Hope you are all well. I wanted to give you the latest update. I have just returned home from San Diego with the horses. Everyone is well. Del Mar National was the last show I did in April and it was successful. Wistar however did not compete. He had a slight injury two weeks prior that side lined him for this particular show. He is doing fine now but that's timing for you.... This show was the last qualifier needed for the selection trials. So I decided to come home and re-organize for next year. He was outstanding this year and we learned so much. Training with Steffen was everything I had hoped it would be. Thanks again for all of your support and I look forward to the new goal of trying for the World Equestrian Games as it comes to Kentucky in 2010.
On a side note. Quarteto Do Top the beautiful Lusitano stallion we have in, competed in the "$1000 FEI Evening of the Freestyle" at Del Mar. It was our first show together and our first class for that matter in front of 2-3 thousand people. He was a little star taking reserve with music from "Spirit Stallion of the Cimmeron" He absolutely loved the crowd. I will have some great pictures up shortly for the blog.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Festival of The Horse
Hello,
Well this weekend went much better for Wistar and I. I decided to ride him briefly before the jog to relax him and make him think his work day was over. I then immediately changed and ran him in the jog and he was a perfect gentleman. Paula helped me with my out fit which was black pin striped slacks and a cute white jacket with a silk scarf. Thanks Paula!
Friday's Grand Prix was a big improvement from the show prior. I warmed up Wistar in 20 minutes testing his reactions and his throughness. When I went around the outside of the arena I continued to test his reaction to my leg and check that the piaffe would be there.
The test was very clean with good transitions into piaffe and good moments of passage. Overall the test scored a 63.083% My pirouettes were a bit weak along with my trot half passes. The tempis were nice and straight and up hill and the zig zag was my best yet in a test. The scores from the panel of 5 judges ranged from 66% from Linda Zang to 61% form Germany's Volker Moritz. So quite a wide spectrum. My over all feeling was that he was very ride able in the test and that made me very happy. I finished 6th in a field of 14. Steffen and Ravel won it with a 70.8% and Debbie and Brentina 2nd with a 70.5%, 3rd was Leslie Reid, then Leslie Morse, 5th Jennifer Hoffman with a 63.9% then Wistar and I.
The Special was very solid. Wistar was even more uphill in his work and I put in a solid 15 steps of piaffe in each tour. I scored my 1st eights on my passage and extended canter which was exciting. I had one unfortunate break in my final extended trot down the long side before my final piaffe/ passage tour but my over all test was improved from the day before. Although is it scored slightly lower with a 62.52% we ended 5th in the class and I was thrilled with his performance. Check out all of the CDI results at http://www.cornerstonedressage.com/results/2008%20Festival%20results.pdf Our next competition is the Del Mar show the end of the month and I am very excited for the evening of the Freestyles Sat the 26th. Summervale has purchased two booths ring side for the evening. We hope to have the gang come down to watch. Let us know if you're interested.
On another note Cendro, Rubesco and now WIndtalker all had once again a very successful competition. Cendro finished 2nd with a 71.190 on Friday in his 2-4. He was very good although more tired then normal so I scratched his 1-4 later that afternoon. Temperature was about 74 degrees and it seemed to have taken its toll on Cendro this week. He was tired this weekend. We have been going strong for the past 6 weeks. Saturday he was a bit more vibrant finishing 3rd in his 2-4 with a 67.85%. Sunday was a really great ride with a 72.895% and good enough for 2nd behind Leslie Webb who scored an 81% with her young boy.
Windtalker had his first show this weekend. Ashley is going back to school this fall and has decided that she really needs to sell her talented boy. We have just listed him on the www.sumervalefarm.com site and he came out at third level. He won his first test in the green horse third level test with a 62%. Then on Saturday he was second with a 63.8%. He shows so much promise and talent and was a blast to compete. We may bring him to Del Mar and Flintridge if we have him that long. He's likely to get snatched up by some lucky rider very quickly.
