A Sunday in Hamburg: The Harbor Birthday and The Storage City
Monday, May 14 2012
Hello everyone, I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! A weekend away from the horses allowed me to discover my new favorite European city…HAMBURG! The food Hamburg offers is absolutely amazing with so many choices I could eat at a different restaurant every night for a year! The people of Hamburg are friendly, warm, and extremely patient when it comes to someone learning a new language like ME! Hamburg has so many sites to see, this weekend I chose The Harbor Birthday Celebration and the Storage City. Hamburg’s Harbor is the largest in Europe and is the main exit and entry hub for all the trading goods. The old Speicherstadt which literally means ”storage city” is an incredible city quarter of Hamburg. It used to be the inventory space for items traded like rugs, carpet, textiles, and tea.
- Published in An American in Germany, General, Z-Blogs
Former Olympians to Compete at Devon for a Spot on US Show Jumping Team
Monday, May 14 2012
Beezie Madden By Halie Greening Beezie Madden Proudly a part of the 2004 gold medal Olympic team in Athens, and taking home both team gold and individual bronze in 2008 from Beijing, Elizabeth (“Beezie”) Madden will no doubt have spectators on the edge of their seats as she completes one of the last legs of her journey that hopefully leads to three-peat at the 2012 Olympics in London. Madden and her Coral Reef Via Volo, a thirteen year-old Belgian Warmblood mare will be making a long awaited return to the Grand Prix of Devon and the Open Jumper Stake, both Observation Events for the U.S. Show Jumping Team. Coral Reef Via Volo is owned by Coral Reef Ranch. Madden refers to the 15.3 hand mare as “Shrimp” back home at the barn. She may be small in stature but Via and Madden have been amassing high, noteworthy placings in the U.S
- Published in Olympic Sidelines, Z-Blogs
Tucker’s Mid-Life Crisis
Monday, May 14 2012
Remember how Danny changed after that first summer? My horse appears to be suffering from a mid-life crisis. He did just turn ten, after all. Seems to be in the midst of some sort of existential dilemma, I’m afraid. Perhaps it’s an identity crisis? He’s been a good guy for so long, maybe he’s just experimenting with the bad-boy persona. Feeling his wild oats, literally. I had a jumping lesson with Lindsay yesterday and all started out well. We actually had some real lead change breakthroughs (!). We worked on counter-cantering, switching from outside to inside bend, and then we’d ask for the change just before the corner by pushing him out, stepping my weight to the outside and then asking lightly with my outside leg. I missed a few at first, but once I got it, they were great — smooth, and relaxed, and clean. Everyone’s always told me the counter-canter is a great tool for learning changes, but I feel like now it’s finally clicking for me. Then we started jumping, and things started off fine while we were working on some single verticals on a circle. Then Tucker’s turnout buddy left the ring, which shouldn’t be that much of a crisis, unless you a big fresh horse looking for a good excuse. He was clearly tense, but thus far behaving (other than squealing — which I could always do without), and I figured he’d get over it in a minute. When we added another vertical on the diagonal, landing with a sharp left turn, Tucker was a bit strong — pulling me to the jump on the last stride, then grabbing the bit and rooting the reins on landing. Still rideable, but less than pretty. Then we added another vertical on the diagonal, off the short turn, going toward home, and all hell broke loose. Tucker apparently mistook that vertical for the starting gate at Belmont Park, so we landed going Mach 10. (Not exactly the stuff that winning hunter rounds are made of).
- Published in Tucker The Wunderkind, Z-Blogs
End-of-Year Team Dinner
Saturday, May 12 2012
It always seems that, no matter how much time I spending counting down ‘til the end of the school year, it manages to sneak up on me. As each semester winds down, I try to stay on top of my mounting workload. I have yet to master this endeavor. So this particular blog is brought to you in the lull that follows the chaotic terminal weeks of the school year
John Abbott’s Life as a College Riding Coach
Saturday, May 12 2012
By Jan Westmark-Allan
Hunter and jumper trainer John Abbott, the owner of the beautiful Bridlewood Farm in Aiken, South Carolina, has coached students for many years, from short stirrup kids to amateur owner hunters and jumpers. John is wearing … [Read more]
- Published in Weekly Feature
2012 Live Oak Hounds USPC Foxhunting Challenge Award
Saturday, May 12 2012
