I have some very exciting news from team Defying Gravity Eventing. Young horse, Paint It Black (known around the farm as 'Deacon') competed in his first USPC Maryland Region rally. Since he has had some difficulty in the show jumping phase, I thought this was a great opportunity to take him to Show Jumping Rally for the extra exposure. However, I forgot how difficult it is to get a grey-paint 'pony club clean.' Despite the two-hour bath, Deacon was on his best behavior and gained quite the fan club! He did not receive a single point off on Horse Management, and had 3 beautiful rounds! The courses were quite challenging, and Deacon handled the questions with skill far exceeding his age. In fact, his rounds were so good that he qualified for East Coast Championships! Unfortunately I had to decline since it is the same weekend as the NAYRC** competition in Lexington, KY. Now more than ever do I wish I could be in two places at one time.
Now on to a busy Saturday at Waredaca Horse Trials... Willy will be competing in Intermediate and Deacon will be going training. Hope to see you there!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
RECAP of 2009 Spring Season
A huge thank you to all of the Team's supporters! Without your help, this spring would not have been such a complete success! Unfortunately things have been so crazy that I have not been able to keep an updated blog... believe it or not it is quite difficult keeping up 2 horses (in 100% competition mode), starting a training business, and going to a university with the academic prestige as Wake Forest (to which my professors must be thanked since they were very understanding of my countless 'horse show' absences). Thankfully I only have one more year to balance the horses and grades. Now on to the recap :)
This is my last year as a young rider. Competing on the 2006 NAYRC CCI* team was a huge opportunity for Willy and I, a perfect way for us to mature in our riding and improve our performance in the competition arena. Needless to say our silver medal was a great confidence booster as well. Not many ponies have competed at the Intermediate level, so I was very careful with our training and preparations before actual competing at the level. Though Willy and I made several mistakes (it is both of our first times as this level) it has been an incredible journey, and the 2009 season has been our greatest yet...though I'm beginning to think that this super pony will go all the way.
Willy cleaned up in the IP and Preliminary events he entered, I couldn't have asked for better performances. Unfortunately Mother Nature had some input on our competition schedule, and because several events were canceled I had to enter Willy in several additional competitions because I wanted to make sure he was prepared for the challenges of our first CIC** event in late March. After great performances at Pine Top (finishing 5th) and Southern Pines (finishing 8th) we made the journey down to Hamilton, GA for our first CIC**. Again, we were met with a complete downpour... so much so that the organizers were forced to reschedule an entire day of competition. Unfortunately some difficulties in scheduling I was on Willy for far too long in the dressage warm-up, and the test was rather tense. However this 14.3 hand pony put all the horses to shame with a clean show jumping and cross country round, adding only time faults due to my caution with the wet ground finishing in 11th place. After a short vacation, Willy placed 2nd in the Fork Preliminary competition, and then went on to complete the Fair Hill CIC**… again finishing only with a couple time penalties. With these two completions Willy and I are qualified for the Area II NAYRC CCI** team for 2009…. Our last opportunity to compete in what is regarded as the Junior Olympics.
For the summer, our goal is to keep Willy happy and healthy. His schedule will be filled with conditioning trot sets, gallops, lots of dressage, and a gymnastics school once a week. You can come watch him compete in Maryland this summer at Waredaca (May), Seneca (June), and Surefire (July) before leaving for the Junior Olympic training camp in Southern Pines, NC!
My other horse, Deacon is using this year as a learning experience. Initially I thought he would be ready to compete at the preliminary level by the summer, but upon re-evaluation I think Deacon has much to learn about the sport at the lower levels (since he moved up to training so quickly). He continues to blow the competition away in the dressage, always placing in the top 4 after this first phase. The jumping phases are coming slowly but surely for him, though unfortunately brief ‘green’ moments continue to hamper what should be a stellar record. This year I will be working on instilling a solid foundation for this horse… making sure the basics are there, and working on his jumping style. He will also be making his Pony Club debut, competing in the Maryland Region Show Jumping Rally. I have high hopes for this horse, but like most things, he needs time to fully mature. I hope to end his year with the Training level 3-day at the Florida Horse Park in November.
Team plans for the summer include testing for both the HA and A in Pony Club (the two highest ratings), creating a syndicate for Willy (in hopes of funding his journey towards Advanced), and last but surely not least YOUNG RIDERS in Lexington, KY.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
PINE TOP ADVANCED HORSE TRIALS
I'm beginning to think that I will never get to run the Intermediate at Pine Top. Our attempt was cut short last year, when we discovered a sore ligament on Willy's hind leg (the pony was never lame!) after an atypical show jumping round. This year, Mother Nature decided to have monsoon-type weather the weekend of Pine Top's Advanced Horse Trials.
