NCDCTA April 2009
BREEDERS EMBRACING SPORT HORSE VERSATILITY
By Melissa Spell Deal
If you attended the Pinehurst Dressage Schooling Shows in February, you might have noticed a handful of horses standing quietly, waiting to perform, by the Sport Horse Versatility (SHV) in-gate. At a glance, one would have thought these horses were seasoned campaigners. The truth is they were five rising three year olds bred and raised by Danielle Farr-Veasy, owner of Southern Oaks Farm in Aberdeen, NC.
“The (versatility in-hand) classes are another tool for us to get out there in a show environment,” Danielle said. “With all these horses galloping around in the warm up, not just standing around like at the breed shows, it’s a unique opportunity.”
Danielle started her breeding program as a result of her own buying experiences. At one time, she purchased two and three year olds as projects to bring along and resell. She discovered that many had not been handled or that their handling left much to be desired. Danielle realized that missing the most formative years of the horse’s life meant missing the opportunity to instill confidence, manners and other attributes crucial to a horse’s success.
Understanding that today’s world requires horses to accept a myriad of circumstances from crowded warm-up arenas to the unexpected on the trail, Danielle and trainer Wendell Cruz are passionate about working with their youngsters. In addition to work in hand, much time is spent outside of the arena. Exposure to horse show environments include keurings, breed shows and schooling shows, activities which ensure that the youngsters are well prepared when they begin to compete under saddle.
In the SHV arena, the obstacles bring a visual aspect, helping horses to focus on a tangible task. The horses learn to be mentally agile, develop refinement in response to the aids and grow in confidence.
“Danielle understands the stewardship that breeders and trainers should have for their horses,” said Linda Hoover, SHV judge and founder. “She is setting her horses up for success in life by providing them with the necessary mental and physical skills. SHV was created as an educational and competitive path to support this. Without a competitive avenue, people often will not take the time to instill important fundamentals. Danielle’s program is representative of what we need to see more of in the industry.”
Like most breeders, Danielle doesn’t take placement lightly, knowing that well mannered, kind horses are far more likely to find themselves well cared for in a loving home.
The Sport Horse Breeder Needs a Crystal Ball
By Denny Emerson
Sam Barr is one of the premier event horse breeders in the world, having bred the winners of the three premier four star events, Badminton (Eng), Burghley (Eng), and Rolex Kentucky.
I was a panelist with Sam at a sport horse breeding seminar at Rolex Kentucky in 2004, and heard him sum up one of the great challenges facing sport horse breeders.
“Imagine,” said Sam, “that you were breeding a mare in 1997 to produce a foal that would be nine years old in 2007 and entering his absolute prime eventing years. You would logically have tried to breed another Our and About, Kerry Millikin’s American thoroughbred who won the bronze medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, and placed third in 1997 at Badminton. Out and About had it all for that era, speed, endurance, boldness – he was an absolute cross country machine for the long format.”
“But,” said Sam, “you’d have gotten it wrong, because the long format was abolished before that hypothetical foal got its chance to compete. A breeder has to think ten years ahead, and if the sport changes radically during those years, you may well be breeding obsolescence.”
Right now, in 2009, we’re really breeding the horses for 2019 and beyond, and how do we have any idea what the sport ten years from now will begin to look like?
Still, we have to try to look down that murky road, basing our predictions upon what appears to be current evidence.
Exhibit Number One in our evidence file: Land loss: Does anybody really believe that we’ll have more open land to ride on ten years from now? No, we’ll have less land, which means that cross country jumping, training, and conditioning will be increasingly hard to come by, leading to even less emphasis on the cross country phases of eventing. That’s my prediction.
Exhibit Number Two: As land get chopped into smaller parcels, fewer children will have the chance to grow up intimately involved with the day to day care of horses, and fewer children will have the thrill of just galloping around bareback on their ponies, learning about speed, and balance, and “stick-on-ability” in natural, spontaneous ways.
Exhibit Number Three: Dressage and Show jumping require infinitely less land than Cross-Country riding, and whereas cross country riding can be learned spontaneously and naturally, dressage and show jumping need to be more specifically taught.
If my three “exhibits” turn out to be true, then I think the horses we need to produce for that different America of 2019 should be more specifically “designer bred” to excel in dressage and show jumping, and less likely to be the old fashioned cross country “attack machines” that people in my generation rode in events in the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and even into the 90’s.
