After Margaret and I had such a fun time at the fall hunter pace, we opted to go again this spring! This time, while I rode Rejoice again, Margaret rode her horse Jester and had a friend ride Ladyhawke. All Kennebec Morgans!! Jester and Rejoice have the same dam and Jester and Lady share the same sire. Unfortunately instead of a lovely late spring day, we had one of the first intensely hot and humid days of the year. It was definitely a bummer, but the ride was mostly in the shade of the woods and we had a great time! most of the fences were 3' coops but we found a small log and this hay to jump haha Until we didn't. 😑 We brought along a third friend who rode Margaret's older mare, Ladyhawke. She's a good rider but hasn't known Ladyhawke for very long and didn't realize how much of a cranky boss mare she could be at times. She kicked Jester right in the front leg just about halfway through the ride, and while the cut itself ended up not being a big deal in the...
The great thing about the internet is that you can get to "know" someone who does not even live near you. I have recently been in touch with a woman from SPHO-FL named Tina who has two OUTSTANDING Standardbred dressage horses, Whiz Bang and Sea the Gray (Luna). These mares are fabulous and very well trained. They are taking the dressage world by storm! One of the mares, Whiz Bang, was the 2007 USDF Training level All Breeds Award champion. You can read about them here and here. and here.
Anyway, here are their most recent accomplishments. This is the actual email Tina sent to me, as I figured it would be more fun to read her reactions than for me to paraphrase everything.
Anyway, here are their most recent accomplishments. This is the actual email Tina sent to me, as I figured it would be more fun to read her reactions than for me to paraphrase everything.
Well, I have fantastic news regarding how our Standardbreds did at The Heidelberg Cup 1 & 2. On Saturday, Luna did her First Level Musical Freestyle Q and received a score of 66.875% and she placed Second.
Whiz did First Level Test 4 Q, and was 6th out of 11 horses with a score of 63.684%, in the comment area, the judge wrote that now is the time to begin adding more collection to get ready to go to Second Level! WOW did that ever make me feel good.
Whiz did First Level Test 4 Q, and was 6th out of 11 horses with a score of 63.684%, in the comment area, the judge wrote that now is the time to begin adding more collection to get ready to go to Second Level! WOW did that ever make me feel good.
On Sunday Whiz did her First Level Musical Freestyle Q and earned FIRST PLACE with a score of 67.708%. I was crying with joy and jumping up and down in the show office. Whiz actually beat a Warmblood that scored a 74% the day before and she did it in the pouring rain!
Since both Luna & Whiz scored above 65% in their Musical Freestyle Tests, which we went ahead and paid the extra $10 to make them Qualifying tests, they only need one more score above 65% and they will be eligible to go to Regionals!!
Later in the day Luna did a First Level Test 1 and received a 69% for FIRST PLACE! I can tell you that people are beginning to notice that the Standardbreds are getting good scores and blue ribbons. Once I get the pictures off my camera, I hope to get an article off to the USTA to publish on their website, and will let you know if it gets published.
Since both Luna & Whiz scored above 65% in their Musical Freestyle Tests, which we went ahead and paid the extra $10 to make them Qualifying tests, they only need one more score above 65% and they will be eligible to go to Regionals!!
Later in the day Luna did a First Level Test 1 and received a 69% for FIRST PLACE! I can tell you that people are beginning to notice that the Standardbreds are getting good scores and blue ribbons. Once I get the pictures off my camera, I hope to get an article off to the USTA to publish on their website, and will let you know if it gets published.
I taped all the rides and will again try to post to U-Tube..I had trouble uploading before, but hope I can figure it out...any hints Elizabeth??
The next show we go to is on May 9-10th and we will be entering both horses in a $1000 Musical Freestyle challenge...so keep your fingers crossed for us.
Tina
Congrats to Tina, Heather, and all involved with these two fantastic mares! And lots of carrots and nose kisses to Luna and Whiz! I love having "role models" to look up to! :D
whiz bang's name sounds familiar...and I don't read the trotting news letters (:P) so I don't know why. Maybe it was from the year book from last year. I don't know but I love that she is doing so well!
ReplyDelete