I’ve been dreaming of Vermont. Lots of trees, cool nights and warm days. Big fields for Indy and me to explore, and new videos to make with Jane and Rhett. I love Vermont. We’ll be heading that way soon.
I’m going to miss my friends here in Florida, but I know I’ll be back and so will they. Next fall, we’ll have new stories to share, and new goals to achieve. In the mean time, we’ll concentrate on the work at hand and know that all is well.
Change is not easy for most people and most horses. We all like predictability and security. But with change comes the opportunity for growth. When change happens, it forces us to flex our mental muscles and learn to adapt. It is a GOOD thing, even when it’s a bit uncomfortable.
Photos: Shelly Temple at Live Oak CDE. Photo credit: Ann Schurtz
Ocala, FL – Joe Yoder driving Jack Wetzel’s pair of Gelderlanders won his first USEF National Pair Championship Sunday at the CAI Live Oak. After finishing second in dressage and winning the marathon, Yoder went into the final Cones phase with a 15-point lead over Katherin Dancer. Three balls down incurred 12 penalties for the young man who just recently relocated from Bozeman, Montana, to Aiken, SC, to drive for Wetzel. Yoder squeaked in just under the 3 minute time allowed to secure his win. Alan Aulson moved into second place, driving his own pair of Morgan horses, after Dancer knocked down five balls and incurred time penalties.
Shelly Temple of Windsor, SC, went into cones with a narrow lead over Suzy Stafford, but managed to keep all the balls on the cones, incurring just 1.61 time penalties to retain the lead and win the USEF National Championship for single ponies. “It was a competitive class,” said Temple. “I was thrilled that my pony went so well. Jack Wetzel kindly lent me a four-wheel Spider Phaeton which made a huge difference from the two-wheeled road cart I usually drive, and it had a very positive effect.”
Thousand Oaks, CA – March 28, 2011 – In celebration of the eight disciplines competing at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, The EQUUS Foundation (in partnership with the United States Equestrian Federation) established the America’s Favorite Equestrian program. On March 31, 2011 two Para-Dressage athletes will be eliminated and the top six Para-Dressage riders will move on to round two. It is up to every person to vote for his or her favorite Para-Equestrian.
These are the eight equestrians listed presently with their rider number in parenthesis.
Jennifer Baker (49)
Jonathan Wentz (50)
Laura Goldman (51)
Mary Jordan (52)
Rebecca Hart (53)
Robin Brueckmann (54)
Susan Treabess (55)
Wendy Fryke (56)
WELLINGTON, FL – March 28, 2011 – Have you voted yet? Round 1 of America’s Favorite Equestrian will end on March 31st. Two favorite equestrians with the lowest number of votes in each of the eight disciplines that participated in the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games will drop off the list. Don’t let it be your favorite! All it takes is a $5 gift to The EQUUS Foundation to keep your favorite in the competition.
For a $5 contribution, you can select your favorite equestrian (listed by discipline) and follow the instructions provided to use mobile texting to vote. After texting your vote, you must reply YES to confirm your vote and $5 donation.
You can also vote using an online form or vote by mail.
All donations received by the EQUUS Foundation will be used in support of horse-related charitable causes.
Three days of live coverage from the Southern Pines Horse Trials at the Carolina Horse Park at Five Points. Chris provides coverage of the final day of the event. Take a listen….
Eventing Radio Episode 130 by Bit of Britain – Show Notes and Links:
Wellington, FL – March 27, 2011 – It is the last day of action for week 11 of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival, which means that numerous championships were awarded throughout the day. One place where there was a particularly large amount of awards being given out was Pony Land. Rings 11 and 12 were packed with children and their ponies and family members. Competition was fierce as they vied for some last minute points in their divisions.
A busy rider that always has a presence at the pony rings is Meredith Darst. The second day of competition, Darst rode the KAR LLC entry, Won Up, to secure the championship in the Equisport Insurance Large Pony Hunters. Won Up is usually ridden by Kate Ross. Won Up was awarded three blue ribbons and a third place ribbon in the division.
Darst was also awarded the reserve championship on the Megan MacPherson entry, Mapleside Magic Dancer. Darst secured the reserve championship by winning two classes, placing second in two more classes, and also receiving a fifth place ribbon as well.