Paula had a super weekend. She won all four of her classes entered with a 72.01 on Friday in 1-4, a 70% at 2-4. On Saturday a 72.143% in her 2-4 class and then the finale.... a 74.474 on Sunday in her 1-4 test also winning the Markel Insurance High point cooler and neck ribbon for the high scoring amatuer of the show. Congratulations Paula. We are so proud of you. On a side note Paula also had her Phirst Solo baby this week. Solo had her foal via suragate on Thursday the 27th. Beautiful black colt with a blaze and four white socks.
Paula then continued home form the LA show and made home safely Tuesday the 1st. We already miss you Paula....
Well this weekend went much better for Wistar and I. I decided to ride him briefly before the jog to relax him and make him think his work day was over. I then immediately changed and ran him in the jog and he was a perfect gentleman. Paula helped me with my out fit which was black pin striped slacks and a cute white jacket with a silk scarf. Thanks Paula!
Friday's Grand Prix was a big improvement from the show prior. I warmed up Wistar in 20 minutes testing his reactions and his throughness. When I went around the outside of the arena I continued to test his reaction to my leg and check that the piaffe would be there.
The test was very clean with good transitions into piaffe and good moments of passage. Overall the test scored a 63.083% My pirouettes were a bit weak along with my trot half passes. The tempis were nice and straight and up hill and the zig zag was my best yet in a test. The scores from the panel of 5 judges ranged from 66% from Linda Zang to 61% form Germany's Volker Moritz. So quite a wide spectrum. My over all feeling was that he was very ride able in the test and that made me very happy. I finished 6th in a field of 14. Steffen and Ravel won it with a 70.8% and Debbie and Brentina 2nd with a 70.5%, 3rd was Leslie Reid, then Leslie Morse, 5th Jennifer Hoffman with a 63.9% then Wistar and I.
The Special was very solid. Wistar was even more uphill in his work and I put in a solid 15 steps of piaffe in each tour. I scored my 1st eights on my passage and extended canter which was exciting. I had one unfortunate break in my final extended trot down the long side before my final piaffe/ passage tour but my over all test was improved from the day before. Although is it scored slightly lower with a 62.52% we ended 5th in the class and I was thrilled with his performance. Check out all of the CDI results at http://www.cornerstonedressage.com/results/2008%20Festival%20results.pdf Our next competition is the Del Mar show the end of the month and I am very excited for the evening of the Freestyles Sat the 26th. Summervale has purchased two booths ring side for the evening. We hope to have the gang come down to watch. Let us know if you're interested.
On another note Cendro, Rubesco and now WIndtalker all had once again a very successful competition. Cendro finished 2nd with a 71.190 on Friday in his 2-4. He was very good although more tired then normal so I scratched his 1-4 later that afternoon. Temperature was about 74 degrees and it seemed to have taken its toll on Cendro this week. He was tired this weekend. We have been going strong for the past 6 weeks. Saturday he was a bit more vibrant finishing 3rd in his 2-4 with a 67.85%. Sunday was a really great ride with a 72.895% and good enough for 2nd behind Leslie Webb who scored an 81% with her young boy.
Windtalker had his first show this weekend. Ashley is going back to school this fall and has decided that she really needs to sell her talented boy. We have just listed him on the www.sumervalefarm.com site and he came out at third level. He won his first test in the green horse third level test with a 62%. Then on Saturday he was second with a 63.8%. He shows so much promise and talent and was a blast to compete. We may bring him to Del Mar and Flintridge if we have him that long. He's likely to get snatched up by some lucky rider very quickly.
Paula had a super weekend. She won all four of her classes entered with a 72.01 on Friday in 1-4, a 70% at 2-4. On Saturday a 72.143% in her 2-4 class and then the finale.... a 74.474 on Sunday in her 1-4 test also winning the Markel Insurance High point cooler and neck ribbon for the high scoring amatuer of the show. Congratulations Paula. We are so proud of you. On a side note Paula also had her Phirst Solo baby this week. Solo had her foal via suragate on Thursday the 27th. Beautiful black colt with a blaze and four white socks.
