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| Blenheim June Series Highlights |
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With a Grand Prix event each weekend, Zone 10 Young Rider Selection Trials, a USHJA Hunter Derby, Zone 10 Pony Hunter Finals, Open Jumper Classics and Children's Pony Hunter Divisions, Blenheim EquiSports hosted four weeks of superb summer horse shows in San Juan Capistrano. Why go anywhere else?
Thank you to all the trainers, owners, riders, grooms, moms, dads, sisters, brothers and friends who came to visit during the last four weeks. From the young riders and horses who entered new arenas for the first time to the seasoned veterans who enjoyed great weather and footing we've had a fabulous series and congratulate all competitors.
Saturday, June 12: Derby Day - Forty-one Competitors Take A Turn Around the Derby Course
Blenheim once again set the stage for a fabulous USHJA Hunter Derby. As popular with spectators as it is with competitors, this high performance two-round event is now known as a well-respected and challenging class for the top hunter. Some of the entrants will also be competing in the second annual Derby Finals in Kentucky this August. For those who can't make it to Kentucky for this prestigious event it will be available live online through EquestrianLife.com.
The first round included eleven efforts, with four 4' options. The course flowed smoothly, not too many trouble spots, although quite a few rails fell literally knocking several top horses out of the running for a ribbon.
Since this was a 2010/2011 Derby qualifying class, new rules were in effect. Each 4' option jumped is automatically awarded one point, so up to four points were added to both sets of judges scores.
Young amateur Melissa Doddridge, who had three entries in the class, went early on Best Man and scored a total of 179 and the lead until reigning champion's Crown Affair (Yellow Dog Farms LLC, owner) with John French in the irons came along twelfth in the order, scoring a total of 181. Several horses tied in points, Forbes (Tonia Cook Looker, owner), a top Derby mount piloted by Jenny Karizissis tied with Doddridge and Best Man at 179. Bentley, also ridden by Doddridge, and Two Goals Farm's On Top with Keri Kampsen both earned 178. Then came Martel (Star Lane Farms, owner). Trotting in thirty-second in the order the handsome chestnut ridden by Jenny K wowed the crowd and the judges with his style. With scores of 96 and 95, the pair totaled an impressive 191, ten full points above the leader. John French also rode his First Year Green Hunter Truman (Mary Sweeney, owner) beautifully for the second highest score, a total of 184.
The handy round included a trot jump, four 4' options, a hand gallop to an oxer option and a bounce at the end by the in-gate. Fourteen horses returned, since the twelfth spot was shared by three horses with a 166 score. Of the fourteen horses, junior riders Gabbi Langston, Ashlyn Matheus and Audrey Coulter piloted three and amateur Melissa Doddridge rode two.
Shadows on the jumps and the long gallop to the oxer caused some surprising rails and refusals in this round. Although certainly talented hunters, Forbes, Best Man, Bentley and Catani moved down in placing due to challenges on course. However the top three remained strong and their scores reflected the solid rides the king of the Hunter Derby, John French was third on Crown Affair with a total of 369 and second on Truman with 371. Certainly if he's the king, Jenny K is the queen of the Hunter Derby and she earned her crown on Martel, topping the class with a grand total of 397.
For the press release and results, visit Blenheim's Facebook page.
Sunday, June 13: $30,000 Blenheim Classic Grand Prix at June Classic I
Sunday turned out to be a picture perfect day for competitor and spectator alike. Zone 10 Teams for the NAJYRC were determined and awarded, based on the results from this week. Nineteen horse and rider teams negotiated the Linda Allen designed course for the $30,000 Blenheim Classic Grand Prix presented by Royal Champion.
The course had multiple challenges; most riders met their match on fences 8-13, which included an airy gate at fence 8, a combination at 9ab with a solid black wall in to a square oxer out and the Cavalor wall in line with the open water as fences 11 and 12. In total, this group of jumps caused 21 rails.
Eighth to go, Susan Hutchison and her stable partner, El Dorado 29's Cantano performed their usual clean and quick ride. After garnering 4 faults on Nicolas Nierenberg's Santiago earlier in class, returning tenth in the order, Michael Endicott and David Robinson's big white mare, S.F. Shakira, were the second pair to lay down a fault-free trip in the first round. It appeared as if the jump off would only consist of these two horses when the second to last entry, New Zealander, Maurice Beatson and his own, Apollo Van Evendael, jumped clean to make it three.
