The ASPCA Medal Maclay Regional Finalists
Another exciting evening of equitation at the Oaks-Blenheim covered arena, the Maclay Regional Finals tested top riders under the lights. With a lot of bending lines, including a two-stride set on a curve, the course took its toll on many. Dreams were both realized and crushed as the contenders vyed for a chance to show in Syracuse, NY.

One ecstatic junior rider, who missed her chance last year, is 6th place finisher Katharine James. The high school senior set her sights on this goal when she was nine years old. Bringing a green horse along, James and her mount Lorelei are quite a team. When they are in sync, success is inevitable. Of course, as we all know “being in sync” is a challenge every time you walk into the ring. Congratulations and good luck to Katharine and all the others representing the west coast.

About the ASPCA and Maclay

Founded in 1866 by Henry Bergh, a pioneer for horse protection, the ASPCA was the first humane organization in the Western Hemisphere. The Society was formed to alleviate the injustices animals faced then, and we unfortunately continue to battle cruelty today.

ASPCA has a deep connection and strong roots with the National Horse Show dating back to 1933 when it was initiated by Alfred B. Maclay, an ASPCA board member, accomplished horseman and president of the National Horse Show. Maclay conceived of a trophy that would inspire young riders to develop the best horsemanship skills and instill in them respect and compassion for their equine partners.

R Scot Evans, an equestrian consultant for the ASPCA, explained that the goals of the organization are to broaden the awareness of the ASPCA within the equine world. “We are reaching out to horse lovers and enthusiasts at all levels and disciplines. This starts with young riders. They will be our next generation of supporters for animal welfare. As an organization we want to celebrate young riders at all levels including recreational, Pony Club, 4-H organizations, competitors, and anyone who loves animals,” stated Evans. “One of the ways we honor and celebrate young riders is through the ASPCA Maclay Finals. They now take place in Syracuse, New York on the first weekend of November at the Syracuse Sport Horse Invitational.”

The ASPCA celebrates and honors horsemen and horsewomen who are making a difference in animal welfare. This coming February the ASPCA is honoring two wonderful and successful professional horsemen, Danny Robertshaw and Ron Danta. These two men stepped forward after the devastation of hurricane Katrina and were able to place 700 dogs within the horse show community.

For more information on ASPCA, the efforts and celebration of Danny Robertshaw and Ron Danta, or how you can help, please visit www.aspca.org.

TAMMY CHIPKO TALKS WITH TOP TRAINERS: USHJA TRAINERS SYMPOSIUM

The USHJA Trainers Symposium was held on September 10-11, 2007 at the Oaks Blenheim Facility in San Juan Capistrano, CA. It was a rare opportunity to participate in practical training sessions and round table discussion with three top professionals: Melanie Smith, Geoff Teall and Louise Serio.

I was able to spend a little time with these remarkable professionals and get some solid feedback on their thoughts about this Symposium.

of the spectators--they asked a lot of good questions and their input was quite valuable. Louise: I enjoyed doing it a great deal. I thought everything and everyone was very well prepared and well organized. Tammy: Would you like to see anything different in future TS? Geoff: I think the concept is great. I personally would like to see a longer session (three days). I would also like to see very specific groups of three. I think it would be a great idea to take the same groups of horses and riders and have them do a session with each professional. This would give the future trainers and coaches an opportunity to see cross training. I think nowadays we are too specialized, meaning that a trainer is either a hunter trainer, an equitation trainer, or a jumper trainer. A good trainer/coach is a good horseman who can do all.

Geoff Teall works with Lorri Bein Quiett

Tammy: What do you think about TS as a pre-requisite for future trainer certification requirements?
Melanie: I think it is a great idea. Becoming better educated in the sport is imperative to the growth and success of show jumping.
Geoff: I agree. The importance of consistency and continuity that is expressed within this setting is extremely educational. The communication between the spectators, demonstrators, and clinicians was great. The information that you get from Training sessions, and Judges’ clinics works like a funnel and if you can continue
feeding good material through that funnel, we will have more educated professionals and riders.
Louise: I think everyone can attend. As a clinician or an auditor there is so much valuable information to learn.

