Magical Diamond and Kirklen Petersen Garner Overall Green Grand Hunter Pony Championship at 2011 USEF Pony Finals
Thursday, August 11 2011
Lexington, KY – August 10, 2011 – The 2011 United States Equestrian Federation Pony Finals continued today at the picturesque Kentucky Horse Park with the conclusion of the Green Pony Hunter divisions. Ponies and riders from each division completed their over fences phases, competing for the top honors as well as the championship and reserve championship titles. At the end of the day, Kirklen Petersen and Magical Diamond claimed the Green Pony Hunter Grand Championship title after winning the Medium Green Pony Hunter Over Fences and the Medium Green Pony Hunter Championship. The first class of the day for the USEF National Hunter Pony Championships, presented by Sallee Horse Vans, was the Small Green Pony Over Fences. Emma Lemke and Chatterbox, owned by Frank Hernandez of Cordova, TN, jumped to the top of the leaderboard with scores of 85, 82, and 85, taking home the blue ribbon prize. Lindsay Levine and Bit of Laughter, owned by Scott Stewart of Wellington, FL, followed in the second place position after earning an 83, an 83, and an 81. The third place ribbon went to Emma Kurtz and Quicksilver Butterfly, owned by Kate Taylor of Pittsford, NY, who received scores of 84, 79, and 80
- Published in What's Happenin', Z-Blogs
CEqE Help: “Who, Me?”
Friday, August 05 2011
Continuing Equestrian Education (CEqE) – chapter 5: When it’s time to CEqE help: Let’s face it, we’re DIY about lots of stuff related to writing and riding, but when we need help, sooner or later we ask for it. One of those moments took place his morning when Landgate Lord Peter, aka “you little s**t!” decided that it was all well and good to walk onto the two-horse ramp-load trailer, but when Bryan McDonald at The Fine Equine Stables (where our pony lives and where we spend a fair portion of our days, having changed from night person to morning person to accommodate said purebred Connemara to beat the heat and deerflies that prevail by 8 a.m…) decided to switch our trailer practice to the big (as in huge) trailer with the step-up, Mr. Minimal spoke up loud & clear: nuh uh, no way – fuhgeddit! There was hay on the floor, so never mind the treats (hay-extender pellets) in our pocket, and the little bucket of Connemara Crunch – a great low-sugar horse feed for easy keepers, whatever the breed, which he loves. We make the approach and jump up, but our darling pony stops, looks at us, looks at the hay on the floor in front of his nose and says essentially, in that word-less but eloquent non-verbal way in which animals, especially smart equine, communicate: who? me? nuh uh, no way – fuhgeddit! Just one of the many eloquent expressions by which Landgate Lord Peter communicates non-verbally.
- Published in Lauren Gallops, Z-Blogs
In Memory of Woodburn
Thursday, August 04 2011
Woodburn partnered with Phillip Dutton to finish 2nd at the 2010 Kentucky Rolex Three-Day Event, the year William Fox-Pitt (GBR) and Cool Mountain claimed the title. It was a great contest from the dressage test onward. Phillip and Woodburn improved from eighth after dressage to fourth after cross-country to second after their second double-clear jumping round, but they couldn’t catch the winners who also jumped faultlessly. The top two finished on their dressage scores, separated by 4.9 penalty points. Woodburn and Phillip won the Pentacle Cup as the highest placed Americans, but there is only ever one Rolex winner. Woodburn and Phillip also competed on the USA three-day team which finished fourth at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.