First to maneuver the shortened track were Hutchison and Cantano. The well-matched pair strategically zipped around the course and turned in a blazing time of 40.323, well under the 48 seconds allowed for the second round. Unfortunately the light top rail of the airy gate came down midway through to give the team four faults. Knowing the door was open just enough, Endicott conservatively rode S.F. Shakira over the seven efforts fault free in a time of 47.506 just half a second under the time allowed. Last to play in the jump off, Maurice Beatson and Apollo Van Evendael strove to surpass Endicott and S.F. Shakira, but fell short by pulling a rail at fence 9a. The error forced the duo into third place with a final time of 46.379. Michael Endicott and S.F. Shakira's double clean performance earned them the win.
For the press release and full results, visit Blenheim's Facebook page.
Sunday, June 13: NAJYRC Celebration
After the points were tallied and the teams determined, both the 2010 'A' and 'B' Teams were honored during the opening ceremonies of the $30,000 Blenheim Classic Grand Prix, presented by Royal Champion.
The 2010 Adequan FEI North American Junior and Young Rider Championships (NAJYRC), presented by Gotham North, will once again be at the Kentucky Horse Park July 28th – August 1st, 2010. This idyllic location in Lexington will host the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) this fall, so qualified Young Riders will be competing in the same superb setting as the 2010 WEG competitors.
IN 2010:
We have high hopes for our fabulous Zone 10 Teams. Congratulations to each team member and best of luck in Lexington.
IN 2009:
The 'B' Junior Rider Team of Samantha Harrison, Taylor Siebel, Alec Lawler and Ricky Neal earned TEAM GOLD. The 'A' Young Rider Team earned Bronze. Zone 10 Individuals, Lucy Davis and Samantha Harrison were Silver Medalists in the NAYRC & NAJRC Individual competitions.
IN 2007 & 2008:
The 'A' Young Rider and the 'B' Junior Rider Teams won TEAM GOLD both years! In 2008 Lucy Davis won the Individual GOLD and in 2007 Karl Cook earned the top honor.
Sunday, June 20: $30,000 June Classic Grand Prix at June Classic II
Susie Hutchison and El Dorado 29's Cantano add yet another win to their list, the $30,000 June Classic Grand Prix, made possible by Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. A rather impressive list, this mighty match of horse and rider has led the victory gallop on the Blenheim International Field eight times since April of 2008.
Course designer Javier Fernandez's goal was to have five horses in the jump-off, and then to have one or two jump double clean. The twisty course demanded a careful ride and sixteen of twenty competitors incurred jumping faults. Nearly every horse with a rail down ran into problems at the triple combination, fences 5a, 5b, 5c, as well as at fence 11a, the first of a purple double combination, a vertical off of a sharp right-hand turn.
As the fifteenth pair to enter the ring, Hutchison and Cantano were the last to negotiate the first round course without a fault and the fourth to advance to the jump-off. The duo joined the company of fifth to go, Australian Harley Brown and Cassiato (Oak Park Group LLC, owner), Joie Gatlin and Camaron Hills Quick Dollar (Camaron Hills Farm, owner), and Lane Clarke aboard McLord's First John (Mickey Hayden, owner).
Brown and Cassiato were the first to take to the shortened track. The veteran pair looked as though they were going to go double clean but the long gallop to the last jump, the Merrill Lynch planks, caused an unfortunate four faults. Stopping the clock in 43.514 the duo ended up second. San Juan Capistrano's own, Gatlin and Camaron Hills Quick Dollar, were the next to gallop onto the grass for round two. Gatlin zipped around the course stopping the clock in a speedy time of 39.433 but halfway through the ride the horse pulled a shoe, possibly the reason behind the uncharacteristic three rails, resulting in a third place finish. Third to tackle the jump-off was twenty-four-year-old Clarke and McLord's First John. In addition to accruing twelve jumping faults, the duo also added three time faults to their second round score, exceeding the time allowed of 47 seconds and clocking in at 49.699 for fourth place. Lucky last to go, Hutchison and Cantano expertly, but cautiously, negotiated the course.
Leaving all of the rails in their cups, the winning team stopped the clock in a time of 47.085, exceeding the time allowed by a fraction of a second and consequently, adding one time fault to their otherwise flawless score.
Course designer Fernandez clearly made his second round more technical. As seen by the results, not only did rails fall but two of the four horses exceeded the time allowed in the jump-off where time wasn't a factor in round one.
For the press release and full results, visit Blenheim's Facebook page.
Sunday, June 27: $30,000 Copa De Amistad Grand Prix at June Classic III
Sunday afternoon turned out to be a day for the ladies in the $30,000 Copa
de Amistad Grand Prix presented by EquiFit, inc. The event welcomed twenty-four horse and rider teams onto the Peter Holmes designed course with seven riders, six of them women, earning spots in the jump-off. With two of the seven spots, it was Mandy Porter aboard Wild Turkey Farm's LaMarque who led the victory gallop.
