-tier guests, and everything you need to keep up with the 2025 season on Instagram and Facebook.

A big thank you to Connolly’s Red Mills, Carr & Day & Martin and Foran Equine for supporting our European Championships coverage. From fueling top-level horses to backing the sport, they’re a huge part of the eventing community.

👉 Find out more at redmills.com

We’ve just walked off cross country at the European Championships and it was a day. A strong championship track, a clock that bit hard and nobody to make the time. Nicole grabs Sam and Diarm for a quick debrief: why the course rode fair but tight, how a 50%+ clear rate squares with so many storylines, and what Laura Collett vs Michi Jung means going into the final day. We touch on Tom McEwen’s cool round keeping GB in the individual hunt, the rise of Europe’s younger combinations, Switzerland’s early sparks, and why Ireland’s team effort deserves real attention.

• Cross country picture: strong questions, tight wheeling, and no one inside the time.
• Britain’s mixed day, but London 52 and JL Dublin right in the medals conversation.
• The head-to-head: London 52 vs fischerChipmunk FRH, what today told us.
• Young guns stepping up for the big European teams.
• Early clears that set the tone (and why first out matters).
• Team fight: Switzerland’s surge, France lurking, Ireland right there.
• What to watch in the show jumping and how one rail changes everything.

• Nicole Brown
• Sam Watson
• Diarmuid Byrne

EquiRatings Eventing PodcastFollow the EquiRatings Eventing Podcast for more data-led insight, top-tier guests, and everything you need to keep up with the 2025 season on Instagram and Facebook.

A big thank you to Connolly’s Red Mills, Carr & Day & Martin and Foran Equine for supporting our European Championships coverage. From fueling top-level horses to backing the sport, they’re a huge part of the eventing community.

👉 Find out more at redmills.com

Live from Blenheim Palace at the European Eventing Championships, Catherine Austen and Georgie Wood set the scene on cross-country morning with buzzing crowds, standout dressage performances, and anticipation for Mark Phillips’ first Blenheim track.

EquiRatings Eventing PodcastFollow the EquiRatings Eventing Podcast for more data-led insight, top-tier guests, and everything you need to keep up with the 2025 season on Instagram and Facebook.

A big thank you to Connolly’s Red Mills, Carr & Day & Martin and Foran Equine for supporting our European Championships coverage. From fueling top-level horses to backing the sport, they’re a huge part of the eventing community.

👉 Find out more at redmills.com

From the Fox Pit Stop at the Europeans, Nicole is joined by Andy Heffernan, this time wearing his Dutch Chef d’Equipe hat rather than his rider or course designer one. With years of experience on both sides of the ropes, Andy gives his take on Mark Phillips’ championship track, why it feels like a true test without being unfair, and the questions that could shape the weekend.

Episode Highlights

• Course insight: what makes Mark Phillips’ design a proper championship test.
• The key fences likely to influence results.
• Why the time will be so tough to make.
• Reflections on Mark Phillips’ legacy if this is his final top-level track.
• How the Dutch riders will approach the week and what experience they’ll gain.

Guests

• Andy Heffernan – Dutch Chef d’Equipe, rider, and course designer

EquiRatings Eventing PodcastFollow the EquiRatings Eventing Podcast for more data-led insight, top-tier guests, and everything you need to keep up with the 2025 season on Instagram and Facebook.

A big thank you to Connolly’s Red Mills, Carr & Day & Martin and Foran Equine for supporting our European Championships coverage. From fueling top-level horses to backing the sport, they’re a huge part of the eventing community.

👉 Find out more at redmills.com

As the European Championships at Blenheim get underway, Nicole sits down with Irish team rider Aoife Clark. Fresh from a top result at Cornbury with an exciting six-year-old, Aoife reflects on her journey back to championship level, the quirks and quality of her new ride Full Monty de Lacense, and what it means to be back in Irish colours. From her Olympic debut at London 2012 to the resilience it takes to stay at the top, Aoife shares her path to Blenheim and her hopes for the week ahead.

Episode Highlights:

• Cornbury reflections: Aoife’s young horse success
• Meet Full Monty de Lacense: quirks, and how a one-on-one approach unlocked his potential
• Building towards Blenheim: key runs at Belsay, Millstreet, and Hartpury
• The Irish team: fast horses, medal hopes, and why mud might be an advantage
• Resilience and perspective: Aoife’s journey from Olympic debut to her road back to the Europeans

Guests:

• Aoife Clark - Irish team rider for the 2025 European Championships
• Hosted by Nicole Brown

EquiRatings Eventing PodcastFollow the EquiRatings Eventing Podcast for more data-led insight, top-tier guests, and everything you need to keep up with the 2025 season on Instagram and Facebook.

A big thank you to Connolly’s Red Mills, Carr & Day & Martin and Foran Equine for supporting our European Championships coverage. From fueling top-level horses to backing the sport, they’re a huge part of the eventing community.

👉 Find out more at redmills.com