I predict there will be fewer pure thoroughbreds, and more “crosses,” thoroughbreds crossed with Irish Draught and jumper bred warmblood lines, to be ready for a sport which demands even more technical skills than today, and requires far less speed, stamina and endurance than was needed when our country still retained vestiges of an agrarian society.
It’s not the scenario I personally prefer, but it’s the scenario that I believe sport horse breeders, following Sam Barr’s “Look 10 years ahead” dictum need to consider.
Eventing Corner
By Anita Quinn
Once again Mother Nature played havoc with the Ark Horse Trials on Feb. 28th. I’m beginning to think that the name of the facility has nothing to do with the animals on the premises! While the competition itself went well (thanks of course to Abbey and Jeff!), it was everything else that made me think about my love of the sport.
From the start, it seemed that all was going well. It was wet and cold on Friday, but I was stabled near some friends, whom invited me to dinner and graciously invited me to crash in their hotel room w/ them. (Christan and Jennifer…many thanks!) Good friends with conversation, a glass of wine, good food, and a hot shower later, I was beginning to think this would be a fine weekend despite the rain.
Overnight the flood gates opened however, and the next morning we awoke to torrential rain. Everything was flooded, the fields were getting slippery, and everything was already covered in a layer of red mud clay. Vehicles were starting to slip and the mud by stabling was getting deep and it was only mid-morning. Muck boots were the shoes-du-jour. By 10:30am XC was officially cancelled and the SJ ring looked more like a water complex. I wasn’t too worried though, as I have 4 wheel-drive. So on I trudged, through the muck and the mud. The day flew by quickly as a CT and before I knew it, the competition was over. Not a thing that I owned: helmet, tack, clothes, nor horse, was dry or clean. I was starting to yearn for the warmth and comforts of home. Happy enough though w/ a pretty yellow ribbon in my hand, I headed off to go hook up the trailer, load up, and get an early start home. So much for that idea…
Now, there are good times and bad times to find things out as we all know. But trying to back uphill to my trailer on a muddy slippery slope, in the pouring down rain was NOT a good time to find out my 4 wheel-drive was not working. But there was no denying it once the red mud starting slinging up the sides of my truck and my back end started fishtailing away from my rig. Not good. I tried a different approach. I pulled around and tried to get to my trailer at an angle, thinking if I could get it just close enough…ummm…no chance. I got out of the truck and stood in the rain, not sure whether to laugh or cry. I turned around just in time to see Jennifer pulling her trailer down the hill. I must have looked pathetic, because she was kind enough to stop and rescue me.
It didn’t take long for us to come up with a game plan. I drove my truck out of the field lest I get my truck stuck in the process. Jennifer was going to unhook her trailer in a flat spot, and then we’d come back and get mine. All was good until we tried to lower my trailer onto her hitch. Wrong size. Ugh! I ran back to my truck (out of the field…down the hill, sliding through the mud in my once beige breeches and muck boots, and back up the hill to stabling to remove my hitch from my truck, which happened to be stuck. ARGH. Kicking and cursing, I finally got the pin free so I could run all the way back again). We switch out hitches. Jennifer pulls my trailer to the middle of stabling, high and not quite so dry. When we unhooked, I set my wheel pole on a block of wood to crank it up (I’m missing the actual wheel per the previous owner). That works just fine…normally. Jennifer headed back for her trailer. In the meantime, I’m cold, wet, dirty, and unfortunately, in a hurry. I backed my truck up to hook up. The next thing I heard was the sickening sound of my hitch hitting my trailer a little too hard and the resulting sound of the trailer falling down off the block. It was so wet that the pole that I had on the block now was jammed about 2’ into the ground and the nose of the trailer was on the block, which flipped over, now about 6” off the ground. The day was getting better and better. I frantically looked around for additional nicely cut blocks that would be of convenient use, but instead all I found were two medium sized rocks. Fine, rocks will do. I cranked up my “wheel pole” and then proceeded to dig out under the front of the trailer using my hands and the rocks. Did I mention it was pouring down rain? In the meantime, unbeknownst to me, poor Jennifer almost got stuck trying to get back to her trailer after being a good Samaritan for me!
We worked relentlessly to get packed up. I was pushing the mud caked wheelbarrow through the mud ruts, spilling shavings here and there, all in the rain of course. All the while mumbling “I love this sport, I love this sport, I love this sport” wondering if indeed I did mean it. Finally, the stall was stripped, my belongings packed, my shirt no longer white and my breeches no longer beige, I stopped and assessed the scenario. Jennifer finished about the same time and in celebration, offered me a beer. So there we stood, possibly out in the rain (I was so wet, I didn’t even know any longer), drinking our beers, laughing at the trials and tribulations of the weekend, talking about training goals and making plans when and where we were going to do it all over again. As I pulled out of the Ark facility, I thought to myself, you know, I really do love this sport.