Porter also qualified Wild Turkey Farm's Chesapeake to join Susie Hutchison and El Dorado 29's Cantano, Leslie Steele and Oh My Goodness (OMG!), Joie Gatlin aboard Camaron Hills Quick Dollar (Camaron Hills Farm, owner), and Lauren Hester riding Cracky Z (Hester Equestrian Inc., owner) in the jump-off. Porter also left all the fences up with LaMarque followed by the only male to go clear, Mike Endicott and Fred Bauer's Zico 13.
First to negotiate the shortened track were Hutchison and Cantano. The excellently matched pair, winners of the previous week's $30,000 June Classic Grand Prix, had an uncharacteristic run-out at the second fence. Otherwise neat and clean, the duo clocked in at 53.831, accruing no time faults and ending up fifth. Next in the ring was Porter on her first mount, Chesapeake, who brought down two rails in a time of 38.243 to round out the top six finishers. Oh My Goodness and Steele sailed around the second round course in a time of 42.664 but unfortunately lowered the height of three fences along the way for twelve faults, finishing seventh. The duo of Gatlin and Camaron Hills Quick Dollar turned in a great time of 39.985 but regrettably brushed the top rail of the second to last fence for four faults and a solid third place finish. Twenty-two-year-old Hester and her mount, Cracky Z, finished fourth, lowering one jump in a time of 45.738.
With only two teams left to play in the jump-off, spectators watching from atop the hill and in the Medal Club were hoping to witness a clean trip. LaMarque and Porter delivered. The pair conservatively galloped around the shortened course in a time of 42.153, putting the pressure on the final pair, Endicott and Zico 13. Knowing he had to be fast and clean, Endicott executed a ride without error but came up short of Porter's time by just two-tenths of a second, ending up with second place honors.
For the press release and full results, visit Blenheim's Facebook page.
Saturday, June 26 - Sunday, June 27: Zone 10 Pony Hunter Finals
BY KATIE KOTARAK
On Saturday afternoon, small, medium, and large four-legged competitors twenty-eight in all marched onto the West Grass Field to strut their stuff. Showing began with
the conformation portion and was later followed by the handlers tacking up their mounts to earn scores under saddle.
Winning in both the small model and under saddle with high scores of 90 in each class was Mitchell Endicott and his mount, Strawberry Swirl (Annalise Gabler, owner). In the medium division, Skylar Nelson and Wild Sky Farm's Macy Grey also ended up with blue ribbons in the model and under saddle, scoring and 89 and 91 respectively. Wrapping up competition on Saturday, the larges took to the grass with McKenna Skelton and her own Bestseller winning on the line and placing second under saddle for a total first day score of 171. Large pony rider, Grady Lyman and her mount, A Hoof and A Prayer, were not too far behind, going into the second day of competition with a score of 170, the product of a second place finish in the model and a blue in the under saddle phase.
Bright and early Sunday morning all the ponies were invited back onto the grass for the over fences phase. The thirteen entrants in the small division started the day off. Ella Frey and Just Darlun (Diane Sommers, owner), scored the highest in the class, an 83, to take home the blue. Scoring an 82 over fences, Abigail Beck and Telynau Ballerina not only earned second place in the class but Reserve Champion honors. Endicott and Strawberry Swirl scored a 74.5, which placed third in the class and brought an already impressive first day total to 342, securing the pair Champion honors in the division.
The medium ponies were next to show. Seventh to go in the order, long-time pair, Nelson and Macy Grey, earned an 83 over fences, earning a blue in the class but also the tri-color in the division. Adding to his winning morning, Endicott rode the young, Swingtown (Pegasus Show Stable Inc., owner), to a score of 74.5 over fences making the pair's grand total, 326 for the Reserve Championship. Both second and third place ribbons were awarded to Grady Lyman, the red for her ride aboard Blue Print, and the yellow to her other mount, Steppin' Out.
The large ponies wrapped up Sunday morning's competition. Earning 82 for their work over fences, Skelton and Bestseller not only won the over fences portion, but also were named Large Pony Hunter Champions. Coming up only a few points short, Lyman and A Hoof and A Prayer were Reserve Champions. 
Once all of the scores were in, sweeping their division with first place finishes in all three classes and a total score of 346, Medium Pony Champions, Nelson and Macy Grey, earned Grand Pony Hunter Champion honors. Having finished Reserve Grand Champion in Zone 10 in 2009, Nelson commented,"I feel accomplished because this was my last year in the ponies. I'll pass Macy onto my sister Wylie and move onto the jumpers next year."
Also finishing with a notable total, Endicott and his chestnut mount, Strawberry Swirl, took home Grand Reserve Champion honors. "I don't get to ride [Strawberry Swirl] much so I think I accomplished a lot today," noted Endicott. In addition to being proud of his Grand Reserve honors, Endicott was also pleased with the performances of another one of his mounts. "I'm really happy with my green pony, Swingtown, who is only six-years-old." The young pony ended up Reserve Champion in the medium division.
