Cross-Training: Another HP Adventure in DQ Land
Wednesday, May 02 2012
by Editor
Those of you who have been following along for a while know that even though I am a devoted hunter princess, downright obsessed with all things hunter and worshipping at the hooves of the likes of Bases Loaded, Brunello, and Jersey Boy. . . I do occasionally venture into the world of DQ’s , and at one point Tucker and I rubbed elbows with a whole host of dressage enthusiasts (at our last barn, which we still miss very much). Tucker and I even attempted a dressage test once , and thankfully our judges were kind and forgiving, albeit honest. Lynn Jendrowski and Shapiro This past weekend we had another opportunity to dip our toes in the water of the dressage world, and took a clinic from Lynn Jendrowski . I have no long-term goals of turning Tucker into a dressage horse, don’t worry (though maybe someday, if we couldn’t jump anymore for some reason, who knows). But I recognize the need for good flat work — you can’t have a nice hunter round without being able to smoothly extend and collect, balance your canter, and move the horse laterally off your leg when needed. Plus, if your horse doesn’t have a solid foundation on the flat, he will fall on his face when you try to float the reins at him for the hack (ask me how I know this).
- Published in Tucker The Wunderkind, Z-Blogs
Tagged under:
clinics, dressage, entries, flat work, hatchaway-bridge-farms, riding, tucker the wunderkind, wordpress-org
No such thing as an “easy” Grand Prix.
Wednesday, May 02 2012
by Editor
Fox Lea farm has been running horse shows ever since I moved down to Florida, and it’s always been a very relaxing place to show.
- Published in General, In the Irons, Z-Blogs
Tagged under:
bridge-farms, entries, farms, hatchaway-bridge-farms, in the irons, the-barn-book, wordpress-org
ROLEX IN RETROSPECT: 1st of May Thoughts, A Few Cheers & Jeers
Tuesday, May 01 2012
by Editor
Hello, horse sports fans - Rolex was its usual three-ring, four-star greatest equestrian show on earth. We love being there, in spite of & perhaps because of the marathon-intense dawn to midnight work days, and we’re already planning for next year, but in addition to great cheers, there were some serious disappointments. JEERS to the official videographers of Rolex KY It sucked in places, the video coverage of the XC by the official videographers – such as only two fences shown of Sara Kozumplik and Manolo Blahnik – I mean, what’s wrong with these people? I would mention them by name but don’t care to give them any ink! How many riders did they “cheat” of XC footage? They wasted precious time filming riders who had just come off the course, showed at least one derriere view of trim/slim female rider (lovely but this is not a nightclub, it’s cross-country!), no sound but several seconds of rider being interviewed, and lots more footage of horses being sponged off – gee whiz, get your priorities in order. We want to see the jumping, the action – the cross-country heart of eventing!!! Sara Kozumplik has devoted years to Manolo Blahnik - here they are in Manny's four-star debut at the third last fence on the cross-country, the double offset brushes which demand precision and momentum so late in the course. But the official video shows them at two jumps only - WTH??
- Published in Lauren Gallops, Z-Blogs
Tagged under:
december-2010, education, eventing-nation, higher education, in the irons, paget-nzr, rolex, the-barn-book
“Rolex Ride The Course” Media Ride Puts Journalists in the Hot Seat
Tuesday, May 01 2012
by Editor
O’Connor leads the group of intrepid journalists on the second annual “Rolex Ride The Course” media tour of the 2012 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI**** cross-country course. Sidelines representative Kim MacMillan is about twenty feet behind David on the roan gelding Comanche on the right had side of the group. Photo by Allen MacMillan/MacMillan Photography Looking through Comanche’s ears as we jigged up to the Rolex Head of the Lakewater complex the jumps looked even more daunting from the saddle than from the ground, if that’s possible. Comanche, a red roan Appaloosa gelding, was my trusty, albeit enthusiastic, mount on the 2012 “Rolex Ride The Course” media trail ride around cross-country at theKentucky Horse Park
- Published in What's Happenin', Z-Blogs
Tagged under:
charity, december-2009, education, february-2010, laurengallops, on the line, sponsor-ovation, tucker the wunderkind, uspa, wordpress-org
Steering Clear of the Competition
Monday, April 30 2012
by Editor
The atmosphere outside the arena is intoxicating, both players and spectators giddy with excitement.
