Fumella Frostbite's Dressage - January 2005 Issue
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Melissa Taylor Yee - photo ©Kenneth Braddick |
Wow, this event that Mary Ross is putting together seems to be gaining momentum by the moment (even the USDF is a sponsor!). Called “The Challenge of the Americas” – it’s the first international Grand Prix quadrille competition to be staged in the U.S. Don’t miss it – March 12 in Wellington, Florida, at the Palm Beach Polo Club. And why not go all out and spend the bucks on a table – there’s a Gala dinner in the Player’s Club that night. All proceeds go to The Breast Cancer Research Fund. Take a look at the teams so far … United States: George Williams, Betsy Steiner, Lynda Alicki, Pamela Goodrich, Bent Jensen. Latin America: Cesar Parra, Patrick Burssens, Yvonne Losos Muniz, Marco Bernal, Gabriel Armando. Canada: Shannon Dueck, Ashley Holzer, Jacqueline Brooks, Evi Strasser. Terry Gallo of Klassic Kur is creating the music for the US Team. Word has it she may also be doing the music for Latin America. Beth Zimski will design the US Team choreography. Silke Rembacz of High Life Farms will ride an exhibition before the start of the Challenge. This will be an outrageous evening of dressage! Stay tuned! For reservations, call 561-852-2591
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Bent Jensen - photo ©Kenneth Braddick |
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Robert Dover - photo ©Randi Muster |
As many of you might know, Diane Butler and Beth Hyman started their SquirrelWood Farms Sporthorse Rehabilitation in Montgomery, NY, a couple of years ago, but what you might not know (as yours truly did not) is that Beth is an accomplished artist! Of course, her inspiration is horses and she’s created some wonderful pieces in a variety of mediums – oil paintings, steel wire sculptures (made of baling wire!), and bronze. Beth is available for commissions too. Check out her work at www.squirrelwoodstudios.com
Congratulations to Canadian FEI dressage judge Cara Whitham – she was recently named to "O" level status by the FEI, a group of only 23 in the world. Cara is now the only equestrian official to hold an FEI "O" judging license in two equestrian disciplines – she’s also got one for Eventing and judged at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. Cara was also recently appointed as a member of the ground jury for the 2005 European Dressage Championship in Moscow. A former Grand Prix dressage competitor and now President of Equivents, Inc., Cara will be organizing three Canadian CDI dressage competitions in 2005. You go, girl!
Anyone know anything about that dressage rider/entertainment lawyer who is carrying on with that equestrian publicist these days … yes, we know it’s just email and phone, but what gives? They are not even of the same persuasion!
Canadian photographer extraordinaire Cealy Tetley will be making her way to Florida this year to cover a Just World Show in January and back again in March for the CSIO! Smile when you see her camera aimed at you – she produces a lot of great covers!
Oh, my … Department of Corrections caught up with Fumie in her last column. Please note: Martina Pracht’s daughter’s name is SABRINA (not Sabina as I mistyped) and Martina was a member of the 1992 Canadian Olympic Team but unfortunately she did NOT win any medals. Thank you to my very close reader who noticed the errors!
Now I like this … “Singles in the Saddle” trips arranged by Cross Country International. Isn’t it a drag hanging out with a bunch of couples (not to mention kids!) on vacation? Well, here are folks with a great solution. They’ve got six packages where you can ride with other singles that like horses in places like Costa Rica, New Zealand, Ireland, California, and France. Includes lots of other cool activities. Affordable! Call (800) 828-8768 or visit www.equestrianvacations.com.
Boo to that DQ who is now everywhere trying to grab publicity but she can’t bring her horse to the show grounds because he’s raw with spur marks!
Kudos to Deryol Andrews who was named Dressage Canada's Owner of the Year for 2004. It was a nice touch that the presentation was made at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair right after his horse Mark won the Canadian League World Cup Finals and Dressage Canada Grand Prix Freestyle Championships with rider Leslie Reid! Deryol’s wife Marie was the intended rider originally at the time they bought the three-year-old, but her coach Leslie got the ride when Mark showed his world class potential. Deryol has sponsored the pair for six years through his St. John's Fishing Lodge in British Columbia.
Another Olympian gave birth after Athens - Kristy Oatley-Nist of Australia. My goodness there were a lot of passengers in that dressage ring!