Cheers to a job well done by all competitors, ponies, trainers and parents!
Saturday, June 26: Softball & BBQ
Great sport didn't end when the final horse trotted off the course last Saturday. Soon after, three softball games commenced on the East Grass Field. One kids-only game, one pick-up game and the main attraction was the face-off between Team EquiFit, inc. and the Team Huntington Equestrian. Competition was hot and the crowd rowdy - you couldn't tell that almost every player and fan had already spent a long day at the horse show. After nine innings were complete, Team Huntington Equestrian pulled through for the win and garnered the giant trophy.
To add to the festivities, Bad to the Bone served up delicious barbeque with something for everyone, including cold drinks and tasty desserts.
See some softball photos in the Flying Horse Photo Gallery in this issue, and get ready to get your game on next year…
Saturday, July 3: $25,000 Red, White & Blue Grand Prix culminates week four of June Series
The $25,000 Red, White & Blue Grand Prix presented by the St. Regis Monarch Beach, invited 19 horse-and-rider duos onto the Michel Vaillancourt designed course at the Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park.
Vaillancourt remarked, "I think today's course dimensions are very worthy of this class. It is definitely a solid 1.50m course. We will have a jump off but not certain how many."
Two riders maneuvered their mounts to double-clean performances but the win was ultimately decided by fractions of a second, with top honors awarded to Michelle Parker and Socrates de Midos (Cross Creek Farms, Inc., owner).
Parker was the first of the two qualifiers to step back onto the grass to negotiate the jump-off track. Seventh to enter the ring in round one, Josephina Nor-Lantzman and her gelding, Chello Z also went clean in round one and advanced to the jump-off. With 50 seconds allotted for the second round, Parker and her mount went for the clean and conservative ride initially and then picked up the pace at the end in a solid time of 40.947 and clean, presenting Nor-Lantzman with a difficult task. As spectators on all sides of the International Field looked on, it appeared as though Nor-Lantzman was going to answer the call. Despite a fault-free performance, the pair stopped the clock just over Parker's time in 41.227, forcing them into a well-earned second-place.
"After four weeks of showing the condition of the footing is still good," commented Vaillancourt. " The jump material here is great and the condition of the field is wonderful."
For the press release and full results, visit Blenheim's Facebook page.
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| EquestriSol News |
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Honorable Mentions
Here at home we witnessed a list of notable equestrian triumphs. And we certainly won't have room to mention them all. So hats off to all of you who won your first blue, jumped your first 3'6" course or your first jumper course. As we raise our now three-year-old daughter we relearn so many lessons, and the one we most recently discussed (although I don't think she completely understood) was looking at the glass as half-full. We would like to raise our glass, full or half-full, to all of you who touch our lives through your achievements.
SoCal Triplets
Honorable mention goes to the tri-earners, Joie Gatlin and Camaron Hills Quick Dollar earned third place in the last three grand prix events at Blenheim. Mike Endicott is currently competing on three grand prix mounts and collected ribbons on all three during the June Series. Susie Hutchison and the cat-like Cantano continue to bring home the checks, placing 2nd, 1st and 5th in the three grand prix events they entered in June. New Zealander Maruice Beatson has joined the California crowd. In the first two grand prix classes in June, he placed in the top ten on all three horses.
Notable Athletes
Honorable mention to the up and coming grand prix horses. Although there are many aspiring stars, Mandy Porter on LaMarque & Chesapeake, Leslie Steele with Oh My Goodness, Rusty Stewart and Bristol, Michael Endicott riding Santiago & Zico 13, Josephina Nor-Lantzman on Chello Z, John French with River Bird, Lauren Hester on Cracky Z, and Justin Resnik aboard Contact Me were all impressive during their time on the field. No matter what ribbons they may have garnered, they are certainly among the ones to watch.
Honorable mention also goes to Harley Brown, Lane Clarke, Michelle Parker, Molly Talla whose consistency is notable. Before heading north to Spruce, Brown won 4th and 2nd aboard Cassiato. Clarke is knocking at the door on his two mounts, McLord's First John and Bay Rose's Nikko. Parker earned some dollars with her entries, winning the final grand prix of the series. And when Talla trots in the ring she often earns a spot in the top twelve.
More Zone Ten Zip
From ponies to jumpers, Zone 10 accomplished quite a bit during the Blenheim June Series. Another opportunity applies to any rider who has qualified for Medal Finals under 3'6" within Zone 10. You are eligible to compete in the USHJA Zone 10 North/South Medal Challenge. The Stirrup Cup Finals are 3', while the Mini Medal Finals are 2'6".
