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Former Olympians to Compete at Devon for a Spot on US Show Jumping Team

Monday, May 14 2012 by Editor

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

Tagged under: bridge-farms, entries, farms, hatchaway-bridge-farms, olympic sidelines, the-barn-book, wordpress-org

Tucker’s Mid-Life Crisis

Monday, May 14 2012 by Editor

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

Tagged under: bridge-farms, entries, farms, hatchaway-bridge-farms, jumping, lessons, the-barn-book, tucker, wordpress-org

End-of-Year Team Dinner

Saturday, May 12 2012 by Editor

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

Published in General, Pony Up!, Z-Blogs

Tagged under: bridge-farms, entries, farms, hatchaway-bridge-farms, the-barn-book, wordpress-org

If our horses were gorillas.

Saturday, May 12 2012 by Editor

Most of the time at horse shows we don’t have much time for anything other than what we do, we run from ring to ring, walking courses, riding and training. Every once in awhile a special circumstance arises that gives us “way too much time to think, “and from those moments very often come crazy ideas. One such occasion came last year during the USEF Talent Search Final in Gladstone, NJ, it was in between phases and my students and I got to thinking, we basically are just animal trainers, training our four legged friends to jump over sticks, walls and water

Published in General, In the Irons, Z-Blogs

Tagged under: bridge-farms, entries, farms, hatchaway-bridge-farms, in the irons, ingate, the-barn-book, wordpress-org

Black Tie and Boots Ball Benefits Devon Horse Show and Country Fair Foundation

Friday, May 11 2012 by Editor

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

Tagged under: bridge-farms, entries, farms, hatchaway-bridge-farms, show world, the-barn-book, wordpress-org