ABOUT THIS EPISODE
“Where Eventing Lives”
Welcome back to Go Eventing, the podcast where the heart, soul, and stories of the eventing world come to life. This week, we're sitting down with someone who knows the sport from nearly every angle as a competitor, a dedicated FEI groom, and someone still navigating what comes next. Whether you're early in your equestrian career, mid-transition, or simply trying to find your footing in this ever-demanding industry, this conversation is for you.
The eventing world is full of passion, but it isn't always easy to sustain. Join us as we dive into the real conversations our community needs to be having: about compensation, career paths, mental health, and what it means to build a life in the horse world that actually lasts.
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🔎What’s Inside Season 2, Episode 2?
Host Sally Spickard sits down with top eventing groom Courtney Carson to talk about her journey from caring for Olympic athletes to a new chapter outside of the barn. As an Olympic-level FEI groom and program manager, equine insurance underwriter, Founding International Director and US Coordinator for the International Grooms Association, and a newly-appointed FEI Licensed Level 1 Steward, Courtney brings a multi-faceted perspective on what our industry asks of its people and what it owes them in return. This episode covers a special reunion between Courtney and longtime Doug Payne ride Vandiver, horse retirement, mental health, the importance of community, and how to make equestrian sport more accessible and sustainable for the next generation of professionals.
🔥In This Episode, We Cover...
- 01:03 - News & Notes: The Grand-Prix Eventing Showcase & Bouckaert Equestrian’s US Equestrian Open CCI4*-S
Sally brings us all up to date on happenings from the $100,000 LiftMaster Grand-Prix Eventing Showcase at Bruce's Field, including some exclusive interviews with our 2026 champion Phillip Dutton. We get an insight into the emotion behind his win due to Phillip's close relationship to the late Bruce Duchossois, and check in with other standout performances from Aiken, including Australia's own Sophia Hill. Sally also touches on Eventing Nation's presence at the event, where we partnered with Cherie Chauvin from Optimum Time Global Eventing Tourism to provide an educational "Win the Warmup" session with Silva Martin — a highlight that we hope to continue offering at future events!
The US' first CCI4*-S of the season also took place this past weekend in Bouckaert Equestrian HT International — the first 2026 qualifier for this year's US Equestrian Open of Eventing. Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Connor ended the weekend with a victory, moving Caroline up the US Equestrian Open's Leaderboard to tie for first place in the current standings.
- 19:45 - One Big Thing: Career Paths and Transitions within the Equine Industry
Courtney speaks openly about the identity that comes with being a groom and the emotional complexity of stepping away — even when it's the right move. Thanks to his incredible owners Debi & Kevin Crowley, Courtney was also recently granted the chance to reunite with Vandiver, her long-time charge under Doug Payne, giving some great insights on the reality of retiring horses and what their lives look like outside the competition ring. She and Sally also address some of the thorniest issues in the equestrian workforce, from wages and housing to building support systems to the lack of structured career pathways for those entering the industry, hoping that our listeners can leave this episode with an eye open for what our eventing community can do better.
🏆If you'd like to win a copy of World Class Grooming by top FEI grooms Cat Hill and Emma Ford, click here to sign up for our weekly email newsletter "Between the Flags" -- we'll be drawing one winner from our subscribers to be announced on our next episode on March 24th!
[Click here to learn more about everything the International Grooms Association offers]
[Learn about the USEA Grooms Program and their 2026 Educational Series]
- 1:41:09 - Finish Flags
Courtney expresses her willingness to work with anyone navigating the equestrian industry to find mentors, provide resources, teach about the freelancing life, or point them in the right direction for their desired career path.
Get in touch with Courtney!
Instagram: @courtlee26
Email: courtney@internationalgrooms.org
🎧 Tune In to Eventing Everywhere with EN
Head over to EventingNation.com to read all the latest from all levels of eventing across the globe. Connect with us @goeventing, or you can reach us anytime at podcast@eventingnation.com.
📌 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review Go Eventing wherever you get your podcasts! Let's keep building this community together.
#GoEventing #EventingNation #WhereEventingLives
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The Go Eventing Podcast powered by Eventing Nation is your front-row seat to the heartbeat of eventing. From exclusive athlete interviews to behind-the-scenes insights, we bring you closer to the horses, riders, and stories that make our sport unforgettable.
Our vision: Celebrate the stories of eventing while connecting fans, riders, and supporters worldwide.
What makes us different:
Rider-first conversations
Honest, unfiltered stories
🧑🤝🧑 A community-driven approach