July 9 – 11: Southern Challenge at Camelot Riding Club – this week!
Oct. 7-10: Northern Challenge at Brookside Eq. Park
Contact: Raizy Goffman 818/360-4389 or Peggy Fackrell 916/947-3405
Zone 10 – USHJA EAP
The Emerging Athletes Program is well into its second year, with Level II Regional Events beginning this month through September. The Zone 9 & 10 Regionals are July 26-27 at the J Bar J Boys Ranch in Bend, Oregon with clinician Callen Solem. The top 12 finalists will go to the Nationals in Buffalo, New York in November of this year. Look for upcoming content in this newsletter from one of this year's winners and west coast champ Ricky Neal.
Spruce and Euro Notes:
Congrats to the Girls... and couple of Guys too
Many congratulations are in order but here are a few highlights. For the first time in Rotterdam history, an all girls team won the Nations Cup. And those famous femmes were none other than our US riders - Lauren Hough, Candice King, Laura Kraut and Nicki Simpson. This unprecedented victory moved the US from sixth to third in the 2010 Meydan FEI Nations Cup Standings with four more competitions on the schedule.
Our west coast Olympic Gold Medalist got a taste of the winner's circle again when he rode Archie Bunker to the win in the $100,000 CN Performance Grand Prix at Spruce Meadows. As well as our west coast triple grand prix crown winner Guy Thomas who led the victory gallop with Peterbilt in the Cargill Cup on opening day of the Canada One Tournament.
And a west coast owner, Gwendolyn Meyer, celebrates back to back wins at Spruce as Beezie Madden pilots Coral Reef Vio Volo to the top spot in both the $65,000 Esso Challenge and the $50,000 RBC Cup. Madden is off to Aachen now for more Nations Cup competition, along with Nicki Simpson and the other US WEG Team hopefuls.
Of course that only covers a fraction of the riders competing up at Spruce and those in Europe, and we certainly congratulate all the gallant efforts. For more in depth show jumping coverage and news see PhelpsSports.com.
News from NARG
Resolution of the McLain Ward/Sapphire World Cup Elimination Dispute
The North American Riders Group believes that to advance the sport of show jumping, all decisions related to its future must put the sport itself above all else. This resolution is an example of just that.
McLain, the USEF and the FEI could have continued a prolonged legal battle, but the additional gains on either side would have been for personal gain or pride. Instead, a positive resolution has been forged that publicly recognizes the decision was INCORRECT and, importantly, has resulted in a revised protocol for hypersensitivity.
Details of the revised protocol will be issued before the Aachen CHIO. From what we understand they will require more checks and balances which should eliminate any misuse of the protocol either by mistake or abuse of power.
While we still recognize that McLain can't get back the World Cup he lost in Geneva, we applaud those involved for this resolution.
For more information, please visit www.narg.org.
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Equestrian Connect |
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BY ERIN GILMORE
A little over one year ago, amateur jumper riders Barbara Phillips and Simone Coxe were having coffee together and griping about entry forms. They had been doing their own entries for years, and were sick of all the repetition, endless handwriting and the holdup when mistakes were made. Then and there the two equestrians decided that instead of wishing there was an easier way to enter horse shows they would create an easier way to enter horse shows.
Equestrian Connect is Barbara and Simone's answer to the tedious task of filling out show entries. The quickly growing company provides a way for exhibitors to create accurate paper entry forms for every "A" show on the Pacific Coast Horseman's Association's yearly show calendar.
Equestrian Connect is a lifesaver for riders with multiple horses, or trainers who fill out entries for their entire barn.
Available primarily for west coast shows since December, the system supports 80 shows, including Blenheim EquiSports, Langer Equestrian Group, Spruce Meadows and HITS by providing show information and entry forms online. The company plans to launch on the east coast in July, and
will initially support approximately 20 horse shows including HITS on the Hudson and the Washington International Horse Show.
After registering with Equestrian Connect and initially entering horse, rider and membership numbers, all information is saved and automatically reproduced on a new entry form when the exhibitor selects the next show. Legible, accurate entries can then be printed out and mailed to the horse show office.
"We began using the system for our show entries this year," says Toni McIntosh, of McIntosh Stables in Menlo Park. "We used to spend hours on our entries, making sure they were correct and fixing mistakes. Now that we're on Equestrian Connect, everything is right there and it's so much easier!"
Simone and Barbara have been thrilled with the response they've received from the horse community. They began in Northern California, where both women live and ride, and by word of mouth, Equestrian Connect caught on like wildfire all the way down to Southern California.
More than 1,000 riders are currently registered and as word continues to spread, the site gains about 200 new people monthly. "When I first heard about ‘the one minute entry service', I had to try it!" says Jenni Martin McAllister, of Martin McAllister Training in Burbank. "I signed up and will never look back. I can't believe how fast it is."
