Blythe Marano – Apples Don’t Fall Far From the Tree
Friday, June 24 2011
by Lauren Giannini
Blythe Marano was born to parents who were young adults when they caught the horse bug. She loved growing up on the family farm in northern New Jersey. Her father, Dr. Matthew Marano, competed in three-day at … [Read more]
- Published in Weekly Feature
Drinking Lots of Tea and Keeping Busy
Wednesday, June 22 2011
Life across the pond has been complete madness! Today went something like this: Rode my young horse, jumped two young horses for Laura Collett, took one of Laura’s to the gallops, came back and took Bree to the gallops, jumped yet another young one for Laura and then, oh wait, can’t forget about getting Harvey to the pool for his swimming workout! It’s all getting a bit crazy but don’t worry too much, we have Laura’s mom forcing tea down our throats at least every half an hour. Too be honest, I’m surprised we don’t spend the entire day in the loo with all of the tea that we drink! I couldn’t be happier. The horses are on top form, the Collets have been amazing to work with and I am at my best when working long days with nice horses and that’s exactly what I’m doing. Harvey, my advance horse, relaxing in the spa. He goes in the spa everyday except on days when he has to do his swimming workouts!
- Published in Onward, Upward, Z-Blogs
All’s Well That Ends Well.
Monday, June 20 2011
On the Line just loves when things work out for the best, and few things beat a tale of a great partnership returning to the ring together after years away! Here is a great postscript to a compelling story (covered by yours truly for Sidelines and California Riding Magazine ) from over two years ago. You might remember Good Guinness, a California-based grand prix jumper that was the subject of a big cross-country horse mix up back in 2009
- Published in On the Line, Z-Blogs
Of Teen Novels & Green Monsters
Friday, June 17 2011
With all the energy dedicated lately on such gloomy matters as FEI complacency and airborne diseases , On the Line gratefully turns to a much lighter subject this week.
- Published in On the Line, Z-Blogs
83rd Annual Tryon Riding & Hunt Club Charity Horse Show
Wednesday, June 15 2011
$25,000 Equestrian Sport Productions Grand Prix winners, Vick Russell aboard Lucky One are presented with the blue ribbon at the 83rd Tryon Riding & Hunt Club Charity Horse Show. On hand for the presentation were Mark, Katherine and Nicole Bellissimo with ESP; Roger and Jennifer Smith, Vice President TR&HC and horse show chairwoman; Chuck Lingerfelt, TR&HC President; Lucky One owners, Lily Hahn and Ben Rosichan; trophy donor, Linda Lee Reynolds; and members of the Russell family The 83 rd Tryon Riding & Hunt Club Charity Horse Show held the $25,000 Equestrian Sport Productions Grand Prix on Saturday June 11 th . Course designer Doug Russell presented a technical course that whittled down the field of 25 to only 2 riders, each with 2 rides in the jumpoff. A familiar sight for shows in the Southeast, it was Tryon’s own Vick Russell and Aiken’s Daniel Geitner left to duel it out for the win. Vick made it through the first round clear with Lily Hahn’s Lucky One and his own Here’s the Deal. Daniel brought Fit to Print Farm’s Camera Ready and Karen Kerby’s T/Salemon to the second round. Vick laid down the only clear round with Lucky One, who both he and owner Lily Hahn have had great success with in the Grand Prix
- Published in What's Happenin', Z-Blogs
Looking Ahead
Sunday, June 12 2011
Two weeks ago tonight a fire destroyed the barn housing horses trained by Boyd Martin on the ground floor and employees on the second. In the days that followed the community was numb with the aftermath, the loss of lives of horses, the injuries, the immediate need of the human survivors for a somewhere to live and something to wear. Everyone knew someone intimately who had lost something dear. Ever mindful of the irreplaceable, friends moved into action to take care of the practical. Among many others throughout the country, a “boots on the ground” fundraising effort was begun in anticipation of the Horse Trials planned for Plantation Field in Unionville this past weekend. Phone call and email solicitations for contributions to a bake sale were sent out and resulted in a table overflowing with cupcakes, snickerdoodles, cake and brownies. Priced to sell at “donation”, business was brisk and resulted in a first day total of over $1000. The second day recovery is as yet uncounted. I personally ate a brownie with peanut butter drizzle, its purchaser informing me that it was a $40 tray of brownies – worth it? Quite tasty.
Hooray for Some Good News!
Sunday, June 12 2011
Thank goodness the worm has turned! This past week has brought some serious changes. After a few days of feeling sad about my perfect little advanced horse being injured I quickly realized that I now had to figure out how I was going to pay for his vet bills. I also had to come to grips with the fact that my little operation of three horses competing was not paying for itself. With these two motivating factors I did what I thought was the only option . . . call everyone I know asking for riding work! Luckily my prayers were answered and my friend Laura Collet offered me a job producing her young horses. And, even better, she has now said I can move my horses to her amazing yard just up the road so that all of the horses I need to ride will all be in one place . . .
- Published in Onward, Upward, Z-Blogs
Upperville – Saturday’s Action Under The Oaks
Sunday, June 12 2011
Well, we are really behind this morning: we got up uber-early and galloped through a gazillion photos from Saturday. We missed a few of our favorite classes, but were fortunate to snag some pix on the run, so to speak, of the Silver Foxes (Piedmont Invitation) winner and third place, but totally missed the Family Class (we’ll probably beg a photo of the winners for print coverage), and the rains came after we shot Connemara Mare and Stallion (purebred) champions, but not before we turned in time to catch Tracy Weinberg and Larone scorch to the win in the $10,000 Junior/Amateur Jumper Stakes – they’re trained by Joe Fargis
- Published in Lauren Gallops, Z-Blogs
Upperville – Proving Ground For Talent
Saturday, June 11 2011
Upperville: ask any show rider who lives somewhere in Virginia about the Upperville Colt & Horse Show and you’ll get chapter and verse about what it means to compete under the hallowed oaks or across John Mosby Highway in the jumper rings. Upperville is Mecca – it’s not the only version of Mecca, but here in Virginia, it’s a showcase for horses and riders, a country atmosphere that retains its unique and individual voice, a place where the shops offer goods ranging from tack and horse-related supplies to high fashion to riding fashion to jewelry to whatever might capture your fancy. Tori Colvin won the $25,000 Welcome Stakes, sponsored by Windsor Farm and Friends, on June 10th
- Published in Lauren Gallops, Z-Blogs