Tag Archives: Shelly Temple

Shelly Temple Earns Her USDF Silver Medal with Cooper

It is tough to be a champion in any FEI discipline. But what does it take to excel at two? Shelly Temple, with her 17 year old Morgan gelding LR Ami B-Line (“Cooper”), recently earned the US Dressage Federations silver medal. Shelly has concentrated on ridden dressage with Cooper since his informal retirement from the sport of combined driving in 2013. Shelly and Cooper finalized the silver medal in September at the Pumpkin Patch Dressage Show in Camden, South Carolina with coach Amy McElroy.

Although Shelly was a former dressage rider during her equestrian career, Cooper was primarily a combined driving pony. Their partnership resulted in Shelly and Cooper being crowned US National Champion Single Pony in 2006, 2010 and 2011 as well as members of the US Pony Driving team in 2007 and 2011. In the World Championships, Shelly and Cooper won silver and bronze medals in driven dressage as well as two Bronze Team medals.

Shelly’s next goal is earning her USDF gold medal with her longtime partner, Cooper.

Shelly is sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research, Omega Fields, Leather Therapy, Back on Track, Purina, Kombat Boots and Charles Owens.

Catalyst Driving Center is an equestrian driving facility in Windsor, South Carolina specializing in the training of all levels of drivers and horses. Please feel free to contact Shelly to learn more about her, the products she trusts, her horses, and what Catalyst Driving can offer the driving enthusiast.

Jeff Legg, Catalyst Driving

Shelly Temple
Catalyst Driving Center
Windsor, South Carolina
804-837-4888
shelly@catalystdriving.com
www.catalystdriving.com

Hemmingway and Shelly Temple Win at Kentucky Classic CDE

Shelly Temple and Hemmingway tackle one of the water hazards at the Kentucky Horse Park. Photo: Shirley McQuillan

October 11, 2012 – The rolling hills of Kentucky bluegrass at the Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington provided a beautiful backdrop for Shelly Temple and Hemmingway’s win in the single preliminary pony class this past weekend.  Shelly Temple drove Hemingway, a German Riding Pony, in his second CDE as a single.  Hemmingway is owned by Irene Gillis of Windsor, South Carolina.

The second CDE proved to be the charm as Shelly and Hemmingway earned a dressage blue ribbon in the 10 pony class.  Shelly states, “Hemmingway is continuing to improve and gain confidence as a single.  He is such a striking pony, and I’m very thankful for the opportunity to train him for Irene Gillis.  They will make a wonderful team.”

On day two of the event saw Hemingway take third place in the marathon and protect his overall lead.  The Kentucky Classic CDE was held on the same course and obstacles as the 2010 World Equestrian Games.  “It was a difficult course so our game plan was to make the marathon a positive event for Hemmingway,” remarks Shelly.  “He finished strong with a positive attitude.

Continue reading Hemmingway and Shelly Temple Win at Kentucky Classic CDE

US National Champion Pony Driver Shelly Temple Teams with KER to Provide Lessons

Lifelong horse enthusiast Sherri Heichelbech, Fort Branch, Ind., won a free training session with three-time national combined driving champion Shelly Temple in a recent contest sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research (KER).

“I am so excited! I signed up for the contest because I am eager to learn more about combined driving, and Shelly Temple has such a great reputation,” said Heichelbech, who has been pleasure driving for several years but plans to compete in a combined driving event for the first time this summer.

Heichelbech currently drives two of her horses, a POA and a Friesian. “The POA that I hope to compete with soon is a seasoned, great-minded veteran. He’s been with us a long time, first as my daughter’s pony, then as an event horse, and now as my driving partner. My Friesian, though, has just started driving this year, but he is a nice young horse with a lot of potential.”

Continue reading US National Champion Pony Driver Shelly Temple Teams with KER to Provide Lessons

Spring Combined Driving Season Winding Down for Shelly Temple

The 2012 spring combined driving season is ending for reigning US National Champion pony driver Shelly Temple.  At the Southern Pines CDE this past weekend, Shelly drove Duralin to second place in the preliminary single pony competition.  Duralin is a German Riding Pony owned by Ned and the late Anne Bliss.  Shelly’s Morgan gelding, Cooper, will continue his training and conditioning so to defend his title at the Kentucky Classic in October.

However, Shelly and Team Catalyst are busy over the late spring and summer. In May Shelly will attend the 18th Kentucky Equine Research (KER) Conference in Lexington, Ky. Shelly is sponsored by KER. She is also a selector for the 2012 US Four in Hand World Championship team.   Future carriage driving events for Shelly include judging the Delmarva Pleasure Show, Denton MD in May and the Hickory Knoll CDE, Fitchburg WI and Green Mountain Horse Association’s CDE, South Woodstock, VT in July and August, respectively.