Equestrian Connect is free of charge for the 2010 horse show season. Barbara Phillips comments, "Our early customers are providing us vital feedback that helps ensure the performance, stability and usability of the service. The company is in the process of finalizing its pricing for 2011."
Eventually, Simone and Barbara want to expand Equestrian Connect to list show results, track points and even put together show reports by rider and horse. They've also received interest from riders competing in other disciplines, but plan to stay focused on the hunter/jumper market for the foreseeable future.
Quite an enterprise that evolved from a conversation over coffee! Visit www.equestrianconnect.com to learn more and to take a guided tour
of the system.
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| A Stable Story |
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BY JACKIE FREUNDLICH MCFARLAND
Bernie Traurig's Equestrian Coach
We are deep into a new age where knowledge is literally at our fingertips. From connecting to collecting, the wealth of available resources awaits the typing of a simple address. Not your physical address, but the uniform resource locator or URL. That string of characters – www-dot-equestriancoach-dot-com - represents a wide world of people that are now reaching one another in ways that were virtually impossible just over a decade ago.
Although the equestrian niche certainly utilizes these resources – email, texting, web sites, Facebook, Google, PayPal – a select group have considered the possibilities of this vast network, combined it with their own bank of experience and connections to create an opportunity not previously available. One such individual is Bernie Traurig, the force behind the recently launched EquestrianCoach.com.
SOME HISTORY
First, step back in equestrian time and take note that Traurig has an extensive breadth of knowledge and success. Having achieved the top level of competition in all three of the International Equestrian Olympic disciplines: show jumping, dressage and eventing, Traurig has over half a century of experience to share.
Renowned not only for his riding talents, but for his teaching and coaching gifts as well, Traurig has been a member of the United States Equestrian Team in both the US and abroad. Still actively involved, he is currently George Morris's Associate Chef d' Equipe to the United States Equestrian Team on the West Coast.
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
Previous to the Internet age, the opportunities to learn from the masters meant proximity, perseverance and reaching deep in your pockets to pay for clinics, lessons, even DVDs and books. Several years ago, Traurig recognized that modern technology gave him a medium to ‘train' anyone who wanted to learn.
By providing educational video clips by a list of top-level trainers, anyone at any level and at any time could watch and learn. What a great way to offer expertise for a reasonable price. Instead of going
to the experts, they can now come to you.
SOME TIME
After discovering these exciting possibilities, then came the long road of developing the web site. Conceptually the plan was a go and seemingly straight forward, but there were a multitude of steps to take before completion.
Gaining excitement by introducing the concept at the 2009 FEI World Cup in Las Vegas, the EquestrianCoach.com team had their work cut out for them. Filming, editing, generating content, creating a web site flow, pricing model and programming were just a few of the tasks. In the process, Traurig developed clips by show jumping greats such as Olympic Gold Medalist Will Simpson, USHJA International Hunter Derby Finals Winner John French, world class level competitor Rich Fellers and equitation expert Missy Clark as well as dressage and eventing stars Debbie McDonald, Gina Miles and Michael Plumb. The site also offers building blocks and clinics provided by Traurig. And that is just the beginning, more experts are lined up to participate.
Traurig comments with a smile, "I kept thinking we would be ready to go and then we would want to tweak something or realized we could make it better. It was and is an intense time commitment, but it's so great to see it come together."
Other sections include endorsements from George Morris and Paul Cronin, grassroots and horsemanship, a Kids Corner, interviews with coaches and the list continues to grow.
On June 1, 2010 all the preparing, planning and processing became a reality when EquestrianCoach.com officially launched.
SENSATIONAL and SENSIBLE
Before the World Wide Web, the fundamental information that EquestrianCoach.com provides was only available to the sport's elite. The site serves as a coaching aid to riders and trainers alike and aims to make quality education accessible and affordable to every equestrian, regardless of background, level of riding or geographic location.
Now riders from anywhere in the world can take lessons from top trainers. Even a high level rider can gain a new perspective for a very reasonable price.
For less than what it would cost to take a clinic from one of the masters presented on the site, a subscriber can purchase an annual pass of educational videos for a special introductory offer of $299. Or for significantly less than one training lesson, buy a monthly subscription and learn from several top trainers for just $29.99.
"One of the best parts is the chance to offer education to such a wide audience," explained Traurig. "All the work is well worthwhile when I know how many riders could benefit."
TAKE A TEST RIDE WITH EQUESTRIAN COACH
Besides a tutorial, there are a handful of clips available for free viewing as well as an FAQ section to answer all your questions. You can look at the options in the video library plus see a list of what's coming next. What could be better for your virtual library than some of the world's best riders and trainers just a click away and for less than a dollar a day?