Marat and Janna Bakhramov of Rocky Ridge, Maryland, have a new FEI imported Ukrainian stallion named Prezent. Check him out at www.DarkHorseStables.com
Looking for a big stud? Evelyn and Mark Susol of Frederick, Maryland, are currently standing the 2001 Irish Draught stallion named Brian Boru for owner Jill Trail. Brian Boru scored in the mid-60's in Training Level as a three-year-old. The plan is to event him in 2005! Seem him at www.CoolBreezeFarm.com
The Europeans are having a blast qualifying for Las Vegas! At Stockholm Globen Arena, Denmark’s Andreas Helgstrand and Blue Hors Cavan claimed their second consecutive win in the FEI World Cup Western European League, topping the freestyle in front of a crowd of 9,000! They claimed first prize of a Mitsubishi Outlander. PS, Cavan, also won here in 2000 and 2001 with his former rider Lars Petersen and now holds the record as the Globen Arena's most successful dressage horse. Keep your eye on who might be coming to Nevada – everyone in the top 10 at this show scored in the 70 percentile – Spain’s Beatriz Ferrer-Salat with Beauvalais was second and Denmark’s Per Sandgaard with Zancor was third.
Next stop on the road to Vegas was Maastricht, The Netherlands – the third leg of the FEI World Cup Dressage Western European League season – where the Germans showed part of their hand. The Athens Olympic duo of Hubertus Schmidt aboard Wansuela Suerte won and Heike Kemmer with Bonaparte placed second. PS – in the freestyle, Kemmer got a 10 from Volker Moritz for her dramatic extended canter down the centerline. Switzerland's Silvia Ikle riding Sinclair was third.
London’s Olympia Arena hosted a crowd of 6,000 for the fourth leg of the League. Spain's Beatriz Ferrer-Salat and Beauvalais took the win. Great Britain’s Carl Hester was runner-up in both the Grand Prix and Freestyle with his Athens Olympic mount Escapado. A third place finish for Germany’s Ann Kathrin Linsenhoff with Wahajama-UNICEF keeps her in the lead in the Western European League. Again, all riders in the top 10 scored in the 70’s.
Feeling a little overwhelmed by the European juggernaut? Never fear, dears, our own Robert Dover to the rescue! At this year’s USDF Convention, he has announced that he will spearhead a campaign to fight the “low self esteem” of American riders. He’s launched The American Dressage Idol Competition. If you are 24 years old or younger, send him a video of you and your horse. He’ll give you feedback and then choose three to five pairs to come train with him in April. He’s donating the cost of board and training. And then one lucky rider will be chosen by Robert to stay in training with him at no charge. Send your tapes to: Robert Dover, 12028 Longwood Green Drive, Wellington, Florida 33414.
PS – congratulations to Robert and owner Jane Clark on receiving the USDF Grand Prix Horse of the Year Award for FBW Kennedy.
Now here’s a smart new idea – ever have trouble saying aloud or explaining all those asterisks (read STARS) after the alphabet soup name of shows, i.e., The Wonderful Dressage Show CDI***? Well, now the FEI has deemed that we all now write and read the show ratings as CDI 3* (star). Got it? Of course, most people not in-the-know will keep looking for where the asterisk leads to, but perhaps we’re on a start to decoding equestrian lingo for the masses!
She lost her superstar FEI horse for not taking proper care of him (to the point of breaking him down) and now her friends are dumping her like a hot potato for her sneaky horse sales techniques. We are on to you and your phony accent, my dear.
The ESDCTA hosted a fall clinic in Gladstone, NJ, that showed horses through the levels from training level to grand prix, and among the demonstrations was Colombia’s Dr. Cesar Parra riding his Athens Olympic mount Galant du Serein owned by Horses Unlimited. Clinicians Betsy Steiner and Anne Gribbons discussed each horse from the viewpoint of trainer and judge. Wonderful experience for all!
On a very sad note, there was a recent tragedy in our horse world. Young rider Caitlin Ben-Dror was killed in a car accident on November 20, just a day before her 19th birthday. Known for her kindness and her excellent riding ability, Caitlin is deeply missed. "She was a wonderful person and a talented rider," said her trainer and friend Cesar Parra.