I was incredibly excited to run this event, for it was our first full phase intermediate (Willy ran the IP at Sporting Days in early February) and the course was absolutely breathtaking! Lots of good questions, but a great early test for intermediate. I arrived at Pine Top around 10 am... and it was POURING, and apparently had been for some time (it wasn't raining in Winston-Salem, NC!) Everything was flooded, and the event was put on hold several times for lightning. After mounting poor Willy 3 times (because of rain delays), I was finally able to quickly warm-up (or something like warming up) and completed the dressage test in the downpour. While I could hardly see the end of the arena, the rain did take the edge of Willy and encouraged him to be obediant and we managed to put in a solid test (with only one flying change.... that pony just wants to go Advanced!)
I talked to three of my coaches about show jumping, wondering if it was safer to scratch and try another day. But all three encouraged me to jump, and they were right! The footing held up great, even despite being the very last intermediate horse to jump. Willy put in his best round to date, really listening to the aids and trying his heart out. It was truely an awe-inspriring moment, for this horse really LOVES his job. Unfortunately cross country was canceled, so I packed up all of Willy's gear and headed home early on Sunday morning. So while it was somewhat disappointing, it was a GREAT weekend.
Deacon sat this weekend out, as he is not yet ready to move up to prelim (Pine Top only offered Prelim through Advanced). He was scheduled to compete in SP 1 but b/c of the rain, I decided it was better to play another day, as we are looking for positive, confidence building runs.
Look for the team at SP II this coming weekend!
And then its off to Poplar Place HT, where Willy will attempt his first CIC** !!!!!!!
Cheers!
Courtney
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Paradise Spring HT
*Above (3) photos taken by Hoofclix
The season is off to an absolutely fantastic start! This was Willy's last run before moving back up to Intermediate (this coming weekend!) at Pine Top in Georgia, and Deacon increased his experience at the training level.
Willy put forth a lovely test, though he was quick to let me know that the Preliminary Test A was not the Intermediate Test A we were supposed to be doing. Besides several moments of tension, he put forth an admirable effort to receive a 37, placing him in the middle of the JYOP division. Unlike many events, Paradise remains true with the traditional format of eventing, and runs one phase per day in the order: dressage-cross country-show jumping. Saturday morning was sunny and COLD, but as usual, it didn't seem to bother Willy who put in a foot-perfect round, jumping beautifully and fast. The course is known to be quite challenging, especially for the warm-up events in Aiken, but Willy didn't seem to mind and jumped the combinations, corners, and water complex quite easily. While he was quite cocky towards his fences, this is the essential confidence needed for Willy, standing at 14.3, to gallop around an intermediate cross country course next weekend. Sunday's show jumping course was beautiful! The organizer and course designers really outdid themselves! Rails seemed to be flying, for there were several tricky questions- including a small vertical on a grass mound. Yet Willy cantered into the ring like a pro, and proceeded to have one of the few clear show jumping rounds, finishing on his dressage score in 4th place (less than a rail from 1st). I don't want to speak too soon, but it really does seem like the old Willy is back. :)
Deacon was another great story, it has been such a pleasure teaching this young horse about eventing. His dressage has been steadily improving, this time by 6 points! He was the first to go (bright and early at 7:30 am), and really held it together in a rather spooky grass ring. Most of the judge's comments suggested that I ride him more confidently.... little did the judge know of Deacon's outburst the last several times I have been on him... he is not very found of using his back and behaving! Regardless, I was quite the proud mother Friday evening. Cross country for Deacon was a great learning experience. While he jumped clean and within the time, he had several bobbles throughout the course, which began after he decided that half-halts were beneath him. After slamming into the fence (mental note - we may need a stronger bit for this phase), it took almost the whole course to get his confidence back. Though, by the last combination he was jumping well again, and quite responsive to my aids. Just to be careful and restore his XC psyche, I will be moving him down to novice at his next event.... just as a precaution. This horse has great potential, so I want things to be taken correctly and slowly. Sunday, Deacon was quick to redeem himself and jumped wonderfully. He had one unfortunate rail which was a 'rider rail' in that I did not quite get his right shoulder around a turn. The rail dropped him from 3rd to 5th, but I cannot be disappointed with this horse!
UPDATE : With just two shows under his belt, Deacon and Courtney are on the February USEA YOUNG ADULT TRAINING LEVEL RIDER LEADERBOARD... tied for 6th. This is a national rank!
Kick on!
Courtney
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Sporting Days
What a way to start the competition season! We made the 3.5 hour trek to Aiken, SC hoping to find the warmer weather... and oh boy did we! Finally I could pull off heavy blankets and give the horses a decent bath. I love competing at Sporting Days, not only is it a wonderful farm, but the courses are always fair, beautiful, and maintain the 'traditional' eventing questions.... its not so much a technical or big course, but asks the necessary questions in a safe and confidence building manner... perfect for a first time out. A huge thank you to Carol Kozlowski who acted as both my trainer and groom for dressage and Jessica Miller who was the most wonderful groom! It was so nice having two knowledgeable sets of hands, especially since my times were so close!