By Anita Quinn
The Leslie Law clinic started out brisk and downright cold on Monday morning, Feburary 23rd. Despite the cold, I didn’t hear any complaints from the riders; they just bundled up and got on. While the format of the clinic was to be one stadium the first day and cross country the second day, it really was better described as dressage/stadium on day one. Leslie put an unprecedented emphasis on flatwork prior to jumping. The I/P group found out quickly that they would be lengthening, performing shoulder in, simple changes, and leg yields at the walk, trot, and canter. Even the P/T group had to drop their stirrups during flatwork for some sitting trot, shoulder-in and was required to lengthen and shorten their strides! Not one horse looked worse for the wear and it was becoming quite evident that the extensive flatwork, especially the inclusion of lateral work, was benefiting each horse. It wasn’t long before horses were becoming soft and supple and nicely forward. Leslie didn’t make a point of changing much about the rider, except for the occasional request for the rider to shorten the rein, or sink further into the heel, but rather introduced flatwork and combinations of movements to help the rider soften up the horse and put them on the aids.
Once Leslie decided the horses were actively on the aids, soft, and responsive, he moved over to the jumps. Everyone started out jumping a crossrail out of the trot. He encouraged the riders to stay up off the horses back and in a light seat to encourage the horses back to come up. Then to ride straight away and softly come to a halt. This was followed by emphasis on riding the canter in a balance to the jump and learning to develop an eye for distance. Riders were sent out at a canter and asked to start counting up once they felt they were 8 strides out from the crossrail. I was impressed to say that majority of the riders continuously got between 7 and 9 once they finally met the jumps. Being able to see out 8 strides is pretty darn good by anyone’s standards (for those of you that don’t jump). The lesson grew from a crossrail to a straight line of 6 strides, with the emphasis on making an early decision about the canter needed and then riding the rhythm to the second fence. One horse/rider combination had the ability to add multiple strides everywhere, even when Leslie didn’t want them. So, off came his toboggan hat and on went his helmet so he could take over the ride. Leslie quickly displayed an ability to ride the balance and feel of the horse. He circled, spiraled, did a roll back, all the while either counting aloud for us or maintaining a running commentary about what he was doing. Each jump was beautifully out of stride, without adding. Leslie stopped looking at the jump ahead of him and started looking at the group standing to the side, to prove his point about riding a horse’s balance to the jump. At the end he even turned his head around backwards talking to us, heading to a very large oxer! Of course the pair jumped it beautifully, very impressive to say the least. The day continued much in the same fashion, just tweaked slightly for the different levels of riders and horses.
Monday evening came the Lecture/Demonstration. About 25 auditors toughed out the frigid temperatures to watch Leslie ride and talk through his training rides on three different horses. It proved to be not just entertaining, but informational as well and everyone seemed to enjoy the evening.
The second day brought better weather for cross country riding. While Leslie was impressed with the CHP course, often commenting on its degree of difficulty, that didn’t stop him from putting the riders through their paces. Leslie let the riders lead the way as he felt each rider knew their horse best, when to push and where to stop. Some pairs were looking to move up and wanted to be pushed, others were happy at their lower level. Leslie was supportive and accommodating, from the highest of the levels down to the Hunter-turned-Event-rider who was sure that he was crazy in telling her to jump that large red cabin! All in all, I think the clinic participants as well as the auditors and volunteers thoroughly enjoyed Leslie’s company and shared wisdom. A good time was had by all.
NC Warmbloods sponsors high score awards at regional dressage shows
By Eleanor Eltoft
To call attention to the high quality sport horses being produced in North Carolina, the North Carolina Warmblood Breeders group has sponsored NCWB High Score Awards at regional dressage and sport horse breeding shows since 2005. NC Warmblood members donate the prizes, which in the past have included neck sashes and ribbons, money, figurines, trophies, tack and apparel. These awards have become very popular.
In 2009 the award winners will receive a certificate entitling them to a personalized item with the NC Warmbloods logo and their horse's name embroidered on it. They will be able to choose between a shirt, sweatshirt or hat in two colors (white or light blue) in their choice of size.
A horse is eligible for the award if its breeder’s address on its registration papers is in North Carolina. So, check your horses’ registration papers to see if your horses are eligible. If so, then sign up for the award with the show secretary and show them a copy of your horses’ registration papers. The eligible horse with the highest score in the show will win the award.