- Published in General, The Offside, Z-Blogs
Tagged under:
bridge-farms, hatchaway-bridge-farms, polo, shopping cart, the offside, the-barn-book, university of virginia, uva, wordpress-org
Rolex Kentucky – 27 Jumped, Fox-Pitt & Parklane Hawk Won 2nd Leg of Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing, Allison Springer & Arthur USEF Nat’l…
Sunday, April 29 2012
by Editor
Sunday – the grand finale of Rolex Kentucky 3-Day Event, presented by Bridgestone, spotlighted 27 horses in the show jumping, which began at 12:45 pm. At this morning’s final veterinary inspection, of the 30 horses presented, one did not receive the ground jury’s nod and two horses, held for re-inspection, withdrew. Before the jog, two horses were withdrawn: RF Rovano Rex, but Marilyn has her second horse RF Demeter (one of the few mares entered in this year’s Rolex) and Saturday night, after cross-country, Sara Kozumplik withdrew Manolo Blahnik, who comported himself great at his first-ever four-star even though he didn’t complete. Kudos to Sara for putting her horse first – she’s a class act rider and trainer all the way. This morning, Sara texted to me: “He was amazing yesterday. I had silly mistake at easy fence. so proud of him.” Manny is fine, by the way.
- Published in Lauren Gallops, Z-Blogs
Tagged under:
action, adrotate, december-2010, february-2011, february-2012, higher education, rolex-kentucky, springer-usa
Rolex Kentucky: Fox-Pitt (GBR), Springer (USA), Paget (NZR), Martin (USA), O’Connor (USA)
Sunday, April 29 2012
by Editor
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes – Ka-CHANG! Yep, Derek di Grazia created a cross-country test that demanded precision and riders minding their Px & Qs every step of the way.
- Published in Lauren Gallops, Z-Blogs
Tagged under:
adrotate, december-2010, december-2011, education, eventing-nation, in the irons, martin-usa, on the line, paget-nzr
ROLEX KENTUCKY – AM Cross-Country CH-CH-CH-CHANGES!!!
Saturday, April 28 2012
by Editor
Wowie zowie – what a morning – we’re still reeling from the changes in the leaderboard. Even before the XC began, there were three withdrawals: Buck Davidson pulled out with Absolute Liberty, who would have been first out of the start box this morning, & his Pan Titanium, Jolie Wentworth & Killian O’Connor. Then, only two completed the cross-country out of the first seven horses to start this morning! Two retired on course: Andrew Nicholson (NZL) took out a frangible pin at 9abc – Bridgestone Park Question (coffin combination), picking up 21 penalties, and James Alliston (GBR) and Jumbo’s Jake after they accumulated 20 penalties at 9abc – and 17abcde, the Sunken Road. Three were eliminated – Karen O’Connor had a splash crash at the HSBC Water Park (5abcd) – no injuries to horse or rider, just dampened spirits, but Karen has another chance with Mr. Medicott this afternoon. Becky Holder and Courageous Comet got to #22abc, the HSBC FEI Classic Series Normandy Bank, but parted company and Becky bought a cheap piece of real estate that cost dearly in terms of her goals with her wonderful ex-racehorse
- Published in Lauren Gallops, Z-Blogs
Tagged under:
action, chasin', education, eventing-nation, february-2011, february-2012, higher education, in the irons, lauren-giannini, november-2010, on the line, september-2010
Rolex Kentucky: Where The Action Is!
Saturday, April 28 2012
by Editor
Sara Kozumplik and Manolo Blahnik, exuding class at Manny's first ever four-star in spite of boogie moments during their waltz... © Lauren R Giannini Okay, so we’re only one person and we can’t be everywhere & do everything, but on Friday, we made a point of getting to the dressage arena to watch our friend Sara Kozumplik and Manolo Blahnik who was ready and eager for the cross-country, but a day early. Their score put them well down on the leaderboard standings, but ya wanna know something? That test might have been a disappointment to Sara and Brian Murphy and Lara, who’s grooming her first Rolex – understandable after all the years of preparation to get here, but we felt very proud of Manny for not leaping out of the ring and thundering off to the XC. It’s his first four-star and he’s a bit of a sensitive, complex creature under the best of circumstances and the horse gods know what an electric atmosphere Rolex tends to be
- Published in Lauren Gallops, Z-Blogs
Allison Springer & Arthur In First Place After Dressage, Stalked by Fox-Pitt & Parklane Hawk
Friday, April 27 2012
by Editor
Allison Springer has been in the catbird seat after dressage before, but not on the last day. This is her fifth Rolex with Arthur, and she entered the arena at 11:30 a.m. with the brilliant but somewhat quirky gelding who gave her pretty much everything she asked. The judges rewarded the duo’s test with a score of 39.8 penalty points, thereby ousting Parklane Hawk and William Fox-Pitt (GBR) on 41.3pp from the first place berth they had earned a couple of hours earlier
- Published in Lauren Gallops, Z-Blogs
Tagged under:
adrotate, dubarry-babies, february-2012, horses, in the irons, november-2010, november-2011, on the line, rolex-kentucky, september-2010, the-barn-book, wordpress-org