Paula then continued home form the LA show and made home safely Tuesday the 1st. We already miss you Paula....
Dressage Affaire
Hi every one sorry for the late post. Thanks for all of your interest and support. Needless to say this show was not our best. We had many issues heading into the competition. The jog was quite a disaster. It was our first jog back in about two years and let me tell you I had a wild man on my hands. He was so excited and leaping and jumping like the hot man that he really is not. He seemed to have kicked himself in the process. He was not quite right afterwards and during the process blew out all of his energy. The following day for the Grand Prix all the wind was out of his sails and he still did not quite seem himself. I had many mistakes that were not in our normal limits. It was a tough score to swallow but every experience really teaches us so much.
I decide to scratch him for the freestyle. He felt much better the next day but still was sore somewhere and I just didnt feel good about it. So we took it easy and decided to focus our efforts forward for The Festival of the Horse two weeks later.
Paula and Rubesco did a fantastic job in their test scoring a 64% in 2-4 winning the class and a 63.42 at 1-4 taking 2nd on Thursday. On Friday she scored a 64.2% in her 2-4 class winning it again and then on Sat she won her first level class with a 69%. Paula and Rubesco are making phenominal progress and plan to show third and fourth level when they return to WA later this year.
Cendro was also at the show with us and did a super job. He was second in his first 2-4 with a 63% 1st in his 1-4 class with a 67%. Cendro is a hard working boy with a great attitude. He has been so much fun to have down here. On Friday he took first with a 66.6 % at 2-4 and then on Saturday his final test was 1-4 and he took the win with a 74.2%
I decide to scratch him for the freestyle. He felt much better the next day but still was sore somewhere and I just didnt feel good about it. So we took it easy and decided to focus our efforts forward for The Festival of the Horse two weeks later.
Paula and Rubesco did a fantastic job in their test scoring a 64% in 2-4 winning the class and a 63.42 at 1-4 taking 2nd on Thursday. On Friday she scored a 64.2% in her 2-4 class winning it again and then on Sat she won her first level class with a 69%. Paula and Rubesco are making phenominal progress and plan to show third and fourth level when they return to WA later this year.
Cendro was also at the show with us and did a super job. He was second in his first 2-4 with a 63% 1st in his 1-4 class with a 67%. Cendro is a hard working boy with a great attitude. He has been so much fun to have down here. On Friday he took first with a 66.6 % at 2-4 and then on Saturday his final test was 1-4 and he took the win with a 74.2%
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Mid Winter Dressage Show
Hi there,
The first two days of Mid Winter Dressage show are complete. Friday was a beautiful day and the first day of a new season. Wistar went first at 3:15 and I had a super warm up to prepare. I got on about 30 minutes prior and in the heat it was still about 6 minutes to long. The weather is much warmer here and he doesn't last quite as long as he acclimates. The test went well. This was Wistar's 1st ever Grand Prix and I haven't shown a Grand Prix since Solo in 2005 at Gladstone's Festival of Champions so I felt a little rusty. My first extended was very solid and the half passes needed a bit more cadence. His second extended to the passage had a big spook out of the corner but was salvaged. My piaffe passage tour was still not as fluid or active as I am getting in the warm up or at home but I was really able to get a great feel of what to fix before our first CDI in two weeks. My changes scored 8's and my last passage piaffe tour was really picking up. Over all we finished fourth our first time out and I felt very satisfied with his effort and our performance. Scores in this class were quite low but I was very happy. Tomorrow we will shorten the warm up and really try for more accuracy and get every point I can.
Cendro and Rubesco also had a great day. Paula and Rubesco won there 1-4 test with a 68% and were second in the 2-4 test with a 65.6%. Rubesco is coming back from a two year hiatus after an injury in 2006. He is now stronger than ever and Paula couldn't be happier with him. Go Rubesco!