The NCWB High Score Award will be offered at the following shows in 2009:
March Magic Dressage – sponsor: Debbie Malinowski of Wellsmont Farm
Dressage at FENCE – sponsor: Eleanor Eltoft of Elandale Farm
Dressage in the Sandhills – sponsor: Meredith Wilson of Sweet Sunday Farm
Down East Dressage – sponsor: Mary Messinger of Kingston Farm
Summer Highland Fling – sponsor: Debbie Messick of Briar Hill Hanoverians
Dressage at Lexington Performance Show – sponsor: Judy Arnold of Stonecrop Farm
Dressage at Lexington Sport Horse Breeding Show – sponsor Maria Perry of Mare Haven Farm
Summer Mountain Getaway – sponsor: Traher Albright
Pinehurst Fall Dressage – sponsor: Ellen Ziemer of Rougemont Sporthorses
Dressage in the Park – sponsor: Meredith Wilson of Sweet Sunday Farm
Photos and information about the award winners are displayed on NCWarmbloods.com’s website. Winners in 2008 were:
March Magic Dressage: Jean Devenny on Last Call bred by Deonna Donahue. Score 72.3%, First Level.
Dressage in the Sandhills: Tina Cook on RazzMaTazz, bred by Debbie Malinowski . Score in First Level.
Summer Highland Fling: Sophie Clifton on Ruby Del Sol, bred by Erin Ray. Score 74.4%, Training Level.
Dressage at Lexington Performance Show: Susan Springsteen on Finale, bred by Janine Malone. Score 70.75%, Prix St. Georges.
Dressage at Lexington Sport Horse Breeding Show: Marlene Whitaker with Iris, bred by Marlene Whitaker.
Summer Mountain Getaway: Cathy West on Fiddler’s Rhapsody.
Made in the Shade: Diana Hoberecht on James Moseby’s Paloma Blanca, bred by James Moseby. Score 71.6%, Training Level.
Pinehurst Fall: Diana Hoberecht on James Moseby’s Paloma Blanca bred by James Moseby. Score 68.8%, Training Level.
Dressage at Latta: Freddie Schneider on Vincent Machine. Score 71.304% Training Level
NC Warmbloods sponsors high score awards at regional dressage shows
By Eleanor Eltoft
To call attention to the high quality sport horses being produced in North Carolina, the North Carolina Warmblood Breeders group has sponsored NCWB High Score Awards at regional dressage and sport horse breeding shows since 2005. NC Warmblood members donate the prizes, which in the past have included neck sashes and ribbons, money, figurines, trophies, tack and apparel. These awards have become very popular.
In 2009 the award winners will receive a certificate entitling them to a personalized item with the NC Warmbloods logo and their horse's name embroidered on it. They will be able to choose between a shirt, sweatshirt or hat in two colors (white or light blue) in their choice of size.
A horse is eligible for the award if its breeder’s address on its registration papers is in North Carolina. So, check your horses’ registration papers to see if your horses are eligible. If so, then sign up for the award with the show secretary and show them a copy of your horses’ registration papers. The eligible horse with the highest score in the show will win the award.
The NCWB High Score Award will be offered at the following shows in 2009:
March Magic Dressage – sponsor: Debbie Malinowski of Wellsmont Farm
Dressage at FENCE – sponsor: Eleanor Eltoft of Elandale Farm
Dressage in the Sandhills – sponsor: Meredith Wilson of Sweet Sunday Farm
Down East Dressage – sponsor: Mary Messinger of Kingston Farm
Summer Highland Fling – sponsor: Debbie Messick of Briar Hill Hanoverians
Dressage at Lexington Performance Show – sponsor: Judy Arnold of Stonecrop Farm
Dressage at Lexington Sport Horse Breeding Show – sponsor Maria Perry of Mare Haven Farm
Summer Mountain Getaway – sponsor: Traher Albright
Pinehurst Fall Dressage – sponsor: Ellen Ziemer of Rougemont Sporthorses
Dressage in the Park – sponsor: Meredith Wilson of Sweet Sunday Farm
Photos and information about the award winners are displayed on NCWarmbloods.com’s website. Winners in 2008 were:
March Magic Dressage: Jean Devenny on Last Call bred by Deonna Donahue. Score 72.3%, First Level.
Dressage in the Sandhills: Tina Cook on RazzMaTazz, bred by Debbie Malinowski . Score in First Level.
Summer Highland Fling: Sophie Clifton on Ruby Del Sol, bred by Erin Ray. Score 74.4%, Training Level.