May 10, 2012 (Lexington, KY) - The sixth annual Live Oak Hounds USPC Foxhunting Challenge Award is made possible through the generous support of Mr. and Mrs. C. Martin Wood III, Joint Masters of the Live Oak Hounds in Monticello, Florida, and Past Presidents of the MFHA. The Award is designed to encourage Pony Club members who do not regularly hunt to try the sport, and to reward members who hunt on a regular basis to act as mentors to the less-experienced Pony Club members. $10,000 in awards will go to top six Pony Clubs who regularly take the greatest number of active Pony Club members out hunting. Congratulations to the following Challenge winners: 1 st place Red Rock Hounds Pony Club in Nevada 2 nd Place Blue Mountain Pony Club in Maryland 3 rd Place Old Dominion Hounds Pony Club in Virginia 4 th Place Millbrook Pony Club in New York 5 th Place Elkridge-Harford Pony Club in Maryland 6 th Place Silver Springs Pony Club in Missouri/Illinois Honorable Mention goes to the following participating clubs: Carbon Hooves Pony Club (WA), Genesee Valley Pony Club (NY), Goldens Bridge Hounds Pony Club (NY), Greenville Foothills Pony Club (SC), Mendon Pony Club (NY), South Creek Pony Club (FL), Wayne-DuPage Pony Club (IL) Hunts that participated in the Challenge were: Wayne-DuPage Hunt, Red Rock Hounds, Blue Mountain Hunt, Old Dominion Hounds, Blue Ridge Hunt, Middleburg Hunt, Millbrook Hunt, Elkridge-Harford Hunt, Shawnee Hounds, Woodbrook Hunt, Genesee Valley Hunt, Goldens Bridge Hounds, Green Creek Hounds, Genesee Valley Hunt, Live Oak Hounds, South Creek Fox Hounds A total of 127 Pony Club members participated in the Live Oaks Hounds USPC Fox Hunting Challenge, and together, they logged more than 1,000 days spent enjoying the sport of Fox Hunting! About MFHA - The Masters of Foxhounds Association of America was formed in 1907 and is the governing body of organized fox, coyote, other acceptable legal quarry and drag hunting in the United States and Canada. The MFHA’s main activities are: the promotion of the sport; the publication of a Foxhound Stud Book; the recognition of organized Hunts which have met its standards; the recordation of countries and boundaries for organized hunting establishments; and the registration of Hunts as a preliminary step toward recognition
- Published in What's Happenin', Z-Blogs
Black Tie and Boots Ball Benefits Devon Horse Show and Country Fair Foundation
Friday, May 11 2012
MALVERN, Pa.— An enthusiastic crowd of 235 enjoyed cocktails, dinner, a live auction and dancing to the band Sugarfoot Farm during the Black Tie and Boots Ball at Bryn Clovis, Brushwood Farm in Malvern on Saturday, May 5. The Ball benefits the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair, and the live auction alone raised over $16,000. Wells Fargo is the Presenting Sponsor of Devon, and its signature stagecoach was situated on the lawn adjacent to the brightly lit and decorated tent, with many of the guests taking advantage of that to have their pictures taken standing beside it
- Published in Show World, Z-Blogs
Hector Florentino and Ultimo Speed to Victory in $35,000 Welcome Cup at Kentucky Spring Horse Show
Thursday, May 10 2012
Lexington, KY – May 9, 2011- Speed was the name of the game during the first day of the Kentucky Spring Horse Show, and the Dominican Republic’s Hector Florentino had it with Ultimo. The pair dominated the $35,000 Welcome Cup, clocking in at a speedy 67.530 seconds, which earned the blue ribbon prize during the speed event
- Published in Show World, Z-Blogs
Nice Stephanie Sold to Penelope Leprovost
Thursday, May 10 2012
"Nice Stephanie, pictured with Courtney Vince of Canada, was sold by Belgium's Ashford Farm and Jos Lansink Horses to Penelope Leprovost of France." Photo Credit -- www.1clicphoto.com Lanse, Belgium — Enda Carroll and Courtney Vince of Ashford Farm, in partnership with Jos Lansink Horses, have sold the horse Nice Stephanie to Penelope Leprovost of France. Ashford Farm, based in Lasne, Belgium, bought the eight-year-old Swedish Warmblood mare (Cardento x Ralme Z) in June of 2011 in partnership with 2006 World Champion Jos Lansink of Belgium. Purchased as a sales investment, Nice Stephanie competed under Vince of Milton, Ontario, Canada, before being sold to Leprovost in April of 2012. “When we first tried ‘Stephanie’, she had all the qualities that we look for in a young horse; she was careful, scopey and had blood,” said Carroll, who has represented his native Ireland in Nations’ Cup competition as well as at the 2005 European Young Riders’ Show Jumping Championship.”We concentrate on buying the best young horse prospects and producing them, and I had wanted to invest in a horse with Jos not only because he is well-respected in the industry as a rider, but also as a dealer. ‘Stephanie’ presented us with the ideal opportunity.” In 2011, Vince competed with Nice Stephanie in the young horse divisions, qualifying for the World Young Horse Breeding Championships held at Zangersheide in Lanaken, Belgium.Of the 206 horses competing in the Seven-Year-Old Division at the World Breeding Championships, Nice Stephanie was one of only 23 horses to jump clear in both qualifying rounds. This winter, Vince moved Nice Stephanie up to the 1.45m international division, competing in their first CSI2* Grand Prix in Valencia, Spain. Following that event, the horse was sold for Leprovost to ride.Ranked 16th in the world as of May 1, Leprovost is a regular competitor on the international show jumping stage representing her native France.Leprovost and Nice Stephanie made their debut together at CSI4* Antwerp, Belgium, held April 26-29, where the mare competed in her first 1.50m competition.
- Published in What's Happenin', Z-Blogs