Monday

9:30 Maddie and Ueori

10:30 Margo and Tenny

11:15 Cassie and Jorryn

12:45 Shiloh and Shakespeare

2:00 Bethany and Cristofori

2:45 Shiloh and ??

3:30 Lindsay and Poe Pie

4:15 Sally and Killian

5:00 Madison and Allie

Tuesday

9:30 Margo and Tenny

10:15 Melissa and Bicolor

11:00 Margo and Ziggy

11:45 Shiloh and Shakespeare

12:30 Bethany and Cristo

1:15 Shiloh and ??

2:00 Sally and Killian

2:45 Maddie and Uoeri

3:30 Lindsay and Poe Pie

4:15 Madison and Allie

Len and I wanted share with you some exciting changes at Windswept Stables for 2012.

We are announcing a new name, EquiSportUSA;  the launch of our new website http://equisportusa.blogspot.com <http://equisportusa.blogspot.com/> ; and expansion of services in  training, sales and team competition. We decided to change the name to EquiSportUSA to better reflect our new and expand services and to focus on the 3-Day Eventing. Feel free to post on the blog, would love to know what you think.

Over the years, we invited neighbors and trainers use the arena for schooling and lessons.  We will continue to allow friends and neighbors to ride in or haul in to use the facility, however, we have created a fee schedule to help us cover facility maintenance costs. Please take a look at our services and fees on the website. We’ve also updated the facility, arena, parking and trails rules and etiquette to minimize conflict. Please take a look when you have a chance.

We’ve also had some great, local trainers (Trudy Allen, Tisha Green, Cara Weiser and others) work with riders throughout the show season and last fall we had a 2 day clinic with Stephanie Goodman that was well organized and attended. What’s new this year are the creation of formal training program packages and schedule for beginners to advanced riders.  We also have plans to organize clinics with National 3-Day Trainers in May, August and October. Stay tuned for the clinic schedule.

The new website has a horse sales and leasing page, where I have posted all of my horses for sale or lease. I am hopeful that two of the horses will either be leased or sold before the beginning of the competition season this year. I plan to keep one to compete with this year. If you know of anyone who might be interested in leasing or purchasing one of the horses please let me know.

We are also starting an EquiSportUSA Team that could provide sponsorship opportunities for our competitive riders. Let me know if you’d like to be on the team, we currently have an opportunity to partner with a sporting apparel company.

I hope that you’ll see the value in the new EquiSportUSA vision and you will benefit from the expanded and structured services.  Maybe get involved in the training program or become a member of the EquiSportUSA Team.

Warmly,

Dawn and Len Bowes 

Come check out the beautiful Riverbend Ranch

On February 4th and 5th, Riverbend Ranch will be hosting an open house and dressage clinic with Sarah Martin. They will also be introducing their  new trainer, Trisha Kerwin.

Trisha is a USDF  ”L” graduate and has earned her USDF bronze and silver medals. She’s also won multiple national, regional and state championships. She works with a wide range of riders from beginners to Grand Prix. Trisha will start full time on February 1st at Riverbend.  She can be reached at 801.885.1946.

Riverbend Ranch Equestrian Center is located at 13239 South 1100 West (Lovers Lane) Riverton,Utah 84065  801.230.9841

The clinic is free to all auditors and refreshments will be served. Lunch will be provided from 12:00~3:00.  There will also be several drawings per day for lessons with Trisha.

If you plan on attending please R.S.V.P. to Tamara  at 801.230.9841.

The indoor at Riverbend

I was talking with a dressage buddy of mine about our various journeys in this crazy sport we love. I told her I thought dressage is a lot like religion. And I don’t mean to be disrespectful here but my point is that we’re all trying to get closer to dressage “God” – meaning that feeling of throughness, carriage and connectedness that is so elusive and so hard to describe to a non-rider. We seek it desperately at all times, horse heroin addicts trying to capture that softness, feeling of power and oneness with our horse.

And like religion, we’re all arguing about the correct path to get to dressage heaven.  Is it through “the classical method”, the cowboy way, with this trainer or that clinician? Is the correct path with this exercise or that judge? Do we let our horses go out in a pasture or do we keep them in a stall? Do we use that shoer or that vet? What is the “one true path”?