The 2005 Horses Unlimited auction will be held in October at the New Mexico breeding facility featuring some of the best European bloodlines available in the US. Owner Anne Sparks Whitten knows which lines work well together, so ask her! Young prospects by Dressage at Devon winner Pik L, the 1998 Oldenburg jumping stallion of the year Noble Champion, and several other top youngsters out of top European mares will be available. Mark your calendar!
Karin Offield's Brek N Ridge Farm will make available for the first time to American breeders the European stallions Tiamo Trocadero and Hexagon's Louisville. Both stallions show in the FEI division with Karin. Tiamo was the British Olympic Alternate for the Sydney Games.
PS – Karin has been on a four-month European whirlwind training trip. Karin started in Holland with Leunus and Erica van Lieren at Hexagon Stables where she had purchased Hexagon’s Louisville. She trained with Olympic coach Jean Bemelmans at Gut Auric outside of Dusseldorf, Germany, and worked alongside the Spanish Olympic team. She also trained with FEI ‘O’ judge Dr. Volker Moritz. Karin also went to top shows like CHIO Rotterdam, the International Reiterfestival in Hagen, CHIO Aachen, CDI Lingen and the Olympics. She wrapped up with a month in Kaarst training with Claudia Haller. In the US, Karin has trained with Michael Etherly.for seven years. Karin and her Brek N Ridge Farm will winter in Wellington, Florida, stabled at Monarch Farms across the street from the Palm Beach Polo Equestrian Club. The Farm will offer clinics and accept one or two horses for training. Nice opportunities!
We were so saddened to learn that Thomas Noone passed away in October after a long illness. He was 74. Many of you met and loved the charming and always smiling gentleman who was always at the barn and at the shows, whether it was at his home base in Massachusetts or winter quarters in Florida. Mr. Noone worked with his wife, show manager Judith Noone, and was deeply involved in the career of his international competitor son, Tom Noone, who represented the US at the 2001 Dressage World Cup Final. Our condolences go out to Thomas Noone’s wife, five children and eight grand children who survive him. He will be missed.
USEF has added Markel Insurance to the 2005 USEF Young Horse Dressage Program. This sponsorship will include the USEF/Markel Young Horse Dressage National Championships and the USEF/Markel Young Horse Dressage Selection Trials. How about this quote from John Seger, Director of Agent Development for Markel: "We really love dressage, and I think it's important to recognize the ability Americans have to train young dressage horses. Trainers should consider U.S. trained dressage horses as viable options when they're buying horses for their clients." Right on, John!
Cavalia is certainly grabbing the media’s attention! There was a VERY lengthy article in the New York Times on November 30 entitled “The Stage Is Set: Enter Horses at Full Gallop” by Joe Sharkey reporting from Santa Monica, California. What really grabbed Joe’s attention? Cavalia’s leader Normand Latourelle is successfully growing a small pasture of grass on the beach near the pier where they’re performing! Now that’s a horseman.
Congratulations to Lowell Boomer on his 93 years of dedication to horses and dressage, which was recognized recently when the USDF awarded Tiffany's custom crafted sterling silver hat to him as the recipient of the 2004 USEF Lifetime Achievement Award and the Jimmy A. Williams Trophy. Lowell is best known as the founder and past president of the United States Dressage Federation and The Dressage Foundation. The USEF Lifetime Achievement Award will be formally presented to Mr. Boomer's son during the USEF's annual meeting at the Seelbach Hilton in Louisville, KY, January 14, at the Pegasus Awards dinner.
Event Chairwoman/dressage rider Mary Ann Grant, along with Honorary Chairman Mayor Tom Wenham of the Village of Wellington, is again working to raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through the annual Equestrian of the Year campaign. Over $170,000 has been raised since the campaign’s launch two years ago. Riders compete against each other to see who can raise the most money for the Society. Prizes and other honors are awarded to equestrians who raise the most money. The Society is dedicated to curing leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma and improving the quality of life of patients and their families. The campaign ends on February 19, 2005. The awards ceremony will be held February 21, 2004, at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida. For more information, call Betsy at 888-478-8550 or Mary Ann Grant at 561-301-5817.
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Dr. Sheila Johnson - photo © Linda Wirtz |
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