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....