Tammy: Was there a reason you chose the exercises you did?
Melanie: I do the same exercises at home. I believe in consistency both for horse and rider. This will always encourage confidence and trust. I spent years with George Morris and Gordon Wright who always said the same thing: “Keep it simple.”
Louise: I think I surprised people with setting bounces and gymnastic exercises for the hunter groups. All horses and riders can benefit from these types of exercises. I spend a lot of time with my hunters cantering small jumps in a circle. It helps with balance, rhythm, timing, etc. A hunter, just like any other horse, needs to do more than straight lines.

Tammy: Is there an area that you’d like to see Trainers/Coaches and riders improve on?
Geoff: I think one of our biggest downfalls is that we are teaching people to show and not necessarily ride. We show too much! It is the responsibility of the professional to have a plan and decide how much each rider and horse should show. Doing less will promote a happier and more successful horse and rider.
Melanie: I think that there is a lack of true horsemanship. We as a whole don’t realize how important every moment (not just on the horse’s back) truly is. Every little thing helps to develop a connection and a bond
with a horse. My generation grew up with horses--they were our buddies--we did everything with them. I agree with Geoff. I think we put too much emphasis on horse shows and end up missing out on the true enjoyment of the horse.
Louise: I cannot agree more, we should show less! Practice more at home and give our horses a better life.

Tammy: Is there anything specific that you think our Trainers and Coaches excel in? Louise: I think this country has really good teachers. I’ve seen teachers take riders with a medium amount of talent and teach them to be excellent riders. I think the teaching system continues to get better with opportunities like the Trainers Symposium. Tammy: Any recommendations for current and future Trainers/Coaches? Melanie: I think we need to focus on producing great riders. This should be our goal. We need to work on our mental game. We need to encourage people and horses to think on their own. It all starts with the mind and if we have a mental edge we will be far more successful.

Natalie Lund, Mickie Sage and Tasha Visokay (l-r) at the USHJA Trainers Symposium

Thanks again to Melanie Smith, Geoff Teall and Louise Serio for taking the time to speak with us. Look for an article on the USHJA Trainers Symposium in the upcoming issue of In Stride.

TAMMY CHIPKO TALKS WITH TOP TRAINERS: GEORGE MORRIS

I was honored to speak with George Morris regarding the 2007 USEF Talent Search Finals West. Anyone who has communicated with George Morris understands his passion and love for the horse and the sport. He is a man with strong opinions, a wealth of knowledge and is well-respected on a multitude of levels.

Tammy Chipko: I asked George if he would take a few minutes and allow me to interview him regarding the USEF Finals. George has a very unique way of asking and answering his own questions, which made my job extremely easy. Here is his take on the finals.
George Morris: First off let me say that Jeffrey Welles (my co-judge) was a superb judge. He has a great feel for a rider. He looks for a rider that gets the most from their horse. I truly enjoyed judging with him and strongly recommend him for future USEF Finals. Also, I have to say that Griffith Park is a wonderful facility to hold the USEF Finals. The facility is well kept and has a beautiful presence. I hope they continue to host these Finals. To have the indoor ring, under the lights, for the first two phases is wonderful. To go out on the field for the third final allows for great diversity.

TC: How did you decide what to ask of the riders in the first phase on the flat?
GM: My main focus is horsemanship. This means the condition, care, and turn out of the horse and rider. The presentation is of the utmost importance to me. A good horseman is scrupulously clean! (Take note: Archie Cox said the same thing when EquestriSol interviewed him for the Jr. Hunter Finals!) The horse must look healthy, happy, and sound. I find it discouraging that so many riders are not meticulous. Real horsemanship is lost in this country due to too much showing and not enough attention to detail.

