The Rules of the Game
Thursday, April 12 2012
In college, I am constantly meeting new people. When they find out that I am on the equestrian team, inevitably they ask, “How does that work exactly?” Even fellow riders ask this question. NCAA riding uses a system concocted specifically for the purpose of judging athletes’ equitation on an even playing field.
Qualify for the Finals
Tuesday, April 10 2012
Since WEF has finished and the majority of the “big,” equitation riders have left town, it is time for our less experienced or younger riders to take the stage and compete for those crucial points that qualify them for the USEF medal, the ASPCA maclay, and USEF talent search finals. Circuit is a difficult time to qualify because all the best juniors are here in Florida and vying for those precious wins that not only help them qualify for the year end final, but also for the very prestigious George Morris equitation classic, a special event for big Eq class winners during the season. This big event has taken on a life all it’s own, and has become such a big deal, that the Eq kids treat the class as if it were one of the finals
- Published in General, In the Irons, Z-Blogs
“Pony Up!”
Sunday, April 08 2012
When I first stumbled upon Southern Methodist University the summer before my senior of high school, I immediately identified with the school’s iconic mascot, the Mustang. I tallied all the ironies associated with this mascot if I actually ended up going to SMU
WEF Is Over
Sunday, April 08 2012
WEF 2012 is in the books and the spring shows are just beginning, it’s a strange time here in Wellington, because everyone is glad circuit is over, but everyone is sad just the same. This will mark my first entry into my new blog for Sidelines and I plan on covering a whole host of topics pertaining to the hunter/jumper world. Today I want to talk about how glad I am that circuit is complete, but also that I’m also a little sad, because like America, these shows have their faults, but it’s still the best the horse show world has to offer. Circuit is a marathon for trainers such as myself, we pretty much work non stop for twelve solid weeks, not to mention all the pre-circuit festivities, and now the Spring shows. It’s a difficult time, but also the most rewarding time of the year. Where else can a young rider compete in the short stirrup class in the morning and then catch a top notch Grand Prix that evening
- Published in General, In the Irons, Z-Blogs
CEqE 201 – Getting On With It
Sunday, July 10 2011
Well, sooner or later every rider buys a ‘cheap’ piece of real estate and we’re no exception. We were in a jumping lesson on Saturday (only yesterday, seems more like a week, but we’ve got our nose back to the wordsmithing grindstone and time takes its own line…) and Lord Peter was acting spooky – noticeably so, compared to his relatively calm demeanor for the past three months, truth to tell. Later we realized that the last time he was on this sort of sensory alert (stallion on the lookout for danger to his herd) was last summer when… oops, getting our tongue over the bit in terms of this anecdote
- Published in Lauren Gallops, Z-Blogs
CEqE – From May to Now
Tuesday, July 05 2011
CEqE rocks at The Fine Equine in Amissville, VA! Bet you thought that we (Lord Peter and yours truly) had gone to ground in turns of our Continuing Equestrian Education. Oh no no no! We’d been up to our ears in the spring fever of deadlines, trying to eke out a living and, of course, when it came to work, Peter got pushed to the bottom of the list. But not anymore: our pony is our priority, and we’re working on getting to the barn by 8:30 or earlier (method to our madness, more on early mornings in due course)
- Published in Lauren Gallops, 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
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