Continue reading Spring Combined Driving Season Winding Down for Shelly Temple

Combined Driver Shelly Temple February Results

February 2012 has been a busy month for Shelly Temple and her ponies at Catalyst Driving Center.  On February 17-20, Shelly participated in various events at the Salute to Driving benefit for the US Equestrian Team.  Many of Shelly’s sponsors supported the event through donations including Omega Fields, Kentucky Equine Research, Leather Therapy, and ThinLine.

She participated in a clinic with long listed USEF drivers conducted by two-time world driving champion Tjeerd Velstra of the Netherlands.  She also drove her Morgan pony, Cooper, in a pas de deux demonstration.  Capping off the event was her driving of Duralin, a German Riding Pony owned by Edward and the late Anne Bliss.  Duralin is competing in his first competitive season and Shelly is getting him out as much as possible to gain experience. Shelly’s most recent competition was February 23-26, 2012 at the Little Everglades International CDE in Dade City, Florida.  In the FEI Single Pony class, Shelly and Cooper won the dressage competition with a score of 44.16. Duralin was competed in the preliminary single pony class out of official contention.  Nonetheless, the pony had a strong showing with a 49.11 in dressage.  Based on his performance, Duralin would have won the dressage phase of the class and been fourth overall.  “I am pleased with Duralin’s performance in his young career.  It is exciting to see the daily progress Duralin is making,” remarks Shelly. Next on Duralin’s competition schedule is the Live Oak International CDE in Ocala, Florida March 22-25.

Continue reading Combined Driver Shelly Temple February Results

Day Three: FEI World Pony Driving Championships – U.S. Maintains Bronze Medal Position

Shelly Temple and LR Ami B-Line (Photos: Marie de Ronde)

The U.S. Pony Drivers had another successful day in Lipica, Slovenia at the 2011 FEI World Pony Driving Championships. As a team they forged through difficult marathon conditions to lie third in the standings heading into Sunday’s finale. Germany leads comfortably with a combined score of 345.01, with The Netherlands sitting the Silver medal position on 360.39. On 382.08, the U.S has a wide margin over the fourth-placed British team.

Single Pony Championship

Less than 10 points separate the top nine ponies in the Single Pony Championship, three of which are Americans. Individual driver Suzy Stafford (Wilmington, DE) was the Individual Bronze medalist in 2009, will attempt to drive her way back in to the individual medals again on Sunday. She currently is fourth with Josephine. Shelly Temple, who drives LR Ami B-Line (Windsor, SC), and Miranda Cadwell, who drives Kabam (Southern Pines, NC), are in eighth and ninth respectively, with less than half a point separating the two American drivers.

Continue reading Day Three: FEI World Pony Driving Championships – U.S. Maintains Bronze Medal Position

U.S. Drivers Look Strong in Slovenia as Temple and Matheson Cruise to Top Placings

The U.S. Team ready for competition in Lipica. Photo by Marie de Ronde

Lexington, KY – The U.S. drivers put in incredible performances on the first day of competition at the FEI World Pony Driving Championships. Competition got underway in Lipica, Slovenia, with the Pony Pair Championship and the first section of the Pony Singles Championship completing the driven dressage. The U.S. drivers are poised for top individual honors as they occupy first and third places in these two championship divisions.

Jennifer Matheson (Aiken, SC) led off the American effort on Thursday in the Pair Pony Championship and did not disappoint. Matheson and her pair, owned by her mother-in-law Katrina Becker, drove to a solid score of 46.08 to stand in third place heading into Saturday’s marathon.

Matheson is driving under the U.S. flag for the first time in Lipica after having represented her native Canada in the 2005 World Pony Driving Championships.

“I’m thrilled to be driving here, and I have worked hard to get to these championships. I drove for Canada in 2005 and was the alternate in 2007 and the alternate in 2009,” Matheson said. “My dressage was good. There were a few things that could have gone better, but I was really happy.”

Wendy O’Brien is making her World Championship debut this week and had a credible performance in the first phase driving her own pony pair to joint 21st place on a score of 61.82. O’Brien, who also hails from Aiken, SC, was the winner of the Southern Pines CDE in April.