- Published in Lauren Gallops, Z-Blogs
Rodrigo Pessoa Teaches First-Ever U.S. Clinic in Sonoma, California
Wednesday, August 03 2011
Rodrigo Pessoa taught his first-ever jumping clinic in the United States this week, at the Sonoma Horse Park in Northern California. It was a highly anticipated event that fell between two weeks of horse shows at the venue, which is just two years old and thriving. (If you’re a regular Sidelines reader you might remember my profile of show manager Ashley Herman , pub March 2011). The facility is impressive, the scenery gorgeous, and riders in Northern California continue to flock to it for its series of excellent shows held May – September. But back to the clinic. On the Line did spend the weekend in Sonoma, but had to jet back to Florida early, regrettably taking a pass on the clinic. I was curious to know if Rodrigo took an active interest in the riders, how he dealt with the different horses, and how the riders responded to him
- Published in On the Line, Z-Blogs
Ducking a Downpour
Friday, July 29 2011
Ducking a torrential downpour, I decided to stay in the covered arena to watch a couple more classes. I had stopped in to the Morgan show this morning, to make sure the horse that I treated last night for a little stall accident went ok. You’ll be happy to know that the horse went great. I saved another one! Or something like that. I go to horse shows all the time, but this was the first time I had been to a gaited horse show since I went on a date to the Shelby County Fair nearly 15 years ago.
- Published in Injecting Perspective, Z-Blogs
Dog Days at the NAYRJC
Friday, July 29 2011
The big news coming out of Kentucky should be all about the rounds, the rails and the leaders after day one of the 2011 Adequan FEI/North American Junior and Young Riders Championships. But these are the dog days of summer, and in Lexington, Kentucky, those days are stifling. At 97 degrees and high humidity, the juniors competing this weekend are battling each other, and the heat. Hunt coats were excused yesterday during Round 1 of the show jumping, but the heat didn’t stop Kaitlin Campbell of Zone 3, who led the day in the YR division, or Sydney Schulman, leader of the Junior division. Thanks to MacMillan Photography for sweating it out onsite at NAYRJC this week. They caught the opening ceremonies, the golf cart parade on Wednesday, and they’ll be there until the bitter (and hopefully cooler) end on Sunday
- Published in On the Line, Z-Blogs
Wherin It’s Learnt Once More; The Horse is a Humbling Creature.
Tuesday, July 26 2011
I met Allison Springer over the winter, while she was spending a few weeks in Wellington to get some extra show jumping mileage with Arthur. Allison was down to earth, totally approachable, and serious about her horses and their programs. She’s worked hard to improve Arthur’s show jumping style, and held an impressive ten point lead going into Sunday’s show jumping phase for the CIC3* at Rebecca Farm
- Published in On the Line, Z-Blogs
Cross Country Day Shines Bright at Rebecca Farm
Sunday, July 24 2011
It’s been a beautiful weekend in Montana for the Event at Rebecca Farm, and as I write this post, 3* show jumping is finishing up. In an unfortunate turn of events for Allison Springer, Arthur spooked at an iron horse statue in the show jumping arena and dropped rails to finish far from the 1st place spot she was hoping for. Hawley Bennett-Awad won the CIC3*, with Buck Davidson finishing in 2nd. More details to come on the show jumping later.
- Published in On the Line, Z-Blogs
Cleanin’ Up Real Nice During the Dressage Phase at Rebecca Farm
Saturday, July 23 2011
As I write this, the cross country is well underway at Rebecca Farm in Kalispell, Montana. Yesterday was a full day for competitors, volunteers and stewards, who kept five levels of 1* through 3* dressage running smoothly.
- Published in On the Line, Z-Blogs
Eventers Flock to Shangri-La in Kalispell, MT
Friday, July 22 2011
Welcome back to this corner of the internet! As the summertime heats up, I know I’m not the only one wishing for a little vacation time and a time when temperatures wait until at least 9:30am before cracking the 90 degree mark. If you’re an eventer, mid July is the perfect time to pack up for a little horse-cation to the heart stoppingly gorgeous state of Montana. Over the past 10 years, Rebecca Farm has become synonymous with the Big Sky state, and each year the event held in Kalispell, Montana takes on ever more importance. Last year, it was a critical pre-WEG stop, this year, an equally (if not more) important qualifier for the upcoming Pan American Games this October, which will lead to London in 2012. The competitor list is a whos-who of 4* eventing, and many upper level riders are they with their going and up and coming horses. Captain Mark Phillips has designed the cross country course for the 10th year in a row, and you know that many riders will be thinking about London throughout the weekend
- Published in On the Line, Z-Blogs