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| Sponsor Stories |
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BY JACKIE FREUNDLICH MCFARLAND
Greg Mech & Merrill Lynch Wealth Management
The Causes that We Care About
 Aside from being responsible for the Merrill Lynch Wealth Management Business and Strategy for the Southwest Region of Merrill Lynch as well as the Market President for Bank of America acting as the senior executive for local businesses, civic and philanthropic leadership for Bank of America in Orange County, Greg Mech loves horses.
"I actually ride!" he exclaimed during our interview. "I ride with Dana Smith, a trainer who has been in San Juan Capistrano for 27 years and operates a wonderful teaching facility."
Sponsorships support our community, in this case the community of show jumping. To be involved in a community connects you to the heartbeat and nothing raises the heartbeat like watching a Grand Prix.
Help2 Support Sport
Mech shares, "Merrill Lynch is proud to return as a sponsor. Grand Prix Show Jumping is such an incredible sport, the horses and riders are truly amazing athletes."
Those of us on the inside often forget to step back and look at our sport. It is extraordinary – from the horses that develop into top performers to the riders of all ages and aspirations committed to show jumping. This is the only Olympic level sport where men and women compete equally, both horse and rider. And we will witness that during the $30,000 June Classic Grand Prix, made possible by Merrill Lynch Wealth Management.
Help2 Give Back to the Community
Mech went on to explain that the sponsorship reflects the firm’s commitment to the community of Orange County, as well as their admiration for the sport. Giving back to the community benefits clients as well as the corporate employees that in turn support Merrill Lynch.
"We’ve been in Orange County for more than forty years and are dedicated to serving the needs of our investors. We are also proud of our long-standing relationship with Blenheim EquiSports, which has lasted more than a quarter century."
Again for those of us who live within a community and enjoy the offerings generated by sponsorship, we don’t always realize all the people behind these events and the relationships they’ve formed that lead to a fabulous Grand Prix and Kids Day.
Help2 Achieve
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| A Day in the Life |
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BY ERIN GILMORE
Rusty Stewart
The atypical is typical for grand prix
rider, trainer and breeder Rusty Stewart. Each day has similar goals but begins and ends in its own way for Rusty and his wife Kandi, who run Grey Fox Farm out of their own facility in Camarillo, California. 
Competing with a horse he raised himself from birth to the grand prix ring is a dream come true for Rusty. He most recently placed 6th in the $25,000 Red, White & Blue Grand Prix with Bristol, coming
8 years old, born, bred and trained at Grey Fox Farm since day one. In only
four grand prix starts, the talented homebred Bristol has been in the
money each time.
Bristol is one of the first of many young horses currently coming along at Grey Fox Farm. With their breeding program in full swing and the fabulous results they are accumulating, Rusty and Kandi have created a successful program from start to finish.
By 10:00am on a weekday morning, Rusty has already ridden three horses and is on his way back into the ring to work with Kandi and one of the young prospects. Certainly busy, Rusty is happy to take the time to talk about the horses and breeding program that fill his day.
Erin Gilmore: Can you try to describe a typical day at the farm?
Rusty Stewart: My day at home starts at 7:00am. I do a little bit of everything; I’m the maintenance man, the plumber, the carpenter and the trailer driver. I groom horses and muck stalls – essentially do whatever needs doing that day. If the truck breaks down I put on my coveralls and fix the truck. But on a “usual” day, if there’s nothing “unusual” going on, I ride first. Then in the afternoon I try to do all the odd jobs. Sometimes that means farm work, sometimes it means teaching lessons or helping my wife with the young horses.
EG: Seems like you and Kandi make a great team. How many young horses do you have at the farm?
RS: Let’s see, we’ve got about 30 babies on the ground right now, I think. Wait a minute, let me ask Kandi.
Rusty is setting jumps in the ring as Kandi warms up one of their young horses along the rail.
He yells over to Kandi a few times during our conversation for confirmation on this
or that.
‘Kandi, how many young horses do we have now? More like 20?’ That’s right, we’ve got about 20 young horses right now, including eight foals, and our last two broodmares will foal out soon, making that ten. We breed and raise all the babies. I’m also the baby delivery guy; when it’s time to foal I’m always out there with my rubber gloves trying to help. That’s kind of fun too!
 EG: Where does your breeding stock come from? Do you have a resident stallion?
RS: We’ve got two stallions on the property. Our main guy is Du Gateau, a Selle Francis stallion. ‘He’s an approved French stallion, right, Kandi?’ Yes, that’s right. He’s 21 this year and has been with us since we started breeding eight years ago. He throws very nice babies with lots of white and great attitudes. They’re easy to break and nice to work with.