Continue reading U.S. Drivers Look Strong in Slovenia as Temple and Matheson Cruise to Top Placings

Shelly Temple to Represent US at World Pony Driving Championships

Shelly Temple and Cooper compete in cones at the Germany National Championship in Minden, Germany, August 2011. Photo: Bettina Ruckelshaus

For the second time in her career, US National Champion Combined Pony Driver Shelly Temple and her Morgan gelding LR Ami B-Line (Cooper) will represent the US at the World Pony Driving Championships.  This year the event is held in Lipica, Slovenia, September 22-25, 2011.

Making the US Team has been a yearlong process for Shelly, Cooper, and her navigator/husband, Fran Doto.  They and other members of the long listed drivers have been competing and training under the tutelage of US driving coach, Michael Freund.  Overa August and September several long listed drivers have trained and competed in Europe.  In August, Shelly was 5th at the German National Championship in Minden, Germany where she won the dressage and cones classes for single ponies.

Shelly acknowledges the team aspect of combined driving: “I am thankful for the USEF’s support and the training and instruction from Michael Freund over the past year.  Michael’s coaching has been instrumental at improving all aspects of my driving.  I also appreciate the support of the individual donors and corporate sponsors whose products keep Cooper health, fit, and in top form: Kentucky Equine Research, Kombat Boots, Purina feeds, Omega Fields, ThinLine, Leather Therapy, and Charles Owens.  This is truly a team sport and I couldn’t be competing next week in the World Championships without the generosity of sponsors and all the great people who have donated to Team Catalyst.”

Other members of the USEF World Pony Driving Team are Miranda Cadwell, Jennifer Matheson, Wendy O’Brien, Laurie Astegiano, and Allison Stroud.  Suzy Stafford will compete as an individual.

U.S. Coverage will be available here: http://www.usefnetwork.com/coverage/archives.aspx.

More information is available here: http://www.lipica.org/en/enter-page/305?id=113.

To follow Shelly and Team Catalyst World Championship efforts, visit http://catalystdriving.blogspot.com/.

Shelly Temple Takes 5th Place at the Minden CDE in Germany

On her quest to make the US Pony Driving Team for the second time, Shelly Temple and her Morgan gelding LR Ami B-Line (Cooper) have been training in Germany since August.

Shelly and Cooper competed at the Minden CDE in Germany, August 25-28, 2011.  Minden is a large event featuring the German National Championships.  The first day of competition began with a bang with their win in the Single Pony dressage class with a score of 43.39.

On marathon day Shelly took a conservative approach with Cooper to ensure he was safe on the technical and long course.  However, on day 3, cones, Shelly and Cooper turned it on.  They took 2nd place in cones with a double clear (i.e., making the time requirement with no faults).  “I was very pleased with my cones course; it was very smooth and Cooper went well,” states Shelly.  Overall, Shelly remarks that the German show was great and featured many excellent top pony drivers: “The Germans will be very hard to beat in Lipica [World Championships].”

Accompanying Shelly, Cooper, and her husband to Europe are the feeds, supplements, and equipment of her sponsors: Kentucky Equine Research, Kombat Boots, Purina feeds, Omega Fields, ThinLine, Leather Therapy, and Charles Owens.  Shelly is thankful for the support of her sponsors and donors: “This is truly a team sport as I couldn’t be here without the generosity of my sponsors and all the great people who have donated to Team Catalyst.”

Cooper is currently grazing grass and preparing for the World Pony Championships in Slovenia September 22-25.  She hopes to build upon her 2007 success as a member of the U.S. Bronze medal team as well as silver medallist in dressage.  To follow Shelly and Team Catalyst on their efforts to make the US Team for the 2011 Pony Driving World Championship visit her blog at http://catalystdriving.blogspot.com/.

For more information contact:
Shelly Temple
Windsor, South Carolina
rskydiver@aol.com
www.catalystdriving.com

US National Champion Pony Driving Heading to Europe

August 8, 2011 – Next week, US National Champion combined driver Shelly Temple and her Morgan gelding Cooper (LR Ami B-Line) will fly to Germany to prepare for the World Pony Driving Championships in Slovenia.

Prior to the Championship, “Team Catalyst” will stay in Frankfurt, Germany and train with Michael Freund, the USET driving coach and multi-time world champion. While in Germany, Shelly and Cooper will compete at Minden, the German national pony championship, along with other short-listed US drivers.

Shelly and Team Catalyst are excited about the opportunity to represent the United States and compete in their second world championship. In 2007 Shelly was a silver medalist in dressage and a member of the bronze medal US team. Shelly and Cooper have been the USEF National Champions for the past two years and have their eye on the gold medal. To follow Shelly’s progress, visit her blog at http://www.catalystdriving.blogspot.com/ or her website at http://www.catalystdriving.com/.