Dressage at Lexington Performance Show: Susan Springsteen on Finale, bred by Janine Malone. Score 70.75%, Prix St. Georges.
Dressage at Lexington Sport Horse Breeding Show: Marlene Whitaker with Iris, bred by Marlene Whitaker.
Summer Mountain Getaway: Cathy West on Fiddler’s Rhapsody.
Made in the Shade: Diana Hoberecht on James Moseby’s Paloma Blanca, bred by James Moseby. Score 71.6%, Training Level.
Pinehurst Fall: Diana Hoberecht on James Moseby’s Paloma Blanca bred by James Moseby. Score 68.8%, Training Level.
Dressage at Latta: Freddie Schneider on Vincent Machine. Score 71.304% Training Level
Your Dollars at Work at the CDI-W/J/Y Raleigh
By Margie Muenzer, physical therapist and instructor with the North Carolina Therapeutic Riding Center
Did you know that the CDI-W/J/Y Raleigh and Capital Dressage Classic is a benefit horse show? For the past seven years, proceeds from ticket sales have gone to the North Carolina Therapeutic Riding Center.
NCTRC, once again the beneficiary of the 2009 CDI /CDC, would like to introduce Katelynn, a horse lover with cerebral palsy who rides at our center. Katelynn was born three months prematurely, weighing just over one pound at birth, and stayed at Duke Hospital for three months.
Katelynn didn't walk until she was 3, just about the time she started hippotherapy, a specialized physical therapy using the horse. The horse's movement challenges the rider's balance, helps strengthen weak trunk muscles, and provides loads of sensory stimulation.
When Katelynn's family moved to Durham, Katelynn began hippotherapy with NCTRC. She soon progressed to small group riding classes at NCTRC, which she continues today. Katelynn attends regular education classes at school, but she has difficulty keeping up with the other students physically, and is beginning to ask questions about why she is different. But Katelynn's mom explains that with horseback riding, Katelynn has an activity that she can do well and which gives her a sense of accomplishment.
"Children like Katelynn don't have the same abilities as others, but horseback riding really helps them physically and helps them feel more normal” said Katelyn’s mother. “And they have this interaction with the horse. They can relate to the animals, they can build a relationship."
NCTRC is growing in 2009. Now at Clearwind Farm in Mebane, the program is expanding. But operating expenses are also increasing. Here are a couple of ways you can help NCTRC:
Watch for details about our inaugural brunch on Sunday morning at the CDI show and bring a friend for some delicious food! Visit NCTRC's website: www.nctrcriders.org/news_and_events.html for details on how to purchase tickets to the brunch.
Even if you aren't showing this year, come out to the CDI /CDC May 29-June 2. And bring a car load of friends and family. The $6 admission will go directly to NCTRC. We'd love to see those seats fill up! Proceeds from admissions will help NCTRC continue helping riders just like Katelynn achieve their dreams.
News from the Florida Scene
By Sharon Packer
Pat Girard, Erik Olsen and I served as official photographers for Welcome Back to White Fences I and the Wellington Classic Dressage Challenge II. This gave us a wonderful opportunity to visit with and photograph Jennifer Baumert as she campaigned her horses in these two events.
At Welcome Back to White Fences I, Jennifer Baumert gave new meaning to “the show must go on!” Though Jen was extremely sick with influenza, she showed two horses. Jen stated that she could not remember ever being so sick. Frankly I though I was going to have a heat stoke, it was so hot. I have no idea how Jen stayed on a horse with her being so sick and it being that hot! She must have dressage autopilot in her DNA. Despite her illness, Jen rode Okidokie to a score of 66.316 in the FEI Intermediare I Open.
Jen gave herself a little time to recover, then brought Okidokie to a 70.262 in the Prix St. Georges Test of Choice at the Wellington Classic Dressage Challenge II, finishing first in her class. I had the pleasure of photographing that test, and Jen was awesome! She and Wynn Velten shown brightly as well at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center as they placed first in the USEF 4th Level Test 2 Open, with a score of 71.136%, and later in the FEI PSG with a score of 66.316%.
We also attended the Palm Beach Dressage Derby to follow the progress of Sidley Payne and our other NC riders. Sidley premiered in the FEI Grand Prix de Dressage. She faced tough competition but proved to be a challenging contender herself. Though we did not have the opportunity to meet Sidley, we hope that may be possible soon.
For viewing additional photos of our North Carolina riders, please visit our website www.HorseSportsPhotography.com.
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