Due to the format we did not have much time so I looked for riders that were able to execute what was asked of them in a positive and definite manner. I believe in strong basics. Keeping it simple is a positive thing for both horse and rider. Good extensions and collection work shown as well as possible is what I was looking for.

TC: Both you and Jeffrey Welles designed the gymnastics phase. What were you hoping to see?
GM: I believe the Gymnastics phase should prepare the horse and rider for a course of fences. That is why I call this a course of gymnastics! Having this portion indoors under the lights makes it a bit more difficult so we took that into consideration. We set a course of gymnastics that were a set of problems, starting with easy problems and progressing to more difficult problems. We asked questions in this phase, whether to add strides or leave out strides. The line that was set against the rail had a short three stride, to a two stride, to an option of a four or five stride line. It was much more difficult to show a correct five strides than a forward flat four strides. Now of course if you have a large strided horse and could make the four strides work than that is the exception. This is a Jumper-type medal, and if that last fence had been a foot taller most would have had it down.

TC: The vertical liverpools in a figure eight were also challenging.
GM: I love problems! Who can solve problems? Who has done their homework? I set the first vertical liverpool off a related distance. This allowed the riders to get going. The second liverpool was set off a tight turn away from the in-gate and was backwards. This showed me who had done their homework. You must be prepared. If you were not able to collect your horse with impulsion you were sure to have the rail down. This happened a lot.

TC: What was your approach in designing the final round on the grass field in the rain?
GM: Jeffrey and I designed a subtle course. We again wanted to produce a problem solving course. The first and second fences were set as an option away from the in-gate. If your horse drifted towards the gate it made it much more difficult. I personally did not mind six or seven strides as long as it was done early.The bank presented problems for some as well as the blind turn to the Swedish oxer. I again set this so that the high side was on the left. If your horse bulged out of the turn you would hit the high side (homework, homework, homework).

Of course the open water is always problematic. Some of the riders rode too hard at it and that made the next element very difficult. These kids do not jump the water enough. This course was about solving problems, not alleviating them. We as Americans take problems away. We make everything comfortable. I believe in problems. I believe in teaching riders to solve problems. That will make great riders.

TC: The final phase came with pouring rain and mud. Did this influence your judging in any way?
GM: I loved the rain and the mud! I was happy to have it. In Europe they show in this type of weather all of the time. This raised the bar and created discomfort and problems for everyone. Those who dealt with problems, including this one, made the top cut.

TC: Next and final was the top four. What were you looking for in these rounds?
GM: This should be ridden like a jump-off round. We reversed some of the fences creating different problems. There was significant distance between a couple of the elements which made for a lot of galloping. Time faults were a result of riders not galloping. Again, do your homework!

The final four pinned themselves. Judges were not needed. The girl that won (Natalie Rae Medlock) was focused, very correct. She had a great sense of the fence and the horse. She had a relaxed energy.

TC: Any last words?
GM: Do your homework. Practice uncomfortable. Don’t avoid problems, make problems and learn to solve them. I don’t care about feeling good - I want to accomplish good!

Congratulations to everyone who competed in the 2007 USEF Talent Search Finals West, especially the top four: Natalie Rae Medlock, Tina Dilandri, Allison LaJoie and Michelle Morris.

Thank you, George, for a wonderful interview. George Morris is the USEF Chef d’Equipe.

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Courvoisier – 16.1h, 9 y.o., brown Mecklenberg gelding. 10th in the USEF standings for A/A jumpers. Brave, honest, fun. Priced to sell.

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SHOW MOM is pleased to announce a new feature article, “Being a Horse Show Mom.” Plus, don’t miss the blog – read & participate – the hot topic this month is Indoors. If you are there, jump online and share stories! See more at www.showmom.com.

IPPOS International is jumping into the spotlight. After sponsoring the WCAR Spruce Teams and making the trip to the Pan Am Games with Jill Humphrey, the show duffle bag will also be seen at Indoors this fall. More on the fabulous On The Circuit Collection at www.ippos.com.