For those of you in the north Florida area there are two exciting events coming up in April. They are both large juried art shows – the perfect venue for finding a special gift, or just enjoying a day out in the sun with beautiful artwork, music and food.
Look for me at cjw designs, and remember to mention that you saw an ad on Horses in the South for a 15% discount!
We started out this week in shorts and ended the week in sweaters. I simply wanted a quick shower to wash some of the pollen off my car. I always say be careful what you wish for… well we had some rain. Not as bad as it was north and south of us but it was wild last night here in Conyers after the Grand Prix.
Our Cherry Blossom Grand Prix was won by On My Way MB, owned and ridden by Natalie Geller.
2. Tokade De Kalvarie, Natalie Johnson
3. Merlin, Frances Land
4. Sympa, Mrs. Charles Bostwick
5. Nepal, Jay Land
6. Urioso, Sara Ketcham
7. Fieona, Kelly Maloney
8. Lucky One, Lillian Hahn
9. Wonder Pomme, Parker Booth
10. Fabulous, Cheryl Ainsworth
11. Ruby Tuesday, Robert Donaldson
12. Cincinnati, Vicky Miller
Nick Skelton, Ashlee Bond, and McLain Ward Take Home Bonus Money for Consistent Performances
Wellington, FL – March 27, 2011 – Week eleven of the 2011 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival concluded on Sunday afternoon with a victory for Mario Deslauriers (USA) and Cella in the $30,000 Suncast 1.50m Championship Jumper Series Classic Finale. Deslauriers and Cella, owned by Jane F. Clark, was the only pair to master the course with double clear rounds for the win.
Guilherme Jorge of Brazil designed the courses in the International Arena this week and concluded the weekend with a challenging course for the 1.50m. Just three of the original 50 competitors were able to go clear in the first round to return for a jump-off.
Daniel Bluman (COL) was the first to return for the short course aboard his own Sancha La Silla. The pair had one rail down to earn four faults in 34.158 seconds, finishing in second place.
Deslauriers returned next with Cella and put down a fast, clear round in 35.853 seconds to take over the lead.
Ashlee Bond (USA) rode Chivas Z, owned by Little Valley Farm, through the course next, but retired from her round after a refusal to automatically finish in third place.
Ireland's Denis Lynch is presented with his prize by Anthony Schaub from Rolex after securing a place at the 2010/2011 Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping final at Leipzig, Germany next month with a superb victory at the last Western European League qualifier in 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands today. Photo: FEI/Dirk Caremans.
LYNCH SNATCHES LAST-CHANCE WIN AT ‘S-HERTOGENBOSCH by Louise Parkes
27 March 2011 – Ireland’s Denis Lynch snatched a last-minute place at next month’s Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping final in Leipzig, Germany with a superb victory in the final qualifier of the Western European League series at ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands today. Riding the gigantic 11 year old gelding Abbervail van het Dingeshof which belongs to his Swiss patron Thomas Straumann, the Irishman produced a stunning round when eighth to go in the thrilling 17-horse jump-off, and could not be caught despite the best efforts of many of the super-stars who followed him.
“It’s my very first World Cup win – I’ve been trying to do this for the last 15 years and I’ve been placed plenty of times but I’ve never come out on top so it feels really good!” Lynch said. “I wanted to make it to the final and this was my last chance – I’m really happy it worked out and I’m delighted with my horse,” he added. A total of six Dutch riders went into the jump-off but Jeroen Dubbeldam (BMC Van Grunsven Simon), Eric van der Vleuten (VDL Groep Utascha SFN) and Piet Raijmakers Jr. (Van Schijndel’s Rascin) had to settle for second, third and fourth places respectively while Frenchman, Simon Delestre (Couletto), lined up in fifth.
PRESSURE
This was a day of intense pressure, and Dutch course designer Louis Konickx was feeling it as much as the riders. “The second part of the start-list was a course-designers nightmare!” he said afterwards. “I didn’t want to be over the top with my track so I felt I needed to compromise, but the jump-off worked out very well so I’m satisfied,” he added. The ease with which so many managed to keep a clean sheet first time out was indeed surprising but possibly indicative of the familiarity and comfort so many horse-and-rider combinations have developed after the winter-long indoor season, along with the quality of the 40-strong field.