Like religion, we’re all so positive our way is the only way and we spend lots of energy trying to convince others that our path is the only path.  I would argue that there are many paths to dressage heaven and sometimes one path works one day and another path works another day. The idea is to learn as much as you can by keeping yourself open to all paths and to avoid the temptation of judging others for their “dressage religion”.

In case you haven’t heard yet, judges are now being asked to use a half of a point or .5 when they think it’s appropriate.  So this year, expect to see not just your typical 6 or 7 on your test sheet. Now you will see a decimal point for all scores.  For example, instead of getting a 6 you will now see a 6.0. Or, if the judge thinks it’s better than just a straight 6.0, they may give you a 6.5.

I think this a great change for two primary reasons:

1). It allows the judge to more clearly communicate to the rider about the quality of the movement.

2). It gives the judge an increased ability to separate out the scoring of the rides. So often when I’ve been in the judge’s box I’ve thought, gee that movement by that rider was a 6 but barely a 6. Another rider may do the movement with higher quality but it’s not quite a 7 either so they also get a 6. This can go on for an entire test although most judges will reward the higher quality ride somewhere in the collectives. But this new option really gives the judge the clear ability to better place the classes – a benefit to everyone.

The scribe is the only one whose job becomes a little harder because now they are required to write the score using decimal points. For example, if the score is a 6, the scribe has to write it down as a 6.0.  Or, a 6.5 if the judge decides to add the .5 for that movement.

I applaud the USDF for improving the scoring system and I look forward to seeing it in action.

Anna Nemeckay and Jorryn   UDS AA Training Level Champion    RMDS Top Friesian

Madeline Birch and Donegal  UDS Jr. Training Level Champion

Margo Gogan and Tennyson  UDS Open First Level Champion

Ashley Simmons and Zena Kismet  UDS Second Level AA Champion

Margo Gogan and Gretzky  UDS Third Level Open Champion

Karen Rawson and Made in America   UDS AA Fourth Level Champion

Joan Innacone and Welthana  UDS AA PSG Champion

Madeline Birch and Uoeri   UDS Jr. PSG Champion     ABIG Region 6 Jr. PSG Champion    Two Time FEI Gold Medal Young Rider

Cassie Benson and Viking  UDS Jr. Intermediare 1 Champion    ABIG Region 6 Jr. Intermediare 1 Champion    USDF Jr. Intermediare Champion

Alison Child and Shaka Zulu   ABIG Region 6 AA Intermediare 1 Champion   RMDS AA Intermediare 1 Champion    IDEA AA FEI Rider of The Year

Margo Gogan and Ziggy  UDS Open FEI Freestyle Champion   ABIG Region 6 Open Intermediare 1 Freestyle Champion

If you want to experience the benefits of what a Trilogy saddle can do for you and your horse, please contact me, Alison Child,  at (435) 640-3287.

Heidi Zorn, Premier Equestrian

1-800-611-6109

www.PremierEquestrian.com

Sandy, UT (December 23, 2011) – Premier Equestrian, a leading supplier of dressage arenas, horse jumps, arena footing and stable accessories, is proud to announce they are sponsoring dressage trainer Margo Gogan, of Hilltop Dressage in Heber City, Utah, and her talented group of Young Rider students. Cassie Benson and Maddi Birch, two of Gogan’s award-winning students, were recently chosen to ride at the 2011 United States Dressage Federation (USDF) National Symposium.

“Premier is thrilled to be sponsoring Margo and her students at Hilltop Dressage, and we firmly believe Hilltop is one of Utah’s hidden gems,” said Heidi Zorn, President of Premier Equestrian, which is also based out of Utah. “Margo has had so much success with her students and horses over the years and Premier is privileged to be sponsoring them. Margo has a great long history of promoting and training Young Riders and Cassie and Maddi are two fine examples of the level of students Margo produces.”

