George Morris demonstrates on Hunter Holloway’s mount.
Antioch, IL – June 28, 2014 – Today was the final day of the George H. Morris Gladstone Program Training Session at the beautiful Annali-Brookwood Farm, organized by Diane Carney. The six-day training session gained rave reviews from riders, auditors and Morris himself for organization, the choice of the various professionals who made presentations and the support of the sponsors who made the session possible for the future team riders. The facility, Rush and Caroline Weeden’s home base, was a perfect location offering large indoor and outdoor arenas with manicured footing, two grass jumping fields, large airy stalls, turnout paddocks and a perfect lounge area for the presentations.
The session today was standing room only for auditors as Morris demonstrated correct flatwork and basic dressage on Hunter Holloway’s mount in the first session and Ashley Stannard’s horse in the second session.
“Calm, forward and straight is what we need to work a horse. If we are missing one we can’t have the other,” explained Morris as he rode.
Morris discussed five qualities of a team rider: ambition, emotion, management, selection and, lastly, talent. Ambition is the desire inside the person to go somewhere. Emotion is the maturity and ability to control emotion. Morris used Olympian Beezie Madden as an example for emotion saying she has ice water in her veins, which is why Morris had her as the anchor on the team. Management is the ability to manage the care of the horse and the program of the horse and rider. Selection is the ability to choose good horses. Talent is the skill and ability of a rider, which is the fifth factor. Riders must have the other factors to make it work.
When the groups moved to the jumping, Morris stated the course would tell the tale of the rider’s ability.
“These riders are green at this level,” said Morris. “They haven’t jumped at Calgary in the 1.60 meters, and they haven’t been on the [Longines Global Champions Tour]. These riders want to go on to do that. Riders must be realistic about their goals and the ability of their horses.”
Morris had the riders warm up, jumping out of the ring into the grass and back into the sand ring. Next it was back and forth over a 5’6″ wide oxer; then riders were ready to take on the track. The course asked many questions of horse and rider such as: are they bold as they jump out of the ring? Do they have impulsion, which is what the riders have been working on all week, as they galloped uphill to a 5′ wide triple bar? Do they have control as they galloped downhill to a vertical and then had to make a turn to jump back into the ring?
Then the technical questions of the course were next with the roll back to the liverpool oxer away from the in-gate, a very specific six strides to a very imposing wall, which the beginning of the wall, oxer, oxer combination uphill.
Continuing on course, the riders worked on the time allowed making an efficient turn to the 5’6″ wide Swedish USET oxer with a liverpool, making their way to the hardest line of the course.
The last line proved to be the most difficult with the horses having to canter parallel to the auditors to get the correct line to a tall natural vertical with a specific five strides to the water and seven strides to last narrow swoop wall, with straightness critical to jump it clean.
Morris was the perfect example of calm as the riders took to the track, only re-riding a few jumps that proved difficult for the horse and rider combinations. For some it was the impulsion in the triple combination, for some it was the straightness in the line to the water, for others it was jumping back into the ring and for some it was the jumps in the grass.
During the week the ten riders were divided into two groups and team leaders were appointed. Throughout the week, the teams helped each other out and today they had a friendly competition for what they all fondly called, “The Grand Prix of Brookwood.” Team one was Caitie Hope (team leader), Stephen Foran, Lisa Goldman, Hunter Holloway and Courtney Fredrick. Team two was Ashley Stannard (team leader), Adrienne Dixon, Lindsey Lamb, KC Van Aarem and Caroline McLeese. After calculating the faults with one score dropped for each team, the riders were pleased to announce it was Hope’s team with the win! Posting clear rounds today, which was the goal of the program, were Hope, Holloway and McLeese.
The riders all agreed the opportunity to listen and learn from the various professionals was priceless. The week provided the opportunity to ask questions and apply what they were learning to the daily activities. The riders couldn’t agree on what presentation they thought was best since all the presentations were extremely informative and relevant to the rider’s goals. Riders took away something from every presentation and could apply the information to their programs. All the riders said they learned the importance of flatwork and will be going home and signing up for dressage lessons.
“Real riding takes real effort,” said training session organizer, Diane Carney. “George’s endless support of correct riding as it relates to quality performance, is the goal of every horse person in the saddle. Organizing the training session for Gladstone and George was a privilege. It was my responsibility to co-ordinate a week with top industry professionals on every level from barn management and world class veterinarians and farriers to Olympic riders and equine business experts, in pursuit of a standard of excellence. Horsemanship 24/7 makes the Gladstone Program different than a normal clinic. This week was team building and I will add, inspiring. It was my pleasure to support the GHM Gladstone Program along with the help of the many sponsors. I had the right facility and the right support people to do my part in bringing the GHM Gladstone Program to the Midwest.”
During the farewell luncheon, riders were awarded silver plates from the USET Foundation for their participation in the training session along with a commemorative group photo signed by Morris and Carney, compliments of Phelps Media Group. The ten riders thanked Morris and Carney for making the session possible then said their goodbyes to their new friends and future teammates before heading home.
Special thanks goes to the USET Foundation for making the Gladstone Program possible in order to educate future team riders for the United States. The program is not just about riding, but also about the care and management of the equine athletes that inspire our sport and us.
To make a donation to support the Gladstone Program, please click here.
The United States Equestrian Team Foundation (www.uset.org) is the non-profit organization that supports the competition, training, coaching, travel and educational needs of America’s elite and developing international, high-performance horses and athletes in partnership with the United States Equestrian Federation.
For more information on the USET Foundation, please call (908) 234-1251, or visit USET ONLINE at www.uset.org.
Contact: Rebecca Walton
USET Foundation
phone 561.753.3389 fax 561.753.3386
rjw@phelpsmediagroup.com
PhelpsMediaGroup.com