Right now I’m getting ready to help Kandi with one of the babies, his name is C-Scooter, he’s a super six year old. Kandi loves him and thinks he’s going to be the next big grand prix horse we’ve got coming along. Last year he was Zone 10 Horse of the Year in the 5-year-old division. And in the country, ‘Kandi, what was he, 4th in the country?’ That’s right, he was 4th in the USEF 5-year-old Horse of the Year standings.
EG: Between C-Scooter and Bristol it sounds like you’ve produced some pretty outstanding horses in a fairly short amount of time.
RS: That was our goal when we started this process eight years ago. We had a lot of nice mares at the time that were just ending their careers. We were tired of going to Europe and buying European horses. We knew we could get them started and get them to the show ring right here at home, so we started breeding.
 EG: And the horses you’re breeding are almost exclusively trained for show jumping?
RS: That’s right. Behind Bristol we’ve got a few more coming up with just as much talent. We just sold a seven-year-old to Ashlee Bond [see the ad on pg 23 in the latest issue of ShowBiz].
Ashlee has taken the mare to Spruce Meadows and thinks she could be her next big grand prix horse. Breeding horses of that quality was our initial idea, and here we are today, rolling right along.
EG: Do have a favorite role, with all the things you do each day?
RS: Well you know, I have so many hats I have to wear it’s crazy. But I wouldn’t want to wear any one hat all the time. Sure it’s fun being in the grand prix ring, but I wouldn’t want to be on the road showing all the time.
And I enjoy our time here at the farm, but I wouldn’t want to stay here all the time. I have to say that I enjoy all the hats I wear. It’s a great balance.
EG: Before you have to go, can you tell me about your end of day routine?
RS: I think my end of day is a little more typical; I drag the ring, set the course for the next day, find out who’s coming to lessons and set the appropriate height. I make sure everything got done that day that was supposed to get done and prepare for the next day. I’m always looking forward to tomorrow!
Kandi and C-Scooter are finished warming up. It’s time for their school, and with that, our conversation ends and Rusty delves back into another busy day.
Thank you Rusty. We wish you and Kandi all the best and congratulate you on the wonderful horses and program that you’ve built from scratch.
For more information, visit: www.greyfoxfarmhorses.com.
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| Sponsor Stories |
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BY KATIE KOTARAK & JACKIE FREUNDLICH MCFARLAND
St. Regis Monarch Beach
Dismount from your day on horseback and enrich your senses at the St. Regis Monarch Beach. Paradise awaits less than 10 miles from Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park on the breathtaking coastline of the Pacific in beautiful Dana Point. This destination is the perfect place to unwind and recharge after a day in the show ring or simply the getaway you need from day to day life.
With command of the coastline, the St. Regis Monarch Beach is much more than a place to lay your head at night; it’s a sanctuary. As the only Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond resort in all of California, this Orange County hide-a-way offers something for everyone.
WHAT’S YOUR PLEASURE
For those looking for some fun in the sun, the exclusive beach club offers guests the chance to feel the sand between their toes, learn to surf, kayak, or simply lounge while letting all of those cares drift away. If the beach is not your pleasure, indulge in the award-winning Spa Gaucin. Transport yourself away from the stresses of the show ring and into ultimate tranquility. Or reward your success with a treatment. For guests who are more inclined to play 18 holes than jump 18 numbered obstacles, the Monarch Beach Golf Links offers a lush on-site championship golf course.
After enjoying the many amenities and attractions the St. Regis offers, unwind for drinks and dinner at one of the resort’s six different restaurants. Additionally, every Saturday evening at 7:30pm between Memorial Day and Labor Day Weekend, a St. Regis Butler releases dozens of Monarch Butterflies into the sky and invites registered hotel guests to raise a glass for a champagne toast. A special treat that guests of all ages can experience.
BEYOND THE TUSCAN WALLS
While enjoying everything the Tuscan style resort has to offer, you can also explore surrounding attractions. From the historic Mission San Juan Capistrano to charming Catalina Island, stylish Newport Beach to arts-haven Laguna Beach... entertainment that can’t be beat, natural beauty, upscale shopping and of course fabulous horse shows with grand prix events are just a short drive or ferry ride away.
SPECIAL OFFERS
The St. Regis Monarch Beach is an excellent starting point for the southern California vacation, even if you call California home. Residents of the Golden State are invited to discover the luxury of their own backyard and experience superior hospitality with preferred Room Rates of up to 10% off best available rooms on stays through December 30, 2010.
Families also reap the rewards. To enjoy a lovely getaway, reserve now for stays through April 30, 2011 and receive a $100 Resort Credit, plus kids (12 & under) eat and drink for free.
To learn more or book your reservation, visit www.stregismb.com.
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