Both of Gogan’s students had a successful 2011 year, with Birch bringing home her second team gold medal from NAYRC on her Dutch gelding Uoeri. Benson competed Melissa Connelly’s Danish gelding Viking, winning the National Intermediaire I Championship in the Junior/Young Rider Division. “It’s unique that we are in Utah, because we are a bit outside of the dressage world. But we keep our heads down and work hard. We have great clinicians come to Hilltop, including National Youth Coach Jeremy Stienberg, and we have great horses and the support of really good parents,” Gogan said. “I was very pleased that Maddi and Cassie were asked to ride at the USDF Symposium.”

Zorn added, “Margo and her students are such a success, I just can’t say enough wonderful things about them. With her business partner Alison Child, Margo is putting together the Region 5 Championships next year and Premier will be one of the official sponsors for the event. We are hoping to install new footing and we will be providing all of the equipment for the Championships.”

A Brentina Arena, from Premier Equestrian, was used at the 2011 USDF Symposium. “We were excited to be part of the USDF Symposium, as Premier is a strong supporter of the dressage community. Our Brentina Dressage Arena is named after Debbie McDonald’s famous equine partner, Brentina, and Debbie is one of the national coaches who took part in the Symposium. Margo’s student Cassie recently worked with Debbie in California and her goal is to compete in the Brentina Cup,” Zorn said.

As an official sponsor of the United States Dressage Federation, Premier Equestrian is well known in the dressage community.  Premier supplied the dressage arenas for the 2010 World Equestrian Games, as well as the dressage warm-up arena, driving arena, driving warm-up arena and the flower boxes and dressage letters. “The Brentina Arena was used for the main competition arena at the World Equestrian Games in Lexington and was very well received by the international dressage community,” Zorn said.

Considered America’s leading manufacturer and distributor of dressage arenas, Premier’s website offers extensive and informative information designed to help horse owners understand the differences in arenas as well as horse arena footing. “While Premier is thrilled to sponsor Margo and Hilltop Farm, especially because they are from our home state of Utah, Premier is also pleased to say that 99.5% of our products are made in the United States or Canada. I strongly believe that we need to support our own,” Zorn said.

Premier Equestrian also offers a complete line of horse jumps and horse jumping equipment. Including jump standards, gates, walls, jump cups, horse jump poles, sponsor jumps, and cavaletti. For more information on all Premier Equestrian products, including footing, dressage arenas, jumps and stable accessories, visit their website at www.PremierEquestrian.com or call 800-611-6109.  For more information on Margo Gogan, visit her site http://www.hilltopdressage.blogspot.com/.

Riverbend is a beautiful facility that has been under utilized over the last few years. This new partnership will be a great addition to dressage in the Salt Lake valley. Best of luck to Trisha, Kerwin Dressage and Riverbend Ranch on their new adventure.

The Wasatch Mountain Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Dressage Society and The Collectives will be partnering with Sweetwater Equestrian and Hilltop Dressage to provide a new show opportunity next season.  On Friday, July 13th there will be a one day, one ring show at Hilltop Dressage and on Saturday another one ring show will be hosted at Sweetwater Equestrian.  The judge will be Shirley Rector for both shows and Heather Petersen will be doing all the pre-show entries for each show. Each show will be recognized by USEF/USDF, UDS, RMDS and IDEA.

A collaborative effort like this not only saves each show money but it provides a home show opportunity for boarders, gets more people involved in running shows and thereby cultivates more show opportunities now and in the future. It should prove to be a win-win for everyone and we’re all looking forward to working together on this project.

We arranged it around the Melissa Creswick clinic so she could join us in the festivities.  She is after all, a big part of our barn family. The day started out great until Melissa got the news that it was time for Corinne Cody’s beloved Tibi to go to the other side. Tibi has been in retirement at a barn near Melissa’s in California.

Corinne and Tibi by Bonnie Cazier

We’re all so sad about it because Tibi was everyone’s dream horse. He was perfect in every way although Corinne might have a comment or two about that right rein. Oddly enough, Melissa found Tibi for Corinne years ago. And as luck would have it, Melissa happened to be at the show where Corinne officially put Tibi into retirement with all the full regalia and ceremony. I’m struck that Melissa happened to be here with us when Tibi left for greener pastures. I’m sure it was supposed to happen that way.

So tonight we celebrate our enduring love for the people in our lives, our horses and the gift of life.

Oh, and may I draw a good number for the gift exchange.