Thanks to Carol and Jessica, the weekend was a huge success. Willy started off being quite a little handful in the dressage... unfortunately all of the hard work done on this phase did not quite show through his lovely 'pony moments.' But what Willy lacked in dressage, he most certainly made up for in the jumping phases. Running the IP means Willy performs an intermediate dressage and show jumping tests, and a preliminary cross-country course. The show jumping was a piece of cake for the pony, completing it very cleanly.. oftentimes jumping me out of the tack ( I think he was just so happy to jump). Cross country was perfect. He was so forward and eager, pulling me to every fence ... which for him is great! We even managed to make time (something we were not trying for... i didn't even wear a watch!). Willy finished on his dressage score of 41... landing him in 2nd place! Very exciting for his first time out!
Deacon also earned a gold star this weekend, minus jumping out of the trailer AGAIN! His dressage was very obedient... though he reached the end of his limit half way through the test and became rather unhappy about the work he was supposed to be doing. Jumping was really great... warming up with Carol was incredibly helpful! Deacon jumped around the show jumping course, not his most brilliant phase, beautifully AND cleanly. Cross country was extremely educational for this young horse. He started off somewhat hesitant, then by fence 3 extremely cocky, then after a near miss at fence 5 (apparently Deacon did not feel it was neccessary to listen to any of my aids) he decided to be a good boy and was an angel for the rest of the course. Like Willy, Deacon was full of running, showing his level of fitness. Deacon finished cross county double clean, ending in 5th! .... So finishing 2nd and 5th... not too shabby for the boys... hopefully everything goes just as smoothly at Paradise in two weeks!
Fly High!
Courtney
Friday, January 30, 2009
Gearing Up for 2009
The team is well underway with preparations for the 2009 competition season. Horses are being clipped and prepped, tack is being polished, the NEW 4-STAR TRAILER is being organized, and last minute essentials are being ordered. The team is finalizing the "color" switch from hunter green and burgundy to black and pink by ordering new blankets, saddle pads, coolers, halters, quarter sheets, leadropes, etc, etc, etc. The list goes on forever, but the essentials are just about finished (especially considering we have only a week left!). Deacon and Willy will be making the trip down to Sporting Days in the wee hours of Saturday morning running Training and Intermediate/Prelim respectively. The horses are going great on the flat and conditioning... though the latter has been rather difficult with all this crazy weather! Both boys have a jumping lesson on Sunday with Holly Hepp, who has been absolutely wonderful for both horses. The most stressful thing has been getting Willy's paperwork and qualifications together for the Poplar CIC** ... its been a full competition season since I have run a FEI Event... and those are always stressful! The team is still searching for sponsors and owners.... please e-mail or call me directly if interested. I'm working on placing a PayPal account on the website to make cash donations easier. Kick on!
Courtney
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Virginia Horse Trials
What a wonderful weekend, Brian and Penny Ross due an excellant job of organizing a well run event! In addition to the normal festivities (BN-I and Adult Team Challenge) a 'College Team Challenge' was held. A number of colleges sent individuals or teams, and Courtney comprised 2/4 slots of the Wake Forest/ Virginia Tech scramble team.
Courtney and Willy started the team off on a perfect note... having the lowest factored dressage score of the entire college competition. The pair was also in the top 5 within their own preliminary division. With the addition of the other dressage scores, the Wake Forest scramble team was in first place after the dressage portion of the competition, and both of Courtney's horses were placed very well in their respective divisions.
Deacon showed his greenness in the show jumping phase, backing off just enough in Virginia's indoor arena. It was very exciting to see how calm he was in the charged setting, though he was a bit intimidated! Another educational experience for baby Deacon was the cross country course. It was quite challenging for training level, having several offset lines, combinations, a wide open ditch, and a scarey brush into water. However, Deacon handled the course like a champion... only incurring a handful of time faults. With his altogether stellar performance, Deacon ended up in 6th place in a very competitive division.
Willy provided a clean and very fast cross country go, picking up only a handful of time penalities on an otherwise PERFECT GO! What a champion this little pony has become! And in true, 'Wil'Ya Love Me' form, he put in a solid round in the indoor incurring NO faults. Willy's picture perfect weekend landed him in 4th place, just a few points from 1st.
With the addition of several time penalities, the Wake Forest College Team fell to 3rd place overall.... mere fractions of a point from 1st. Nevertheless, Defying Gravity Eventing was very excited about everyone's performance over the past year and look forward to an even better 2009. Happy Holidays!
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