Cendro who is owned by Margot Reed of Tacoma had a great first day as well. I have been on Cendro about two months now and this was our first show together. He came in very "puffy" to his test and gave them both a good go on Friday. He won his 1-4 test with a 72% and was second in his 2-4 test with a 66%
SATURDAY RESULTS:
Today was Wistar's first Grand Prix Special ever ridden. I had a great time riding this test. We warmed up in about 20 minutes and had our test in the Equidome where they hold the CDI test. Wistar was great. The quality of the work was a step up from yesterday. I had some small mistakes but nailed my changes and pirouettes are really starting to gain points. We were able to come away with the win today and that was nice but I was so happy to have the feeling we were communicating so well within the test. That was my most important goal of the weekend. I will give him tomorrow off and Paula and I each have a test on our other boys Rubesco and Cendro. I also have Ashley's boy Windtalker here which I have been schooling each day. We may enter him into his first test if a scratch opens up tomorrow.
Rubesco and Paula won there 2-4 test today with a 68.9% Paula did a great job and really nailed it. She was extremely excited. She is even more excited to get back to the barn in San Diego to start working on those third level test.
Cendro had a great day too. He was a perfect gentleman in his warm up and had a solid performance in the ring as well. He came away with the win with a 75.5% We were quite happy with that. His mama Margot flew in for the weekend to watch him go and she had a great time.
SUNDAY Results:
Paula and Rubesco win their first level 4 Am with a 70%
Jen and Cendro win ther first level 4 Open with a 70.5%
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Latest update
Hope this message finds you all doing well. Wistar and I are doing wonderful. We arrived Thursday, February 14th after an uneventful drive with blue skies over the passes and the horses eating and drinking beautifully. San Diego met us with rain, cold temperatures and lots of mud. The rain lasted about two weeks and finally we have beautiful blue skies and warm days again.
I have the very fortunate opportunity this season to be working with Steffen Peters at Arroyo Del Mar with Wistar. This has been a very exciting and beneficial transition. Wistar is working beautifully and trying hard every day. I spend my morning watching Steffen work his horses and then have my lessons in the late morning. I find myself growing everyday and will strive to emulate the communication and harmony he possesses with his horses. It is truly beautiful. Steffen and Shannon are incredibly supportive and helpful and I feel so blessed to be able to work with someone so accomplished.
The afternoons consist of traveling to Sea Breeze Stables which is just ten minutes away where our other horses are stabled. The horses are well. At Sea Breeze the rain has prevented us from riding for the last couple of days before traveling to the Los Angeles Equestrian Center. Hopping on at the show was "interesting"!
We have arrived at the LA show yesterday and the horses have really settled in. I had a super work out with Wistar today under Steffen's tutelage. Paula had a great lesson on Rubesco and Cendro and WT were angels. The competition starts up on Friday and with a little luck I will put in a solid test.
Thank you again to my sponsors and supporters who have helped me get to this point in my training. Without you I could not pursue this dream. I can't wait for you to see how our hard work has led to a jump in our capability! You can see ride times at www.cornerstonedressage.com
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
82.8%
Well I will say I had a couple of weak moments in my Grand Prix Freestyle at Donida's schooling show on January 20th but some really good moments as well. Wistar was a dream through his piaffe/passage work and I nailed all of my one tempi's. I have a few kinks to work out for the big shows but it was a nice confindence builder right before we leave for CA which is this Tuesday the 12th. Cendro scored a 72% in his 2-4 test. He is owned by Margot Reed and will be coming down to show with me in all of the CA shows. Paula and a rubesco won there 1-4 test with a 69% and Ashley and Windtalker did a fabulous job earning a 65% in her 1-2 test. They will be heading down with me as well. Rubesco is schooling third again and will be showing first and second level this year after a two year break due to injury. Ash and Windtalker or Little Dub as we like to call him is also schooling third level and showing first and second this year. Little dub turns six this year and he is looking more and more like his Poppa Wistar every day.
So first show up....LA Equestrian Centers Mid Winter dressage Fair Feb 29- march 2.
I will post again and let you know when we arrive and all of the details of the long 24 hour haul. (don't worry we will be stopping and resting)
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